Raspberry Cheese Danish Bundt Cake

My Raspberry Cheese Danish Bundt Cake is inspired by my popular Cheese Danish Cake, which was inspired by the most delicious cheese danish from Farmstead Bakery in St. George, Utah. The Cheese Danish Cake has been such a huge hit and if you haven’t made it yet, I think my mom’s reaction to the cake will definitely convince you to!

As I worked on my new book, “BAKE, by Courtney,” I knew I wanted to create a bundt cake version of the Cheese Danish Cake. As I played around with flavors, I landed on fresh raspberries and a raspberry glaze.

For the Bundt Cake

For the cake, I used the same cake batter from the Cheese Danish Cake, which comes from my Cherry Cheese Pie Cake. These layers are slightly more dense than a typical vanilla cake, but it’s still so tender and moist. We’re using a stick of cream cheese and adding a full tablespoon of vanilla bean paste. The flavor is to-die-for!

Make sure to use fresh raspberries, or sub for another berry like blueberries. Avoid, frozen berries, however, because they’ll release too much water into the cake batter.

Benefits of Making a Bundt Cake

Bundt cakes are known for their distinct ring shape, which is created using a bundt pan with a tube in the center. This unique shape not only makes the cakes visually appealing but also offers several benefits:

1. Even Baking: The hole in the center of the bundt pan allows heat to circulate evenly throughout the cake, leading to consistent baking. This helps avoid undercooked or overcooked areas.
2. Attractive Presentation: Bundt cakes have a beautiful, intricate shape that looks impressive on its own. They require minimal decoration to look stunning, making them a popular choice for parties and events.
3. Versatility: Bundt cakes can be made with a variety of flavors and fillings, from traditional vanilla or chocolate to more exotic options like lemon, almond, or pumpkin. Bundt cakes are great all year and for any occassion!
4. Moist Texture: The design of the bundt pan helps keep the cake moist and tender, as the cake is typically baked more evenly.
5. Simple to Serve: The ring shape of a bundt cake makes it easy to slice and serve uniformly – and we love convenience of serving at parties with big groups.

Which Bundt Pan Should I Use?

For this bundt cake recipe, I used the Nordic Ware Brilliance Bundt Pan. The same of this pan is truly so stunning and I love how the glaze falls between the lines so perfectly, almost like a drip on a layered cake!

How Do I Make Sure My Cake Doesn’t Stick to My Bundt Pan

I have three tips for making sure your cake doesn’t stick to the bundt pan:

• Spray well with nonstick spray
• Dust with flour, or in this case, cocoa powder
• Allow the cake to cool COMPLETELY before inverting the pan into a cake plate to serve.

That last one is key! Give the cake a while to cool before flipping it out. When we try to flip the cake while it’s still warm is when the cake will stick and fall apart.

More BUNDT CAKES TO TRY

Copycat Tom Cruise White Chocolate Coconut Bundt Cake

Iced Oatmeal Cookie Bundt Cake Inspired by Mother’s Cookies

Melt-In-Your-Mouth Butter Cake

The Most Delicious Jelly Donut Bundt Cake

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Raspberry Cheese Danish Cake

Moist and tender cream cheese cake with fresh raspberries and a raspberry cream cheese glaze.

Course Dessert

Cuisine Cake

Keyword Bundt Cake, raspberry, Raspberry cheese danish bundt cake

Ingredients

FOR THE CAKE

• 3 cups (360 g) all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon (12 g) baking powder
• 1 teaspoon (6 g) salt
• 8 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
• 1 3/4 cups (350 g) granulated sugar
• 1 cup (218 g) grapeseed oil
• 1 tablespoon (13 g) vanilla bean paste
• 3 eggs, at room temperature
• 1 cup (240 g) buttermilk, at room temperature
• 1 cup (about 125 g) fresh raspberries

For the Glaze

• 1 cup (about 125 g) raspberries
• 1 cup (125 g) powdered sugar
• 2 ounces cream cheese

Instructions

FOR THE CAKE

• Preheat your oven to 325 degrees F. Spray a 10 or 12 cup bundt pan with nonstick spray. Coat the inside of the pan with granulated sugar. Set aside.
• In a medium size mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese until smooth.
• Add the sugar and grapeseed oil and continue to beat on medium-high speed until light in color and fluffy in texture, about 2 to 3 minutes.
• Add the eggs, one at a time, making sure to scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl in between additions. Stir in the vanilla bean paste.
• Continue to beat on medium-high speed for about 2 minutes, until the mixture gets smooth in texture and slightly bigger in volume.
• With the mixer on low speed, add ⅓ of the flour mixture, followed by ½ of the buttermilk, another ⅓ of the flour, the second half of the buttermilk, and then the remaining flour mixture. Stir until just combined.
• Gently fold in the raspberries.
• Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 60 to 65 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out with a few moist crumbs on it.
• Remove from oven and place the bundt pan on a cooling rack to cool completely. Allow the cake to cool for about an hour, until it’s room temperature, before inverting the cake on a cake stand. Allowing the cake to cool completely in the pan helps the cake to release from the sides cleanly when it’s time to take the cake out.

For the Glaze

• Puree the raspberries in a blender or food processor. Strain the mixture to remove the seeds.
• In a medium size mixing bowl, stir together the raspberry juice, powdered sugar and cream cheese.
• Drizzle over the bundt cake.

The post The Best Raspberry Cheese Danish Bundt Cake first appeared on Cake by Courtney.

The post The Best Raspberry Cheese Danish Bundt Cake appeared first on Cake by Courtney.

Why Sugar Free?

This is a recipe that has been frequently requested over the years – a sugar free cake!

To be honest, I’ve pushed this request to the back burner for a while because I didn’t want to come across as if I was making a “diet friendly” cake. I whole-heartedly believe in balance and moderation, and that cake, in it’s full fat, full sugar, full carb form, should be part of that balance.

However, I realize there are many cake lovers reading this who want to have cake in its truest form, but can’t due to health reasons. So, today, this cake is for you!

Sugar Replacements for Baking

As I started out on this cake, I knew from previous experiments with sugar replacements that I wasn’t a fan of Splenda or Stevia. I find they leave an after taste and are definitely noticeable in the recipe.

Just like when I made my Dairy Free and Egg Free Vanilla Cake, I wanted to make sure this cake taste as close to the real deal as possible. I just don’t think flavor and texture should ever be compromised, even in a healthier version.

So, with Splenda and Stevia already a no for me, I grabbed coconut sugar (which isn’t sugar free but is lower on the glycemic index) and monk fruit.

What is Monk Fruit?

Monk fruit is a small round fruit in the gourd family. It is considered a healing herb in Eastern medicine and has been used since its discovery to treat all kinds of ailments. Unlike other fruits, monk fruit’s sweetness comes from antioxidants called mogrosides. Monk fruit extract is all-natural, so there are not the same drawbacks of other artificial sweeteners.

Monk fruit extract is rated a zero on the glycemic index and has zero calories and zero carbs, so it won’t spike blood sugar. Diabetics can incorporate it into their diet more easily than sugar.

Recipe Testing

Round 1

In my first attempt, I thought about just doing a low-sugar cake and used a combination of coconut sugar and monk fruit. The result was a slightly golden brown colored cake that had a bit of a brown sugar flavor to it. I didn’t hate it, but it wasn’t the classic vanilla cake flavor I was going for. I do think coconut sugar would make a great substitute in any of my cakes that call for brown sugar, like my Biscoff Cake.

Round 2 and 3

For my second round, I used all monk fruit. Unfortunately, in this round, the cake sunk a bit. So, in round three, I increased the amount of cake flour by ¼ cup to help stabilize the cake more. It baked beautifully!

You’ll find that the “crumb” of this cake is quite fine, but isn’t not super airy. It’s a really nice, tender, flavorful cake.

How to Make a Sugar Free Cake

Ingredients You’ll Need

• Lakanto sugar free monk fruit sweetener and powdered sugar version – this brand is specifically important because there are fewer additives compared to other monk fruit sweeteners.
• Unsalted butter
• Cake flour
• Eggs
• Vanilla extract
• Baking powder
• Salt
• Buttermilk
• Sour cream
• Grapeseed oil

To make this Sugar Free Vanilla Cake, you’ll start by beating the butter, monk fruit, and oil together on medium-high speed until it becomes light and fluffy. You’ll then add the eggs, one at a time, beating well between each addition and then adding vanilla.

You’ll then turn the mixer to low speed and alternately add the flour mixture and buttermilk, followed by folding in the sour cream.

How to Make Swiss Meringue Buttercream

Swiss Meringue Buttercream is a buttercream made by heating egg whites and sugar together over a double boiler, whipping them until medium-stiff peaks form, and then adding butter and flavoring.

While SMB is a bit more involved than my usual American Buttercream, and can sometimes be a little tricky, once you master the steps to a Swiss Meringue Buttercream, you’ll love it. It’s a lot lighter in texture and flavor than an American Buttercream, which is why I don’t often use it. My family and I love the richness of an American Buttercream.

And before we get into some of the key points for making Swiss Meringue Buttercream, I have to introduce you to Tessa Huff of Style Sweet. She is a dear friend and taught me everything I know about SMB!

Tips for Making Swiss Meringue Buttercream

• Make sure your mixing bowl is completely clean and dry before making this buttercream.
• Egg whites should be completely free of any yolk.
• Whisk the sugar and egg whites together before heating over the double boiler.
• Use a candy thermometer to check the temperature of the egg and sugar mixture. It’s ready when the thermometer reaches 160 – 170 degrees F.
• Use the whisk attachment to beat the egg whites and sugar mixture.
• Switch to the paddle attachment when you add the butter and flavoring.
• You’ll know the meringue is ready for butter when the outside of the mixing bowl is no longer warm to the touch. Use your inner wrist to check.
• Butter should be room temperature when you add it. If it’s not, and it’s too cold, the meringue will start to curdle.
• If the buttercream looks soupy, refrigerate it for about 10 to 15 minutes and then mix again.

Cake Making Tips

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.
• Beat the butter and sugar for a few minutes on medium-high speed, until light and fluffy. 
• 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.

If you’re interest in dairy and egg replacements, be sure to check out the links below.

More Cakes to Love

Egg-Free and Dairy-Free Vanilla Cake

Egg-Free and Dairy-Free Chocolate Cake with Chocolate Frosting

The Most Delicious Gluten Free Vanilla Cake with Mixed Berry Buttercream

Simple and Delicious Gluten Free Baked Apple Crisp Bites

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Sugar Free Vanilla Cake

Sugar free vanilla cake with a sugar free swiss meringue buttercream.

Course Dessert

Cuisine Cake

Keyword monk fruit cake, sugar free cake, sugar free vanilla cake, swiss meringue buttercream

Prep Time 1 hour 30 minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes

Total Time 1 hour 50 minutes

Servings 20

Ingredients

FOR THE CAKE

• 1 cup (226 g) unsalted butter room temperature
• 1 1/2 cups (350 g) Lakanto monkfruit sweetener Use THIS brand
• 1/3 cup (72.6 g) grapeseed oil
• 3 large whole eggs at room temperature
• 3 large egg whites at room temperature
• 3 1/4 cups (373 g) cake flour
• 3 teaspoons (12 g) baking powder
• 1 teaspoon (4 g) salt
• 1 tablespoon (12 g) vanilla extract
• 1 cup (240 g) buttermilk at room temperature
• 1/4 cup (60 g) sour cream at room temperature

FOR THE BUTTERCREAM

• 1/2 cup (115 g) egg whites
• 1 1/3 cups (280 g) Lakanto monkfuit powdered sugar or, you can use a blender or food processor to blend the monkfruit granules to create a monkfruit powdered sugar.
• 2 cups (452 g) unsalted butter at room temperature
• 1 tablespoon (12 g) 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 ½ batch.

FOR THE DRIP

• 1 cup (150 g) white chocolate chips I prefer Guittard White Cookie Drops (Orson Gygi(
• ¼ cup (57.75 g) heavy whipping cream

Instructions

FOR THE CAKE

• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Prepare two 8-inch or three 6-inch round cake pans with non-stick spray, parchment paper on the bottom of the pan, and another coat of spray. Set aside.
• In a medium size bowl, whisk together the cake flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer, fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter, oil, and monkfruit on high until fluffy and smooth, about 5 minutes.
• Add the eggs and the egg whites, one at a time and beating well between each addition, to the bowl and beat on medium until well incorporated. It may look curdled, don't stress.
• Turn the mixer on low and add ⅓ of the flour mixture to the butter mixture and mix until fully incorporated. Then add half of the buttermilk and blend well, followed by another ⅓ of the flour mixture, the second half of the buttermilk and lastly, add the remaining flour mixture and mix until incorporated.
• Add the vanilla extract and beat on low until incorporated. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and mix on low for another 30 seconds. Fold in the sour cream.
• Evenly distribute the cake batter among the two 8-inch or three 6-inch pans and bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until toothpick comes out with just a few moist crumbs on it.
• Remove cakes from the oven and let cool in pans for 10 minutes before inverting onto cooling racks.
• When cakes are completely cooled, I like to wrap each cake layer individually with plastic wrap and stick it in the refrigerator or freezer until I’m ready to frost. The cake will be easier to work with if it’s cooled a bit. If I’m making the cake a day or two before I actually need to frost it, I put it in the freezer to ensure freshness. If I’m frosting same-day, I’ll just put it in the refrigerator to chill until needed.

FOR THE BUTTERCREAM:

• In the bowl of your electric mixer, or any heat proof bowl, combine the egg whites and monkfruit. Whisk until combined.
• Heat about 1 to 2 inches of water in a medium pot over medium heat. Place the metal mixing bowl, or other heat proof bowl, over the pot to create a double boiler. Stir continuously, until the mixture because smooth, light in color, frothy and reaches 160 – 170 degrees F on a candy thermometer.
• Once the mixture has reached the desired consistency, use a whisk attachment to beat the mixture until you reach medium-stiff peaks, about 10 minutes. It takes a bit of time, so be patient. You'll know it's ready for the next step when you touch the outside of the bowl with your inner wrist and it's room temperature. If it's still warm, keep beating until there's no heat coming off the bowl.
• Once you've reached medium-stiff peaks, change to the paddle attachment and then gradually add the butter in small squares, followed by the vanilla. Continue to beat for about 3 to 5 minutes until smooth and silky.

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.
• Place second cake layer on top and 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 Light and Fluffy Sugar Free Vanilla Cake that Tastes Like the Real Deal first appeared on Cake by Courtney.

The post Light and Fluffy Sugar Free Vanilla Cake that Tastes Like the Real Deal appeared first on Cake by Courtney.

Carrot Cake: The Easter Dessert

Hard to believe Easter is less than a week away, right?! What better way to celebrate than with my Classic Carrot Cake recipe. I know this Easter will look a bit different for most of us than in years past, but the meaning stays the same… as do the desserts!

For me, carrot cake is the quintessential Easter dessert. In fact, I think Easter is the only time of year we ever had carrot cake. But here’s the thing – I never liked carrot cake. Not until I made my Carrot Cake with White Chocolate Buttercream, that is. Every carrot cake I ever had growing up had nuts and raisins in it. And I think you know how I feel about that: eew, gross!

But when I made my first carrot cake, based off a Sweetapolita recipe, I realized two things: one, carrot cake doesn’t HAVE to have nuts and raisins and two, carrot cake is actually really good!

Untraditional Recipe

The first carrot cake I published on my blog is definitely untraditional, and I think that’s why I like it so much. My recipe is based off a compilation of a couple adapted recipes from some of my fave bakers: the cake is adapted from Rosie of Sweetapolita and the white chocolate pretzel crack filling is adapted from Christina Tosi of Milk Bar.

I was first attracted to Rosie’s carrot cake because it didn’t have any nuts and raisins, and because she used ginger! I love ginger! Also, I love adding texture to my cakes, but not in the cake layers. So adding Christina’s white chocolate pretzel crack filling was almost a no-brainer.

