Chelsweets

Hot Cocoa Chocolate Layer Cake

The holidays are over, and I feel like January is when winter really begins to set in. Christmas decorations have been taken down, the temperature seems to dropp 10 degrees, and our brains are still frazzled from copious holiday cocktails and excessive amounts of sugar cookies.

There’s a nip in the air that makes you just want to stay inside. It makes scarves a necessity rather than a fashion statement. It also makes you want to pull out your coziest blankets, and stock up on hot cocoa.

That’s the exactly feeling that inspired this cake. I’m a sucker for a big mug of hot cocoa, especially this time of year. I want it made with real milk, loaded up with chocolate, and topped with ooey-gooey marshmallows.

I wanted to incorporate all of those flavors into this cake, and have each bite warm your taste buds up just as much as a sip of hot chocolate. It’s made with my go-to chocolate layer cake recipe, frosted with both marshmallow buttercream and milk chocolate ganache, and filled with mini marshmallows.

I chose to also soak the cake layers with hot cocoa simple syrup (I normally don’t add it to this chocolate cake recipe), because I wanted it to be SUPER moist. After all, it is trying to emulate a beverage. It also helps pack a bit more of that wonderful hot cocoa flavor into this cake, which I’m all for!!

Begin by making the milk chocolate ganache filling. It needs a few hours to set, so I highly recommend making it first, or even the day before! If you prefer dark chocolate, the recipe for my dark chocolate ganache filling can be found here.

To make it, place both the milk chocolate (750 grams – about 2 bags of chocolate chips) and heavy cream (250 grams) in a heat proof bowl, and heat for 30 second increments (stirring between).

Usually after about 2 minutes of heat, all the chocolate is melted. Once the mixture is fully incorporated, place plastic wrap over the top of the ganache, and let it sit overnight (or at least a few hours). Before adding the room temperature ganache to a cake, give it a slow stir with a spatula to ensure it’s nice and smooth, and the right consistency.

Next, make the chocolate cake layers. These can also be made in advance if desired! Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line four 7 inch or 8 inch pans with parchment rounds, and spray with non-stick spray.

Add the sugar and butter into the bowl of a stand mixer, and whisk on high for 1 minute. The mixture should become light in color.

Add in the eggs, one at a time. Then add baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Mix on high for another minute.

In a separate bowl, combine the cup of hot water, and cup of buttermilk. Pour in the cup of baking cocoa, and whisk until no clumps remain.

Next, add 1 cup of flour into the butter /egg mixture. Scrape the sides of the bowl with a spatula, to ensure the flour is fully incorporated.

Pour in half of the buttermilk / cocoa mixture, and gently pulse the mixture to incorporate the liquid (if you don’t, you’ll end up splattering the cocoa mixture all over you kitchen! Please learn from my mistakes :P).

Mix in the 2nd cup of flour, at a medium speed. Pour in the remaining buttermilk / cocoa mixture, and again gently pulse, then mix on low until fully combined.

Add in the last cup of flour, and mix on low until the flour is incorporated. Mix on high for 30 additional seconds, to incorporate a bit more air into the batter.

Evenly divide between the four prepared pans. I like to use a kitchen scale to ensure each pan has exactly the same amount of batter.

Bake according to the size of pan. For 7 inch layers, bake for 35-37 minutes. For 8 inch layers, bake for 32-33 minutes, or until a skewer comes out clean.

Allow layers to cool in the pans for about 10 minutes, then run an offset spatula around the edge of the pans to help separate the layers from the pans.

Place the pans in the freezer for about 45 minutes, to accelerate the cooling process. Once the layers are fully cooled, carefully flip the pans and remove the layers. If desired, level the cakes with a serrated knife once fully cooled.

It’s important to make the hot cocoa simple syrup ahead of time as well, to allow it to cool before adding it to the leveled cake layers. Mix together the water and granulated sugar into a pot, and heat on high until the mixture just begins to bubble. At this point the sugar should be fully dissolved. Turn off heat and remove pan from stove. Mix in the hot cocoa, and set aside to cool.

While the cake layers bake and cool, make the marshmallow buttercream frosting. Beat the butter on a medium speed for 30 seconds with a paddle attachment, until smooth. Slowly add in the powdered sugar, 1 cup at a time. Alternate with small splashes of cream.

Once fully mixed, add in the vanilla, marshmallow fluff and salt, and beat on low until the ingredients are fully incorporated, and the desired consistency is reached.
If the frosting is too thick, add in additional cream (1 teaspoon at a time). If the frosting is too thin, add in more powdered sugar (quarter of a cup at a time).

