Mint Chocolate Chip Cake

What’s in this Mint Chocolate Chip Cake Recipe

How to Make Moist Cake Layers

When making the cake layers, don’t forget to follow my go-to tips for getting your cakes to rise and bake well:

• Preheat your oven for 30 minutes prior to baking.
• Use good quality pans like Fat Daddio.
• Spray your pans with nonstick spray and line with parchment paper. 
• Don’t overmix your cake batter once you add the dry ingredients.
• Use room temperature wet ingredients.
• Use fresh baking powder.
• Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out with a few moist crumbs on it.

Mint Buttercream

Other St. Patrick’s Day-Inspired Recipes You’ll Love

• Grasshopper Pie Cake
• Pistachio Chocolate Chip Cake
• Green Velvet Cake
• Golden Oreo Cake
• Super Easy Mint Andes Double Chocolate Cookies

Print

Mint Chocolate Chip Cake

Rich, dark chocolate cake layers with mini chocolate chips and mint buttercream.

Author cakebycourtney

Ingredients

FOR THE CAKE

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 3/4 cups sugar
• 3/4 cup dark cocoa powder
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 cup buttermilk, room temperature 
• 3 eggs, room temperature (I use large or extra large)
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 1 cup hot water, or hot coffee
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract 

FOR THE BUTTERCREAM

• 2 cups unsalted butter, slightly cold
• 6 cups powdered sugar, measured and then sifted
• 6-8 teaspoons pure mint extract, start with 6, you may want more depending on how much you love mint
• 3 tablespoons heavy cream
• Pinch of salt 
• Green food coloring, optional 
• 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips
• *This buttercream recipe makes enough to fill and cover your cake. If you want to add additional piping, you’ll want to make an extra 1/2 batch.

Instructions

FOR THE CAKE

• Preheat your oven to 325 degrees F. Spray three 8-inch or four 6-inch pans with nonstick spray, line the bottom of the pans with parchment paper and spray again. Set aside.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Stir to combine.
• In a separate bowl, combine the buttermilk, vegetable oil, eggs, water and vanilla. Stir until combined.
• With the mixer on low speed, slowly add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients. Mix for about 30 seconds and then scrape down the sides of the bowl Mix again for 10-20 seconds until the ingredient are combined.
• Evenly distribute the batter among the pans. For three 8-inch pans, I usually get about 15-16 ounces in each pan. For the four 6-inch pans, about 12 ounces in each pan.
• Bake for 20 to 25 minutes
• Let cool in the pans for about 10 minutes before inverting onto cooling racks to cool completely.
• Once cooled completely, the cakes can be individually wrapped in plastic wrap and stored in the freezer for a few days. If you want to store the cakes for longer, wrap each in foil as well. With the foil, the cake layers will be good for about a month. 

FOR THE BUTTERCREAM

• In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter for about 2 minutes.
• Turn the mixer to low and gradually add the sifted powdered sugar.
• Once the powdered sugar has been mixed in, add the mint extract, cream, salt and food coloring (if using). Turn the mixer to medium-high speed and beat for about 5 minutes.
• Remove the bowl from the mixer and use a wooden spoon and mix by hand to stir out the air bubbles. 
• Set aside 2 cups of buttercream and mix in 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips. You'll use this in between the layers.

ASSEMBLY

• Place the first cake layer on a cake board or cake plate top side up. Spread 1 cup of the buttercream mixed with the mini chocolate chips across the cake layer.
• Place the second cake layer on top and spread the remainder of the mini chocolate chip filled buttercream. For the final cake layer, place it bottom side up.
• Apply a thin layer of the buttercream around the entire cake as the crumb coat. Freeze the cake for about 10 minutes to set the crumb coat and lock in those pesky chocolate crumbs.
• Continue to frost the cake with the remainder of the frosting.

The post Easy Mint Chocolate Chip Cake first appeared on Cake by Courtney.

Pumpkin Gingersnap Cake

As the leaves start to fall and the air gets crisp, there’s nothing better than diving into rich, spiced baked goods that capture the essence of autumn. One standout recipe that combines two of the season’s most iconic flavors—pumpkin and gingersnap—is my Pumpkin Gingersnap Cake. Courtney. It’s a layered beauty that marries the earthy sweetness of pumpkin with the warming spices of gingersnap cookies, all wrapped up in a luscious cream cheese frosting.

In this blog post, I’ll walk you through how to make this delightful Pumpkin Gingersnap Cake, breaking down each step and sharing some tips along the way. Whether you’re looking to impress at a fall gathering or simply treat yourself, this cake will become a go-to seasonal favorite!

What Makes Pumpkin Gingersnap Cake So Special?

My Pumpkin Gingersnap Cake is special for many reasons, but the combination of flavors is what truly sets it apart. The pumpkin adds natural moisture and sweetness, while the crushed gingersnap cookies deliver a bold punch of spice, creating a perfect harmony in each bite. This cake is not only flavorful but also beautifully textured—thanks to the balance of soft pumpkin cake and crunchy gingersnap bits. Topped off with a tangy cream cheese frosting, every bite is a fall-flavored dream!

Key Ingredients for Pumpkin Gingersnap Cake

Here’s a quick look at the standout ingredients that make this cake irresistible:

1. Pumpkin Puree: This is the base of the cake, adding moisture, color, and flavor. Make sure you use pure pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling, which has added sugar and spices.
2. Gingersnap Cookies: The crushed cookies are folded into the batter, creating a lovely contrast of texture and adding those classic ginger, cinnamon, and molasses notes.
3. Warm Spices: Cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves elevate the flavor of the pumpkin cake, making it taste like autumn in every bite.
4. Cream Cheese Frosting: The tangy sweetness of cream cheese frosting is the perfect complement to the warm spices of the cake, balancing richness with a touch of acidity.

Tips for Success

1. Room Temperature Ingredients: Make sure your butter, cream cheese, and eggs are at room temperature before you start baking. This ensures smoother mixing and better consistency.
2. Crush the Gingersnaps Well: You want fine crumbs rather than large chunks, so use a food processor or crush them in a zip-top bag with a rolling pin.
3. Chill the Cake Before Slicing: After assembling and frosting the cake, chill it for about 30 minutes before slicing. This helps set the frosting and makes for cleaner, more defined slices.
4. Don’t Overbake: Keep a close eye on the cake layers while baking. Overbaking can result in dry cake, so remove them from the oven as soon as a toothpick comes out clean.

My Pumpkin Gingersnap Cake is the perfect way to celebrate the flavors of fall. With its tender pumpkin cake, warm spices, and crunchy gingersnap bits, this cake is truly a showstopper for any autumn occasion. Plus, the cream cheese frosting ties everything together with a creamy, tangy finish that keeps you coming back for another slice.

Whether you’re baking for a special occasion, a family gathering, or just because you love fall flavors, this cake is sure to impress. Give it a try and let me know how it turns out! Happy baking!

Print

Pumpkin Gingersnap Cake

Moist and flavorful pumpkin cake layers filled with cream cheese frosting, gingersnap crumble and cinnamon chip ganache.

Course Dessert

Cuisine Cake

Prep Time 1 hour hour

Cook Time 40 minutes minutes

Total Time 2 hours hours 40 minutes minutes

Author Courtney Rich

Ingredients

FOR THE CAKE

• 1 1/2 cups (300 g) granulated sugar
• 3/4 cup  (165 g) light brown sugar packed
• 5 large eggs room temperature
• 1 cup (218 g) vegetable oil
• 1 1/2 teaspoons (6.3 g) vanilla
• 2 cups (450 g) pumpkin purée 
• 3 cups (360 g) all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 tablespoons (21 g) baking powder
• 3 teaspoons (7.8 g) ground cinnamon
• 1 1/2 teaspoons (3.9 g) ground ginger
• 1 teaspoon (2.64 g) nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon (5.6 g)salt

FOR THE CRUMBLE

• 1/2 cup (45 g) quick cooking oats
• 1/4 cup roughly chopped gingersnap cookies about 2 cookies
• 1/2 cup finely ground gingersnap cookies about 8 cookies
• 3 tablespoons (65.6 g) molasses
• 1/4 cup (55 g) brown sugar packed
• 3 tablespoons (42.3 g) unsalted butter melted
• 1/2 teaspoon (1.32 g) ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon (1.4 g) salt

FOR THE BUTTERCREAM

• 7 cups (875 g) powdered sugar measured and then sifted
• 6 ounces cream cheese room temperature
• 1 1/2 cup 3 sticks (339 g) unsalted butter slightly cold
• 2 teaspoons (8.4 g) pure vanilla extract
• *This buttercream recipe makes enough to fill and cover your cake. If you want to add additional piping, you’ll want to make an extra 1/2 batch.

FOR THE GANACHE

• 1 cup (150 g) cinnamon chips
• 1/3 cup (77 g) heavy cream

US Customary – Metric

Instructions

FOR THE CAKE

• Preheat 350 degrees F. Spray three 8-inch or four 6-inch round cake pans with cooking spray and line the bottoms with parchment paper rounds. Spray again and set aside.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the sugar and eggs together on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add the oil and vanilla and beat on medium until combined, about 30 seconds. Add the pumpkin filling and mix until combined, about another 30 seconds. 
• In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, ground ginger, nutmeg, and salt, and with the mixer on the lowest speed, gradually add to the pumpkin/egg mixture.
• Evenly distribute batter into the prepared pans, smooth with a small offset palette knife and place in the center of the middle rack of the oven, about 2 inches apart. Bake until a knife or toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 25 minutes. (Mine took 23).
• Let pans cool on a wire rack 10 minutes, and then invert cakes onto rack and cool them completely.

FOR THE CRUMBLE

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
• In a medium-sized bowl, combine all the ingredients and mix with a wooden spoon until the mixture resembles clumps of sand. 
• Pour the mixture over the parchment paper and spread it out evenly. Bake for 10 minutes, stirring the mixture about halfway through.
• Let it cool completely and then crumble the mixture into smaller pieces. The mixture will still be soft when you take it out of the oven. It will harden as it cools.

FOR THE BUTTERCREAM

• In a large bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese and butter on medium speed until light and fluffy.
• Gradually add in the sugar, 1 cup at a time, beating well after each addition and scraping down the sides of the bowl. Continue to beat until very fluffy, about 4-5 minutes.
• Add the vanilla and beat for another 1-2 minutes.
• Remove the bowl from the mixer and use a wooden spoon and mix by hand to stir out the air bubbles.

FOR THE GANACHE

• Place the cream in a microwave safe bowl. Heat in the microwave for 30 seconds. Alternately, you can heat the cream over the stove.
• Pour the warm cream over the cinnamon chips and let sit for 5 minutes. Stir until smooth and silky. Allow to cool, but not set, before using on your cake.

ASSEMBLY

• After leveling each cake layer, place the first cake layer, top side up, on a cake board. Apply 1/2 cup of the frosting over the cake layer, followed by 1/4 of the crumble and a drizzle of the cinnamon chip drip.
• Repeat these steps for the next two cake layers. Finish by placing the final cake layer, top side down, on top of the last layer of filling. 
• Before frosting the entire cake, you will want to apply a thin coat of frosting around the cake and on top of the cake. This layer of frosting doesn’t need to look pretty, it’s simply functional. We want to lock in any crumbs. Freeze the cake for 10 minutes.
• After the crumb coat is set, apply the rest of the frosting and drip.

The post Pumpkin Gingersnap Cake first appeared on Cake by Courtney.

The Best Chocolate Zucchini Cake Recipe

Looking for a way to use up all your zucchini from your garden? I’ve got you covered! My Chocolate Zucchini Cake is as easy as it is delicious! It’s a recipe from Ryan’s family and a fan favorite around here. 

The zucchini adds moisture to the cake, but you can’t even tell it’s there once the cakes are baked. I also added some lemon zest to the cake to carry that flavor throughout each bite.

I also added a bit of lemon to the cream cheese frosting. Chocolate and lemon may seem a bit unusual to some, but it’s oh-so-good!

Can this cake be made in a sheet pan?

Absolutely! Just like all of my cakes, you can simplify them by baking them in a 9″ x 13″ baking pan. In fact, Ryan’s parents used to serve this cake with chocolate chips sprinkled on top. The frosting is my addition  

To bake in a rectangular baking pan, don’t change a thing except the baking time. You’ll add about 10 minutes to my suggested time below. 

Tips for Making Chocolate Zucchini Cake

1. Choose Fresh Zucchini

• Use Fresh Zucchini: Fresh zucchini will provide the best texture and moisture. Smaller zucchinis are often less watery and have more flavor.

2. Prepare the Zucchini Properly

• Grate Finely: Use a fine grater to grate the zucchini. This helps it blend seamlessly into the cake batter.
• Drain Excess Moisture: After grating, lightly squeeze the zucchini to remove excess moisture. This prevents the cake from becoming too wet.

3. Enhance the Chocolate Flavor

• High-Quality Cocoa Powder: Use high-quality unsweetened cocoa powder for a rich chocolate flavor. I recommend Extra Brute Cacao Barry Cocoa Powder.
• Add Chocolate Chips: Stir in a generous amount of chocolate chips or chunks for extra decadence.

4. Proper Mixing

• Don’t Overmix: Mix the batter just until the ingredients are combined. Overmixing can lead to a dense cake.

5. Baking Time and Temperature

• Correct Temperature: Bake at the temperature recommended in your recipe, usually around 325°F.
• Check for Doneness: Use a toothpick to test the cake. It should come out with a few moist crumbs but not wet batter.

6. Let It Cool

• Cool Completely: Allow the cake to cool in the pan for 10-15 minutes before transferring it to a wire rack to cool completely. This helps it set and makes it easier to frost or serve.

7. Frosting

• Pair with the Right Frosting: Cream cheese frosting, chocolate ganache, or a simple dusting of powdered sugar can complement the cake well. I’m adding a hint of lemon to my cream cheese frosting and it’s delightful!

8. Storage

• Keep It Fresh: Store the cake in an airtight container. It stays moist for several days and can be frozen if needed.

How to Assemble this Chocolate Zucchini Cake

With only two layers to handle, the assembly of this cake is incredibly easy. The first time I made it, I actually didn’t even frost the outside of the cake and made it a naked cake.

This time around, I created a rustic look with my straight icing spatula. You can easily get this look with just a regular kitchen knife too. Check out my tutorial for this technique HERE.

I love the simplicity of this cake, but the flavor is really the show-stopper!

Enjoy!

Print

Chocolate Lemon Zucchini Cake

Moist chocolate zucchini cake layers with lemon cream cheese frosting.

Course Dessert

Cuisine Cake

Keyword chocolate, Chocolate Cake, Chocolate lemon zucchini cake, cream cheese buttercream, Lemon, Zucchini

Prep Time 1 hour hour

Cook Time 25 minutes minutes

Inactive Time 20 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour 45 minutes minutes

Servings 1 2-layer, 8-inch cake

Ingredients

For the Cake

• 2 1/4 cup (270 g) all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup (50 g) unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon (4 g) baking soda
• 1 teaspoon (6 g) salt
• 2 cups (400 g) granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup (113 g) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1/2 cup (109 g) vegetable oil
• 2 large eggs, at room temperature
• 1 teaspoon (4.2 g) pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup (120 g) buttermilk, room temperature
• 2 cups (300 g) grated unpeeled zucchini, about 2 1/2 medium
• 1 teaspoon lemon zest

For the Buttercream

• 1 cup (226 g) unsalted butter, slightly chilled
• 4 oz. cream cheese, slightly chilled
• 5 cups (625 g) powdered sugar, measured and then sifted
• 1 teaspoon (4.2 g) lemon extract
• Pinch of salt

Instructions

For the Cake

• Preheat your oven to 325 degrees F. Spray your two 8-inch round cake pans, line with parchment paper and spray the parchment. Set aside.
• Whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt into a medium bowl. Set aside.
• In a bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the sugar, butter, and oil until well blended.
• Add the eggs, one at a time, beating for about 30 seconds after each addition. Beat in the vanilla.
• Mix in the dry ingredients alternately with the buttermilk, starting and ending with the dry ingredients.
• Mix in the grated zucchini and lemon zest.
• Pour the batter evenly into the two cake pans and bake for about 35-40 minutes.
• Cool completely in pan. 

For the Buttercream

• In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter and cream cheese on medium-high speed until smooth, about 2 to 3 minutes.
• With the mixer on low speed, gradually add the powdered sugar, followed by the lemon extract and salt.
• Turn the mixer to medium speed and beat for about 5 minutes, until light in color.

The post The Best Chocolate Zucchini Cake with Lemon Cream Cheese Buttercream first appeared on Cake by Courtney.

 

S’mores Cake 

• Graham cracker crust
• Dark chocolate cake
• Chocolate ganache
• Toasted marshmallow filling
• Chocolate buttercream
• Chocolate drip
• Toasted marshmallow fluff

How to Schedule Baking the Ultimate S’mores Cake

Don’t let all the elements of this cake scare you away! Every minute in the kitchen is worth every bite you take. Promise!

Here’s how I schedule baking the Ultimate S’mores Cake:

• Day 1: make the crust and cake layers (once cooled to room temperature, cover with plastic wrap and freeze)
• Day 2: make the marshmallow filling and chocolate buttercream (store each in airtight containers in the refrigerator and bring back to room temperature before assembly)
• Day 3: make ganache and fluff and then assemble

How to Apply the Drip

The drip should be a consistency that slowly and easily falls over and down the edge of your cake. To make the drip, I use 1/2 cup dark chocolate chips and 1/3-1/2 cup heavy whipping cream. To test the consistency, use the the bottom of a tumbler and apply the drip, just like you would with a cake (see below.) If the drip is too thick, add a little more warm cream. 

It’s okay to apply the drip while it’s slightly warm. Just make sure your cake is chilled before you start. 

Using a Kitchen Torch

When you’re ready to add the marshmallow fluff, make sure you have a kitchen torch handy. Torching the fluff not only ensures a fabulous flavor, it also helps hold the fluff in place. 

How to Assemble the Ultimate S’mores Cake

Other Cakes You May Like

• Banana Nutella S’mores Cake
• Peanut Butter S’mores Cake
• Peanut Butter Graham Cake
• Nanaimo Bar Cake
• Harry Potter Butterbeer Cake

Print

Ultimate S’mores Cake

Layers of graham cracker crust, chocolate cake, chocolate ganache, toasted marshmallow filling, chocolate frosting and marshmallow fluff.

