Ring of Roses Strawberry Layer Cake

It's just been our birthday time of the year when we are lucky enough to celebrate a birthday every month, and no matter what ever else happens in life or how old we are, Birthday Cake is always a must.

Bubble's birthday is the first off the rank and she chose strawberry cake which has been a family favourite since as long as I can remember. It is a pretty pink cake flavoured and coloured using jelly crystals (jell-o box) which makes for a consistent cake all year round. My family recipe has had a few tweaks over the years so I've included the current recipe below.

The birthday girl decreed only a small amount of frosting. I decorated simply by covering with Italian Meringue buttercream (recipe below), adding some texture with varying shades of contrasting buttercream and edible gold and added a ring of big sweeping rose swirls on top using a 1M tip alternating between pink and white and then with random piped leaves. The pink colour is sugar flair dusky pink/wine and the green is sugar flair eucalyptus. Italian Meringue buttercream uses whipped egg whites and a sugar syrup and takes a bit more work than simple American buttercream. I like to use it as it is lighter and less sweet to my taste. 

To give the cake a bit of a lift I added pistachio cream between each layer, which to be honest, although nice was not really worth the effort (**keep your eyes out for a pistachio ganache recipe I have coming up which will be worth the wait). The pistachio cream was from Costco but seriously you can just leave it out and the cake will be just as lovely.

If you want to see another version of this strawberry cake decorated in a different way check out this sweet strawberry candy girl cake here on my blog. 

xx

Linda  

Pretty rose swirl strawberry cake - makes a 6 inch 3 layer cake

- 3 x 6" strawberry cakes (see recipe below)

- 1 x batch Italian Meringue buttercream (see recipe below)

- 1 cup Pistachio cream (optional) warmed in microwave just for a short time until it easily is spreadable but not hot.

Assembly Instructions

You can make this cake 2 or 3 days before you serve. Bake the cake, cool and wrap in plastic wrap. I trim the brown edges off this cake but you don't need to, I do it because I like the look of the sliced cake. You will however need to trim off any domed top to make 3 cakes approximately the same height.

-Place the bottom layer onto a 6"cake board (or straight onto a plate or stand if you are not using the cake board). 

-Pop a small dollop of buttercream under the cake to secure it in place and then using an offset spatula spread a layer of buttercream over the top. 

-Put some buttercream into a piping bag wth a large round tip and pipe a dam around the edge of the cake (see picture below). Spoon in half the pistachio cream and pop into fridge to chill until buttercream is firm. 

- Remove from fridge and top with a thin layer of buttercream to seal the pistachio cream. Add the next layer and repeat the above steps of spreading a layer of buttercream, piping a dam,  adding the pistachio cream and placing in fridge to chill again.

- Remove from fridge, top with a thin layer of buttercream to seal the pistachio cream, add the final cake layer and cover with a thin crumb coat, smoothing the sides and top. Place into fridge to chill until buttercream is firm to touch.

- Reserve around 1 1/2 cups plain white buttercream and colour the remainder in pink.

- smooth the pink buttercream over the cake in a thin layer, if you can't get it perfect do not stress, this cake has an imperfect textured look to it. If you have a cake turntable and a cake scraper it is easier to achieve a smooth finish, but if not use a knife or offset spatula to the best of your ability. I have been known to use a clean plastic ruler in a pinch. 

- Put the remaining pink and the white buttercream into seperate piping bags with a 1M tip and pipe the roses. If you look at my cake closely you will notice that there are only 3 pink swirls and 5 white swirls, with some pink stars piped in-between. The key here is to do what you want, it's your cake be creative. I also piped a border around the bottom with a small star tip. Then I coloured a small amount of the remaining white buttercream green (eucalypt) and piped the leaves. Pop into fridge to chill until firm.

I wanted a rustic casual look and added some of the left over buttercream to the sides randomly and smoothed it in with an offset spatula. Finally after another quick chill I added some edible gold leaf.

Sweet Strawberry Layer Cake (divide the batter into 3 x 6" pans to make a 4" high filled cake)
The jelly (jello) used in this recipe is the dry sugar crystals in the packet. If cake flour is not available use 310g (11 oz) plain (all purpose) flour and add 40g (1 3/8 oz)of cornflour (corn starch) instead.
*Note I like to use weight instead of cup measurements as standard cup sizes are not the same in USA and Australia.

