Baby Shower Ruffle Cake

Cake Bunting and Ruffles are so in right now. I made this cake for a family members baby shower, this is the second time I've made a Ruffle cake, you can see my first one here. Cake bunting is all over Pinterest, I love looking at what other caker's come up with, I used scrap paper and silver letters for mine. The base of the cake is Chocolate Cake click here for recipe or click here for buttercream recipe.

Pink Ombre Cake

It was my Niece's Eleventh Birthday and she asked for a pink ombre cake so I couldn't wait to get started on this cake. I found a great recipe over at with sprinkles on top for the cake, but the original recipe is from Glorious treats you must go over and check out there amazing ombre cakes.

Pink Ombre Cake

Recipe Source: Glorious Treat

Cake:

3-3/4 cups cake flour

3-3/4 teaspoons baking powder

1-1/2 teaspoons baking soda

1-1/2 teaspoons salt

6 eggs

2-1/4 cups sugar

4-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1-1/2 cups vegetable oil

1-1/2 cups buttermilk


1. Preheat oven to 180c
2. In a medium bowl, add cake flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.  Stir together with whisk, and set aside.
3. In the bowl of an electric mixer, add eggs and beat 10-20 seconds.  Add sugar and continue to beat on medium speed about 30 seconds.  Add vanilla and oil, beat.
4. Reduce mixer speed to low and slowly add about half of the flour mixture.  Add half of the milk, then the rest of the flour and the rest of the milk.  Beat until just combined.  Scrap down the side of the bowl.
5. The batter will be thin.  Divide the batter, as evenly as possible, into 4 smaller bowls. Dye the batter various shades of pink. I started with the darkest shade first and worked my way toward the lighter shades, I used Wilton gel colorings. There’s no way to do this step perfectly — just use your eye as a judge and make the best color gradient between the 5 bowls as you can.
6. Prepare cake pans by spraying with non-stick spray. 
7. Bake the cakes for about 20-25 minutes, or until a tester comes out clean. Cool the cakes entirely before assembling.

Assembly and icing:
2 cups(450g) butter, softened
1/2 teaspoon of salt (only if using unsalted butter)
8 cups powdered sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla
2-3 Tablespoons heavy cream or milk


1. Using a large knife, level off each cake so that the top surfaces are flat. Assemble cake on a plate or stand, starting with the darkest layer on the bottom. Spread a thin layer of frosting between each layer. Once all of the layers are assembled, spread a crumb coat of icing over the entire cake. [the "crumb coat" is just a very thin, messy layer of frosting -- just cover the cake up and you'll make it look more pretty in a bit!]
2. Divide the remaining frosting into 4 batches and again, dye each batch a different shade of pink. I decorated my cake by using a 1M Wilton star tip. I piped Rosettes all over the entire cake.

Chocolate Brownie Cupcakes

I made Brownie cupcakes topped with chocolate buttercream and fondant flower for a cake sale I had recently. These brownies were very popular and sold like hot cakes at the cake sale. The recipe is from my favorite magazine Donna Hays Kids annual Issue 08.

Chocolate Brownie Cupcakes

200g dark chocolate, chopped
250g butter, chopped
1¾ cups (310g) brown sugar
4 eggs
⅓ cup (35g) cocoa powder, sifted
1¼ cups (185g) plain (all-purpose) flour, sifted
¼ teaspoon baking powder

Preheat oven to 160°C (325ºF). Place the chocolate and butter in a saucepan over low heat and stir until smooth. Allow to cool slightly.
Place the sugar, eggs, cocoa, flour and baking powder in a bowl. Add the chocolate mixture and mix until combined. Pour into a 20cm-square slice tin lined with non-stick baking paper. Bake for 50 minutes or until an inserted skewer withdraws clean. Allow to cool slightly in the tin. Once cooled frost with chocolate Buttercream.

Chocolate butter cream

• 250g butter, softened
• 2 cups (320g) icing sugar mixture, sifted
• ½ cup (50g) cocoa, sifted
• ¼ cup (60ml) milk
• Beat the butter until pale and creamy. Add the icing sugar, cocoa and milk and beat until fluffy. Fill pipping bag with buttercream and pipe onto cupcakes.
• I used a large pastry tip for these cupcakes.

I made mini brownie testers for the customers.

Ruffled Princess Tiara Cake

This is my latest cake a Princess Tiara cake, I usually cover my cakes in fondant but I wanted to try the Ruffled technique with Swiss meringue buttercream, which you can find the recipe here in one of my other posts.

I got the idea for the tiara from one of my searches on Pinterest. The tiara's made from fondant mixed with Wiltons gum-tex so it would dry nice and hard.

The ruffled flowers are also made from fondant and gum-tex.

Ruffled Chocolate Cake

This is my First ruffle cake and I love it. Ive been wanting to make a ruffle cake for a while now ever since I first saw it on Martha Stewart's website, I don't know why I haven't made it sooner its so easy to make.

Ruffle cakes are very popular right now, to achieve the ruffle look all you need is a Wilton petal tip #104 and Swiss Meringue Buttercream.

Wilton Petal Tip #104

Swiss Meringue Buttercream is a very silky smooth buttercream  that's not to sweet and is perfect for piping. It does take a while to make and has a lot of Butter in it but it's well worth it.

The chocolate cake is my all time favorite, its so easy and simple, you throw everything in a bowl give it a good mix and it turns out perfect and moist every time.