Course Dessert

Cuisine Cake

Keyword Advanced, Smores Cake, Ultimate S’mores Cake

Servings 1 3-layer, 8-inch cake

Ingredients

FOR THE CRUST

• 2 cups (240 g) graham cracker crumbs, about 18 rectangular crackers  (this is best done in a food processor or blender, but can be done by placing the graham crackers in a zip-lock bag and rolling over the crackers with a rolling pin)
• 1/2 cup (113 g) unsalted butter melted
• 1/3 cup (70 g) granulated sugar 

FOR THE CAKE

• 2 cups (220 g) all-purpose flour
• 1 3/4 cups (350 g) granulated sugar
• 3/4 cups (88.5 g) dark cocoa powder
• 2 teaspoons (8 g)  baking soda
• 3/4 teaspoon (3 g) baking powder 
• 1 teaspoon (5.6 g) salt
• 1 cup (240 g)  buttermilk at room temperature
• 1/2 cup (109 g)  vegetable oil
• 3 large eggs at room temperature
• 1 teaspoon (4.2 g) pure vanilla extract
• 1 cup (236.6 g) hot water 

FOR THE MARSHMALLOW FILLING

• 24 large white marshmallows
• 1 cup (125 g)  powdered sugar measured and then sifted
• 1 cup (226 g) unsalted butter at room temperature
• 1/2 teaspoon (2.1 g)  pure vanilla extract
• 1 jar (200 g) marshmallow fluff

FOR THE GANACHE

• 1 cup (150 g) semi-sweet or dark chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup (115.5 g) whipping cream 

FOR THE BUTTERCREAM

• 1/3 cup ( 77 g) heavy whipping cream 
• 10 oz. dark or semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 2 cups (452 g) unsalted butter slightly chilled
• 5 cups (625 g) powdered sugar measured then sifted
• 1 tablespoon (4.2 g) pure vanilla extract
• Pinch of salt
• *This buttercream recipe makes enough to fill and cover your cake. If you want to add additional piping you’ll want to make an extra 1/2 batch.

FOR THE MARSHMALLOW FLUFF

• 3 egg whites room temperature
• 1/4 teaspoon (1.4 g) salt
• 1/3 cup (66.6 g) sugar
• 1 cup (300 g)  light karo syrup
• 2 tablespoons (29.6 g) water
• 1 tablespoon (12 g) vanilla bean paste or clear vanilla extract

Instructions

FOR THE CRUST

• Preheat your oven to 375 degrees F. Spray three 8-inch or four 6-inch round cake pans with non-stick spray and then line with parchment. Spray again. Set aside.
• In a medium sized bowl combine the graham cracker crumbs, melted butter and sugar. Stir until all the graham cracker crumbs are damped by the melted butter.
• Divide evenly between the three pans and press down firmly with your hand or the back of a spoon.
• Bake for 5 minutes. Let cool while you make the chocolate cake batter. 

FOR THE CAKE

• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
• Combine the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, and salt into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment and mix on low speed until combined.
• In another bowl, combine the buttermilk, oil, eggs, water and vanilla.
• With the mixer on low speed, slowly add the wet ingredients to the dry, scraping the bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula.
• Pour the batter into the prepared pans (about 12 ounces in each 6-inch pan or 15 ounces in each 8-inch pan), over the cooked graham cracker crusts and bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out with a few moist crumsb on it.
• Cool in the pans for 10 minutes, then turn them out onto a cooling rack and cool completely.
• Wrap in plastic wrap and chill until ready to use. 

FOR THE MARSHMALLOW FILLING

• Place the marshmallows on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper and sprayed with nonstick cooking spray. Place on the middle rack of the oven, and broil the marshmallows until golden brown on top, about 30-60 seconds. Keep your eye on them!
• Remove the pan from the oven and gently turn the marshmallows over and broil them again until they are golden brown on the other side.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the butter and powdered sugar and beat on low until blended. Add the vanilla and mix on medium speed for about three minutes
• With the mixer on low speed, add the marshmallow cream and (cooled) toasted marshmallows, and mix for about one minute. 

FOR THE GANACHE

• In a microwave safe bowl, pour the cream over the chocolate chips and heat for about 45-60 seconds. Stir, and if needed, heat for another 30 seconds to melt the chocolate chips completely. Let cool to room temperature before using.

FOR THE FLUFF

• In the bowl of a standing mixer, whisk the eggs and salt until fluffy and frothy.
• Meanwhile, heat the sugar, corn syrup, water and vanilla paste. Heat over medium flame until the sugar is dissolved and just simmering, about 5 minutes.
• With the mixer on medium speed, add a tiny bit of the hot sugar mixture to the egg whites at a time. (Temper the eggs – don’t scramble the them)
• Eventually, all of the sugar will be added and then turn the mixer up to high. Beat the mixture on high for about 5 minutes or until very stiff and shiny. 
• Best used right away. 

FOR THE BUTTERCREAM

• Heat the cream until nearly boiling in a microwave safe bowl. Pour the hot cream over the chocolate chips and stir until the chips are melted and the mixture is smooth. Set aside.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter for about 2 minutes on medium-high speed.
• With the mixer on low speed, add the ganache. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl and then mix on medium-high speed for about a minute, until the mixture is smooth.
• Gradually add the powdered sugar, one cup at a time, followed by the vanilla and salt.
• Buttercream can be store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for a week.
• When you’re ready to frost the cake, bring the frosting back to room temperature and mix by hand with a wooden spoon to push out all of the air pockets. 

ASSEMBLY

• Level each chocolate cake layer, if needed, and then place the first cake layer, graham cracker side down, on a cake board.
• Spread half of the chocolate ganache on the cake layer and then freeze for 5 to 10 minutes to set the ganache a little.
• Carefully spread half of the toasted marshmallow filling over the chocolate ganache and repeat step 2 and 3 for the second cake layer.
• Place the final cake layer, graham cracker side down, on top and cover with a crumb coat layer of the chocolate frosting. Freeze the cake for 10 to 15 minutes to set the crumb coat.
• Finish frosting the cake with the chocolate frosting and then decorate the top of the cake with the marshmallow fluff, toasting with a kitchen torch, if desired.

The post The Ultimate S’mores Cake first appeared on Cake by Courtney.

Classic Cherry Cheese Pie

Have you heard of Cherry Cheese Pie? It’s an incredibly easy, no bake dessert to whip up. Grab a pre-made graham cracker crust, mix cream cheese with sweetened condensed milk and lemon juice, top it all with cherry pie filling. That’s it! So easy, right?

The flavor combination is just amazing! Sweet, tart, and tangy – the best of everything.

Cherry Cheese Pie Cake

Thinking about all of these flavors and textures, I knew they’d be amazing in a cake. I kept the graham cracker crust very traditional and used it on the bottom of each cake layer. I then worked off my Blueberry Delight Cake for the cake layers and use a little cream cheese and buttermilk instead of ricotta. For the filling, I again stayed true to cherry cheese pie and did a simple combination of cream cheese, sweetened condensed milk and lemon juice. It’s also filled with homemade cherry pie filling and covered in a graham cracker buttercream.

Ingredients You Need for Cherry Cheese Pie Cake

To make my Cherry Cheese Pie Cake, make sure you have the following (non-standard) ingredients on hand:

• Cream cheese
• Canned tart cherries or fresh cherries
• Graham crackers
• Sweetened condensed milk
• Lemons

How to Make a Cake

Don’t forget to follow my go-to tips for getting your cakes to rise and bake well:

• Preheat your oven for 30 minutes prior to baking.
• Use good quality pans like Fat Daddio.
• Spray your pans with nonstick spray and line with parchment paper. 
• Don’t overmix your cake batter once you add the dry ingredients.
• Use room temperature wet ingredients.
• Use fresh baking powder.
• Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out with a few moist crumbs on it.

How to Make Buttercream Frosting

To get a light and fluffy buttercream frosting, make sure you follow my tips over at: HOW TO MAKE THE BEST BUTTERCREAM

• Sift your powdered sugar
• Use slightly cold butter
• Use heavy whipping cream
• Beat for 5 minutes
• Stir by hand

You’ll want to check out the post linked above for more details on each step.

How to Cake It

In other words, how to assemble this cake:

• Place first cake layer, top side up, in the center of your cake board or cake plate.
• Pipe a rim of buttercream around the edge of the cake.
• Spread about 1/2 cup of the cheesecake filling over the cake.
• Spread about 1/2 cup of the cherry filling over the cheese cake filling.
• Place second cake layer on top of fillings and repeat these steps.
• Place final cake layer on top and cover with a thin coat of buttercream.
• Freeze the cake for 10 to 15 minutes to set the crumb coat.
• Finish frosting the cake after the crumb coat is set with the remaining buttercream.

Best Cake Recipes

Other summer cake recipes you’ll love:

• Chocolate Cherry Pie Cake
• Boston Cream Pie Cake
• Chocolate Cola Cake
• Creamsicle Cake
• Ice Cream Sundae Cake
• Ultimate S’mores Cake

Recipe

Print

Cherry Cheese Pie Cake

Graham cracker crust, cream cheese cake layers, cheesecake filling, cherry pie filling and graham cracker buttercream.

Course Dessert

Cuisine Cake

Keyword Advanced, Almond Buttercream, Cherry Almond Cake, Cherry cheese pie cake, cherry pie cake, graham cracker crust, how to make buttercream frosting, pie inspired cake, summer cake

Servings 20

Ingredients

FOR THE GRAHAM CRACKER CRUST

• 25 (380 g) graham crackers full rectangle cracker
• 3/4 cup (165 g) unsalted butter melted
• 1/2 cup (100 g) granulated sugar

FOR THE CREAM CHEESE CAKE

• 3 cups (360 g) all-purpose flour
• 3 tsp (12 g) baking powder
• 1 tsp (5.6 g) salt
• 1 cup (218 g) grapeseed oil
• 8 ounces cream cheese room temperature
• 1 3/4 cups (350 g) granulated sugar
• 3 eggs room temperature
• 1 cup buttermilk at room temperature

FOR THE CHEESECAKE FILLING

• 8 oz cream cheese
• 14 oz sweetened condensed milk 1 can of Eagle Brand
• 1/3 cup (76.6 g) freshly squeezed lemon juice

FOR THE CHERRY PIE FILLING

• 15 oz tart canned cherries in water you can also use fresh cherries, pitted
• 1/2 cup (118 g) liquid from the canned cherries if you use fresh cherries, add 1/2 cup water
• 1/2 cup (100 g) granulated sugar
• 2 Tbsp (18 g) corn starch
• 1 Tbsp lemon juice

FOR THE GRAHAM CRACKER BUTTERCREAM

• 2 cups (452 g) unsalted butter slightly cold
• 5 1/2 cups (687.5 g) powdered sugar measured then sifted
• 1/2 cup (60 g) graham crackers, finely ground about 7 whole crackers
• 1/2 cup (57.75 g) heavy whipping cream
• 1 tsp (4.2 g) vanilla extract
• pinch of salt
• *This buttercream reipe makes enough to fill and cover your cake. If you want to add additional piping, you'll want to make an extra 1/4 to 1/2 batch.

Instructions

FOR THE GRAHAM CRACKER CRUST

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Spray three 8-inch cake pans with nonstick spray, line with parchment, and spray again. Set aside.
• In a food processor or blender combine the graham cracker, sugar and melted butter. Pulse until the mixture resembles wet sand.
• Divide the crumbs between the three pans (about 7 ounces in each). Pat firmly into place.
• Bake the crusts for 5 minutes.

FOR THE CREAM CHEESE CAKE

• Preheat your oven to 325 degrees.
• In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the grapeseed oil, cream cheese and sugar on medium-high speed for 2-3 minutes.
• With the mixer on medium, add the eggs, one at a time, making sure to scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl between each addition. Once all of the eggs are added, turn the mixer to mediump-high speed and beat for an additional 2 miniutes.
• With the mixer on low, alternately add the flour mixture and the buttermilk in three additions, starting and finishing with the flour. Combine until incorporated, about 20 to 30 seconds.
• Evenly distribute the batter among the three cake pans on top of the crusts (about 15-16 ounces of batter in each pan) and bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out with just a few moist crumbs.
• Let cool in pans 5-10 minutes before inverting onto a wire rack to cool completely. Once cooled, you can cover with plastic wrap and store in your refrigerator overnight or freezer for longer.

FOR THE CHEESECAKE FILLING

• In a medium size mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese, sweetened condensed milk, and lemon juice until smooth.
• Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.

FOR THE CHERRY PIE FILLING

• Combine all of the ingredients in a medium saucepan. Heat to a boil. Boil for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. You want the cherries to soften and the liquid to thicken. It should coat your spoon well.
• This is best made ahead of time and can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for a couple weeks.

FOR THE GRAHAM CRACKER BUTTERCREAM

• In a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter on medium-high speed for about two minutes.
• With the mixer on low speed, slowly add the sifted powdered sugar until incorporated. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and continue to mix for another minute.
• Add the graham cracker crumbs, heavy cream, vanilla and salt. Increase the speed to medium-high and beat the buttercream for 3 to 5 minutes.
• Use a spoon to mix the frosting by hand, which will push out the air pockets created by the electric mixer.

ASSEMBLY

• Place the first cake layer, top side up, on a cake board or cake plate. Using a piping bag, pipe a rim of buttercream around the edge of the cake.
• Fill the cake with 1/2 cup cheesecake filling, followed by 1/2 cup cherry compote.
• Place the second cake layer on top and repeat step two.
• Place the final cake layer on top and apply a thin layer of buttercream around the entire. Freeze the cake for about 10 minutes to set crumb coat.
• Finish frosting the cake with the remaining buttercream and top with remaining cheesecake filling and cherry compote.

The post The Most Delicious Cherry Cheese Pie Cake first appeared on Cake by Courtney.

As promised, with two days until the Fourth, here’s my new Red, White and Blue Berry Cake! This cake was so fun to make and I am so pleased with how it turned out.

Red, White and Blue Berry Cake

For this year’s 4th of July cake, I originally planned to make a cake inspired by those rocket popsicles we ate as kids. But, after I finished the cake layers and saw how gorgeous the cake layers turned out, I knew they needed to be the start of the show. The cake wouldn’t need much else. Plus, last year’s Fourth of July Funfetti Cake was a bit more extravagant. So, this year, I decided to keep it simple and I’m so happy I did!

How to Make Cake Layers

For the base of this cake, I used my Classic White Cake recipe. It’s so good on it’s own, but also really versatile if you’re ever looking to add a flavor to it. For this cake, I knew I wanted the red, white and blue colors, but I also wanted different flavors for each cake layer. However, I did not want to make three different batches of batter. So, I got a little creative.

I ended up making my Classic White Cake up until the buttermilk needed to be added. Everything else was in the batter and mixed well. I then split the batter into three portions and added 1/3 cup buttermilk to one portion, 1/3 cup raspberry puree to another, and 1/3 cup blueberry puree to the third portion. Because I had already done plenty of mixing in my Kitchen Aid stand mixer, I folded in these liquids to make sure not to over mix the batter (which is a reason our cakes sink in the middle sometimes).

How to Create Colors and Flavors in Cake Layers

After adding the raspberry and blueberry purees to two of the cake layers, I wasn’t satisfied with the flavors or the colors of the batter. I wanted more of both. To enhance the flavors, I added a teaspoon of raspberry emulsion to the raspberry cake and a teaspoon of blueberry emulsion to the blueberry cake. This amped up the flavors perfectly!

I also added one drop of Americolor red food gel to the raspberry layer and one drop of blue food gel to the blueberry layer. I love how the colors turned out a bit vintage looking.

Filling and Frosting

In between the layers, I added fresh berries along with my Vanilla Buttercream. I give several tips about making the perfect buttercream in my post about my Classic White Cake. Be sure to check it out HERE.

Decorating

Take a peek at my video below to see the step by step process of how to decorate my Red, White and Blue Berry Cake. I use my go-to Ateco Cake Scraper to make the lines on the side of the cake. It’s the best two dollars you’ll ever spend!

Enjoy!

Print

Red, White and Blue Berry Cake

Layers of raspberry cake, vanilla cake, and blueberry cake, covered in vanilla buttercream.

Course Dessert

Cuisine Cake

Prep Time 1 hour hour

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

Total Time 2 hours hours 20 minutes minutes

Servings 1 3-layer, 8-inch cake

Author Courtney Rich

Ingredients

FOR THE CAKE

• 4 large egg whites at room temperature
• 1 whole egg at room temperature
• 3 teaspoons (12.6 g) clear vanilla extract
• 3 cups plus 3 tablespoons (366.5 g) cake flour
• 1 3/4 cups (350 g) granulated sugar
• 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon (16 g) baking powder
• 3/4 teaspoon (4.2 g) salt
• 12 tablespoons (169.5 g) unsalted butter room temperature and cut into cubes
• 1/3 cup (80 g) buttermilk
• 1/3 cup (34 g) raspberry puree
• 1 teaspoon (4.2 g) raspberry emulsion
• 1/3 cup (34 g) blueberry puree
• 1 teaspoon (4.2 g) blueberry emulsion

FOR THE BUTTERCREAM

• 2 cups (452 g) unsalted butter chilled (I take the butter out of the fridge 30 minutes before I make my frosting)
• 6 cups (750 g) powdered sugar measured and then sifted
• 3-4 tablespoons (43.3-57.75 g)heavy whipping cream
• 2 teaspoons (8.4 g) clear vanilla extract
• Pinch of salt
• Berries for garnish
• *This buttercream recipe makes enough to fill and cover your cake. If you want to add additional piping, you’ll want to make an extra 1/2 batch.

US Customary – Metric

Instructions

FOR THE CAKE

• Preheat your oven to 325 degrees. Spray three 8-inch round pans with nonstick spray, line the bottom of each pan with parchment paper and spray again. Set aside. 
• In a medium bowl or measuring cup, combine and stir the egg whites, whole egg and the vanilla. Set aside.
• In a bowl of an electric mixer, fitted with a paddle attachment, combine the dry ingredients together on low speed for 30 seconds.
• With the mixer on low speed, add the butter one piece at a time, about every 10 seconds.
• Once all the butter is added, turn the mixer to medium-low speed and add the egg mixture in three additions, scraping the bowl down between each addition. Mix just until incorporated.
• Using a kitchen scale, divide the batter into three portions, in three separate bowls. 
• In the first bowl, fold in 1/3 cup buttermilk.
• In the second bowl, fold in 1/3 cup raspberry puree and 1 teaspoon raspberry emulsion.
• In the third bowl, fold in 1/3 cup blueberry puree and 1 teaspoon blueberry emulsion.
• Pour each of the different cake batters into their own cake pan, spreading evenly with a small offset palette knife.
• Bake until a cake tester or toothpick comes out with a few crumbs when inserted into the center, about 25 to 30 minutes. Check cake at 23 to 25 minutes or a couple minutes before, and then set the timer for 2 to 3 minute intervals if the cake needs to bake longer. You're looking for a few moist crumbs to come out on the toothpick when inserted into the center of the cake.
• Let the cake layers cool on racks for 10 minutes before inverting onto greased wire racks. Gently turn the cakes back up so the tops are up and cool completely.
• Once the cakes are cooled completely, level the tops if needed.
• Wrap each cake layer with plastic wrap and chill in freezer for at least an hour before using. The cake layers can be stored for up to a few days wrapped once in plastic wrap and frozen. To store longer than a few days, wrap twice in plastic wrap, then in foil, and seal in a zip-lock bag.

FOR THE BUTTERCREAM

• In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream the butter for about 2 minutes. This will soften the butter without it having to be warm.
• With the mixer on low speed, gradually add the sifted powdered sugar, one cup at a time, mixing a little in between each addition.
• With mixer on medium speed, add whipping cream, vanilla and salt.
• Turn the mixer to medium-high speed and beat for an additional 5 to 7 minutes. The frosting will become lighter in color and texture.
• Before spreading on your cake, spend a couple minutes mixing the buttercream by hand with a wooden spoon to push out the air pockets. 

