Category Archives: Cakes & Cupcakes

Let’s Make a Wedding Cake, Vol. 1: Caramel Pudding

For Let’s Make a Wedding Cake, Vol. 2, click here. For Vol. 3, click here.

Caramel Pudding If you’ve been on my social media in the past few days, you know I’ve been busy lately. Aside from working and blogging and petting dogs and being a person in New York City, I’m making a wedding cake! Let’s Make a Wedding Cake, Vol. 1 One of my nearest and dearest friends is getting married on Sunday, and asked yours truly to make a big, beautiful cake for her and her dream man. I said yes—it was a proposal this baker couldn’t refuse. Of course, July 15, 2018, seemed very far away when I agreed to this last summer. In fact, it didn’t start feeling imminent until May, when she and future hubs planned a trip home to NYC to make some final arrangements, including a cake tasting. Let’s Make a Wedding Cake, Vol. 1 Cut to June 4th when I showed up to the bride’s mother’s apartment with three little layer cakes: all vanilla, two with traditional Swiss Meringue Buttercream, one with Seafoam (brown sugar) Swiss Meringue Buttercream, two with mocha filling (the bride’s request), and one with caramel (the groom’s favorite). I wasn’t too confident, not because I didn’t think the cakes would taste good, but because this isn’t just any ol’ cake, you know? Let’s Make a Wedding Cake, Vol. 1 The original plan was that they would choose one filling and one frosting and that would be that. About five minutes into the tasting we were all in agreement—vanilla, mocha, and bright-white Swiss Meringue Buttercream. But that was before the mother of the bride randomly stacked a bite of the caramel-filled cake on top of a bite of the mocha-filled cake and then insisted the rest of us do the same. Just like my friend and her betrothed, each filling was fine on its own, but they were better together—the combination of chocolate, espresso, and dark caramel is divine. And so, it stands that this cake will be vanilla layers with Swiss Meringue Buttercream and alternating mocha and caramel fillings. Let’s Make a Wedding Cake, Vol. 1 Since this cake has to be made, transported, and assembled in the middle of a hot, humid NYC July, I had to take melting into consideration when developing the recipe(s). Traditional American Buttercream (butter + confectioners sugar + vanilla + heavy cream, AKA most of the frostings on this site) was out as a filling/frosting option—too prone to melting. Instead, the fillings and frosting are all at least partially egg-based. Eggs are textural and structural powerhouses in cooking and baking, and most importantly, they don’t melt. Caramel Pudding The frosting, which I’ll write more about on Friday, is made from egg whites, while the fillings are made with the yolks. The mocha filling is simply my chocolate pudding with a tablespoon of espresso granules added to the dry ingredients—easy peasy. I’ve already gone on and on about its richness and depth, and used it as a cake filling.Today is all about the caramel filling—this rich, silky, insanely delicious pudding that is practically like eating a little bowl of pure caramel! So freaking good.Caramel Pudding is a streamlined spin on the Butterscotch Cream Pie filling I made last fall. It’s super quick and easy to make, coming together in just 15 minutes on the stovetop. You may absolutely enjoy it without any accoutrements, but I especially love it with whipped cream and a drizzle of homemade caramel sauce. Caramel Pudding And, of course, it also works well as a cake filling, if whispers of dark caramel between layers of buttery vanilla cake are a thing you’re into. Let’s Make a Wedding Cake, Vol. 1 They are definitely a thing I’m into.

Caramel Pudding
makes 4 servings

1 cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon light corn syrup
1/2 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
3 tablespoons cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon Kosher or sea salt
1 1/2 cups whole milk
2 large egg yolks, lightly beaten
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
2 tablespoons unsalted butter

For serving (optional):
whipped cream
caramel sauce

Combine sugar, light corn syrup, apple cider vinegar, cornstarch, and salt in a heavy-bottomed 4-quart pot over medium-high heat. Whisking constantly, cook until dark amber, about 7-8 minutes. Do not burn. Whisk in milk. Mixture will bubble violently and caramel may briefly seize, but keep whisking until it has smoothed out and boiled for 2 minutes. Remove from heat.

Whisk 1/3 of the mixture into the egg yolks. Return egg yolk mixture to pot and place back over medium-high heat. Whisking constantly, bring to a boil for 2 minutes. Remove from heat. Whisk in vanilla and butter.

Push through a sieve to remove lumps. Divide mixture among 4 4-ounce ramekins. Press a piece of plastic wrap to the surfaces. Refrigerate for at least 2-3 hours, or until cold.

When ready to serve, top with whipped cream and caramel sauce, if desired.