In addition to the cake and the filling, I decided to add an apricot compote (you can also use apricot jam) and a white chocolate buttercream. Again, I was purposely going against the norm.

The result, a deliciously unique and moist carrot cake!

Classic Carrot Cake

And while I absolutely love that unique carrot cake, I’ve been feeling for a while now that a classic, more traditional carrot cake was calling my name. So, here we are! Today I’m sharing my new Classic Carrot Cake recipe with you.

Traditional Ingredients

Spices

• This carrot cake is more traditional in flavor with spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and cloves.

Oil and Applesauce

• I also use a combination of oil and applesauce for fat and to create a beautiful moist cake. You can certainly use all oil in place of applesauce or sub the applesauce for crushed pineapple.

Freshly Grated Carrots

• It’s SUPER important to use FRESHLY grated carrots in your carrot cake recipes. Freshly grated carrots have more moisture than the pre-shredded carrots. We want a moist cake! That moisture also means the carrot pieces will soften. If you use pre-shredded carrots, you’ll have crunchy carrot pieces in your cake.

Cream Cheese Buttercream

• Sticking to traditional elements, I’m using a cream cheese buttercream with my Classic Carrot Cake instead of my white chocolate buttercream. To ensure the cream cheese flavor doesn’t overpower the cake, I don’t use a lot of cream cheese – just enough to give it a perfectly tangy but not overwhelming cream cheese flavor. See my frequently asked questions about how to get the best frosting results.

Nuts and Raisins

• As I mentioned above, I left nuts and raisins out of my cake layers. However, that doesn’t mean you have to if you love that kind of texture in your classic carrot cake. If you want to add nuts and raisins, I’d start with a half cup of each.

Carrot Cake Cupcakes

If you’d like to turn this Carrot Cake recipe into cupcakes, no problem! A full batch of the batter will make about 24 to 26 standard size cupcakes. You can also split the batch and make a half batch. I did that with my cupcakes yesterday!

For carrot cake cupcakes, you’ll want to bake at 325 degrees F. for a little less time than the cake recipe calls for. Mine were perfect and moist at 20 minutes. If you’re doing a full batch, and baking two cupcake pans at a time (on the same rack), the bake time will vary slightly. Keep your eye on them, but know they’ll take a few minutes longer.

BAKING TIP: I don’t ever recommend baking cake layers or cupcakes on different racks. You always want to bake them on your middle rack. If you can’t fit all of your cake pans or cupcake pans on the same rack in your oven, it’s ok to leave cake batter on the counter while you wait to bake. Just make sure to cover the cake pan or cupcake pan with plastic wrap while you wait.

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Classic Carrot Cake

Deliciously moist spiced carrot cake layers with a perfectly tangy cream cheese buttercream.

Course Dessert

Cuisine Cake

Keyword carrot cake, classic carrot cake, cream cheese frosting

Servings 20 people

Ingredients

FOR THE CAKE

• 1 cup (218 g) vegetable or canola oil
• 1/2 cup (125 g) applesauce can substitute with crushed pineapple
• 1 cup (200 g) packed brown sugar
• 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
• 6 eggs at room temperature
• 2 tsp. (8.4 g) vanilla extract
• 3 cups (360 g) all purpose flour
• 2 tsp. (5.3 g) ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp. (1.2 g) ground nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp. (.8 g) ground ginger
• 1/4 tsp. (.8 g) ground cloves
• 1 Tbsp. (10 g) baking powder
• 1 tsp. (4 g) baking soda
• 1 tsp. (5.6 g) salt
• 4 cups (400 g.) freshly grated carrots

FOR THE BUTTERCREAM

• 1 1/2 cups (339 g) unsalted butter slightly cold
• 6 oz. (170g) cream cheese slightly cold
• 6 cups (750 g) powdered sugar measured and then sifted
• 3 tbsp. (45 g) heavy whipping cream
• 1 tsp. (4.2 g) vanilla extract
• pinch of salt

Instructions

FOR THE CAKE

• Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Spray three 8-inch round cake pans with nonstick spray, line the bottoms with parchment paper and spray again. Set aside.
• In a medium size mixing bowl, combine the flour, spices, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Whisk to combine. Set aside.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the oil and sugars. Beat on medium speed for about two minutes.
• Add the applesauce and vanilla and then stir to combine.
• With the mixer on medium speed, gradually add the eggs, making sure to scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl between additions. Once all of the eggs are combined, beat the mixture for about a minute on medium speed.
• With the mixer on low speed, gradually add the flour mixture.
• Fold in the carrots.
• Evenly divide the cake batter between the three prepared pans (about 20 ounces of batter in each). Bake for 25 to 27 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs on it.
• Let the cake layers cool in the pans on cooling racks for about 10 to 15 minutes. Invert the cake layers onto the cooling racks to cool completely.
• Level cake layers, if needed.
• Cake layers can be made ahead of time. To store: let cake layers cool to room temperature and then wrap well with plastic wrap and freeze. Before you decorate your frozen cake layers, let them thaw at room temperature for about 30 to 60 minutes prior to decorating.

FOR THE BUTTERCREAM

• In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine the butter and cream cheese. Beat on medium speed for about two minutes. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl.
• With the mixer on low speed, gradually add the powdered sugar, followed by the cream, vanilla and pinch of salt.
• Turn the mixer up to medium-high speed and beat for about 3 to 5 minutes.

ASSEMBLY

• Place the first cake layer, top side up, on a cake plate or cake board.
• Evenly spread about 1 cup of buttercream on the cake layer. Place the second cake layer on top of the buttercream and spread another 1 cup of buttercream over the second layer.
• Place the third cake layer top side down.
• Apply a thin layer of buttercream over the entire cake. This is the crumb coat. Freeze the crumb coated cake for about 15 minutes to set the crumb coat.
• Once the crumb coat is set, continue decorating the cake with the remaining buttercream.

The post The Best Classic Carrot Cake Recipe for Easter first appeared on Cake by Courtney.

The post The Best Classic Carrot Cake Recipe for Easter appeared first on Cake by Courtney.

Shamrock Shake Bundt Cake

In need of an easy recipe for your St. Patrick’s Day celebrations? I’ve got you covered! This Shamrock Shake Bundt Cake is not just delicious and cute, it’s a breeze to make. Plus, you’ll love how simple the decorating is!

The cake itself is a light and fluffy white cake with a couple teaspoons of mint extract. I added a couple drops of green food coloring too!

Ingredients You’ll Need for this Recipe

• Cake flour
• Baking powder
• Salt
• Unsalted butter
• Granulated sugar
• Eggs
• Mint extract
• Vanilla extract
• Sour cream
• Buttermilk
• Green food coloring, optional

How to Make Moist Cake Layers from Scratch

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. For this bundt cake, I used THIS 10-cup bundt pan.
• Spray the bundt pan with nonstick spray and dust well with flour
• Use room temperature wet ingredients.
• When mixing the butter, sugar, and eggs, be sure to mix until completely smooth, light in color and fluffy in texture.
• Don’t overmix your cake batter once you add the dry 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.

Vanilla Buttercream

I love this vanilla buttercream for just about every cake. It’s light and fluffy and compliments so many flavors.

Ingredients You’ll Need for this Recipe

• Unsalted butter
• Powdered sugar
• Heavy whipping cream
• Vanilla extract
• Salt

TOOLS: To pipe the buttercream on the cake, you’ll want a silicone piping bag and a round piping tip.

How to Make the Best Buttercream Frosting

To get this delicious buttercream, make sure you follow my tips: 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 to make sure you get the best buttercream frosting. And remember, these steps can be used for any buttercream recipe on my blog.

Other Mint Cakes You’ll Love

• Grasshopper Pie Cake
• Mint Chocolate Chip Cake
• Fresh Mint Chocolate Chip Cake
• Mint Oreo Cake

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Shamrock Shake Bundt Cake

Tender and moist mint bundt cake with vanilla buttercream.

Course Dessert

Cuisine Cake

Keyword Bundt Cake, Mint Cake, Shamrock Shake Bundt Cake, Shamrock Shake Cake, Vanilla Buttercream

Ingredients

FOR THE CAKE

• 3 cups (345 g) cake flour
• 1 tbsp (10 g) baking powder
• 1 tsp (5 g) salt
• 1 cup (226 g) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1 3/4 cups (350 g) granulated sugar
• 3 eggs, at room temperature
• 2 egg whites, at room temperature
• 2 tsp. (8.4 g) mint extract
• 1 tsp (4.2 g) vanilla extract
• 1 cup (240 g) buttermilk, at room temperature
• 3/4 cup (180 g) sour cream, at room temperature
• green food coloring, optional

FOR THE BUTTERCREAM

• 2 cups (452 g) unsalted butter, slightly cold
• 6 cups (725 g) powdered sugar, measured and then sifted
• 1/4 cup (57.75 g) heavy whipping cream
• 1 tsp (4.2 g) vanilla extract
• pinch of salt

Instructions

FOR THE CAKE

• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Spray your bundt pan (I use this one) with nonstick spray, coat with flour and set aside.
• In a medium size mixing bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, and salt. Whisk to combine. Set aside.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer, fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and the sugar together on medium speed for about 2 to 3 minutes.
• Add the eggs and egg whites, in three additions, making sure to mix well between each addition and scraping down the sides of the bowl. Stir in the extracts.
• With the mixer on low speed alternately add the flour mixture and the buttermilk to the butter mixture, starting and finishing with the flour mixture. Mix until combined.
• Fold in the sour cream and food coloring.
• Pour the batter into your prepared bundt pan. Bake for about 50 to 55 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out with a few moist crumbs on it.
• Let the cake cool completely in the bundt pan before inverting onto a wire rack. Trying to remove the cake from the pan too quickly is usually what causes the cake to stick and fall apart. I left my cake in the pan for an hour before flipping it.

FOR THE BUTTERCREAM

• In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter on its own for a few minutes. The butter will get lighter in color and fluffier in texture.
• With the mixer on low speed, gradually add the powdered sugar, followed by the cream, vanilla and salt.
• Turn the mixer to medium-high and beat the buttercream for about 3 to 5 minutes, until it's nearly white in color and fluffy in texture.

The post Easy and Delicious Green Shamrock Shake Bundt Cake first appeared on Cake by Courtney.

The post Easy and Delicious Green Shamrock Shake Bundt Cake appeared first on Cake by Courtney.

After publishing my Pumpkin Poke Cake with Caramel Whipped Cream, I knew we had to do some more poke cakes because it was such a huge hit.

What is a Poke Cake?

If you haven’t had a poke cake before, you’re in for a treat. It’s a simple cake to make, but one that’s packed with moisture and flavor. Traditionally, poke cakes are made with box cake mixes, which you can totally do… BUT, I highly recommend making a homemade cake for added flavor and richness.

After the cake is baked and cooled, you take the back of a wooden spoon (that’s what my mom always used), and poke holes all over the cake. A poke cake then has some kind of glaze or soak (caramel, chocolate, fruit soak, etc.) poured on top and is finished with a whipped cream topping.

Sounds amazing, right? It is!

Chocolate Peanut Butter Poke Cake Ingredients

For a homemade chocolate peanut butter poke cake, you’ll need the following ingredients:

• Good quality cocoa powder
• Granulated sugar
• All-purpose flour
• Baking soda
• Baking powder
• Salt
• Eggs
• Vegetable oil
• Buttermilk
• Vanilla extract
• Peanut butter
• Sweetened condensed milk
• Whole milk
• Heavy whipping cream
• Chocolate peanut butter cups (optional)
• Peanuts (optional)

How to Make Chocolate Peanut Butter Poke Cake

• Bake the cake: this chocolate cake is truly the best chocolate cake recipe for so many reasons. First and foremost, it’s DELICIOUS. Second, it’s super easy to make. Once you’ve baked the cake in a 9-inch x 13-inch pan, let it cool a bit. You can then poke holes all over the cake using the back of a wooden spoon. We want the holes to be big enough to allow the glaze to soak in.
• Make the peanut butter glaze: Prepare the peanut butter glaze according to the instructions below and then pour it on top of the chocolate cake. Use the back of a spoon or an offset icing spatula to spread the glaze around to ensure it soaks into the back.
• Make the peanut butter whipped cream: Make the peanut butter whipped cream and then spread it over the peanut butter glaze. Top with chopped chocolate peanut butter cups and peanuts, if desired.

Gluten Free Chocolate Peanut Butter Poke Cake

Gluten free? I’ve got you! You can make this chocolate peanut butter poke cake gluten free with just one swap! Instead of using all-purpose flour, you’ll want to use a “one for one” gluten free flour. I highly recommend Bob’s Red Mill or Cup4Cup.

My gluten free readers may be asking how they can enjoy this ultimate decadence. The only thing you have to swap is the cake, as you can find gluten free versions of all of the other ingredients. Do take care that not all canned frosting is gluten free, so be sure to read labels. And buy a bag of Reese’s that state they are gluten free.

How do you store leftover poke cake?

For a poke cake, you’ll want to store the cake in the refrigerator since it has a whipped cream topping. But don’t worry, with the soak, the cake won’t dry out. Just be sure to leave the garnish off and cover it with a lid or plastic wrap.

More cakes You’ll Love

Pumpkin Poke Cake with Caramel Whipped Cream

The Best Chocolate Sheet Cake with Vanilla Buttercream

Classic Yellow Cake with Chocolate Buttercream

Biscoff Mocha Sheet Cake with a Caramel Soak and Mocha Buttercream

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Chocolate Peanut Butter Poke Cake

Delicious and moist chocolate cake with a peanut butter glaze and peanut butter whipped cream.

Course Dessert

Cuisine Cake

Keyword chocolate, Chocolate Peanut Butter Poke Cake, Peanut Butter, Poke Cake

Ingredients

FOR DARK CHOCOLATE CAKE

• 2 cups (240 g) all-purpose flour
• 1 3/4 cups (350 g) granulated sugar
• 3/4 cup (88.5 g) Cacao Barry Extra Brute Cocoa Powder or similar premium brand
• 2 teaspoons (8 g) baking soda
• 3/4 teaspoon (3 g) baking powder
• 1 teaspoon (6 g) salt
• 3 eggs, room temperature
• 1 cup (240 g) buttermilk, room temperature
• 1 cup (236.6 g) hot water
• 1/2 cup (109 g) vegetable oil
• 1 teaspoon (4.2 g) pure vanilla extract

For the Peanut Butter Glaze

• 1 cup (250 g) smooth peanut butter, I use Skippy
• 1 can (14 oz) sweetened condensed milk
• 1/2 cup (120 g) whole milk

For the Peanut Butter Whipped Cream

• 3/4 cup (187.5 g) smooth peanut butter, I use Skippy
• 2 cups (480 g) heavy whipping cream
• 1/2 cup (62.5 g) powdered sugar, measured then sifted
• 1 teaspoon (4.2 g) vanilla extract

Garnish

• Chocolate peanut butter cups
• Peanuts

Instructions

FOR THE CHOCOLATE CAKE

• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Prepare 9-inch by 13-inch rectangular cake pans by spraying the bottom and sides with nonstick spray, lining the bottom with parchment paper, and spray the parchment paper. Set aside.
• In a bowl of electric mixer, combine all the dry ingredients.
• Combine eggs, buttermilk, water, oil and vanilla in a measuring cup and lightly beat with a fork.
• Add wet ingredients to the dry ingredients, and mix on low speed until combined. Batter will be thin. Scrape sides and mix for another 30 seconds. Pour the batter into the cake pan.
• Bake for about 30 to 35 minutes, or until toothpick comes out with just a few moist crumbs on it. Cool completely before assembly.

FOR THE Peanut Butter Glaze

• In a small mixing bowl, beat the peanut butter on its own to break it up and create a looser, smoother texture.
• In a medium size mixing bowl, combine all of the ingredients. Stir until smooth.

FOR THE Peanut Butter Whipped Cream

• Again, in a small mixing bowl, beat the peanut butter on its own to break it up and create a looser, smoother. Set aside.
• In a medium size stainless steel bowl, beat the heavy whipping cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla until stiff peaks form.
• Fold in the peanut butter.