ASSEMBLY

• Place the first cake layer, top side up. Add about 1 cup of frosting. Spread over the cake layer as evenly as possible. Make sure to get eye level with the cake to ensure the frosting is spread evenly over the cake. Add fresh berries, if using.
• Repeat this step until you get to the final cake layer, which you will lay top side down.
• Apply a thin coat of frosting around the entire cake to lock in the crumbs. Freeze for about 10 minutes.
• After the crumb coat is set, continue frosting and decorating the cake.

The post The Perfect Cake for 4th of July: Red, White and Blue Berry Cake first appeared on Cake by Courtney.

The Best Vanilla Buttercream

This buttercream is just too good not to have its own post! It’s light and fluffy, silky and smooth – and just all-around delicious.

To me, a buttercream should never be so dense that it steals the show away from the cake. In fact, a buttercream should be part of the ensemble, a complementary element to the layers and fillings. However, that’s not always the case. I grew up thinking buttercream was dense and heavy. It wasn’t until I started making homemade cakes and homemade frosting that I realized, it didn’t have to be that way.

How to Make Buttercream Frosting

To get a light and fluffy homemade buttercream frosting, I have a detailed post: HOW TO MAKE THE BEST BUTTERCREAM to give you in-depth instruction for making your buttercream unreal! Here’s an overview with a quick picture tutorial for making the best vanilla buttercream:

• Sift your powdered sugar
• Use slightly cold butter and mix on its own for 2 to 3 minutes
• Use heavy whipping cream
• Beat for 5 minutes
• Stir by hand

Before frosting your cake, make sure to stir the buttercream with a wooden spoon or spatula to push out the air pockets. This makes getting smooth sides on your cake so much easier.

Look at the transformation in color and texture in these pictures below.

You’ll be able to get nearly white in color with that extra five minutes of beating. More importantly, you’re creating a light, fluffy texture that won’t overpower your cake layers.

Full-Length Video Tutorial

Want to make this buttercream recipe together?! Check out my video for making the best Vanilla Buttercream on my YouTube channel.

Print

Vanilla Buttercream

A light and fluffy vanilla buttercream

Course Dessert

Cuisine Buttercream

Keyword easy buttercream recipe

Ingredients

For the Buttercream

• 2 cups (452g) unsalted butter slightly chilled
• 6 cups (750g) powdered sugar measured and then sifted
• 3-4 tbsp (57.75g) heavy whipping cream
• 2 tsp (8.4g) vanilla extract
• Pinch of salt
• *This buttercream recipe makes enough to fill and cover your cake. If you want to add additional piping, you’ll want to make an extra 1/2 batch.

Instructions

To prepare

• In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream the butter for about 2 to 3 minutes. This will soften the butter without it having to be warm.
• With the mixer on low speed, gradually add the sifted powdered sugar, one cup at a time, mixing a little in between each addition.
• With mixer on medium speed, add whipping cream, vanilla and salt.
• Turn the mixer to medium-high speed and beat for an additional 3 to 5 minutes. The frosting will become lighter in color and texture.
• Before spreading on your cake, spend a couple minutes mixing the buttercream by hand with a wooden spoon to push out the air pockets.

The post The Best Vanilla Buttercream first appeared on Cake by Courtney.

Cream Cheese Danish Cake

It might sound like an odd name for a cake, but I truly couldn’t think of a better way to describe the flavor of this cake. After a recent trip to St. George, where Avery and I tried nearly all of the pastries from The Farmstead , I just had to create this cake.

What is a Cheese Danish?

A cheese Danish is a type of pastry made with a buttery, flaky dough that is similar to croissant dough. It is typically shaped into a round or oval shape and has a well in the center filled with a sweet and tangy cheese filling. The filling is usually made with cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla for flavor. The pastry is baked until golden brown and crisp, and it may be topped with a light dusting of powdered sugar or a drizzle of icing for added sweetness.

The cheese Danish from Farmstead, however, is unlike any cheese Danish I’ve ever had! This one had a light and fluffy cheese filling inside a kouign amann-like pastry, and topped with cream cheese frosting. Heaven! Pure heaven!

Look at that!

It was glorious!

While I cheered Avery on at her dance competition, I was simultaneously thinking about how I could turn this into a cake — and I got started on it the day we got home!

What is a Cream Cheese Danish Cake?

Great question! Let’s talk about what I did to create this Cream Cheese Danish Cake (which could also be called a Cheesecake Cake – very similar flavors).

Cream Cheese Cake

For the cake layers, I knew I wanted to use my cream cheese cake layers from my Cherry Cheese Pie Cake. These layers are slightly more dense than a typical vanilla cake, but they’re still fluffy and tender. We’re using a stick of cream cheese and adding a full tablespoon of vanilla bean paste. The flavor is to-die-for!

How to Bake a Moist Cake From Scratch

If you’re unfamiliar with making cakes from scratch, THIS blog post is a must-read!

A quick overview:

• Use real butter
• Measure flour correctly
• Add fat
• Don’t over bake
• Know your oven
• Use light metal pans
• Serve your cake at room temperature

Cream Cheese Filling

This cream cheese filling is essentially just cream cheese. We’re adding just a little sweetened condensed milk for sweetness. It’s not a lot because we want the cheese flavor to stand out here.

Cream Cheese Frosting

To top off this cake, I’ve made my cream cheese frosting with some vanilla bean paste. Remember, cream cheese frosting is not as stable as regular buttercream, so I don’t recommend trying to pipe with it. You can see I opted for a rustic look with this cake. Trying to smooth cream cheese frosting with a scraper can be tricky because the “cheese” element is sticky.

Other Favorite Cake Recipes You’ll Love

• Chocolate Cherry Pie Cake
• Red, White and Blue Berry Cake
• Chocolate Cola Cake
• Creamsicle Cake
• Ice Cream Sundae Cake
• Ultimate S’mores Cake

Print

Cheese Danish Cake

Cream cheese cake layers, cheesecake filling, and vanilla bean cream cheese frosting

Course Dessert

Cuisine Cake

Keyword cheesecake, cream cheese, cream cheese cake, cream cheese frosting, cream cheese icing

Servings 20

Ingredients

FOR THE CREAM CHEESE CAKE

• 3 cups (360 g) all-purpose flour
• 3 tsp (12 g) baking powder
• 1 tsp (5.6 g) salt
• 8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
• 1 cup (218 g) grapeseed oil
• 1 3/4 cups (350 g) granulated sugar
• 1 tbsp (13 g) vanilla bean paste
• 3 eggs, room temperature
• 1 cup (240 g) buttermilk, at room temperature

FOR THE CHEESECAKE FILLING

• 8 ounces cream cheese
• 1/4 cup sweetened condensed milk, I use the Eagle brand

FOR THE CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

• 2 cups (452 g) unsalted butter, slightly cold
• 6 ounces cream cheese, slightly cold
• 6 cups (750 g) powdered sugar, measured then sifted
• 1 tbsp (13g) vanilla bean paste
• pinch of salt

Instructions

FOR THE CREAM CHEESE CAKE

• Preheat your oven to 325 degrees.
• Spray two 8-inch round cake pans with nonstick spray, line the bottom with parchment paper, and spray again. Set aside.
• In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer beat the cream cheese until smooth cream cheese. Add the grapeseed oil and sugar and continue to beat on medium-high speed for 2-3 minutes.
• With the mixer on medium, add the vanilla bean paste, followed by the eggs, one at a time, making sure to scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl between each addition. Once all of the eggs are added, turn the mixer to mediump-high speed and beat for an additional 2 miniutes.
• With the mixer on low, alternately add the flour mixture and the buttermilk in three additions, starting and finishing with the flour. Combine until incorporated, about 20 to 30 seconds.
• Evenly distribute the batter among the two cake pans (about 27 ounces of batter in each pan) and bake for 40 to 45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out with just a few moist crumbs.
• Let cool in pans 5-10 minutes before inverting onto a wire rack to cool completely. Once cooled completely, cut the cakes in half horizontally (this is called "torting" the cake). You can cover with plastic wrap and store in the freezer for several weeks.

FOR THE CHEESECAKE FILLING

• In a medium size mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese and sweetened condensed milk.
• Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.

FOR THE CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

• In a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter and cream cheese on medium-high speed for about two minutes.
• With the mixer on low speed, slowly add the sifted powdered sugar until incorporated. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and continue to mix for another minute.
• Add vanilla bean paste and pinch of salt. Increase the speed to medium-high and beat the buttercream for 3 to 5 minutes.
• Use a spoon to mix the frosting by hand, which will push out the air pockets created by the electric mixer.

ASSEMBLY

• Place the first cake layer, top side up, on a cake board or cake plate. Spread about 1/2 cup frosting over the first cake layer. Using a piping bag, pipe a rim of frosting around the edge of the cake.
• Fill the cake with 1/2 – 3/4 cup cheesecake filling.
• Place the second cake layer on top and repeat step two. Repeat these steps until you get to the final cake layer (remember, you have four layers now. Place the final cake layer, top side down.
• Apply a thin layer of frosting around the entire. Freeze the cake for about 10 to 15 minutes to set crumb coat.
• Finish frosting the cake with the remaining frosting

The post The Most Delicious Cream Cheese Danish Cake first appeared on Cake by Courtney.

Ice Cream Standards

BISCOFF CAKE

Tips for This Cake

• Make things ahead of time. The cake layers and filling can be done days in advance. When the cake layers are room temperature, wrap them well in plastic wrap and freeze them. Remove them from the freezer about 30 to 60 minutes before decorating. The filling can be stored at room temperature, covered, for a day or in the refrigerator for up to a week.
• When making the white chocolate frosting, you’ll want to add the white chocolate to the butter while the white chocolate is still a bit warm. If it’s too cool, the cold butter will harden it and you’ll get chunks of white chocolate in your frosting.
• This is my favorite brand of white chocolate. I use it for the frosting and the drip.

Video Tutorial

Print

Biscoff Cake

Tender Biscoff cake layers, filled with a creamy Biscoff cookie spread, Biscoff cookies, covered with a white chocolate frosting.

Course Dessert

Cuisine Cake

Keyword Biscoff Cake, white chocolate buttercream

Servings 1 4-layer 6-inch or 3-layer 8-inch round cake

Ingredients

FOR THE CAKE

• 18 Biscoff or Speculoos Cookies
• 2 cups plus 2 tablespoons (255 g) all-purpose flour
• 1 3/4 teaspoons (7 g) baking powder
• 3/4 teaspoon (3 g) baking soda
• 3/4 teaspoon (4.5 g) salt
• 1 cup (226 g) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 2/3 cup (133 g) granulated sugar
• 1 cup (220 g) brown sugar, packed
• 4 eggs, at room temperature
• 2 cups (480 g) buttermilk, at room temperature 

FOR THE FILLING

• 1/2 cup (113 g) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1 cup (250 g) Biscoff spread or other cookie butter
• 1 cup  (125 g) powdered sugar, measured then sifted

FOR THE BUTTERCREAM

• 2 cup (452 g) unsalted butter, slightly chilled
• 6 cups (750 g) powdered sugar, measured then sifted
• 1/2 teaspoon (2.1 g) vanilla
• 6 ounces white chocolate
• 1/4 cup (57.75 g) heavy whipping cream 
• *This buttercream recipe makes enough to fill and cover your cake. If you want to add additional piping, you’ll want to make an extra 1/2 batch.

FOR THE DRIP

• 1 cup (150 g) white chocolate chips
• 1/3 cup (77 g) heavy whipping cream 

GARNISH

• 6 Biscoff Cookies

US Customary – Metric

Instructions

FOR THE CAKE

• Preheat your oven to 325 degrees F. Spray three 8-inch pans with non-stick cooking spray, line the bottoms with parchment and spray again. Set aside.
• Place the Biscoff cookies in a food processor or blender and pulse until the cookies are finely ground and resemble flour.
• In a medium-size bowl, combine the Biscoff crumbs, all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Whisk until the ingredients are well-blended. Set aside.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted the paddle attachment, beat the butter and both sugars on medium speed until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Continue to beat for about two minutes, until the mixture looks lighter in color and fluffier in texture.
• With the mixer on low speed, add 1/3 of the dry ingredients and mix until combined. Slowly add half of the buttermilk and mix until incorporated. Continue alternating the flour and buttermilk until it has all been incorporated. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and slowly mix for another 20-30 seconds.
• Divide the batter evenly among your pans and bake for about 30 to 35 minutes. Cool 10 minutes on a wire rack before inverting onto cooling racks to cool completely. 

FOR THE FILLING

• In a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter and Biscoff spread or cookie butter on medium speed until light and fluffy.
• Gradually add the powdered sugar and beat for 2-3 minutes. 

FOR THE BUTTERCREAM

• In a microwave safe bowl, heat the cream and then pour it over the white chocolate to melt. Stir until the mixture is smooth and silky. If needed heat the mixture for another 20 to 30 seconds and stir until the chips are melted. Set aside.
• In a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream the butter on medium-high speed for about two minutes.
• Slowly add the white chocolate (which should still be warm) while mixing on medium-low speed. Using warm white chocolate will soften your butter but is important because it won't harden when it hits the cold butter like room temperature white chocolate will. If your buttercream feels soft after it's all mixed, just refrigerate the buttercream to harden it just a bit.
• With the mixer on low speed, slowly add the sifted powdered sugar until incorporated. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and continue to mix for another minute.
• Add the vanilla and increase the speed to medium-high and beat the frosting for five minutes, until light in color and texture. 

FOR THE DRIP

• Heat the cream in a microwave safe bowl for 60 seconds. Pour the cream over the white chocolate chips and let sit for five minutes. Stir until smooth. Cool slightly.
• Best to use the drip on a chilled cake. 

ASSEMBLY

• Level each cake layer with a knife or cake leveler.
• Place the first cake layer on a cake board and top with 1/2 or 1/3 (depending on if it’s 8-inch or 6-inch cake layers) Cookie Butter Filling. Crumble two cookies into small pieces and press into the Cookie Butter Filling.
• Repeat step two with the remaining cake layers. Place the final cake layer top-side down.
• Apply a thin crumb coat around the cake and chill for 10 minutes in the freezer to set.
• Finish frosting the cake with the white chocolate frosting. Chill for another 10 minutes and apply the drip.

The post The Most Delicious Biscoff Cake with Biscoff Filling first appeared on Cake by Courtney.

Chocolate Orange Cake – Dark chocolate cake layers with a hint of orange zest, covered with a chocolate orange buttercream.

Chocolate Orange Cake 

Oh, this cake was due for an update! I first came up with this recipe years ago when I went to Fox 13’s The Place, a local lifestyle show here in Salt Lake City. It was a super simple recipe back then, and still is today, but one that is totally going to win you over.

Christmastime Chocolate Orange 

My goal was to make the cake taste exactly like the chocolate orange I used to get in my Christmas stocking as a child. It’s a flavor combination that will always make me think of Christmastime. And I think you’ll really like it in cake form!

The Best Chocolate Cake

I used my go-to chocolate cake recipe and added some orange zest for a hint of flavor in the cake.

Remember: it’s super important to use room-temperature wet ingredients to get the best rise out of your cake layers.

How to Make Buttercream Frosting

It’s the buttercream, however, that I think really steals the show. To add flavor to the buttercream, I used orange emulsion by Lorann. Emulsions are a lot like extracts but are water-based. Extracts are alcohol-based. I typically lean toward emulsions because I like the flavoring better, but an extract will work too. Just sub it 1-for-1 in the recipe.

To get a light and fluffy homemade buttercream frosting for this cake, I have a detailed post: HOW TO MAKE THE BEST BUTTERCREAM to give you in-depth instructions for making your buttercream unreal! Here’s a quick overview.

• • Sift your powdered sugar
  • Use slightly cold butter and mix on its own for 2 to 3 minutes
  • Use heavy whipping cream
  • Beat for 5 minutes
  • Stir by hand

I don’t think this cake needs a lot of added decorations, but love how a little rosemary and dried oranges give the brown some contrast.

Excited for you to whip this one up!

For more Christmas cake recipes, check out this post: 10 Cakes Perfect for the Holidays.

For my cookbook and cake tools, make sure to check out Shop.CakebyCourtney.com.

Similar Recipes You’ll Love

• Florida Orange Flower Cake
• Ice Cream Inspired Cakes
• My Top 6 Favorite Christmas Cakes
• 5 Delicious Holiday Cookie Recipes
• Citrus Cranberry Cake

Print

Chocolate Orange Cake

Dark chocolate cake layers and buttercream with a hint of orange.

Course Dessert

Cuisine Cake

Keyword chocolate buttercream, Chocolate Cake, Chocolate Orange Cake, Orange

Ingredients

For the cake

• 2 cups (240g) all purpose flour
• 1 3/4 cup (350g) granulated sugar
• 3/4 cup (88g) good quality cocoa powder
• 2 tsp (8g) baking soda
• 3/4 tsp (3g) baking powder
• 1 tsp (5.6) kosher salt
• zest of two large oranges
• 1 cup (240g) buttermilk room temperature and shaken
• 1/2 cup (109g) vegetable oil
• 3 large eggs room temperature
• 1 tsp (4.2g) pure vanilla extract
• 1 cup (236g) hot water or hot coffee

For the frosting

• 2 cups (452g) unsalted butter slightly chilled
• 10 ounces (187g) good quality dark chocolate chips
• 1/4 cup (57.7g) heavy whipping cream
• 5 cups (625g) powdered sugar, measured and then sifted
• 2 1/2 tsp (8.4g) orange emulsion
• pinch of salt
• *This buttercream recipe makes enough to fill and cover your cake. If you want to add additional piping, you’ll want to make an extra 1/2 batch.

Instructions

For the cake

• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Spray three 8-inch or four 6-inch round cake pans with nonstick spray. Line the bottom of each pan with parchment paper and spray the pans again.
• Combine the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, and salt into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment and mix on low speed until combined. Add the zest and mix until combined.
• In another bowl, combine the buttermilk, oil, eggs, coffee or water and vanilla.
• With the mixer on low speed, slowly add the wet ingredients to the dry, scraping the bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula.
• Pour the batter evenly into the prepared pans and bake for about 23 t0 28 minutes.
• Cool in the pans for 10 minutes, then turn them out onto a cooling rack and cool completely.
• Wrap in plastic wrap and chill until ready to use. You're still going to want to level your cake layers to ensure a completely even surface for frosting and stacking.

For the Buttercream

• In a microwave safe bowl, heat the heavy whipping cream for about one minute. Pour the heated cream over the chocolate chips and stir until the chocolate chips are melted. Set aside.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter on medium-high speed for 2 minutes.
  
• Turn the mixer to low and gradually add the powdered sugar, orange emulsion and pinch of salt.
• With the mixer on low speed, add the chocolate ganache. Beat for another 3 to 5 minutes on medium-high.
• Before frosting your cake, give the frosting a good stir with a wooden spoon to push out any air bubbles. 

The post Holiday Favorite Flavors: Chocolate Orange Cake first appeared on Cake by Courtney.

The Best Sugar Cookie Recipe

Nothing says Christmastime like sugar cookies! While ginger is probably my favorite flavor and smell of the season, sugar cookies are the treat I’ll always associate with Christmas because we made and decorated sugar cookies for neighbors every year growing up.

And let me clarify – mom made the cookies, us kids did the decorating!

I’ve carried on the tradition with my kids, using the best sugar cookie recipe out there. It’s the Rich family cookie recipe from my in-laws and it’s absolute perfection.

