Funfetti Cake

Cake:
1 c. milk, room temperature
6 egg whites, room temperature
2 tsp. vanilla
2 1/4 c. cake flour
1 3/4 c. sugar
4 tsp. baking powder
3/4 c. butter, cool room temperature
1/2 c. confetti sprinkles

Icing: 
2 c. butter, room temperature
6 c. confectioners sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
3 tsp. whipping cream
pink food coloring (or whichever color you want)
1/4 - 1/2 c. sprinkles

To make the cake:Preheat the oven to 350 F.

Butter and flour 8 inch round cake pans (2). Then line with parchment.

In a medium bowl, mix together milk, whites, and vanilla. Set aside.
Sift the flour into a large bowl. Add sugar and powder, and mix on low speed. Add in the butter. Continue mixing on low until crumbly.

Pour in all but 1/2 cup of the milk mixture into the flour mixture. Beat on medium speed for 2 minutes. Add in the remaining milk. Beat for another minute.

Fold in the sprinkles.

Divide the batter evenly between the cake pans. Bake 27-35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.

Allow to cool in pans for 10 minutes before removing to a wire rack.

To make the icing: In a large bowl, beat the butter on medium speed until creamy.

Add in the sugar, and beat on low speed. Mix until well blended. Change to medium speed, and beat for 2 minutes.


Add vanilla.

Add the cream in 1 tsp. at a time.

Add in the food coloring. Mix, then stir in the sprinkles.

To assemble to cake: When the cakes are completely cool, use a serrated knife, and slice the top of each cake layer off to make it even and flat.

Put cake number 1 on the plate you're going to serve it on. Add a level layer of icing to the top of the cake.

Place cake number 2 on top of the icing.

Add a very thin and even layer of icing all over the cake (this is called your crumb coat). Chill for 30 minutes.

When the cake is done chilling, finish frosting the cake how you want it to look. Pipe a border around the base if you like, just make sure you use a large enough tip otherwise the sprinkles can get stuck.

I served this cake the day I made it, and it was good. I had some the following day, and it was even better. So if you can plan ahead, this cake is best the second day. Just make sure to cover it so it doesn't dry out. I put a few toothpicks in the top of the cake to keep plastic wrap from touching the icing.

Making this cake is definitely a time consuming process, but it's a great cake. Fun for a party!

Here's a link to the recipe I used: http://bestfriendsforfrosting.com/2013/11/double-layer-confetti-cake/

Pound Cake

1 lb. butter, softened but cold, plus more for greasing
1 lb. sugar
1 lb. eggs (approximately 8), room temperature
2 Tbsp. vanilla extract
1 lb. cake flour, sifted
1/2 Tbsp. salt

Preheat oven to 325 F.

Grease two loaf pans with butter and line with parchment paper, leaving enough parchment overhang to be able to pull the loaves out of the pans after baking.

In the bowl of a stand mixer with a paddle attachment, combine the butter and sugar, and beat on high for about 10 minutes, stopping frequently to scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl. The mixture will become light and fluffy, almost completely white in color.

Add the eggs one at a time to the batter, mixing well on high speed between additions.

Add in the vanilla. Beat the mixture on high until completely smooth and evenly mixed.

Add the dry ingredients, and finish mixing the batter by hand, stopping as soon as the batter is smooth. You don't want to over mix it.

Divide the batter into the loaf pans. Bake for approximately 1 hour, rotating the pans at 15, 30, and 45 minutes. Rotate the pans carefully and slowly; try not to disturb the cakes.

Ice cream pound cake

Test with a toothpick after an hour, it should come out clean.

Allow the cakes to cool in the pans for 10 minutes before removing them from the pans. Cool the cakes on a cooling rack. Cool completely before serving.

This recipe is easy to halve if you only want one pound cake. I've served this pound cake plain, with fruit, with ice cream, and I've used it to make an ice cream cake. It's delicious and versatile.

Here's a link to the recipe I used: http://www.seriouseats.com/recipes/2012/02/easy-vanilla-bean-pound-cake-recipe.html

Victoria Sponge Cake

Cake:
shortening for greasing 
1 c. self-rising flour
1 tsp. baking powder
14 Tbsp. butter, softened
1 c. caster sugar
4 eggs
2 Tbsp. milk

Filling:
1/2 c. + 2 Tbsp. heavy cream
1/4 c. caster sugar
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1/2 c. raspberry or strawberry preserves
icing sugar

Preheat oven to 350 F.

Grease and line two 20 cm round cake tins with parchment paper. Grease the paper too.

To make the cake: In a large bowl, combine the flour and baking powder. Whisk in all other ingredients, adding in the eggs one at a time.

Divide the batter between the tins.

Bake 20-25 minutes until the center is cooked through.

Cool 5-10 minutes in the tins before removing to a cooling rack. The cake needs to cool completely.

To make the filling: Whip the cream, sugar, and vanilla together in a medium sized bowl until firm peaks form.

