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Easy Watercolor Flowers Cake Tutorial

August 31, 2021 By Ashley Leave a Comment

If you’ve seen any of my cake tutorials, you know that I love using stamps on cakes. You can stamp outlines, or create impressions with stamps and can feature a wide variety of techniques. My easy watercolor flowers cake features techniques like watercolor painting, royal icing detail, impressing fondant and more that is easy, quick to decorate and perfect for all skill levels. If you’re like me and you have shaky hands, or can’t paint freehand to save your life, then this tutorial is for you.

Stamps and Cake Decorating

I used square tiers for this cake and paneled them. It’s much easier to impress fondant before it is on the cake. This allows you to make an even impression and lessons the risk of stamping too hard and ripping the fondant. You can use any stamps you prefer. I always tend to use floral stamps, particularly from Iron Orchid Designs. I use these all the time. They’re durable, food safe, and super high quality. The stamp I use is called Peonies by IOD, but use any stamp that you love.

The Bottom Tier

To make the coral color fondant, I used Americolor orange and electric pink in a 2:1 ratio. I dusted sugar peonies to match. Firmly impress the tier with the stamp, but not too hard that the stamp pushes through the fondant. To define the lines and design, I used a soft gold luster dust mixed with Everclear alcohol to paint in the impressed lines.

Watercolor Painting

The part I love about watercolor painting is that there is not right or wrong way to do it. I used gel food color – the same Americolor orange and electric pink that I used for the fondant as well as Americolor gold (yellow) for the center of the peonies. I mixed the colors with alcohol to make a thin, liquid-y paint. The goal is to add color gradually, so you do want to aim for a more watery, not too pigmented paint. I alternated between the orange and pink, layering color, until I was happy with the results. For the best results, leave some parts of the watercolor flowers light, some darker. Variation looks this best for this design. For the center of the flowers, I used the gold/yellow watercolor, and a bit of the orange watercolor paint.

Royal Icing Outline

To really emphasize the stamped detail, I outlined the stamp lines with royal icing. Don’t try to make the lines perfect. Keep them a bit messy and ragged looking. I think this makes them look a bit more realistic rather than sharp and perfect piping. This technique is perfect for non-pipers or inexperienced pipers. When the royal icing dried, I used the same soft gold luster dust and alcohol that I used for the bottom tier to paint over the lines. Again, if the paint is uneven or messy, totally ok and fits this style of cake.

To finish the cake, I added some coral colored peonies and buds.

If you use this easy watercolor flowers cake tutorial, let me know! Drop a comment or tag me on Instagram. I love seeing your creations.

Enjoy!

Ash xx

For more cake tutorials, check out these posts:

Floral Piped Royal Icing Cake Tutorial

Under the Sea Cake Tutorial

Halloween Mummy Cake Tutorial

Salted Caramel Popcorn Cake

August 24, 2021 By Ashley Leave a Comment

This is the perfect cake for all those salted caramel fans in your life. Tender, fluffy and moist vanilla bean cake is layered between salted caramel sauce, and salted caramel Swiss meringue buttercream, and topped with homemade salted caramel popcorn and even more salted caramel. My salted caramel popcorn cake is indulgent, delicious and fulfills all of those sweet and salty caramel cravings.

Vanilla Bean Cake

Let me tell you – this vanilla bean cake is a KEEPER. It’s the perfect foundation for most fillings and frostings, and it makes for beautiful layer cakes. This cake is mixed using the reverse creaming, or two stage method. Reverse creaming cakes have a tighter, more delicate and soft crumb. They tend to be more compact, with less of a rise compared to creamed cakes, and have a melt-in-your-mouth texture. Reverse creaming cakes can be delicate, so they are easiest to layer, carve, stack, etc. when they are chilled. The reverse creaming method gives me exactly what I’m looking for in a white/yellow cake base. This method of creaming and my recipe is partly adapted by Rose Levy Beranbaum’s The Cake Bible.

For this recipe, a scale is also required. 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.

Salted Caramel

One full batch of my salted caramel sauce is needed for this cake. It will be used for the buttercream, to drizzle between layers and used as a drip on top. Be sure to use room temperature caramel for this cake project. Too warm and the caramel will leak. Too cold and you won’t be able to drizzle it or use it for the drip.

Salted Caramel Popcorn

Of course, you can totally use store bought caramel popcorn for this cake. But, I have provided my recipe for a small batch of caramel popcorn in this post. It makes 2 quarts of caramel corn which is the equivalent to 2 – 3oz bags. There will be left overs so I recommend sprinkling more popcorn over each cake slice when serving so all servings get plenty of caramel popcorn with it.