350g (12 3/8oz) cake flour
2 1/2 tsp baking powder
200g (7oz) sugar
1 packet strawberry jelly crystals (jell-o) 85g (3oz approx)
225g (8 oz) unsalted butter at room temperature
4 large eggs at room temperature
1 tsp vanilla extract
240ml (8 1/2oz) full fat milk
135g (4 3/4oz) no fat greek yogurt 

Preheat oven to 170 C  (340 F) fan forced. Line the base and sides of 3 x 15cm (6") tins or 2 x 20cm 8" tins.

Sift the flour and baking powder and set aside until needed.

In the bowl of a large mixer at high speed cream together the butter, sugar and jelly (jello) crystals until light and fluffy.

Reduce speed to low and add the vanilla and then eggs one at a time mixing until combined and scraping down the sides as required.

Add 1/3rd of the flour mixture, mix at low speed until just combined scraping down sides as required. Add 1/2 the milk and mix until combined and then another 1/3rd of the flour mixture once again mixing and scraping down the sides.

Add the remaining milk and all of the yogurt and mix until combined and then the final third of flour making sure the sides and bottom of bowl have been scraped down and no lumps of flour are remaining.

Divide the mixture evenly between the prepared tins.

Bake until the cake is cooked all the way through and a skewer inserted comes out dry approximately 45 minutes.

Italian Meringue Butter cream This batch will make enough to fill and cover the cake and extra to decorate with buttercream flowers as in the example.

Make sure your bowl and mixer are clean to whip egg whites. I use a stand mixer with a pouring shield to make this butter cream, the sugar syrup is very hot, make sure you take appropriate safety precautions when pouring the hot sugar syrup mixture. Not suitable for young children to make.

300g white sugar (12oz)
75g (2 3/4oz) water
5 egg whites
450g (1 pound - 4 sticks) unsalted butter cut into smallish cubes
1 tsp vanilla extract

Place sugar and water into saucepan over high heat and bring to boil. Conintue to  heat until the sugar syrup mixture reaches 115 C (240F). Brush down the the sides of saucepan with a wet pastry brush as required to stop sugar crystals from forming.

Place the egg whites in the bowl of your mixer (make sure the bowl is quite large). When the sugar syrup reaches 110C (210F) start to whip the egg whites at high speed.

Once the sugar syrup reaches 115C (240 F) carefully pour the syrup into the whipped egg whites whilst the mixer is still beating on high.

Continue to beat until the egg and sugar mixture cooled to room temperature (or the bowl feels cool to touch) and then start to add a few cubes of butter at a time. Add the vanilla.

The mixture may become quite liquid, but continue to beat until it thickens and all the butter is evenly distributed. If necessary pop the mixing bowl into the fridge to cool down a little then continue to mix.

I love when people share my blog ideas and give credit. All posts contain original ideas, photography and recipes by Linda McCubbin unless otherwise credited. Please feel free to link back to my blog for non commercial purposes.

Golden Things Cupcakes with Nutella Dream Frosting

This Nutella frosting is so dreamy I might have eaten a spoonful or two while decorating the cupcakes.

Also I was kinda happy when there were a few of the bark shards leftover and I had no other option but to eat all of them. Everyone knows unevenly decorated cupcakes are just a fight waiting to happen.

I made them with Lindt milk chocolate and they were so good you could serve them as they are.

Which is what makes these cupcakes so good, every element by itself is delicious so putting it together comes up with a super delicious treat.

I've had these in mind since I made my Chocolate Peanut Layer Extravaganza Cake and when I was at the supermarket I saw Ferrero Rocher chocolates were on sale. It was totally a sign.

And because Ferrero Rocher's are wrapped in golden paper I wanted to make the cupcakes gold. I used Robert Gordon gold cupcake cases and edible gold which always add a bit of fabulousness to any cupcake.

Also just so you know, it seems I can not be trusted with edible gold as once I get it out I put it on everything. It's just sooooo pretty I can't help myself.