Assembly

• Once the cake is cooled completely, use the back of a wooden spoon or a large straw and poke holes all over the cake.
• Pour the peanut butter glaze over the cake. Using a spoon or offset icing spatula, spend a minute or two spreading the glaze over the cake to ensure it soaks into the holes.
• Spread the peanut butter whipped cream over the top.
• Sprinkle with the chopped peanut butter cups and peanuts.

Notes

NOTE: You can make this cake ahead of time. To do so, leave the garnish off and cover the cake with plastic wrap. Because of the peanut butter glaze, you can store this cake in the refrigerator overnight and it won’t dry out.

The post The Best Chocolate Peanut Butter Poke Cake first appeared on Cake by Courtney.

The post The Best Chocolate Peanut Butter Poke Cake appeared first on Cake by Courtney.

Taylor Swift Chai Sugar Cookie Recipe

Have you heard all the hype about the Taylor Swift Chai Sugar Cookies? Before Tay Tay was Taylor Swift as we know her, she had a blog, much like this one, where she shared her life, along with favorite recipes. One of those recipes was for Chai Sugar Cookies. The recipe recently started to circulate the internet again and people are going crazy for the cookies.

What are Taylor Swift Chai Sugar Cookies?

Taylor Swift’s chai sugar cookies use a sugar cookie base from Joy the Baker. To make them her own, Taylor uses a bag of chai tea leaves in the dough for a warm, autumn flavor.

Chai Cake Recipe

When I heard about the Taylor Swift cookies, I knew I had to turn the flavor into a cake. Chai is such a wonderful flavor for this time of year and pairs really well with so many fall and winter flavors. I created chai cake layers for my Chai White Chocolate Raspberry Cake a couple years ago and have fallen in love with them.

Instead of using chai leaves, I created my own blend of chai seasoning that I use in the cake and the sugar cookie recipe.

Seasonings you’ll need for the chai flavor:

• cardamon
• cloves
• ginger
• cinnamon
• all-spice
• black pepper
• nutmeg

For this cake, I am using a half batch of my chai cake layers to yield two 6-inch round cake layers. If you’d like to do a full three layer 8-inch cake, double the recipe below or check out the recipe for my Chai White Chocolate Raspberry Cake and work with the cake layers there.

Chai Sugar Cookie Recipe

For the chai sugar cookie recipe, we’re making ⅓ batch of my Classic Sugar Cookies with the addition of the chai seasonings. This recipe will yield enough dough for the cookie layer to go between the cake layers, plus additional mini cookies to use on the cake and to simply snack on with a cup of hot chocolate or tea.

Vanilla Buttercream

This buttercream is 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.

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.

More Cakes to Love

Chai White Chocolate Raspberry Cake

Banana Chai Cake with Toasted Walnut Buttercream

Pumpkin Gingersnap Cake

Pumpkin Pie Cake

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Chai Sugar Cookie Cake

Course Dessert

Cuisine Cake

Keyword Chai, Chai Cake, Chai Cookies, Chai Sugar Cookie Cake, Chai Sugar cookies, Taylor Swift Cookies

Ingredients

For the Cake

• 1 1/2 cups (172.5 g) cake flour
• 1/2 tbsp (6 g) baking powder
• 1/4 tsp (1.5 g) salt
• 1/4 tsp (2 g) cardamon
• 1/2 tsp (.75 g) ground cloves
• 3/4 tsp (2 g) ground ginger
• 1/2 tsp (1.3 g) cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp (1.4 g) all-spice
• 1/16 tsp (.3 g) black pepper
• 1/16 tsp (.3 g) nutmeg
• 1/2 cup (113 g) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 3/4 cups (150 g) granulated sugar
• 2 eggs, room temperature
• 1 egg yolk, room temperature
• 1/2 tsp (2.1 g) vanilla extract
• 2/3 cups (160 g) buttermilk, room temperature

For the Chai Sugar Cookies

• 1 2/3 cup (200 g) all-purpose flour
• 3/4 tsp (3 g) baking powder
• 1/4 tsp (1.5 g) salt
• 1/8 tsp (1 g) cardamon
• 1/4 tsp (.4 g) ground cloves
• 1/2 tsp (1.5 g) ground ginger
• 1/4 tsp (.6 g) cinnamon
• 1/8 tsp (.7 g) all-spice
• Pinch of black pepper
• Pinch of nutmeg
• 1/2 cup (113 g) unsalted butter, slightly cold and cut into cubes
• 2/3 cup (133.3 g) granulated sugar
• 1 egg, cold
• 1 egg yolk, cold
• 1 tsp (2.1 g) vanilla extract

For the Buttercream

• 1 cups (226 g) unsalted butter, slightly cold
• 3 cups (375 g) powdered sugar, measured and then sifted
• 2 tablespoons (28.9 g) heavy whipping cream
• 1/2 tsp (2.1 g) vanilla extract
• pinch of salt

Instructions

For the Cake

• Preheat your oven to 325 degrees F. Spray two 6-inch round cake pans with non-stick spray. Line the bottoms with parchment paper and spray again. Set aside.
• In a medium bowl, combined the cake flour, baking powder, salt and all of the seasonings. Whisk to combine the ingredients evenly. Set aside.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar on medium speed for about 3 minutes, until smooth and fluffy. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl and mix again for another 30 seconds.
• With the mixer on medium-low speed, add the eggs and egg yolk, one at a time. Make sure to mix well between each addition. Add the vanilla and stir to combine. Continue to mix on medium-high speed for an additional 2 to 3 minutes until the mixture is smooth and light in color.
• With the mixer on low speed, add ⅓ of the flour mixture. Stir for about 20 seconds and then add ½ of the buttermilk. Repeat the additions with another ⅓ of the flour mixture, the second half of the buttermilk and then the final ⅓ of the flour mixture. It’s important to alternate adding these ingredients so they mix evenly, which will help your cake to rise more evenly. NOTE: Only mix until the ingredients are incorporated. Over mixing your batter will cause it to be dense and/or sink in the oven.
• Divide the batter evenly between the two 6-inch cake pans. Bake the cake layers on the middle rack in your oven for 25 to 30 minutes. Watch this cake closely at the end. Over baking your cakes will cause them to taste dry. When you insert a toothpick in the center of this cake, it should come out with a few moist crumbs on it.
• Let the cakes cool in the pans for about 10 to 15 minutes, before inverting them onto cooling racks to cool completely. Once cooled completely, you can level the cakes (if needed) and then wrap them in plastic wrap and freeze them until you’re ready to stack and decorate the cake.

For the cookies

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray one 6-inch round cake pan with nonstick spray, line with parchment paper, and set aside. Line a small baking sheet with parchment paper, as well. Set aside.
• In a medium-size mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt and spices. Set aside.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar together on medium-high speed until smooth and fluffy.
• Stir in the egg, egg yolk, and vanilla. Mix until smooth.
• Stir in the dry ingredients until no streaks of flour remain.
• Form a ball with the dough and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
• With 8 ounces of the dough, shape the cookie dough into a flat 6-inch circle to place inside the 6-inch cake pan.
• With the remaining cookie dough, roll it out to about 1/4” thickness on a floured surface. Using a 2-inch round cookie cutter, cut out cookies. You’ll get about 15 to 20 cookies.
• Place both the small baking sheet of cookies and the cake pan with cookie dough in it in the oven at the same time. Set two timers: one timer for 10 minutes for the small cookies, the second timer for 15 to 18 minutes for the cookie layer.
• Remove from oven and allow to cool completely before using in and on the cake.

For the Buttercream

• In the stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter on medium-high speed for a couple minutes on its own. The butter will get lighter in color and texture.
• With the mixer on low speed, gradually add the powdered sugar until combined. Add the vanilla and salt.
• With the mixer on medium speed, slowly add the cream. Once added, turn the mixer to medium-high speed and beat for about 3 minutes. The frosting should be silky smooth.

Assembly

• Place your first cake layer, top side up, on a cake board or cake plate. Cover the cake layer with about ½ to 2/3 cup buttercream and spread evenly, making sure to get eye level with the cake to ensure it’s even.
• Place the cookie layer on top fo the buttercream, followed by another ½ to 2/3 cup of buttercream.
• Place the final cake layer, top side down, on the buttercream. Apply a thin coat of frosting around the entire cake to lock in the crumbs. Freeze your cake for about 10 to 15 minutes to set the crumb coat and lock in your crumbs.
• After the crumb coat is set, use the remaining frosting to decorate your cake. Garnish with some of the remaining sugar cookies.

The post Chai Sugar Cookie Cake Inspired by the “Taylor Swift Cookies” first appeared on Cake by Courtney.

The post Chai Sugar Cookie Cake Inspired by the “Taylor Swift Cookies” appeared first on Cake by Courtney.

Pumpkin Poke Cake (a.k.a Pumpkin Better Than Anything Cake)

Whether you call this pumpkin sheet cake the Pumpkin Poke Cake or Pumpkin Better Than Anything Cake, it’s going to be one of your new favorite cakes to make this fall!

My new cake is a fall-inspired twist on the classic Better Than Anything Cake. Instead of chocolate cake, we’re using my super moist, flavorful pumpkin cake recipe, poking holes on the top, covering it with caramel, and the topping it with a caramel whipped cream.

Pumpkin Sheet Cake Recipe

For my pumpkin sheet cake, you’ll want to grab the following ingredients:

• Pumpkin puree
• Vegetable oil (or coconut oil works too)
• Eggs
• Granulated sugar
• Brown sugar
• All-purpose flour
• Baking powder
• Salt
• Cinnamon
• Nutmeg
• Ginger
• Vanilla extract

You’ll love how easy this cake is to mix up. You can use a single bowl and a whisk if you want!

NOTE: when I say “sheet cake” in my recipes, I’m using a 9″ x 13″ rectangular cake pan. I know many people refer to a jelly roll pan as a sheet cake, but for the purposes of turning my cakes into “sheet cakes,” just know I’m always using a 9″ x 13″ cake pan. My preferred brand of cake pans is Fat Daddio.

This cake can be made ahead of time and stored in an airtight container in the freezer. If you add the caramel, you can store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator or a couple days. The caramel helps to keep the cake moist in the fridge (normally, the fridge dries out our cakes).

Homemade Salted Caramel Recipe

After the cake has cooled to room temperture, you’ll poke holes all over the top of the cake. You can use a straw, a fork, the handle of a wooden spoon, or even a chopstick. Be generous with the amount of holes you make and the amount of caramel your pour on. You’ll use half of the caramel recipe on top of the cake and half of it in the whipped cream.

Caramel Whipped Cream

This might just be the most exciting part of the cake – caramel whipped cream! For this caramel whipped cream recipe, you’ll use homemade salted caramel, heavy whipping cream, and powdered sugar.

NOTE: PREP THE CARAMEL WHIPPED CREAM A DAY EARLY

After you make the caramel, you’ll add an additional two cups of heavy whipping cream and then you’ll need to refrigerate the caramel cream overnight. You want to make sure this mixture is COLD before whipping it to ensure it whips.

The recipe below creates medium-stiff peaks. If you want your whipped cream more stable, I suggest doing one of two things: using ½ cup less caramel and/or adding a tablespoon of EZ Gel when you start to whip the cream.

Plan to whip the cream when you’re ready to serve the cake.

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Pumpkin Poke Cake with Caramel Whipped

Pumpkin sheet cake, covered in salted caramel, caramel whipped cream and toffee bits.

Course Dessert

Cuisine Cake

Keyword caramel, Pumpkin, Pumpkin Better Than Anything Cake, Pumpkin Cake, Pumpkin Poke Cake, Pumpkin Sheet Cake

Ingredients

FOR THE CAKE

• 1 1/2 cups (300 g) granulated sugar
• 3/4 cup (165 g) light brown sugar, packed
• 5 large eggs, at 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 (18 g) baking powder
• 1 tablespoon (7.8 g) ground cinnamon
• 1 1/2 teaspoons (3.9 g) ground ginger
• 1 teaspoon (2.6 g) nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon (6 g) salt

For the Caramel

• 2 cups (400 g) granulated sugar
• 1 cup (240 g) water
• 4 teaspoons (28 g) light corn syrup or honey
• 1 1/2 cups (360 g) heavy whipping cream
• 2 teaspoons (8.4 g) vanilla extract
• 2 teaspoons 12 g salt

For the Caramel Whipped Cream

• 1 cup caramel, recipe above
• 2 cups (428 g) heavy whipping cream
• 1/2 cup (75 g) powdered sugar

Garnish

• 1/2-2/3 cup Toffee bits – Skor or Heath Bar pieces

Instructions

FOR THE CAKE

• Preheat 325 degrees F. Spray a 9” x 13” rectangular cake pan with non-stick spray, line the bottom with parchment paper ,and spray again.Set aside.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer, or using a hand mixer and mixing bowl, beat the sugars and eggs together on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 2 to 3 minutes. Add the oil and vanilla and beat on medium until combined, about 30 seconds. Add the pumpkin puree and mix until combined, about another 30 seconds.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, ground ginger, nutmeg, and salt. With the mixer on the lowest speed, gradually add to the pumpkin/egg mixture.
• Pour the batter into the pan and bake until a knife or toothpick inserted into the center comes out with a few moist crumbs on it, about 33 to 37 minutes.
• Let the cake cool completely before poking holes on the top. This can be done with a fork, straw, handle of a wooden spoon, or even chopsticks. Whatever you have on hand!

For the Caramel

• Heat the cream in the microwave for about a minute. Set aside.
• Combine the sugar, water, and corn syrup in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir until sugar is dissolved and then stop stirring.
• You want the mixture to cook on its own. Stirring creates crystallization. If you notice sugar crystallizing on the sides of the pan, soak a pastry brush in warm water and run the brush along the sides of the pan where the sugar is building up.
• Once the mixture turns amber in color, remove the pan from the heat and slowly add the cream, while stirring the caramel.
• Add the vanilla and salt, and stir to combine.
• Cool to room temperature before using. The caramel will thicken as it cools.
• Caramel can be refrigerated for up to two weeks in an airtight container.

For the Caramel Whipped Cream

• Once the caramel has cooled slightly, combine 1 cup of the caramel with the heavy cream. Mix to combine.
• Cover with plastic wrap efrigerate overnight in a stainless steel bowl.

  A cold stainless steel bowl helps the cream to form peaks quickly. Alternately, you can store the caramel cream in another container and then place a stainless steel bowl in the freezer for about 15 minutes before you whip the cream.
• When you’re ready to whip the caramel cream, add the powdered sugar and then use an electric mixer to beat the cream mixture into stiff peaks.
• Best used right away.

Assembly

• If you haven't poked holes in the cake already, do that now with a fork, a straw, or the back of a wooden spoon. I prefer something the size of a straw.
• Cover the cake in the remaining 1 cup of caramel.
• Top with the caramel whipped cream and sprinkle with toffee bits.
• Serve right away or cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

The post Pumpkin Poke Cake with Caramel Whipped Cream first appeared on Cake by Courtney.

The post Pumpkin Poke Cake with Caramel Whipped Cream appeared first on Cake by Courtney.

Don’t use coffee for dietary or religious reasons? Don’t worry, I’ve got you! Be sure to read the post for coffee alternatives and substitutes.

My love for Biscoff runs deep! Ever since I made my original Biscoff Cake six years ago, Biscoff flavored cakes have been one of my favorite flavors to make. Biscoff, a cinnamon and nutmeg spiced biscuit cookie, is an incredibly versatile flavor and pairs with so many things.

Here’s a sample of what I’m talking about!

Biscoff Inspired Cakes

Lemon Biscoff Cake with Lemon Buttercream and Lemon Curd

The Most Delicious Biscoff Cake with Biscoff Filling

Biscoff Sandwich Cookies with Biscoff Cookie Butter Filling

Biscoff Mocha Sheet Cake with a Caramel Soak and Mocha Buttercream

Delicious and Easy Biscoff Strawberry Cake

Unforgettable Banana Caramel Biscoff Cake

Oatmeal Biscoff Cake with Biscoff Buttercream

Pumpkin Biscoff Cake with Pumpkin Cheesecake Filling

Recently I asked our community on Instagram what flavor they’d like me to pair with Biscoff next. The top pick: coffee/mocha.

