Cakes and Cupcakes

Coconut Lime Crumble Cake

June 24, 2021 By Ashley Leave a Comment

I am not a fan of coconut. I’ve tried to like it over the years, but just hadn’t found anything with coconut that I enjoyed. Until this cake. I was determined to make a coconut cake that I loved, one without an artificial or overpowering flavor. This is THAT cake! It’s probably one of the best cakes I’ve ever made – it’s that good. Moist, fluffy and tender coconut lime cake made with lime zest, coconut milk, lightly toasted coconut and a small about of coconut extract just to oomph up that coconut flavor. Filled with a sweet tart lime curd, toasted coconut and crunchy graham cracker crumble, my coconut lime crumble cake is perfectly balanced, delicious and is the perfect summer cake.

Lime Curd

This curd is seriously good enough to be eaten on its own. It’s tart and sweet, creamy and thick, and pairs so well with the coconut lime cake. Lime curd is easy to prepare and takes less than 30 minutes to make. Egg yolks, a whole egg, sugar, salt, lime juice and zest are heated until thickened and creamy. Butter is added to help thicken the curd, add a little bit of richness and also make the curd silky smooth. Once the curd is chilled, it is ready to use.

Graham Cracker Crumble

The graham cracker crumble adds a layer of crunchiness to add texture to the cake with its creamy fillings. With the creamy buttercream and tart lime curd, the crumble adds an element to the cake that is reminiscent of key lime pie. Crushed graham crackers are mixed with melted butter, brown sugar and a pinch of salt and baked until golden brown and crunchy. Don’t use finely crushed graham cracker crumbs. You want to make sure you are leaving some small pieces of graham cracker intact for some extra crunch and texture. Once the crumble is baked and cooled, break into larger pieces and toss with some of the toasted coconut. The crumble will be layered with the coconut buttercream and lime curd.

Coconut Buttercream

For this cake, I went to my go-to Swiss meringue buttercream as the base for my coconut buttercream. For a semi-naked 8″ cake, 5″ tall, you will only need a half of a batch of buttercream. To fill and completely frost a 8″ cake, 5″ tall, make 3/4 of a batch or a full batch of Swiss meringue buttercream. Coconut cream and a small amount of coconut extract gives the buttercream it’s creamy coconut flavor. Use as much or as little coconut extract as you like. Be careful adding too much though, because adding too much will give you that suntan lotion/artificial coconut flavor.

How to make coconut lime crumble cake

I typically bake my cakes in two pans then torte (cut in half), but you can divide the batter between 3 pans if you like. For a 6″ cake, make a half batch of the batter. This coconut lime cake uses coconut milk, coconut extract and lime zest for flavor.

Butter is mixed into the dry ingredients until the mixture resembles coarse bread crumbs. Mixing the butter into the dry ingredients coats the flour, preventing too much gluten formation. Then, a small amount of the milk mixture is added, just until the dry ingredients are *just* moistened and the mixture is beaten on medium-high for two full minutes until lightened in color, and thick like soft-serve ice cream. This mixing is crucial as it helps to form the structure of your cake. The remaining wet ingredients are added in three parts. The cake batter will be a bit on the thicker side.

You will also notice, a scale is required for this recipe. Scratch cakes can be tricky to make sometimes, and the baking science is very important in the making and baking of scratch cake. We need cakes to be consistent in taste and texture, and bake up with no problems – no sinking, no overflowing, no rubbery layers, etc. A scale is key in getting consistent results. I use this one from Amazon. This recipe will not work if you convert it to volume (cups) measurements.

If you make this coconut lime crumble cake let me know! Drop a comment or tag me on Instagram. I love seeing your creations.

Enjoy!

Ash xx

For more layer cake recipes, check out these posts:

Strawberry Rose Buttermilk Cake

Earl Grey Cake with Honey Buttercream and Blackberry Caramel

Banana Cake with Salted Caramel and Peanut Butter Buttercream

Chocolate Stout Cake with Coffee Irish Cream Buttercream

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5 from 1 vote

Coconut Lime Crumble Cake

Moist, fluffy and tender coconut lime cake made with lime zest, coconut milk, lightly toasted coconut and a small about of coconut extract filled with a sweet tart lime curd, toasted coconut and crunchy graham cracker crumble

Prep Time1 hr

Cook Time45 mins

Cooling Time3 hrs

Course: Dessert

Ingredients

Lime Curd

3 large (42g) egg yolks
1 large (50g) egg
1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar
1/3 cup (76g) fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon lime zest
1/8 teaspoon fine sea salt
4 tablespoons (57g) unsalted butter, room temperature

Graham Cracker Crumble

3/4 cup (107g) graham cracker crumbs (about 4 1/4 graham cracker sheets)
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 tablespoon brown sugar
pinch of fine sea salt
1/4 cup (22g) coconut, sweetened, flaked

Coconut Lime Cake

14 ounces (396g) cake flour
14 ounces (397g) granulated sugar
1 teaspoon fine sea salt
1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon baking powder
2 teaspoons lime zest
8 tablespoons (113g) unsalted butter, room temperature
4 large eggs
3 ounces (85g) canola oil
12 ounces (341g) unsweetened coconut milk
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon coconut extract
1/2-3/4 cup (43g-64g) toasted coconut, sweetened, flaked

Coconut Buttercream

1/2 batch Swiss meringue buttercream (Omitting vanilla)
1/4 cup (74g) coconut cream, unsweetened
1/4 teaspoon coconut extract

Instructions

Toast the coconut.

Place the coconut for both the streusel and the cake a in a large skillet.
Cook over low-medium heat, stirring frequently, until the flakes are mostly golden brown. Because the coconut is sweetened, it will toast quickly.
Set aside to cool completely.

Make the lime curd.

Combine the sugar and lime zest into a bowl. Rub the mix between your hands to release the oils of the zest.
Add the egg and egg yolks to the sugar mixture and whisk to combine thoroughly.
Add the lime juice and whisk to combine.
Pour the mixture into a medium sauce pan, and place over a medium low heat. Add the butter. Stir continuously to keep the mixture moving so your eggs don't scramble.
Cook the curd until thick and just beginning to bubble, or until an instant read thermometer reaches 170F. The curd will thicken more in the refrigerator.
Take the curd off of the heat and whisk in the butter. Strain the curd into a clean shallow bowl, and let it sit until it reaches room temperature.
Cool completely in the refrigerator before using.

Make the graham cracker crumble.

Preheat the oven to 350F. Line a small cookie sheet with parchment paper.
In a medium bowl, melt the butter in the microwave, about 30-45 seconds.
Whisk in the brown sugar.
Add the graham cracker crumbs to the bowl and stir to coat.
Pour out the streusel onto the parchment paper.
Bake for 6-8 minutes, or until golden brown. Let the crumble cool.
Sprinkle 1/4 of the toasted coconut over the crumble. Stir to mix, breaking up some of the larger crumbs.

Make the coconut lime cake.

Prepare your cake pans. Brush the bottoms and sides of your cake pans with melted butter. Line the bottoms and sides with parchment paper.
Combine the coconut milk, oil, eggs, coconut extract and vanilla in medium bowl. Whisk to thoroughly combine. Pour 40z/113g of the wet ingredients into a separate mixing cup.
In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the cake flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and lime zest. On low speed, mix for 1 minute.
With the mixer still running, add in the softened butter pieces, one or two pieces at a time. Mix until the mixture resembles cornmeal. You should be able to gather a bit in your hand, squeeze and you have a solid piece. This means the butter is evenly distributed.
With the mixer still on low, pour in the 4oz of liquid and mix until the flour mixture is moistened.
Turn the mixer speed to medium (4 or 6) and whip for *two full* minutes. The mixture should be whipped up, thick, and lighter in color.
Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl to ensure everything is properly mixed.
With the mixer speed on low, add the remaining wet ingredients in three parts, scraping down the bowl after each addition has been mixed in.
Once all the wet ingredients have been added, give the bowl a final scrape and mix with a spatula. Fold in the 1/2 cup of toasted coconut.
Evenly divide the batter among the prepared pans.
Bake the layers for 35-45 minutes. Check the cake at 30-35 minutes to test for doneness. If a toothpick comes out clean, and the top of the cake feels springy and set when touched, take the cakes out.
Tap the cake once, firmly against the counter to remove excess steam. If your cakes dome at all, use a clean kitchen towel to gently push the domes down. Cool the cakes for 15 minutes in the pans.
Run a palette or butter knife around the cakes in their pans before turning them out to cool completely on cooling racks.
Wrap in plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator a couple hours.

Make the coconut buttercream.

In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the coconut cream at little at a time, coconut extract and prepared Swiss meringue buttercream.
Mix on low until everything is incorporated and the buttercream is smooth.

Assemble the coconut lime crumble cake.