Once each component of the cake is ready, it’s time to assemble the cake!! Begin by using a large sterile paint brush to lightly soak each cake layer with the hot cocoa simple syrup.

Then add a dab of frosting onto your cake board or cake plate. This will help keep your cake layers in place as you frost and stack the layers.

Use a large offset spatula to spread an even layer of marshmallow frosting and milk chocolate ganache onto each cake layer. If you have trouble with the two blending together, you can always chill the cake in the freezer for a couple minutes after adding the marshmallow buttercream, to keep the two fillings cleanly layered.

Sprinkle mini marshmallows on top of the ganache, and gently press into place using you fingers. This will help keep them in place as you assemble cake, and help reduce air from being trapped between the layers.

Repeat until all four cake layers are stacked. Next, cover the cake in a thin layer of frosting and chocolate ganache! Place dabs of both the ganache and buttercream around the cake, then gently spread them around the cake to cover the layers.

Use a bench scraper to get the frosting really nice and smooth. Normally I add a second, thicker layer of frosting, but I decided to give this cake a semi-naked look. I just loved the way the ganache and frosting swirled together. It reminded me of whipped cream melting into a warm mug of hot cocoa!

Place the cake into the freezer for about 5 minutes, to chill it before adding on the warm ganache drips.

Place about 1 cup of remaining ganache into a piping bag fitted with a french tip, and set aside.

Add an extra splash of heavy cream to the remaining ganache, and heat in the microwave for about 10 seconds. Stir, and repeat until the ganache has a thinner consistency that will allow you to add drips to the cake.

MAKING A TEST DRIP IS SUCH A CRUCIAL STEP!!! Make one drip on the side of your cake, and let it flow. Allow it to sit for a couple minutes.

See what it looks like, if it’s the length and look you’re after. If not, adjust as needed. Either pop the ganache into the fridge for a couple minutes to allow it to cool off a bit more if the drips are too long or thin, or pop the bottle (or bowl) in the microwave and heat for 5-10 seconds to get less thick and longer drips.

Once you’ve covered the cake in ganache drips, pipe some ganache dollops around the top of the cake. Place mini marshmallows on top of each frosting dollop. If desired, dust the top of the cake with hot cocoa powder.

I swear this cake really will warm you up on a cold winter day! The filling is rich and decadent, and the mini marshmallows add such a fun texture to each bite. This cake feeds 20-25 people, so make a big batch of hot cocoa and invite your friends over!!

Chocolate Cake Layers:

3 cups all-purpose flour
2.5 cups granulated sugar
1 tsp salt
1.5 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
4 eggs, room temp
1 cup unsalted butter, room temp (2 sticks)
1 cup hot water
1 cup buttermilk, room temp
1 cup unsweetened baking cocoa

Hot Cocoa Simple Syrup

3/4 cup water
3/4 cup granulated sugar
2 Tbsp hot cocoa mix

Milk Chocolate Ganache:

750 grams milk chocolate chips (about 2 bags)
250 grams heavy cream

Easy Marshmallow Buttercream Frosting:

2 cups unsalted butter, room temperature (434 grams)
8 cups powdered (confectioners) sugar (907 grams)
1/2 tsp salt (3 grams)
1/3 cup heavy cream (or whipping cream)
1 Tbsp vanilla extract (12 grams)
3/4 cup marshmallow fluff

January 4, 2019

ChelsweetsLeave a comment

Easy Christmas Lights Cake

This time of year, I think we all appreciate a simple yet adorable cake design! With all the time that goes into buying presents, decorating, and preparing your home for guests, by the time you get into the kitchen the last thing you want to worry about is a complicated cake!

This cake is made with my one bowl vanilla cake recipe (colored green with gel food coloring), and frosted with almond American buttercream. I can’t quite put my finger on it, but whenever I eat something almond flavored, it feels like a special occasion. Whether it’s from eating almond flavored wedding cake, or the almond cookies I love to eat at Christmas time, an almond flavor just elevates a dessert in my mind.

And if the flavor doesn’t get across the festive spirit, the decoration will. It’s as simple as piping some dark green lines around your cake, and placing almond M&Ms beneath it! It doesn’t get much easier than that!

Ombre Green Layer Cake Recipe:

3 1/4 cup all-purpose flour (416 grams)
3 cups granulated sugar (600 grams)
2 tsp baking powder (13 grams)
1 tsp baking soda (6 grams)
1 tsp salt (5 grams)
1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature (226 grams) – 2 sticks
5 large eggs, room temp
1 1/2 cups buttermilk, room temperature (360 grams)
1/8 cup vegetable oil (28 grams)
2 tsp. vanilla extract (9 grams)
green gel food coloring

Almond Buttercream Recipe:

2 cups unsalted butter, room temperature (434 grams)
8 cups powdered sugar (907 grams)
1/2 tsp salt (3 grams)
2 Tbsp heavy cream (or whipping cream) (30 grams)
1 Tbsp almond extract (12 grams)
green gel food coloring

Additional Decorations:

Almond M&Ms

Begin by making the Ombre Green Cake Layer Batter. If you want to learn how to make your cake layers in advance, I share all my tips and tricks for freezing cake layers here.

