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Nutella Swirl Pound Cake with Espresso Glaze

2011
70 Comments

You know what they say: Sometimes you feel like a Nutella, and sometimes you don’t. Okay, wait…that’s not accurate. I think it’s more like “sometimes you feel like a Nutella, and then sometimes you feel like injecting every last one of your already decadent and delicious baked goods with it.” Okay, well, that’s not exactly the cliche, yet, but it’s true.  Are you a Nutella lover? I’d ask “Do you like Nutella?” but then, as far as I can tell, there’s no such thing as a Nutella “liker.” It appears that there are three types of people in this world: those who have never tried it, those who have and don’t like it at all, and those who…well, okay, the rest of us–those who are nutty for Nutella. Now would be a good time to confess that I only bought my first jar of Nutella (ever) earlier this year, and yet this is the first time I’ve used it in baking. Ever. I know, I know, but if it’s any consolation, I’ve made up for lost time: I am on my fifth jar and have never put it on toast. So, according to my highly scientific calculations, I’ve sneaked a total of 160 single Nutella tablespoons or, if you will, 1600 calories straight from the jar in the past few months.

Nutella, if you haven’t had the joy of tasting it and aren’t familiar, is a gorgeous chocolate hazelnut spread made by Ferrero (as in Ferrero Rocher chocolates) that is sold inconspicuously alongside the jams and other breakfast spreadables, but inside it is true chocolate hazelnut heaven. It literally tastes just like Ferrero Rocher chocolates, but smooth as silk, spreadable and intended for bread or, well, spoons. Did you know that each 750g jar contains 106 hazelnuts? Did you know that hazelnuts are a good source of fiber, protein, vitamin B, iron, calcium, and potassium?  I promise that I’m not the Nutella spokesperson in stealth mode, but I just happen to think it’s pretty fabulous, and I love it. Did I mention that I also love pound cake?

I can also promise that I’m not the first person to become enamoured with marrying hazelnut spread with baked goods (I dare you and your bikini to Google “Nutella recipes”), but this pound cake recipe really called to me (to my bikini, well, not so much–summer’s over right?). I took an existing recipe and then decided to create an Espresso glaze to pour overtop. It really didn’t need it, but it sure tastes divine. You could most certainly omit the glaze altogether, or if you like the idea of glazing it, you could substitute milk for the espresso in the glaze. You could even add a bit of espresso into some freshly whipped cream and serve it with the cake (as it is made for this recently blogged goodness). Or not. Trust me when I tell you, there’s no wrong answer here.

Although this is my first pound cake that I’ve made for the blog, I’ve been loving them for quite some time, and I really apprecite their simplicity. Of course there are hundreds of variations out there, but even classic pound cake with no fanciness or extra flavours is perfectly lovely.

I should tell you, though, that there are some incredible recipes out there for homemade Nutella, which I am certain would take this pound cake to new and unimaginable heights. This time, I made this recipe on a whim as it was one of those “What can I make right this instant without having to go to the store first?” situations, so I used my jar of Nutella, but I have every intention of making the homemade variety. I suspect I would be most proud of myself if I pulled homemade hazelnut spread out of my cupboard. I can’t explain why, but I would. The exciting news is that, according to Stella (and trust me, you want to trust Stella), it is simple to make and even more amazing. You can find her recipe for Homemade Nutella here on her incredible blog, BraveTart.

That being said, store-bought Nutella does perfectly well for this recipe, and it makes for a quick, simple, and incredible tasty treat.

Nutella Swirl Pound Cake with Espresso Glaze          {click to print}

 

 

 

 

*Adapted from Nutella Swirl Pound Cake, by Laura Chattman on Food & Wine

For the cake:

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups (180 grams/6 ounces) all-purpose flour

4 large eggs, at room temperature

2 teaspoons (10 mL) pure vanilla extract (I use Nielsen-Massey Vanillas 8-oz. Madagascar Bourbon Vanilla Extract)

3/4 teaspoon (3.75 mL/3 grams) baking powder

1/4 teaspoon (5 mL/2 grams) salt

2 sticks (227 grams/8 oz/1 cup) unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 1/4 cups (250 grams/9 ounces) sugar

One 13 ounce jar (400 gram) of Nutella (or homemade Nutella)

For the glaze:

Ingredients

1/2 cup (63 grams/2 ounces) of sifted icing (powdered) sugar

1 tablespoon (15 mL) brewed espresso (I use instant espresso powder to make a small cup, then take the 15 mL from that)

For the cake:

Method

1. Position oven rack in the centre of the oven and preheat the oven to 325°. Lightly grease a 9-by-5-inch loaf pan and line bottom with a rectangle of parchment paper. Grease paper and dust entire pan with flour, tapping out any excess.

2. In a small bowl or measuring cup, lightly beat the eggs with the vanilla.

3. In a medium bowl, sift together the dry ingredients: 1 1/2 cups of flour, baking powder and salt.

4. In the of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or handheld mixer), cream the butter with the sugar on medium speed (I use #4 on KitchenAid) until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes.

5. With the mixer at medium-low speed, gradually beat in the egg mixture until fully incorporated (add 1/4 mixture at a time). Add the flour mixture in 3 batches, beating at low speed between additions until just incorporated. Continue to beat for 30 seconds longer.