Now, while I’m not a coffee drinker, I do love the flavor in baked goods. It’s just got this warm, rich, slightly bitter (not a bad thing) flavor dimension that complements flavors like chocolate, gingerbread, and caramel so well.

Since Biscoff has a similar flavor profile to gingerbread, I knew the combo of Biscoff and mocha would be a winner… and IT IS!

Biscoff Mocha Sheet Cake

For my Biscoff Mocha Cake, I used my Biscoff cake recipe, along with a mocha flavored caramel, Biscoff spread, Biscoff cookies, and a mocha buttercream – all in a sheet cake! (By the way, how much do we love a sheet cake?! So simple!)

I think you’ll find this cake really easy to make. One thing I wanted to talk about before getting to the recipe are coffee flavoring options and substitutes.

Baker’s Note: Depending on your love of coffee flavoring, you can adjust the amount of extract, powder, or Pero you use. Start with 1-2 teaspoons and add more, as desired.

Note About the Mocha Caramel Soak

For the mocha caramel soak, make sure to note that we want this to be thinner than when we normally make caramel for our cakes. The consistency should be thin enough to soak into the cake. Also be sure to let the caramel cool to room temperature before using on the cake. This will make it easier to spread the Biscoff cookie butter on top.

How to Bake Moist Cakes

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

• First, preheat your oven for 30 minutes prior to baking.
• Next, beat the butter and sugar for a few minutes on medium-high speed, until light and fluffy.
• Use good quality pans like Fat Daddio.
• Be sure to 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.

Hope you love this one as much as I do!

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Biscoff Mocha Sheet Cake

Biscoff cake with a mocha flavored caramel soak, Biscoff cookie butter spread and mocha buttercream.

Course Dessert

Keyword biscoff, Biscoff Cake, Biscoff Mocha, Biscoff Mocha Sheet Cake, Mocha buttercream, sheet cake

Ingredients

FOR THE CAKE

• 18 Biscoff or Speculoos Cookies
• 2 1/8 cups (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
• 1 cup (220 g) brown sugar, packed
• 2/3 cup (133 g) granulated sugar
• 4 eggs, at room temperature
• 2 cups (480 g) buttermilk, at room temperature

For the Mocha Caramel

• 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup (120 g) water
• 2 teaspoons (14 g) light corn syrup or honey
• 1 cup (240 g) heavy whipping cream
• 2-3 teaspoons (12 g) coffee extract or emulsion OR 2-3 teaspoons espresso powder (6 g) OR 3 teaspoons Pero for a non coffee substitute
• 1 teaspoon (4.2 g) vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon (6 g) salt

For the Filling

• 1 1/2 cups Biscoff cookie butter
• 6 Biscoff cookies crushed into chunks

FOR THE BUTTERCREAM

• 2 cups (452 g unsalted butter, slightly cold
• 6 cups (750 g) powdered sugar, measured and then sifted
• 5 teaspoons (21 g) coffee extract or emulsion OR 5 teaspoons espresso powder (10 g) OR 5 teaspoons Pero for a non coffee substitute
• 1/4 cup (57 g) heavy cream
• Pinch of salt
• ***If you would rather spread the buttercream on the cake with an offset spatula than pipe it, I would suggest doing half a batch of buttercream.

Instructions

FOR THE CAKE

• Preheat your oven to 325 degrees F. Spray your 9-inch by 13-inch cake pan with non-stick cooking spray, line the bottom 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 sand.
• 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, brown sugar and granulated sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
• Before adding the dry ingredients, continue to beat the wet ingredients for about 1 to 2 minutes on medium-high speed, until the mixture is smooth.
• With the mixer on low speed, add ⅓ 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.
• Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes. Cool 15 to 20 minutes on a wire rack before inverting onto a cooling rack to cool completely.

For the Mocha Caramel

• Heat the cream in the microwave for about a minute. If you’re using espresso powder or Pero, whisk in the powder until it dissolves. Set aside.
• Combine the sugar, water, and corn syrup in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir until sugar is dissolved and then stop stirring.
• You want the mixture to cook on its own. Stirring creates crystallization. If you notice sugar crystallizing on the sides of the pan, soak a pastry brush in warm water and run the brush along the sides of the pan where the sugar is building up.
• Once the mixture turns amber in color, remove the pan from the heat and slowly add the cream, while stirring the caramel.
• Add the vanilla and salt, and stir to combine. If you’re using coffee extra or emulsion, add it here as well.
• Cool to room temperature before using. The caramel will thicken as it cools but should still be thin enough to act as a “soak.” If you need to thin it out more, heat another ¼ cup heavy whipping cream and add the caramel. Stir to combine. Let cool to room temperature again before using.

FOR THE BUTTERCREAM

• In the bowl of an electric mixer, fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter for about 2 to 3 minutes, until light and fluffy and pale in color.
• With the mixer on slow, gradually add the powdered sugar, followed by the heavy cream, coffee emulsion, and pinch of salt.
• IF YOU’RE USING ESPRESSO POWDER OR PERO, heat the cream slightly and whisk the espresso powder or Pero into the heavy cream. Add to the butter and powdered sugar mixture when the cream is at room temperature or cold again.
• Once all of the ingredients are combined, turn the mixer to medium-high and beat for about 3 to 5 minutes.
• Before using the buttercream, make sure to beat it by hand with a wooden spoon or large spatula to help push out the air pockets.

Assembly:

• Once the cake has cooled to room temperature, use a fork to poke holes all over the cake.
• Drizzle the caramel soak over the cake, using a pastry brush or the back of a spoon to spread it around, ensuring it soaks into the holes.
• Using an offset icing spatula or the back of a spoon, spread the Biscoff cookie butter over the cake. If needed, heat the Biscoff spread slightly in the microwave to make it more spreadable.
• Sprinkle on crushed Biscoff cookies and pat them into place gently.
• Using the Wilton 6B piping tip, pipe the buttercream on the cake. Alternatively, use an offset icing spatula to spread on the buttercream.

The post Biscoff Mocha Sheet Cake with a Caramel Soak and Mocha Buttercream first appeared on Cake by Courtney.

The post Biscoff Mocha Sheet Cake with a Caramel Soak and Mocha Buttercream appeared first on Cake by Courtney.

Marble Loaf Cake

A few years ago, my son requested a marble cake with peanut butter buttercream for his birthday. The combination of chocolate and yellow cake with the nutty, smooth buttercream was utterly delicious.

As I planned my new cookbook, I knew this was a recipe I wanted to include, but I also knew it needed to be simplified in two ways: the method and the execution.

Rather than make two separate batter recipes, I created a recipe that is equally delicious, moist, and flavorful, but only requires you to make one batter. I also turned it into a loaf cake simply to make your life easier

Don’t worry – you can absolutely use this recipe as a layered cake. Just check out my tips at the bottom of the post.

How to Turn the Marble Loaf Cake Into a Layered Cake

To turn this Marble Loaf Cake recipe into a layered cake, follow these easy steps:

• Double the recipe – you’ll follow the recipe exactly as written but with 2x the amount of ingredients so you can fill two 8-inch cake layers.
• Temperature stays the same – the oven temperature will stay the same for all of my cakes, whether they are loaf cakes, layered cakes, sheet cakes or cupcakes.
• Decrease the baking time – the one thing you will change is the amount of time the cakes are baking for. Instead of 45 to 50 minutes for the loaf pan, you’ll bake two 8-inch cake pans for 35 to 40 minutes. If you want to make this a three layered cake with three 8-inch cake pans, the bake time will be closer to 25 to 30 minutes. Remember, the cake layers are done when a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out with a few moist crumbs on it.

More Recipes to Love

Classic Yellow Cake with Chocolate Buttercream

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cake

Chocolate Malt Cake

Classic White Cake

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Marble Loaf Cake with Peanut Butter Buttercream

Course Dessert

Cuisine Cake

Keyword Marble Cake, Marble Loaf Cake, Peanut Butter Buttercream

Ingredients

For the Cake

• 1 ⅓ cups 266.7 g granulated sugar, divided
• ⅓ cup water
• ⅓ cup cocoa powder
• 2 ounces unsweetened dark chocolate
• 1 ⅔ cups 191.6 g cake flour
• 1 teaspoon 4 g baking powder
• ½ teaspoon 3 g salt
• ½ cup 113 g unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 3 eggs at room temperature
• ½ teaspoon 2.1 g vanilla extract
• ½ cup 120 g buttermilk, at room temperature

For the Buttercream

• 2 cups 250 g powdered sugar, measured then sifted
• ½ cups 113 g unsalted butter, slightly cold
• ¼ cup 62.5 g creamy peanut butter
• 1 teaspoon 4.2 g pure vanilla extract
• 2 tablespoons 30 g heavy whipping cream
• Pinch of salt

Instructions

FOR THE CAKE

• Preheat your oven to 325 degrees F. Spray a 9×5-inch loaf pan with nonstick spray. Line the pan with parchment paper, allowing the parchment to come up the sides of the pan. Spray the parchment. Set aside.
• In a small saucepan, combine ⅓ cup sugar, the water, cocoa powder, and chocolate. Stir over medium heat until the chocolate is melted and the mixture is smooth. Remove from heat and let cool while you make the cake batter.
• In a medium size mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and remaining sugar on medium speed until light in color and fluffy in texture, about 2 to 3 minutes.
• Add the eggs, one at a time, making sure to scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl in between additions. Stir in the vanilla extract.
• Continue to beat on medium-high speed for about 2 minutes, until the mixture gets smooth in texture and slightly bigger in volume.
• With the mixer on low speed, add ⅓ of the flour mixture, followed by ½ of the buttermilk, another ⅓ of the flour, the second half of the buttermilk, and then the remaining flour mixture. Stir until just combined.
• Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl and mix again for another 20 to 30 seconds on low.
• Pour about 10 ounces of batter in a separate mixing bowl. Gently fold the chocolate mixture into the new bowl of cake batter.
• Alternately add the vanilla and chocolate cake batters to the prepared pan. I like to use a small measuring cup to scoop the cake batter into the pan so I can easily layer the different flavors. Use a toothpick or knife to swirl the batter, but don’t mix it too much – you want the flavors to be distinct and separate.
• Bake for 45 to 50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with a few moist crumbs on it.
• Remove from oven and let cool in the pan for about 15 minutes before inverting onto a wire cooling rack to cool completely.

FOR THE BUTTERCREAM

• In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and peanut butter until smooth, about 2 to 3 minutes.
• With the mixer on low, gradually add the powdered sugar, followed by the heavy cream, vanilla, and pinch of salt.
• Turn the mixer to medium-high and beat for an additional 2 to 3 minutes.

The post The Best Marble Loaf Cake with Peanut Butter Buttercream first appeared on Cake by Courtney.

The post The Best Marble Loaf Cake with Peanut Butter Buttercream appeared first on Cake by Courtney.

Iced Oatmeal Cookie Bundt Cake

When I think of visiting my grandma Sylvia’s house when I was a little girl, I immediately have memories of going straight to her pantry, finding her blue cookie jar, and reaching in for a Mother’s Iced Oatmeal Cookie. Do you remember these? I loved these, but I only ever had them at my grandma’s house. I love that they were something special to my visits there.

The flavors are simple, but delicious, and they work beautifully in a cake!

Oatmeal Cake Ingredients

The oatmeal cake recipe calls for a handful of simple ingredients that are probably already in your pantry or that you can easily get from any grocery store:

• Cake flour
• Baking soda
• Cinnamon
• Salt
• Unsalted butter
• Granulated sugar
• Brown sugar
• Eggs
• Vanilla extract
• Old fashioned rolled oats

You may remember this recipe from my Magnolia Cookie Cake. It’s been one of your favorites. The only real change I made was omitting the chocolate chips and using cake flour. I can’t wait for you to try this simple and easy to make Iced Oatmeal Cookie Bundt Cake.

Pro Tips for Making Bundt Cakes

• Use room temperature ingredients – the butter and eggs in this cake should be room temperature before making this cake to ensure the ingredients mix evenly and are absorbed generously by the dry ingredients. This helps your cake to rise well.
• Don’t over mix the batter once you add the dry ingredients – using a low speed at this point ensures that the cake doesn’t become dense.
• Even if you use a non-stick bundt pan, you will still want to spray the pan with nonstick spray and coat it with the turbinado sugar.
• Allow the bundt cake to cool completely before removing it from the pan.

Frequently Asked Questions About Bundt Cakes

What bundt pan did you use for the Iced Oatmeal Cookie Bundt Cake?

I used THIS 10 cup bundt pan and it was barely big enough for the batter. You can use this size, or go up to a 12-cup bundt pan.

What Can I Serve with Oatmeal Cake?

I think this cake is completely delicious and perfect on its own with a little glaze, but you can always add some toppings! I’d recommend berries or peaches, as well as whipped cream.

How do I store leftovers?

No need to freeze or refrigerate this cake if you plan to serve it within a few days of making it. Cover it and store it at room temperature once the cake has cooled completely.

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Iced Oatmeal Cookie Bundt Cake

Soft and chewy oatmeal cake with a cream cheese glaze.

Course Dessert

Cuisine Cake

Keyword Bundt Cake, Iced Oatmeal Cookie, Iced Oatmeal Cookie Cake, Oatmeal Bundt Cake, Oatmeal Cake, Oatmeal Cookie Cake

Ingredients

FOR THE CAKE

• 2 1/2 cups (590 g) water
• 2 1/2 cup (225 g) uncooked old-fashioned rolled oats, divided
• 3 cups (345 g) cake flour
• 2 teaspoon (8 g) baking soda
• 2 teaspoon (5.2 g) cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon (6 g) salt
• 1 cup (226 g) butter
• 3/4 cup (150 g) granulated sugar
• 1 cup (200 g) brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon (13 g) vanilla
• 4 eggs, room temperature

FOR THE GLAZE

• 1 cup (125 g) powdered sugar, measured and then sifted 
• 3 tablespoons (45.6 g) milk
• 2 tablespoons (30 g) cream cheese
• 1 teaspoon (4.2 g) vanilla extract

US Customary – Metric

Instructions

FOR THE CAKE

• Preheat your oven to 325 degrees F. Spray a 10-12 cup bundt pan with nonstick cooking spray, sprinkle turbinado sugar or flour around the sides.
• In a medium pot, bring water to a boil. Add in 2 cups of the oats, stir, and remove the pot from the heat. Cover the pot and allow the oats to soak for 20 minutes, until all the water is absorbed. Let the oatmeal cool completely before adding it to the cake batter.
• In a medium sized mixing bowl, combine the cake flour, remaining ½ cup oats, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. Stir to combine. Set aside.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugars together on medium speed for 2 minutes until light and fluffy. Add in the vanilla and the eggs and mix until combined, scraping the sides of the bowl as necessary. Turn mixer to medium-high and beat the mixture for about 2 to 3 minutes, until smooth in texture and slightly lighter in color.
• Turn the mixer to low and add in the cooled cooked oats, followed by the flour mixture, mixing until just combined.
• Pour the cake batter into the prepared bundt pan and bake for 50 to 60 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out with a few moist crumbs on it.
• Allow the cake to cool in the bundt pan completely before inverting it onto a cake plate for serving.

FOR THE GLAZE

• Combine all of the ingredients in a bowl and stir until smooth.

Notes

 

1.  

The post Iced Oatmeal Cookie Bundt Cake Inspired by Mother’s Cookies first appeared on Cake by Courtney.

The post Iced Oatmeal Cookie Bundt Cake Inspired by Mother’s Cookies appeared first on Cake by Courtney.