Work with chilled cake layers. Using a long serrated knife torte the layers, cutting them evenly in half. You will have four cake layers total. The tops of the cakes will be the center two layers of your cake. If you made your cake in 3 pans, skip this step.
Put one of the cake layers, cut side up onto an 8" cake board or directly onto a cake stand.
Spread a thin, even layer of the butter on the cake layer with an offset spatula. Pipe a rim (or dam) of buttercream around the edge of the cake layer.
Spread about 1/3 to 1/2 cup of the lime curd over the cake.
Sprinkle the graham cracker streusel on top of the curd. Pat into place.
Spread about one cup of the buttercream on top of the curd/crumble using an offset spatula to evenly distribute the buttercream. You're looking for the buttercream to be about 1/4 inch thick.
Place the second cake layer on top, top up, and press down gently so that the layer is adhered to the buttercream. Repeat steps 3-6.
Place the third cake layer on top, top up, and press down gently so that the layer is adhered to the buttercream. Repeat steps 3-6.
Place final cake layer on top and frost with the remaining buttercream. Chill for 30 minutes.
Slice into pieces and serve.

Notes

The completed cake will keep in the refrigerator for up to three days. Bring to room temperature before serving.

Fruity Pebbles Cupcakes

June 10, 2021 By Ashley Leave a Comment

It wasn’t until I read Christina Tosi’s, Momofuku Milk Bar: A Cookbook, nearly a decade ago, that I learned about cereal milk. The idea of infusing milk with cereal is the perfect way to infuse familiar cereal flavors into baked goods. These Fruity Pebble Cupcakes are inspired by the cakes in that book, and also by my littlest, who came up with the idea of these cupcakes for her birthday. These Fruity Pebble cupcakes are tender, fluffy and moist, infused with Fruity Pebbles flavor, filled with strawberry jam and topped with light and fluffy whipped vanilla Fruity Pebbles buttercream.

Cereal Infused Milk

Steeping the milk used in both the cupcakes and the buttercream with the cereal will infuse the milk with all that familiar Fruity Pebbles flavor. Combine the cereal and the milk and let it sit for 45-60 minutes for the milk to absorb the flavor from the cereal. The milk will change to a light orange color. Pour the milk/cereal mixture into a sieve set over a measuring cup, and with the back of a spoon, press on the cereal left in the sieve to get as much of the cereal milk out as possible for optimal flavor.

How to make Fruity Pebbles cupcakes

These cupcakes are quick and easy to prepare. Room temperature ingredients are key to a perfect cupcake. The egg, egg white, oil and vanilla extract are combined together in bowl and whisked to mix. The dry ingredients – cake flour, sugar, baking powder and salt – are mixed together in the bowl of a stand mixer. Room temperature butter is mixed into the dry ingredients until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs. The cereal milk is added just until the flour mixture is moistened, then the batter is whipped for a full 90 seconds. This aerates and stabilizes the batter for fluffy cupcakes.

The remaining milk is mixed in with the egg/oil mixture. The egg/oil mixture is added to the batter in two additions, scraping the bowl after each addition. Be sure to scrape the bowl when noted to make sure the ingredients are being thoroughly incorporated.

Whipped Fruity Pebble Buttercream

This whipped vanilla cereal milk buttercream is super light and creamy. Whipping the butter and the confectioner’s sugar first, then whipping the buttercream after the milk, vanilla and salt are added ensures a light and creamy frosting, rather than a dense and cloying frosting. Whipping the buttercream also makes it smooth and not grainy as some American style buttercream can be.

Assembling the Fruity Pebble Cupcakes

Once the cupcakes are completely cool, assemble the cupcakes. Using a small paring knife, at an angle, cut a cone out of the center of the cupcake, about halfway down the cupcake. Cut the cone off of the removed piece to make a lid that will sit on top of the filling. Fill the cupcakes with a heaping teaspoon of strawberry jam and place the lid on top. Alternatively, you can use a cupcake corer. This is the one I use.

Pipe or spread the filled cupcakes with buttercream. Sprinkle the top with some Fruity Pebbles cereal.

If you make these Fruity Pebble Cupcakes, let me know! Drop a comment or tag me on Instagram. I love seeing your creations.

Enjoy!

Ash xx

For more cupcake recipes, check out these posts:

Maple Bacon Blueberry French Toast Cupcakes

Funfetti Vanilla Cupcakes with Chocolate Fudge Frosting

Caramel Apple Cupcakes

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Fruity Pebbles Cupcakes

These Fruity Pebble cupcakes are tender, fluffy and moist, infused with Fruity pebbles flavor, filled with strawberry jam and topped with light and fluffy vanilla Fruity Pebbles buttercream

Ingredients

Cereal Milk

2 cups whole milk
2 cups Fruity Pebbles cereal

Fruity Pebbles Cupcakes

1 ½ cups (175g) cake flour
3/4 cup (150g) granulated sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 cup cereal milk
1 large egg white
1 large egg
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
2 tablespoons canola or vegetable oil
1/3 cup strawberry jam

Fruity Pebbles Buttercream

1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
2 cups + 2 tablespoons confectioner's sugar
2 tablespoons cereal milk
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
pinch of salt
1/4 cup Fruity Pebbles cereal

Instructions

Make the cupcakes:

Heat the oven to 350F. Line a cupcake pan with paper liners and set aside.
In a measuring cup, combine the egg, egg white, vanilla and oil. Whisk to combine.
In the bowl of a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the cake flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt and mix on low speed for a minute to combine.
With the mixer still running, add in the softened butter pieces. Mix on low speed until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. You should be able to gather a bit in your hand, squeeze and you have a solid piece. This means the butter is evenly distributed.
With the mixer still on low, slowly pour in the milk, mixing JUST until the flour mixture is moistened. You will not use all the milk at this time. Pour the remaining milk into the bowl with the eggs and oil, and whisk to combine. Set aside.
Turn the mixer speed to medium and whip for a full 90 seconds. The mixture should be whipped up, thick, and lighter in color.
Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl to ensure everything is properly mixed.
With the mixer speed on low, add the egg/oil/remaining milk mixture in two additions, scraping down the bowl after each addition has been mixed in.
Once all the wet ingredients have been added, give the bowl a final scrape and mix with a spatula.
Bake the cupcakes for 17-20 minutes, until a toothpick comes out with a crumb or two when inserted in the center of the cupcake. Don't over bake.
Place the baked cupcakes on wire racks to cool for 5 minutes. Carefully remove the hot cupcakes from the pan and cool completely on a wire rack.
Using a sharp knife, cut a hole into the center of the cooled cupcakes to create a space for the strawberry jam. The piece you removed will be the shape of a cone.
Spoon the strawberry jam inside each carved out cupcake. Fill the cupcake with the filling to the top, about a heaping teaspoon full. Slice off the pointy end of the cone piece you removed so that it can fit on top of the filling. Place on top of the filling.

Make the buttercream:

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, whip butter and confectioner's sugar for 6-8 minutes on medium speed until very light and fluffy.
Add in a pinch of salt, cereal milk and vanilla. Whip for another 5 minutes.
Pipe or spread the buttercream onto the cupcakes. Sprinkle Fruity Pebbles on top of each cupcake.

Blueberry Lemon Thyme Loaf Cake

June 8, 2021 By Ashley Leave a Comment

If you are a regular to my blog, it’s no secret that I love citrus bakes. This blueberry lemon thyme loaf cake is one of my favorites and is MUST bake. This lemon cake is tender, fluffy and velvety, packed with lemon flavor with hints of herby fresh thyme, filled with juicy, fresh blueberries and drizzled with a sweet and tangy lemon glaze. It’s so delicious, and so addictive – it’s hard to eat just one slice.

How to make blueberry lemon thyme loaf cake

It’s important to toss and coat the blueberries with a small amount of flour. This keeps them suspended in the cake so that they don’t sink to the bottom of the cake during baking.

Butter is beaten with sugar, lemon zest and thyme to get maximum flavor from the aromatics until light and fluffy. Beat for the full 5 minutes so that the texture has lightened color and appears lighter and fluffier in texture. Vanilla and eggs are beaten in, followed by adding in and alternating dry ingredients and milk.

The blueberry/flour mixture is folded into the better to keep them the berries intact and also to not deflate the batter. I baked this cake in an 8 1/2″ by 4 1/2″ loaf pan but you can use a 9 x 5 loaf pan if you have that on hand. Bake until the loaf comes out clean or with a few remaining dry crumbs and the top is golden brown.

The glaze

While the cake is cooling, prepare the glaze. Simply whisk together the confectioner’s sugar, fresh lemon juice, and heavy cream until thickened and thoroughly mixed. The heavy cream helps to thickened the glaze and give it more of a creamy texture. This glaze is creamy and tangy, packing in even more lemon flavor. Pour or drizzle the glaze over the cake while it is still warm.

If you make my blueberry lemon thyme loaf cake, let me know! Drop a comment or tag me on Instagram. I love seeing your creations.