6. Spread one-third of the batter in the prepared pan (a small offset spatula works best for spreading batter), then spread half of the Nutella on top. Repeat with another third of the batter and the remaining Nutella. Top with the remaining batter. Lightly swirl the Nutella into the batter with a butter knife or skewer, but don’t overmix.

7. Bake the cake for about 1 hour undisturbed, the test cake for doneness (a toothpick inserted in the center should come out clean.). You will likely need to bake the cake for a total of 1 hour and 10 minutes, but this will vary based on individual ovens.

8. Let the cake cool in the pan for 30 minutes. Using a thin knife, loosen the sides of the cake from the pan, then invert the cake onto a wire rack, but carefully turn it right side up and let cool completely, about 2 hours.

9. Drizzle with the glaze, cut the cake into slices and serve.

For the glaze:

Method

1. Mix icing sugar and brewed espresso in a small bowl, whisking until smooth.

2. Pour over cake drizzle-style and/or each piece to serve.

*Note: For a classic glaze (to omit the espresso flavour) substitute espresso with milk.

Good luck & enjoy!

Have a thing for Nutella? Here are few more enticing Nutella recipes from some of my fellow food bloggers:

Crispy Chocolate Almond Sticks from The Pioneer Woman

Nutella and Sea Salt Caramel Chocolate Fudge from She’s Becoming DoughMessTic 

Nutella Fudge Brownies from Abby Dodge via {a thought for food}

Nutella Hot Chocolate from the Hungry Housewife

Banana, Nutella & Cream Cheese Cake from always with butter

and again for those who want to make it themselves, Homemade Nutella by BraveTart

What magical Nutella’ness do you like to create in your kitchen? Can you think of some other fun ways to bake it up?

Be back soon!

Love, Rosie xo

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An Epic Tale of Vanilla Cake {and my 1st Blogiversary}

2011
146 Comments

It’s true–it’s been one year since I started this blog. When I think back about how it all came to be, I recall waking up one day last summer and realizing that my poor husband was never going to survive a lifetime of listening to my frequent baking tales, no matter how hard he tried–it was that simple, at first. I wish I was kidding, but, truly, this poor man has put in some serious time listening to my occasionally wordy-yet-passionate descriptions and raves about baked goods! I also felt that something was missing from my creative life, so, I figured I better share all of my baking love in some other way. When the idea of a baking blog entered my mind, I knew it would be a perfect outlet to express myself, but honestly, I had no idea if anyone would actually read it, and I didn’t realize what an amazing outlet and lifeline it would become for me. This blog is so much a part of me now, that I don’t know what I would become without it, so thank you all so much for your visits, sincere comments, and enthusiasm–it astounds me daily, and it means more to me than you could ever know. You can read my first post (kind of embarrassing) here. Yikes–okay, okay, go easy on me!

As I looked back on the recipes I’ve shared over the past year, I came to realize that I may have a slight thing for vanilla cake. And, well, seeing as I counted a total of 30 cakes in my recipe index so far, well, I may need to accept that my cake addiction may be an actual condition for which I may want to seek medical attention. Call me a hopeless romantic, if you will (or maybe just a girl who really loves cake), but I figure if you’re going to love something, you better love it with every fiber of your being. That being said, I realize it must be a bit overwhelming to visit my recipe index and find so many vanilla cake options, so I’ve given a little description of each below to help those who were curious about what differentiates them. So many of them are similar, but the recipes are varied slightly, by ingredients and method. I’m forever epicurious and can’t help but attempt any yummy-looking vanilla cake recipe in search of the the perfect vanilla cake.

For my taste, perfect is a light, moist, and borderline cake mixish (gasp) vanilla butter cake that I use for both buttercream covered and fondant covered cakes. I recently came across a recipe that was as close to this as I’d ever seen (that being said, I still love the others!). This was an amazing discovery for me, because since I’ve been baking scratch cakes, I tend to prefer serving chocolate cake–mostly because of its fabulous ability to stay moist and fresh for days. But, in my heart I’m a vanilla cake with pastel vanilla frosting and sprinkles girl. I just am.

So, I’ve been making the fabulous Fluffy Vanilla Cake recipe now for weeks, and I make it every chance I get. I love it. It changed my life! I loved seeing your enthusiasm for this cake, and I’ve received more emails about making that cake than anything else I’ve made–so many of you are enjoying vanilla cake success and bliss, but I noticed that some of you are having some issues with the batter “curdling,” once you add the liquid, which then likely caused your cakes to sink in the middle and be more dense. I know how frustrating cake fails can be, so I really wanted to try to make that better so you too could enjoy this incredible cake.

The points of difference in this recipe versus a typical vanilla butter cake, from what I can see, would be the large number of egg whites and the reverse creaming method, created and encouraged by famed baker Rose Levy Beranbaum and her book (one of my all-time favourites) The Cake Bible. The thing is, with so many egg whites and a cup of milk, if there’s even a tad too much liquid, the batter becomes unstable. There is a version of this cake in Rose’s book called White Velvet Butter Cake, which is almost exactly the same, but calls for more cake flour, less egg white, and less sugar. Both of these recipes using the reverse creaming method, although the directions are slightly different. I found that the White Velvet Butter Cake is perfectly stable, easy to make, and delicious. I would say that it may be just a bit less light and fluffy, but incredible.