Preheat oven to 350°F. Line four 7 inch pans with parchment rounds, and grease with non-stick cooking spray.

Mix together all dry ingredients (flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt) in a stand mixer with a paddle until fully combined.

Mix chunks of room-temperature butter slowly into the dry mix, on a low speed. Continue to mix until no large chunks of butter remain, and the mixture becomes crumbly.

On a low speed, mix in eggs one at a time. Beat on low until just incorporated. Mix in the buttermilk in two installments, on a low speed. Add vanilla and oil, and mix at a low speed until fully incorporated. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula, then beat on medium speed for about 30 seconds.

Divide batter evenly between four bowls (using a kitchen scale helps ensure you have the same amount of batter in each bowl). Add an increasing amount of gel food coloring to each bowl, until you have four distinct shades of green ranging from a mint green to a forest green. Pour batter into the prepared cake pans.

Bake for 37-38 minutes (or until a skewer comes out clean). Allow to cool for 10 minutes, then run an offset spatula around perimeter of the pan to separate the cake from the pan. Place cake layers into the freezer for 45 minutes, to accelerate the cooling process.

Once the layers have fully cooled, I sometimes like to trim the caramelized bits from the sides of the layers using a serrated knife. While these layers bake pretty flat, sometimes I’ll also trim the top of the layers too, to get my layers perfectly level.

To take this cake to the next level, I torted each cake layer by cutting it in half, horizontally. This allows you to take your four cake layers, and create 8!! This step by no means is necessary, but I love the way it allows you to have an incredible frosting to cake ratio. It makes every bite have the perfect taste of cake and frosting.

While the cake layers bake and cool, make the almond buttercream frosting. Beat the butter on a medium speed for 30 seconds with a paddle attachment, until smooth. Slowly add in the powdered sugar, 1 cup at a time. Alternate with small splashes of cream.

Once fully mixed, add in the almond and salt, and beat on low until the ingredients are fully incorporated, and the desired consistency is reached.

If the frosting is too thick, add in additional cream (1 teaspoon at a time). If the frosting is too thin, add in more powdered sugar (quarter of a cup at a time). Hold off on adding the green gel food coloring until you’ve filled and crumb coated the cake.

Then it’s finally time to assemble the cake!! Begin by adding a dab of frosting onto your cake board or cake plate. This will help keep your cake layers in place as you frost and stack the layers.

Use a large offset spatula to spread an even layer of frosting onto each cake layer. I’m a big fan of frosting, so I’m always generous with the amount I add between my layers.

Next, cover the cake in a thin layer of frosting, to trap in any pesky crumbs! Use a bench scraper to get the frosting really nice and smooth, then pop your cake into the fridge or freezer to allow the crumb coat of frosting to chill and firm up.

While the cake chills, color about 2/3 of a cup of the uncolored vanilla buttercream with a large squirt of forest green gel food coloring, to create dark green frosting. Place this into a piping bag fitted with a small round tip.

Color the remaining frosting mint green with a small squirt of green gel food coloring. I recommend using Americolor’s leaf green gel coloring, which I’ve found creates a really beautiful shade.

Once the crumb coat is firm to the touch (takes about 5 minutes in the freezer), cover the cake in a second, thicker layer of red buttercream frosting. You can see an in-depth tutorial on how to get super smooth sides on your cake here.

Once the second layer of frosting is smooth, snip a tiny opening in the piping bag filled with dark green frosting (less than 1 cm). Pipe squiggly lines around the cake, to look like the wiring of a strand of Christmas lights. Pipe all the way around the cake, and then pipe a squiggly circle on top of the cake.

Pipe some small circles beneath the line every 2 inches, to connect the almond M&M Christmas lights to piped strand. Use a small spoon to scoop out a tiny bit of frosting beneath each piped dot, to create a little pocket to nestle each M&M in. This will help the M&Ms stay in place, and reduce how far they stick off the side of the cake.

Carefully press each almond M&M into the cake, being sure to alternate colors in the same pattern around the cake.

I love this cake design because it’s so simple! It’s also a great cake to make with kids, or any guests you have in town.