Strawberry Banana Milkshake Cake

I’m so excited to share this Strawberry Banana Milkshake Cake with you! With light and fluffy banana cake layers, strawberry cream filling, fresh strawberries and bananas, and a whipped vanilla buttercream, this cake will make you feel like you’re sitting at an old-fashioned soda bar, sipping and strawberry banana milkshake!

Banana Cake

These light and fluffy banana cake layers are based off my Confetti Cake layers. I decided to go with a more subtle banana flavor, compared to a traditional banana cake (i.e. banana bread type flavor). I think you’ll love the lightness of these layers and still appreciate the banana flavor.

Banana Flavoring

To add flavor, I used instant banana pudding. If this isn’t something you can find, you can use a teaspoon of banana emulsion.

Strawberry Cream Filling

For the filling, I used the whipped raspberry filling from my Chocolate Raspberry Swiss Roll and subbed freeze dried strawberries for the raspberries. You are going to LOVE how easy this filling is to make. Just grab your blender or food processor, add the freeze dried fruit, then the heavy whipping cream (as much fat as you can find) and the granulated sugar. Pulse for a few minutes and you’ll have a thick and creamy filling. Best part – it’s stable enough to hold the cake layers!

Garnish and Filling Add-Ins

In addition to the strawberry cream filling in this Strawberry Banana Milkshake Cake, I added fresh strawberries and banana chips. I love that the banana chips hold their crunch after the cake has been frozen or sitting out a bit. I also think fresh bananas would be delicious between the layers with the strawberry slices. Just remember, though – only use fresh bananas if you’re making the cake the same day as when you serve it. Fresh bananas won’t hold up well in the freezer, if you plan to store the cake.

Vanilla Buttercream

To top this cake off, I decided to go with my vanilla buttercream, a.k.a The Best Vanilla Buttercream. This buttercream frosting is light and fluffy and doesn’t overwhelm any of the other flavors. It’s almost like adding the ice cream element to these milkshake flavors.

I then used Americolor food gel Soft Pink and Egg Yellow. Just a tad of each!

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

How to Cake It: How to Make Buttercream Stripes

To create the thin stripes, I used my striped scraper from Shop Cake by Courtney. I’ve written out a tutorial for stripes HERE, so make sure to check it out for all of my trips and tricks for creating this darling design.

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Strawberry Banana Milkshake Cake

Light and fluffy banana cake layers with strawberry cream filling and vanilla buttercream.

Course Dessert

Cuisine Cake

Keyword Banana Cake, strawberry banana milkshake cake, strawberry filling, Vanilla Buttercream

Prep Time 1 hour 30 minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes

Servings 20

Ingredients

FOR THE CAKE

• 3 cups (345 g) cake flour
• 1 tablespoon (14 g) baking powder
• 1 teaspoon (6 g) salt
• 1 cup (226 g) unsalted butter room temperature
• 1 3/4 cups (350 g) granulated sugar
• 1 pkg (3 oz) instant banana pudding mix
• 1/3 cup (72.6 g) vegetable oil
• 3 large whole eggs room temperature
• 3 large egg whites room temperature
• 1/4 cup (60 g) sour cream room temperature
• 1 cup (240 g) buttermilk room temperature
• 2 teaspoons (8.4 g) vanilla extract

FOR THE WHIPPED VANILLA 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 then sifted
• 1/4 cup (60 g) heavy whipping cream
• 2 teaspoons (8.4 g) clear 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 ½ batch.

FOR THE STRAWBERRY FILLING

• 1/2 cup (15 g) freeze dried strawberries
• 1/2 cup (100 g) granulated sugar
• 2 cups (455 g) heavy whipping cream

GARNISH

• Banana chips or fresh banana slices
• Strawberry slices

Instructions

FOR THE CAKE

• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Prepare three 8-inch or four 6-inch round cake pans with non-stick spray, parchment paper on the bottom of the pan, and another coat of spray. Set aside.
• In a medium size bowl, whisk together the cake flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer, fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter, oil, sugar and pudding mix on high until fluffy and smooth, about 5 minutes.
• Add the eggs and the egg whites, one at a time to the bowl and beat on medium until well incorporated. Add the sour cream and beat on medium speed for a minute or so. It may look curdled, don't stress.
• Turn the mixer on low and add ⅓ of the flour mixture to the butter mixture and mix until fully incorporated. Then add half of the buttermilk and blend well, followed by another ⅓ of the flour mixture, the second half of the buttermilk and lastly, add the remaining flour mixture and mix until incorporated.
• Add the vanilla extract and beat on low until incorporated. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and mix on low for another 30 seconds.
• Evenly distribute the cake batter among the three 8-inch or four 6-inch pans and bake for 23 to 28 minutes, until toothpick comes out with just a few moist crumbs on it.
• Remove cakes from the oven and let cool in pans for 10 minutes before inverting onto cooling racks.
• When cakes are completely cooled, I like to wrap each cake layer individually with plastic wrap and stick it in the refrigerator or freezer until I’m ready to frost. The cake will be easier to work with if it’s cooled a bit. If I’m making the cake a day or two before I actually need to frost it, I put it in the freezer to ensure freshness. If I’m frosting same-day, I’ll just put it in the refrigerator to chill until needed.

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 FILLING

• In a food processor, pulse the freeze dried strawberries until they resemble a powder.
• Add the sugar and the cream and scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula to incorporate the freeze dried fruit.
• Pulse the mixer for about 1 to 2 minutes. The texture should resemble Greek yogurt.

  Keep chilled until ready to use.

ASSEMBLY

• Place the first cake layer, top side up. Spread 1 cup of the strawberry filling 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. Place sliced strawberries on top. If using banana slices or banana chips, also evenly lay them on the filling next to the sliced strawberries.
• 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 The Most Delicious Strawberry Banana Milkshake Cake first appeared on Cake by Courtney.

The post The Most Delicious Strawberry Banana Milkshake Cake appeared first on Cake by Courtney.

The Tom Cruise Cake

Have you heard about the viral Tom Cruise cake? It’s a white chocolate coconut cake from Doan’s Bakery – a cake so delicious, Tom apparently gifts it to all of his friends at Christmas. In fact, several of those said friends have talked about it on social media and talk shows. The world of foodies hasn’t stopped talking about it, but many people aren’t trying it. Why? Because ordering the real deal has a hefty price tag on it: nearly $130.

Lucky for me, I got my hands on a few slices thanks for a friend who had it delivered for her birthday!

Doan’s Bakery White Chocolate Coconut Bundt Cake

The original Doan’s Bakery version of this cake is described on the Goldbelly website as:

“The White Chocolate Coconut Cake is Doan’s most famous creation and for good reason. They start with a ring of moist, luxurious coconut bundt cake, mix in chunks of sweet white chocolate, layer on rich cream cheese frosting, and then dust it all over with toasted coconut flakes. The result is a delicious, pillowy cake good enough to derail the strictest Hollywood diets.”

I was eager to try this famous cake, but was unfortunately left underwhelmed. (Granted, I know the cake had been shipped, but I still had high hopes.)

My Review of the Doan’s White Chocolate Coconut Bundt Cake

Okay, real talk – I taste tested the Doan’s cake on Instagram stories last week and had a hard time hiding my lack of excitement for this cake. Here’s why:

• The cake itself lacked coconut flavor. To me, it tasted more like a dense yellow cake.
• The description says the cake has white chocolate chunks, but I never tasted one.
• I did think the cake was fairly moist, which won it some points. (After reading the description, we can thank the sour cream for that.)
• The buttercream was super duper sweet and had a strong cream cheese flavor. I felt like it overpowered the cake.

After tasting the real deal, I wondered if I could make a more flavorful, more moist cake – one that resembles the original version, but takes it up a notch.

White Chocolate Coconut Bundt Cake

It took me a few rounds of experiment to get the texture and flavor I wanted. In the first round, the cake was too fluffy and airy. In the second round, the cake was too dense. In the third round the texture was just right and the flavor was perfectly on point.

Here’s a look at what I did:

• For fat and flavor in the cake, I used half part coconut milk and half part buttermilk.
• I also added coconut emulsion to the cake to enhance the coconut flavor (feel free to substitute with coconut extract).
• Instead of chunks of white chocolate, I used melted chocolate, which gives the cake added richness.
• After pouring the batter into the pan, I topped the bottom of the cake with toasted coconut and then toffee pieces (instead of white chocolate chunks like the original – I liked the more caramelized flavor the toffee offers).
• In the buttercream, I used a mix of butter and cream cheese, but not too much cream cheese that it would overpower the other flavors.
• I also added coconut emulsion to the buttercream.

I’m so excited for you to try the recipe! Enjoy and let me know what you think!

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Copycat Tom Cruise White Chocolate Coconut Bundt Cake

Moist and flavorful white chocolate coconut cake with a light and fluffy coconut cream cheese buttercream.

Course Dessert

Cuisine Cake

Keyword Bundt Cake, Coconut, Coconut Bundt Cake, Coconut Buttercream, Coconut Cake, White Chocolate Coconut Bundt Cake

Ingredients

FOR THE COCONUT CAKE

• 3 cups (360 g) all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons (8 g) baking powder
• 1 teaspoon (6 g) salt
• ½ cup (125 g) canned coconut milk, mixed before measuring
• ½ cup (120 g) buttermilk, at room temperature
• 1 tablespoon (16 g) coconut emulsion or extract
• 1 ¾ cups (350 g) granulated sugar
• 1 cup (226 g) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 4 ounces white chocolate, melted
• 3 eggs, at room temperature
• 2 egg whites, at room temperature

FOR THE COCONUT BUTTERCREAM

• 1/2 cup (113 g) unsalted butter, slightly cold
• 4 ounces cream cheese
• 2 ½ cups (312.5 g) powdered sugar, measured then sifted
• 1 teaspoon (5.3 g) coconut emulsion
• Pinch of salt

GARNISH

• 1 cup (95 g) sweetened shredded coconut
• 1 cup (95 g) toasted coconut, I buy mine pre-toasted from Orson Gygi
• 1 cup toffee baking bits

Instructions

FOR THE WHITE CHOCOLATE COCONUT CAKE

• Preheat your oven to 325 degrees F. Spray a 12-cup bundt pan with nonstick spray. Dust with granulated sugar. Set aside.
• In a medium size bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
• In a small mixing bowl, stir together the coconut milk, buttermilk, and coconut emulsion. Set aside.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar on medium speed until light in color and fluffy in texture, about 2 to 3 minutes.
• Stir in the melted white chocolate, followed by the eggs and egg whites, making sure to scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl in between additions.
• Continue to beat on medium-high speed for about 2 minutes, until the mixture gets smooth in texture and slightly bigger in volume.
• With the mixer on low speed, add ⅓ of the flour mixture, followed by ½ the coconut mixture, another ⅓ of the flour, the second ½ of the coconut mixture, and then the remaining flour mixture. Stir until just combined.
• Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Sprinkle the top of the cake (which turns into the bottom) with the toasted coconut and then cover with the toffee bits (the coconut flakes need to go first so you can cover them with the toffee to help prevent the flakes from browning too much). Bake for 50 to 55 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out with a few moist crumbs on it.
• Remove from oven and place the bundt pan on a cooling rack to cool completely. Allow the cake to cool for about an hour, until it’s room temperature, before inverting the cake on a cake stand. Allowing the cake to cool completely in the pan helps the cake to release from the sides cleanly when it’s time to take the cake out.

FOR THE COCONUT BUTTERCREAM

• In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter and cream cheese for about 2 minutes, until lighter in color and fluffier in texture.
• With the mixer on low, gradually add the sifted powdered sugar, one cup at a time, mixing a little in between each addition.
• Stir in the coconut emulsion 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.

ASSEMBLY

• Spread or pipe the buttercream on top of the cake. Cover with shredded coconut.

The post Copycat Tom Cruise White Chocolate Coconut Bundt Cake first appeared on Cake by Courtney.

The post Copycat Tom Cruise White Chocolate Coconut Bundt Cake appeared first on Cake by Courtney.

I have the most delicious and simple chocolate cake for you to whip up this weekend. In fact, this one has only two elements (cake and buttercream) and makes a small two-layer, 6-inch cake.

Chocolate Ricotta Cake

My favorite cake is my Olive Oil Ricotta Cake with strawberry basil filling and lemon mascarpone frosting. The flavors are heavenly and the texture of the cake is unlike any other, thanks to two cups of ricotta cheese.

Don’t let the idea of cheese in a cake scare you, though! This cake doesn’t taste like cheese in the least. The ricotta creates and retains moisture. It also enhances the texture of the cake and minimizes the sweetness.

Because the ricotta cake layers are some of my all-time favorite layers, as are my chocolate cake layers, I wondered what it would be like to combine the two.

Let me tell you – it’s all good things! It’s not quite as dark as my dark chocolate cake, but it has a sturdier texture. In fact, it’s very much a blend of my dark chocolate cake and my milk chocolate cake.

Adding a little dark chocolate cocoa powder to the ricotta cake recipe turned out exactly as I hoped: moist, rich, decadent, delicious!

Best Chocolate Buttercream

This is THE BEST chocolate buttercream. It’s rich in flavor and has the more beautiful silky, smooth texture. For a half batch, to go along with our small cake, you’ll be using 5 ounces of dark chocolate, some heavy whipping cream, powdered sugar (sifted, of course), vanilla and salt. I have some tips below for making the best buttercream frosting.

How to Make the Best Buttercream Frosting

To get this silky smooth buttercream, make sure you follow my tips: 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 to make sure you get the best buttercream frosting. And remember, these steps can be used for any buttercream recipe on my blog.

Other Cake Recipes You’ll Love

• Ultimate S’mores Cake
• Almond Joy Cake
• Chocolate Coconut Cake
• German Chocolate Cake
• Easy and Delicious Chocolate Sour Cream Cake

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Chocolate Ricotta Cake with Chocolate Buttercream

Moist and rich chocolate ricotta cake layers with silky, smooth chocolate buttercream

Course Dessert

Cuisine Cake

Keyword chocolate, chocolate buttercream, Chocolate Cake, Chocolate ricotta cake, small cake

Ingredients

FOR THE CAKE

• 1 cup (120 g) all-purpose flour
• 1/3 cup (39.3 g) good quality dark cocoa powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons (6 g) baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon (3 g) salt
• 1/2 cup (109 g) grapeseed oil
• 3/4 cups plus 2 tablespoons (175 g) granulated sugar
• 2 eggs, room temperature
• 1 cup (250 g) ricotta cheese, at room temperature

For the Buttercream

• 5 ounces semi-sweet or bittersweet chocolate
• 3 tablespoons (45 g) heavy whipping cream
• 1 cups (226 g) unsalted butter, slightly cold
• 2 1/2 cups (312.5 g) powdered sugar, measured then sifted
• 1 teaspoon (4.2 g )vanilla extract
• Pinch of salt

Instructions

FOR THE CAKE

• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Spray two 6-inch round cake pans with nonstick spray, line the bottoms with parchment paper, and spray again. Set aside.
• In a medium size mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the oil and sugar on medium speed for about 1 to 2 minutes.
• Add the eggs, one at a time, until incorporated. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Turn the mixer to medium-high speed and beat for an addition minute.
• With the mixer on low, alternately add the flour mixture and the ricotta, starting and finishing with the flour. Combine until incorporated.
• Evenly distribute the batter among the two cake pans (about 14 ounces of batter in each pan) and bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out with just a few moist crumbs.
• Remove pans from oven and let the cakes cool in the pans for about 15 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 Buttercream

• In a microwave safe bowl, heat the cream and chocolate chips for about 30 to 45 seconds. If needed, heat for an additional 20 to 30 seconds. Stir to combine and create a silky, smooth texture. Set aside to cool to room temperature.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter for about 2 to 3 minutes, until it is light and fluffy.
• Add the room temperature chocolate ganache to the butter and beat until the mixture is smooth.
• With the mixer on low speed, gradually add the sifted powdered sugar, one cup at a time, mixing a little in between each addition.
• Stir in the vanilla 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.