For this Peppermint Sugar Cookie, I’m simply adding peppermint extract and some crushed candy cane on top.

What is the texture of this sugar cookie?

This sugar cookie is soft and fluffy. If you want your sugar cookie to be a little crisper (like my mom), then you’ll want to roll the dough a little thinner than I recommend in the recipe.

Does this sugar cookie hold its shape?

It’s so fun to use different shape cut-outs with sugar cookies. These cookies will fluff up a tad and don’t hold sharp, crisp edges unless you roll the dough thinner than I recommend. I recommend using circle cookie cutters or other cookie cutters that don’t have too much detail to them.

How to Make Buttercream Frosting

For the buttercream, we’re using my classic vanilla buttercream recipe and adding a little peppermint extract. You will love how light and fluffy this peppermint frosting is.

To get this delicious homemade buttercream frosting, I have a detailed post: HOW TO MAKE THE BEST BUTTERCREAM to give you in depth instruction for making your buttercream unreal! Here’s an overview with a quick picture tutorial for making the best vanilla buttercream:

• Sift your powdered sugar
• Use slightly cold butter and mix on its own for 2 to 3 minutes
• Use heavy whipping cream
• Beat for 5 minutes
• Stir by hand

To decorate these peppermint sugar cookies, I simply grabbed a small star tip, a piping bag and crushed peppermint candies.

How many sugar cookies does this recipe make?

This recipe makes about 36 medium cookies (about 3-inch circle) or about 78 small cookies (1.5 inch circle). You can certainly split the recipe to make less!

Other Cookie Recipes You’ll Love

• Easy White Chocolate Peppermint Biscoff Cookies
• Best Ever Soft and Chewy Gingersnap Cookies
• Toasted Oatmeal Brown Butter Toffee Cookies
• Peanut Butter Banana Chocolate Chip Cookies

Print

Peppermint Sugar Cookies

Tender and soft peppermint sugar cookies paired with a peppermint buttercream.

Course Dessert

Cuisine Cookies

Keyword Peppermint, Peppermint Sugar Cookies, Sugar Cookies

Servings 2 dozen, depending on size of the cookie cutter

Ingredients

For the Cookies

• 1 1/2 cups (339 g) unsalted butter, slightyly cold
• 2 cups (400 g) granulated sugar
• 4 large eggs room temperature
• 1 teaspoon (4.2 g) vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon (4.2 g) peppermint extract
• 5 cups (600 g) all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons (8 g) baking powder
• 1 teaspoon (6 g) salt

For the Buttercream

• 2 cups (452 g) unsalted butter, slightly cold
• 6 cups (750 g) powdered sugar, measured then sifted
• 3 tablespoons (44.3 g) heavy whipping cream
• 1 teaspoon (4.2 g) peppermint extract
• Pinch of salt

Instructions

For the Cookies

• Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Set aside.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
• Add the eggs, vanilla and peppermint extract. Mix until incorporated.
• With the mixer on low speed, add the flour, baking powder and salt. Mix until just incorporated.
• Cover and refrigerate for at least one hour.
• Roll the dough out to about 1/4 inch thick. Use cookie cutters to cut shapes and place the cookie dough 1 inch apart on the baking sheet.
• Freeze the cut dough for 10 minutes and then bake for 6 to 7 minutes.
• Cool completely before frosting.

For the Buttercream

• In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter on medium-high speed for about 2 minutes, until light and fluffy.
• With the mixer on low speed, gradually add the powdered sugar, heavy cream, peppermint and salt. 
• Turn the mixer to medium-high speed and beat for an additional 3 to 5 minutes, until nearly white.
• Before frosting or piping, mix the frosting by hand with a wooden spoon or spatula to push out the air pockets.

The post Mini Peppermint Sugar Cookies with Peppermint Frosting first appeared on Cake by Courtney.

Snickers Cake

Say hello to one of my favorite candy-inspired cakes! My Snickers Cake is a candy bar in a cake and I couldn’t be happier about it. 

We have dark chocolate cake layers baked on a shortbread cookie crust, filled with peanut butter nougat and salted caramel, and topped with a peanut butter buttercream. 

Sounds amazing, right? 

It absolutely is!

When planning my cake (four years ago for my birthday), I ran some ideas by my bestie, and one of my favorite taste testers, Lisa. We have similar taste when it comes to sweets, so I knew if my idea sounded good to Lisa, it would be a hit. Among my grand cake ideas was a candy bar inspired cake – something sweet and salty, with a combination of textures and flavors.  

Candy Bar Cake

I love so many candy bars but narrowed down the inspiration for this cake to two of my all-time favorites – Twix and Peanut Butter Snickers. I love the shortbread cookie inside the Twix bar, so I baked my favorite chocolate cake on top of a the shortbread cookie crumbs I used in my Samoa Cake.

To fill this cake like a Twix and Peanut Butter Snickers, I used Milk Bar’s peanut butter nougat recipe with roasted peanuts and my homemade salted caramel sauce. The combination is truly incredible! I then topped the cake with my favorite peanut butter frosting, chocolate ganache and tons of Snickers.

This cake is a serious winner! In fact, both my mom and Lisa claimed it as their new number one cake!

Hope you love it as much as we do!

Print

Snickers Candy Bar Cake

Chocolate cake layers baked on a shortbread cookie crust, filled with peanut butter nougat, roasted peanuts and salted caramel, and topped with a whipped peanut butter frosting.

 

 

Course Dessert

Cuisine Cake

Prep Time 3 hours hours

Cook Time 40 minutes minutes

Total Time 4 hours hours 40 minutes minutes

Author Courtney Rich

Ingredients

FOR THE SHORTBREAD CRUST

• 1/3 cup (66.6 g) granulated sugar
• 12 tablespoons (169.5 g) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 3 cups (360 g) all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon (3 g) salt

FOR THE CAKE

• 2 cups (240 g) all-purpose flour
• 1 3/4 cups (375 g) granulated sugar
• 3/4 cup (88.5 g) dark cocoa powder
• 2 teaspoons (8 g) baking soda
• 3/4 teaspoon ( 3 g) baking powder
• 1 teaspoon (6 g) salt
• 1 cup (240 g) buttermilk, at room temperature
• 1/2 cup (120 g) vegetable oil
• 3 large eggs, at room temperature
• 1 teaspoon (4.2 g) pure vanilla extract
• 1 cup (236 g) hot water or hot coffee

FOR THE NOUGAT (adapted from Milk Bar)

• 4 tablespoons (50 g) granulated sugar
• 3 tablespoons (44.25 g) water
• 6 tablespoons (75 g) granulated sugar
• 3 tablespoons (44.25 g) water
• 2 egg whites
• 1/2 cup (125 g) creamy Skippy peanut butter
• 1 cup (150 g) chopped roasted peanuts
• 1/2 teaspoon (3 g) salt

FOR THE CARAMEL

• 1/2 cup (100 g) granulated sugar
• 4 tablespoons (59 g) water
• 1 teaspoons (18.75 g) corn syrup
• 1/3 cup (77 g) heavy whipping cream
• 1 teaspoon (4.2 g) pure vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoons (5.6 g) kosher salt

FOR THE BUTTERCREAM

• 1/4  cup (57.75 g) heavy cream, cold
• 5 cups (625 g) powdered sugar, measured and then sifted
• 1 1/2 cups (339 g) unsalted butter, slightly cold
• 1 cup (250 g) creamy peanut butter, I like Skippy
• 1 tablespoon (4.2 g) pure vanilla extract
• Generous pinch of coarse salt
• *This buttercream recipe makes enough to fill and cover your cake. If you want to add additional piping, you’ll want to make an extra 1/2 batch.

US Customary – Metric

Instructions

FOR THE SHORTBREAD CRUST

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray three 8-inch or four 6-inch round cake pans with nonstick spray, line each pan with parchment and spray again. Set aside.
• Combine the sugar and butter in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat for 1 to 2 minutes until creamy. Stir in the flour. If the mixture is too crumbly, you can add another tablespoon of butter.
• Evenly divide the shortbread cookie crumbs into each cake pan. Using the back of a spoon, press the shortbread cookie crumbs into an even layer on the bottom of the pan.
• Bake for about 10 minutes.

FOR THE CAKE

• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. 
• In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Mix for about 30 seconds.
• In a separate bowl, combine all of the wet ingredients and whisk for a few seconds.
• With the mixer on low speed, slowly add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients. Once all the wet ingredients are added, continue to mix on low speed for 30 seconds. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and mix for another 15 to 30 seconds. Don’t over beat this batter. It will be thin.
• Pour the batter evenly onto the already baked shortbread crusts (about 15 to 16 ounces of batter in each 8-inch pan or 12 ounces in each 6-inch pan). Bake the cake for 25 to 30 minutes.

FOR THE NOUGAT

• Combine the first measures of sugar (4 tablespoons) and water (3 tablespoons) in a small saucepan. Gently stir together until it feels like wet sand. Do the same thing with the second measures of sugar (6 tablespoons) and water (3 tablespoons) in another small saucepan.
• Place both saucepans on the stove and begin to heat them up. Heat the first saucepan (the one with 4 tablespoons sugar and 3 tablespoons water) over medium heat. Heat the second saucepan (the one with 6 tablespoons sugar and 3 tablespoons water) over medium low heat. Heat the first sugar water mixture to 115 degrees C (239 degrees F), keeping track of the temperature with an instant-read or candy thermometer.
• While the sugar is heating up, whip the egg whites in a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Whip until soft peaks form. If the egg whites reach medium soft peaks before the first sugar hits 115 degrees C (239 degrees F), slow your mixer down and let the sugar catch up. Or, if you notice that the sugar is nearly at 115 degrees C (239 degrees F) and the egg whites are still a ways from becoming soft peaks, turn the heat way down under the first measurement of sugar water. Ideally, you want the egg whites to reach a soft peak at the same time the sugar water hits 115 degrees C (239 degrees F).
• Once the first sugar measurement reaches this temperature, remove it from the heat and very carefully pour it into the egg whites while the mixer is on low. 
• When all of the sugar is successfully added to the egg whites, turn the mixer speed back up and turn the heat under the second sugar water mixture to medium. You know what this mixture of sugar water to reach 120 degrees C (248 degrees F). Once it reaches this temperature, remove it from the heat and very carefully pour it into the egg white mixture. Let the egg white mixture whip until cool. 
• Once the egg white mixture has reached room temperature, turn the mixer off and fold in the peanut butter and chopped peanuts. Use immediately or store in the refrigerator in an airtight container. 

FOR THE CARAMEL

• Mix sugar, water and corn syrup in a small saucepan.
• Bring the water and sugar mixture to boil over medium heat, but DO NOT STIR. (Stirring encourages crystallization). Let the mixture cook until it caramelizes into a golden brown color. It happens quickly, so keep an eye on it.
• Remove the caramelized sugar syrup from the heat and slowly mix in the cream. Pour in just a tiny bit at a time, especially at the beginning, and mix to combine. You can start adding more and more as you go along.
• Mix in salt and vanilla. Stir to combine.
• Set the caramel sauce to the side and let cool to room temperature before using.

FOR THE BUTTERCREAM

• In a bowl fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the butter and peanut butter. Beat on medium-high speed until smooth, about 45 seconds.
• Add the sifted powdered sugar to the bowl and mix in, slowly at first until incorporated, then increasing the mixer speed to high. Blend in the vanilla extract, salt and heavy whipping cream and continue to whip on high speed until very fluffy, about 4-5 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. 
• With a wooden spoon, mix frosting to remove air bubbles.

ASSEMBLY

• Spread a small dollop of frosting on your cake board. Place the first cake layer on the board, with the shortbread cookie crust on the bottom.
• Spread about half of the nougat filling on top of the cake layer. Make sure to get eye level with the cake to ensure it is level. Drizzle some of the salted caramel over the nougat.
• Place the second cake layer, shortbread cookie crust on the bottom, on top of the nougat and caramel. Repeat step 2.
• Place the final cake layer, shortbread cookie crust on the bottom, on top of the second layer of nougat and caramel. If the cake feels too unstable to crumb coat, place the naked cake in the freezer for about 15 minutes to set the fillings and stabilize the cake.
• You’ll then spread a thin layer of frosting around the entire cake to lock in any crumbs. This is called the crumb coat. Freeze the cake for 10 to 15 minutes to ensure the crumbs get locked into this coat of frosting. After the frosting is set, continue to frost the cake with the remaining peanut butter frosting. 

The post Decadent Snickers Candy Bar Cake first appeared on Cake by Courtney.

Better Than Anything Cake

Okay, let’s get one thing out of the way: I’m well aware that the original name for this cake is, Better Than Sex Cake. I even grew up calling it by that name. However, as my almost teenage son dug in to my homemade version of this cake the other day, he asked, “what are you calling it, mom?” I had totally planned on calling it Better Than Sex Cake, but when I looked him in the eyes and started to say the name, I just couldn’t do it and instead said, “it’s my new Better Than Anything Cake.”

I guess I just felt like there was no need to explain to my 12-year-old that cake could be better than sex. Maybe we’ll change the name when my kids are older, but for now, it’s Better Than Anything Cake

Alright, let’s get back to the cake!

What is Better Than Anything Cake?

Do you remember this cake from your childhood? It was a staple in my house. However, back then we were using a Betty Crocker chocolate cake mix, store bought caramel, Cool Whip, and crushed Heath to create this well-known cake. This new version is completely homemade (well, minus the crushed candy bars).

Moist Chocolate Cake

This chocolate cake has a similar texture to my Malt Chocolate Cake. It’s incredibly tender and moist, packed with chocolate flavor, but it’s not as rich and dark as my Dark Chocolate Cake you’ll see in a lot of recipes on here. I went with this other chocolate cake for the layers because it’s more stable and better holds the caramel, while still being strong enough to stack the layers.

To get this beautiful volume and height in the cake, make sure to beat the butter, sugar, and eggs really well at the beginning – we’re talking 3 to 5 minutes! You’ll notice the color and texture lighten – that’s a sign you’re doing things right. Of course, once we add dry ingredients, we turn the speed down and only mix until the dry ingredients are incorporated. And then we add a mixture of vinegar and baking soda at the end to help our cake rise so tall.

How to Make Moist Cakes from Scratch

Don’t forget to follow my go-to tips for getting your cakes to rise and bake well:

• Preheat your oven for 30 minutes prior to baking.
• Use good quality pans like Fat Daddio.
• Spray your pans with nonstick spray and line with parchment paper. 
• Don’t overmix your cake batter once you add the dry ingredients.
• Use room temperature wet ingredients.
• Use fresh baking powder.
• Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out with a few moist crumbs on it.

How to Make Homemade Caramel

To make homemade salted caramel, you actually don’t have to be too hands-on. In fact, I want you to keep your hands off for the majority of the time!

• You’ll start by combining the sugar, water, and corn syrup (or honey) over the stove on medium heat.
• Stir the mixture until the sugar dissolves and then step back!
• Allow the mixture to boil and cook. Stirring the sugar mixture at this point will encourage crystallization and we don’t want that!
• It will take a few minutes for the mixture to change color, but once it does, stay close by.
• You’re looking for the mixture to turn a dark golden brown, amber color. Check the pictures HERE for guidance.
• Once you’ve reached the right color and your mixture is about 380 degrees F., you’re ready to start SLOWLY adding warm heavy whipping cream.
• Using warm heavy whipping cream will decrease the chance the mixture hardens.
• Once you’ve added all the cream, you can stir in the vanilla and salt.
• Allow the mixture to cool completely before using in your buttercreams and cakes.

Whipped Cream from Scratch

Have you made whipped cream from scratch yet? This simple recipe is a total game changer and I can promise you, you’ll never go back to Cool Whip or canned whipped cream again. Whipped cream from scratch is truly one of the best things life has to offer. Follow the simple steps below and you’ll have this creamy goodness ready in less than 10 minutes.

• Heavy Whipping Cream – look for a high-fat heavy whipping cream. I always use Darigold 40% Heavy Whipping Cream.
• Chilled Stainless Steel Bowl – for a quick whip, place a stainless steel bowl in your freezer for about 15 minutes before you make the whipped cream. This isn’t necessary, but it definitely helps speed up the process.
• When to Stabilize the Cream – I only use a stabilizer like E-Z Gel when I’m using whipped cream as a filling in a cake. Otherwise, if you’re making whipped cream as a topping for another type of dessert, you won’t need to stabilize it. E-Z Gel is often found at grocery stores, Walmart, or online. If you can’t find it, you can also stabilize the whipped cream with unflavored gelatin. Just follow the instructions on the package for “blooming” the gelatin.
• Powdered Sugar and Vanilla – in addition to the cream and the E-Z Gel, you’ll also need a little powdered sugar and vanilla extract to sweeten up the flavor.

Chocolate Caramel Buttercream

It’s hard to believe anything could be better than chocolate buttercream, but I’m about to tell you that chocolate buttercream with caramel is above and beyond your wildest dreams! We have the silky, smooth texture of my chocolate buttercream, with the salty, delicious goodness of my homemade caramel. The two are the perfect pair!

Love this textured buttercream look? Click HERE to buy my Texture Scraper Set.

HOW TO MAKE THE BEST BUTTERCREAM FROSTING

To get a light and fluffy homemade buttercream frosting, I have a detailed post: HOW TO MAKE THE BEST BUTTERCREAM to give you in-depth instructions for making your buttercream unreal! Here’s a quick overview.

• Sift your powdered sugar
• Use slightly cold butter and mix on its own for 2 to 3 minutes
• Use heavy whipping cream
• Beat for 5 minutes
• Stir by hand

You’ll want to check out the post linked above for more details on each step to make sure you get the best buttercream frosting. And remember, these steps can be used for any buttercream recipe on my blog.

IMPORTANT  For chocolate buttercream specifically, remember to heat the cream and chocolate together first. You’ll then stir the mixture until it becomes a smooth ganache. Once the ganache has cooled slightly, you’ll add the mixture to the butter and continue making the buttercream according to the instructions.

This recipe also calls for a 1/2 cup of the homemade caramel. Make sure the caramel is at room temperature before using.

Candy Options

The crushed candy inside and on top of this Better Than Anything Cake is Heath Bars. As a kid, I used to get the job of unwrapping the candy bars, placing them in a ziplock bag, and smashing them into bite-size pieces with a rolling pin. Nowadays, you can just buy the Heath Bars already crushed up in the same aisle where you’ll find baking chips at your grocery store.

Other Candy Options

Can’t find Heath Bars or just want to switch it up? Here are a few other candy options that would pair so well with this cake recipe.

• Skor
• Twix
• Snickers
• 100 Grand

Similar Recipes You’ll Love

• 3 Amazing Chocolate Cake Recipes from Scratch
• Peanut Butter and Chocolate Butterfinger Cake
• Decadent Snickers Candy Bar Cake
• Cotton Candy Cake
• Marble Cake

Print

Better Than Anything Cake

Chocolate cake layers, covered with salted caramel, whipped cream, toffee candy and chocolate caramel buttercream.