So, long story short, I’ve modified the Fluffy White Cake recipe we’ve been using, to have just a bit less egg milk and egg white, in hopes that it will be more reliable to make, and the results tasted and looked great to me. Depending on how you measure your ingredients, it’s easy to have too much liquid, so I definitely recommend weighing your egg whites, to be sure. Well, for me it’s so important to weigh all of the ingredients to ensure a successful cake–I find too much or too little flour, in particular, can throw an entire cake’s texture off, which is too bad because it’s easy to have that happen if you don’t weigh it, but then think it’s the recipe’s fault, so to speak. Lastly, when I make this cake, I use Rose’s exact reverse creaming method from her book, although the method was a bit different (very slight) on the original Baking Bites recipe. You can try both methods and see what works for you, if you’re really determined. Confused yet?

That being said, here are the images of me making the fluffy vanilla cake recipe in hope that it answers some of the questions you’ve been asking about making the batter:

So, the first step is mixing the dry ingredients in the mixing bowl fitted with the paddle attachment for 30 seconds…

Then you add the butter and the remaining milk (1/4 cup is added to the egg whites and vanilla to be added next), and mix on low speed just until the ingredients are moistened. Then mix on medium speed (I use #4 on my Kitchen Aid) for exactly 90 seconds–this is really important, so that you don’t overmix the batter. Rose (the creator of this reverse creaming method) explains this is ”to aerate and develop the cake’s structure.”

This is how my batter looks after the 90 seconds of mixing on medium speed.

Next I add gradually add the milk mixture (1/4 cup milk that’s been gently mixed with the vanilla and egg whites) starting with 1/3, and mix on medium for 20 seconds–no more, no less.

Here it is after 2 of the 3 additions of the egg white mixture have been added and each mixed for 20 seconds. It shouldn’t look curdled, but nice and smooth.

Finally, here it is after the final third of the liquid mixture has been added. Again, it should be smooth, but not curdled. If it’s curdled, in my experience that means there’s too much liquid, and the cake will sink in the middle when you bake it.

And, finally here are the cakes baked and cooling, and this method really works for me, so I really hope it helps you along in some way! I should also mention that using the two 9-inch pans or two 8-inch pans tends to yield the best result for this recipe, and, typically, I find it’s best to stick to the cake pan size that any recipe recommends. It’s not to say you can’t play around with cake pan sizes/shapes, but, especially when you make a certain cake recipe for the first time, it’s likely the best way to get an accurate result.

As I mentioned, my vanilla cake recipe list is growing, and it must be a bit confusing to know which one is what you’re looking for, so I’ve done my best to include a quick description of each one:

Classic Vanilla Butter Cake: One of the first vanilla cakes I made for the blog. It’s a traditional vanilla cake using whole eggs and whipped egg whites and cake flour to lighten batter: moist, delicious, slightly dense. Straight-forward method and tastes great.

Fluffy Vanilla Cake with Whipped Vanilla Bean Frosting (the one we just made): The lightest, fluffiest vanilla cake, and one of my favourites. Uses only egg whites (not yolks) and cake flour for light crumb and reverse creaming method. Can be unstable if too much liquid is added.

Love, Cake & Sprinkles: A delicious vanilla bean cake made with buttermilk, egg whites, and all-purpose flour using the traditional butter cake method of creaming, adding eggs, and alternating dry & wet ingredients. It has gorgeous flavour, is very moist, but not as light and fluffy as above. I love this cake.

My Baker’s Crush: BAKED (and The Whiteout Cake): A delicious butter cake from the famous BAKED bakery in NYC. Some ingredients are butter and shortening, cake flour and all-purpose flour, ice cold water, and egg whites. It’s made by creaming fats, alternating wet & dry, and folding in whipped egg whties. It’s heavier than the Fluffy Vanilla Cake, but delicious and unique.

Pretty in Pink: Old-Fashioned Party Cake: A tasty and traditional vanilla cake made from egg whites, all-purpose flour, ice water, and butter (to name a few) from an old Mennonite cookbook. It uses the creaming technique and folding in of the whipped egg whites. The taste is delicious and vanilla, but some people find it too dense.

Rainbow Doodle Birthday Cake: This vanilla cake recipe was originally from Whisk Kid, and I find it perfect for the rainbow cake. It’s also very close to Rose’s White Velvet Butter Cake in that it has egg whites, cake flour, butter, but it is made with the tradtional creaming method. It’s light and stable.

Vanilla Bean Bundt Cake with Vanilla Bean Glaze: A very vanilla traditional bundt cake that bakes up beautifully, but has a heavier texture than vanilla layer cake.

Vanilla Bean Latte Layer Cake: This is another version of an egg-white vanilla butter cake, that I really love. It uses the creaming method and some key ingredients are buttermilk, egg whites, and all-purpose flour. It’s not the lightest, but tastes incredible and is very stable.