ASSEMBLY

• Place the first cake layer, top side up, in the center of a cake board or cake stand.
• Evenly spread ½ cup of buttercream over the cake layer.
• Place second cake layer, top side down, on top of the buttercream.
• Cover the entire cake with a thin layer of buttercream. Freeze the cake for 10 to 15 minutes to set the crumb coat.
• Once the crumb coat is set, finish frosting the cake with the remaining buttercream.

The post Small Chocolate Ricotta Cake with Chocolate Buttercream first appeared on Cake by Courtney.

The post Small Chocolate Ricotta Cake with Chocolate Buttercream appeared first on Cake by Courtney.

Banana Cake

What is it about a simple banana cake with cream cheese frosting that ALWAYS sounds good! Is it just me? I could eat it any day, any time of day! In fact, I had a slice with breakfast this morning!

The moist and flavorful cake, paired with a simple cream cheese frosting is comfort food at its finest.

Ingredients You Need for This Banana Cake Recipe from Scratch

• All-purpose flour
• Baking powder
• Baking soda
• Salt
• Unsalted butter
• Vegetable oil
• Granulated sugar
• Light brown sugar
• Eggs
• Buttermilk
• Vanilla extract
• Over-ripe bananas, about 3 medium

Tips for Making Moist Cake From Scratch

• Start with room temperature ingredients – the eggs, butter, and buttermilk should all be room temperature before you start making the cake batter. These ingredients better blend together and are better absorbed by the dry ingredients, which helps your cake to rise well and stay moist.
• When mixing the butter, sugar, and eggs, beat the mixture on medium-high to high speed until light and fluffy, almost the consistency of a fluffy buttercream frosting.  This should take about 3 to 5 minutes.
• Once you start adding the dry ingredients with the buttermilk, turn the mixer to low and mix until just combined.  Over-mixing will cause the cake to be dense and sink.
• Watch the cooking time. Remember, all our ovens are different. My time is a guide, so check your cake toward the end of the bake time I’ve given. The cake is done when you insert a toothpick in the center and it comes out with just a few moist crumbs on it.

Cream Cheese Frosting

I can’t think of anything more traditional and delicious on a banana cake than cream cheese frosting. While it’s not my favorite type of frosting to use on layered cakes (it’s a lot softer than traditional buttercream), it’s absolutely perfect for a sheet cake recipe like this. Just slather it on once the cake has cooled completely and you’re set to go.

Ingredients You Need for This Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe

• Unsalted butter
• Cream cheese
• Powdered sugar
• Vanilla extract
• Heavy whipping cream
• Salt

I’m so excited for you to dig in to this simple and easy banana cake recipe with cream cheese frosting. I think you’ll agree, it’s truly the best ever banana cake!

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Banana Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

Moist and flavorful banana cake with cream cheese frosting.

Course Dessert

Cuisine Cake

Keyword Banana Cake, cream cheese frosting

Ingredients

For the Cake

• 3 cups (360 g) all-purpose flour
• 3/4 teaspoon (3 g) baking powder
• 3/4 teaspoon (3 g) baking soda
• 3/4 teaspoon (4.2 g )salt
• 3/4 cup (169.5 g) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 1/2 tablespoons (20 g) vegetable oil
• 1 1/2 cups (300 g) granulated sugar
• 1/3 cup (66 g) light brown sugar, packed
• 3 eggs, room temperature
• 1 1/2 cup (360 g) buttermilk, room temperature
• 1 1/2 teaspoons (6.3 g) pure vanilla extract
• 1 1/4 cup (300 g) mashed over-ripe bananas, 3 medium-sized

FOR THE BUTTERCREAM

• 1 1/2 cups (339 g) unsalted butter, slightly cold
• 6 ounces (170g) cream cheese, cold
• 6 cups (750 g) powdered sugar, measured and then sifted
• 3 tablespoons (45 g) heavy whipping cream
• 1 teaspoon. (4.2 g) vanilla extract
• pinch of salt

Instructions

For the Cake

• Preheat your oven to 325 degrees F. Spray a 9-inch x 13-inch baking pan with nonstick cooking spray, line the bottoms with parchment paper, and spray again. Set aside.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
• In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter, oil, and sugars on medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, about 5 minutes.
• Lower the speed to medium and add the eggs, one at a time, mixing until each is fully incorporated before adding the next (about 30 seconds). Add the vanilla.
• With the mixer on low, add the dry ingredients alternating with the buttermilk mixture into the creamed mixture, starting and ending with the dry ingredients. Mix until just incorporated and remove bowl from stand mixer.
• Stir in the bananas.
• Carefully smooth the batter with small offset palette knife, and bake until a toothpick or skewer comes out clean, about 35 to 40 minutes.
• Let the cake cool completely.

FOR THE BUTTERCREAM

• In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine the butter and cream cheese. Beat on medium speed for about two minutes. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl.
• With the mixer on low speed, gradually add the powdered sugar, followed by the cream, vanilla and pinch of salt.
• Turn the mixer up to medium-high speed and beat for about 3 to 5 minutes.

The post Best Ever Banana Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting first appeared on Cake by Courtney.

The post Best Ever Banana Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting appeared first on Cake by Courtney.

With St. Patrick’s Day around the corner, it’s time for another holiday-inspired cake! This one comes with a lot of flavor, but not a lot of work! In fact, this Mint Oreo Cake with Chocolate Mint Oreo Buttercream is labeled “beginner.” With just two elements to this cake (e.g. cake layers and buttercream), you’ll find whipping up this dessert is as easy as it is delicious.

Mint Flavored Cakes

I never considered myself a huge fan of mint before making cakes. However, it’s grown on me as I’ve now made a number of mint-flavored cakes. If you love mint too, definitely take a look at these cakes too:

• Grasshopper Pie Cake
• Mint Chocolate Chip Cake
• Fresh Mint Chocolate Chip Cake

Mint Oreo Cake with Chocolate Mint Oreo Buttercream

If you’ve made my Grasshopper Pie Cake, I think you’ll love this inside-out, simpler version with the same flavors but done just a little differently. In this cake, you’ll be making vanilla-based cake layers, adding some mint extract, and crushed mint Oreos. I also added a touch of green food coloring to the batter.

Ingredients You Need for this Recipe

• Cake flour
• Baking powder
• Salt
• Unsalted butter
• Sugar
• Eggs
• Mint extract
• Buttermilk
• Mint Oreos
• Food coloring, optional

How to Make Mint Oreo Cake

• To make the layers, start by whisking together the cake flour, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl.
• Set the dry ingredients to the side, and in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar together until smooth and creamy.
• With the mixer still on medium speed, add the eggs and egg whites, beating well between each addition. You’ll spend about 3 minutes mixing at this point. You want to see the batter become smooth and fluffy.
• Stir in the mint extract and then alternate adding the flour mixture with the buttermilk. Alternating these ingredients ensures they mix evenly, which will help your cake to rise evenly.
• At the end, fold in food coloring, if using, followed by the crushed Oreos.
• Evenly distribute the batter between each pan 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.

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.

Chocolate Mint Oreo Buttercream

This chocolate mint Oreo buttercream is like biting into the Oreo itself, except – you’re eating buttercream! It’s wild, guys! You’ll be making my classic chocolate buttercream and then adding some mint extract and crushed Oreos.

Ingredients You Need for this Buttercream

• Unsalted butter
• Powdered sugar
• Mint extract
• Heavy whipping cream
• Dark chocolate chips
• Mint Oreos
• Salt

NOTE: Adding the crushed Oreos creates a more “rough” looking texture, but it also amplifies the flavor which always wins for me.

How to Make Buttercream Frosting

To get this delicious buttercream, make sure you follow my tips: 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 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.

Can’t wait to see you recreate this Mint Oreo Cake with Chocolate Mint Oreo Buttercream for St. Patrick’s Day or your next cake day!

Similar Recipes You’ll Love

• Ding Dong Cake
• Fresh Mint Chocolate Chip Cake
• Super Easy Mint Andes Double Chocolate Cookies
• The Best Ever Cookies and Cream Cake with Oreo Buttercream
• Grasshopper Pie Cake

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Mint Oreo Cake with Chocolate Mint Oreo Buttercream

Tender vanilla based mint Oreo cake layers with chocolate mint Oreo buttercream.

Course Dessert

Cuisine Cake

Keyword Mint Oreo, Mint Oreo Buttercream, Mint Oreo Cake, Oreo Buttercream

Ingredients

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 3/4 cups (350 g) granulated sugar
• 3 whole eggs, room temperature
• 3 eggs whites, room temperature
• 1 teaspoon (4.2 g) mint extract
• 1 1/4 cups (275 g) buttermilk, room temperature
• 12 Mint Oreos, crushed

FOR THE BUTTERCREAM

• 8 oz. (150 g) dark chocolate chips
• 1/4 cup (57.75 g) heavy whipping cream
• 2 cups (452 g) unsalted butter, slightly cold
• 5 cups (625 g) powdered sugar, measured and then sifted
• 1 teaspoon (4.2 g) mint extract
• Pinch of salt
• 4-6 Mint Oreos, crushed finely
• *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 ½ batch.

Instructions

FOR THE CAKE

• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Spray three 8-inch round cake pans with non-stick spray, line the bottom with parchment paper, and spray again. Set aside.
• In a medium size bowl, whisk together the cake flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer, fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar on medium-high until fluffy and smooth, about 3 to 5 minutes.
• Add the eggs and egg whites, one at a time to the bowl and beat on medium until well incorporated. Stir in the mint extract.
• Turn the mixer on low and add ⅓ of the flour mixture to the butter mixture and mix until fully incorporated. Then add half of the buttermilk, followed by another ⅓ of the flour mixture, the second half of the buttermilk and lastly, add the remaining flour mixture and mix until incorporated. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and mix on low for another 30 seconds.
• Stir in the food coloring, if using, followed by the crushed Oreos.
• Evenly distribute the cake batter among the three pans and bake for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the middle of the cakes comes out clean or with just a few crumbs. Make sure not to over bake.
• Remove cakes from the oven and let cool in pans for 10 minutes before inverting onto cooling racks.
• Once completely cooled, wrap in plastic wrap and place in the freezer or refrigerator to chill before frosting.

FOR THE BUTTERCREAM

• In a microwave safe bowl, heat the cream and then pour it over the 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 bowl fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter on medium-high until light and fluffy.
• Turn the mixer to medium-low and gradually add the melted chocolate ganache. Stop the mixer and scrape down the sides of the bowl. Beat again for about one minute.
• With the mixer on low speed, gradually add the powdered sugar, mint extract, and salt.
• Increase the speed to medium-high and beat for another 2-3 minutes, until light and fluffy.
• Stir in the Oreo crumbs.

ASSEMBLY

• After leveling each cake layer (if needed), place the first cake layer (top side up) on a cake board that has a little frosting on it (which acts like glue to hold the cake in place).
• Spread about 1 cup of the frosting over the cake layer. Place the second cake layer on top and add another cup of frosting. Make sure to get eye level with the cake to check that your frosting is spread evenly across each cake layer. 
• When you get the final cake layer, place it top side down on the second layer of frosting. Spread a thin coat of frosting around the entire cake to lock in the crumbs. Freeze the cake for 10 minutes to set the crumb coat.
• Continue to frost and decorate the cake with the remaining frosting.

The post Mint Oreo Cake with Chocolate Mint Oreo Buttercream first appeared on Cake by Courtney.

The post Mint Oreo Cake with Chocolate Mint Oreo Buttercream appeared first on Cake by Courtney.

Hard to believe February is here tomorrow! January is truly the longest month of the year and I’m not one bit sad to say goodbye to it.

With Valentine’s Day just around the corner, I have more Valentine’s Day desserts coming your way!

Raspberry Cream Cupcakes

Last week I posted my new Pink Pavlova and today we have my new Raspberry Cream Cupcakes made with a tender vanilla bean cupcake and raspberry cream. The combination of these two simple elements is a light, but truly delicious treat.

Ingredients You Need to Make Vanilla Cupcakes

These vanilla cupcakes are easy-to-make and bake up beautifully. To get started, make sure you have the following ingredients on hand:

• Unsalted butter
• Granulated sugar
• Egg whites
• Vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste (I like the latter)
• Buttermilk
• Cake flour
• Baking powder
• Salt
• Sour cream

How to Make the Perfect Vanilla Cupcakes

To get started, line two cupcake tins with cupcake liners.

• In the bowl of an electric mixer, you’ll start by combining the butter and sugar. Remember, butter and all ingredients coming from the fridge should be ROOM TEMPERATURE before you start.
• Beat the butter and the sugar on medium-high speed until light in color and fluffy in texture.
• Gradually add the egg whites and vanilla. Make sure to scrape down the bottom and sides of the bowl between additions to ensure all of the ingredients are incorporated evenly.
• Beat the batter for an additional 3 to 5 minutes on medium-high speed until the batter is smooth and nearly double in size.
• With the mixer on low, alternately add the flour, baking powder, and salt with the buttermilk. Stir just until combined (meaning, no streaks of flour remain). Do not overmix.
• Fold in the sour cream. PRO TIP: the sour cream adds fat – fat adds and helps retain moisture in the cake.
• Fill each cupcake liner about 2/3-¾ full and bake at 325 for about 20 minutes.

Raspberry Cream

The whipped cream filling for this cake is truly something special. You’ll be amazed at how easily this comes together and how stable it is. We’re even piping with it!

What You’ll Need:

• Food processor
• Heavy whipping cream
• Granulated sugar
• Freeze-dried raspberries (you CANNOT use fresh or frozen berries – the reason the cream can get so thick is because the freeze-dried fruit, when pulverized, absorbs some of the moisture from the cream and helps to create a Greek yogurt like texture.

How to Make Raspberry Cream

• The raspberry cream is best made in a food processor, but can also be done in a blender.
• Make sure to use a high-fat heavy whipping cream. I like 40% Darigold.
• Start by processing the freeze-dried raspberries in your food processor until the fruit resembles a powder.
• Add the sugar and cream and pulse until the mixture thickens. It will have the texture of Greek yogurt.

If you don’t want raspberry filling, you can sub any freeze-dried fruit for the raspberries.

More Recipes You’ll Love

• 7 Cute and Easy Valentine’s Cake Ideas
• How to Decorate a Cake with Raspberries
• The Best Way to Fill a Cake with Raspberry Filling
• The Best Strawberry Buttercream Frosting for Cake
• How to Turn Cakes into Cupcakes

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Raspberry Cream Cupcake

Tender and flavorful vanilla bean cupcakes with raspberry cream frosting.

Course Dessert

Cuisine Cupcake

Keyword raspberry, Raspberry Cream Cupcake, Raspberry Cream Filling, vanilla, Vanilla Cupcake

Servings 24 people

Ingredients

FOR THE CUPCAKES

• 1 cup (226 g) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 3/4 cups (350 g) granulated sugar
• 6 large egg whites, room temperature
• 1 tbsp. (13 g) vanilla bean paste or pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup (120 g) sour cream, room temperature
• 3 cups (345 g) cake flour
• 1 tbsp. (10 g) baking powder
• 1 tsp. (5 g) salt
• 1 cup (240 g) buttermilk, room temperature

FOR THE RASPBERRY CREAM

• 1/2 cups (15 g) freeze dried raspberries, ***You cannot sub with fresh or frozen berries***
• 1/2 cup (100 g) granulated sugar
• 2 cups (460 g) heavy whipping cream, cold

Instructions

FOR THE CUPCAKES

• Preheat your oven to 325 degrees F. Line two cupcake tins with cupcake liners. Set aside.
• In a medium sized mixing bowl, whisk together the cake flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer, fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and the sugar for 3 to 5 minutes on medium-high speed. The mixture should be light and fluffy.
• 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.
• Add the vanilla bean paste or extract and beat until incorporated.
• With the mixer on low speed, add ⅓ of the flour mixture, followed by ½ cup of the buttermilk. Repeat the additions, ⅓ flour mixture, ½ cup buttermilk and the final ⅓ 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. Fold in the sour cream.
• Fill each cupcake liner about 2/3-¾ full. Bake for 20 to 25 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 RASPBERRY CREAM

• In a food processor, pulse the freeze dried raspberries until they resemble a powder.
• Add the sugar and the cream. Scrape down the sides and corners of the food processor.
• Pulse the mixture for about 2 minutes, until the cream becomes thick – like Greek yogurt.
• Keep refrigerated until ready to use.