Course Dessert

Cuisine Cake

Keyword better than anything cake, better than sex cake, caramel, Chocolate Cake, chocolate caramel buttercream, salted caramel

Servings 20 people

Ingredients

FOR THE CHOCOLATE CAKE

• 3/4 cup (169.5 g) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1 3/4 cups (350 g) granulated sugar
• 5 large eggs, at room temperature
• 3 1/4 cups (373.75 g) cake flour
• 3/4 cup (75 g) dark cocoa powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons (8 g) salt
• 2 cups (480 g) buttermilk, at room temperature
• 1 1/2 tablespoons (21 g) white distilled vinegar
• 2 1/2 teaspoons (10 g) baking soda
• 1/2 cup (120 g) sour cream, at room temperature

FOR THE SALTED CARAMEL

• 2 cups (400 g) granulated sugar
• 1 cup (240 g) water
• 2 teaspoons (14 g) light corn syrup
• 1 1/2 cups (360 g) heavy whipping cream
• 2 teaspoons (8.4 g) pure vanilla extract
• 2 teaspoons (12 g) salt

FOR THE WHIPPED CREAM

• 1 cup (240 g) heavy whipping cream
• 1/2 cup (60g) powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon (4.2 g) vanilla extract
• 1 tablespoon E-Z Gel

FOR THE CHOCOLATE CARAMEL BUTTERCREAM

• 1/4 cup (60 g) heavy whipping cream
• 8 ounces dark chocolate
• 2 cups (452 g) unsalted butter, slightly cold
• 5 cups (625 g) powdered sugar, measured then sifted
• 1/2 cup salted caramel, recipe above
• *This buttercream recipe makes enough to fill and cover your cake. If you want to add additional piping, you’ll want to make an extra 1/2 batch.

FOR THE GARNISH AND FILLING

• 2 cups crushed Heath Bars

Instructions

FOR THE CHOCOLATE CAKE

• Preheat your oven to 325 degrees F. Spray three 8-inch round pans with nonstick spray, line the bottom with parchment paper and spray again. Set aside.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, salt, and cocoa powder. Set aside.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer, fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the butter and sugar. Beat on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and mix again for another minute.
• Add the eggs, one at a time, being sure to mix and scrape down the sides of the bowl between each addition. Once all of the eggs are added, continue to beat on medium-high speed for about two mintues, until the mixture gets lighter in color and bigger in volume.
• With the mixer on low speed, add 1/3 of the flour mixture, followed by 1 cup of the buttermilk. Continue with another 1/3 of the flour, the second half of the buttermilk and then the remaining flour mixture. Stir until combined.
• In a small bowl, combine the vinegar and baking soda. The mixture will bubble. Add the mixture to the cake batter and stir on low until combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and mix again for another 20 seconds.
• Fold in the sour cream until no streaks remain.
• Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans (21 ounces in each of the 8-inch pans). Bake for about 33-38 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs on it.

  Allow to cool in pans for 15 minutes before inverting onto wire racks to cool completely.

FOR THE SALTED CARAMEL

• Mix the sugar, water and corn syrup in a small saucepan over medium heat.
• Bring the mixture to boil, but DO NOT STIR! (Stirring encourages crystallization). Let the mixture cook until it turns to a golden brown/amber color. It happens quickly, so keep an eye on it.
• Remove the caramelized sugar syrup from the heat and very slowly stir in the cream, pouring it in little by little, to temper the cream and sugar syrup. If you pour it in all at once, your sugar will turn into hard candy. You can start adding more and more as you go along.
• Once the cream is mixed in, add the salt and vanilla. Stir to combine and then set aside to cool to room temperature before using.  

FOR THE WHIPPED CREAM

• Place a stainless steel bowl in the freezer for 15 minutes prior to making the whipped cream.
• When the bowl is chilled, combine the whipped, powdered sugar, and vanilla. Using whisk attachments on your hand mixer or your stand mixer, beat the ingredients on high. As you beat the whipped cream, gradually add the E-Z Gel.
• Beat mixture until stiff peaks form. Refrigerate until ready to use.

FOR THE CHOCOLATE CARAMEL BUTTERCREAM

• Heat the cream and chocolate chips together in the microwave for about 45 to 60 seconds. Stir the mixture until the chips are melted. If the chocolate isn't melting enough, heat the mixture again for another 30 seconds. Stir until smooth. Set aside to cool. We want the ganache to be close to room temperature before adding it to the butter.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter on medium-high until it's light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
• With the mixer on medium speed, gradually add the ganache mixture, scraping down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed. Beat until silky, smooth.
• With the mixer on low speed, gradually add the powdered sugar, followed by the caramel. Turn the mixer to medium-high and beat the buttercream for about 3 to 5 minutes.

FOR ASSEMBLY

• Using a fork or the back of a wooden spoon, poke holes all over the three cake layers. Try to avoid poking the holes all the way through the cake, but make sure to poke enough holes that the caramel can really soak into the cake.
• Cover each cake layer with about 1/3 cup caramel. Use a spoon to spread the caramel and help push it into the holes you've created.
• Place the first cake layer top side up, in the center of the cake board. Pipe a rim of buttercream around the edge of the cake. Gently spread 1/2 of the whipped cream over the cake layer. Sprinkle with crushed Heath bar candies and then a drizzle of caramel.
• Repeat for second cake layer.
• Place the final cake layer, top side down, on the second layer of filling.
• Apply a thin layer of buttercream around the cake. Freeze the cake for 15 minutes to set the crumb coat.
• Once the crumb coat is set, continue frosting the cake with the remaining buttercream. Decorate with remaining candy and caramel.

The post Not Your Mom’s Better Than “Anything” Cake first appeared on Cake by Courtney.

The Best Pumpkin Cake with Maple Cream Cheese Frosting

Fall is (or was) officially here just a few weeks ago and I was so excited about it. It was hard leaving California nearly five years ago, but knowing I’d get to enjoy the fall season made the move a little easier. Drives through the canyon and even the view from my backyard are so amazing this time of year. And like many of you, I also love fall because it brings with it so many delightful flavors I get to incorporate into my cakes!

I have a lineup of seasonal cakes I’ll be sharing, starting with pumpkin cake, layered with chocolate ganache and maple cream cheese frosting. The cake moist and flavorful and a perfect pairing with chocolate and maple.

Pumpkin Cake

This pumpkin cake recipe is the only pumpkin cake recipe you’ll ever need! It’s that good. You are going to love the flavor, the rise, and the texture. It’s moist and fluffy, and always bakes high.

Ingredients You’ll Need for Pumpkin Cake

• Pumpkin puree – I like the Libby’s brand
• All-purpose flour
• Baking powder
• Cinnamon
• Ginger
• Nutmeg
• Salt
• Granulated sugar
• Brown sugar
• Eggs
• Vegetable oil
• Vanilla

To start, you’ll mix the dry ingredients together and then set aside. In your stand mixer, combine the wet ingredients and mix until well combined. After that, you simple add the dry ingredients while your mixer is on low. Remember, never over mix your batter once you add the dry ingredients. You only want to mix until the dry ingredients are incorporated.

HOW TO MAKE MOIST CAKES FROM SCRATCH

Don’t forget to follow my go-to tips for getting your cakes to rise and bake well:

• Preheat your oven for 30 minutes prior to baking.
• Use good quality pans like Fat Daddio.
• Spray your pans with nonstick spray and line with parchment paper. 
• Don’t overmix your cake batter once you add the dry ingredients.
• Use room temperature wet ingredients.
• Use fresh baking powder.
• Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out with a few moist crumbs on it.

How to Make Ganache

To make a simple ganache filling for this cake, you’ll start by heating heavy whipping cream in the microwave until it’s almost boiling. Once the cream is heated, pour it over the chocolate chips and begin to stir. The cream will heat the chocolate chips and you’ll be left with a silky, chocolate ganache. Make sure to allow the ganache to cool to nearly room temperature before spreading on your cake layers.

Maple Cream Cheese Frosting

I love the warmth of maple flavoring in fall baked goods. This maple cream cheese frosting pairs so well with the pumpkin spices and bittersweet chocolate ganache filling. I think you’ll also love that it’s not overly sweet thanks to the tangy element the cream cheese offers.

Ingredients You’ll Need for Maple Cream Cheese Frosting

• Maple syrup
• Unsalted butter
• Cream cheese
• Powdered sugar
• Cinnamon
• Vanilla

REMEMBER: any cream cheese frosting is “stickier” than regular frosting, so it can sometimes be hard to get a totally smooth texture when decorating

HOW TO MAKE THE BEST BUTTERCREAM FROSTING

To get a light and fluffy homemade buttercream frosting, I have a detailed post: HOW TO MAKE THE BEST BUTTERCREAM to give you in depth instruction for making your buttercream unreal! Here’s a quick overview of my standard buttercream tips:

• Sift your powdered sugar
• Use slightly cold butter and mix on its own for 2 to 3 minutes
• Use heavy whipping cream
• Beat for 5 minutes
• Stir by hand

You’ll want to check out the post linked above for more details on each step to make sure you get the best buttercream frosting. And remember, these steps can be used for any buttercream recipe on my blog.

Other Fall Cakes You’ll Love

• Apple Almond Caramel Cake
• Caramel Apple Cheesecake Cake
• Sweet and Savory Apple Ricotta Bacon Cake
• Apple Cider Donut Bundt Cake
• Pumpkin Bundt Cake with Butter Rum Sauce

Print

Pumpkin Cake with Maple Cream Cheese Frosting

Pumpkin cake with chocolate ganache filling and maple cream cheese frosting.

Ingredients

FOR THE CAKE

• 1 1/2 cup (300 g) granulated sugar
• 3/4 cup (165 g) packed brown light brown sugar
• 5 large eggs room temperature
• 1 cup (218 g) vegetable oil
• 1 1/2 teaspoons (6.3 g) vanilla
• 2 cups (400 g) pumpkin purée 
• 3 cups (360 g) all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 tablespoon (18 g) baking powder
• 3 teaspoons (7.8 g) ground cinnamon
• 1 1/2 teaspoon (4 g) ground ginger
• 1 teaspoon (3 g) nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon (5.6 g) salt

FOR THE GANACHE

• 1 cup (150 g) semi sweet or dark chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup (115.5 g) heavy whipping cream 

FOR THE BUTTERCREAM

• 1 cup (226 g) unsalted butter slightly cold
• 1 cup (225 g) cream cheese room temperature
• 5 cups (625 g) powdered sugar measured and then sifted
• 1 teaspoon (4.2 g) vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon (1.3 g) cinnamon
• 1/4 cup (56.25 g) pure maple syrup
• *This buttercream recipe makes enough to fill and cover your cake. If you want to add additional piping, you’ll want to make an extra 1/2 batch.

US Customary – Metric

Instructions

FOR THE CAKE

• Preheat 325 degrees F. Spray three 8-inch or four 6-inch round cake pans with cooking spray and line the bottoms with parchment paper rounds and spray again. Set aside.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the sugar and eggs together on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add the oil and vanilla and beat on medium until combined, about 30 seconds. Add the pumpkin filling and mix until combined, about another 30 seconds. 
• In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, ground ginger, nutmeg, and salt, and with the mixer on the lowest speed, gradually add to the pumpkin/egg mixture.
• Evenly distribute batter into the prepared pans, smooth with a small offset palette knife and place in the center of the middle rack of the oven, about 2 inches apart. Bake until a knife or toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 30-35 minutes.
• Let pans cool on a wire rack 10 minutes, and then invert cakes onto rack and cool them completely.

FOR THE GANACHE

• Place the chocolate chips and cream in a microwave safe bowl. Microwave for about 30-60 seconds. Stir until glossy.

FOR THE BUTTERCREAM

• In an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, stir the butter and cream cheese until light and fluffy, about two minutes.
• Gradually add in powdered sugar, while mixer is on low speed.
• Add vanilla, cinnamon and maple syrup and whip until light and fluffy, about 4-5 minutes.
• Before spreading on your cake, spend a couple minutes mixing the buttercream by hand with a wooden spoon to push out the air pockets.

ASSEMBLY

• Level each of your cake layers, if needed. Place a dollop of frosting on the cake board or cake plate. Place the first cake layer, top-side up, on the cake board or cake stand.
• Pipe a rim of frosting around the edge of the cake and then spread about 1/2 cup ganache on the first layer of cake. Repeat with second cake layer.
• Place the third cake layer, bottom-side up, on top and frost with a crumb coat.
• Let the cake chill in the freezer for 10 minutes and then add additional frosting.

The post The Best Pumpkin Cake with Maple Cream Cheese Frosting first appeared on Cake by Courtney.

Pumpkin Butter Pecan Cake

How is your fall baking coming along? Are you knee-deep in it or just getting your toe wet? I think you know where I’m at! I’m basically neck deep at this point. I spent September baking with apples and created a ton of new apple inspired desserts for you like my new Caramel Apple Cheesecake Cake, Apple Ricotta Bacon Cake, and my Apple Almond Caramel Cake.

For October, I’ve moved on to pumpkin-inspired desserts and I’m beyond thrilled to share this new one with you. I’m using pumpkin cake layers, pecan pie filling, and pecan buttercream.

The Best Pumpkin Cake Recipe

This pumpkin cake recipe is truly something special! It’s not only tender and moist, the flavor is incredible. Plus, it’s super easy to make and rises beautifully! In fact, this cake is so easy to make you could simply use a bowl and whisk to put it together.

Ingredients You Need for Pumpkin Cake

To make these pumpkin cake layers, make sure you have the following ingredients on hand.

• Pumpkin puree
• Eggs
• Vegetable oil
• Vanilla
• Granulated sugar
• Brown sugar
• All-purpose flour
• Baking powder
• Cinnamon
• Nutmeg
• Salt

How to Make Pumpkin Cake

To make this easy pumpkin cake recipe, you’ll start by beat the sugars and eggs together until smooth and light in color. You’ll then add the vanilla, oil, and pumpkin puree and mix well. In a separate bowl, whisk together all of the remaining ingredients. With your mixer on low, add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until combined.

Remember: over mixing your batter will create a dense cake. Just mix the ingredients until no streaks of flour remain.

HOW TO MAKE MOIST CAKES FROM SCRATCH

Want more tips for making moist cakes from scratch? Take a look at my go-to tips for making the best-tasting cakes:

• Preheat your oven for 30 minutes prior to baking.
• Use good quality pans like Fat Daddio.
• Spray your pans with nonstick spray and line with parchment paper. 
• Don’t overmix your cake batter once you add the dry ingredients.
• Use room temperature wet ingredients.
• Use fresh baking powder.
• Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out with a few moist crumbs on it.

How to Make Pecan Pie Filling

This pecan pie filling recipe is extra special because it’s adapted from Ryan’s mom’s triple chocolate pecan pie recipe. Instead of using chocolate and pecans, we’re just using pecans.

To start, you’ll melt butter in a medium saucepan. After the butter is melted, you remove the pan from the heat and add the sugar and salt. Next, grab your hand mixer and beat in the eggs, followed by corn syrup and vanilla. The mixture goes back on the stove over medium heat and cooks until it reaches 130 degrees F. Remove the mixture from heat, add the pecans, and then pour the mixture into a greased pan and bake for 50-60 minutes at 275 degrees F.

The filling is done when the top is golden brown and the mixture has caramelized.

How to Make Pecan Butter

Homemade nut butter is as simple as it gets to make. Just add your pecans to a food processor with a little olive oil and blend until smooth. That’s it!

HOW TO MAKE THE BEST BUTTERCREAM FROSTING

To get a light and fluffy homemade buttercream frosting, I have a detailed post: HOW TO MAKE THE BEST BUTTERCREAM to give you in-depth instructions for making your buttercream unreal! Here’s a quick overview.

• Sift your powdered sugar
• Use slightly cold butter and mix on its own for 2 to 3 minutes
• Use heavy whipping cream
• Beat for 5 minutes
• Stir by hand

You’ll want to check out the post linked above for more details on each step to make sure you get the best buttercream frosting. And remember, these steps can be used for any buttercream recipe on my blog.

Enjoy! You can check out this post HERE for some of my absolute favorite desserts for Thanksgiving!

Other Cakes You’ll Love for Fall

Print

Pumpkin Butter Pecan Cake

Pumpkin cake with pecan pie filling and pecan buttercream.

Course Dessert

Cuisine Cake

Keyword butter pecan, pecan, pecan buttercream, Pumpkin, Pumpkin Butter Pecan, Pumpkin Cake

Ingredients

FOR THE CAKE

• 1 1/2 cup (300 g) granulated sugar
• 3/4 cup (165 g) packed brown light brown sugar
• 5 large eggs room temperature
• 1 cup (218 g) vegetable oil
• 1 1/2 teaspoons (6.3 g) vanilla
• 2 cups (400 g) pumpkin purée 
• 3 cups (360 g) all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 tablespoon (18 g) baking powder
• 3 teaspoons (7.8 g) ground cinnamon
• 1 1/2 teaspoon (4 g) ground ginger
• 1 teaspoon (3 g) nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon (6 g) salt

FOR THE FILLING

• 3 tablespoons (42.4 g) unsalted butter softened
• 3/4 cup (165 g) dark brown sugar packed
• 1/2 teaspoon (3 g) salt
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup (150 g) light corn syrup
• 1 teaspoon (4.2 g) vanilla extract
• 2 cups (300 g) pecans

FOR THE PECAN BUTTER

• 2 cups (300 g) chopped pecans
• 1 tablespoon (13.6 g) olive oil

FOR THE BUTTERCREAM

• 2 cups (452 g) unsalted butter slightly cold
• 6 cups (750 g) powdered sugar measured and then sifted
• Pecan butter recipe above
• 3 tablespoon (43.3 g) heavy whipping cream
• *This buttercream recipe makes enough to fill and cover your cake. If you want to add additional piping, you’ll want to make an extra 1/2 batch.

US Customary – Metric

Instructions

FOR THE CAKE

• Preheat 325 degrees F. Spray three 8-inch round cake pans with nonstick cooking spray, line the bottoms with parchment paper rounds, and spray again. Set aside.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the sugar and eggs together on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add the oil and vanilla and beat on medium until combined, about 30 seconds. Add the pumpkin filling and mix until combined, about another 30 seconds. 
• In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, ground ginger, nutmeg, and salt, and with the mixer on the lowest speed, gradually add to the pumpkin/egg mixture.
• Evenly distribute batter into the prepared pans (about 20 ounces in each pan), smooth with the back of a spoon and place in the center of the middle rack of the oven, about 1-2 inches apart. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with a few moist crumbs on it, about 30 to 35 minutes.
• Let pans cool on a wire rack 10 minutes, and then invert cakes onto rack and cool them completely.

FOR THE FILLING

• Preheat your oven to 275 degrees F. Spray a 9×9-inch baking dish with nonstick spray. Set aside.
• Melt the butter in a medium saucepan. Remove from heat.
• Add in the sugar and salt and mix until butter is absorbed. Using a hand mixer, beat in the eggs.
• Add the corn syrup and vanilla and mix for another 20 seconds or so.
• Return the pan to medium heat and stir the mixture until it is shiny and reaches 130 degrees F. Remove from heat and stir in the pecans.
• Pour the mixture into the prepared pan. Bake for about 55 to 60 minutes. Let cool completely before using in the cake.

FOR THE PECAN BUTTER

• Combine the pecans and oil in a food processor and blend until you've created a nut butter.