Enjoy!

Ash xx

For more blueberry recipes, check out these posts:

Maple Bacon Blueberry French Toast Cupcakes

Blueberry Streusel Muffins

Triple Berry Crumb Pie

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Blueberry Lemon Thyme Loaf Cake

Tender and fluffy lemon loaf cake with a hint of herby hint of fresh thyme and juicy fresh blueberries and topped with a sweet tart lemon glaze, fresh blueberries and fresh thyme

Prep Time15 mins

Cook Time1 hr

Course: Dessert

Servings: servings

Ingredients

Loaf Cake

1 cup fresh blueberries
1 tablespoon all purpose flour
1/2 cup (113g) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon lemon zest
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon fresh thyme, finely chopped (optional)
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 ⅔ cups all purpose flour
1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
1/2 cup milk, room temperature

Lemon Glaze:

1 cup confectioner's sugar
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon heavy cream

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350F. Spray a 8.5 x 4.5 or 9 x 5 pan with baking spray. Or, butter the pan, sprinkle with flour, and tap out the excess flour over the sink.
Combine the blueberries and 1 tablespoon of flour together in a small bowl. Toss to coat the blueberries with flour.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the 1 2/3 cups of flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter, sugar, lemon zest and thyme on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 3-5 minutes.
Add the vanilla. Add the eggs one at a time, scraping the bowl after each one has been added.
With the mixer on low speed, add the flour mixture to the batter in the three additions, alternating with the milk in two additions, beginning and ending with the flour. Mix until just combined.
Remove the bowl from the mixer and fold in the blueberries.
Pour the batter into the pan and bake 45-55 minutes or until a toothpick stuck in the loaf comes out with few dry crumbs.
Cool the loaf in the pan for 15 minutes on a cooling rack. Remove the loaf from the pan and place on the cooling rack to continue cooling.
In a small bowl, whisk together the confectioner's sugar, lemon juice and heavy cream until thickened and well combined.
Pour or drizzle the glazes over the warm (not hot) loaf cake. Top with extra blueberries and garnish with fresh thyme. Cool completely before slicing and serving.

Tres Leches Bundt Cake

May 17, 2021 By Ashley Leave a Comment

I should preface this post by telling you that this is not at all an authentic tres leches cake. And technically it’s a cuatro leches cake, but still, we’re calling it a tres leches bundt cake. I have named it as such due to the milk soak mixture and how it is served. But don’t let its inauthenticity discourage you from making it, because it is YUM. My tres leches cake is dense, rich, moist, and is so good.

What is Tres Leches Cake?

An authentic tres leches (or “three milks”) cake is a traditional Latin American dessert. It is a sponge cake typically made with little or no fat (no oil or butter), and is soaked in a combination of milks – evaporated milk, whole milk, sweetened condensed and heavy cream. The cake acts as sponge to absorb the milk mixture. It’s rich and sweet, spongy and light, moist but not soggy. It’s delicious.

What is different about this tres leches bundt cake?

Instead of a light and airy sponge cake, I decided to use a bundt cake. Soaking this dense and fine crumbed bundt cake in a milk mixture allows the cake to absorb the milks, making it sweeter, richer and more moist and flavorful. Top this bundt with whipped cream and fresh strawberries, and it’s like a strawberry shortcake cake.

How to make the cake

This is a pretty typical vanilla bundt cake batter. Butter and sugar are beaten until light and fluffy. Vanilla and eggs are added, followed by flour, baking powder and salt. The batter is thick and creamy. Make sure you adequately prepare you bundt cake pan, even if it is a non-stick pan. Spoon the batter into the bundt pan and use an offset spatula to even out the batter so that the cake bakes evenly.

Milk Soak Mixture

For my milk mixture, I used sweetened condensed milk and evaporated milk. Just whisk the milks together and it’s ready to go. This mixture will be poured over the warm cake and absorbed. Both the bottom and the top of the cake are pierced with a skewer and drizzled with the milks for optimal absorption and flavor. Chill the cake to allow it time to absorb the milks. Once chilled top the cake with whipped cream and fresh strawberries.

Before serving the cake, drizzle some of the remaining milk mixture that is on the plate over the slices. Don’t skip this step. It’s so, so good.

If you make my Tres Leches bundt cake, let me know! Drop a comment or tag me on Instagram. I love seeing your creations.

Enjoy!

Ash xx

For more cake recipes, check out these posts:

Banana Cake with Salted Caramel and Peanut Butter Buttercream

Earl Grey Cake with Honey Buttercream and Blackberry Caramel

Strawberry Rose Buttermilk Cake

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4.67 from 3 votes

Tres Leches Bundt Cake

Prep Time30 mins

Cook Time1 hr

Chill Time3 hrs

Course: Dessert

Ingredients

The Bundt Cake:

1 cup (226g) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 2/3 cup (264g) granulated sugar
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup (227ml) whole milk, room temperature
4 large eggs, room temperature
3 cups (360g) all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt

Milk Soak:

1 cup (226g) evaporated milk
1 can (397g) sweetened condensed milk

Topping:

1 cup (227ml) heavy cream, cold
1-2 tablespoons confectioner's sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 lb fresh strawberries

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350F and grease and flour the bundt cake pan. You can also use baking spray.
In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder and salt. Whisk to combine and set aside.
In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the butter and sugar. Beat until light and fluffy, about 5-8 minutes, scraping the bowl occasionally.
Add the vanilla extract. Add the eggs one at a time, scraping the bowl after each addition.
With the mixer on low speed, add the dry ingredients into the mixture in the three additions, alternating with the milk in two additions, beginning and ending with the flour. Mix until just combined.
Scape the batter into the prepared baking pan. Bake for 40-55 minutes or until a toothpick comes out with few crumbs.
Cool the cake in the pan for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, prepare the soaking mixture.
In a measuring cup, whisk together the sweetened condensed milk and evaporated milk. If the mixture is too thick, add more evaporated milk.
While the cake is still in the pan, pierce the cake all over with a thick skewer.
Pour 1/3-1/2 cup of the milk mixture over the cake, a little bit at a time, allowing the cake to absorb the liquid before adding more. Let the cake stand for 15 minutes.
Invert onto a cake plate (preferable with edges) and poke holes around the top of the cake. Drizzle with the remaining glaze. Cover and place in the fridge for a couple of hours or up to overnight.
Before serving, make the whipped cream. Place the bowl of a stand mixer and the whip attachment into the freezer for 10 minutes.
Pour the cream into the chilled bowl, and beat the cream, confectioner's sugar and vanilla on medium-high speed until medium peaks form, 3-5 minutes.
Add the confectioner's sugar and beat until stiff peaks form, 30 seconds.
Spoon the whipped cream onto the top of the cake. Place sliced fresh strawberries on top of the cake.
Slice and serve. Drizzle any glaze sitting on the plate over the cake slices.

Maple Bacon Blueberry French Toast Cupcakes

May 10, 2021 By Ashley 1 Comment

I am all about cake for breakfast. Even better is breakfast as cake. My maple bacon blueberry French toast cupcakes are the best flavors of breakfast. Filled with a jammy blueberry filling, these French toast cupcakes are lightly spiced with cinnamon and nutmeg and topped with sweet and buttery maple Swiss meringue buttercream, fresh blueberries and salty bacon crumbles. All that is missing is a cup of coffee. Eat them for breakfast. Eat them for dessert. They’re super yummy for anytime of the day.

French toast cupcake batter

In addition to the usual butter, milk, eggs that contribute to making French toast, these cupcakes are also lightly spiced with cinnamon and nutmeg. The nutmeg is the secret to making these cupcakes taste like French toast. So, so good. This recipe uses the reverse creaming method (you can refer to this post for more info), which creates a soft and fluffy cupcake with a tight crumb.

Blueberry Filling

This blueberry filling is so good on so many things. When I make it, I almost always double it, so I can use it on pancakes or ice cream. You can use either fresh or frozen blueberries for this recipe. The blueberries are cooked down with a little bit of sugar and mashed to release the juices. The mixture is reduced and thickened. Lemon juice and cornstarch are combined to make a slurry that is whisked into the blueberry mixture to thicken it. Cool the mixture before filling the cupcakes.

Maple Swiss Meringue Buttercream

My maple buttercream is made using both maple syrup and sugar for the meringue base. I like to add a small amount of maple extract to get more of that pancake syrup flavor, but you can totally omit it. The maple syrup definitely shines in this buttercream. For a comprehensive guide on Swiss meringue buttercream, check out this post.

Assembling the French toast cupcakes

Once the cupcakes and blueberry filling are cooled completely, assemble the cupcakes. Using a small paring knife, at an angle, cut a cone out of the center of the cupcake, about halfway down the cupcake. Cut the cone off of the removed piece to make a lid that will sit on top of the filling. Fill the cupcakes with a heaping teaspoon of the blueberry filling and place the lid on top. Alternatively, you can use a cupcake corer. This is the one I use.