Caramel Pudding will keep covered in the refrigerator for up to three days.
Let’s Make a Wedding Cake, Vol. 1

Raspberry Coffee Cake

1 Reply

Raspberry Coffee Cake—it’s what’s for breakfast this weekend.
It can also be what’s for mid-morning snack, second breakfast, afternoon snack, or dessert. It’s also totally okay to sub a big hunk of it for one meal.* But only on the weekend because vegetables are important. Or something.

*Not a nutritionist, just a coffee cake enthusiast who believes in cake for lunch every once in a while, okay? Okay.
Raspberry Coffee Cake is a summertime spin on the Apple Cider Coffee Cake I made last fall. I’m looking forward to making the apple version again in a few months, but I am all about fresh seasonal berries right now. When I wrote my berry round-up a couple of weeks ago, I was shocked to see how few raspberry recipes I have in my archives, so I went and made a cake that showcases them in all their sweet, tangy glory! Raspberry Coffee Cake
This cake is super moist and delicious. In addition to the 1 1/2 cups of ripe red raspberries, the batter is made with sour cream, whole milk, butter, and a touch of brown sugar—basically, if you can think of an ingredient that makes cake amazing, it’s probably in this recipe. Raspberry Coffee Cake
I know coffee cake crumb qualifies more as an “element” than it does as an ingredient, but this cake has two layers of it and they definitely up the amazingness quotient. While the middle layer sort of melts into the middle of the cake, the stuff on top gets super caramelized and crispy while baking. YUM. Raspberry Coffee Cake
And speaking of baking, because it’s so moist, this cake needs to bake for a while. Like 75-minutes-a-while. The wait will seem eternal, but it will be absolutely worth it because cinnamon-scented cake bursting with raspberries and topped with crunchy crumbs is basically always worth it. Raspberry Coffee Cake
Another great thing? You don’t have to cool this cake completely before you slice into it. I mean, if you want to move it to a serving plate, you’ll want to wait for it to cool, but if it’s just you and family/friends who are family sitting around drinking cold brew and eating Raspberry Coffee Cake on a Saturday afternoon, slice that sucker up anytime you please.

Raspberry Coffee Cake
makes 1 9-inch round cake

Crumb:
1 cup + 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
3/4 cup + 2 tablespoons light brown sugar, packed
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
pinch of Kosher or sea salt
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup unsalted butter, cold, cut into cubes

Cake Batter:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon Kosher or sea salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
1 large egg, room temperature
1/2 cup full-fat sour cream
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2/3 cup whole milk
1 1/2 cups fresh raspberries (about 8 ounces)

Garnish:
1-2 tablespoons confectioner’s sugar (optional)

Make the crumb. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together flour, light brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Pour in vanilla. Add butter. Use your hands (or a pastry blender) to work butter into dry ingredients until a clumpy but homogenous mixture forms. Set aside.

Preheat oven to 350F. Grease a 9-inch springform pan with butter. Line with parchment. Grease parchment with butter. Set aside.

In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together flour, granulated sugar, light brown sugar, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, use an electric mixer to beat butter until fluffy. Mix in egg and sour cream; mixture may be a bit lumpy. Mix in half the dry ingredients followed by half the milk. Add remaining dry ingredients, followed by remaining milk. Use a silicone spatula (or wooden spoon) to fold in raspberries.

Pour half the batter into the prepared pan and spread it evenly. Top with half the crumb. Drop spoonfuls of the remaining batter over the crumb and gently spread to cover. Scatter remaining crumb over the top. Tap full pan a few times on the countertop to release any large air bubbles. Bake cake for 65-75, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Let cool 20 minutes in the pan on a rack. Run a thin, flexible knife around the edge of the pan before releasing the springform. Cake may be served warm or room temperature. If you’d like, let the cake cool completely, invert it and remove the parchment before placing on a serving platter. Sift confectioner’s sugar over the top. Serve.

