Sweetapolita

Whipping Up a Sweet + Styley Life

  • Home
  • SHOP
  • SUGAR
    • RECIPES
    • TIPS + INFO
    • SNAPS + STYLING
  • LIFE
    • AFFAIRS OF THE HEART
    • MOMHOOD + CAKELETS
    • ROSIE’S ROUNDUPS + GIVEAWAYS
  • STYLE
    • ROSIE’S CLOSET
    • BEAUTY + WELL-BEING
  • SWEETAPOLITA INC.
    • MEET ROSIE
    • SPRINKLE SQUAD
    • BEHIND THE SCENES
  • TRIPS + TREASURES
    • SWEETS ON THE STREETS
    • TRAVEL
    • VINTAGE TREASURES

Rich & Ruffled Chocolate Celebration Cake

November 18, 2010 - 298 Comments

Ruffle Cake via Sweetapolita

Happy Thursday! I’ve been eager to talk chocolate cake with you, ever since my post on Classic Vanilla Butter Cake. If you read that post, you might recall that I mentioned my husband and I often debate which cake is a bigger crowd-pleaser: chocolate or vanilla. He’s a vanilla man, and although I used to be a full-on and devoted vanilla lover, my heart is now true to my all-time favourite chocolate cake recipe: Rich & Dark Chocolate Cake. It’s simply the yummiest, richest, most delicious cake recipe I have (not to mention the easiest). It pairs well with many icings and fillings, but works particularly well with Swiss Meringue Buttercream. For fellow cake decorators, you are likely all-too familiar with it, but for those who aren’t, it will likely become an important addition to your baking repertoire. It’s super-creamy, silky, satiny texture is only beat by its buttery, rich, yet not-too-sweet taste.

It also goes on so beautifully, unlike sugary frostings, and therefore gives you some beautiful and simple options when using it to decorate a cake. It’s also what’s used to coat cakes before they are covered with fondant, but it is delicious and diverse enough to be used on its own, especially for occasion and wedding cakes. That’s why I chose to do this gorgeous ruffle cake, to show you how beautiful and show-stopping Swiss Meringue Buttercream can really be. I first saw this ruffling buttercream technique on Martha Stewart, and couldn’t resist it’s frilliness, so decided to use it for this small occasion cake I made yesterday — so simple and so girly.

Speaking of girly, Reese was home while I was getting ready to make the chocolate cake, and when I called up to her room, and asked her if she wanted to help, down she came with her full ballerina-princess costume on. I swear I didn’t stage that, but it sure made for some pretty-in-pink photos of her helping bake the cake.

Sweetapolita

First thing she did (her own idea) was start cutting parchment circles for her baking pans–this is so my child!

Sweetapolita

When I look at this photo, besides relishing in how adorable she is, I can’t help but wonder if Grant would appreciate my baking adventures just a wee bit more if I wore this outfit each time I baked. (I can’t help but think that this photo will cause me to tear-up when she’s grown and gone.)

Sweetapolita

Such focus! I love this retro mixing bowl and tool set I found at my favourite vintage/shabby chic style shop near our house — perfect for her little hands.

Okay, back to cake.  This chocolate cake recipe is such a simple and delicious one. I call this cake “rich & ruffled” because not only does the cake and Swiss buttercream taste rich, but it’s also a premium cake in its ingredients, although worth every single penny. As far as the cake goes, using a premium dark cocoa powder is paramount. I always use extra dark cocoa powder for this cake, and any other recipe that calls for cocoa powder. It’s a sure way to bring your chocolate baked goods to a new level of quality and decadence.

The ruffling technique itself is quite straight-forward. Once I tinted the Swiss Meringue Buttercream (I went with a retro coral colour using a combination of Sugarflair  “Peach” and Spectrum “Electric Pink” gel colours) and applied a thin layer on the filled and stacked cake, to ensure that the ruffles had something to adhere to. Placing the cake on a rotating cake stand, and with a large piping bag (I used 18″) filled will buttercream and fitted with a large petal tip (I used Wilton #123), I started at the bottom, holding the piping bag straight with tip pointing at cake board and the smaller part of the tip facing outward, and just did a back and forth motion until I reached the top of the cake then started again beside that row, and so on.

Once the cake was ruffled all around the outside, I did a circular ruffling around the top. If you’re a visual person, you may enjoy, and benefit from, watching a quick and helpful ruffling tutorial on YouTube, done by the fabulous Melody from Sweet & Saucy Shop in California. You can also read more about this technique from Martha Stewart here. My ruffled cake wasn’t perfect, but it’s pretty forgiving. Ruffles are always lovely (especially fluffy buttercream ones!).

Ruffle Cake via Sweetapolita

Here is the finished cake in its full ruffled glory. So simple and perfect for showers, birthdays, weddings, or any special gathering. Thank you, Martha and Melody!