My caramel corn recipe requires making a caramel syrup to pour over the popcorn and then is baked low and slow to develop the flavor and coat all of the popcorn. Once cooled, the popcorn can be broken up into pieces and stored in an airtight container. Homemade caramel corn is so good. It’s definitely worth making and keeping extra to snack on.

I hope that you enjoy this salted caramel popcorn 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

Earl Grey Cake with Honey Buttercream and Blackberry Caramel

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Salted Caramel Popcorn Cake

Moist and tender vanilla bean cake filled with salted caramel, salted caramel Swiss meringue buttercream and topped with homemade salted caramel corn

Prep Time1 hr

Cook Time40 mins

Course: Dessert

Servings: – 8″ cakes

Ingredients

Vanilla Bean Cake

14 ounces (396g) cake flour
14 ounces (397g) granulated sugar
1 teaspoon fine sea salt
1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon baking powder
9 tablespoons (133g) unsalted butter, room temperature
4 large eggs
3 ounces (85g) canola oil
12 ounces (341g) whole milk, room temperature
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
2 teaspoons pure vanilla bean paste

Salted Caramel

1 batch salted caramel sauce

Salted Caramel Swiss Meringue Buttercream

1 batch Swiss meringue buttercream
1/2 – 3/4 cup (240g) prepared salted caramel sauce

Salted Caramel Popcorn

2 quarts (2 – 3oz bags) salted popcorn
1/2 cup (107g) light brown sugar
1/4 cup (78g) light corn syrup
1/4 cup (57g) unsalted butter, room temperature
1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Instructions

Vanilla Bean 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 milk, oil, eggs, vanilla extract and vanilla bean paste in medium bowl. Whisk to thoroughly combine.
In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the cake flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. 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 a small amount of the liquid ingredients (about 1/2 cup) and mix until the flour mixture is moistened.
Turn the mixer speed to medium (4 or 6) and beat 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 incorporated, 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 in plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator a couple hours.

Salted Caramel Buttercream

In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the salted caramel sauce and the prepared Swiss meringue buttercream.
Mix on low until everything is incorporated and the buttercream is smooth.

Salted Caramel Popcorn

Preheat the oven to 200F. Line a large, rimmed baking sheet with parchment. Spread out the popcorn in an even layer.
Mix brown sugar, corn syrup, butter and salt in a large saucepan. Stir and bring to a boil over medium heat.
Boil 2 minutes without stirring. Remove the pan from the heat.
Whisk in baking soda and vanilla.
Pour caramel over the popcorn, stirring to coat evenly. Work quickly as the caramel sets up fast.
Bake for 1 hour, stirring every 20 minutes. Remove from the oven, give it a final stir and cool.
Break apart the popcorn. Store in an airtight container.

Assemble Salted Caramel Popcorn 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 about one cup of the buttercream on the layer using an offset spatula to evenly distribute the buttercream. You're looking for the buttercream to be about 1/4 inch thick.
Drizzle with salted caramel sauce.
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 buttercream and salted caramel.
Place the third layer cake layer, top up, and press down gently so that the layer is adhered to the buttercream.
Add the final buttercream layer. Add the final salted caramel drizzle. 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 salted caramel buttercream. Chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
Microwave the remaining caramel for 3-5 seconds, or until the caramel 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 caramel and smooth.
Top with salted caramel popcorn. Slice into pieces and serve.
Wrap remaining cake in plastic wrap. The cake will keep in the refrigerator for up to three days. Bring to room temperature before serving.

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

Print Recipe

4.67 from 6 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.

How to Make Sugar Flower Petal Formers

May 13, 2021 By Ashley Leave a Comment

Petal formers are a necessary tool in order to give your gum paste or wafer flowers the proper petal shape for a specific flower. There are a variety of commercial petal formers out there but sometimes specific ones can be hard to find and they can be expensive. Especially when you need need a lot of petal formers for multiple flowers.

In this tutorial, I’m going to show you how to make 3 different types of sugar flower petal formers, how you can adapt them and what you can use each former for. These boards are easy to make, fairly inexpensive and the materials are easy to find at your local craft store or Amazon.

Spoon Petal Formers

This is a pretty common former already used in the sugar/wafer paper world. I have boards with both regular plastic spoons and also one with soup spoons. Typical spoons are more oblong and narrow, which work best with petals that are more narrow with a slight cupped shape. I like to use this type of spoon former for drying and shaping anemone petals, rose petals, lisianthus petals, alstroemeria petals and more.