Leftover cake will keep well at room temperature for up to two days, or in the refrigerator for up to five.
Raspberry Coffee Cake

Triple Chocolate Cake

4 Replies

This cake deserves a better name.
It’s thin layers of my favorite chocolate cake filled with chocolate pudding and frosted with the best buttercream ever to come out of my kitchen. It should have a more creative name than Triple Chocolate Cake.
Other name options included, but were not limited to:

• Fancier Chocolate Cake
• Gertrude’s Chocolate Cake*
• Eleven Layer Chocolate Cake**
• The Chocolate Cake of My Dreams (This Week, Specifically)
• Unnameable Chocolate Cake

*Gertrude is a chihuahua whom I have never met. She cannot actually eat chocolate, nor has she ever baked a thing (as far as I know). Things got weird, okay?
**Six thin layers of cake (three layers, split in half), five layers of pudding.
When all was said and done and over-analyzed, I went with the least ridiculous, most accessible, accurate name. Triple Chocolate Cake it is—the most decadent, chocolaty cake ever to appear on this blog.
Out of the three sources of chocolate in this cake, I’ve already discussed two of them at length. You’ve heard me wax on and on about my stellar chocolate cake and I recently wrote all about my seriously phenomenal chocolate pudding. I could have frosted this cake with a thick layer of chocolate buttercream, but instead I turned the volume up to 11…
…Chocolate Swiss Meringue Buttercream, y’all! The lightest, fluffiest, silkiest chocolate frosting I’ve ever made ❤

Every buttercream that has appeared previously on this site has been some variation on an American Buttercream: a frosting consisting of softened butter, confectioner’s sugar, and vanilla. I usually jazz mine up with heavy cream, and while they are all fluffy and luxurious, none are quite as divine as this one, which is airy from whipped egg whites and rich from butter and melted chocolate.
Let me give you a quick overview. It all starts with melting sugar into egg whites…
…and then beating it all into a glossy meringue. Next come two sticks of softened butter…
…and then ten ounces of melted bittersweet chocolate. Oh my word.
Unlike American buttercreams, this one requires a couple of bowls and a little patience, but it is worth every last ounce of effort. I swear, I would eat Chocolate Swiss Meringue Buttercream on a piece of cardboard if it were offered to me…
…but I would much prefer to eat it on chocolate cake. This one specifically.

Triple Chocolate Cake
makes 1 9-inch round cake

2 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup + 2 Tbsp natural unsweetened cocoa powder
1 2/3 cups granulated sugar
1 cup dark brown sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 tablespoon (3 teaspoons) baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoon Kosher or sea salt
1 1/2 cups buttermilk (low fat is fine)
3/4 cup vegetable oil
3 large eggs, room temperature
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups strong, hot coffee

For Assembly:
1 recipe Chocolate Pudding (about 2 cups)
1 recipe Chocolate Swiss Meringue Buttercream (below)
mini chocolate chips, for garnish (optional)
chocolate sprinkles, for garnish (optional)

Cake layers and Chocolate Pudding may be made up to 2 days in advance and stored in the refrigerator.

Preheat the oven to 350F. Grease 3 9-inch round cake pans. Line the bottoms with parchment and grease again. Set aside.

Make the cake batter. In a large mixing bowl, sift together flour, cocoa powder, granulated sugar, dark brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.

In a separate large mixing bowl, whisk together oil and eggs, followed by vanilla, buttermilk, and coffee. Whisk in dry ingredients in three installments, just until combined. Divide batter evenly among the pans. Tap full pans on the counter five times to release any air bubbles. Bake 25-27 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.

Let cakes cool in pans for 10 minutes before running a small, thin knife around the edges. Invert cakes onto cooling racks and allow to cool to room temperature. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2 hours or up to 2 days. Layers are easiest to work with when they are cold.

Assemble the cake. Use a serrated knife to slice cake layers equatorially so that you are left with 6 very thin layers. Place one layer, cut-side-up on a serving plate or cake stand. Use an offset spatula to spread ~1/3 cup of chocolate pudding over the top. Place another thin layer on top and spread with more pudding. Repeat this process until you have 6 thin layers of cake and 5 of pudding. Tent the cake with plastic wrap and refrigerate while you prepare the Chocolate Swiss Meringue Buttercream.

Remove cake from the refrigerator and uncover. Use an offset icing knife to frost the outside of the cake with buttercream. Pipe as desired. Decorate with mini chocolate chips and/or chocolate sprinkles, if desired. Chill cake for at least 30 minutes before serving.

Leftover cake will keep covered in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

Chocolate Swiss Meringue Buttercream
makes enough to fill, frost & decorate a 9-inch layer cake

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
10 ounces bittersweet chocolate
4 large egg whites*
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
1/8 teaspoon cream of tartar**

Egg whites will not whip properly if they are not treated well. Before beginning, please ensure that all equipment used in this recipe is very clean and dry. I like to wipe down the bowl(s), whisk, and mixer attachments with vinegar before starting the recipe. There is no way to salvage this recipe if the egg whites are contaminated with oil, yolk, or even water.

Cut butter into 16 one-tablespoon pieces. Set aside.

Chop chocolate. Place chopped chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl and microwave in 15-second increments, stirring in between, until smooth. Set aside.