FOR THE BUTTERCREAM

• In an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter on medium-high speed for about 2 minutes.
• With the mixer on low speed, gradually add the powdered sugar, followed by the pecan butter and cream.
• Turn the mixer to medium-high speed and beat the buttercream for about 3 to 5 minutes.
• Before spreading on your cake, spend a couple minutes mixing the buttercream by hand with a wooden spoon to push out the air pockets.

ASSEMBLY

• Level each of your cake layers, if needed. Place a dollop of frosting on the cake board or cake plate. Place the first cake layer, top-side up, on the cake board or cake stand.
• Spread about 1 cup of buttercream across the cake layer.
• Top the buttercream with about 1 cup of the pecan pie filling. Press into the buttercream to ensure you have a level surface.
• Place the second cake layer on top of the pecan pie filling and repeat these steps.
• Place the final cake layer, top side down, on the pecan pie filling.
• Apply a thin coat of buttercream around the entire cake. This is the crumb coat. Freeze the cake at this stage for 15 minutes to set the crumb coat and lock the crumbs into place.
• After the crumb coat is set, finish frosting the cake with the remaining buttercream.

The post The Most Delicious Pumpkin Butter Pecan Cake first appeared on Cake by Courtney.

This cake took several rounds of recipe testing and I’m so pleased with the end result.

Peaches and Cream Cake

A couple months before her 5th birthday, Avery informed me she wanted a peach cake for her birthday. “Peach cake layers, peach frosting, and it needs to be orange,” were her exact words. I asked if she meant that she wanted my Peach Crisp Cake, but no, Avery wanted a brand new peach cake, done exactly as she described. She’s certainly a girl who knows what she wants. But still, I expected her cake choice to change at least a half dozen times before her birthday. Nope! She never changed her mind once.

I’m not sure why, but I expected this cake to be a breeze to make and put together. Whoa! Was I wrong.

How to Cake It: Recipe Testing

Going into this cake, I had several ideas (based off what’s worked for some of my other cakes) for achieving the peach flavor. Here are some of the flavorings I used in the different rounds of recipe testing I did:

• Puree
• Jell-O
• Oil/Syrup
• Freeze dried peaches
• Jam
• Nectar
• Yogurt

As I thought about these options, I immediately picked the peach puree to start with. I really wanted a natural peach flavor to shine in the cake. Peach puree seemed like the obvious choice to make that happen. I added the peach puree to my cake batter (which I based off my Classic White Cake) and tried a sample before baking the cake. To my surprise I couldn’t taste the peach at all. Ugh! Honestly, I really thought it was going to be that simple.

I still baked the cake (which didn’t taste any more peachy after they baked) and moved on to my next option – peach Jell-O.

The flavor of the strawberry Jell-O in my Strawberry Cake makes for one of my favorite cakes. It’s actually not very artificial tasting and just has a really nice fruity flavor to it. I figured it would work great with peach too. Nope! Like the puree, the peach Jell-O didn’t add any flavor to the cake. Again, I was shocked. Peach was all of a sudden as hard of a flavor to bake in a cake as watermelon (you can read all about that cake saga HERE).

Peach Cake Round 3

After the first two failed rounds of my peach cake, I ran out of time and ingredients. I decided to put the cake on hold until the next day. That night I talked about my failed peach cake attempts in my Instagram stories and loved all the feedback that came in. You gave me so many suggestions. I was suddenly so excited to try again the next morning.

One of the ideas was to use freeze dried peaches. Of course! Why hadn’t I thought of that. I love the way freeze dried strawberries and raspberries add natural flavor to buttercream. Peach would probably do the same for my cake. So, that next morning, the kids and I set out on a hunt for freeze dried peaches. That’s when I hit my next hiccup! Freeze dried peaches are so hard to find! I checked my natural food stores, Wal-Mart (which usually has them but was out), and my regular grocery store. Nothing. Right as I was about to give up, someone told me to check Target. Hallelujah! Target had them and my defeat disappeared once more. I was sure this round would be my winner.

As soon as we got home, I blended up my freeze dried peaches and added them to my batter. I couldn’t wait to try it, but again, no peach flavor! The kids both tried the batter and agreed they couldn’t taste any peach. At this point, Avery was panicking that she would have to pick another cake recipe. No way could I disappoint her! Nor was I willing to give up on this peach cake. I was determined to figure something out.

I then tried the oil and some flavored syrup, which both turned out to be way too sweet and artificial.

How to Add Flavor to Cake

For the next round, I got my hands on some peach nectar and crossed my fingers. Thank the heavens, it finally worked! I finally tasted some peach in the cake. I was pretty pleased with it but actually had a little adjustment I wanted to try.

In my Peach Crisp Cake, I use peach yogurt instead of buttermilk and I love the moisture and subtle hint of peach it adds to that cake. So, I used half peach nectar and half peach yogurt, and finally felt like I had the cake I was looking for this whole time.

It’s certainly a subtle flavor of peach in the cake, but it’s there (and it’s not at all artificial tasting!). Plus, the peach flavor in the cake is enhanced by the peaches and cream filling and peach compote. Add all that to a vanilla buttercream and it really tastes like peaches and cream.

Tips for Making Moist Cake

Don’t forget to follow my go-to tips for getting your cakes to rise and bake well:

• Preheat your oven for 30 minutes prior to baking.
• Use good quality pans like Fat Daddio.
• Spray your pans with nonstick spray and line with parchment paper. 
• Don’t overmix your cake batter once you add the dry ingredients.
• Use room temperature wet ingredients.
• Use fresh baking powder.
• Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out with a few moist crumbs on it.

Filling and Frosting

I knew with the subtle peach flavor of the cake, I’d still want plenty of peach flavor in the rest of the cake. My favorite part of this cake is the fresh peach compote made with fresh peaches. You’ll use a little of it in your peaches and cream filling and then some of it as a filling by itself too. If there’s any leftover, save it to serve with each slice of cake.

If you don’t have fresh peaches to make the compote, you can use canned peaches drained) or frozen peaches. You can also use peach jam in the peaches and cream filling instead of the compote. I tried all of these options and was pleased with them as back ups to fresh peaches.

How to Make Buttercream Frosting

To get a light and fluffy homemade buttercream frosting, make sure you follow my tips over at: HOW TO MAKE THE BEST BUTTERCREAM

These steps are written up for my vanilla buttercream, but are supposed to be applied to any of my buttercream recipes.

• Sift your powdered sugar
• Use slightly cold butter
• Use heavy whipping cream
• Beat for 5 minutes
• Stir by hand

You’ll want to check out the post linked above for more details on each step.

Video Tutorial

And here’s a short video tutorial to take you through the steps of the assembly process, all of which is also outlined in the instructions below.

Enjoy!!!

Other Fruit Filled Cakes You’ll Love

• Peach Crisp Cake
• Peach Upside Down Cake
• Lemon Blueberry Cake
• Blueberry Cobbler Cake
• Red, White and Blue Berry Cake

Print

Peaches and Cream Cake

Light and fluffy peach cake layers with a peaches and cream filling, peach compote and vanilla buttercream. 

Course Dessert

Cuisine Cake

Keyword cake, cream, peaches, peaches and cream cake

Prep Time 2 hours hours

Cook Time 40 minutes minutes

Total Time 3 hours hours 40 minutes minutes

Author Courtney Rich

Ingredients

FOR THE CAKE

• 1 3/4 cup (350 g) granulated sugar
• 3 cups plus 3 tablespoons (366.5 g) cake flour
• 4 teaspoons (16 g) baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon (2.8 g) salt
• 12 tablespoons (169.5 g) unsalted butter cut into cubes, softened
• 1/2 cup (120 g) peach yogurt greek or regular yogurt will work, room temperature
• 1/2 cup (110 g) peach nectar apricot nectar will also work, room temperature
• 4 egg whites room temperature
• 1 whole egg room temperature
• 2 teaspoons (8.4 g) clear vanilla extract

FOR THE COMPOTE

• 4 cups (880 g) diced peaches 
• 1/2 cup (100 g) sugar
• 2 teaspoons (5.4 g) cornstarch sifted

FOR THE BUTTERCREAM

• 3 cups 6 sticks (678 g) unsalted butter slightly chilled
• 9 cups (1125 g) sifted powdered sugar measured and then sifted
• 1/4 cup (57.75 g) heavy cream
• Pinch of salt
• 1 teaspoon (4.2 g) pure vanilla extract
• *This buttercream recipe makes enough to fill and cover your cake. If you want to add additional piping, you’ll want to make an extra 1/2 batch.

FOR THE PEACHES AND CREAM FILLING

• 2 cups vanilla buttercream recipe above
• 2/3 cup (80 g) peach compote recipe above or peach jam/preserves

US Customary – Metric

Instructions

FOR THE CAKE

• Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Spray three 8-inch or four 6-inch round baking pans with nonstick spray, line the bottom of each pan with parchment paper and spray again. Set aside. 
• In a medium bowl or measuring cup, combine and stir the egg whites, whole egg and the clear vanilla. Set aside.
• In another small bowl or measuring cup, combine the peach yogurt and peach nectar. Stir to combine. Set aside.
• In a bowl of an electric mixer, fitted with a paddle attachment, combine the dry ingredients together on low speed for 30 seconds.
• Add the butter one piece at a time, about every 10 seconds. Once all the butter is added, pour in the peach yogurt and peach nectar mixture and mix on low for about 1 minute, until the ingredients are incorporated.
• Scrape down the sides of bowl and begin to add the egg mixture in 3 separate batches, mixing on medium-low until light and fluffy, about another minute. Fold once or twice to ensure the batter at the bottom of the bowl is incorporated and mix for another 20 to 30 seconds.
• Using a kitchen scale, divide batter evenly among your pans (about 14 to 15 ounces of batter in each of the 8-inch pans or 11 ounces in each 6-inch pan) spreading evenly with a small offset palette knife.
• Bake until a cake tester or toothpick comes out with a few crumbs when inserted into the center, about 18 to 20 minutes (mine only took 18 minutes). Check cake at 18 minutes and then set the timer for 2 to 3 minute intervals if the cake needs to bake longer. You’re looking for a few moist crumbs to come out on the toothpick when inserted into the center of the cake. Over baking your cake will dry it out.
• Let the cake layers cool on racks for 10 minutes before inverting onto greased wire racks. Gently turn the cakes back up so the tops are up and cool completely.
• Once the cakes are cooled completely, level the tops if needed.
• Wrap each cake layer with plastic wrap and chill in freezer for at least an hour before using. The cake layers can be stored for up to a few days wrapped once in plastic wrap and frozen. To store longer than a few days, wrap twice in plastic wrap, then in foil, and seal in a zip-lock bag.

FOR THE COMPOTE

• In a medium saucepan, combine the peaches and sugar. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the peaches are soft and the juices start to boil.
• Remove from the heat and puree in a blender until smooth. 
• Return the puree to the saucepan and add the sifted cornstarch. Cook on low until mixture thickens. Cool completely before using in the cake.
• I recommend making the compote a day or two before you assemble the cake. The compote can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week or in the freezer for a month.

FOR THE BUTTERCREAM

• In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream the butter for about 2 minutes. This will soften the butter without it having to be warm.
• With the mixer on low speed, gradually add the sifted powdered sugar, one cup at a time, mixing a little in between each addition.
• With mixer on medium speed, add whipping cream, vanilla and salt.
• Turn the mixer to medium-high speed and beat for an additional 5 to 7 minutes. The frosting will become lighter in color and texture.
• Before spreading on your cake, spend a couple minutes mixing the buttercream by hand with a wooden spoon to push out the air pockets. 

FOR THE PEACHES AND CREAM FILLING

• Combine 2 cups of the vanilla buttercream with peach compote or peach preserves. Stir until combined.

ASSEMBLY

• Place the first cake layer, top side up (crumb side up), on a cake board or cake plate. Using an offset icing spatula, spread about a cup of the peaches and cream filling over the cake layer.
• Pipe a rim of the vanilla buttercream around the edge of the cake. This will help support the cake layers and prevent the peach filling from spilling out. 
• Spread about 1/4 cup of the peach filling on the cake layer. You don’t want to add too much or your cake will be unstable as you stack and decorate. Reserve any left over compote to serve with the cake later.
• Gently place the second cake layer on top of the filling and repeat steps 2 to 3.
• Place the final cake layer top side down on the second layer of filling. 
• Freeze the cake for about 10 minutes to help set the frosting and filling, making it a bit more stable for when you frost. If the cake still feels wobbly, add a dowel to the center of the cake (or you can even use drinking straws for this).
• After the filling is set, use a small amount of vanilla buttercream and apply a crumb coat around the entire cake. Freeze the cake again for another 10 minutes to set the crumb coat.
• After the crumbs are locked in, continue to frost and decorate the cake with the remaining vanilla buttercream.
• To achieve a peach color, I used “orange” and “soft pink” Americolor food gels.

The post The Perfect Summer-Inspired Peaches and Cream Cake first appeared on Cake by Courtney.

Birthday Cakes

My Avery turned 8 yesterday and I’m still trying to cope with this whole, “growing up” thing. I’m not sure I’ll ever get used to it! Avery always has grand ideas for her birthday cakes and this year was no different.

Before we get into this year’s buttercream dog cake, let’s take a little trip down memory lane!

Avery’s 7th Birthday Cake

For Avery’s birthday last year, she wanted a rainbow cake. I love a rainbow cake and the traditional rainbow order but decided to stray from the usual once I saw the candles by A Glow. They are truly something special and I loved how the order of colors felt more random but still scream, “rainbow!”. For this one, I used my Confetti Cake recipe (minus the sprinkles).

TIP: when adding food coloring to your cake batter, make sure to fold it in so you don’t over-mix your buttercream (which causes your cake to sink when it bakes).

Avery’s 6th Birthday Cake

Two years ago, Avery had one of her more “unique” requests – a bear unicorn cake. Yes, you read that right. Bear + unicorn!

This cake was chocolate cake layers with chocolate buttercream.

Avery’s 5th Birthday Cake

Three years ago, Avery was actually only concerned about the flavor of the cake. She specifically told me she wanted a peach cake that wasn’t my Peach Crisp Cake. It needed to have peach cake layers, peach filling, and vanilla buttercream. You may remember this cake… it was quite the ordeal! It took several attempts to get the peach flavor to stand out in the cake layers but was well worth the effort. My Peaches and Cream Cake is delicious and Avery loved it!

Avery’s 4th Birthday Cake

When Avery was younger, the color of her cake mattered a lot. For her 4th birthday, she wanted a blue and pink cake. To do something a little more exciting than just coloring vanilla cake, I decided to create a Cotton Candy Cake. This one is very sweet and tastes just like the fan-favorite county fair treat.

Avery’s 3rd Birthday Cake

No surprise here! Avery was a huge Elsa fan when she turned 3. Her entire party was Frozen-themed, which included the cake. I made an ombre buttercream design for the cake and then melted white chocolate, spread it on parchment paper, sprinkled it with candy pearls, and let it dry before I broke it into pieces.

Avery’s 2nd Birthday Cake

At age two, little miss already had an opinion about her cake. This was the first time she requested something specific. PINK! It had to be pink! This was also the year I started Cake by Courtney.

Avery’s 1st Birthday Cake

We had been traveling on Avery’s first birthday, so I’m gonna say it – I made a box cake mix!

Buttercream Dog Cake Tutorial and Tips

Okay! Back to this year’s buttercream dog cake! The cake itself was my Ultimate Chocolate Cake – chocolate cake layers, chocolate mousse filling, and chocolate buttercream.

How to Make a Dog Cake with Buttercream

• Trim a little cake off the top of each cake layer to use for shaping the nose and ears on the dog face.
• Stack and crumb coat cake.
• Freeze crumb coated cake for 15 to 20 minutes.
• Add a spoonful of buttercream to the cake scraps and mix well.
• Shape the cake scraps to form ears and nose area.
• Prepare TWO piping bags with grass Piping Tips.
• Fill each piping bag with chocolate buttercream (don’t fill past 2/3rds full – you’ll be alternating between the two bags as each gets a little warm from your hand).
• TIP: when your buttercream starts to soften too much, switch it for the second bag and place the first bag in the fridge for a few minutes to set the buttercream.
• Start piping the dog hair from the bottom of the cake and work your way up.
• Once the cake is covered, roll out fondant. I like to use these small packets of Fondant
• Use a 1-inch cookie cutter to cut two eyes in black fondant.
• Take a small piece of white fondant, roll a ball in your hands and press flat to make the whites of the eye.
• You’ll also want to roll out some black fondant to create the lines from the nose to the mouth and one for above the tongue.
• I simply shaped the tongue with my hands. See picture above for reference on shape.
• Gently place the fondant pieces into place.
• Candle: Meri Meri Brand

How to Cake It

Check out my post HERE for more animal-inspired cakes! Also, follow me on Instagram @cakebycourtney for tips and recipes on all things cake!

The post How to Make a Dog Cake with Buttercream Icing first appeared on Cake by Courtney.

Chocolate Chip Cookie Cake

 

 

The Best Yellow Cake Layers

When making the cake layers, don’t forget to follow my go-to tips for getting your cakes to rise and bake well:

• Preheat your oven for 30 minutes prior to baking.
• Use good quality pans like Fat Daddio.
• Spray your pans with nonstick spray and line with parchment paper. 
• Don’t overmix your cake batter once you add the dry ingredients.
• Use room temperature wet ingredients.
• Use fresh baking powder.
• Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out with a few moist crumbs on it

Print

Chocolate Chip Cookie Cake

Inspired by the Sprinkles Cookie Cupcake, I’ve created my new Chocolate Chip Cookie Cake with layers of dark chocolate cookie crust, tender yellow chocolate chip cake, silky brown sugar frosting and dusted in chocolate chip cookie crumbs.

Course Dessert

Cuisine Cake

Keyword brown sugar buttercream, brown sugar frosting, Chocolate Chip, chocolate chip cookie cake, Yellow Cake

Prep Time 1 hour hour

Cook Time 30 minutes minutes

Inactive Time 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 2 hours hours

Servings 1 3-layer, 8-inch round cake

Author Courtney Rich

Ingredients

FOR THE CRUST

• 1 1/3 cups (160 g) all-purpose flour
• 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
• 1 1/3 cups (157.3 g) dark cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoons (6 g) salt
• 12 tablespoons (170 g) unsalted butter, melted

FOR THE CAKE

• 3 cups (345 g) cake flour
• 2 teaspoons (8 g) baking powder
• 1 teaspoon (6 g) salt
• 1 cup (226 g) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1/3 cup (72.6 g) canola oil
• 1 3/4 cups (350 g) granulated sugar
• 5 large eggs, room temperature
• 2 large egg yolks, room temperature
• 1 tablespoon (13 g) clear vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon (4.2 g) butter extract
• 1 cup (240 g) full fat sour cream, room temperature
• 1 cup (150 g) mini chocolate chips, dusted in 1 tablespoon flour

FOR THE BROWN SUGAR SWISS MERINGUE BUTTERCREAM

• 2 cup (400 g) brown sugar
• 7 egg whites
• 2 cups (452 g) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 teaspoon (4.2 g) vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon (3 g) salt
• *This buttercream recipe makes enough to fill and cover your cake. If you want to add additional piping you’ll want to make an extra 1/2 batch.