Vanilla Buttermilk Cake with Instant Fudge Frosting This recipe comes from the book Sky High, and it’s a gorgeous vanilla butter cake made with buttermilk and whole eggs. It’s also a very straight-forward cake to bake and it tastes great. It has a golden finish due to the whole eggs.

Very-Vanilla Butter Sponge Cake: This vanilla cake has a similar crumb/texture to the other vanilla butter cakes listed, but it’s made by folding whipped egg whites into the remaining creamed ingredients.

I hope this helps! Here’s the modified cake recipe that I find to be a little more consistent in results:

*Notes: If you have made the Fluffy Vanilla Cake prior to my modifying it, and had success, you can keep the recipe the same as it was, which was 1 cup of milk and 6 egg whites (the recipe I use).

Fluffy Vanilla Cake {modified}          {click to print}

Yield: One 2-layer, 8-inch round cake or 9-inch round cake

*Very fluffy and light, but can be a bit more challenging if even a fraction too much liquid is added.

Ingredients

5 large egg whites (5 ounces/150 grams) at room temperature

3/4 cup whole milk (180 mL/6 liquid ounces), at room temperature

2 1/4 teaspoons pure vanilla extract (12.5 mL) — I use Nielsen-Massey Vanillas 8-oz. Madagascar Bourbon Vanilla Extract

2 1/2 cups sifted cake flour (10 ounces/285 grams–weighed after sifting)

1 3/4 cups sugar (12 ounces/350 grams)

1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon baking powder (19.5 grams)

3/4 teaspoon salt (5 grams)

12 tablespoons unsalted butter (6 ounces/170 grams), at room temperature and cut into cubes

Method

1. Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C). Grease, line with parchment, and flour two round 8-inch pans.

2. In a medium bowl or measuring cup, combine and stir the egg whites, 1/4 cup of milk, and the vanilla. Set aside.

3. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the dry ingredients together on low speed (I use the “stir” setting on my mixer) for 30 seconds.

4. Add the butter and remaining 1/2 cup of milk, and mix on low speed until just moistened. Increase to medium speed and mix for 90 seconds.

5. Scrape the sides of the bowl and begin to add the egg mixture in 3 separate batches; beat on medium speed for 20 seconds after each addition.

6. Divide the batter in two, spreading it evenly with a small offset palette knife. If you have a kitchen scale, weigh to ensure 2 even layers.

7. Bake 25-35 minutes or until a cake tester comes clean when inserted into the center. Be so careful to not overbake. Check cake at 20 minutes, but not before, and once you feel it’s almost ready, set the timer for 2 minute intervals. Let cool on racks for 10 minutes before loosening the sides with a small metal spatula, and invert onto greased wire racks. Gently turn cakes back up, so the tops are up and cool completely.

8. Wrap tightly and store at room temperature for up to 2 days, refrigerator for up to 5 days, or frozen for up to 2 months. Best eaten the same day as baked.

*Slightly adapted from Classic White Cake recipe on Baking Bites

Frost with the Whipped Vanilla Bean Frosting for the ultimate vanilla cake experience.

You may enjoy my 50 Tips for Baking Better Cakes post and my list of Baking Supplies I Love. I really believe these tips and tools will help you achieve your ultimate vanilla cake.

Good luck & enjoy!

Love, Rosie xo

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A Little Wee Birthday Cake for a Little Wee Cakelet

2011
69 Comments

Happy Wednesday! Well, our littlest cakelet, Neve (aka Lovie) turned 2 last week, and it seems like there’s been cake for days (or months, I suppose). Sure, two years really isn’t that long ago, but I do remember every minute of that day so vividly, as I do with the day our little 4-year-old, Reese, was born. I will say that the day Neve was born, September 7th, 2009, was a breeze compared to my first experience giving birth. But, I’ll most definitely spare you those details! When I realized her second birthday was soon coming, I really wasn’t sure how to approach the cake, or, well, cakes.

See, last year, before I had a blog or made wedding cakes for a living, I spent weeks planning my first dessert table for the big party we threw for her at our house (that was one of my very first blog posts!). Yes, it looks a bit more like a fancy-ish dessert table than a little 1-year-old birthday party, but it just sort of happened that way! I suppose I had a lot of time and boundless creative energy to expend, and it was lovely and worth it, but this year, after a year filled with layer cakes and pink icing, I simply wasn’t sure what to do for her. It turns out when you make cakes every week for a year, it kind of changes your perspective a bit. I knew I wanted to keep it a little more simple and not crazy fancy and fondant-full, so, rather than going grand, I went teeny tiny. Yep, teeny tiny, simple, and sweet. Little wee, in fact.

But, before making the Little Wee Birthday Cake here at home, we ended up traveling around on the weekends surrounding her birthday, rather than hosting a big party at our house. We spent Labour Day weekend at the cottage (remember the Krispy Kreme Bread Pudding with Espresso Whipped Cream?), so I brought some layer cakes for our group (Dark Chocolate Layer Cake with Strawberry Buttercream and Chocolate Ganache, kind of like this one, as well as a larger Fluffy Vanilla Cake with Pink Whipped Vanilla Frosting), and then brought a smaller version for the 3 kids (our two, plus cousin Lucas). It was a very relaxed and perfectly cottage-lovely time.

