Category Archives: celebration cakes

Cake, celebration cakes, favorites, Uncategorized

Oatmeal Coconut Pecan Cake

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Oatmeal Coconut Pecan Cake by twocarolines

If you haven’t met Oatmeal Coconut Pecan Cake, let me introduce you to one of the great loves of my life.  Trust me, this one is for the record books people.  I’ve never served it without loud praise, wide applause, and urgent requests for the recipe.  My husband, who isn’t really a cake guy, calls this his favorite and it’s the only cake he actually requests on the regular.  There is so much that’s right about this cake, the always moist and magical oatmeal texture, the not-to-sweet with brown sugar cinnamon flavor, and the coconut pecan topping just sends it into the prize winning cake hall of fame (that’s a thing, or at least I should make that a thing).  It’s one of those rare combinations of show stopping deliciousness that’s embarrassingly easy to make.  Try it and see!

Cake:
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup boiling water
1 1/4 cups rolled oats
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon vanilla

Topping:
1/3 cup butter
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 cup shredded coconut
1 cup chopped pecans

  1.  Set oven to 350.  Prepare a bundt pan by either spraying with baking spray that has flour or greasing well and tapping in flour to coat.
  2. In a large bowl combine melted butter, oatmeal, and boiling water.  Let sit for 20 minutes.
  3. Add sugars then eggs, one at a time mixing well after each.  Add flour and before mixing just put the baking soda, salt, and cinnamon on top of the flour heap then mix it all together adding vanilla last.
  4. Bake for 25-30 minutes until set and a toothpick comes out clean. Let cool in pan 10 minutes before turning out onto a dish that can go in the oven.  If you don’t have one put it on a cookie sheet for the application of the topping then transfer to a plate once it’s completed.
  5. For the topping put the sugar, cream and butter in a saucepan over medium heat.  When sugar is dissolved and mixture starts bubbling on the sides mix in coconut and pecans then remove from the heat. It will stick on the cake a bit better if you let it cool 10-15 minutes before spreading on the cake.
  6. Once your topping is on put cake under the broiler (I keep it on low) for only a minute or so, just long enough to brown the topping.
  7. Serve anytime, keeps at room temp for a number of days.
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Oatmeal Coconut Pecan Cake by twocarolines

Recipe adapted from A Gathering Of Friends

 

 

Cake, celebration cakes, Uncategorized

Coconut Snowball Cake

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Coconut Snowball Cake by twocarolines.com

It’s been years since I posted this twocarolines classic and the birthday of my dear friend Steph last weekend reminded me how delicious her favorite Caroline cake is. I’m far away from her so I can’t bring her snowball cake this year so I’m posting it instead in her honor.

This cake is inspired by my brother in law Bob. I asked him what cake he would most want for the wedding reception of his beautiful daughter Aly and he said “white cake with pink frosting” – didn’t sound that good to me TBH. This combination reminding him of convenience store treats of his youth, like Grandma’s Cookies, Hostess Zingers and Snowballs, the nostalgic memory of these childhood treats inspired me! I decided to make a white coconut cake, with this coconut frosting I usually put on chocolate cake then just smother it in coconut flakes so it has the effect of a hostess treat, but with homemade goodness.  The result was a resounding success, people went nuts for it!  And just to make life easy I was able to doctor a cake mix for the cake and it was honestly so perfectly moist, bouncy and delicious I’m glad I didn’t make the cake totally from scratch.   I used some pink dye just for Bobby J, but this would be extra pretty keeping all ingredients white as well, do what makes you feel good.