Swiss Meringue Buttercream via Sweetapolita

Let’s take a minute to adore ruffles. Ruffles, ruffles, and more ruffles!

Ruffle Cake via Sweetapolita

Chocolate cake, anyone?

Happy Ruffling!

Print
Rich & Ruffled Chocolate Celebration Cake
Ingredients
For the cake:
  • 1 3/4 cups 220 g all-purpose flour
  • 2 cups 400 g granulated sugar
  • 3/4 cup 90 g Cacao Barry Cocoa Powder - Extra Dark
  • 2 teaspoons 10 g baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon 5 g baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon 9 g salt
  • 2 eggs at room temperature, lightly beaten
  • 1 cup 237 mL strong, hot black coffee or espresso
  • 1 cup 237 mL buttermilk, room temperature
  • 1/2 cup 119 mL vegetable oil
  • 1 tablespoon 15 mL pure vanilla extract
For the Swiss Meringue Buttercream
  • 5 large egg whites 150g
  • 1-1/4 cups 250 g granulated sugar
  • 1 pound 4 sticks unsalted butter, softened, cut into cubes
  • 2 teaspoons 10 mL pure vanilla extract
  • pinch of salt
Instructions
For the cake layers:
  1. Preheat oven to 350 F. Prepare 2 x 9" (or 3 x 8" for slightly shorter layers) cake pans with butter and flour or parchment paper.
  2. In bowl of electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, sift all dry ingredients. Add remaining ingredients to mixture and mix for 2 minutes on medium speed (you may need the plastic splashguard that comes with mixer).
  3. Divide among prepared pans. Batter will be liquidy.
  4. Bake for 20 minutes and rotate pans in oven. Cakes are done when toothpick or skewer comes clean, about 35 minutes. Try not to overbake.
  5. Cool on wire racks for 20 minutes then gently invert onto racks until completely cool.
For the Swiss Meringue Buttercream:
  1. Wipe the bowl of an electric mixer with paper towel and vinegar, to remove any trace of grease. Add egg whites and sugar, and simmer over a pot of water (not boiling), whisking constantly, until temperature reaches 140°F, or if you don't have a candy thermometer, until the sugar has completely dissolved and the egg whites are hot.
  2. With whisk attachment of mixer, begin to whip until the mixture is thick, glossy, and cool. Switch over to paddle attachment and, while mixing on medium speed, gradually add softened butter in chunks until incorporated, and mix until it has reached a silky smooth texture (if curdles, keep mixing and it will come back to smooth).
  3. Add vanilla and salt and mix well.
  4. Keep in airtight container in refrigerator for up to one week, leaving out at room temperature when needed, rewhipping in mixer for 5 minutes.
  5. Can freeze for up to 6-8 weeks.
Sweetapolita's Notes

*If doing the ruffly cake, you can increase the cake recipe by 50% for a 3-layer cake (or 6, if you slice each in 2) and make the buttercream x 3. It requires tons and tons of buttercream. Trust me!

**This cake is sturdy enough to be used under fondant, stacked, etc. but also moist and tasty enough too go on its own with almost any type of frosting, glaze, etc.

[Swiss Meringue Buttercream recipe adapted from Martha Stewart]

Good luck & enjoy!

Share the Sweetness!
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Pinterest
  • Google
  • Email

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: cake, chocolate, coral, layer, rich, ruffled, Swiss Meringue Buttercream

Misty Minty Peppermint Patties

November 10, 2010 - 61 Comments

Misty Minty Peppermint Patties via Sweetapolita

Happy almost mid-November! Are you feeling festive yet? Like clockwork, when I wake up on November 1st, my enthusiasm and excitement for the holidays kicks in, while any traces of the Halloween spirit completely disappear. Along with my festive spirit comes an almost immediate urge for minty treats. It’s likely not a coincidence that this is right around that time that Starbucks brings out the holiday cups, Peppermint Hot Chocolate, and Peppermint Mocha. It seems there are two kinds of people in the world: those who live for mint-chocolate and those who don’t like it at all. It seems there’s no in between. What is it about mint confections that just make us mint-lovers so giddy, especially around the holidays?

This year, though, my need for minty treats is at an all-time high. As a little girl, around the holidays, I used to sneak up onto the counter to reach up above our “harvest gold” refrigerator into the highly-secretive cupboard that my mom and dad thought I didn’t know anything about. Strangely, in between bottles of fancy liqueurs and the like, I could always find a few boxes of Allan’s Misty Mints. I used to sneak as many as I could, then rearrange the remaining mints in the box to hide the evidence. This was tricky when there were only a few left! These magically-minty, pastel, cool-and-creamy buttons have got to be the yummiest treats on the planet. At least, they were the yummiest minty treats on the planet, until I made these: Misty Minty Peppermint Patties. I call them this because it’s what happens when the texture, pastel colour palette, and white chocolate confection of Misty Mints meets the delightfully round, sandwich-like, and creamy minty-filled combination of a peppermint patties. Delish!