Pipe or frost the filled cupcakes with the maple Swiss meringue buttercream. Top with the crumbled bacon and fresh blueberries.

If you make these maple bacon blueberry French toast cupcakes, let me know! Drop a comment or tag me on Instagram. I love seeing your creations.

Enjoy!

Ash xx

For more cupcake recipes, check out these posts:

Carrot Cake Cupcakes with Brown Butter Cream Cheese Frosting

Funfetti Vanilla Cupcakes with Chocolate Fudge Frosting

Black Forest Cupcakes

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5 from 2 votes

Maple Bacon Blueberry French Toast Cupcakes

Lightly spiced cinnamon and nutmeg French Toast cupcake filled with blueberry jam and topped with maple buttercream and crunchy bacon pieces.

Prep Time35 mins

Cook Time28 mins

Course: Dessert

Servings: cupcakes

Ingredients

French Toast Cupcakes

½ cup (119ml) whole milk, room temperature
1 large egg
1 large egg yolk
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
2 tablespoons canola oil
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
1½ cups (175g) cake flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 cup (150g) granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
¾ teaspoon cinnamon
⅛ teaspoon nutmeg

Blueberry Filling

1 ½ cups (255g) blueberries
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1 ½ teaspoons cornstarch

Maple Buttercream

5-6 large (150g) egg whites
2/3 cup (100g) pure maple syrup
2/3 cup (132g) granulated sugar
1 ½ cups (170g) unsalted butter, room temperature
½ teaspoon fine sea salt
¼ – ½ teaspoon maple extract
4 slices thick cut bacon, cooked and finely chopped

Instructions

Make the blueberry filling.

In a saucepan, heat the blueberries and sugar over medium heat. Bring to a simmer, stirring frequently to prevent burning.
.Mash the blueberries with the back of a wooden spoon to release the juices.
Reduce the heat just enough to keep the mixture at a simmer and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until the blueberry juices begin to reduce and concentrate, about 8 minutes.
In a small bowl, make a slurry by combining the lemon juice and the cornstarch.
Remove the blueberries from the heat and whisk the slurry mixture into the blueberry mixture. Stir constantly until the mixture thickens.
Cool the blueberry filling to room temperature before using.

Make the French Toast cupcakes.

Heat the oven to 350F. Line a cupcake pan with paper liners and set aside.
In a measuring cup, combine the egg, egg white, vanilla and oil. Whisk to combine.
In the bowl of a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the cake flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg and mix on low speed for a minute to combine.
With the mixer still running, add in the softened butter pieces. Mix on low speed until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. You should be able to gather a bit in your hand, squeeze and you have a solid piece. This means the butter is evenly distributed.
With the mixer still on low, slowly pour in the milk, mixing JUST until the flour mixture is moistened. You will not use all the milk at this time. Pour the remaining milk into the bowl with the eggs and oil, and whisk to combine. Set aside.
Turn the mixer speed to medium and whip for a full 90 seconds. The mixture should be whipped up, thick, and lighter in color.
Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl to ensure everything is properly mixed.
With the mixer speed on low, add the egg/oil/remaining milk mixture in two additions, scraping down the bowl after each addition has been mixed in.
Once all the wet ingredients have been added, give the bowl a final scrape and mix with a spatula.
Bake the cupcakes for 17-20 minutes, until a toothpick comes out with a crumb or two when inserted in the center of the cupcake. Don't over bake.
Place the baked cupcakes on wire racks to cool for 5 minutes. Carefully remove the hot cupcakes from the pan and cool completely on a wire rack.
Using a sharp knife, cut a hole into the center of the cooled cupcakes to create a space for the blueberry filling. The piece you removed will be the shape of a cone.
Spoon the blueberry mixture inside each carved out cupcake. Fill the cupcake with the filling to the top, about a heaping teaspoon full. Slice off the pointy end of the cone piece you removed so that it can fit on top of the filling. Place on top of the filling.

Make the Maple Buttercream.

Weigh out egg whites, maple syrup, and granulated sugar together in a non-reactive bowl.
Clip a candy thermometer onto the side of the bowl and place over a pot of simmering (not boiling) water, whisking constantly and gently until temperature of the egg/sugar mixture reaches 160F.
Using a sieve, strain the egg white/sugar mixture into the bowl of a stand mixer.
Mix on medium speed with the whisk attachment until the mixture is glossy, reaches stiff peaks and the outside of the bowl is no longer warm. You cannot add butter to the bowl if it is warm or the butter will just melt when added.
Once the mixture reaches stiff peaks, switch out the whisk attachment for the paddle attachment and begin mixing on low speed.
Add the softened butter cubes, a couple at a time, until incorporated.
Let the buttercream mix. It might curdle or look lumpy but that’s ok. Keep mixing. This could take some time.
Keep mixing on low and add the salt, vanilla and maple extract, if using. Mix until everything is fully incorporated. The buttercream is ready when it is smooth, satiny and creamy.
Top the cupcakes with maple buttercream and top with a bacon bits and fresh blueberries.

Notes

The blueberry filling can be kept in the fridge for up to a week.

Cupcakes are best eaten the day they are made, but will keep for up to 2 days stored in an airtight container.

Buttercream can be kept at room temperature for up to 2 days, refrigerated for up to a week and frozen for up to 3 months.

Mimosa Madeleines

April 20, 2021 By Ashley Leave a Comment

Today I am sharing with you one of my favorite French desserts – madeleines. More specifically, mimosa madeleines flavored with orange zest and coated with a champagne glaze. So, so good and so hard to eat just one.

What are madeleines?

Known for their scalloped sea shell shape on one side and a pronounced hump on the other, madeleines are buttery, light, and spongey cakes that are typically glazed or dusted with confectioners’ sugar. Oftentimes they are called cookies, mostly due to their size and shape, but they are tiny genoise cakes. I feel like they fall somewhere in between, so call them what you will.

Madeleines are baked in a unique scalloped pan made specifically for these cakes. Luckily madeleine pans are fairly inexpensive, and are worth the purchase if you like madeleines. Once you make these delicious little cakes, you will want to keep making them, in a variety of flavors. This is the pan I use.

Tips for madeleine success

Eggs and milk must be room temperature. If these ingredients are too cold, the mixture will not emulsify, and likely split.
Beating the eggs and sugar on high for 6-8 minutes help give the cakes their height and texture. The mixture will be thick and pale. Skimping on this step results in flat, dense cakes.
The batter has to rest. I know, I know. Waiting is no fun. But, you can make the batter in advance and keep it refrigerated overnight. I like to make the batter the night before then bake them off in the morning.
Buttering the pan ensures that the madeleines don’t stick. You should prep the pan even if you have a non-stick pan. You can lightly flour the wells if you wish, but I don’t find it necessary. You can also use non-stick baking spray.
Fill the wells 3/4 of the way full. It doesn’t have to be exact, just eyeball it. Keep in mind that they will spread out and rise, so just plop the batter into the center of the well.
Madeleines are best eaten the day they are made, and while they’re slightly warm. They do start to loose their moisture over the day, so it’s best to bake them off as you need them. If you must store them, store in an airtight container for up to 2 days.

The process of making mimosa madeleines

Melt the butter 8-10 minutes before you make your madeleines so that it has time to cool. Combine the room temperature eggs and sugar and whisk on high speed for 6-8 minutes, until the mixture is pale and thickened. When the whisk is raised, the mixture should ribbon back into the bowl.

Meanwhile, combine the orange zest, flour, salt and baking powder in a bowl and whisk to combine. Add the milk and vanilla to the cooled melted butter, and whisk into the egg mixture. Remove the bowl from the mixer and fold in half of the flour mixture, then fold in the remaining half. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for 1 hour or up to overnight. Resting the batter in the fridge results in fluffier madeleines.

When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350F. Use a pastry brush to brush melted butter into the wells to keep the batter from sticking, but also to help give the madeleines their crisp and buttery edges. You can flour the wells as well if you are worried about sticking.

The chilled batter will be spongy and thickened. Do not deflate. Fill the wells about 3/4 full, about a heaped tablespoon full, keeping in mind the madeleines will spread and rise. Bake 10-12 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out with few crumbs. Turn the madeleines out of the pan, tapping on the counter to release the cakes. Place them on a cooling rack.

Meanwhile, make the glaze by whisking the confectioners’ sugar and champagne until smooth and thickened. As soon as the madeleines are cool enough to handle, dip the cakes into the glaze, both sides, scraping the excess off on the bowl. Rest the madeleines on a cooling rack to dry, scalloped side up. Enjoy your mimosa madeleines with a cup of Earl Grey or coffee.

If you make these mimosa madeleines, let me know! Drop a comment or tag me on Instagram. I love seeing your creations.

Enjoy!