Spread the jam on one side of one of the cakes. Spread the cream on top of the jam. Sandwich the other cake on top of the jam and cream.

Dust with icing sugar.

Here's a link to the recipe I used: http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/6603/classic-sponge-sandwich

Delicious Chocolate Cake

 18.25 oz. package of devil's food cake mix
4 oz. box of instant chocolate pudding mix
1 c. sour cream
1/2 c. water
1/2 c. vegetable oil
4 eggs
1 1/2 c. chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 F.

Grease 2 9-inch round cake pans. Dust with flour and tap out the excess. Set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the cake mix, pudding, sour cream, water, oil, and eggs. Blend with an electric mixer on low for 1 minute. Stop and scrape down the sides of the bowl.

On medium speed, continue to blend for 2-3 minutes more. The batter will be thick and should look well combined.

Fold in the chocolate chips.

Pour batter into prepared pans and smooth it out.

Bake for 25-32 minutes. Make sure the middle is cooked. Don't let it overcook.

Allow to cool in the pans for 20 minutes. Preferably on a wire rack.

Run a knife along the edges of the cake pans and remove cake by inverting it. Cool for another 20 minutes on the wire rack, right side up.

When the cake layers are completely cool, then it is time to frost them. If you'd like more than a two layer cake, cut the layers in half.

Use whatever frosting you'd like. I used a homemade buttercream frosting, but even store bought would work!

Here's a link to the original cake recipe: http://www.food.com/recipe/darn-good-chocolate-cake-cake-mix-cake-87205

Kit-Kat Cake

Frosted cake

Cooking spray
1 box devil's food cake mix
3.9 oz. box instant chocolate pudding mix
1 1/4 c. water
1/2 c. canola oil
3 eggs
1 jar chocolate fudge frosting
10 regular sized Kit-Kat bars
12 oz. bag regular M and M's
1 ribbon

Spray two 8" cake pans with cooking spray, and set aside.

With the Kit Kats

In a large bowl, mix together the cake mix, pudding mix, water, oil, and eggs. Beat until smooth. Batter will be very dense. Pour into prepared cake pans. If using glass pans, bake at 350 F for about 20-25 minutes. If using a dark pan, bake at 325 for 25-30 minutes. Let cool 10 minutes, then remove to a cooling rack and let the cakes cool completely.

View from the top

When the cakes are completely cooled, add a dollop of frosting to a large plate. Add the first layer of cake, bottom side up. Frost the top of the cake layer. Top with the second cake layer. Frost the top of the cake, then the sides.

Open all the Kit-Kats carefully. Break into sections of 2 bars each. Line the bars around the sides of the cake, pressing them in firmly. Make sure the Kit-Kats are all touching. Tie the ribbon around the Kit-Kats and pull firmly so they will stay in place.

Kit-Kat Cake!

Pour the bag of M and M's into the middle of the cake, reserving a few handfuls to decorate around the bottom of the cake on the plate.

Cut the pieces at every 2 Kit-Kat bars.

Delicious!

Here is a link to the recipe I used: http://michellestastycreations.blogspot.com/2012/04/kit-kat-cake.html

Mint Chocolate Cake

Two cakes

Chocolate Cake:
2 c. sugar
2 c. flour
3/4 c. cocoa powder
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
2 eggs
1 c. buttermilk (or 1 c. milk and 1 tsp. lemon juice, then let sit 3 minutes)
1 c. black coffee
1/2 c. vegetable oil
1 tsp. vanilla

Frosting

Mint Frosting:
8 c. confectioners' sugar
1 c. Crisco
1 c. butter
1 Tbsp. mint extract (not peppermint!)
6 Tbsp. milk

Mint Chocolate Ganache

1 c. semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/4 c. whipping cream

2 tsp. mint extract

Frosting layer 1

To make the cake: Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and beat with electric mixer for 2 minutes. Pour into 2 greased and floured 8 or 9 inch cake pans. Bake at 350 F for 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack.

The original recipe called for 4 layers, and I only made 2, but if you want to do the 4 layers, when the cakes are completely cooled, take dental floss and split each layer horizontally.

Frosted cake

To make the mint frosting: Using an electric mixer on low, mix together the sugar, Crisco, and butter. It will be dry mixing, but this will ensure even distribution of the butter and shortening throughout the sugar. Then add the mint and milk. Beat on high for 5 minutes, this will make it light and fluffy.

Put one cake layer on whatever plate you want to serve the cake on. Frost the top of this layer. Then add the second layer on top of the frosted layer. Frost the top of this and the sides evenly. Chill the cake for several hours before making the ganache.

Mint Chocolate Cake

Pull the cake out of the fridge about an hour before you want to serve it. At this point, make the ganache.

To make the ganache: Mix all the ingredients together in a small pot over low heat, stirring constantly. Remove from heat as soon as the chocolate chips are melted. Working as quickly as you can, pour the ganache onto the middle of the cake. Using an icing spatula, spread evenly over the top of the cake, letting the ganache spill over the sides.