This cake is perfect for any holiday party, but be sure you have lots of friends and family, or coworkers around when you cut into this cake! Depending on the size of the slices you cut, this cake feeds 20-25 people.

If you’re more of a visual learner, below is the in-depth video tutorial for this cake:

December 24, 2018December 24, 2018

ChelsweetsLeave a comment

White Velvet Christmas Sweater Cake

Despite my best intentions this winter, I haven’t shared the recipes for all of my holiday cakes! I’ve been so busy baking, filming, and editing my cakes and cake videos, that I totally dropped the ball on blogging!

Usually I’m able to manage my day job in corporate finance with my baking, but sometimes life gets in the way. Between weddings, holiday travel, and closing out the year at work, I feel like that past month has completely flown by.

But don’t worry, I’m planning to have them all up before Christmas…starting with this festive cake inspired by those adorable knitted Christmas sweaters everyone seems to pull out of their closets this time of year.

There are a lot of cakes that have a “knitted” look out there, but most use fondant and silicone molds. I wanted to make this cake fully with buttercream, and decided that piping the pattern was my best bet.

To mix things up a bit, I decided to make this cake with white velvet cake layers. White velvet, you say?!?! Yes. If you wanted to, you could add in a tsp of baking cocoa and some red gel food coloring, and make red velvet cake layers…but where’s the fun in that?

The essential components of a red velvet cake that give it that delicious, moist taste are vinegar, buttermilk, and baking cocoa. Red food coloring is also a must, but only for aesthetics. While taking away the baking cocoa does slightly change that taste of this recipe, it still is super moist and uniquely delicious, from the vinegar and buttermilk. The amount of cocoa in most red velvet recipes is so minimal, I find I can barely taste it most of the time.

Another reason I chose to make white velvet cake layers was because I wanted to frost the outside of the cake in red buttercream, and I didn’t want to go crazy with red gel food coloring in this cake. I love colorful cakes, but that much red seemed excessive. I also thought the white cake layers would have a beautiful, clean look with the vanilla buttercream the cake is filled with. Like a fresh snowflake, unsoiled by the grime and dog pee that our NYC streets seem to be covered in.

White Velvet Layer Cake Recipe:

3 1/4 cup all-purpose flour (416 grams)
3 cups granulated sugar (600 grams)
2 tsp baking powder (13 grams)
1 tsp baking soda (6 grams)
1 tsp salt (5 grams)
1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature (226 grams) – 2 sticks
5 large eggs, room temp
1 1/2 cups buttermilk, room temperature (360 grams)
1/8 cup vegetable oil (28 grams)
2 tsp. vanilla extract (9 grams)
2 tsp vinegar (9 grams)

Easy Vanilla Buttercream Recipe

2 cups unsalted butter, room temperature (434 grams)
8 cups powdered sugar (907 grams)
1/2 tsp salt (3 grams)
2 Tbsp heavy cream (or whipping cream) (30 grams)
1 Tbsp vanilla extract (12 grams)
red gel food coloring

Instructions

Begin by making the White Velvet Cake Layer Batter. If you want to learn how to make your cake layers in advance, I share all my tips and tricks for freezing cake layers here.

Preheat oven to 350°F. Line four 7 inch pans (for taller layers) or 8 inch round pans with parchment rounds, and grease with non-stick cooking spray.

Mix together all dry ingredients (flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt) in a stand mixer with a paddle until fully combined.

Mix chunks of room-temperature butter slowly into the dry mix, on a low speed. Continue to mix until no large chunks of butter remain, and the mixture becomes crumbly.

On a low speed, mix in eggs one at a time. Beat on low until just incorporated. Mix in the buttermilk in two installments, on a low speed. Add in vinegar, vanilla and oil, and mix at a low speed until fully incorporated. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula, then beat on medium speed for about 30 seconds.

Divide batter evenly between the prepared cake pans. I like to use a digital kitchen scale to weigh my pans, and ensure they all have the same amount of batter. This guarantees your layers will bake to be the same height.

Bake for 35-37 minutes if using 8 inch pans, or 37-38 minutes for 7 inch cake pans (or until a skewer comes out clean). Allow to cool for 10 minutes, then run an offset spatula around perimeter of the pan to separate the cake from the pan. Place cake layers into the freezer for 45 minutes, to accelerate the cooling process.

While the cake layers bake and cool, make the vanilla buttercream frosting. Beat the butter on a medium speed for 30 seconds with a paddle attachment, until smooth. Slowly add in the powdered sugar, 1 cup at a time. Alternate with small splashes of cream.

MVI_1411_Moment (2)

Once fully mixed, add in the vanilla and salt, and beat on low until the ingredients are fully incorporated, and the desired consistency is reached.