The post The Best Raspberry Cream Cupcakes first appeared on Cake by Courtney.

The post The Best Raspberry Cream Cupcakes appeared first on Cake by Courtney.

Jelly Donut Bundt Cake

Friends, you are going to love how easy and how delicious this Jelly Donut Bundt Cake is to make! We’re taking my classic vanilla cake, adding a fruit swirl, a fruit sugar coating, and baking it in a bundt pan. I love this vanilla cake so much. It’s light and fluffy, moist, and full of flavor.

How to Bake Moist Cakes From Scratch

It’s probably one of the most frequently asked questions in baking. How do I bake moist cakes from scratch?

It seems like it would be simple, right? Follow a recipe and get a moist cake. Unfortunately, it’s not always that easy. Sometimes, we are unaware of how certain substitutions, incorrect measuring, mixing speeds, etc, can affect our cakes.

So let’s review what helps create moist cakes.

Can I use a different fruit flavor?

Absolutely! I used my favorite raspberry preserves to to fill this cake. However, you can use any fruit jam/preserves of your liking. You can even mixing up the fruit and sugar coating. I did raspberry jam and freeze dried raspberries, but feel free to mix it up.

More Bundt Cakes to Love

The Most Delicious Apple Cider Donut Bundt Cake for Fall

Best Ever Chocolate Bundt Cake Recipe

The Most Delicious Biscoff Bundt Cake

Moist and Delicious Lemon Poppy Seed Bundt Cake

Print

Jelly Donut Bundt Cake

Tender and flavorful vanilla bundt cake with raspberry swirl and a freeze dried raspberry and sugar coating.

Course Dessert

Cuisine Cake

Keyword Cake recipe, Jelly Donut Bundt Cake, raspberry, Vanilla Bundt Cake, Vanilla CAke

Servings 20 people

Ingredients

FOR THE CAKE

• 1 cup (226 g) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 3/4 cups (350 g) granulated sugar
• 6 large egg whites, room temperature
• 1 tbsp. (13 g) vanilla bean paste or pure vanilla extract
• 3 cups (345 g) cake flour
• 1 tbsp. (10 g) baking powder
• 1 tsp. (5 g) salt
• 1 cup (240 g) buttermilk, room temperature
• 1/2 cup (120 g) sour cream, room temperature

FOR THE SUGAR COATING

• 2 ounces (57 g) freeze dried raspberries
• 1/2 cup (50 g) granulated sugar
• 4 tablespoons (56.5 g) unsalted butter, melted

For the Filling

• 1/2 cup (144 g) raspberry jam

Instructions

FOR THE CAKE

• Preheat your oven to 325 degrees F. Spray a 10-cup or larger bundt pan with nonstick spray and dust with sugar to cover the pan. Set aside.
• In a medium sized mixing bowl, whisk together the cake flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer, fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and the sugar for 3 to 5 minutes on medium-high speed. The mixture should be light and fluffy in texture.
• 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 beating on medium-high speed until the texture is smooth and the volume is nearly doubled, about 3 to 5 minutes.
• Add the vanilla and mix until incorporated.
• With the mixer on low speed, add ⅓ of the flour mixture, followed by ½ cup of the buttermilk. Repeat the additions, ⅓ flour mixture, ½ cup buttermilk and the final ⅓ 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. Fold in the sour cream.
• Pour half of the batter in the bundt pan. Carefully dollop the raspberry jam on the batter. Pour the remaining batter on top of the jam. Bake the cake for 50 to 60 minutes. (Mine took 55 minutes).
• Remove from oven and let cool completely in the bundt pan before removing.

FOR THE Sugar coating

• Using a food processor of blender, pulse the freeze dried raspberries to a powder.
• In a small mixing bowl, stir together the sugar and the raspberry powder.
• Using a pastry brush, coat the cake with butter and then cover with the sugar mixture.

The post The Most Delicious Jelly Donut Bundt Cake first appeared on Cake by Courtney.

The post The Most Delicious Jelly Donut Bundt Cake appeared first on Cake by Courtney.

Valentine’s Day Cake

With Valentine’s Day just a few days away, I have the perfect Valentine’s Day cake you can whip up in no time! My Red Velvet Bundt Cake is incredibly moist and flavorful and is paired with a basic cream cheese icing that I’ve drizzled on top. Best of all, the color of this cake is a vibrant dark red!

What You Need For This Red Velvet Bundt Cake

As you prepare to make this cake, here are a few items you’ll want to make sure to have on hand:

• 10-cup bundt pan – I use this Brilliance Bundt Pan
• Red velvet emulsion – I use Lorann emulsions. You can find the red velvet emulsion HERE. Can’t get it in time? No worries, just sub the emulsion with red food coloring.
• All purpose flour
• Brown sugar
• Granulated sugar
• Eggs
• Sour cream
• Cocoa powder
• Buttermilk
• Baking soda
• White baking vinegar
• Cream cheese
• Powdered sugar
• Vanilla

Red Velvet Bundt Cake

As you probably know, a red velvet cake is considered a chocolate cake, even though it has a very minimal amount of cocoa. It also has a little tanginess to it, thanks to the buttermilk and sour cream – which both help the increased moisture in the cake too.

Traditionally, red velvet cakes get their bright red color from red food coloring. However, as you saw in the ingredient list above, I’m not using any food coloring. Instead, this cake gets this beautiful, rich red color from the red velvet emulsion. Emulsions are like extracts but are water-based instead of alcohol-based. This particular emulsion also gives the cake a boost of flavor. But if you can’t find red velvet emulsion, you can always use red food coloring.

The result is a super moist and fluffy red velvet cake with the slightest hint of cocoa and citrus (a flavor element from the emulsion).

Cream Cheese Icing

I thought about making this into a layered cake with cream cheese buttercream but opted to go a simpler route with the bundt cake – which made me want to switch up the icing too. The recipe you’ll see for the cream cheese icing is my regular cream cheese buttercream but with melted butter to make it thin. If you want to use a traditional buttercream, just leave the butter cold!

Cake Making Tips

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.
• Beat the butter and sugar for a few minutes on medium-high speed, until light and fluffy. 
• 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.

More Cakes You’ll Love

• Red Velvet Cake with chocolate sour cream buttercream and marshmallow filling
• Pink Velvet Cake with raspberry buttercream
• Chocolate Strawberry Nutella Cake

Print

Red Velvet Cake Bundt Cake

Tender and moist red velvet cake with cream cheese icing.

Course Dessert

Cuisine Cake

Keyword cream cheese icing, red velvet bundt cake, red velvet cake

Ingredients

FOR THE CAKE

• 1/2 cup (113 g) unsalted butter at room temperature
• 3/4 cup (165 g) light brown sugar packed
• 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
• 2 1/2 tbsp (35g) red velvet emulsion (I use LorAnn Oils Emulsions)
• 3 large eggs at room temperature
• 2 1/4 cups (270 g) all-purpose flour
• 2 tbsp (14.75 g) cocoa powder
• 1 tsp (5.6 g) salt
• 1 1/2 cups (360 g) buttermilk at room temperature
• 1/4 cup (60 g) sour cream at room temperature
• 1 tbsp (14.37 g) vinegar
• 1 1/4 tsp (5 g) baking soda

FOR THE ICING

• 3/4 cup (169.5 g) unsalted butter melted
• 3 oz (85 g) cream cheese
• 3 cups (375 g) powdered sugar measured and then sifted
• 1/2 tsp (2.1 g) pure vanilla extract
• Pinch of salt

Instructions

FOR THE CAKE

• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Spray the a bundt cake well with nonstick spray. Set aside.
• In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar, and red velvet flavor. Beat the ingredients on medium-high speed for about 5 minutes, until the mixture is light in color and slightly increased in volume.
• Lower the speed and add the eggs, one at a time, mixing until each egg is incorporated before adding the next.
• In a separate bowl, sift the flour and cocoa powder. Sprinkle the salt on top of the dry ingredients and whisk until combined.
• With the stand mixer on low speed, alternately add the dry ingredients and the buttermilk into the butter mixture, beginning and ending with dry ingredients. Mix until just incorporated. Fold in the sour cream.
• In a small bowl, combine the vinegar and baking soda until it fizzes and then add to the batter. Stir until blended.
• Bake for 55 to 65 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs on it.
• Let the cake cool completely in the bundt pan before turning it over to remove the cake.

FOR THE ICING

• In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine all of the ingredients. Stir on low speed until the powdered sugar is mixed in. Turn the mixer to medium speed and mix for a couple minutes.
• Pour over the bundt cake.
• If you want a thick buttercream, instead of a thin icing, you can make the same recipe but use cold butter.

The post The Best Red Velvet Bundt Cake with Cream Cheese Glaze first appeared on Cake by Courtney.

The post The Best Red Velvet Bundt Cake with Cream Cheese Glaze appeared first on Cake by Courtney.

As many of you know by now, my love of Biscoff runs DEEP! It hasn’t taken over my obsession for peanut butter, but it’s a close second. The flavor is just so rich and warm and delicious. Plus, it is proving to pair with so many flavors! Check out how I’ve used Biscoff in the past:

Biscoff Inspired Cakes

The Most Delicious Biscoff Cake with Biscoff Filling

Peach Biscoff Cake with Cheesecake Filling

Delicious and Easy Biscoff Strawberry Cake

Oatmeal Biscoff Cake with Biscoff Buttercream

Tender and Moist Biscoff Banana Bread

The Most Delicious Biscoff Bundt Cake

Unforgettable Banana Caramel Biscoff Cake

Pumpkin Biscoff Cake with Pumpkin Cheesecake Filling

That doesn’t even COVER them all! Ha!

See… true love!

And while I do have a Biscoff Brownie Cake, I have yet to do a simple chocolate and Biscoff cake.

Chocolate Biscoff Sheet Cake

For my Chocolate Biscoff Cake, I decided to keep it simple and bake it as a 9-inch x 13-inch sheet cake. Did you know you can make ANY of my cakes as sheet cakes? You don’t need to change anything except the bake time. You’ll add about 10 minutes more to the time given in one of the recipes for my layered cake. When you make a sheet cake from my layered cake recipes, you may want to reduce the buttercream by half. Notice below, the buttercream is half of the amount that my normal recipe would produce. It’s the perfect amount for a sheet cake.

How to Make Chocolate Biscoff Cake

To make the chocolate Biscoff cake layer, we’re using my Biscoff cake recipe with the addition of cocoa powder.

Steps for making chocolate Biscoff sheet cake:

• Beat the butter and sugars on medium-high speed for about three minutes to ensure the texture is smooth and fluffy. The sugar should mostly be dissolved and the color of the mixture should look lighter in color.
• Gradually add the eggs, mixing well between each addition. After all of the eggs are added, be sure to mix the batter on medium-high speed until the batter is smooth and all of the ingredients have come together. If the batter looks chunky or curdled at this point, it’s likely your wet ingredients were too cold or you didn’t mix long enough.
• Alternately add the flour mixture (which includes the Biscoff cookie crumbs and cocoa powder) and the buttermilk, starting and ending with the flour mixture.
• Bake the cake at 325 degrees F for about 35 to 40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out with a few moist crumbs on it.

How to Make This a Layered Cake

If you want to make this a layered cake, you will simply use three 8-inch round cake pans and bake for about 20 to 25 minutes. I would also recommend doubling the buttercream recipe.

Piping Tools

For the piping design, I used the Wilton 1M piping tip and the silicone piping bag from my shop.

Print

Chocolate Biscoff Cake

Moist and flavorful chocolate Biscoff cake with Biscoff filling and chocolate Biscoff buttercream.

Course Dessert

Cuisine Cake

Keyword Beginner, biscoff, chocolate, Chocolate Biscoff Cake

Ingredients

FOR THE CAKE

• 18 Biscoff or Speculoos Cookies
• 2 cups (240 g) all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup (59 g) good quality dark cocoa powder
• 1 3/4 teaspoons (7 g) baking powder
• 3/4 teaspoon (3 g) baking soda
• 3/4 teaspoon (4.2 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 large or extra large 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, sifted

FOR THE BUTTERCREAM

• 3/4 cups (169.5 g) unsalted butter, slightly cold
• 4 ounces dark chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup (125 g) smooth Biscoff cookie butter
• 2 1/2 cups (325 g) powdered sugar, measured then sifted
• 2 tablespoons (28.87 g) heavy whipping cream
• 1 teaspoon (4.2 g) vanilla extract
• generous pinch of salt
• This is enough buttercream to pipe or spread on a 9-inch by 13-inch sheet cake. If you turn this cake into a layered cake you will want to DOUBLE the recipe.

Garnish

• Biscoff Cookies

Instructions

FOR THE CAKE

• Preheat your oven to 325 degrees F. Spray your 9-inch x 13-inch rectangular pan with non-stick cooking spray, line the bottom 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, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Whisk until the ingredients are well-blended.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted the paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugars on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
• Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Continue to beat the mixture for a few more minutes, until the mixture is smooth. It’s not done until it looks cohesive, meaning, it shouldn’t look curdled, but more like buttercream.
• With the mixer on low speed, add ⅓ 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.
• Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out with a few moist crumbs on it. Cool 10 minutes on a wire rack before inverting onto a cooling rack 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

• 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 and Biscoff cookie butter on medium-high until it’s light and fluffy, about 2 to 3 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. Turn the mixer to medium-high and beat the buttercream for about 3 to 5 minutes.

Assembly

• When the cake is cooled to room temperature, evenly spread the Biscoff filing on top.
• Using the wilton 1m piping tip and a piping bag, pipe on the buttercream. Alternately, you can spread the buttercream over the filling, using an offset icing spatula.

The post The Best Chocolate Biscoff Cake first appeared on Cake by Courtney.

The post The Best Chocolate Biscoff Cake appeared first on Cake by Courtney.

With the new year upon us, I know there are a lot of you reading who are eager to finally get into cake-making. I’m hoping to make that journey as easy and as fun as possible. Because, the thing you need to know about cake? It’s fun! It’s happy! It’s exciting! It’s delicious!

I just launched my new online cake camp and to get things started, we’re making the easiest and most delicious chocolate cake. AND we’re keeping it super simple by baking it in a 9-inch by 13-inch cake pan. No layers. No fancy decorating… at least not yet

The Best Chocolate Cake Recipe

This cake is seriously the bes. It’s moist, it’s rich in flavor, and it’s easy to make.

What makes this cake so delicious?

Two things really make this cake stand out from the rest: how moist it is and how full of chocolate flavor it is.

Moisture: this cake is incredibly moist thanks to a combination of buttermilk, hot water (or you can use coffee), oil, and eggs.

Richness: we’re using a high fat, dark chocolate cocoa powder. It’s important to note that this recipe uses dark chocolate for a reason. Because we’re adding all the other ingredients to the cocoa powder, if we used a basic cocoa powder, the chocolate flavor would get diluted. Additionally, if the cocoa powder is low in fat (like most grocery store brands), you run the risk of drying out the cake.

NOTE: The cake batter in this cake recipe is thinner than many of my other cake batters. Don’t let that scare you. It’s going to rise beautifully and taste incredible. Truly the best chocolate cake ever!

More Beginner Cakes

The Most Delicious Confetti Cake Recipe (Funfetti Cake)

The Best Chocolate Chocolate Cake with Chocolate Buttercream

Classic Vanilla Cake

Copycat Tom Cruise White Chocolate Coconut Bundt Cake

Print

Chocolate Sheet Cake with Vanilla Buttercream

Moist and flavorful chocolate cake with a light and fluffy vanilla buttercream. 