I made a few without the golden cases and Ferrero Rocher chocolates and they were delicious as well pretty much because....yup Nutella dream frosting :)

I've included the full recipe below exactly as I made it, but like I always say do what makes you happy. If you want to use a packet mix for the cupcakes to save time and then just make up the Nutella Dream Frosting go ahead. If Ferrero Rocher chocolates are not on sale, skip them and if you prefer a different brand of chocolate, who am I to tell you different.

Happy Baking

Some Stockists (many online stores and baking specialty shops stock these items)

United States of America




Australia - Baking Pleasures stocks edible gold leaf and Ateco piping tips
Robert Gordon baking cases are available at many kitchen and homeware stores or online
23k Edible Gold (25 sheets/Transfer Type)


Golden Things Cupcakes with Nutella Dream Frosting (makes 18 cupcakes)
I've used edible gold which is available from specialty stores see end of post for some places you can buy it. It is completely optional.

18 Chocolate Cupcakes (recipe below)
1 batch Nutella Dream Frosting (recipe below)
Almond Bark (recipe below)
18 Ferrero Rocher Chocolates unwrapped (optional decorated with a little edible gold leaf)

Place a large star tip onto a piping bag (I uses Wilton # ) and fill half full with the Nutella Dream Frosting. Start piping on the left outside of the cupcake and pipe a circle around the outside edge, when you reach the start move the piping inwards to pipe a smaller circle. You should apply consistent pressure to the piping bag and when you reach the top gently release the pressure as you pull up.

Press in 2 shards of almond bark into the frosting with the widest edge along the bottom in the back half of the cupcake frosting.

Press a Ferrero Rocher chocolate into the front of the cupcake.

Can be stored in an airtight container for up to 3 days in the fridge. Remove container from fridge and allow to come to room temperature for 30 minutes prior to serving.

Almond Bark Shards with Edible Gold
It is very important to always make sure your bowl and spoon are completely dry when working with chocolate. I have used Lindt milk chocolate as it is what I have, but you can use any chocolate you would be happy to eat including dark or bittersweet.

200 g (7 oz) Lindt milk chocolate cut into small pieces
80 g (2 3/4 oz) slivered almond (blanched almonds cut into strips)
Edible gold leaf (optional)

Line a tray with baking/ parchment paper.

Melt the chocolate in the microwave at medium low heat for 2 minutes. Allow to stand for a minute stir until all lumps have melted. If required return to the microwave for 30 seconds at medium low stand for 1 minute and then stir (repeat this step as required).

Pour the almond into the bowl and mix until it is completely coated with chocolate.

Spread the chocolate almond mixture onto the paper lined tray and allow to set to room temperature. Remove the paper and chocolate from tray onto a cutting board and cut the chocolate into irregular shards.

Optional - press gold leaf transfer sheet onto the chocolate with edible gold side down touching the chocolate. The heat from your finger should be enough to melt it a bit so it adheres, if not you can brush a tiny amount of water onto the chocolate so the gold adheres.

Store in an airtight container until required, up to 2 weeks.

The edible gold pictured is on a transfer sheet. Some edible gold comes loose. 

That's ok for this type of use.

Chocolate Cupcakes
1 1/2 cups plain flour (all purpose)
1 tsp bicarbonate soda (baking soda)
1/4 tsp baking powder
pinch salt
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1/2 cup hot water
1/2 cup cool water
115 g (4oz) unsalted butter at room temperature cut into small cubes
1 1/4 cup caster sugar (superfine sugar) use regular white sugar if caster not available
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 160 C (325 F) fan forced and place 18 cupcake cases into muffin tins,

Mix the hot water and cocoa together to make a paste then add the cool water and mix until well combined, set aside until required.

Sift together flour, bicarb soda (baking soda), baking powder and salt and set aside until required.

In the bowl of a stand mixer cream together butter and sugar at high speed until light and fluffy (about 2 -3 minutes).

Reduce speed to low and mix in eggs and vanilla, mix until well combined.

Add 1/3 of the flour mixture and mix at low speed until just combined. Add 1/2 the cocoa paste mixture and mix again until combined scrapping down sides of bowl as required. Add another 1/3rd of the flour mixture, mix, add the remainder of the cocoa mix continue to mix and then add the final batch of flour. Scrape down sides and mix at low speed until just combined.

Scoop mixture into cupcake cases until 2/3 full and bake for 18-20 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the cupcake comes out clean.