Fill a small pot with 1-2 inches of water. Set a very clean, dry heatproof bowl over the top, ensuring that the water does not touch the bottom of the bowl. Remove bowl and bring water to a simmer.

Combine egg whites, sugar, salt, and cream of tartar in the heatproof bowl. Place bowl over simmering water and whisk frequently until sugar dissolves. Test for readiness by rubbing a drop of the mixture between your clean, dry fingertips to feel for granules. Remove bowl from heat and wipe off the bottom to remove any condensation.

Use a very clean, dry electric mixer with a whisk attachment to beat egg white mixture until room temperature and doubled in size, about 7-10 minutes. At this point, the mixture (a meringue) should hold stiff peaks and be glossy.

Add butter 1 tablespoon at a time, mixing to combine. Buttercream will probably curdle before re-forming; this is normal. Continue to whip until it thickens and becomes airy and frosting-like. If the buttercream is taking a long time to thicken, it may be too warm. Simply pop the bowl in the refrigerator for 15 minutes before whipping again.

Pour in chocolate and whip until combined. Fill and frost cake layers as desired.

Leftover frosting will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. Let come to room temperature and whip until fluffy before using.

Notes:

1. I use the ones leftover from making pudding.
2. Cream of tartar is required for this recipe. There is no substitute for this ingredient.

Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream Cake

3 Replies

Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream Cake Yesterday was my birthday. I’m 33 now.
I may be a full-fledged adult in her *gulp* mid-30s, but I will never, ever, EVER (!) be too old for ice cream cake. That’s impossible.
Ice cream cake is too delicious, especially this mint chocolate chip version.
It’s as simple as slicing a layer of chocolate cake in half, stuffing it will 1 1/2 quarts of mint chocolate chip ice cream, and topping it with whipped cream.
You could just spread it on, but it’s my birthday and I’ll pipe if I want to…
…even if I’m just going to cover it with mint baking chips, mini chocolate chips, chocolate sprinkles, and homemade chocolate shell.
Yes, homemade chocolate shell! It takes just two ingredients and about 45 seconds in the microwave to achieve a drizzlable, quick-hardening chocolate sauce without the price tag or the weird ingredients you’ll find in the store-bought stuff. Trust me—once you make this version, you’ll never buy the bottled stuff again. Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream Cake
One last thing before I get to the recipe: take this ice cream cake and make it your own! Switch up the ice cream flavors! Use a different flavor of cake! Jazz up the toppings!
Except the chocolate shell. Don’t skip that.

Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream Cake
makes one 9-inch round cake

Cake:
3/4 cup + 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
6 tablespoons natural unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 cup granulated sugar
6 tablespoons dark brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 large egg, room temperature
1/2 cup buttermilk, room temperature
1/2 cup strong, hot coffee
1 1/2 quarts mint chocolate chip ice cream, slightly softened

Whipped Cream:
2 cups (1 pint) heavy cream
4 tablespoons confectioner’s sugar

Garnish (optional):
Homemade Chocolate Shell (recipe below)
green mint baking chips
mini chocolate chips
chocolate sprinkles

Make the cake. Preheat the oven to 350F. Grease the pan with oil. Line the pan with parchment and grease again. Set aside.

Make the cake batter. In a large mixing bowl to sift together flour, cocoa powder, granulated sugar, dark brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.

In a separate large mixing bowl, whisk together oil and egg, followed by buttermilk and coffee. Whisk in dry ingredients in three installments, just until combined. Pour batter into the pan. Tap full pan on the counter five times to release any air bubbles. Bake 23-27 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.

Let cake cool in the pan for 10 minutes before running a small, thin knife around the edges. Invert cake onto a cooling rack and allow to cool to room temperature.

Line a deep 9-inch round cake pan (I use a springform) with 2-3 large sheets of plastic wrap, leaving a foot of overhang on each end.

Use a serrated knife to cut cake in half equatorially so that you have 2 thin layers. Place one thin layer cut-side-up in the prepared pan. Top with scoops of softened mint chocolate chip ice cream and use an offset knife to smooth it into an even layer. Top with remaining thin layer, placing it cut-side-down. Wrap plastic wrap overhang over the top of the cake. Freeze 8 hours or overnight.

Remove cake from the freezer and lift/invert it out of the pan. Unwrap the cake and invert it onto a serving plate. Place back in the freezer while you make the whipped cream.

In a medium-large mixing bowl, combine heavy cream and confectioner’s sugar. Use an electric mixer to whip cream until stiff peaks form. Spread or pipe whipped cream on top of the cake. Freeze cake for at least an hour or overnight.