If the frosting is too thick, add in additional cream (1 teaspoon at a time). If the frosting is too thin, add in more powdered sugar (quarter of a cup at a time). Hold off on adding the red gel food coloring until you’ve filled and crumb coated the cake.

white velvet sweater cake first layer-2

Use a large offset spatula to spread an even layer of frosting onto each cake layer. I’m a big fan of frosting, so I’m always generous with the amount I add between my layers.

smoothing frosting on white velvet sweater cake layers-2

crumb coated white velvet sweater cake-2

While the cake chills, place about 2/3 of a cup of the uncolored vanilla buttercream into a piping bag fitted with a small round tip. Color the remaining frosting red with gel food coloring. I recommend using Americolor’s super red gel food coloring, which I’ve found gets the most vibrant shade.

Red can be a hard color of frosting to make. Using gel food coloring instead of liquid food coloring can make a big difference (especially when you use Americolor). In full disclosure, I’m not sponsored by Americolor, I really just love their food coloring and use it in all my cakes 🙂

Another way to deepen the shade of the frosting is to make the red buttercream in advance, and let it sit for a bit (either in the fridge if it’s going to be more than 1 day, or on your counter if you plan to use it the following day). The longer the frosting sits, the deeper the shade will get. It sounds crazy, but trust me it works.

smoothign red frosting sweater cake-2

To create the pattern on this cake, I love using a cookie cutter to outline the shapes you will be piping. It ensures the pattern is symmetrical and evenly spaced.

Use a square cookie cutter (this one was 2 in x 2 inches) to create each knitted square of the sweater, and then a small heart cutter (about 1 inch tall) to outline the heart within each diamond. Carefully press each cutter against the cake, just hard enough to create a faint outline that you can follow as you pipe.

making outlines in sweater cake with square cutter-2

Next, use the white buttercream to (painstakingly) pipe each little stitch. To make the process less painful, be sure not to fill your piping bag too full! I filled mine with way more frosting than I needed (see photo below), and it made the process so much more difficult.

It’s easier to have control and precision over your piping when there’s less frosting in the bag, It also means you have to squeeze less hard, which matters when you’re having to pipe this much.

piping pattern onto sweater cake-2

Continue the patter from the sides of the cake up to the top. I recommend taking breaks as you pipe, to give your hand and wrist a break!! It also helps control how much heat from your hand is transferred to your frosting.

The longer you hold your piping bag, the warmer your frosting will get. This can throw off the consistency of your frosting, and can also deepen the shade (the frosting becomes more of a cream), making some of you piped stitches a different color. To avoid this, you can either take breaks while piping, or wrap a thin dish towel or paper towel around the bag, to minimize the transfer of heat.

piping top onto sweater cale-2

Once your patience and hand strength have been pushed to their limits, you’ll have a cake just as cute as the sweater you plan to wear to your Christmas party!!

finished piped sweater cake-2

sliced sweater cake-2

See what I mean about the white velvet cake layers? They look so pristine and perfect when paired with the bright red buttercream. If you want to watch the full video tutorial, below is the YouTube video I created of this cake:

Hope you all have a wonderful holiday season, filled with lots of baking 🙂

December 20, 2018

Chelsweets6 Comments

Peanut Butter Blossom Cookie Cake

Who else loves peanut butter blossom cookies?? They're one of my favorite holiday treats, and were the first thing I baked on my own when I began experimenting in my kitchen. I always make them with Jif® Peanut Butter , and they never disappoint!

To mix things up this year, I decided to kick off my holiday baking with a cake inspired by these classic treats. I used Jif to make peanut butter frosting and cake layers, which gave my cake the same fresh-roasted peanut taste that makes the sweet and salty cookies so delicious! I decided to add some Christmas lights too, since Christmas is just around the corner.

To make this cake look just like these delectable cookies, the bottom tier is made with two massive 10-inch peanut butter cake layers. The top tier is made with chocolate cake layers, frosted with peanut butter chocolate buttercream. I also carved some lines into the base of the cake, and added a sprinkle of granulated sugar to stay true to each delicious component of this cookie.