For the Cake:
1 package white cake mix (I used pillsbury, but any should work)
1 cup sour cream
3 tablespoons warm water
3 eggs (room temperature)
1/2 cup coconut oil (melted)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon coconut extract

For the Frosting:
16 ounces or 1 box powdered sugar
1/4 cup boiling water
1 1/2 sticks or 3/4 cup butter
4 ounces cream cheese cut into pieces
1/4 teaspoon coconut
1 drop red or pink food coloring if using
3 cups shredded coconut (I mix normal sweetened coconut with unsweetened wide flake coconut I buy from Sprouts because I think it’s so pretty)

  1. Preheat oven to 350 – spray or parchment line two 9 inch baking pans.  I spray and parchment line because I’m careful like that, but do what works for you.  It’s also a good time to get out your cream cheese and butter for the frosting so they can come to room temperature.
  2. Mix sour cream, oil, water, extracts and eggs one at a time making sure they are all incorporated, then add cake mix and mix for a few minutes making a consistent batter.
  3. Pour into your prepared cake pans trying to get them as even as possible (I put them on a scale but that’s because I’m a dessert blogger and want my business to look legit – you could probably eye ball it and get close enough to even).  Bake for about 25-28 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean and the cakes are risen and browned nicely.  Let cool 5-10 minutes then turn out of pans and let cool completely on a wire rack.
  4. For the frosting, mix together the cream cheese, butter and boiling water then start to slowly add the powdered sugar making sure to scrape the sides of the bowl, last mix in the coconut extract.  Put your frosting in the fridge to get it a little thickened for 20 minutes or so.
  5. To frost, cut the round top off your bottom layer, then turn, cut side down onto a cake board or plate.  Pile a big glop of frosting onto this layer and spread out being sure to only touch your frosting spatula to the frosting and never to cake, just to the ends.  Next even out your next layer by cutting the round top then plop that on top of your frosted layer cut side down.  Put most of your frosting on top of the cake and spread out slowly – being careful to only touch the frosting and not the cake so you don’t pull up crumbs.  If you do, wash off our spatula and get more frosting to cover, there will be some left over.  Spread the top so it goes past the border of the cake then take frosting and scoop it on to your spreading spatula as you go along the sides turning your cake so you get a nice even layer all around the sides.  Last do a nice back and forth or a circular swirl on top then before it hardens press your coconut into the top and sides of the cake.  It’s helpful to have something under it so clean-up is easier.  Serve at room temperature – keeps for a good 3 days or more if you keep it covered.

 

Berry Desserts, Cake, celebration cakes, Uncategorized

Tres Leches Cake

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tres leches cake by twocarolines.com

Prior to this I had never even had Tres Leches Cake and didn’t think I particularly needed to, but I was randomly watching Pioneer woman one day while folding laundry and she whipped up one of these and it looked super amazing and unique.  I followed her recipe except for adding some cinnamon to the whip cream frosting because it’s an insanely delicious secret I learned from 1.0’s amazing Chocolate Cinnamon Mousse Pie.  Also I used strawberries instead of maraschino cherries because those are kind of yuck but strawberries are summer fruit central and tasted delicious!  I fed this cake to a crowd and they went nutso for it – I always enjoy seeing my bakes disappear with a quickness.  I’m sure you’ll have a similar result because this cake was such a pleasure to eat.

Cake:
1 cup flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
5 large eggs – separated
1 cup sugar
1/3 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

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tres leches slice by twocarolines.com

For the tres leches mixture:
1/4 cup heavy cream
one 14 ounce can sweetened condensed milk
one 12 ounce can evaporated milk

For Icing:
1 pint heavy cream, for whipping
3 tablespoons sugar
1 (scant) teaspoon cinnamon (optional)
strawberries to decorate