Remove from oven, take cupcakes out of tray and cool on a wire rack.

Nutella Dream Frosting

200 g (7 oz) unsalted butter at room temperature
2 cups icing sugar
2 Tbsp (US 2 Tbsp plus 2 tsp) cocoa powder
1 tsp vanilla extract
200 g (7 oz) Nutella

Place butter and icing sugar into a large bowl and mix at high speed until light and fluffy. Add vanilla and continue to mix at low speed until combined, then add the cocoa and mix. Add the Nutella at low speed until combined then increase to high speed and mix for 3 minutes until the mixture is light and creamy.

Linda Vandermeer is a blogger, baker, maker and author of the children's cookbook Sweets on a Stick: More Than 150 Kid-Friendly Recipes for Cakes, Candies, Cookies, and Pies on the Go! Published in the US the book is still available at Amazon and some online bookstores.

Affiliate links may earn me money and contribute to supporting this blog.

Original ideas, photography and recipes by Linda Vandermeer please do not reuse without permission.

Chocolate Chip Cupcakes with Mocha Buttercream frosting

I'm a bit of a chocolate chip fan.

Ok I know that doesn't really set me apart from everyone else. But surprisingly I am not a huge fan of plain chocolate - I have kilo's of it in my baking cupboard and I am never tempted to eat it.

Although pop it into a cake or cookie, and I love it.

I don't know why, it just the way it is. The sky is blue, water is wet and I love chocolate chip cakes and cookies.

Frosting swirl with a Wilton 1 M tip

Anyhoo, you may all of noticed I'm not much into the health food. I don't really do low fat much when it comes to baking, if it reduces the flavour and texture, forget it. However a while back (due to a running out of ingredients baking emergency) I noticed when I added some low fat plain yogurt into my cakes it created a yummy, dense and moist cake which I loved. The reduced fat aspect was just a bonus.

So I decided to merge my love of chocolate chips with the yogurt based cake.

Then I piled on some frosting and chocolate chips and popped a macaron on top, although the macaron is optional. It looks pretty good either way.

Oh I baked some in these Greengate baking cups I had lying around. I picked them up last year at Just Plain Gorgeous and they matched some of my latte cups, which totally worked out for my afternoon tea.

We enjoyed these cupcakes both frosted as decorated in the picture and without the frosting. We found the cupcake delicious just as it was plain, the addition of the yogurt made it moist enough to be an easy after school snack.

Chocolate Chip Cupcakes with Mocha Butter Cream Frosting
I used Chobani plain 0% fat Greek yogurt in this recipe. Any left over yogurt can be used in place of sour cream - eg for baked potato or soup swirling.


Chocolate Chip Cupcakes (makes 12)
Ingredients should be at room temperature for best results

1 1/2 cups (1 1/2 Cups rounded US) Self Raising Flour
pinch salt
125 g (4 3/8 oz) unsalted butter
3/4 cup sugar
125 g (4 3/8 oz) 0% Fat Yogurt (I used Chobani)
2 large eggs
1 tsp Vanilla
3/4 cups mini milk chocolate chips
Frosting (I used the recipe below)
Extra mini chocolate chips
Optional - mini macarons

Preheat the oven to 160 C (325 F). Line a 12 cup muffin tin with cupcake papers.

Sift the flour and salt into a large bowl and set aside.

In a large bowl of an electric mixer cream together the butter and sugar for a couple of minutes. Reduce speed to medium low and add the yogurt. Mix until just combined.

Still at medium low add the vanilla and eggs and mix until combined.

Reduce speed to low and add the sifted flour, when the flour is just combined turn off the machine, add the chocolate chips and mix by hand until the chips are evenly distributed.

Divide the mixture between the baking cups.

Bake for around 20 minutes until the tops are turning golden and a skewer inserted comes out clean of cake crumbs.

To decorate, smooth on a small amount frosting around the edges of the cupcake.

Pop the mini choc chips into a shallow plate or bowl and then roll the edges of the cupcake in the mini chips. Repeat for remaining cupcakes.

Place the remaining frosting into a large piping bag with a large star tip (I used Wilton 1 M tip ) and pipe a swirl on the top of each cupcake.