Just a note I doubled the cake and frosting recipes for the ruffle cake.

Rich Chocolate Cake 

Recipe from Nessa Jay Warne

• 2 cups Flour
• 1 tsp Baking Powder
• 1 tsp Baking Soda
• 1 1/2 cups Sugar
• 1/2 cup Cocoa
• 1 cup Oil (I use canola)
• 2 Eggs
• 1/2 cup Milk
• 1 cup water
• 1 tsp Coffee
• 1 tbsp White Vinegar
• 1 tsp Vanilla

Pre-heat oven 180c

Sift dry ingredients in a bowl mix to incorporate add oil,eggs, milk. Place coffee in the 1 cup water to dissolve add to mixture with vinegar and vanilla give mixture a good mix, poor into pan.

Bake for 30-40. Let cake cool, before removing from tin.

*If I have buttermilk in the fridge, I use that instead of  the milk and vinegar. 

Swiss Meringue Buttercream

Recipe from Sweetapolita

• 5 Large egg white (30g each-total 150g)
• 1 cup + 2 tbsp caster sugar ( I used normal sugar, caster dissolves faster)
• 1 pound (4 sticks) 454g unsalted butter, softened, cut into cubes ( I wouldn't use salted butter in this recipe.
• 2 tsp Vanilla extract
• pinch salt

Wipe the  bowl of an electric mixer with paper towel and vinegar, to remove any trace of grease. Add egg white and sugar, and simmer over a pot of water (not boiling)' whisking constantly, until temperature reaches 140 degrees f, or if you don't have a candy thermometer, until the sugar has completely dissolved and the egg white are hot.

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 continuously add softened butter in chucks until incorporated, and mix until it has reached a silky smooth texture( if curdles, keep mixing and it will come back to smooth). Add vanilla and salt, mix well. You can also do a chocolate variation: using a spatula, fold 4 1/2 ounces chocolate, melted and cooled into mixture.

Keep in airtight container in the fridge for up to one week, leaving out at room temp when needed, re whipping in mixer for 5 minutes.

Can freeze for up to 6-8 weeks. Makes 5 cups of buttercream.

Here's some great Tutorials on how to do the Ruffle technique.

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MHYX0qXDVy0
• http://jamosie.blogspot.co.nz/2011/05/tutorial-i-heart-ruffle-cakes.html
• http://iambaker.net/christmas-tree-cake-tutorial

Devils Food Cupcake's

This is my New favourite Cupcakes recipe it makes a Lovely light cake thats mixed with sour cream to give the batter moistness and a subtle tang. I didnt have sour cream avalible and couldnt be bother driving all the way to the shops so I found the perfect substitute (which ive posted below). This recipe makes 32 Cupcakes so they are perfect for Birthdays, celebrations or if you just want some chocolate. Team them up with a chocolate buttercream and everyones happy.

Devils Food Cupcake's
(Adapted from Martha Stewarts Recipe)

Makes 32

Ingredients

3/4 cup unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
3/4 cup hot water
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 1/4 teaspoons coarse salt
1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter, 340grams(I used salted butter and left out the added salt.
2 1/4 cups sugar
4 large eggs, room temperature
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup sour cream, room temperature.
Sour Cream Substitute:
1 tablespoon lemon juice into 180ml (3/4 cup) milk and letting it stand for 10 minutes. Stir in 60g (4 tablespoons 1/4 cup) melted butter before using. This will give a rough equivalent to 1 cup sour cream. If buttermilk is available then you can use (3/4 cup) buttermilk instead of the milk/lemon juice mixture.

Directions

Preheat oven to 180C Line standard muffin tins with paper liners. Whisk together cocoa and hot water until smooth. In another bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
Melt butter with sugar in a saucepan over medium-low heat, stirring to combine. Remove from heat, and pour into a mixing bowl. With an electric mixer on medium-low speed, beat until mixture is cooled, 4 to 5 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, beating until each is incorporated, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Add vanilla, then cocoa mixture, and beat until combined. Reduce speed to low. Add flour mixture in two batches, alternating with the sour cream, and beating until just combined after each.
Divide batter evenly among lined cups, filling each three- quarters full. Bake, rotating tins halfway through, until a cake tester inserted in centers comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Transfer tins to wire racks to cool 15 minutes; turn out cupcakes onto racks and let cool completely.


Chocolate Buttercream Frosting

Ingredients

226 grams unsalted butter, softened.( I used salted butter as I didnt have any unsalted butter, but I find unsalted is best when using it in frosting).
3 1/2 Icing Sugar
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon table salt
2 teaspoons vanilla extract or 1 teaspoon almond extract
4 tablespoons milk or heavy cream

Instructions

Cream butter for a few minutes in a mixer with the paddle attachment on medium speed. Turn off the mixer. Sift 3 cups powdered sugar and cocoa into the mixing bowl. Turn your mixer on the lowest speed until the sugar and cocoa are absorbed by the butter. Increase mixer speed to medium and add vanilla extract, salt, and milk/cream and beat for 3 minutes. If your frosting needs a more stiff consistency, add a little more sugar. If your frosting needs to be thinned out, add additional milk 1 tablespoon at a time.

Cupcakes can be stored overnight at room temperature, or uniced cupcakes can be frozen up to 2 months, in airtight containers.