Ash xx

For more citrus recipes, check out these posts:

Lavender Lemon Shortbread Bars

Meyer Lemon Ginger Tart with Toasted Honey Meringue

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Mimosa Madeleines

Light and airy orange French madeleines dipped in champagne glaze

Prep Time12 mins

Cook Time10 mins

Rest time2 hrs

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: French

Equipment

Madeleine pan
Pastry brush

Ingredients

3/4 cup (150g) granulated sugar
3 large eggs, room temperature
14 tablespoons (200g) unsalted butter (plus 2 additional tablespoons for the pan)
1/4 cup (60ml) whole milk, room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 ¼ cups (200g) all purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 teaspoons orange zest
1 cup (114g) confectioners sugar
2-3 tablespoons champagne

Instructions

Melt the butter (14 tablespoons) and set aside to slightly cool as you prepare the rest of the batter.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, baking powder and orange zest and set aside.
In a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the eggs and sugar together on high speed for at least 8 minutes. The mixture will be thick, pale, and form ribbons when you lift the whisk.
Whisk in the melted, cooled butter.
Add the milk and vanilla extract.
Remove the bowl from the stand mixer. Using a spatula or wooden spoon, gently fold the flour mixture into the egg mixture. Folding in half of the flour mixture, then fold in the other half.
Cover the batter and chill in the refrigerator for at least an hour, or up overnight.
During the last few minutes of chilling, preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C).
Melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter. Using a pastry brush, lightly brush the pan with melted butter.
The batter will be quite airy and spongey after resting. Don't deflate it. Fill each scalloped well with batter, about 3/4 full. No need to spread it to the edges. These will rise. Just place the batter in the center. Cover and refrigerate remaining batter if you do not have 2 madeleine pans to bake the batter all at once.
Bake for 10-12 minutes. The madeleines are done when the tops spring back after lightly pressed with your finger. Invert the pan onto the counter, tapping to release the madeleines. Transfer the madeleines to a wire rack to cool.
While the madeleines are cooling, prepare the glaze. Combine the confectioners' sugar and champagne in a bowl. Whisk until smooth and thickened slightly.
When the madeleines cool enough to handle, dip each cake in the glaze, turning them over to make sure both sides are coated and scrape off any excess on the side of the bowl. After dipping, rest each one back on the cooking rack, scalloped side up, until the cakes are cool and the glaze has firmed up.

Notes

Madeleines are best eaten on the day they’re made. They start to lose their texture and moisture the following day. If you must store them, keep them stored at room temperature in an airtight container up to 3 days.

Banana Cake with Salted Caramel and Peanut Butter Buttercream

March 23, 2021 By Ashley Leave a Comment

It’s been quite long while since I’ve posted a new recipe. I took a long break at the beginning of the year to catch up with life, home renovations (still really behind on those) and for a much needed mental health break. Feeling great and super excited to get back into sharing all the things with you! Today I’m sharing one of my favorite cake recipes, and one that my girls go crazy for. My banana cake with salted caramel and peanut butter buttercream. This cake is just the perfect comfort food.

Banana Cake

If you love banana bread, you will LOVE this banana cake recipe. It’s so satisfying to bake a cake that is super simple to make, bakes up beautifully, stays incredibly moist and tastes like a dream. Even better, this cake tastes even more amazing after a couple days. Yes, a couple of days. Looking at you busy moms/dads and bakery owners.

This cake recipe makes a lot of batter. You can bake 3 taller 8″ or 9″ round cakes or you can bake these in two 8″ or 9″ cake pans that are 3″ tall, and torte them. I have baked these in 2″ tall 8″ pans that have been collared with parchment paper.

Banana Cake with Salted Caramel and Peanut Butter Buttercream

How to make banana cake

This banana cake is simple and quick to make. Whisk together the dry ingredients – all purpose flour, baking soda and salt in a bowl and set aside. In a separate bowl, finely mash the bananas. Butter and sugar are creamed together until light and fluffy. Make sure the mixture is really light and fluffy. This helps make the banana cake light and not so heavy, which some banana cakes are prone to be.

Eggs and vanilla are added followed by alternating the flour mixture and the sour cream. Scrape the bowl often to make sure everything is being mixed and incorporated properly. The mashed bananas are beat in until just combined. The cakes will bake up tall, even and gorgeous, and your house will smell absolutely amazing. So, so good.

Salted caramel

All components of this cake can be made in advance, and salted caramel is always great baking staple to have on hand. A few tips for salted caramel success:

Be sure to not stir the caramel while the caramel is cooking.

Keep a close eye on the caramel while it’s cooking. It can go from amber to burnt quickly.

The caramel will thicken as it sits in the refrigerator. If you want it even thicker, reduce the cream to 1/3 cup (76g).

Salted caramel can be stored in the fridge for up to two weeks.

Peanut butter buttercream

Peanut butter buttercream is silky, smooth, sweet, salty and crazy delicious. We could not stop eating it off a spoon. I used my go to Swiss meringue buttercream recipe and added 1 1/4 cups of creamy peanut butter. If you find that your buttercream is a bit too soft after adding the peanut butter, pop in the fridge for 10-15 minutes, then mix again on low speed.

Assembly

This banana cake recipe is designed to bake up pretty flat with no domes, so there shouldn’t be a lot of trimming to be done with your cakes. If your cake does dome a bit, trim the tops with a serrated knife. To assemble, fit a piping bag with a large round tip ( I use an Ateco 808), and fill with peanut butter buttercream. Place one cake layer on a cake board or cake stand. Spread a thin layer of buttercream over the cake. Pipe a dam around the edge of the cake to prevent the salted caramel from spilling over the sides of the cake. Pipe buttercream over the salted caramel, creating a 1/4″ layer of buttercream. Add the second cake layer and repeat with the salted caramel and buttercream. Place the third and final layer on top, and frost the outside and top of the cake. Decorate with roasted, salted peanuts and salted caramel drizzle.

If you make this banana cake with salted caramel and peanut butter buttercream, let me know! Drop a comment or tag me on Instagram. I love seeing your creations.

Enjoy!

Ash xx

For more layer cake recipes, check out these posts:

Earl Grey Cake with Honey Buttercream and Blackberry Caramel

Strawberry Rose Buttermilk Cake

Chocolate Stout Cake with Coffee Irish Cream Buttercream

Banana Cake with Salted Caramel and PB Buttercream

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Banana Cake with Salted Caramel and Peanut Butter Buttercream

Moist, fluffy and full of flavor banana cake layered with salted caramel and creamy peanut butter Swiss meringue buttercream, topped with salted caramel and salted, roasted peanuts.

Prep Time1 hr

Cook Time45 mins

Course: Dessert

Servings: 8″ or 9″ cake layers

Ingredients

Banana Cake

3 1/4 cups (390g) all purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
3/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
1 cup (226g) unsalted butter, room temperature
2 cups (396g) granulated sugar
4 large eggs
1 cup (227g) sour cream
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
6 medium bananas

Salted Caramel

1 cup (198g) granulated sugar
1/4 cup water
6 tablespoons (85g) unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 cup (114g) heavy cream, room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt

Peanut Butter Swiss Meringue Buttercream

1 batch Swiss meringue buttercream
1 – 1¼ cups (270-338g) creamy peanut butter
Salted, roasted peanuts, finely chopped

Instructions

Make the banana cake layers

Preheat the oven to 350F. Prepare your cake pans. Brush the bottoms and sides of your cake pans with melted butter. Line the bottoms and sides with parchment paper.
In a medium bowl, finely mash the bananas and set aside.
In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking soda and salt and whisk to combine.
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, combine the butter and sugar and beat on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 5-7 minutes.
Add the eggs one at a time, scraping the bowl after each addition. Beat in the vanilla.
Add in the flour mixture in three batches, alternating with the sour cream, stopping to scrape the bowl after each addition.
Add the bananas and beat until just combined.
Divide the batter into the prepared baking pans. Bake for 40-50 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out with a few cooked crumbs. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes.
Run a palette or butter knife around the cakes in their pans before turning them out to cool completely on cooling racks.
Wrap the cooled cakes in plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator a couple hours to firm up.

Make the salted caramel

In a medium sized saucepan, combine the sugar and the water. Swirl the pan to moisten the sugar.
Place the saucepan over medium heat. Let the sugar mixture cook, without stirring, until the sugar mixture turns a rich amber color. Take the mixture off the heat to stop the cooking process.
Add the butter to the saucepan and whisk to combine. Be very careful as the mixture is incredibly hot and will bubble up and steam when the butter is added.
Whisk in the heavy cream, followed by the vanilla and the salt until smooth.
Let the caramel cool in the pan for 10 minutes before transferring to a glass jar to cool completely.

Make the peanut butter buttercream

Mix the peanut butter into the prepared Swiss meringue buttercream. Add 1/2 cup/4oz at a time, to ensure the peanut butter gets thoroughly mixed into the buttercream.