Peanut Butter Cake Ingredients:

3 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
3 cups granulated sugar
2 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
½ cup unsalted butter, room temperature (1 stick)
½ cup creamy Jif Peanut Butter
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup egg whites (or about 7 egg whites)
1 1/2 cups buttermilk, room temperature
1/8 cup vegetable oil

Chocolate Cake Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
2 large eggs, room temp
1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temp (1 stick)
1/2 cup hot water
1/2 cup buttermilk, room temp
1/2 cup unsweetened baking cocoa

Peanut Butter Buttercream:

1 1/2 cups unsalted butter (room temperature)
1/2 cup Jif creamy peanut butter
8 cups powdered sugar
1 tsp salt
1/3 cup heavy cream
½ cup of unsweetened baking cocoa (to be added at the end to ½ of the finished buttercream)

Additional decorations:

Candy coated chocolate almonds
Green gel food coloring
½ cup granulated sugar

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Begin by making the peanut butter cake layers:

Line two, 10-inch round cake pans with parchment rounds, and place a flower nail upside in the center of each pan (helps the layers bake more evenly and quickly). Grease the sides of the pan and the flower nail with non-stick cooking spray.
Mix together dry ingredients (flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt) in a stand mixer with a paddle attachment until fully combined.
Mix chunks of room-temperature butter and the Jif Peanut Butter slowly into the dry mix, on a low speed. Continue to mix until the mixture looks crumbly.
Pour in egg whites, and mix on low until just incorporated. Mix in the buttermilk in two installments, on a low speed. Add in vanilla and oil, and mix at a low speed until fully incorporated. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula, then beat on medium speed for about 30 seconds.
Divide batter evenly between the prepared cake pans.
Bake for 35-37 minutes (or until a skewer comes out clean). Allow to cool for 10 minutes, then run an offset spatula around perimeter of the pan to separate the cake from the pan. Place cake layers into the freezer for 30 minutes, to accelerate the cooling process. Carefully invert the pans, and remove the layers from the pans onto a wire rack, to finish cooling.
Once fully cooled, level one of the cake layers using a serrate knife. Leave the second cake layer with a dome. Set aside.

Next, make the chocolate cake layers:

Line two 6-inch pans and two 4-inch pans with parchment rounds, and spray with non-stick spray.
Add the sugar and butter into the bowl of a stand mixer, and whisk on high for 1 minute. The mixture should become light in color.
Add in the eggs, one at a time. Then add baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Mix on high for another minute.
In a separate bowl, combine the hot water, and buttermilk. Pour in the black cocoa, and whisk until no clumps remain.
Next, add 1/2 cup of flour into the butter/egg mixture. Scrape the sides of the bowl with a spatula, to ensure the flour is fully incorporated.
Pour in half of the buttermilk / cocoa mixture, and gently pulse the mixture to incorporate the liquid (if you don’t, you’ll end up splattering the cocoa mixture all over your kitchen!
Repeat this process, ending by mixing in the last ½ cup of flour.
Divide the batter between the pans, filling each pan at least 1 inch high with batter.
Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until a skewer comes out clean.
Allow layers to cool in the pans for about 10 minutes, then run an offset spatula around the edge of the pans to help separate the layers from the pans.
Place the pans in the freezer for about 30 minutes, to accelerate the cooling process. Once the layers are fully cooled, carefully flip the pans and remove the layers.
Once the layers are fully cooled, use a serrate knife to level the tops of the layers.

As the cake layers cool, prepare the peanut butter and chocolate buttercream.

Beat the butter and peanut butter on a medium speed for 30 seconds with a paddle attachment, until smooth.
Slowly add in the powdered sugar, 1 cup at a time. Alternate with small splashes of cream.
Once fully mixed, add in the salt, and beat on low until the ingredients are fully incorporated, and the desired consistency is reached.
If the frosting is too thick, add in additional cream (1 tablespoon at a time). If the frosting is too thin, add in more powdered sugar (quarter of a cup at a time).
Place ½ of the frosting into a separate bowl, and mix in ½ cup of unsweetened baking cocoa and an extra tablespoon of heavy cream to make chocolate peanut butter buttercream for the top tier of the cake. Cover with plastic wrap, and set aside.
Place ½ cup of peanut butter buttercream into a small bowl, and add forest green gel food coloring. Mix until evenly colored, then place in a small piping bag. Snip a small (less than ½ cm) opening at the tip of the bag, and set aside.

Now assemble the cake!

Spread a small dab of buttercream in the center of a 12-inch, grease-proof cake board. Center the leveled, peanut butter cake layer on the cake board, and top with a generous, even layer of peanut butter buttercream. Place the un-trimmed peanut butter cake layer on top of this. Cover the cake layers in a crumb coat, and place in fridge to chill.

Next, begin to make the chocolate portion of the cake. Using a 6-inch cardboard cake round, stack and frost the chocolate cake layers with the chocolate peanut butter buttercream. Smooth any overhanging frosting, and then use a serrated knife to trim the cake into a cone-like shape. Cover in a thin crumb coat, and place in the fridge to chill.

