Yesterday was my sister Julie’s birthday so I made her a Brown Sugar Penuche Cake. It’s her favorite cake. It’s also my mom’s favorite cake as well as a long list of others in our family. The moist, light Brown Sugar Cake filled with the rich, sweet Penuche Filling and Brown Sugar Swiss Meringue Buttercream (SMBC) is a sure pleaser. Continue reading
Category Archives: Cake
Easy (Almost) French Buttercream
Do not tell anyone that is actually French about this recipe. My methods might get me burned at the stake for my heretical behavior. This recipe does not solely include egg yolks (sacrilege!) and instead of carefully cooking a temperature-specific sugar-water syrup on the stove top, I have skipped steps and used a microwave (sacré bleu!). While the methods may be unconventional, this French Buttercream is a rich, creamy, and flavorful and easy enough for anyone to enjoy.
Sour Cream Vanilla Bean Cake with French Sour Cream Buttercream
This recipe is near and dear to my heart. It was one of the very first cake recipes that I developed on my own and years later is still one of my favorites. This rich cake is tender and beautifully textured with a crumb that is light but tight enough to work beautifully for carving and stacking. This may become your go-to cake also!
Vanilla Cake
Sometimes cake has a mind of its own and just when you think you can tweak a little something the whole cake goes crazy! I have been making this cake for years but when I went to make it for this post, with some minor adjustments, it was not being friendly. Five cakes later and very little sleep to be had, this final cake is tender, moist and delicious. Continue reading
White Velvet Cake with Cheesecake Filling and Silky Marshmallow Buttercream
Do not be fooled by the demure appearances of this cake. She may not have the tawdry interior of her sister Red but White is full of flavor no small measure of verve. One bite of this cake and you will wonder how such innocent appearances can put forth something so dynamic.
White Cake
I have been searching for a delicious basic white cake for years. Every now and again I would get up the gumption to try a couple of recipes, but after disappointing results I would throw in the towel thinking it was out of reach. Recently, I decided I would live in fear of white cake no more and I decided to develop a recipe of my own.
Easy Foolproof Swiss Meringue Buttercream
Have you ever wondered why Swiss Meringue Buttercream (SMBC) recipes have you scrupulously clean your mixing utensils and create a perfect fluffy meringue when you are just going to douse it with butter and kill it? Have you ever made SMBC and added all of the butter only to have it remain soupy or curdled looking? I have! At that point I begin to worry and start chilling bowls and adding more butter so it will come together. But no more! After extensive research and experimentation I have come up with a recipe that comes together every time. And you may be quite surprised by how it is made.
Eden’s World Travel Farewell Party
My beautiful step-daughter Eden turned eighteen early this month and is venturing out into a new world. In the morning she will travel from Oregon to Hawaii to live with her great aunt and uncle for an educational opportunity. I am so proud of her. I love her so dearly. And I am a little heartsick to see her go. Last night I held a small gathering of family so that we could all wish her well and have one last hug before she leaves the mainland.
How to Color Modeling Chocolate: 22 Ways!
Finally color! I love color! With all of the products and techniques available to color cake related items, I wanted to run through the gamut and see which ones work best with modeling chocolate (MC) and its unique set of properties. Certain methods work well for a specific type of decorating and not for others; some colorants confer altered textures or consistencies. Here I will share with you my insights for picking the right coloring method for your project.
How to Make Modeling Chocolate and Fix Problems
Modeling chocolate is one of the most versatile and easy to use products in a cake decorator’s or sweet maker’s arsenal. It is rigid enough to hold its shape when cutting out intricate details yet pliable enough to mold into beautifully sculptured pieces. But modeling chocolate can be frustrating to make, yielding a lumpy or broken final product for no apparent reason. In this post I hope to demystify some of the problems common with modeling chocolate and give you the tools to create a perfect product every time.