Assemble the cake

Work with chilled cake layers. Using a serrated knife, cut off the domes (if any) of the cake.
Fit a piping bag with a large round tip ( I use an Ateco 808), and fill with peanut butter buttercream.
Put one of the cake layers, cut side up onto an 8" cake board or directly onto a cake stand.
Spread a thin, even layer of the buttercream on the cake layer with an offset spatula.
Pipe a dam around the edge of the cake to prevent the salted caramel from spilling over the sides of the cake.
Pipe buttercream over the salted caramel, creating a 1/4" layer of buttercream.
Add the second cake layer and repeat with the salted caramel and buttercream. Place the third and final layer on top, and frost the outside and top of the cake.
Decorate with roasted, salted peanuts and salted caramel drizzle.

Chocolate Stout Cake with Coffee Irish Cream Buttercream

March 11, 2021 By Ashley 2 Comments

St. Patrick’s Day is just around the corner! What better dessert to follow your corned beef and cabbage than this chocolate stout layer cake with coffee Irish cream buttercream and Irish whiskey ganache? This cake highlights some of Ireland’s best alcohols – Guinness Stout, Jameson Whiskey and Bailey’s Irish Cream liqueur. The chocolate stout cake is out of this world delicious on its own, or with a variety of fillings and butter creams. But, layering and topping the cake with Jameson Whiskey infused chocolate ganache and a coffee and Bailey’s Irish Cream infused Swiss meringue buttercream takes this chocolate stout layer cake to a whole other level of amazing.

I actually have this stout cake on my wedding cake menu. It is one of my most popular flavors for groom’s cakes and is a huge hit with both beer lovers and non-beer fans alike. It’s a rich and chocolaty cake with deep coffee notes and a roasted flavor from the stout beer.

When I chose recipes for my business, I chose cakes with a tight, fine grain crumb, moist on it’s own without the need of moistening syrups, and incredibly flavorful, as well as being functional and a good foundation for stacked and tiered cakes. This chocolate stout cake is not only amazing because it tastes phenomenal, but also because it’s crazy functional. Especially, for making into a towering layer cake beauty. It can easily be scaled to make larger and smaller cakes, and it can also be carved for sculpted cakes.

The chocolate stout layer cake can be made with any stout beer you like. I used Guinness Stout because it’s easy to find and I enjoy the flavor of it. A chocolate milk stout would be fabulous here. I also baked my cakes in two pans, then sliced (or torted) those cakes into two. You can also divide the batter into three tins and bake as three separate layers if you wish.

You can use bittersweet or semi-sweet chocolate for the ganache. The ganache is a standard 2:1 recipe, with two parts of chocolate to one part cream. This will allow you to use it as a drip consistency and as a spreadable frosting-like consistency between the layers. I like to add a little bit of corn syrup and butter to my ganache to allow it to have a bit more softer consistency when chilled. The butter and corn syrup allow it to be a bit creamier and gives it a bit more shine on the drip.

Avoid chocolate bark, low quality chocolate chips and candy melts for ganache. Use a higher quality chocolate here. The better quality the chocolate, the better the texture and the taste. I also add a little bit of Irish whiskey – I used Jameson – to my ganache for additional flavor. Allow the ganache to cool until it’s smooth and spreadable, like peanut butter.

I use Swiss meringue buttercream for this recipe as I love how well it holds the flavor of the coffee and the Irish Cream. Check out my post on Swiss meringue buttercream for the recipe and tutorial on how to make this silky and delicious buttercream. I flavored the Swiss meringue buttercream with cooled, prepared espresso (you can also use strong coffee) and Bailey’s Irish Cream. The coffee flavor complements the chocolate and the stout flavors from the cake. The Irish cream is the final touch, complementing the chocolate and the coffee so well. They are flavors that are meant to be. It’s so good! Definitely don’t leave out the Irish cream here.

I chose to keep the decoration on this cake pretty minimal. I was planning on doing a semi-naked drip but I actually loved how the Swiss meringue buttercream sort of had that two toned messy suede look, so I kept it. To get this look, I iced the cake completely and popped it in the fridge to chill. Once it chilled for 30 minutes or so, I pulled it out of the fridge, and filled in any holes or messy areas with buttercream. I used my cake scraper (or bench scraper) and smoothed the buttercream out completely, which blended both the chilled and room temperature buttercream and created that two tone look and some additional texture.

For the drip, I heated the remaining ganache just until it was the same consistency of what it was when I first made it. Then I poured it into a squeeze bottle to add the drips to the cake. You can also use a spoon to apply the drips instead, if you wish. I added the drips first then I filled in the top with the remaining ganache. Work quickly because the ganache wants to set up quickly on the chilled cake.

There you have it, chocolate stout layer cake with coffee Irish Cream buttercream and Irish whiskey ganache. After I was done shooting the photos for this cake, part of it went to weekend cake tastings and consultations, but the remainder of it was sent off with my husband to a business meeting where it was promptly polished off. They even sent me a video raving about the cake. It’s THAT good.

If you try this chocolate stout layer cake with coffee Irish cream buttercream and Irish whiskey ganache, let me know! Leave a comment in the comment area below and be sure to snap a photo and tag it #littlevintagebaking on Instagram. I love seeing your Little Vintage Baking creations!

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5 from 1 vote

Chocolate Stout Cake with Coffee Irish Cream Buttercream

A moist and chocolaty stout cake filled and dripped with dark chocolate Irish whiskey ganache and filled with coffee Irish Cream Swiss meringue buttercream

Prep Time30 mins

Cook Time1 hr

Total Time1 hr 30 mins

Course: Dessert

Servings: 1" x 2" x 5" servings

Ingredients

Chocolate Stout Layer Cake:

1 cup (226g) unsalted stick butter, softened
2 1/4 cups (504g) light brown sugar, packed
2 1/3 cup (315g) all purpose flour
1 cup (120g) high quality cocoa powder, Dutch processed, sifted to remove lumps
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp fine sea salt
4 large eggs room temperature
1 bottle (12oz, 350ml) Guinness stout beer, or your favorite stout, room temperature
1/2 cup (120ml) buttermilk, room temperature
1/4 cup (60g) mayo, room temp
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
2 tsp apple cider vinegar

Irish Whiskey Ganache:

8 oz (227g) chopped bittersweet or semisweet chocolate
1/2 cup (116ml) heavy cream
1/2 tbsp light corn syrup
1 tbsp unsalted butter
2 tsp Irish whiskey, I used Jameson
Pinch fine sea salt

Coffee Irish Cream Swiss Meringue Buttercream:

1 batch prepared Swiss meringue buttercream, omitting the vanilla
1/3 cup (80ml) brewed Espresso, room temperature
2-3 tbsp Irish Cream, I used Bailey's
1/8 tsp fine sea salt

Instructions

Make the chocolate stout layer cake:

Preheat the oven to 350F. Butter the bottoms and sides of 2 - 8" x 2" round cake pans. Line the bottoms with parchment. Create a parchment collar to go around the sides of the pans.
In a medium bowl, combine the flour, sifted cocoa powder, baking powder and salt. Whisk to combine well.
In a measuring cup, combine the buttermilk and stout. Whisk to combine.
Place the softened butter and the brown sugar into the bowl of a stand mixer. Using the paddle attachment, cream the butter and the brown sugar on medium speed until it is very light in color and super fluffy, about 6-8 minutes.
Add the eggs one at a time, mixing just until combined. Scrape the bottom and sides of bowl with spatula after each addition.
Add one third of the flour mixture to the bowl and mix on low until just combined. Pour half of the beer mixture into the bowl and mix on low until just combined.
Remove the bowl from the mixer. Scrape the bowl to make sure the ingredients are incorporated. The mixture might look curdled at this point, but it will come back together.
Add an additional one third of the flour mixture and mix until just combined. Add the remaining beer mixture and mix just until combined.
Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl to make sure the ingredients are incorporated.
Add the remaining flour mixture and mix until just combined. Remove the bowl from the mixer. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl to make sure there are not any pockets of butter or flour remaining.
Place the bowl back on the stand mixer. With the mixer speed on low add the mayo. Mix for 10 seconds.
Combine the baking soda and vinegar in a small bowl. Pour the mixture into the cake batter and mix on low for an additional 10 seconds.
Remove the bowl from the mixer. Portion the batter evenly into the prepared pans.
Bake the cakes on the center rack of the oven for 40-50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few crumbs. You will want to start watching for the cakes to be done, when the tops dome and start to crack a bit.
Remove the baked cakes from the oven. If they have domed at all, use a tea towel to gently press down the domes. Let the cakes cool in the pans for 10 minutes.
Run a butter knife around the edge of the pans, remove the parchment collar and turn the cakes out onto a wire rack. Cool to room temperature.
Wrap the cakes tightly with a couple layers of plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator to chill completely before assembling.
The cakes will keep tightly wrapped in plastic wrap and placed in a zip top bag in the refrigerator for up to three days. The cake layers can also be frozen, wrapped well in plastic wrap and placed in a zip top bag. I personally don't like to freeze longer than a week, but you can freeze these layers for up to three weeks. Defrost the layers in the refrigerator before using.