Then last weekend we spent Sunday having a cozy lunch on the farm (as we did for Reese’s last birthday where we did the Rainbow Doodle Cake) in Prince Edward County, as it was Neve and her Grandpa’s birthday, so I made her a classic chocolate layer cake with pink frosting and sprinkles as well as a Gingersnap Cheesecake for Grandpa (recipe to follow–oh yum!). I have to say I really loved being the traveling birthday party this year; what a refreshing change. I do kind of miss the party planning aspect of it all, so next year I think we’ll go for it again.

And, finally, she had the little wee pink vanilla cake at home. 4-inch, 2 layer Fluffy Vanilla Cake with Pink Whipped Vanilla Frosting. I also made a 5-inch round cake-for-two and dyed it turquoise. I’m loving the small scale cakes, and I think it would be really fun to make the Little Wee Cakes for each kid at a birthday party and then maybe pop an even more wee second tier onto the birthday girl’s cake, for a Two-Tier Little Wee Cake.

Because I’m a mom, because I’ve been reflecting on the past two years with Neve, and because I love photos, excuse me while I indulge in some serious mommy-bragging. I just really wanted to share a (large) handful of some of my favourite photos of our little birthday girl over the past two years:

 

 

 

 

 

Happy Birthday to our little Lovie!

I’ll be back very soon with a Fluffy Vanilla Cake Part II post, for those of you who have had questions about making that cake. I will go into more detail and hopefully even include a few process shots to help troubleshoot any issues you may have encountered. It’s really the lightest, fluffiest, and most delicious vanilla cake I’ve ever made or eaten, and I make it often. Oh, I love it so!

If you’d like to make your own Litte Wee Birthday Cakes, here’s what I did to achieve the classic design I’ve used:

Litte Wee Swag Birthday Cakes

Fluffy Vanilla Cake recipe x 1. For me the yield was two 4-inch round layers and three 5-inch layers, but you can play around with any small cake pans you may have (I have altered this recipe slightly to avoid the chance of too much liquid being added to the batter.). I’ll be blogging more about this after this post, but in the meanwhile, you can see those changes on the original Fluffy Vanilla Cake with Whipped Vanilla Bean Frosting post.

I used the same frosting, but omitted the vanilla bean and added an extra teaspoon of vanilla extract, along with some AmeriColor Deep Pink for the litttle cake and Turquoise for the 5″ cake.

*Tip: For an even icing swag, trace a circle onto parchment paper, using the cake pan you used for the cake. Cut out the circle, and fold in half, then again, and then once more. You should have a 8 even pie-shaped wedges in your circle. Place the parchment circle gently on  top of your frosted cake. Use a toothpick or pin to create a small holes in your cake where the edge of the folds are. These holes will mark where your swags will meet.

Using a piping bag fitted with a plain round piping tip (I used #3) and filled with buttercream, pipe your icing swags using your guides.

Pipe a few dots below each join, if desired.

Using an open star tip (I used Wilton #22), finish each join with a small rosette, by piping in one full circular motion, starting in the middle, working outward.

If you’d like to see what cake-baking tools I use on a daily basis, I’ve recently created a list of my favourite baking supplies that I love. You can check that out here.

Good luck & enjoy!

Love, Rosie xo

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Glazed Root Beer Funnel Cakes with Fresh Blueberries

2011
40 Comments

I think, no I’m certain, my first experience with Funnel Cake was at Canada’s Wonderland–a huge amusement park near Toronto that dominates pretty much all of my amusement park memories. I’ve been there more times than I can count as a younger girl, and it was likely the single most exciting expedition my friends and I would plan. But, most exciting to me was that we knew once we arrived, the funnel cakes were ours. Hot, sugary, old-fashioned-donut-tasting funnel cakes smothered in strawberries ’n sauce and whipped cream (no ice cream alongside cake for this girl, but some love it this way too, of course). I haven’t been there in years, but I recall they seemed, at the time, to be the biggest funnel cakes in history, almost too big to even fit on the large paper plate they served them on. As you may suspect, I got through most of mine, and much more than my friends ever did, that’s for certain (I was known as a bit of a phenomenon on how much food I could consume), but it was even too much for me to finish. I actually recall standing beside the garbage can a-la-Miranda-on-Sex-and-the-City-and-the-chocolate-cake, and trying to throw the last few bites away, but just couldn’t–I would sneak just a few more. Was it because it was the most delicious carnival treat that has ever existed? Possibly. But, mostly, I knew that it would be likely a long, painful, empty year before I was going to taste another one. Tragic indeed.