Store frosted cupcakes in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Remove from fridge about 10 minutes prior to eating. Unfrosted cupcakes can be stored at room temperature.


Mocha Maple Butter Cream Frosting
I used Lindt Milk Chocolate. The Maple is a subtle flavor in place of Vanilla - it's not knock your socks off, if you like you can leave out the coffee powder and maple syrup and have plain milk chocolate frosting.

This batch made about double what I needed, you can either half the recipe or freeze the remainder (like I did). To reuse frozen butter cream defrost and then whip it back up until light and fluffy.

250 gram (8 3/4 oz) unsalted butter
3 cups (3 1/4 US cups) sifted icing sugar (powdered sugar)
1/2 tsp salt
200 grams ( 7 oz) melted milk chocolate (cooled)
2 tsp powdered coffee
1 Tbsp (1 US Tbsp + 1 tsp) Maple syrup

In a large bowl of an electric mixer cream the butter and 2 cups of the sugar for 3 minutes at high until light and fluffy. Add the remaining sugar and salt and mix on high speed until very light and fluffy. Add the chocolate, coffee and maple syrup and mix on high another couple of minutes until the mixture is well combined and once again lightened in color and texture (see picture for example).

# If the weather is hot (or you don't wait for your chocolate to cool like me) and your frosting becomes too soft to pipe, just pop it into the fridge to chill about 1/2 and hour or so, then you can whip it back up with the mixer until it's perfect for piping.

Original recipe by Linda Vandermeer blogger, baker, maker and author of the cookbook ' Sweets on a Stick': More than 150 kid friendly recipes for cakes, candies, cookies and pies on the go!. Published in the US the book is available at most online book stores:

Link to Amazon:

Sweets on a Stick: More Than 150 Kid-Friendly Recipes for Cakes, Candies, Cookies, and Pies on the Go! 

Or at Fishpond (free shipping Australia)

 

 Sweets on a Stick: More Than 150 Kid-Friendly Recipes for Cakes, Candies, Cookies, and Pies on the Go!

Puple Carrot and Blueberry cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

Why does purple taste so good.

When I asked my friends on facebook to guess what flavor this cake was (mentioning that the sprinkles were a clue) I don't think there was one guess that was not delicious.

Lavender, Violet, Mulberry, Grape, Cherry, Blueberry, Purple Carrot.

Yup Purple Carrot.

Mr Sweet went grocery shopping the other day and brought home some purple carrots which I cooked up for dinner and the water turned so purple I thought it would make a fabulous cake.

However as you can see from the sliced cake, that purpleness did not translate into the cake batter.

But the experiment was not a total loss in the end......'cause carrot cake with cream cheese frosting :)

I decorated the cake using a Wilton 2C tip and CK purple sprinkles.

It was so pretty.

Sometimes I forget how simple frosted cakes can look so good.

If you would like more info about Purple Carrots check out this site

Also must mention that there is a lovely interview with ME over on the Alison Lawson Cake Blog, check it out to find out what my favorite recipe is, my all time favorite party and other mildly interesting information about me ;)

Alison Lawson Cakes is also running a marshmallow decorating competition and the prize is a copy of Sweets on a Stick so you must pop on over and make sure you enter.

Purple Carrot and Blueberry Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

I used 2 X 15cm (6") tins to bake my cake but it tastes just as lovely made in 1 large 23cm (9") tin an you will only need half as much frosting.

1 cup  self-raising flour
1 cup plain wholemeal flour (whole wheat flour)
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda (baking soda)
1 cup macadamia oil
1 cup brown sugar lightly packed
1/2 cup golden syrup (or dark corn syrup)
4 eggs
2 cups grated purple carrot
1/2 cup mushed blueberries

Preheat oven to 160C (315 F). Grease and line a 23 cm (9")round cake tin or 2 X 15cm (6") tins.

Sift together the flours, cinnamon and bicarbonate soda (baking soda), making sure you retain all the wholemeal husks and tip them back on top of the sifted dry ingredients.

Whisk together the oil, sugar, syrup and eggs and stir into the dry ingredients until smooth.

Stir in the carrots and blueberries and mix until just smooth.

Spoon the mixture into the prepared tins and bake for 1 1/2 hours or until a skewer comes out clean. Cool in tin for 10 minutes and then turn out on a rack to cool.