Make the Irish Whiskey Ganache:

Place the chopped chocolate and butter into a medium size bowl. Set aside.
Heat the heavy cream, salt and corn syrup in a small sauce pan over medium-low heat on the stove until the mixture begins to simmer.
Pour the hot cream over the chocolate. Let the mixture sit for a minute to allow the chocolate to melt. Gently whisk the chocolate and cream until smooth.
Add the Irish whiskey and whisk to combine.
Place the ganache into the refrigerator until it is a thicker, spreadable consistency, like peanut butter, about 30 minutes or so.

Make the Coffee Irish Cream Swiss Meringue Buttercream:

Add the salt, espresso and Irish cream to the prepared buttercream. Mix on low until incorporated completely and the buttercream is silky and smooth

Assemble the Layer Cake:

Work with chilled cake layers. Using a long serrated knife torte the layers, cutting them evenly in half. You will have four cake layers total. The tops of the cakes will be the center two layers of your cake.
Put one of the cake layers, cut side up onto an 8" cake board or directly onto a cake stand.
Spread a thin, even layer of the ganache on the cake layer with an offset spatula.
Spread about one cup of the buttercream on top of the ganache using an offset spatula to evenly distribute the buttercream. You're looking for the buttercream to be about 1/4 inch thick.
Place another cake layer on top, top up, and press down gently so that the layer is adhered to the buttercream. Repeat the previous two steps, applying the ganache and buttercream.
Place the third layer cake layer, top up, and press down gently so that the layer is adhered to the buttercream.
Add the final ganache layer. Add the final buttercream layer. Place the final cake layer (the bottom of one of the cakes) bottom side up on the buttercream, pressing gently to adhere.
Frost the cake with the remaining coffee Irish cream buttercream. Chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
Microwave the remaining ganache in 3-5 second intervals, stirring after every interval until the ganache is loose and pourable but not hot.
Add the drips around the perimeter of the cake. Fill in the top of the cake with the ganache and smooth.
Slice into pieces and serve.
The completed cake will keep in the refrigerator for up to three days. Bring to room temperature before serving.

Notes

To adjust the recipe for different size pans: (Creates 2 - 2" layer cakes to be torted, or you can divide them into three pans)

Halve the recipe for 6" cakes

One and a half recipes for 10" cakes

Two and a half recipes for 12" cakes

Cake layers adapted from The Sweetapolita Bakebook

Pumpkin Bundt Cake with Maple Praline Glaze

November 12, 2020 By Ashley Leave a Comment

Halloween may be over but pumpkin season is still in full swing and I am here for it. While many of us are already beginning to pull out Christmas decorations, we can still enjoy the best of pumpkin season with this cake. Now, I may be late to the pumpkin party this year, but I’m bringing you a recipe that is a total fall comfort bake. My pumpkin bundt cake with maple praline glaze is absolutely delicious. It’s perfect for a snack cake, as well as making a beautiful addition to your Thanksgiving spread.

Perfectly spiced with cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and cloves, my pumpkin bundt cake is soft and tender from pumpkin purée and sour cream. The maple praline glaze tastes like pralines in glaze form, flavored with butter, real maple syrup and vanilla. Of course it wouldn’t be like a real praline without crunchy toasted pecans sprinkled on top. This cake is easy to prepare and will stay moist and amazing for a few days on the counter. I think it’s better the day after it’s baked. Eaten warm from the oven or a couple days later, this cake is super delicious.

Bundt Cakes and Preparing the Pan

To avoid a major sticking bundt cake disaster, you want to make sure you have a good quality non-stick bundt pan. I use this one by Nordic Ware. Cakes come perfectly out of it every time. Another necessary way to keep cakes from sticking to the pan is to make sure the pan is greased and floured, or to use a baking spray with flour in it. I prepare my pan by brushing the pan with softened butter, making sure to get all of the nooks and crannies as well as the center baking core. Then, liberally sprinkle with flour, hold it up and tap and rotate it so that the flour coats all surfaces. Get rid of the excess flour by tapping out the excess over the sink or garbage can.

How to make the pumpkin bundt cake

Flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and spices get whisked together in a large bowl. Butter gets beaten with granulated and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Eggs are added one at a time until incorporated, followed by the pumpkin purée and vanilla extract. At this time, the mixture could look a bit curdled. There’s a lot of liquid in there. But no worries, it will come together. The flour mixture is added, alternated with the sour cream and ending with the flour mixture, stopping to scrape the bowl a few times to ensure everything is being properly mixed. When all the flour has been added, give the batter one final stir to ensure everything is fully incorporated. The batter is spread evenly into the cake pan and baked.

Bake the cake until a skewer come out with a few dry crumbs. If the cake still looks wet on top, bake until the batter looks set, otherwise you could end up with a gooey layer on the bottom of your cake when it’s turned out of the pan.

How to make the glaze

This glaze is prepared a bit differently than most glazes. Maple syrup and butter are melted together in a saucepan on the stove. Sifted confectioners sugar is whisked in, followed by the extracts. Whisk until the glaze is smooth. The glaze is immediately poured onto the just warm or room temperature cake. The glaze does harden quickly and is similar in texture to a praline. So, so yummy. This stuff is addictive on its own. Sprinkle with toasted pecans while the glaze is still wet.

If you make my pumpkin bundt cake with maple praline glaze, let me know! Tag me on Instagram so I can see your creations!

Enjoy!

Ash xx

For more delicious fall bakes, check out these recipes:

Caramel Apple Coffee Cake

Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins

Chai Spiced Apple Cranberry Pie

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Pumpkin Bundt Cake with Maple Praline Glaze

Perfectly spiced pumpkin bundt cake with a maple praline glaze topped with toasted pecans.

Prep Time15 mins

Cook Time50 mins

Servings: servings

Ingredients

Pumpkin Bundt Cake

3 cups (370g) all purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon fine sea salt
1 tablespoon cinnamon
3/4 teaspoon nutmeg
3/4 teaspoon ginger
1/2 teaspoon cloves
1 cup (230g) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup (200g) brown sugar
3/4 cup (150g) granulated sugar
5 large eggs, room temperature
1 can (425g) pumpkin purée
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
3/4 cup (170g) sour cream, room temperature

Maple Praline Glaze

3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/4 cup (78g) real maple syrup
1 cup (114g) confectioners sugar, sifted
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon maple extract, optional
1/3 cup (50g) pecans, chopped and toasted

Instructions

Heat the oven to 350F. Grease and flour a 12-cup bundt pan.
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and cloves. Set aside
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, on medium speed, beat together the butter, brown sugar and granulated sugar until light and fluffy.
Add the eggs one at a time beating well after each addition, stopping to scrape the bowl after each addition.
Add in the pumpkin purée and the vanilla extract.
Beat in the flour mixture alternately with the sour cream, beginning and ending with the flour mixture, stopping to scrape the bowl halfway through.
Remove the bowl from the mixer, and give the batter one final stir to make sure all the ingredients are well incorporated.
Spoon the batter into the pan and spread the batter out evenly.
Bake for 50-60 minutes until a skewer comes out with a few dry crumbs.
Cool the cake in the pan for 10 minutes. Invert the cake onto a cooling rack to cool completely.
In a medium saucepan combine the butter and maple syrup. Whisk until melted.
Whisk in the sifted confectioners sugar, followed by the vanilla extract and maple extract, if using. Whisk until smooth and thickened slightly.
Drizzle the cake with the glaze. Sprinkle the cake with the pecans while the glaze is still wet.

Earl Grey Cake with Honey Buttercream and Blackberry Caramel

September 11, 2020 By Ashley 8 Comments

There’s a little tea shop towards downtown St. Louis that has the best Earl Grey tea. Even better, the tea and the scones there remind me of my travels in England. I’m more into coffee than tea, but I do enjoy chai regularly and in the colder months Earl Grey is one of my favorites. My Earl Grey cake with honey buttercream and blackberry caramel is perfect for tea lovers (and even non tea lovers!) in your life. Flavored with orange zest and Earl Grey tea, this cake is tender and moist. It’s filled and topped with light and silky honey Swiss meringue buttercream, and topped with blackberry caramel sauce, fresh figs, blackberries and sugar blossoms.

What is Earl Grey tea?

Earl Grey is most commonly a black tea flavored with bergamot, orange and other citrus depending on the blend. Sometimes there’s also lavender, rose petals or cornflowers found in some blends. But the bergamot is what makes Earl Grey distinctively Earl Grey. Earl Grey is used in baking often for it’s unique, delicious flavor and as it pairs well many different flavors.