Soup spoons are more rounded and deeper. Great for shaping rounder petals with a more prominent cupped shape. I like using these formers for drying and shaping ranunculus petals, inner gardenia petals, smaller peony petals, English rose petals and more. I find that I use this former more often than the spoon former.

Flower Formers — Spoon Board Petal Fomers

For the spoon boards, you will need: 9×12 piece 1/4″ foam board, cardboard, or fiberboard, a low heat hot glue gun, wire cutters and spoons and/or soup spoons. Cut the handles off of the spoons with the wire cutters. Discard the spoon handles. Place hot glue on the bottom center of the spoon and adhere to the foam core. Be sure to evenly space the spoons. Flip the foam board over and repeat with the soup spoons. You can adjust the formers on the board if you misplace one by gently sliding it in place while the glue is not set.

Foam Ball Petal Formers

I use foam ball formers quite often, mostly for larger cupped petals like magnolia petals, large peonies and English rose petals. You can easily use any size foam balls you would like, but I find that any petals that need to be dried and shaped under 2″, can usually be done on spoons or bumpy foam. It’s not as easy to find formers for much larger size cupped shapes – 2 1/2″, 2 3/4″ and 3″ so I find that smooth foam balls work perfectly.

This board can also be adapted to use egg shaped foam, which are good for making longer and more cupped petals such as tulip petals.

For the foam ball former board, you will need a piece of 1/4″ foam board (or cardboard or fiberboard) – I used 9×12, but you can definitely use a bigger board to add more foam balls or multiple sizes if you would like. You will also need smooth foam balls and low heat hot glue gun. Place a liberal amount of hot glue on the bottom of the foam ball and adhere to the board. Space the balls evenly on the board, leaving space in between for overhanging petals.

Optionally, you can cut the bottoms off of the ball to make it more sturdy against the board. The best way to do this is by using a foam cutter tool that essentially just melts through the foam. Just cut off 1/4″ off the bottom, then glue. Fast and no mess.

Acetate Formers

Think of this former as similar that of an apple tray former. These formers are larger with more shallow wells, perfect for drying and shaping poppy petals, peony petals, Japanese magnolias, orchids, and more. You can form the acetate to make shallow or deep cupped petal formers.

You can use either food safe acetate, usually found in rolls, or you can make these with thin, flexible cutting mats. You can get both of these on Amazon and you can also get the cutting mats at the dollar store.

For this board you will need a 1/4″ piece of foam board, cardboard, or fiberboard, a low heat hot glue gun, and scissors. Cut the acetate into 4″x4″ squares. You can round off the edges if you like ( like I did in the photos) or you can leave them as is.

Cut two cuts in the acetate about 1/2″ opposite each other for a shallow former, or 3/4″ for a deeper former. Place a small dab of glue on one side of the cut, crossing the other side to overlap onto the glue, pressing gently to adhere. Watch your fingers because the glue will be hot. Repeat with the other side of the acetate. Repeat the process with remaining 4″x4″ pieces of acetate.

Place glue on the bottom of the acetate cups and adhere them to the board. Alternatively, you can omit the board and just use them as they are. They’ll be a bit easier to store without the board as well.

If you make these sugar flower petal formers, let me know! Drop a comment or tag me on Instagram. Any questions, feel free to DM me or leave a comment below.

Ash xx

For more tutorials, check out these posts:

Gum Paste Blackberries, Leaves and Blossoms Tutorial

Floral Piped Royal Icing Cake Tutorial

Gum Paste Dogwood Branch Tutorial

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

Print Recipe

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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No ratings yet

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.

The Ultimate Guide to White Chocolate Ganache

April 16, 2021 By Ashley Leave a Comment

Welcome to the last installment of my ultimate guide to ganache series – all about white chocolate ganache. I looooove using white chocolate ganache. It is my favorite alternative for those who don’t like fondant. It’s creamy, delicious and serves as the perfect, smooth, blank canvas on a cake.

White chocolate is getting its own separate post because it can behave a bit differently from semi/dark chocolate ganache. It can seize or split easier, and melting white chocolate can sometimes be a challenge. Timing and ratio are key to white chocolate ganache. Gone are the days of troublesome ganache. With these tips and tricks, making a smooth and creamy white chocolate ganache will be a breeze.

How is white chocolate different from other chocolate?

White chocolate, compared to dark and milk chocolates, do not have any cocoa solids. It also has more sugar, more milk solids, less cocoa butter and can burn or seize easier than dark chocolate. But don’t let that dissuade you from making it. Choosing the right chocolate, heating it slowly and mixing it properly are key to a smooth and creamy ganache.