  1.  For the cake: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a 9- by 13-inch cake pan.
  2. Sift the flour, baking powder and salt into a large bowl, set aside.  Separate the eggs. Beat the egg yolks with 3/4 cup of the sugar on high speed until the yolks are pale yellow. Stir in the milk and vanilla. Pour the egg yolk mixture over the flour mixture and stir very gently until combined.
  3. Beat the egg whites on high speed until soft peaks form. With the mixer on, pour in the remaining 1/4 cup sugar and beat until the egg whites are stiff but not dry. Fold the egg white mixture into the batter very gently until just combined. Spoon into the prepared pan and spread to even out the surface.
  4. Bake until the cake is done, 35 to 40 minutes. Allow to cool in the pan, and then turn out (upside down) onto a rimmed platter.
  5. For the tres leches: Combine the heavy cream, evaporated milk and condensed milk in a small pitcher. Pierce the surface of the cake with a fork several times. Drizzle the milk mixture over the top and allow the cake to sit and absorb the milk mixture. Don’t worry about totally soaking the cake! That’s what you want.
  6. For the icing: Whip the cream with the sugar and cinnamon if using. Spread it evenly over the top and sides of the soaked cake and decorate with strawberries.  You can use as many or as few as you choose.  I was more minimal for pictures, then I gave the rest of the strawberries to my 3 year old and she plastered it how she saw fit, which tasted great!
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    Millies decoration for tres leches cake by twocarolines
  7. Refrigerate until ready to serve. Several hours is fine. The cooler the cake, the better!

Recipe adapted from Pioneer Woman tres leches cake on foodnetwork.com.

Cake, celebration cakes, favorites, Uncategorized

Momma May’s Carrot Cake

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Momma May’s Carrot Cake by twocarolines.com

My Mom Cheryll is an incredible woman- she has a PhD from Tufts School of Law and Diplomacy, she raised 3 children along with my Father, while working and fulfilling challenging church callings and she’s an absolute wonder in the kitchen! Her carrot cake is one of the most rare and spectacular privileges of my life on earth- you guys it’s BEYOND delicious! I get mad at carrot cakes that are jam packed full of raisins, nuts and pineapples, those are all good things that have no place in my cake.  I am a carrot cake purist, I want a full rich cake with strong carrot flavor and texture, and a hearty portion of slightly tart cream cheese frosting to set it all off.  What’s most magical about this cake is how the carrots start to caramelize in places and you get little crunchy, chewy sweet bits of carrot with a perfectly seasoned cake keeping it all together for a truly unforgettable cake experience.  I love it with fresh chopped walnuts on top of the frosting, for some reason they taste way better to me on top of the cake than they do in the cake.  My Mom usually makes this in a 9×13 pyrex, in which case you bake it for about 45-55 minutes (pay more attention to doneness than bake times).  I made it into an layer cake for dramatic effect, but suit yourself, it’s incredibly delicious either way!

For the Cake:
1 1/4 vegetable oil or coconut oil
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
4 eggs
2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 generous cups finely grated carrots

For the Frosting:
1 pound cream cheese (two 8 oz bars) room temperature
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 cup butter (2 sticks) room temperature
2 pounds powdered sugar
1-2 tablespoons milk
1 cup walnuts (more or less as you desire)

  1. Preheat oven to 350 and grease (I also parchment line) two 9 inch round cake pans.  If you haven’t yet get out your butter and cream cheese to get them to room temperature for the frosting.
  2. Blend oil and sugars until really well combined.  Beat in eggs two at a time until totally incorporated.  Whisk together your dry ingredients in a separate bowl.  Sift in dry ingredients and mix until just combined.  Add carrots and give is a good mix so they are evenly distributed but don’t over-mix.
  3. Pour into your pans trying to keep them as even as possible.  Bake for 28-35 minutes rotating once.  Pay attention to doneness more than bake times.  Cakes should be raised, pulling slightly from the sides and a toothpick in the middle should come out clean.  Let cool in the pans for 10 or so minutes before turning out on to a rack to cool completely.
  4. For the frosting, beat your room temp cream cheese and butter until nicely combined.  Add vanilla, then start to add your powdered sugar scraping down completely a few times to make sure your frosting doesn’t have any dry spots.  I found I like the consistency better with a tablespoon or so of milk, but that’s optional.  Use as much sugar or milk as is needed to reach a nice sturdy frosting that can hold up in a layer cake – thick, but still spreadable.
  5. Put first cake layer down on your cake board or plate then spread a generous layer of frosting on the top.  Try to only touch your frosting tool to the frosting and never to the cake to avoid pulling up crumbs.  Another tip is to use more frosting than you think you need – really pile it on, you can always take it off as you frost your cake, but if you’re needing to add more it isn’t as easy to work with.  Once you have a solid 1/2 inch plus layer on your bottom cake put your next cake on top and pile frosting high then work it over the top and sides with a knife or frosting tool.  I love this offset frosting spatula from Ateco.  Turn your cake as you frost to evenly distribute your frosting, you will probably have some left over for your next batch of cupcakes or to decorate cookies with.
  6. Chop walnuts and carefully press them into the top of your cake.  Keep at room temperature and enjoy!
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Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting and Walnuts by twocarolines.com
Cake, celebration cakes, Uncategorized