Remove cake from freezer. Drizzle homemade chocolate shell (as much or as little as you like) over cake and top with optional green mint baking chips, mini chocolate chips, and/or chocolate sprinkles. Freeze for 30 minutes.

To serve, let cake thaw for 15-20 minutes. Dip a large, sharp chef’s knife in warm water and wipe dry. Slice cake, wetting and wiping the knife again between cuts. If you have difficulty slicing through the chocolate shell, use a slight sawing motion.

Leftover ice cream cake will keep covered in the freezer.

Homemade Chocolate Shell
makes about 3/4 cup

4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
2 tablespoons coconut oil (preferably refined/high heat)

Combine chopped chocolate and coconut oil into a small bowl. Microwave in 15 second increments, stirring in between, until melted. Pour or drizzle over ice cream or ice cream cake, or use as a dip for other frozen treats.

Leftover chocolate shell will keep in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a month. Reheat by microwaving in 15 second increments, stirring in between, until pourable.

Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream Cake Homemade Magic Shell

Coconut Pineapple Cake

6 Replies

About two years ago, an acquaintance called and asked me to make a Coconut Pineapple Cake for his birthday party.
In retrospect, I should have asked more questions. In our brief phone call, there was no mention of whether it should be layered or in a bundt or flipped upside down, just that it should be full of tropical flavor and generally resemble a cake.
Instead of doing the logical thing and calling to clarify, I just tried to channel my grandmother and go with my gut. Coconut Pineapple Cake
My gut said to flavor my favorite vanilla cake with coconut, layer it with pineapple filling, coat it in coconut buttercream, and decorate the crap out of it with sweetened flaked coconut. And so I did.
To this day, I have no idea if this is what my acquaintance had in mind when he made his initial order. Not a clue.
What I do know, though, is that he loved it.
I can say that with confidence because he has consistently ordered a Coconut Pineapple Cake every two months since, just because he has a craving.
That may sound a little ridiculous—ordering a whole layer cake for yourself just to fulfill a craving—but if you try this cake, it might suddenly seem very logical.

Coconut Pineapple Cake
makes 1 9-inch round layer cake

Cake Batter:
3 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup cornstarch
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon Kosher or sea salt
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
2 cups granulated sugar
4 large eggs, room temperature
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
2 teaspoons coconut extract
2 cups buttermilk, room temperature

Pineapple Filling:
16 ounces canned crushed pineapple in juice
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
2 tablespoons unsalted butter

Frosting:
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
1 pound confectioner’s sugar
pinch of Kosher or sea salt
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
1 1/2 teaspoons coconut extract
4 tablespoons heavy cream
2 cups sweetened shredded coconut

Cake layers and pineapple filling may be made up to a day in advance.

Preheat the oven to 350F. Grease two 9-inch round cake pans. Line the bottoms with parchment and grease again. Set aside.

Make the cake batter. In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together flour, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, use an electric mixer to beat butter until light and fluffy. Beat in sugar. Mix in eggs one at a time, followed by vanilla and coconut extracts. Add dry ingredients and buttermilk in two alternating installments, combining completely after each addition.

Divide batter among prepared pans. Tap pans on the counter five times to release any large air bubbles. Bake cakes 32-35 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the centers comes out clean. Let cake layers cool in the pans for fifteen minutes before inverting onto a rack to cool completely.

Make pineapple filling. Combine crushed pineapple in juice, sugar, and cornstarch in a small saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring frequently, until juices are clear and mixture thickens slightly, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in butter. Let cool to room temperature, or place in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

Slice each cake layer in half equatorially (this is called torteing). Place one half-layer on a serving plate and top with about 2/3 cup of pineapple filling. Repeat layering until you have 4 thin layers of cake and 3 layers of pineapple filling. Tent cake with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 30 minutes.

Make the frosting. In a large mixing bowl, use an electric mixer to beat butter until light and fluffy. Mix in confectioner’s sugar and salt, followed by vanilla and coconut extracts. Add heavy cream and beat frosting for one minute, or until fluffy. Use an offset knife to frost cake. Press sweetened flaked coconut onto the frosted surface of the cake.

Serve immediately. Leftover cake will keep covered in the refrigerator for up to five days.

Coconut Pineapple Cake

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Category Archives: Cakes & Cupcakes

Let’s Make a Wedding Cake, Vol. 1: Caramel Pudding

Raspberry Coffee Cake

Triple Chocolate Cake

Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream Cake

Coconut Pineapple Cake