It wasn’t until many years later, in 2007, after my cousin Julie emailed me asking if I wanted to come over and make funnel cakes with her (um, okay!), that I realized you could easily make these at home. At the time I made these with Julie, I was really just along for the ride–she had it all figured out, and I just watched, really. I was amazed at how authentic they really tasted and looked, and how it easy it all was. Strangely, I have never attempted to make funnel cakes on my own, and I haven’t eaten one since that day…until earlier this week. When I first searched for the recipe online, I found many very traditional versions including one that cloned my beloved Canada Wonderland’s funnel cake, but then I came across this fabulous twist on the traditional on Fine Cooking, by Judith Fertig. I’m so glad I found it, because it’s how it’s how I discovered Judith’s gorgeous book, Heartland: The Cookbook, from which this recipe is taken. Her book “melds contemporary cooking with an authentic and appreciative approach to the land, presenting 150 recipes for farm-bounty fare with a modern twist,” and, oh, this speaks to me. This type of baking just calls to me. For some reason, although I wasn’t raised in the country, but rather a mid-size city surrounded by gorgeous countryside and farms, I have always been so drawn to the history, the food, and the sense of family that surrounds country life. I’ve ordered this book, and I simply cannot wait to dig in.

 

For this recipe, we use actual Root Beer in the batter and add a glaze made with Root Beer extract to really embrace the the flavour, but otherwise the result still holds onto tradition in its sweet and crispy, old-fashioned, carnival-worthy qualities. I have to admit that, typically, I tend to avoid making deep-fried treats for a few reasons, including the fact that, even though I will share baked goods with my cakelets, the thought of giving them deep-fried goodies makes me a bit uneasy. That being said, Funnel Cakes are in a realm of their own, and they are most definitely a delicious treat to bring out once a year, or so. I so enjoyed this Root Beer version, and I love tradition-with-a-twist. Simply put, these are incredibly simple to make, absolutely delicious and unique, and bring me right back to childhood. I topped them with the glaze, a handful of plump blueberries, and a generous sprinkling of icing sugar.

With the recent crispness in the air, it’s a perfect time for this warm, sweet, and hearty dessert. I can imagine wandering a small country fair in autumn, cozy in a knit sweater, and soaking up the sun and cool breeze on my cheeks. Wishing you and your family a wonderful autumn-is-in-the-air weekend!

Root Beer Funnel Cakes with Fresh Blueberries         {click to print}

*Root Beer Funnel Cake recipe by Judith Fertig from the book Heartland: The Cookbook

*I have added the weight measurements and a few tips at the bottom of the recipe.

For the Funnel Cakes

Vegetable oil, for frying

1-1/2 cups (188 grams/6.5 ounces) unbleached all-purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon (2 grams) salt

3/4 teaspoon (3 grams) baking soda

1/2 teaspoon (2 grams) cream of tartar

2 tablespoons (30 grams/1 ounce) granulated sugar

1 large egg

1 cup (236 mL) root beer

For the Root Beer Glaze

1/2 cup (63 grams) confectioners’ sugar, plus more for dusting

1/4 teaspoon (1.25 mL) root beer extract (such as root beer flavor extract – 8 fl oz)

1 tablespoon (15 mL) half-and-half or whole milk

Fresh berries of your choice, for garnish

Make the funnel cakes:

In a large, deep skillet, pour in enough vegetable oil to reach 1 inch. Heat to 375°F over medium-high heat.Meanwhile, mix the flour, salt, baking soda, cream of tartar, and sugar in a large bowl. Whisk the egg and root beer together in a cup, then whisk this mixture into the dry ingredients until smooth.When the oil has reached the correct temperature, hold your finger over the bottom of a large kitchen funnel with a 1/2-inch diameter spout and pour ¾ cup batter into the funnel. Hold the funnel over the center of the skillet, remove your finger, and with a circular motion starting from a center point, let the batter create either a tight or freeform spiral in the hot oil. Fry until the funnel cake is light brown on one side, then carefully flip with a pancake turner and fry on the other side until golden brown. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Let the oil come back to the correct temperature and repeat the process with the remaining batter.

Glaze the funnel cakes:

Whisk the confectioners’ sugar, root beer extract, and half-and-half together in a small bowl. Drizzle over each funnel cake, then dust with more confectioners’ sugar and garnish with fresh berries.

Sweetapolita’s Notes:

1. I didn’t have a large kitchen funnel, so I used a large pastry bag and a 1/2″ piping tip. The batter is very runny, like pancake batter, so you have to act quickly. I placed the piping bag into tall glass very close to my pan, and folded the cuff of the bag over the rim of the glass. I measured 3/4 cup of batter, then poured it into the piping back, then quickly poured into the oil, in the same circular motion as described in recipe.

2. Since you are making one cake at a time, it’s definitely not ideal to make for more than just a few people.

3. I used a candy thermometer to ensure the temperature of 375°F.

Good luck & enjoy!

Love, Rosie xo

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Strawberry Layer Cake with Whipped Strawberry Frosting