Peanut Butter Chocolate Cake

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chocolate peanut butter cake by twocarolines.com

As our readers know, the love Caroline’s have for desserts of the peanut butter chocolate variety is SERIOUS!  We have brought you some pretty amazing C&PB combo’s like the amazing double chocolate peanut butter pie, 1.0’s famous peanut butter banana chocolate chip cake, or our much loved peanut butter buckeye brownies plus many more.  Now I bring you one of my favorite cakes of all time – this chocolate peanut butter cake is all the things you want your C&PB desserts to be! Rich chocolatey flavor, and creamy delicious peanut butter frosting plus a luxey ganache filling that sets it all off perfectly.  I make this cake all the time, but it usually get’s eaten so fast I can never get a picture! This was a commissioner my friend Melissa- it’s hard when you make your favorite cake but can’t eat it! But they LOVED it and so will you!  -CK 2.0

Cake: (this is my go-to chocolate cake recipe – but use your favorite, this one always turns out ultra moist and delicious but any standard chocolate cake recipe would work)

  • 1 box pillsbury devils food cake mix
  • 1 3.4 oz box jello instant chocolate pudding (not the fat/sugar free)
  • 1/2 cup melted butter, coconut oil or vegetable oil
  • 1 cup sour cream
  • 4 eggs lightly beaten (room temp works best)
  • 1/2 cup warm water
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1 cup chocolate chips

Ganache Filling:

  • 1 1/2 cups chopped dark chocolate or chocolate chips
  • 1/2 cup heavy cream

Frosting:

  • 10 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
  • 1 stick (4 ounces or 1/2 cup) unsalted butter, at room temperature
  • 5 cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted
  • 2/3 cup smooth peanut butter, preferably a commercial brand like Jiff or Skippy
  1. For the cake.  Preheat oven to 350 and line two 9″ cake pans with parchment and either butter or spray them then set aside.
  2. Lightly mix together the cake mix and pudding mix then in a separate bowl mix your eggs water, oil (or butter) and vanilla well, until all the eggs are incorporated.  Add the wet mixture into the cake mix making sure to mix it thoroughly for a few minutes, and then add the sour cream blending until no white streaks remain.  Last add the chocolate chips and just fold them in with a spatula so they are evenly distributed.  The batter is quite thick, but it bakes up really nice so don’t be nervous about the texture.
  3. Pour evenly into your cake pans and level out with a spatula.  Bake for about 22-25 minutes checking for doneness with a toothpick.  The top of the cakes spring back when done and the cake just barely starts to pull from the sides of the pan.  Let cool in pans for 5 minutes then turn out onto a cooling rack to cool completely while you make your frosting and ganache.
  4. Next I make the ganache and then the frosting because you need to pipe frosting around the bottom of your layer cake in order to hold the ganache in the middle while it cools.  The ganache can start to cool down and thicken while you make the frosting.
  5. For the ganache: Put the chocolate and heavy cream in a heatproof bowl – I use 4 cup pyrex for this.  Heat slowly in the microwave either on defrost or in 20 second intervals at full power until the chocolate starts to loose it’s shape and you can whisk it smooth.  You can also heat the chocolate and cream in a double boiler, but I find the microwave method much easier.
  6. For the frosting: In a large bowl with an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese and butter until light and fluffy. Gradually add the confectioners’ sugar 1 cup at a time, mixing thoroughly after each addition and scraping down the sides of the bowl often. Continue to beat on medium speed until light and fluffy, 3 to 4 minutes.  Add the peanut butter and beat until thoroughly blended.
  7. Once the cakes have cooled, level the tops with a long serrated knife, unless you don’t care about having a neat looking cake, but this makes frosting easier and it gives you a little snack while you work.  Put the first layer on a plate or cake board and pipe with either a piping bag or just a bag made from parchment a dam of frosting around the diameter of the bottom layer that will hold in your ganache when you pour it in.  You may have some extra ganache – I used it last time to put on the top of my cake which you can do, or just save it for something else.  Now take your ganache and pour it into the middle of that bottom layer spreading out but taking care not to let it go over the edge or over the edge of your frosting layer – this is why you made a frosting dam, to hold in your ganache and keep your second layer of cake from squishing it.
  8. Let that cool for 10 minutes or so then put the second cake layer on – neat side up and plop a large amount of frosting on top.  Using an offset spatula spread the peanut butter frosting taking care to only touch your spatula to the frosting, and not to the cake so you don’t drag crumbs.  Work your frosting around the top, pushing it slowly from the middle, and then around the sides scraping the extra into a paper towel so you don’t drag crumbs.  A spinning cake pedestal helps, but you can do this by just turning a plate.  Once you have a uniform and neat cake you can decorate with extra ganache, chocolate curls, Reeses Peanut Butter Cups or whatever you would like.
  9. Keep plastic where you’ve cut your cake so it doesn’t dry out, but you’re not likely to have any extra!

 

Recipe adapted from Smitten Kitchen Chocolate Peanut Butter Cake 

Cake, celebration cakes, chocolate desserts, Easy, favorites, staples, Uncategorized

Quintessential Chocolate Cupcakes

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Quintessential Cupcakes by twocarolines.com

I’m introducing you to the most perfect party companion ever.  These cupcakes are always so moist, rich and chocolatey with a bit of sour for balance and the most perfect springy texture, they are consistently amazing and so easy it’s embarrassing.  Of course this recipe works great as a layer cake, in a bundt, or just poured into a 9X13, just be sure to check doneness instead of bake times.  I made this batch for a sweet baby boy’s 1st birthday and thought it would be more fun to have two kinds of frosting for the kids to choose from, I will post both but I only made half of each for 24 cupcakes.  If you don’t feel like making frosting I’m sure you’ll enjoy them with a little ganache glaze or even just sprinkled with powdered sugar.

 

Chocolate Cake:

1 box pillsbury devils food cake mix
1 3.4 oz box jello instant chocolate pudding (not the fat/sugar free)
1/2 cup melted butter or coconut oil
1 cup sour cream
4 eggs lightly beaten (room temp works best)
1/2 cup warm water
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 heaping cup chocolate chips

Vanilla Buttercream Frosting: 

1/2 cup butter at room temperature
4 ounces cream cheese (1/2 a box) room temperature
5 cups confectioners sugar
1/4 cup milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Chocolate Buttercream Frosting: 

1/3 cup butter
2-3 ounces cream cheese
2/3 cup cocoa powder
3-4 cups powdered sugar
1/3 cup milk (might need a bit more if frosting is too thick)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
pinch of salt