Really, the most important factor of determining the right white chocolate for ganache is the quality of the chocolate. As with dark chocolate, the quality of white chocolate makes a huge difference in the final ganache. Quality determines the taste and texture, especially in white chocolate which can range from chalky and cloyingly sweet to smooth and milky, which is why chips or coating chocolate can be a bit of a gamble. But, you can make ganache with them.

How to make white chocolate ganache

White chocolate ganache ratio: 3:1 or 12oz white chocolate to 4oz cream

Weigh or measure the chocolate and place in a bowl. Chop the pieces finely if you are using chocolate bars. Microwave for 45-60 seconds to soften the chocolate.

Place the cream in a saucepan and place on the stove over medium low heat.

Heat the cream until it starts to steam along the top. Keep a close eye on the cream making sure the cream doesn’t scald or curdle.

Once heated, pour the cream over the warmed chocolate. Let the mixture sit for 5 minutes.

With a spatula or a whisk, begin gently stirring the mixture starting in the center to blend, and working outward. This creates a smooth emulsion and prevents air from being incorporated. Too much air can cause the mixture to split.

You can use the ganache immediately or set it aside to cool to the desired consistency. Be sure not to agitate the chocolate while it is setting, which can cause it to split.

Let it set at room temperature. Place plastic wrap onto the surface of the ganache so that it doesn’t form a film.

The ganache is ready for drips at 85-90F and ready for filling or icing a cake when the texture is thickened and smooth, resembling peanut butter or canned frosting.

Whitening Ganache

Surprise! White chocolate ganache is often enough not white. Color does depend on the brand and varies, but with real white chocolate, to get a true white, you will have to color it. Candy melts and almond bark tend to be more white and less translucent.

You can whiten your ganache by adding white gel color in the cream before mixing it into the chocolate or mixing in the color after incorporating the cream. Alternatively, you can color it once it is ready to use.

Whipped ganache is a fantastic cupcake frosting. Beating the cooled ganache in a stand mixer until fluffy and thickened is also a way to whitening ganache and making a lighter frosting.

How to color white chocolate ganache

Traditionally, adding water based anything to chocolate spells disaster. Since ganache is an emulsion, you can add a concentrated gel color to the ganache. I like to whiten the ganache first. This is to make sure the color I am adding to the ganache isn’t altered by the ganache’s yellowish/translucent hue.

Even though you can totally use gel color in ganache, if I’m making red, navy, or even black (when possible use dark chocolate ganache for black – MUCH easier), I like to use oil/chocolate colors because these colors require a lot more color added to the ganache. The oil/chocolate colors can darken the ganache faster with less color.

Uses for white chocolate ganache

Drip cakes
Glazes for donuts, eclairs, cupcakes and more
Ice cream topping
Cake or cupcake filling
Topping brownies
Dipping cookies
Macaron filling
Whipped chocolate ganache frosting
Truffles
Frosting cakes
Dipping fruit

White Chocolate Ganache and Cake Decorating

Ganache is ideal for frosting cakes. It’s airless and super smooth, creating an smooth and flawless cake covering. It’s also one of the best cake frostings to use if you’re making a fondant cake. Ganache holds its shape better, and sets up more quickly than buttercream, allowing you to keep smooth and crisp ganache edges when covering with fondant.

Ganache also has a higher melting point than buttercream, which means that on warmer days, buttercream would melt faster than ganache. For those people who don’t like fondant, white chocolate ganache can give you that same white, flawless finish that fondant does.

Another perk of using ganache on layer cakes, is that you typically don’t get any bulging or blowouts as long as you’re allowing your cake to settle after filling and layering it and you’re not trapping any air under your fondant. You also want the ganache to be fully set before covering fondant.

Flavor variations

I love infusing flavors into white chocolate ganache, especially fruit reductions. But here are some ideas on what you can infuse or add to your ganache.

Jams and fruit reductions

Teas

Zests

Mint/Herbs

Extracts

Salted Caramel/Nut Butters

Alcohol

Coffee

Sprinkles

For more information on ganache and troubleshooting, check out my Ultimate Guide to Ganache posts listed below. If you make white chocolate ganache, let me know! Drop a comment or tag me on Instagram. I love seeing your creations.

Enjoy!

Ash xx

For more on ganache, check out these posts:

The Ultimate Guide to Chocolate Ganache Part 1

The Ultimate Guide to Chocolate Ganache Part 2

Chocolate Stout Layer Cake with Coffee Irish Cream Buttercream

Under the Sea Cake Tutorial