FOR THE GARNISH

• Chips Ahoy Chocolate Chip Cookies

Instructions

For the Crust

• Preheat your oven to 300 degrees F. Spray three 8-inch round cake pans with nonstick spray, line the bottoms with parchment paper and spray again. Set aside.
• Combine the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and paddle on low speed until mixed.
• Add the butter and mix on low speed until the mixture starts to come together in small clusters.
• Spread 8 ounces of the chocolate crumbs on the parchment in each the three 8-inch cake pans. Using the back of a spoon, push the crumbs together to form a crust. Bake for 6 to 8 minutes.
• Let the crust cool a bit while you make the yellow cake. 

For the Cake

• While the chocolate cookie crust is cooling, turn your oven to 325 degrees F.
• In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the cake flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, combine the butter, oil, and sugar. Beat on medium-high speed for about 2 minutes, until light and fluffy.
• Turn the mixer to medium-low and add the eggs and egg yolks, one at a time, scraping down the sides of the bowl in between each addition. Add the extracts. Turn the mixer to medium-high speed and mix for an addition 2 to 3 minutes, until the texture is smooth and the color is light.
• With the mixer on low speed, alternately add the flour mixture and the sour cream, starting and ending with the flour mixture. Stir just until the flour is combined. Stop the mixer and scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl.
• In a small bowl, combine the mini chocolate chips with 1 tablespoon of flour. This helps to coat the chocolate chips so they don’t sink to the bottom of the cake.
• Fold the chocolate chips into the cake batter.
• Evenly distribute the cake batter in the pans on top of cookie crust.
• Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cakes comes out with only just a few crumbs on it.
• Cool the cakes on wire racks for about 10 minutes. Carefully invert the cakes onto cooking racks to cool completely. If you don’t plan to stack and decorate the cake right away, wrap each layer in plastic wrap or tin foil and freeze. 

For the Buttercream

• In a medium sauce pan, heat 2 to 3 inches of water over medium-high heat until simmering.
• Using a stand mixer, fitted with the whisk attachment, whip sugar and egg whites on medium-high until foamy.
• Remove the bowl from the stand mixer and place over the saucepan to create a double boiler. Do not let the bowl touch the water. Pour out some water, if necessary.
• Heat the mixture to 160-170 degrees F, stirring occasionally.
• Carefully transfer the bowl back to the stand mixer. Whip the mixture on high speed for 8 to 10 minutes, until stiff peaks form and the bottom of the bowl is no longer warm to the touch.
• Change the whisk attachment to the paddle attachment. With the mixer on low speed, gradually add the butter, a couple tablespoons at a time. Once incorporated, add the vanilla.
• With the mixer on medium-high speed, beat the btutercream for 3 to 5 minutes, scraping down the bowl at least twice during the process. The texture should be silky-smooth

Assembly

• Spread a small dollop of buttercream on your cake board. Place the first cake layer on the board, with the chocolate cookie crust on the bottom.
• Spread about 3/4 cup of the brown sugar buttercream on top of the cake layer. Make sure to get eye level with the cake to ensure it is level.
• Sprinkle three crushed chocolate chip cookies (big chunks of cookie are ok!) on the frosting and tap them with your fingers to gently set them into the frosting.
• Place the second cake layer, chocolate cookie crust on the bottom, on top of the buttercream and cookie crumbs. Repeat step 2 and 3.
• Place the final cake layer, chocolate cookie crust on the bottom, on top of the second layer of buttercream and cookie crumbs.
• Spread a thin layer of buttercream around the entire cake to lock in any crumbs. This is called the crumb coat. Freeze the cake for 10 minutes to ensure the crumbs get locked into this coat of buttercream. After the buttercream is set, continue to frost the cake. I used about 16 cookies to pulse in my blender to get find crumbs for the outside of my cake.

The post Chocolate Chip Cookie Cake with Brown Sugar Frosting first appeared on Cake by Courtney.

Blueberry Cobbler Cake

What is it about cobblers and crisps that immediately make me think of summer? Am I the only one, or are these classic summer desserts something you think about as soon as June 1st hits? For some, it might be the memories of camping and making a cobbler or crisp in the dutch oven. For me, it’s the memory of my mom baking in the kitchen on summer Sunday nights.

Growing up, we always had a big family dinner on Sunday. My dad would grill some sort of meat, my mom would make some sides and whip up a delicious, but easy dessert (she did have four kids to wrangle up, after all). Blueberry cobbler and peach crisp were two of mom’s go-to Sunday summer desserts — served fresh out of the oven with a scoop

A few years ago, I turned mom’s Peach Crisp into my Peach Crisp Cake. Today, I’ve turned her Blueberry Cobbler into my Blueberry Cobbler Cake.

Ingredients You’ll Need For Blueberry Cobbler Cake

In addition to the common baking ingredients you’re used to (i.e. cake flour, granulated sugar, butter, eggs, etc.), make sure you have the following:

• Blueberry emulsion
• Blueberries
• Vanilla bean paste
• Buttermilk
• Heavy whipping cream

How to Make the Best Cake Layers

Don’t forget to follow my go-to tips for getting your cakes to rise and bake well:

• Preheat your oven for 30 minutes prior to baking.
• Use good quality pans like Fat Daddio.
• Spray your pans with nonstick spray and line with parchment paper. 
• Don’t overmix your cake batter once you add the dry ingredients.
• Use room temperature wet ingredients.
• Use fresh baking powder.
• Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out with a few moist crumbs on it.

NOTE: These cake layers rise to about 1-1.25″ high. If you want thicker cake layers, I suggest adding an extra half-batch to the recipe.

How to Make Buttercream Frosting

To get a light and fluffy vanilla buttercream frosting, make sure you follow my tips over at HOW TO MAKE THE BEST BUTTERCREAM

• Sift your powdered sugar
• Use slightly cold butter
• Use heavy whipping cream
• Beat for 5 minutes
• Stir by hand

You’ll want to check out the post linked above for more details on each step.

How to Cake It

Before you start stacking your cake, make sure you’ve chilled your layers for at least an hour in the freezer. I find that freezing my layers to chill them a little makes it easier to stack and frost my cakes. When you’re ready to stack and decorate, just make sure the layers aren’t totally frozen (otherwise your buttercream will harden too quickly as you apply it to the cake).

Assembly Instructions

• Place first cake layer, top side up, in the center of your cake board or cake plate. 
• Spread about 1/2 cup of buttercream evenly over the cake.
• Pipe a rim of buttercream around the edge of the cake.
• Spread about 1/2 cup of the blueberry compote over the cake. 
• Sprinkle about 1/2 cup of the crumble over the blueberry compote. Pat into place.
• Place second cake layer on top of fillings and repeat these steps.
• Place final cake layer on top and cover with a thin coat of buttercream. 
• Freeze the cake for 10 to 15 minutes to set the crumb coat. 
• Finish frosting the cake after the crumb coat is set with the remaining buttercream.

Best Blueberry Cakes

Looking for other blueberry cakes? I’ve got you covered!

• Lemon Blueberry Cake
• Blueberry Delight Cake
• Blueberry Streusel Muffin Cake
  

Best Summer Cakes

Other summer cakes I think you’ll love:

• Strawberry Pretzel Delight Cake
• Pina Colada Cake
• Root Beer Float Cake
• Orange Almond Poppy Seed Cake
• Mojito Cake

Print

Blueberry Cobbler Cake

Blueberry cake layers with vanilla buttercream, blueberry compote, and cobbler crunch filling.

Course Dessert

Cuisine Cake

Keyword blueberry cake, blueberry cobbler, blueberry cobbler cake, blueberry dessert, Intermediate, Vanilla Buttercream

Prep Time 1 hour hour

Servings 1 3-layer, 8-inch cake

Ingredients

FOR THE BLUEBERRY CAKE

• 2 cups (200 g) blueberries fresh or frozen
• 3 cups plus 3 tablespoons (366.5 g) cake flour
• 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon (16 g) baking powder
• 3/4 teaspoon (4.2 g) salt
• 1 cup (227 g) unsalted butter at room temperature
• 1 3/4 cups (350 g) granulated sugar
• 1 whole egg at room temperature
• 4 large egg whites at room temperature
• 1 teaspoon (4.2 g) vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon (4.2 g) blueberry emulsion

FOR THE BLUEBERRY COMPOTE

• 2 cups (200 g) fresh or frozen blueberries
• 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup (118 g) water
• 2 tablespoons (18 g) corn starch sifted
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice

FOR THE BUTTERCREAM

• 2 cups (452 g) unsalted butter slightly cold
• 6 cups (750 g) powdered sugar measured and then sifted
• 4 tablespoons (57.75 g) heavy whipping cream
• 1 tablespoon (13 g) vanilla bean paste
• Pinch of salt
• *This buttercream recipe makes enough to fill and cover your cake. If you want to add additional piping, you’ll want to make an extra 1/2 batch.

For the Crumble

• 1/2 cup (100 g) granulated sugar
• 2 tablespoons (27.5 g) packed brown sugar
• 3/4 cup (86.25) cake flour
• 1/2 teaspoon (2 g) baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon (3 g) salt
• 1/2 teaspoon (1.3 g) cinnamon
• 1/4 cup grapeseed oil
• 1/2 teaspoon (2.1 g) vanilla extract

US Customary – Metric

Instructions

FOR THE BLUEBERRY CAKE

• HEAT THE OVEN: Preheat your oven to 325 degrees. Spray three 8-inch round pans with nonstick spray, line the bottom of each pan with parchment paper and spray again. Set aside. 
• MAKE THE PUREE: In a medium saucepan, cook the blueberries over medium-low heat until the berries soften. Transfer berries to a blender or food processor and pulse until smooth. Should make 1 cup puree. Set aside.
• MIX THE INGREDIENTS: In a medium bowl whisk together the cake flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
• In a bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar together on medium-high for about 2 to 3 minutes, until lighter in color.
• With the mixer in medium speed, add the egg whites and egg, one at a time. Make sure to scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl between additions. Once all of the eggs are added, turn the mixer to medium-high and beat for an additional 2 minutes.
• Stir in the vanilla extract and blueberry emulsion.
• With the mixer on low, alternately add the dry ingredients with the blueberry puree in three additions, starting and finishing with the dry ingredients.
• NOTE: I left my batter naturally colored by the emulsion and puree. For more of a purple or blue, use a drop of food coloring.
• BAKE THE CAKE: Evenly divide the batter between the three pans (about 15 ounces of batter in each) and bake for about 25 to 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out with a few moist crumbs on it.
• Let the cake layers cool on racks for 10 minutes before inverting onto greased wire racks to cool completely.
• Wrap each cake layer with plastic wrap and chill in freezer for at least an hour before using. The cake layers can be stored for up to a few days wrapped once in plastic wrap and frozen. To store longer than a few days, wrap twice in plastic wrap, then in foil, and seal in a zip-lock bag.

FOR THE COMPOTE

• MIX THE INGREDIENTS: Combine all of the ingredients in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a soft boil and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. You want the blueberries to burst and the liquid to thicken. It should coat your spoon well.
• This is best made a day or two ahead of time. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

FOR THE BUTTERCREAM

• BEAT THE BUTTER: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter for about 2 minutes.
• MIX THE INGREDIENTS: With the mixer on low, gradually add the sifted powdered sugar, one cup at a time, mixing a little in between each addition.
• With mixer on medium speed, add whipping cream, vanilla bean and salt.
• Turn the mixer to medium-high speed and beat for an additional 3 to 5 minutes. The buttercream will become lighter in color and texture.
• Before spreading on your cake, spend a couple minutes mixing the buttercream by hand with a wooden spoon to push out the air pockets. 

FOR THE CRUMBLE

• HEAT YOUR OVEN: Preheat your oven to 300 degrees F.
• MIX THE INGREDIENTS: Combine the sugars, flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on low until combined.
• Add the oil and the vanilla and beat on low until the dry ingredients are "wet."
• Spread the crumbs on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Use your hands to clump some of the pieces together to make larger chunks.
• BAKE THE CRUMBS: Bake the crumbs for about 15 minutes and then let cool completely before using.

ASSEMBLY

• STACK THE LAYERS: Place the first cake layer, top side up, in the center of a cake board or cake plate.
• Evenly 1/2 cup of buttercream over the cake layer and then pipe a rim of buttercream around the edge of the cake.
• Gently spread about 1/2 cup of the blueberry compote over the buttercream.
• Sprinkle about 1/2 cup of the crumble over the blueberry compote and pat into place.
• Repeat these step until you get to the final cake layer, which you will lay top side down.
• Apply a thin coat of buttercream around the entire cake to lock in the crumbs. Freeze for about 10 minutes.
• After the crumb coat is set, continue frosting and decorating the cake.

The post Flavor-Bursting Blueberry Cobbler Cake with Crumble Filling first appeared on Cake by Courtney.

Peach Crisp Cake

My Peach Crisp Cake with cinnamon oat crumble has been on the blog for over 5 years, but needed a little updating to match the updates in my cookbook. This cake is one of my favorite cakes of all time! I say that about a lot of cakes, but this one is no doubt in my top ten.

The cake layers are so tender and moist, the fillings are flavorful and add two different texture elements that truly make it feel like you’re eating a peach crisp, and the buttercream is like the ice cream on top!

Ingredients You Need for Peach Crisp Cake

• Cake flour
• Baking powder
• Salt
• Unsalted butter
• Canola or vegetable oil
• Granulated sugar
• Eggs
• Butter extract
• Vanilla extract
• Peach yogurt

I started with my classic yellow cake as a base for this cake. It’s tender and buttery, and almost reminds me of the topping you’d put on a cobbler. I made one change to the recipe and substituted Chobani Peach Greek Yogurt instead of the sour cream. It adds just a hint of peach flavor to the cake, but nothing too strong. I also reduced the amount of clear vanilla extract and pumped up the butter flavor with extra butter extract.

HOW TO MAKE MOIST CAKE FROM SCRATCH

Don’t forget to follow my go-to tips for getting moist cakes that rise well:

• Preheat your oven for 30 minutes prior to baking.
• Use good quality pans like Fat Daddio.
• Spray your pans with nonstick spray and line with parchment paper. 
• Make sure to beat the butter, sugar, oil and eggs really well. The mixture should be smooth in texture and nearly doubled in volume when you’re done mixing. THIS ONE IS IMPORTANT!
• Don’t overmix your cake batter once you add the dry ingredients.
• Use room temperature wet ingredients. Not cold at all.
• Use fresh baking powder.
• Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out with a few moist crumbs on it. REMEMBER: the cake continues to bake for a few minutes while it cools in the pan.

Peach Compote

What if peaches aren’t in season when I make this cake?

While I know we all wish peach season was year-round, unfortunately, it’s not. If you decide to make this cake when peaches aren’t in season, you can ABSOLUTELY use canned peaches. Just make sure to use the ones without added sugar. We’ve got plenty of that already in the cake!

Can I make the compote ahead of time?

Totally! I prefer to do this, in fact. Just make sure to store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

Cinnamon Oat Crumble

This is probably my favorite element of the cake. It’s a total game changer. The flavor and texture add so much to this Peach Crisp Cake! Make sure you have the following ingredients on-hand for the crumble:

• Old fashioned rolled oats (not quick oats)
• Light brown sugar
• All purpose flour
• Unsalted butter
• Cinnamon
• Salt

Vanilla Bean Buttercream Frosting

This recipe calls for vanilla bean paste in the buttercream. The bean paste is what creates those gorgeous specks you see. There are so many brands of vanilla and vanilla bean paste. I say, use whatever you can find and is cost efficient. I know prices have gone up significantly and it’s likely they’re not going down any time soon either. You can find vanilla bean paste at Walmart, Michaels craft store, Amazon and even some grocery stores now too. If you’re having a hard time finding paste, use extract – same amount.

How to Make Buttercream Frosting

To get a light and fluffy homemade buttercream frosting, make sure you follow my tips over at: HOW TO MAKE THE BEST BUTTERCREAM

These steps are written up for my vanilla buttercream, but are supposed to be applied to any of my buttercream recipes.

• Sift your powdered sugar
• Use slightly cold butter
• Use heavy whipping cream
• Beat for 5 minutes
• Stir by hand

You’ll want to check out the post linked above for more details on each step.

ASSEMBLY

When you assemble the cake, I think you’ll find it helpful to freeze the cake before applying the crumb coat. I know I usually tell you to freeze the cake after the crumb coat, and I suggest you do that here too, but freezing the cake after you stack it will help stabilize the soft filling.

The end result of this cake is beyond what I hoped for. Honestly, I expected I would like it, but I absolutely LOVE it. I won’t even hesitate to say it’s one of my favorite cakes I’ve made.

Hope you love it too!

Video Tutorial

This video is 100 years old, but it still shows the assembly process well  

Other Fruit-Filled Cakes You’ll Love

• Peaches and Cream Cake
• Peach Upside Down Cake
• Lemon Blueberry Cake
• Blueberry Cobbler Cake

Print

Peach Crisp Cake

Tender yellow cake layers with a cinnamon oat crumble, peach compote and whipped vanilla bean buttercream make up this perfect summer Peach Crisp Cake.

Course Dessert

Cuisine Cake

Keyword Cinnamon Oat Crumble, peach, Peach Compote, Peach Crisp Cake, Vanilla Buttercream, Yellow Cake

Servings 1 3-layer, 8-inch round cake

Ingredients

FOR THE CAKE

• 3 cups plus 3 tablespoons (366 g) cake flour
• 2 teaspoons (8 g) baking powder
• 1 teaspoon (6 g) salt
• 1 cup (226 g) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 2 cups (400 g) granulated sugar
• 1/3 cup (73.3 g) canola oil
• 5 eggs, room temperature
• 2 egg yolks, room temperature
• 2 teaspoons (8.4 g) butter extract
• 1 teaspoon (4.2 g) clear vanilla extract
• 1 cup (245 g) Chobani Peach Greek Yogurt, room temperature

FOR THE CRUMBLE

• 3/4 cup (67 g) oats
• 1/4 cup (50 g) light brown sugar, packed
• 1/4 cup (30 g) all-purpose flour
• 3 tablespoons (42.4 g) unsalted butter, cold and cut into cubes
• 1/2 teaspoon (1.32 g) ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon (2 g) salt

FOR THE COMPOTE

• 2 cups (450 g) peaches chopped, fresh or canned
• 2 tablespoons (27.5 g) light brown sugar, packed
• 1 teaspoon (2.5 g) cornstarch, dissolved in 1 Tbsp cold water

FOR THE BUTTERCREAM

• 2 cups (452 g) unsalted butter, slightly chilled
• 6 cups (750 g) powdered sugar, measured and then sifted
• 1 tablespoon (12.6 g) vanilla bean paste
• pinch of salt
• 1/4 cup (57.75 g) heavy whipping cream
• *This buttercream recipe makes enough to fill and cover your cake. If you want to add additional piping you’ll want to make an extra 1/2 batch.