Remove the peanut butter cake from the fridge, and add a second, thicker layer of peanut butter frosting. Use an acetate sheet to create rounded sides on the cake, to emulate the shape of a peanut butter cookie. Carefully add granulated sugar onto the peanut butter frosting, to emulate the sugar that peanut butter blossom cookies are rolled in before they are baked.

Trace the shape of a 6-inch circle on top of the cake (using the cake pan or a 6-inch cake round), and scoop out the circle using a spoon (removing about 1 inch from the top of the cake). This will help make it look like the chocolate portion of cake was pressed into the peanut butter layer, just like a peanut butter blossom cookie fresh out of the oven. Set aside.

Remove the chocolate cake from the fridge, and add a second, thicker layer of frosting using the chocolate peanut butter buttercream. Use an acetate sheet to create slightly curved sides around the base of the cake. Once the frosting is smooth, carefully place on top of the peanut butter cake layer, into the carved area on top of the cake.

Use a small knife to carve some lines into the frosting, to resemble the cracks that peanut butter blossom cookies have when once they’re baked.

The finishing touch is to use the green buttercream to pipe a line around the chocolate cake, and place the candy-coated chocolate almonds beneath it, to look like Christmas lights!

The last step is to gather your friends and family around, and slice into this cake! This cake feeds about 25 people.

December 6, 2018

ChelsweetsLeave a comment

Apple Cider Donut Cake

Sharing this cake just before Fall ends! Last month a coworker of mine visited an apple orchard in upstate New York, and brought back the most delicious apple cider donuts!!!

My natural reaction was to make a cake inspired by those cinnamon-sugar covered bundles of joy. This cake is made with apple spice cake layers, a cinnamon buttercream, and is topped with baked apple cider donuts!

To create the baked donuts, I used Sally’s Baked Apple Cider Donut Recipe! Her recipes are always so delicious, and this recipe didn’t disappoint!! However, if you have access to great apple cider donuts, you could always buy them too to simplify the process.

I started by making the baked apple cider donuts. Following Sally’s tip, I reduced 1 1/2 cups of apple cider down into 1/2 cup of liquid, to really concentrate the flavor. I then prepared the batter as instructed, and poured it into a large piping bag.

I heavily greased my donut pans and my silicon sphere molds, and baked the donuts for 12-14 minutes (my pans are on the larger side, so my donuts required a few extra minutes in the oven).

Once baked, I dipped the donuts into melted butter, and tossed them in cinnamon sugar. I placed them in an airtight container, and then began baking my apple spice cake layers!

Begin by preheating oven to 350°F. Line four 7 inch pans (for taller layers) or 8 inch round pans with parchment rounds, and grease with non-stick cooking spray.

Mix together all dry ingredients in a stand mixer with a paddle until fully combined. Mix chunks of room-temperature butter slowly into the dry mix, on a low speed. Continue to mix until no large chunks of butter remain, and the mixture becomes crumbly.

Pour in egg whites, and mix on low until just incorporated. Mix in the buttermilk in two installments, on a low speed. Add in vanilla and oil, and mix at a low speed until fully incorporated. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula, then beat on medium speed for about 30 seconds.

While the layers cool, make the cinnamon buttercream! Beat the butter with the cinnamon, cardamom, and ginger on a medium speed for 30 seconds with a paddle attachment, until smooth. Slowly add in the powdered sugar, 1 cup at a time. Alternate with small splashes of cream.

Once fully mixed, add in the vanilla and salt, and beat on low until the ingredients are fully incorporated, and the desired consistency is reached.

If the frosting is too thick, add in additional cream (1 teaspoon at a time). If the frosting is too thin, add in more powdered sugar (quarter of a cup at a time).

Once the cake layers are fully cooled, it’s time to assemble the cake! Using a 10 inch grease-proof cake board, begin to stack the cake layers by spreading a generous and even layer of cinnamon buttercream onto each layer with a large offset spatula.

Cover the cake in a thin layer of the cinnamon frosting (crumb coat) to trap any run-away crumbs. Chill the cake in the freezer or fridge for about 5 minutes, until the buttercream is firm to the touch.

Next, add a thicker, second layer of vanilla buttercream. Use a bench scraper to smooth the sides of the cake. You can see a full tutorial on how to frost a cake with smooth sides here. Use a small offset spatula to smooth the top of the cake.

Pipe a bit of buttercream onto the back of each apple cider donut hold, then gently press it against the base of the cake. Repeat this process, entire base is covered.

Next, stack the apple cider donuts on top of the cake, creating a donut pyramid! Pipe buttercream onto the bottom of each donut, to help keep them in place once the cake is cut into.