I was over at one of my favourite sites the other day, Joy of Baking, when I noticed a great recipe for traditional peppermint patties. I was already looking so forward to some minty recipes for the holidays, so I decided to give them a try. I can’t say I’ve spent much time working on candy recipes, but this was so appealing, and I was inspired. Since I have such love and passion for Misty Mints, I thought it would be the ultimate sucess if I could create a sweet, pastel version that tasted just like them. So, that’s what I did, and if I do say so, they are even better than I expected. Dare I say that they are possibly the most delicious confection I have ever made? These Misty Minty Peppermint Patties are everything (and then some) that my old boyfriends never were: rich, cool, and pretty. ;)

 The process was really straight-forward, which isn’t always the case with candy-making, and is why I love this recipe so much. After mixing a rich and minty patty filling, I prepared and chilled the patties, then melted my Callebaut White Chocolate Couverture in a double boiler. I feel it’s so important that you use the best white chocolate for this recipe — it’s the gorgeous creaminess of the Callebaut white chocolate combined with the decadent filling that really makes these extraordinary. And what is it about this retro colour combination that makes me so happy? I truly believe that biting into a gorgeous pastel peppermint patty tastes just that much better. You can make them any size you want, really, and serve them or package them up with a pretty ribbon and give them as stocking stuffers or hostess gifts. I have a feeling that I’m not the only one out there with fond holiday Misty Mint memories.

Here’s the recipe:

Print
Misty Minty Peppermint Patties
Ingredients
For the Filling:
  • 4 cups 480 g/16 oz icing sugar (confectioners')
  • 3 tablespoons 45 grams unsalted butter, softened
  • 4 tablespoons 60 ml evaporated milk
  • 1/4 teaspoon 1.25 mL peppermint oil (ideally food grade oil rather than extract)
  • 3/4 tsp 3.75 mL pure vanilla extract
For the Coating:
  • 1 lb 454 g best-quality white chocolate couverture, chopped
  • soft gel paste colour optional
You will also need:
  • candy thermometer
Instructions
For the Filling:
  1. Line a cookie sheet with aluminum foil and smooth. Set aside.
  2. In bowl of electric mixer fitted with paddle attachment, combine the icing sugar, butter, evaporated milk, peppermint oil and vanilla.
  3. Once ingredients are incorporated, turn mixer up to med-high, mixing for about 2 minutes, until creamy. Cover and chill filling in bowl for about 30 minutes.
  4. Once chilled enough to roll balls of filling in your hand, roll 1.5" balls and place on foiled cookie sheet. Using the palm of your hand, gently press down on each ball to create a patty. Refrigerate for another 30-60 minutes until firm and remove when you have your coating ready to go.
For the Coating:
  1. In a double boiler (or bowl on top of a pot), bring water to boil. Once boiling, turn the stove off (keeping pot on element) and add your chopped chocolate. Stir with silicone spatula until nice and smooth.
  2. Remove from heat, wipe bottom of bowl, and set aside, stirring continuously while cooling. When almost cool, divide into 3 and tint each lot desired colour (I used very small amounts of gel colours: leaf green, electric pink, and electric orange). Once chocolate reaches 80-84° F on a candy thermometer, you can start dropping patties in, one at a time, coating both sides, and removing carefully with two forks (or chocolate dipping fork).
  3. Place on cookie sheet to set. Once all patties are dipped and coated, set tray aside in a cool, dry place to set. Don't refrigerate while setting.
Sweetapolita's Notes

[filling recipe adapted from Joy of Baking]

 Sweetapolita’s Notes

  • You can use peppermint extract in place of the oil, but you won’t get that intense mintiness that the concentrated oil gives. It’s still very minty!
  • You can store the set patties in an airtight container in the refrigerator, with parchment or wax paper in between, for up to one month.
  • Best stored chilled, and eaten at either room temperature or chilled.

Minty delicious!

Good luck & enjoy

Share the Sweetness!
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Pinterest
  • Google
  • Email

Filed Under: Candy & Bark Tagged With: confection, holiday, mintiest, minty, pastel, patties, patty, peppermint

  • « Previous Page
  • 1
  • …
  • 91
  • 92
  • 93
  • 94
  • 95
  • Next Page »

HELLO, HELLO!

Hi, I’m Rosie! Welcome to the new (and even sweeter) version of the Sweetapolita blog! You will now find frequent new recipes + so, so much more: lifestyle posts themed around my life as a baker, mom-preneur, sprinkle-tosser, lover of travel, photography, fashion and all things happy!
Learn more about me here!

Let’s hang!

Get in Touch

Get in Touch

Never Miss a Post!

Latest Recipe

FACEBOOK

My Book

My Book

Copyright © 2021 · Design by Melissa Rose Design