Course Dessert

Cuisine Cake

Keyword Black and White Cake, Chocolate Cake, Chocolate cake with vanilla frosting, Vanilla Frosting

Author Courtney Rich

Ingredients

FOR DARK CHOCOLATE CAKE

• 2 cups (240 g) all-purpose flour
• 1 3/4 cups (350 g)granulated sugar
• 3/4 cup (88.5 g) Cacao Barry Extra Brute Cocoa Powder or similar premium brand
• 2 teaspoons (8 g) baking soda
• 3/4 teaspoon (3 g) baking powder
• 1 teaspoon (5.6 g) salt
• 3 large or extra large eggs room temperature
• 1 cup (240 g) buttermilk room temperature
• 1 cup (236.6 g) hot water
• 1/2 cup (109 g) vegetable oil
• 1 tablespoon (4.2 g) pure vanilla extract

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 (57.75 g) heavy whipping cream
• 2 teaspoons (8.4 g) pure vanilla extract
• Pinch of salt

Instructions

FOR THE CHOCOLATE CAKE

• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Prepare 9-inch by 13-inch rectangular cake pans by spraying the bottom and sides with nonstick spray, lining the bottom with parchment paper, and spray the parchment paper. Set aside.
• In a bowl of electric mixer, combine all the dry ingredients.
• Combine eggs, buttermilk, water, oil and vanilla in a measuring cup and lightly beat with a fork.
• Add wet ingredients to the dry ingredients, and mix on low speed until combined. Batter will be thin. Scrape sides and mix for another 30 seconds. Pour the batter into the cake pan.
• Bake for 25 to 30 minutes (you may need more time depending on your oven), until toothpick comes out with just a few moist crumbs on it. Cool completely before frosting.

FOR THE BUTTERCREAM:

• In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter for about 2 to 3 minutes, until it is light and fluffy.
• 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.

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

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

Just like having the right ingredients will ensure you get a great tasting cake, having the right tools helps to ensure you end up with a great looking cake too! There are so many fun tools and gadgets you could spend your money on, but you don’t need all of them to get started.

Let’s first focus on the “essentials” and then, we’ll take a look at the “nice to haves.”

Essential Cake Decorating Tools

Turntable

To kick off our list of essential cake decorating tools is the turntable. This was one of the biggest game changers for my decorating. There are a lot of turntables on the market, so depending on how much you’re decorating cakes will help determine what type of turntable you should get. If you’re only making a birthday cake every once in a while, I think you’ll be fine with something less expensive like THIS Ateco plastic one. It’s the same one we use in my cake classes at Orson Gygi.  For the annual birthday cakes, this is my favorite go to!

If you’re making cakes pretty frequently, I think it’s worth investing in a cast iron turntable like THIS Ateco one. It’s two separate pieces, so the top spins really nicely. The base is a heavy cast iron, so it doesn’t move around or wobble. I went through a lot of plastic ones the first year or so I started my blog and then finally decided I needed something more durable. I’ve had this Ateco one for about four years now. If it ever starts to stick, I just grease it with WD40. Check out my post HERE for tips on how to move your cake from the turntable to a cake stand.

Cake Scraper

Another tool I think is a must-have is a cake scraper. A cake scraper is a tool I use to smooth out the sides of my cake. Over the years I’ve tried a lot of variations (i.e. heights, materials, thicknesses, etc.) of scrapers. They are not all created equal. For many years I settled on, and truly liked, THIS Ateco one. What I found to be the superior qualities of this scraper were the weight and thickness. However, it wasn’t quite tall enough for my bigger cakes and I didn’t like that it had textures on all sides. So last year I decided to design my own scrapers, in addition to spatulas, acrylic disks, and a few other things we’ll talk about later. As I designed my scraper set, I made sure it was just as thin and light as the Ateco one I had liked for so many years. I also added a handle and separated the textures so you have three scrapers in the set.  It’s a must-have for occasions like birthday cakes, wedding cakes, and more!

One of my favorite things to hear from customers that have bought and used the tools is how surprised they are with how lightweight they are and the major difference the tools made in their decorating!

How to Use the Cake Scraper

Check out these videos for extra tips on how to hold and use the cake scraper:

• Instagram Reel Tutorial
• Instagram LIVE
• Smooth Sides
• Assembly Demo

Icing Spatulas

To go along with the scrapers and turntable, I think everyone needs a good set of icing spatulas – one straight and one offset. I like to use the straight spatula for the sides of the cake and the offset spatula for the center and top of the cake. As I created my own set of spatulas, getting the right blade length was super important to me. Some blades are too short, which makes it difficult to frost the sides of your cakes. And then some blades are too long, which makes it difficult to control the spatula.

Acrylic Disk

Another tool that will change your world is the acrylic disk. You’ll use the disk to help you get sharp edges and straight sides. I’ve created a full tutorial on how to use the disks HERE.

Check out THIS tutorial on IG

or THIS one

and THIS one

Quality Cake Pans

One more essential to invest in to step up your cake game are quality cake pans. I recommend Fat Daddio Pans. Fat Daddio specializes in anodizing their pans – which basically means they’ve created a pan that evenly distributes heat really, really well. What does that mean for you? It means you’ll get a more even bake in your cakes.

The Nice to Haves

Ok, so now that you have the essential cake-decorating tools, let’s talk about the “nice to haves.” These are items that you can live without, but are definitely nice to have!

Cake Leveler

A cake leveler does exactly what the name implies – levels cakes. Each side has numbers on it so that you can line up the wire to create a perfectly leveled cake. I have THIS one by Wilton. 

Cake Lifter

Ever wonder how I move my cakes from the turntable to the pretty cake stand? It’s as simple as one tool! The cake lifter. I also designed my own version of this tool to match the collection. I love the color so much, this actually sits on my counter against the wall behind my trivet near the stove. 

This cake lifter is actually quite heavy and will support your cakes nicely. Just make sure you don’t rely solely on the lifter. You’ll still need to place your hand under the lifter a bit to support the cake. Stacking birthday cakes will become a piece of cake

Cake Boards

I’d also suggest getting cake boards, something you can find at your local craft store like Joann’s, Michaels or Hobby Lobby. They come pre-cut and having one under your cake will help you easily slide your cake lifter under the cake to move it. 

Parchment Paper

I think it’s also really nice to have parchment paper. Using a combination of cooking spray and parchment paper will help your cakes come out of the cake pans really nicely. You can get pre-cut parchment rounds like THESE or trace your pans on parchment paper and cut out each circle. Whichever way you decide to go, just make sure you’re spraying your pans with non-stick spray, placing parchment rounds at the bottom of the pan, and spraying the parchment with non-stick spray as well.

Silicone Piping Bag

A reusable piping bag will come in handy when you’re ready to do some piping designs on the top or sides of your cake. We just had to make one in pink! (Check out my post HERE for the best way to fill it with your buttercream!)

Drip Bottle

And last but not least, the drip bottle! I love this little guy for applying my chocolate drips.

Cake Without the Tools

While all these tools are fun to have and certainly will make decorating your cake a bit easier, not having them shouldn’t be the reason you don’t make a cake from scratch.

You can make all the same delicious cakes in 9″x13″ pans. I recorded an IGTV that you can watch HERE.

Or, if you do a layered birthday cake, you can even decorate it on a plate with a knife like you would with a turntable and spatula.

More Posts You’ll Enjoy

• Everything You Need to Know About Buttercream Frosting 
• Best Cakes for Beginner Bakers
• The Best Way to Fill a Cake with Raspberry Filling
• A Look Inside the Heart of Our Home: Part 2
• How to Use the Cake Safe

The post My Favorite and Most Essential Cake Decorating Tools first appeared on Cake by Courtney.

The post My Favorite and Most Essential Cake Decorating Tools appeared first on Cake by Courtney.

4 New Year’s Cakes You’ll Love

I hope you’re enjoying the holidays and have been able to spend some time with family and friends. To help with your family time, I have 4 New Year’s cakes you’ll love! You can try them with your families or at your holiday parties this year. Cake makes any holiday party that much better–and these recipes will be a hit. 

Although I’m not one to stay up until midnight to ring in the new year, I definitely still celebrate it in the earlier evening–and there’s usually cake involved. That’s one of the great things about cake–it can be enjoyed any time of day. I hope you find a favorite cake to try for your New Year’s celebrations this year! 

4 New Year’s Cakes You’ll Love

New Year’s Cake #1: Champagne Cake

This Champagne Cake is the perfect dessert to celebrate the new year with. I love the simplicity of it, with the gold adding a celebratory look to it. This recipe will work with your favorite sparkling cider or champagne. I included a peach and raspberry puree in my cake layers to complement the Martinelli flavor I used. Feel free to switch up those flavors as well, but I recommend making the puree at least a day before and keeping it in the fridge overnight to help thicken it up. 

New Year’s Cake #2: Black and White Cake

A Black and White Cake is easily a classic celebratory cake. I used my go-to dark chocolate cake recipe and my recipe for the most amazing vanilla buttercream you’ll ever taste. This cake really captures a New Year’s look with its fun design. I included a video on the original post on how to decorate it, so be sure to check it out! 

New Year’s Cake #3: White Chocolate Cranberry Cake

My White Chocolate Cranberry Cake has a nice wintery look to it that you will love! Not to mention the flavor, this combination of cranberry and white chocolate is next level. This cake might be for those who are still holding onto their Christmas spirit at the New Year’s Eve party, but there’s still a couple more months of winter to enjoy, so this cake fits the criteria! 

New Year’s Cake #4: Marble Cake

The last cake that made it onto my New Year’s cake list is my Marble Cake. This cake is close to my heart because it’s one my son, Weston, has requested a few times now for his birthday cake. I’d recommend this cake for beginners especially! It’s a pretty simple process to create the marbling in the cake layers. Simply swirl chocolate cake batter and vanilla cake batter together. I paired my cake with peanut butter buttercream, but it can really go with several different flavors! Check out the original post to see a list of buttercreams that can go with this marble cake. 

4 New Year’s Cakes You’ll Love

I hope you enjoy celebrating with your friends and family this year with one of these 4 New Year’s cakes you’ll love! If you’re wanting to stay connected and catch my latest cake recipes and baking tips, follow me on Instagram @cakebycourtney. Have you seen my NEW cookbook yet? You can order your copy here. 

The post 4 New Year’s Cakes You’ll Love first appeared on Cake by Courtney.

The post 4 New Year’s Cakes You’ll Love appeared first 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 ½ 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 post Holiday Favorite Flavors: Chocolate Orange Cake appeared first on Cake by Courtney.

The weather has officially turned here in Utah! We woke up to snow, so naturally, both of my kids immediately asked for hot chocolate for breakfast – something they’ll likely have at every breakfast from now until spring!

Hot Chocolate Cake

With winter weather upon us, a hot cocoa cake feels like the perfect way to celebrate the season. My hot chocolate cake is a simple, but delicious chocolate cake recipe with a scrumptious marshmallow buttercream and a drizzle of chocolate ganache. Nothing too fancy or hard to make, but loaded with deliciousness!

How to Make Moist Chocolate Cake

This chocolate cake recipe is my absolute favorite. I use it in a lot of my cake recipes because it’s simply the best! The flavor is rich and decadent, and the texture is tender and moist.

To make this chocolate cake, you’ll start by combining all of the dry ingredients, including the sugar, in a mixing bowl. Whisk together the ingredients until they’re well blended.

In another bowl, combine all of the wet ingredients and stir until combined. At that point, you’re simply pouring the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mixing until the dry ingredients are incorporated.

That’s it!

This chocolate cake recipe is seriously the easiest chocolate cake you’ll ever make.

Marshmallow Buttercream

For the marshmallow buttercream, I wanted to create something you can decorate your cake with. This is NOT like my marshmallow fluff or filling from the Ultimate S’mores Cake. While both of those marshmallow elements are incredibly delicious in that cake, neither have the consistency to fill AND cover your cake properly.

For this buttercream, I’ve combined the store-bought marshmallow cream with butter, powdered sugar, a little cream cheese, vanilla and salt.

For the scalloped design on the sides of my cake, I used the large scalloped scraper from my Textured Scraper Set.

More Cakes to Love

Marshmallow Moon Pie Cake (Updated)

Dark Chocolate Salted Caramel Cake

The Best Chocolate Chocolate Cake with Chocolate Buttercream

Peanut Butter and Marshmallow Filled Fluffernutter Cake

Print

Hot Cocoa Cake with Marshmallow Buttercream

Dark chocolate cake layers with a light and fluffy marshmallow buttercream and chocolate ganache.

Course Dessert

Cuisine Cake

Keyword Black and White Cake, Chocolate Cake, hot chocolate cake, hot cocoa cake, marshmallow, Marshmallow buttercream

Prep Time 1 hour

Author Courtney Rich

Ingredients

FOR DARK CHOCOLATE CAKE

• 2 cups (240 g) all-purpose flour
• 1 3/4 cups (350 g) granulated sugar
• 3/4 cup (88.5 g) dark cocoa powder, I use Extra Brute Cacao Barry
• 2 teaspoons (8 g) baking soda
• 1 teaspoon (6 g) salt
• 3/4 teaspoon (3 g) baking powder
• 3 eggs, room temperature
• 1 cup (240 g) buttermilk, room temperature
• 1 cup (236.6 g) hot water
• 1/2 cup (109 g) vegetable oil
• 1 tablespoon (4.2 g) pure vanilla extract

FOR THE BUTTERCREAM

• 2 cups (452 g) unsalted butter, slightly chilled
• 6 cups (750 g) powdered sugar, measured and then sifted
• 12 ounces marshmallow cream, store bought like THIS
• 3 ounces cream cheese
• 1 teaspoon (4.2 g) pure vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon (1.5 g) salt

For the Ganache/Drip

• 1/2 cup (85 g) dark chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup (120 g) heavy whipping cream

Instructions

FOR THE CHOCOLATE CAKE

• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Prepare three 8-inch round cake pans by spraying the bottom and sides with nonstick spray, lining the bottom with parchment paper, and spraying the parchment paper. Set aside.
• In a bowl of electric mixer, stir together all of the dry ingredients.
• Combine eggs, buttermilk, water, oil and vanilla in a measuring cup and lightly beat with a fork.
• With the mixer on low, add wet ingredients to the dry ingredients. Mix on low until the dry ingredients are incorporated, about 30 to 60 seconds. The batter will be thin. Scrape sides and mix on low for another 30 seconds. Divide batter evenly among prepared pans, about 15 to 16 ounces in each 8-inch pan.
• Bake for 23 to 27 minutes (you may need more time depending on your oven), until toothpick comes out with just a few moist crumbs on it. Cool on wire racks for 10-15 minutes, then gently invert onto racks until cooled completely.
• When cakes are completely cooled, I like to wrap each cake layer individually with plastic wrap and stick it in the refrigerator or freezer until I’m ready to frost. The cake will be easier to work with if it’s cooled a bit. If I’m making the cake a day or two before I actually need to frost it, I put it in the freezer to ensure freshness. If I’m frosting same-day, I still put the cakes in the freezer for an hour or so.

FOR THE BUTTERCREAM:

• In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter and cream cheese for about 2 minutes.
• 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 the marshmallow cream, followed by the 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.

For the Ganache/Drip

• In a microwave safe bowl, heat the cream and the chocolate chips together in 30 second intervals, until the chocolate is melted and smooth when you stir.
• The mixture will thicken as it cools. Make sure it cools completely before using between the layers. If the mixture is too thick for the drip, just heat it again for about 10 seconds.

ASSEMBLY

• Place the first cake layer, top side up, on a cake board or cake stand. Using an offset icing spatula, sread about 1 cup of buttercream on top. Make sure to get eye level with the cake to ensure the frosting is spread evenly over the cake. Drizzle chocolate ganache on top of the buttercream.
• Repeat this 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 Hot Chocolate Cake with Marshmallow Buttercream first appeared on Cake by Courtney.

The post Hot Chocolate Cake with Marshmallow Buttercream appeared first on Cake by Courtney.