2011
127 Comments

Well, hello there! I’m here, I’m here! Life got a little crazy for the past 2 weeks–cakes and beyond (beyond and beyond), but I’m so glad to be back and focused on my personal mission to never wear a bikini again share all of my favourite cakes and baked goods with you, one by one. Strawberry cake has been on my recent would-love-to-make-again list, because, well, I just love the old-fashioned taste of strawberry cake and strawberry frosting. I did recently (my birthday) make a strawberry Swiss buttercream to top a dark chocolate cake (here), but I was still craving double strawberry cake, and, dare I say, more sugary-but-satiny frosting. Then, it happened: I was officially inspired by a jelly bean. Yep, a tiny, little, harmless jelly bean. See, a few weeks ago, while doing some “candy research” for another project, I found the discovered the yummiest jelly beans ever created, and I’m not even a “jelly bean girl.” I bought a bunch of Jelly Belly’s “Cold Stone Ice Cream Parlor Mix,” and these little things pack some serious ice cream flavour–I actually couldn’t even believe it. I think I may need to revisit the whole I’m-not-really-into-jelly-beans thing. This particular bunch I bought is a variety of ice cream related flavour combinations, including a pink one they call “Our Strawberry Blonde.” One little wee, pink jelly bean manages to pull together the flavours of strawberry ice cream, graham cracker pie crust, strawberries, caramel, and whipped cream…can you imagine? So, although I didn’t incorporate graham cracker pie crust or caramel (yet), I was inspired to create a sweet strawberry cake with an overall ice cream parlour taste.

For the cake, I went with a moist strawberry butter cake, frosted with whipped strawberry frosting that, for some inexplicable reason, tastes like strawberry ice cream (remember it in vanilla form, here?). I topped it with some whipped cream swirls, and, of course, the ice cream parlour jelly beans. I should say, though, that although I’m usually a bit more of a dessert purest, the cake recipe itself does use strawberry gelatin (yep, Jell-O) to boost the colour and flavour, in addition to the real strawberry puree. Although there are bakers out there that strive and succeed to use only puree and/or strawberry pieces to flavour the cake (and those recipes do look gorgeous), for some reason, I’m personally not offended by incorporating the gelatin. I was really close to going the purest route as well, but in this situation, I find the sweet strawberry flavour really reminiscent of my childhood, and I love it: I love that it’s pink, and I love the taste. Overall, it has a really ice cream parlour feel to me, and nothing bad ever comes from an ice cream parlour, does it?

On a sidenote, I get oodles of emails asking about slicing cakes, and how I get mine to slice “so perfectly,” so here are my thoughts on that–I’m not a cake-slicing expert, but I hope it helps in some way:

Tips for Cutting the Perfect Layer-Cake Slice:

1.  All Cakes are Not Created Equal: The first issue is the type of cake you’re slicing–some varieties simply slice and serve neater than others. I find that very moist, light cakes, such as the Fluffy Vanilla Cake, tend to want to fall not so perfectly when sliced (although, we won’t hold that against it, or other cakes like that, because they are so yummy and uniquely delicious). That being said, I find that if I refrigerate those cakes for an hour or so after frosting, it does tend to set them a bit. The only issue with that, is that typically refrigeration butter cakes can dry them out a touch. Chocolate cakes I have no problem slicing neatly at room temperature, but they are particularly easy to slice when they are refrigerated for a short time as well. The great news is that oil-based chocolate cakes stay so moist, even once refrigerated, so that’s a definite win-win.

2. The Right Stuff: Slicing a cake with a sharp, long, thin knife is key for me when slicing layer cakes. I use a large glass of hot water to dip the knife into and dry cloth to wipe clean between each cut. This makes a huge difference, I find.

3. Method to the Madness: I believe that the method you use to slice your cakes is really important. I press the tip of the knife gently into the centre of the cake once I’ve placed it where the slice will be cut, then slowly begin to slice the cake with the knife’s tip cutting the cake just slightly before the rest of the knife, so that it is the first part of the knife to hit the bottom of the slice/cake plate. I use one relatively clean cut, but never a sawing motion. Once the entire knife has reached the bottom of the slice and is touching the cake board/plate, I slowly remove the knife straight out towards me, never letting the bottom of the knife lift from bottom of slice. To remove the slice from the plate, I like to slide the flat side of the knife under the cut slice, so it is supporting the entire piece, and gently remove it so it is resting on the knife. Then I usually lay it flat on a plate to serve. For photos I do often place the slice upright, which works for many cakes–you can judge the likeliness of that once you pull out the first slice, and go from there.

4. Size Matters: This may go without saying, but you’ll find that the taller your cake, the more difficult slicing the perfect slice can be, but it’s definitely not impossible. You’ll likely notice that two-layer cake will cut much cleaner than a 4, 5, or 6+ layer cake. Even a 3-layer cake can give you trouble if it’s too fragile or if you’re not using the right knife or method. If you follow steps 1-3, though, you will likely find that you can make it work.

5. Let Them Eat Cake: Just remember that my efforts to achieve super-neat slices of cake is mostly because I want to photograph a cake in its loveliest possible moment. When I serve cake at home, it’s not always neat and tidy because I insist on serving it as fresh and soft as possible. If it means a yummer-but-messy cake, I recommend just doing whatever it takes to get the cake to your guest in its freshest, tastiest form–even if it is a little messy. If you follow the above steps, really, it shouldn’t be sloppy, but some just may be cleaner cut than others.

I hope this helps!