Blackberry Caramel

Recently, I discovered the amazingness of fruit caramel. Essentially it is fruit purée mixed into caramel. Nearly any fruit can be used (blackberry, orange, strawberry are my personal favorites) and like traditional caramel sauce, it’s made fairly quickly and can be stored in the fridge to use on ice cream, pancakes, cocktails and more. It’s an absolutely fabulous way to add color and flavor to a drip cake, or filling, and really amp up a caramel sauce.

You don’t have to remove the seeds or pulp from the blackberries, but strained blackberry purée will give you a smooth caramel that is easiest and prettiest to use on a drip cake. Purée the blackberries in a blender. You can add a tablespoon or two of water if the berries are having a tough time fully blending. Strain the blackberries through a fine mesh sieve, getting out as much purée as possible. There should be about one-ish tablespoon of seeds and pulp left after straining. Combine the sugar and caramel in a saucepan on the stove and let it cook until amber in color. Remove the caramel from the heat and whisk in the strained purée. If the caramel clumps up a bit, place the saucepan back on the stove on low heat and whisk until smooth and melted. Cool the caramel at room temperature.

How to make Earl Grey cake

This cake. It was so good, that after doing the first recipe test for the cake, my whole family ate it warm out of the oven. Even my littles, who don’t like tea at all. It’s soft and delicate with a tender, tight crumb and fragrant of Earl Grey and orange.

To get ample Earl Grey flavor, the tea is steeped in milk. This is way to get concentrated Earl Grey flavor without having to load the cake with tea leaves. Finely ground tea is also added to the batter as well as orange zest for ample flavor.

You will also notice, a scale is also required for this recipe. Scratch cakes can be tricky to make sometimes, and the baking science is very important in the making and baking of scratch cake. We need cakes to be consistent in taste and texture, and bake up with no problems – no sinking, no overflowing, no rubbery layers, etc. A scale is key in getting consistent results. I use this one from Amazon. This recipe will not work if you convert it to volume (cups) measurements.

I also do not recommend using this recipe for cupcakes. This recipe is designed to bake up somewhat flat, and is also more compact, particularly for layer cakes. This recipe makes 3-8″ layers or 2-8″ taller layers that can be torted.

Honey Swiss meringue buttercream

Egg whites, honey, and granulated sugar are heated in a bowl over a pot of simmering water. This process is to cook the egg whites and melt the sugar all while whisking continuously to avoid any scrambling. Once the egg white mixture reaches 160F, it is strained through a sieve into a stand mixer mixing bowl and using the whisk attachment, beaten until stiff peaks form and the bowl is room temperature to touch. At this point, softened butter is popped in piece by piece and then, and you leave it to mix on low for a bit. It’s important to mix on low as to not incorporate air. Incorporating air into your buttercream can cause and contribute to cake disasters, such as blow-outs, air bubbles and sinking.

It’s quite possible your buttercream will look curdled, or super deflated. Keep mixing and it will come together into creamy, silky and smooth Swiss meringue buttercream. Mixing the buttercream on low for a while allows it to fully incorporate, and eliminates air pockets – which is super important if you’re making a fondant covered cake. It also helps creates that super silky, creamy texture. Add in the salt and vanilla and it’s ready to be used.

Reverse creaming cakes can be delicate, so they are easiest to layer, carve, stack, etc. when they are chilled. I always chill my cakes before layering and filling. Less likely chance they’ll split or fall apart, and they’re easier to handle. Refrigerating well-wrapped cakes WILL NOT dry them out. More on that in a future post.

Once you have filled and frosted your cake, pipe on the blackberry caramel around the edges of the cake. The caramel will also act as a glue for the berries and figs that will go on top. I used fresh figs and blackberries for this cake as they go well with Earl Grey, but you can totally use any combination of fruit you would like. I also added some sugar blossoms to fill in some areas and make it a bit more tea time ready.

I hope that you enjoy this cake as much as I do! If you make it, let me know and leave a comment or tag me on Instagram.

Enjoy!

Ash xx

For more layer cake recipes, check out these posts:

Strawberry Rose Buttermilk Cake

Chocolate Stout Cake with Coffee Irish Cream Buttercream

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Earl Grey Cake with Honey Buttercream and Blackberry Caramel

Orange flecked Earl Grey cake filled and frosted with honey Swiss meringue buttercream with a blackberry caramel drip. Topped with fresh fruit and sugar blossoms.

Course: Dessert

Servings: - 8" cakes

Ingredients

Earl Grey Cake

16 oz (490ml) whole milk
6 tea bags Earl Grey tea or 4 tablespoons of looseleaf tea
4 large eggs, room temperature
2 oz (57g) canola oil
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
14 oz (397g) cake flour
14 oz (397g) granulated sugar
1 teaspoon fine sea salt
1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon baking powder
2 teaspoons Earl Grey tea, finely ground
Zest of one large orange
8 ounces (226g) unsalted butter, room temperature

Blackberry Caramel

1 cup (170g) fresh blackberries
1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar
2 tablespoons water

Honey Swiss Meringue Buttercream

9-10 (300 grams) egg whites
1 ¼ cups (250g) honey
1 ¼ cups (250g) granulated sugar
3 ½ cups (793g) unsalted butter, room temperature
1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
Fresh blackberries and figs
Candied oranges, optional

Instructions

Make the Earl Grey Cake

Heat the oven to 350F. Prepare your cake pans. Brush the bottoms and sides of your cake pans with melted butter. Line the bottoms and sides with parchment paper.
In a medium saucepan, bring the milk to simmer until bubbles just start to form around the outside. Remove the saucepan from the heat.
Place the 6 tea bags into the hot milk and push them down with a spatula to submerge them.
Let the tea bags steep in the milk for 30 minutes.
Remove the tea bags, wrapping each around the end of a wooden spoon to get as much milk out as possible.
Measure out 12 oz/355ml of the tea milk into a measuring cup. If you don't have exactly 12oz, use regular milk to top it off.
To the tea milk mixture, add the eggs, oil and vanilla and whisk to combine.
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, combine the cake flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, tea and orange zest. On low speed, mix for 1 minute.
With the mixer still running, add in the softened butter pieces, a few pieces at a time. Mix until the mixture resembles cornmeal. You should be able to gather a bit in your hand, squeeze and you have a solid piece. This means the butter is evenly distributed.
With the mixer still on low, slowly pour some of the milk/egg mixture into the bowl JUST to moisten the ingredients, about 4 oz or 1/2 cup of liquid.
Turn the mixer speed to medium (4 or 6) and whip for *two full* minutes. The mixture should be whipped up, thick, and lighter in color. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl to ensure everything is properly mixed.
With the mixer speed on low, add the remaining wet ingredients in three parts, scraping down the bowl after each addition.
Once all the wet ingredients have been added, give the bowl a final scrape and mix with a spatula. Evenly divide the batter among the prepared pans.
Bake the layers for 35-45 minutes. Check the cake at 30-35 minutes to test for doneness. If a toothpick comes out clean, and the top of the cake feels springy and set when touched, take the cakes out.
Tap the cake once, firmly against the counter to remove excess steam. If your cakes dome at all, use a clean kitchen towel to gently push the domes down. Cool the cakes for 15 minutes in the pans.
Run a palette or butter knife around the cakes in their pans before turning them out to cool completely on cooling racks.
Wrap the cakes in plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator a couple hours to firm up.

Make the blackberry caramel

Place blackberries in the bowl of a food processor and process until pureed. Strain through a fine mesh sieve set over a medium bowl, getting as much from the pulp as you can. Discard the solids.
In a medium sized saucepan, combine the sugar and the water. Stir just until combined.
Place the saucepan over medium heat. Let the sugar mixture cook, without stirring, until the sugar mixture turns a rich amber color. Take the mixture off the heat to stop the cooking process.
Whisk in the blackberry purée. If the caramel seizes, put in back on the stove on low heat, and whisk until smooth.
Let the caramel cool in the pan for 10 minutes before transferring to a glass jar to cool completely.

Make the honey Swiss meringue buttercream

Weigh out egg whites, honey, and granulated sugar together in a non-reactive bowl, clip a candy thermometer onto the side of the bowl and place over a pot of simmering (not boiling) water, whisking constantly and gently until temperature reaches 160F.
Using a sieve, strain the egg white/sugar mixture into the bowl of a stand mixer.
Mix on medium speed with the whisk attachment until the mixture is glossy, reaches stiff peaks and the outside of the bowl is no longer warm. You cannot add butter to the bowl if it is warm or the butter will just melt when added.
Once the mixture reaches stiff peaks, switch out the whisk attachment for the paddle attachment and begin mixing on low speed.
Add the softened butter cubes, a couple at a time, until incorporated. Now, just let it mix. It might curdle or look lumpy but that’s ok. Keep mixing. This could take some time.
The buttercream is ready when it is smooth, satiny and creamy. Keep mixing on low and add the salt and flavorings. Mix until everything is fully incorporated.