Instructions

For the Cake

• Preheat your oven to 325 degrees F. Spray three 8-inch with non-stick spray, line the bottoms with parchment paper and spray again. Set aside.
• In a medium size mixing bowl, whisk together the cake flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, combine the butter, oil, and sugar. Beat on medium speed for about 3 to 5 minutes, until light and fluffy.
• Turn the mixer to medium-low and add the eggs and egg yolks, one at a time, scraping down the sides of the bowl in between each addition. Add the extracts and then turn the mixer to medium-high and beat for an additional 3 minutes. We want the texture to be smooth, the color to look lighter, and the volume to have nearly doubled in size.
• With the mixer on low, alternately add the flour mixture with the Chobani yogurt, starting and ending with the flour. Mix until just combined.
• Evenly distribute the cake batter in the three pans, about 16 to 17 ounces of batter in each 8-inch pan.
• Bake the cakes for about 30 to 35 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cakes comes out with only just a few crumbs on it.
• Cool the cakes on wire racks for about 10 minutes. Carefully invert the cakes onto cooking racks to cool completely. If you don’t plan to stack and decorate the cake right away, level the cakes if needed and then immediately wrap each layer in plastic wrap or tin foil and freeze. 
• About an hour before assembly, remove the cake layers from the freezer.

For the Crumble

• Preheat your oven to 375 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
• In a medium bowl, combine the oats, brown sugar, flour, butter, cinnamon and salt. Mix by hand with a wooden spoon until the mixture resembles clumps of sand. Spread the crumble over the parchment paper and bake for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring halfway through. The crumble should be golden brown. Let it cool completely and then crumble the mixture into smaller pieces, if needed.

For the Compote

• Place 1 cup of the peaches and the sugar into a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil and simmer for 10 minutes. Transfer mixture to a small food processor or blender and pulse until it becomes more of a puree. Pour the mixture back into the saucepan.
• Add remaining 1 cup of peaches and cook for 5 minutes. Add cornstarch slurry and simmer until thick. Cool completely before using on cake. 

For the Buttercream

• In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment cream the butter on medium speed for about 3 minutes, until the mixture is light and fluffy.
• With the mixer on low speed, slowly add the powdered sugar, followed by the heavy cream, vanilla bean paste, and dash of salt.
• Continue to beat the frosting on medium-high speed for an additional 5 minutes.    
• Before frosting your cake, mix the frosting by hand with a wooden spoon to push out the air pockets.

Assembly

• Place the first cake layer, top side up (crumb side up), on a cake board or cake plate. Using an offset icing spatula, spread a thin layer of frosting over the cake layer. This creates a barrier between the cake and peach filling so the cake doesn’t become soggy. 
• Pipe a rim of frosting around the edge of the cake layer. This will help support the cake layers and prevent the peach filling from spilling out. (You may even need to pipe a second time over the first rim you made).
• Spread about half of the peach filling on the cake layer. 
• Sprinkle about half of the crumble over the peach filling.
• Gently place the second cake layer on top of the filling and crumble and repeat steps 2 to 4.
• Place the final cake layer top side down on the second layer of filling. 
• Freeze the cake for about 10 minutes to help set the frosting and filling, making it a bit more stable for when you frost. If the cake still feels wobbly, add a dowel to the center of the cake (or you can even use drinking straws for this).
• After the filling is set, use a small amount of frosting to apply a crumb coat around the entire cake. Freeze the cake again for another 10 minutes to set the crumb coat.
• After the crumbs are locked in, continue to frost and decorate the cake.

The post The Most Delicious Peach Crisp Cake with Cinnamon Oat Crumble first appeared on Cake by Courtney.

I have made a lot of cakes using raspberries, so I’ve learned a thing or two about raspberry filling! If you follow these simple tips, you’ll soon know how to fill your cakes with the most delicious raspberry filling. This is seriously the best way to fill a cake with raspberry filling. And now is the best time to try it with spring here and summer on the way!

I love finding ways to incorporate raspberries into my cake recipes. Their perfect balance of sweet and tart makes them the perfect ingredient for cake. Plus, they taste so well with so many different flavors. You can check out all of my raspberry cake recipes here to get some ideas for your next cake to bake! Of course, after you finish this cake you’re working on with the raspberry filling.

The Best Way to Fill a Cake with Raspberry Filling

Raspberry Filling Tip #1: Use freeze-dried raspberries

Freeze-dried raspberries are the way to go when making raspberry filling. Using freeze-dried raspberries (as opposed to fresh or frozen) will help create a thick, Greek yogurt-like texture which is what you want for your raspberry filling. The freeze-dried raspberries, when pulverized, absorb some of the moisture from the cream, giving you that thickness. Using fresh or frozen raspberries will not give you that same texture and it will be a lot harder to work with!

Raspberry Filling Tip #2: Use a food processor to blend the raspberries

Raspberry cream is best made in a food processor, however, you can pull it off in a blender if needed. You start out by pulsing your freeze-dried raspberries until it resembles a powder, Next, you add the sugar and the cream. Check out this raspberry cream cupcake recipe for the full instructions on how to use the food processor to make your raspberry cream filling. 

Raspberry Filling Tip #3: Use high-fat heavy whipping cream

I recommend using high-fat heavy whipping cream for your raspberry filling. I like to use 40% Darigold. The fat will help keep the raspberry filling thick and retain enough moisture so it’s easier to work with for spreading and even piping. Also, make sure your whipping cream is cold when you add it to your filling. Both of these factors will play a huge role in giving you the best raspberry cream filling for your cake!

Raspberry Filling Tip #4: Use an offset icing spatula

Using an offset icing spatula to spread any type of filling for your cake is such a game-changer! You can check out my favorite products here for baking cakes. Believe me, when it comes to baking cakes, brands matter! Here are a few of my recipes that show you how to fill a cake with raspberry filling:

• Pink Velvet Cake with Raspberry Buttercream
• Chocolate Raspberry Swiss Roll with Raspberry Cream Filling
• Raspberry Chocolate Truffle Cake (This one includes a step-by-step tutorial.)

The Best Way to Fill a Cake with Raspberry Filling

I hope these tips help you next time your baking in the kitchen! As I said, I believe following these tips really will help you learn the best way to fill a cake with raspberry filling. And, I’m guessing you’ll want to decorate your raspberry cream-filled cake with a few fresh raspberries too. Check out this post on how to decorate cakes with raspberries. I talk about a few more of my favorite raspberry cake recipes in that post too! 

I can’t wait to see how your raspberry cakes turn out! Feel free to tag me on your stories of the cake creations you make. You can find me on Instagram @cakebycourtney. Make sure to follow me too, to get the best tips and tricks on all things cake!

More Recipes You’ll Love

• The Best Raspberry Cream Cupcakes
• Raspberry Oreo Cake with Cookies and Cream Filling
• Raspberry Chocolate Truffle Cake with Chocolate Ganache
• Light and Fluffy Coconut Lemon Raspberry Cake
• Next Level Graham Cracker Butter from Scratch

The post The Best Way to Fill a Cake with Raspberry Filling first appeared on Cake by Courtney.

This post is dedicated to all my bakers who love raspberries. Raspberries are so beautiful to look at and probably one of the most delicious berries to eat. And they have the perfect flavor to pair with cakes. I have made so many different cakes that showcase raspberries in flavor and beauty. But this post is all about how to decorate a cake with raspberries. I hope you enjoy!

I thought it would be best to showcase 5 different cakes I’ve made that I decorated with raspberries to help gives you some raspberry decorating ideas. There are so many more ways than just 5 to decorate your cakes, but these are some of my favorites! I hope you learn something new and have fun trying these raspberry decorating ideas out on your own cakes. 

5 Ways to Decorate a Cake with Raspberries

Raspberry Cake #1: Raspberry Pretzel Cake

I actually decorated the top of this Raspberry Pretzel Cake with the raspberry pretzel filling I spread between the cake layers. I want you to know there are so many ways to decorate or finish a cake! I loved leaving this one uncovered because the cake layers themselves are so amazing to look at. So, this cake shows how you can decorate a cake with raspberries by using the raspberry filling you intended to use throughout the cake. I love how this one turned out and I hope you do too! 

Raspberry Cake #2: Raspberry Chocolate Truffle Cake

I love the decoration on this Raspberry Chocolate Truffle Cake. There are a lot of different elements to it, but it all works together so nicely and is actually pretty simple to put together. For this cake, I did a chocolate ganache drip on a portion of the cake, then placed a few raspberries over it, and then piped some dollops of cream in between the raspberries. So, this cake is a good example of how you can incorporate other decoration elements (buttercream, ganache, chocolate shavings) with your raspberries to help it all come together. 

Raspberry Cake #3: Chai White Chocolate Raspberry Cake

One of the crispest color combinations is red and white. I absolutely love the look of the fresh raspberries on my Chai White Chocolate Raspberry Cake. One of the things that I enjoy most about raspberries is that they are already beautiful to look at without you having to do anything to them. Sometimes it’s nice to keep it simple and put a border of raspberries around the top of your cake. Don’t be afraid to go simple–sometimes that’s exactly what a cake needs for it to look clean and elegant. 

Raspberry Cake #4: Layered Pink Pavlova with Vanilla Custard

A very simple trick that makes raspberries stand out even more on a cake is to dust it with powdered sugar. On my Layered Pink Pavlova with Vanilla Custard, I sprinkled fresh raspberries in between the cake layers and then on top and finished it with powdered sugar. I don’t always recommend sprinkling fresh raspberries over the entire top of your cake, but I did it on this pavlova because it helped add some rich flavor.

Raspberry Cake #5: Raspberry Cream Cupcakes

We’re switching it up and talking about cupcakes for this one! A super easy way to decorate with raspberries is to make a raspberry cream. All you need is freeze-dried raspberries, sugar, and heavy cream. You have to specifically use freeze-dried raspberries (instead of frozen or fresh) in order to get a soft enough cream. That way you can use the cream to pipe onto the cupcakes. 

The raspberry cream itself is really beautiful as the specks of freeze-dried raspberries are sprinkled throughout! You can add a few freeze-dried raspberries on top of each cupcake to add a bit more decoration too. 

How to Decorate a Cake with Raspberries

I hope you enjoyed these cake decorating ideas! Do you feel like you know how to decorate a cake with raspberries now? As I said, there are so many more ways than just these five that you can decorate your cakes with raspberries. I’d love to see what creations you’ve made or what you will make with raspberries! You can send me your cake photos to me over on Instagram. And you can follow me there @cakebycourtney for more tips and tricks on all things cake!

The post How to Decorate a Cake with Raspberries first appeared on Cake by Courtney.

Lemon Poppy Seed Cake

This Lemon Poppy Seed Cake has been a favorite for years, but as I worked on my cookbook, I tweaked a few things to make it even better! You’ll see a similar recipe of this cake in my book with the Grapefruit Poppy Seed Cake. 

Why did I make changes? 

You’ll see in the pictures that this cake is meant to be light and fluffy in texture. However, as I talked to many of you, I learned that you struggled to get the same texture I was getting. So, to make it a bit easier, I changed up the creaming method and a few ingredients. 

How to Make Lemon Poppy Seed Cake

To make this cake light in color but incredibly moist, you’ll be using egg whites, lemon juice and some sour cream. Using all egg whites ensures we get a lovely white color, but we need to make sure we have enough fat in the cake to create and retain moisture. That’s where the sour cream comes in. One of the updates I made was reducing the sour cream, as to make sure the texture doesn’t get too dense for you. 

Ingredients You Need for Lemon Poppy Seed Cake

• Cake flour
• Baking powder
• Salt
• Poppy seeds
• Lemon zest 
• Lemon juice
• Unsalted butter
• Granulated sugar
• Egg whites
• Vanilla extract
• Sour cream

One of the most important elements to the cake making process, to ensure you get light and fluffy cake layers, is to make sure you beat the butter, sugar and eggs long enough. We want the batter at this point to look light and fluffy and to be SUPER smooth. 

To obtain a smooth texture, it’s a MUST to use ROOM TEMPERATURE ingredients. Otherwise, these ingredients won’t mix evenly, nor will they be properly absorbed by the dry ingredients – which means: your cake won’t rise well. 

What Flavors Can I Pair with Lemon Poppy Seed?

I also love that the possible flavor combinations in this cake are so versatile. Instead of raspberries, you could use blackberries, strawberries, blueberries, etc. You could also use a compote filling or even preserves.

For this cake, I simply cut raspberries in half and placed them into the buttercream.

Lemon Cream Cheese Buttercream

For this delicious Lemon Cream Cheese Buttercream, make sure to have the following ingredients on hand:

• Unsalted butter
• Powdered sugar
• Cream cheese
• Lemon extract
• Vanilla extract

With the cream cheese, this buttercream is slightly softer, so I don’t recommend piping with it.

More Lemon Cakes You’ll Love

• Lemon Bar Cake
• Lemon Blueberry Cake
• Lemon Oreo Cake
• Strawberry Lemonade Cake
• Lemon Poppy Seed Bundt Cake

Print

Lemon Poppy Seed Cake

Lemon poppy seed cake layers with lemon cream cheese frosting and fresh raspberries.

Course Dessert

Cuisine Cake

Keyword chocolate cream cheese frosting, cream cheese buttercream, Lemon, Lemon Cake, Lemon Poppy Seed, Lemon Poppy Seed Cake

Prep Time 1 hour hour 30 minutes minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

Total Time 2 hours hours 50 minutes minutes

Author Courtney Rich

Ingredients

FOR THE CAKE

• 3 cups (345 g) cake flour
• 2 tsp (8 g) baking powder
• 1 tsp (6 g) salt
• Zest of one lemon
• 3 tbsp (27 g) poppy seeds, 27 g, soaked in water for about an hour before hand*
• 1 cup (226 g) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1 3/4 cups (350 g) granulated sugar
• 6 large egg whites, at room temperature
• 1 cup (230 g) lemon juice
• 1/2 cup (120 g) sour cream, at room temperature

FOR THE BUTTERCREAM

• 6 cups (750 g) powdered sugar, measured and then sifted
• 6 ounces cream cheese slightly cold
• 1 1/2 cups (339 g) unsalted butter slightly cold
• 1 tsp (4.2 g) pure vanilla extract
• 1 tsp (4.2 g) lemon extract
• *This buttercream recipe makes enough to fill and cover your cake. If you want to add additional piping you’ll want to make an extra 1/2 batch.
• Filling and garnish: fresh raspberries, split in half about one small carton,

Instructions

FOR THE CAKE

• Preheat your oven to 325 degrees F. Spray three 8-inch or four 6-inch round cake pans with nonstick spray, line the bottom with parchment paper and spray again. Set aside.
• In a medium sized mixing bowl, whisk together the cake flour, baking powder, lemon zest, salt, and poppy seeds. Set aside.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer, fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and the sugar for two minutes on medium-high speed. You should notice the color get lighter and the texture should be smooth.
• Scrape down the sides of the bowl and begin to add the egg whites on medium speed, scraping down the sides and bottom of the bowl between addition. Continue to beat the mixture on medium-high speed for an addition 2 to 3 minutes. At this point, you're again looking for the batter to be lighter in color and larger in volume.
• With the mixer on low speed, add 1/3 of the flour mixture, followed by 1/2 cup of the lemon juice. Repeat the additions, 1/3 flour mixture, 1/2 cup juice and the final 1/3 flour mixture. Only mix until the flour mixture is incorporated, about 30 seconds. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl and mix again for another 20 to 30 seconds on low.
• Gently fold in the sour cream.
• Evenly divide the batter between each pan (about 16 ounces of cake batter into each of the three 8-inch cake pans or 12 ounces in each of the 6-inch pans) and bake for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out with a few moist crumbs on it. Let cool in the pans for about 15 minutes and then invert onto a wire rack to cool completely. (Tip: spray your wire cooling racks with nonstick spray).

FOR THE BUTTERCREAM

• In a large bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese and butter on medium speed until light and fluffy.
• Gradually add in the sifted powdered sugar, 1 cup at a time, beating well after each addition and scraping down the sides of the bowl.
• Continue to beat until very fluffy, about 3-4 minutes.
• Add the vanilla and lemon extract extract and beat well.
• Before using on your cake, mix the frosting by hand with a wooden spoon to push out the air pockets.

ASSEMBLY

• Place one cake layer, bottom side down, on a cake plate or cardboard cake board. Spread about 1 cup of frosting across the top of the cake layer. Make sure to get eye level with the cake to ensure the frosting is even. Cover with fresh raspberries.
• Place the next cake layer on top of the raspberries. Gently spread about 1 cup of the lemon cream cheese frosting over it.
• Repeat steps one and two for the second cake layer. 
• Place the final cake layer, top side down, on top. Give the cake a quick crumb coat and chill for 10 to 15 minutes in the freezer before frosting the entire cake.

Notes

*Poppy seeds absorb moisture. Make sure to soak the seeds to help keep the cake from becoming dry.

The post Light and Fluffy Lemon Poppy Seed Cake – Updated first appeared on Cake by Courtney.

I thought it was about time to put together a post dedicated to Nutella! If you all have been here a while, you know my love for peanut butter. It’s pretty hard to beat. But Nutella is definitely a close second, or maybe even a tie! If you and I share the same love for Nutella, you’ll love this easy Nutella buttercream frosting recipe. If you’re anything like me, you’ll be running to your cake mixer to test this recipe out! I hope you make some amazing cakes with this one. 

I have two cakes that I’ve used this easy Nutella buttercream frosting recipe on with only a slight difference between the two to help accommodate the type of cake I baked. The first is my chocolate strawberry Nutella cake. Can you think of any better combination than strawberry and Nutella? This cake has a lot of rich elements to it (like the Nutella and buttercream frosting) so I used my dark chocolate cake recipe to help balance everything out. 

The second cake I paired with this Nutella buttercream frosting recipe is my banana Nutella s’mores cake. Doesn’t that sound amazing? I know the smores part may throw you off, but just trust me on this! I got the original inspiration from a friend who sent me a picture of her while camping. She was eating a Nutella and banana stuffed s’more. I started working on a cake recipe for this idea the very next day! 

Easy Nutella Buttercream Frosting Recipe

Like I said earlier, there is a slight difference between the two recipes I used for the Nutella buttercream frosting on these two cakes. The main difference is for one I use full-fat sour cream and for the other, I use heavy whipping cream. Either one of these will work just fine, it’s just according to your preference. 

• Powdered sugar 
• Unsalted butter 
• Nutella
• Pure vanilla extract
• Hazelnut extract
• Full-fat sour cream (or heavy whipping cream)

While Nutella has hazelnut as one of its ingredients, I like to add a tiny bit more hazelnut extract to make the flavor stand out. And pairing this with the pure vanilla extract is a really amazing flavor! You can check out the cake recipes I linked above to give you the measurements of each ingredient and how to make it with your cake!

How to Make the Easy Nutella Buttercream Frosting

Step 1: Combine the butter and Nutella and beat on medium-high speed for 2-3 minutes.

Step 2: Add the sifted confectioners’ sugar, a little at a time until incorporated. Beat for another 2-3 minutes.

Step 3: Add remaining ingredients and beat for another two minutes, until light and fluffy. 

Step 4: Remove the bowl from the mixer and use a wooden spoon and mix by hand to stir out the air bubbles.

While this Nutella buttercream is best used right away, you can make it ahead of time and store it in your fridge if needed. Just make sure that when you do use it, it gets back to room temperature first and you re-beat it before applying it to your cake. 

Easy Nutella Buttercream Frosting Recipe

I can’t wait for you to try out this easy Nutella buttercream frosting recipe! It’d be so fun if you added your cake with this Nutella buttercream to your stories and tag me in it. You can find me @cakebycourtney. You can also follow me there for the best tips and tricks on all things cake!

The post Easy Nutella Buttercream Frosting Recipe  first appeared on Cake by Courtney.