Ready to eat!

Store in the fridge, but take it out an hour before serving again, otherwise the frosting will be too hard. This cake is delightful.

Here is a link to the original recipe I adapted: http://rockrecipes.blogspot.ca/2012/04/midnight-mint-chocolate-cake.html

Flourless Chocolate Cream Cake

Here is a link to my friend's recipe that I used: http://bakingbuzzybee.wordpress.com/2011/08/22/flourless-chocolate-cream-cake/

It turned out pretty well, though it does take a bit of time.

Cake:
6 eggs
2/3 c. caster sugar
1/2 c. cocoa powder (it's actually supposed to be slightly less than 1/2 cup, so just don't fill the cup to the top)

Filling:
200 g. white chocolate (a little less than 8 oz.)
1/2 c. cream (again, slightly less than 1/2 cup)

Topping:
1 c. cream (it's actually 7/8 c. or 13 1/2 Tbsp., or just shy of 1 cup)
50 g. dark chocolate, grated



Preheat the oven to 350 F.

Grease two 8 inch round baking tins and line with baking parchment (if you only have one 8 inch baking tin, like me, then you can just divide the cake ingredients by two and bake one cake at a time).

To make the cake: Start by separating the eggs, place the white in a clean bowl and whisk till stiff. With the yolks beat them with the castor sugar until pale and thick, then add in the cocoa powder to the yolks and beat this lightly.

Gently fold egg whites into the chocolate yolks in three parts, use a metal spoon. Once combined, pour the mix into the prepared tin/s and bake for 10-15 mins. They should be slightly shrunken and springy to the touch. Leave to cool slightly then strip off the paper base.

While waiting for the cake to cool make the filling.

To make the filling: Break up the white chocolate into small pieces and place in a bowl. Bring the cream to the boil then immediately pour over the chocolate, leave for a min then stir till melted. Leave to cool slightly then spread on one layer of the cake to 1 cm away from edge.

(optional) Add berries to the ganache filling e.g. cherries, raspberries, strawberries, blueberries, blackberries…

Place the other cake on top of the filling. Whip the cream until it is firm then spread all over cake, sprinkle all over with grated dark chocolate.

 

Recipe courtesy of Miss Deborah Nugent

Blue Velvet Cake

Cake:
1 box Betty Crocker® SuperMoist® white cake mix
1 1/4 c. buttermilk
1/3 c. vegetable oil
3 eggs
1 Tbsp. unsweetened baking cocoa
2 tsp. royal blue paste food color
1 toothpickful violet paste food color

Frosting:
7 oz. jar marshmallow creme
1 c. butter, softened
2 1/2 c. powdered sugar
1/8 tsp. salt

To make the cake: Heat oven to 325°F.

Grease bottom and sides of two or three (depending on how many layers you want) 8-inch round cake pans with shortening and lightly flour, or spray with baking spray then coat with flour.

In a large bowl, beat all cake ingredients with electric mixer on low speed about 30 seconds or until moistened. Beat on medium speed 2 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally.

Divide batter evenly among pans. Bake 23 to 28 minutes or until top springs back when lightly touched in center. Cool 15 minutes. Remove from pans; cool completely.

To make the frosting: In a large microwavable bowl, microwave marshmallow creme uncovered on High 15 to 20 seconds to soften. Add butter. Beat with electric mixer on medium speed until smooth. Beat in powdered sugar and salt until smooth.

If necessary, trim rounded tops of two cake layers to flatten before assembling.

To assemble three layer cake: Place 1 cake layer, top side down, on serving plate; spread with about 1/3 cup frosting. Top with second layer, top side down; spread with about 1/3 cup frosting. Top with untrimmed cake layer, top side up. Frost side and top of cake with remaining frosting.


This is the recipe link I used. The cake was fantastic. So was the frosting. Amazing: http://www.flickr.com/photos/bettycrockerrecipes/5546699285/

Cake Balls

This is the easiest recipe ever.

1 box cake mix (whatever kind you want)
1-2 cans of frosting (whatever flavor goes with the cake mix you chose)
Toppings: chocolate, powdered sugar, sprinkles, coconut, whatever

Cake balls

Bake the cake according to box directions. Let the cake cool. Then shred cake using two forks. Mix in 1 can of frosting. I find, though, that one can is usually not enough to get the cake firm enough to sculpt, so I'll use a quarter to half of a second can. Add a little at a time to see how much you need. Then use a melon baller or something that will allow you to shape the mixture into balls. For toppings you can do whatever you wish. If I use funfetti, I like to roll the balls in powdered sugar. When I used German chocolate cake and frosting, I drizzled melted chocolate over the tops of the balls. You can also dip the balls into melted chocolate to totally cover them. If you do this, I would recommend putting the cake balls in the freezer for about 5-10 minutes to get them really firm for when you dip and roll them in the chocolate.

Shredded cake

Funfetti mixed into the cake