 

 

 

 

Strawberry Layer Cake         {click to print}

Yield: 3 x 8″ round layers

Ingredients:

1 3/4 cups (12 oz/350 g) granulated sugar

1 (3 oz/85 g) package strawberry flavored gelatin (such as Jell-O)

1 cup (8 oz/227 g) butter, softened

4 eggs (room temperature)

3 cups (10.5 oz/300 g) sifted cake & pastry flour

1 tablespoon (15 mL/17 g) baking powder

3/4 teaspoon (3.75 mL/5 g) salt

1 cup (236 ml/8 liquid oz) whole milk, room temperature

1 tablespoon (15 ml) pure vanilla extract (I always use Nielsen-Massey Vanillas 8-oz. Madagascar Bourbon Vanilla Extract)

1/4 cup (2 liquid oz/4.5 oz/130 g) strawberry puree made from frozen strawberries (puree itself should be closer to room temp, not frozen or icy)

Method:

1. If you’re making your own strawberry puree, remove frozen strawberries (about 2 handfuls) from freezer and place in a single layer in a flat dish to thaw slightly. Place into food processor and puree the strawberries until smooth. Stir to ensure it is nice and smooth and not icy. Measure out 1/4 cup for cake and 3 tablespoons for frosting, and freeze the remaining puree for another use.

2. Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C). Butter, line with parchment, and flour three round 8-inch pans, tapping out the excess. Set aside.

3. In a medium bowl or measuring cup, combine and stir the milk, strawberry puree, and the vanilla. Set aside.

4. Sift and whisk dry ingredients together in a medium bowl, and set aside.

5. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the sugar, gelatin, and butter on medium speed until light and fluffy–about 5 minutes.

6. Add the eggs, one by one, mixing well after each addition and scraping down the sides of the bowl with spatula.

7. Add the wet & dry ingredients to the creamed mixture by alternating–beginning and ending with dry ingredients and mixing just enough after each addition to incorporate, but not overmix.

8. Divide the batter in three, spreading it evenly with a small offset palette knife. If you have a kitchen scale, weigh each pan filled with batter, to ensure 3 even layers.

9. Bake 25-30 minutes or until a cake tester comes clean when inserted into the center. Be so careful to not overbake. Check cakes at 20 minutes, but not before, and once you feel it’s almost ready, set the timer for 2 minute intervals. Let cool on racks for 10 minutes before loosening the sides with a small metal spatula, and invert onto greased wire racks. Gently turn cakes back up, so the tops are up and cool completely.

10. Wrap tightly and store at room temperature for up to 2 days, refrigerator for up to 5 days, or frozen for up to 2 months. Best eaten day one.

*Adapted from allrecipes.com

Whipped Strawberry Frosting (or, shall we call it Strawberry Ice Cream Frosting?)

Ingredients:

3 sticks + 2 tablespoons (13 oz/375 g) unsalted butter, softened and cut into cubes

4 cups sifted (18 oz/500 g) confectioners’ sugar (icing, powdered)

1 tablespoon (15 mL) milk

1 1/2 teaspoon (7.5 mL) pure vanilla extract — I use Nielsen-Massey Vanillas 8-oz. Madagascar Bourbon Vanilla Extract

pinch of salt

3 tablespoons (45 mL) strawberry puree made from frozen strawberries (if you want the frosting seed-free, you can put the puree through a sieve before adding to frosting)

Method

1. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, whip butter for 8 minutes on medium speed (I use “4″ on my KitchenAid). Butter will become very pale & creamy.

2. Add remaining ingredients, except strawberry puree, and mix on low speed for 1 minute, then on medium speed for 6 minutes. Frosting will be very light, creamy, and fluffy.

3. Add strawberry puree (can be cool, but not frozen or icy) and mix until incorporated.

4. Best used right away, but can be covered in an airtight container at room temperature for a day or so.

Strawberry Layer Cake Assembly

1. Place a cake layer face-up on cake plate or 8″ round thin cake board.

2. Place 1 cup of frosting on top, and spread evenly with a small offset palette knife.

3. Repeat step 1-2.

4. Place final layer, face-down (bottom of cake layer is facing out). Place a generous scoop of frosting on top, spreading evenly with a small offset palette knife and working your way down the sides until you have a thin layer of frosting over the entire cake. Use a bench scraper to achieve very smooth sides. Chill until set — about 30 minutes.

5. Remove from refrigerator and cover with a final layer of frosting.

6. Finish with any decorations of choice, or frosting borders. I used stabilized whipped cream (1 cup whipping cream whipped with 1/4 tsp unflavoured gelatin) and Jelly Belly’s “Our Strawberry Blonde” jelly beans (combines the flavour strawberry ice cream, graham cracker pie crust, strawberries, caramel, and whipped cream…um, yummy!) You can buy them here: Our Strawberry Blonde Jelly Belly – 16 oz

7. A little tip to help make evenly spaced whipped cream (or other decoration) touches: Take a cake pan the same size and shape as your cake, trace onto a piece of parchment paper and cut it out. Fold it in 1/2, then again, and once more for 8 servings. Unfold, and gently place onto top of chilled cake, and using a toothpick make a little mark in the centre of each “slice,” where the whipped cream will go. Remove paper and keep for next time. Pipe your whipped cream overtop of each mark.

8. Store in a cake keeper at room temperature for up to 2 days, or in refrigerator for up to 5 days. As with most cakes, it’s best eaten day 1.

*New! Check out the Baking Supplies I Love page for a list of what I use everyday in my kitchen.

Good luck & enjoy!

Love, Rosie xo

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