This cake simply screams Fall, and tastes just as delicious as the amazing apple cider donuts that inspired it 🙂

Apple Spice Layer Cake Recipe:

3 cups all-purpose flour
3 cups granulated sugar
1 Tbsp ground cinnamon
1 1/2 tsp ground cardamom
1 1/2 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp. table salt
2 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup egg whites (about 7 egg whites, or 5 whole eggs), room temperature
1 cup buttermilk, room temperature
1 1/2 cup apple cider concentrate (heated on medium heat until it reduces to 1/2 cup of apple cider concentrate)
1 Tbsp tasteless oil (I use vegetable oil)
2 tsp vanilla extract

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350°F. Line four 7 inch pans (for taller layers) or 8 inch round pans with parchment rounds, and grease with non-stick cooking spray.
Mix together all dry ingredients (flour, baking powder, sugar, cinnamon, cardamom, ginger, and salt) in a stand mixer with a paddle until fully combined.
Mix chunks of room-temperature butter slowly into the dry mix, on a low speed. Continue to mix until no large chunks of butter remain, and the mixture becomes crumbly.
Pour in egg whites, and mix on low until just incorporated. Mix in the buttermilk in two installments, on a low speed. Add in vanilla and oil, and mix at a low speed until fully incorporated. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula, then beat on medium speed for about 30 seconds.
Divide batter evenly between the prepared cake pans. I like to use a digital kitchen scale to weigh my pans, and ensure they all have the same amount of batter. This guarantees your layers will bake to be the same height.
Bake for 35-37 minutes if using 8 inch pans, or 37-38 minutes for 7 inch cake pans (or until a skewer comes out clean). Allow to cool for 10 minutes, then run an offset spatula around perimeter of the pan to separate the cake from the pan. Place cake layers into the freezer for 45 minutes, to accelerate the cooling process.

Cinnamon Buttercream Recipe:

2 cup (4 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
8 cups powdered (confectionary) sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 cup heavy cream (or heavy whipping cream), room temperature
1 Tbsp cinnamon
1 tsp ground cardamom
1 tsp ground ginger
1 Tbsp vanilla extract

Instructions:

Beat together the butter, cinnamon, ground cardamom and ginger on a medium speed for 30 seconds with a paddle attachment, until smooth. Slowly add in the powdered sugar, 1 cup at a time. Alternate with small splashes of cream.
Once fully mixed, add in the vanilla and salt, and beat on low until the ingredients are fully incorporated, and the desired consistency is reached.
If the frosting is too thick, add in additional cream (1 teaspoon at a time). If the frosting is too thin, add in more powdered sugar (quarter of a cup at a time).

Baked Apple Cider Donut Recipe (Sally’s Baking Addiction)

November 23, 2018December 4, 2018

Chelsweets10 Comments

The BEST Black Friday Baking Deals!!

I’ve already shared my favorite tools and equipment with you, but I know sometimes it’s nice to accumulate tools overtime, or when there’s a great deal!

It can be a bit daunting when you think about EVERYTHING you need for your kitchen, but now is the time!! I’ve pulled together a quick list of the best Black Friday baking deals on Amazon, to help you fulfill your baking wants and needs!

Deal #1: 3.5 quart kitchen aid

This is slightly smaller than the standard 4.5 qt mixer, but if you don’t bake in large volumes and this won’t hinder your baking process, I highly recommend getting it. It’s normally $250, but will only be $159 tomorrow on Amazon!

Deal #2: Glass Tupperwear Set

I don’t know about you, but I make all of my buttercream and cake fillings in advance! I love storing them in glass tupperwear with rubber seals, to keep them fresh in the fridge or freezer. This tupperwear set is normally $40, but will be $25!!

Deal #3: Rubbermaid Oven Thermometer

Did you know most ovens aren’t properly calibrated?? This can cause loads of problems when it comes to baking. I highly recommend getting an oven thermometer to ensure your oven temperature is accurate (or so that you can adjust it to be the right temperature. I actually have this oven theremortere, but bought it at full price for $17. Tomorrow it’ll be on sale on amazon for $5!!!

Deal #4: Wilton Cookie Press

With Christmas right around the corner, this deal is perfect! I used a cookie press for the first time last year, and they’re so much fun to use! The best part is that they make super beautiful cookies, with hardly any extra effort. This Wilton cookie press comes with 12 different shaped cookie disks, and is on sale for $12 (normally $22!!).

Deal #5: Wilton Baking Pans

I love baking with round cake pans, and Wilton has a sale on their 8 inch cake pans! These pans are usually $17 for a set of 2, but you can now get the for $13.

Hopefully you’ll be able to indulge in some great deals this Black Friday, and get some of the baking gadgets you’ve had your eye one!!

November 22, 2018November 22, 2018

Chelsweets2 Comments