red velvet.

Millsy b is the biggest red velvet fan i know so for her birthday i didn't even have to ask but was excited to try out an ombré style for the occasion. I realized as I started that it wouldn't be an entire red velvet due to the gradiated colours but nevertheless knew she (and everyone else) would love the surprise once the first piece was cut. have a go with any color combo or rainbow!  oh and the mascarpone cream cheese frosting was a good call.

I made the recipe below as instructed minus the cocoa powder and then divided it into three bowls, 1 1/4c each. the colors don't change much while baking and make them each a shade darker so to blend once cut. next time would probably make a regular vanilla cake for the lighter colored cakes.

ta-dah...

the last layer needed a little more red but the other colours were spot on. 

adapted from joyofbaking.com..

for the cake

the ingredients

2 1/2 cups (250 grams) sifted plain flour

1/2 tsp salt

2 tbsp (15 grams) regular or Dutch-processed cocoa powder

1c (226g grams) unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 1/2 cups (300 grams) granulated white sugar

2 large eggs

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 cup (240 ml) buttermilk

2 tbsp  liquid red food coloring

1 tsp white distilled vinegar

1 tsp baking soda

1 cup (2 sticks, 226g) unsalted butter at room temperature

the temperature 170C, 350F for 20 minutes

the preparation

in a mixing bowl sift together the flour and salt and set aside.

beat the butter until soft (about 1-2 minutes). add the sugar and beat until light and fluffy (about 2-3 minutes). add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. scrape down the sides of the bowl. add the vanilla extract and beat until combined.

add the buttermilk. with the mixer on low speed, alternately add the flour mixture and buttermilk to the butter mixture, in three additions, beginning and ending with the flour.

in a small cup combine the vinegar and baking soda. allow the mixture to fizz and then quickly fold into the cake batter. 

divide into bowls and add colouring as desired.

for the mascarpone cream cheese frosting from epicurious

the ingredients

1 cup (227g) cream cheese at room temperature

2 cups icing sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

Pinch of kosher salt

1 cup (227g) mascarpone 

the preparation

beat the butter, cream cheese, and powdered sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the mascarpone on very low speed until just combined. (be careful; once you've added the mascarpone, excessive beating can make the frosting curdle.) stir in the vanilla extract.

whatever you want.

here's a recap of a few birthday cake requests I've had since the beginning of the year. I'm more than willing to try something new so love when I get a specific request.

march:

"something with peanut butter and chocolate"

my dear friend mima usually only requests this combo (who could blame her?!) although the cake collapsed a bit while cooling it was easy to hide. Will definitely try this one again!

Barefoot Contessa's Beatty's chocolate cake, peanut butter icing with a chocolate and peanut butter ganache. garnished with bronze edible crunch from Waitrose 

may:

while it wasn't a birthday..or a cake I was putting together for this time, it was so much fun prepping these sweet thank yous for the first bachelorette/hen, of the group! 

june:

"a large cupcake cake"

for my sweet friend kitty's birthday I made as requested and all i can say is 'phew' when the cake came out of the pan easily! (Grease well with butter then dust lightly with flour)

I mixed the tiniest bit of rose water to the buttercream frosting which complemented the rich chocolate cake and chocolate frosting. I had fun experimenting with different piping techniques and voilà, giant cupcake cake! no arguing over cake for this birthday girl and boy!

july:

"whatever you think!"

busy mom of two is getting ready for the second round of 'first birthdays'. having friends with little ones means i can test out cute character cakes such as this one! can't wait for the next one to turn 4! 

hummingbird bakery chocolate and vanilla cupcakes with cream cheese frosting.. chocolate eyes and Cadbury fingers for antlers

not the greatest photo but you know who it is...

august:

i don't even need to ask the august princess-i'll be creating another (but slightly different of course) red velvet treat. stay tuned!

birthday funday.

any American knows funfetti and birthdays go hand and hand (and Carvel ice cream cakes of course )i've been going on about this cake to the Brits who don't quite understand it, (probably like i don't get custard) but hey, it's pretty and fun and hits home with the kid in all of us.

as much as i like to bake a variety of treats, i realized i don't have a vanilla cake go-to. Martha has a plethora of recipes and for some reason went with this one because well, it was midnight and i had all ingredients on hand.

i thought it would be a lighter sponge due to the egg whites but it was pretty standard. my thoughts were a bit dry but others didn't think so. have a go and let me know!

courtesy of martha stewart.com...

the ingredents:

Unsalted butter, for pans

3/4 cup all-purpose flour, plus more for pans

3/4 cup cornstarch

6 large eggs, separated

1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

3/4 cup plus 6 tablespoons sugar

1/4 teaspoon table salt

1/3 cup wax jimmie sprinkles (NB the ones available in UK stores will melt as they are not waxy and long enough. am still on t

the preparation:

preheat the oven to 180C/ 350 degrees F.

butter the pans and lightly flour. (you could also line the bottom of each pan with parchment paper, and butter again but i omitted this step and they still came out fine.) 

in a small bowl, sift together the flour and cornstarch; set aside.

in another bowl,  with or without a electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat egg yolks, vanilla, and 3/4 cup sugar on high until thick and pale, about 3 minutes. Transfer egg-yolk mixture to a large bowl. Wash and dry the mixer bowl and the whisk attachment.

combine the egg whites and salt in the mixer bowl, and beat on medium speed until soft peaks form, about 1 1/2 minutes. With the mixer running, slowly add the remaining 6 tablespoons sugar. continue beating until stiff and glossy, about 1 minute.

fold the egg-white mixture into the egg-yolk mixture. in three additions, fold the reserved flour mixture into the egg mixture. 

add 1/3 cup wax jimmie sprinkles.

fill the pans with the batter and bake until light golden brown and a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean, about 20 minutes.

transfer the pans to wire racks to cool; turn out the cakes, remove the parchment paper, and wrap in plastic wrap until ready to use.

the presentation:

cut off the top of one of the cakes and spread a generious amount of icing (personal preference) place the second cake on top, cover with frosting and decorate with more sprinkles!