  1. For the cake.  Preheat oven to 350 and line 2 cupcake pans then spray the very bottom so your cakes come out clean.
  2. Lightly mix together the cake mix and pudding mix then in a separate bowl mix your eggs water, oil (or butter) and vanilla well until all the eggs are incorporated.  Add the wet mixture into the cake mix making sure to mix it thoroughly for a few minutes, and then add the sour cream blending until no white streaks remain.  Last add the chocolate chips and just fold them in with a spatula so they are evenly distributed.  The batter is quite thick, but it bakes up really nice so don’t get scared.
  3. Fill muffin tins about 2/3-3/4 tall depending on how tall your want your cupcakes.  You might have a bit extra.
  4. Bake at 350 for about 19-20 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean (bake times vary for 9″ pans, bundts etc. so check doneness with a toothpick before taking out).
  5. For the vanilla buttercream – mix butter and cream cheese in a stand mixer until well combined and a little fluffed up.  Add sugar and milk alternating, then vanilla.  I usually end up adding a little more sugar or milk until I reach desired texture.
  6. For the chocolate buttercream – melt butter and mix with cream cheese until well combined.  Add about half the milk to this mixture then start to add your cocoa and sugar in alternating batches ending with sugar.  Add vanilla and salt anytime.  Put in the rest of the milk and make sure you scrape down the sides of the pan often and just like the vanilla buttercream have extra milk and sugar on hand to get to your desired texture.
  7. I think it’s easiest and pretty to pipe on your frosting for cupcakes.  I use these handy Wilton disposable piping bags and I just cut them and put in my large frosting tip then put the bag into a tall vase with the edges pulled over the top to fill it up and pipe it on to my cupcakes.  So easy, and looks pretty good for someone who’s not the worlds best decorator.

-CK 2.0

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Cake recipe adapted from “A Gathering of Friends” cookbook.  Vanilla Buttercream from Martha Stewart Cakes cookbook.  Chocolate Buttercream I made up.

Cake, celebration cakes, Uncategorized

Toasted S’mores Cake

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Toasted Smore’s Cake by twocarolines.com
I am dubbing this “the cake of summer” with it’s toasty outsides and chocolate graham crackery insides.  It’s such a classic combo and in this cake, the messy, campy, summery dessert we think of as “smores” gets all dressed up and really puts on a show.  I made this for my now 3 year old’s first birthday and people went nuts for it, but I wanted the cake itself to have more flavor and I also felt that using a darker more fancy chocolate for the ganache filling would create more of a flavor sensation.  I decided to make it for my Summer themed dinner party last weekend and I adjusted accordingly resulting in knockout flavor and jaw dropping beauty in it’s presentation.  Original recipe is linked below, but I had a few people who tried both versions and were absolutely blown away by my more flavorful smores cake v2.0.

cake:
1 cup (2 sticks) of butter, softened
2 cups all purpose flour
1 cup honey graham cracker crumbs food processed into a fine crumb (85 grams or around 7 of the 4 piece sheets)
1 cup speculoos or biscoff cookies processed into a fine crumb (85 grams)
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon cardamon
2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon table salt
2/3 cup granulated sugar
1 cup dark brown sugar
4 large eggs at room temperature
2 cups buttermilk, well shaken (or 1 1/3 cups milk and 2/3 cup sour cream)

filling:
1/2 pound dark chocolate chopped small (I love the trader joes 72 percent pound plus)
3/4 cup heavy cream
2 pinches salt

frosting:
4 large egg whites
1 cup granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