Once cool cover with cream cheese frosting (recipe below).

If you would like your cake to look like mine use the 2 X 15cm (6") tins and then make up a double batch of frosting. Trim the tops of the cakes until they are flat and even and cover them with a crumb coat and chill. Add a generous amount of frosting to the top of one cake and place the other cake on the top, then chill.

Cover both cakes generously with frosting and then smooth sides and top.

Pipe swirls of frosting around the top and bottom using a 2C tip. Decorate with purple sprinkles.


Cream Cheese Frosting - I doubled this recipe for the highly frosted and decorated cake in the picture. If you are just making one cake layer a single batch of this frosting will be ample.

125g (4 1/2 oz) cream cheese  (not low fat or spreadable)
50g (1 3/4 oz ) unsalted butter
2 cups sifted icing sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla essence

Add all ingredients to a large bowl of an electric mixer and mix on low speed until combined. Increase speed to high and mix for 3 - 6 minutes until very light and fluffy.

Spiced Pear Cupcakes with Caramel Cream Cheese Icing

Did you know it's National Pear Month in Australia. Yup it's happening all around you right now and I bet quite a few of you might have even been participating and supporting local growers by eating a delicious juicy pear. There are also all kinds of exciting pear relating goings on around, including your chance to win for dinner for 2 HERE and lots of other foodie events around the country. You can find out more at rediscover the pear HERE.

We don't actually need to rediscover the pear in this household, despite all the cake and cookies I bake we are big fruit eaters here, and yummy Australian pears are always in the fruit bowl during their season.

OK - these green dot ones look good but that is way too much frosting - 

trust me don't do that, make your swirl smaller like the other pics.

In celebration of the pear, I came up with this light and delicious spiced pear cupcake topped with a swirl of creamy caramel cream cheese icing.

The light and fragrant cupcake was reminiscent of a tea cake and matched the decadent icing well.

But if your looking for something less creamy they were also lovely without any icing, or dipped in butter and cinnamon sugar.

Those cinnamon sugar ones were really good warm so these are the only photo's I got :)

Spiced Pear Cupcake (makes 20 - 24 cupcakes) store in an airtight container for up to 3 days

Note that this recipe calls for Extra Large eggs in place of large eggs, just because that is what I mostly have in my fridge. I use organic eggs when possible and always free range.

1 large pear cut into very small pieces (yield around 1 3/4 cup) I used Sweet William variety
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp all spice
1 1/2 cups self raising flour
1/2 cup caster sugar
4 Extra Large Eggs
250 (8 3/4 oz)grams unsalted butter softened.


Preheat the oven to 180 C (350 F). Line 2 muffin trays with paper cases.

In a medium bowl mix together the pear, cinnamon and all spice.

Sift the flour and sugar into a large bowl and make a well in the center, add the Eggs and softened butter and mix well at low speed using an electric mixer until just combined. Scrap down the sides. Increase the mixer speed to medium high and mix for 2 minutes.

Using a spatula fold the spiced pear mixture into the cupcake batter. Spoon batter into prepared tins filling the paper cases 3/4 full.

Bake for 15 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove from oven and allow to cool for 5 minutes before turning out on a wire rack to cool.

Caramel Cream Cheese Frosting

200g (7oz) Cream Cheese at room temperature
100g (3  1/2 oz) Unsalted Butter at room temperature
3 cups sifted icing sugar
1/4 cup caramel (like top and fill) or make your own dulce de leche following the instructions HERE

Place the cream cheese and unsalted butter in a large bowl and mix until combined. Add the icing sugar one cup at a time and mix at medium low speed until incorporated, increase speed to high and mix for 2 minutes until light and fluffy. Add the caramel and mix until well combined. If you are spreading the cream cheese onto the cakes you can use straight away if you would like to pipe place in fridge until the mixture becomes firm.

Alternate Cinnamon Sugar Topping

Melt 125g (3.5 oz) unsalted butter in a bowl. In a separate shallow bowl mix together 3/4 cup sugar, 1/4 cup brown sugar and 2 Tbsp (2 Tbsp 2 tsp US)ground cinnamon. Dip the tops of the cupcakes in the melted butter and then into the sugar mixture.