  1. First make the cake.  Preheat oven to 350.  Spray or butter two 9 inch round cake pans (this cake is high volume, so if you have 9 1/2 it might work a little better, but 9 inch works, just keep an eye or put them on a cookie sheet to avoid spills).  Line your cake pans with circles of parchment paper, with most cakes, you can skip this step, but this is a moist and sticky cake and lining with parchment makes a big difference in how they come out so please do this.  Coat parchment and pan with more cooking spray.
  2. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cracker and cookie crumbs, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and spices.  Set aside.  In a large mixing bowl cream butter and sugars together until light and fluffy.  Add eggs one at a time, scraping the bowl down after each addition.  Add a third of the dry ingredients, then half the buttermilk, a third of the dry ingredients, the remaining buttermilk, and then the remaining dry ingredients, mixing between additions until combined.  Scrape down the bowl, and mix again briefly if needed.
  3. Divide the batter evenly between the prepared cake pans, smoothing tops.  Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 30-35 minutes.  Cool in pan on rack, then run a knife between the cake edges and pans before turning out onto a rack to cool.  Let cool completely, a process you can speed up in the fridge.
  4. To make the filling, place the chocolate in a heatproof bowl.  Combine the heavy cream and salt in a small saucepan, and bring to a simmer.  Pour over the chocolate, and let sit for 1 minute, then whisk until smooth.  Set bowl over another bowl filled with ice water, and stir it until it firms up to a spreadable consistency.  You can let it cool down in the fridge, but it works best if you stir it every now and then so it cools evenly.
  5. To prepare the cake arrange a single layer on a serving platter, cake stand or cake board.  For a neat looking cake, use a long serrated knife to level the top gently – they don’t puff up super big as some cakes do so it won’t be a lot, and you will find plenty of people willing to eat your cake scraps.  Spread the chocolate thickly over the bottom layer.  Place top layer over it and level this one too if you would like.
  6. To make the frosting place the egg whites, granulated sugar and cream of tartar in the heatproof bowl of an electric mixer.  Set over a saucepan of simmering water.  Whisk constantly until sugar is dissolved and whites are warm to the touch – about 3-5 minutes.  Transfer the bowl to an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment.  Beat starting at a low speed, gradually increasing to the high, until stiff, glossy peaks form, 4-7 minutes.  Add vanilla and mix until combined.  You will want to use this frosting right away, it won’t keep well.
  7. Spread a thin layer of the frosting over the top and sides of the cake covering all the crumbs.  Transfer cake to the fridge for 5-10 minutes to let it set.  Next generously coat the top and sides with additional frosting making a pretty pattern.  You could even pipe on big pretty peaks, but I just made it look artistic and delicious.  Remove any flammable objects and people from the cake area and with a kitchen torch on a low setting, lightly brown the outside of your cake creating a toasted marshmallow effect.
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smore’s cake by twocarolines.com

Recipe adapted from S’more layer cake – Smitten Kitchen cookbook by Deb Perelman

Cake, celebration cakes, chocolate desserts, Uncategorized

Dark chocolate sheet cake with chocolate frosting

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Dark chocolate sheet cake with chocolate frosting

If the only thing you want for Christmas is for someone to remember your December birthday, this cake’s for you! Or maybe you know someone who has a birthday competing with Christmas so you need a cake that can stand out.  My daughter and I make a different chocolate cake every few weeks, I don’t post all of them, only the ones we decide are really extra delicious and this one was all that plus it was so easy!  I find it so fascinating how many ways there are to make a chocolate cake – this is an old school texas sheet cake recipe we modernized and I think the water, oil, AND butter make a combo that is not dense and dry as ‘from scratch’ cakes can often be.  The process of making it was really unique and fun.  I often make layer cakes, because they are pretty and I love the frosting to cake ratio on a layer cake, but a 9×13 is a birthday staple, and this is only a few more steps than your box cake and tastes so moist and springy.  Plus it’s poppin off chocolate flavor like no other – and if you add rainbow sprinkles it will make all your chocolate cake dreams come true!

Cake:
2 cups sugar
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup water
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
1/2 cup cocoa powder
2 large eggs
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup chocolate chips (sprinkled with a little flour)

Frosting:
3 ounces unsweetened chocolate coarsely chopped
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/4 cup hot cream
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups confectioners (powdered) sugar
rainbow sprinkles (optional)

  1. Grease a 9×13 baking pan and preheat oven to 375.
  2. Whisk sugar, flour, baking soda and salt in a large bowl until well blended.
  3. In a medium saucepan combine water, vegetable oil, butter, and cocoa stirring constantly.  Bring to a boil then pour the hot mixture over the dry ingredients and stir together just until smooth.  Let it cool slightly then mix in the eggs, buttermilk and vanilla.
  4. Scrape batter out of pan and spread evenly into 9×13 baking pan and bake until a toothpick comes out clean, about 20-25 minutes.
  5. For the frosting: Melt chocolate and butter either in a pyrex at low heat or in a double boiler.  Remove from heat and pour in your hot cream, stir until combined then add the vanilla and sugar beating until spreadable.  Pile it all on your cooled cake and spread out as you wish.  Sprinkle with rainbow sprinkles too!

Recipe adapted from Joy of Cooking chocolate texas sheet cake and fast chocolate butter icing.

Cake, celebration cakes, chocolate desserts, Easy, Uncategorized

Chocolate Birthday Cake with Oreo Buttercream frosting

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My youngest recently turned 1 year old, and like his sisters before him, we celebrate this milestone with the introduction to cake!  We’ve never really gone the smash cake route, but I know they are all the rage so we decided to see what all the fun was about.  Of course it would be a tragedy to make a super delicious cake and have it all get smashed into nothingness before any of rest of us got to have any, so we ended up making multiple cakes just to ensure our own consumption requirement.  This recipe will make two 6″ layer cakes, or one 9 inch layer cake.  You could also use this to make about 28 cupcakes, but if you do that, double the frosting so you’ll have enough to pile it on.  I used some left over cream cheese frosting to pipe my little #1.  The recipe for that frosting can be found in a number of places on the blog with a search.  The oreo buttercream was 100% my daughters idea and it was really delicious and easy to use because nobody cares if you pull up cake crumbs while frosting if your cake is full of cookie crumbs to began with.  We all loved it and I’m sure you will too!


Chocolate Cake:
1 box pillsbury devils food cake mix
1 3.4 oz box jello instant chocolate pudding (not the fat/sugar free)
1/2 cup melted butter or coconut oil
1 cup sour cream
4 eggs lightly beaten (room temp works best)
1/2 cup warm water
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 heaping cup chocolate chips

Oreo Buttercream: 
1 cup butter, softened
½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tablespoon milk
3 cups powdered sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
about 12 oreos, divided

 

  1.  For the cake.  Preheat oven to 350 and spray then cut parchment circles for four 6″ cake pans, or use two, wash then repeat.  You can also bake this cake in two 9 inch pans or 28-30 cupcakes.  Whichever method you use, please check for doneness instead of bake times as bake times will vary quite a bit depending on what pan you use.
  2. Lightly mix together the cake mix and pudding mix then in a separate bowl mix your eggs water, oil (or butter) and vanilla well until all the eggs are incorporated.  Add the wet mixture into the cake mix making sure to mix it thoroughly for a few minutes, and then add the sour cream blending until no white streaks remain.  Last add the chocolate chips and just fold them in with a spatula so they are evenly distributed.  The batter is quite thick, but it bakes up really nice so don’t get scared.  Spread batter into your pans and even out the tops.
  3. Bake at 350 for about 25 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean (bake times vary for 9″ pans, bundts, cupcakes etc. so check doneness with a toothpick before taking out).  Once done let cool in pans for 5 minutes then turn cakes out onto a cooling rack to cool completely while you prepare your frosting.
  4. For the frosting: In a large bowl, use a hand mixer to beat the butter until fluffy and creamy. Mix in vanilla, cocoa powder, powdered sugar and milk. In your food processor, finely crush 8 oreos. Stir oreo crumbs into frosting.  If you want your frosting thicker, add more powdered sugar, if it’s too thick, add milk just a teaspoon at a time until you get the desired consistency.
  5. Once your cakes have cooled cut off the domes on top for a nice looking cake and start with one layer, cut side down on a plate or a cake board.  Put a generous amount of frosting on top and spread an even layer to the edges then put your next layer on top of that cut side down and use as much frosting as you need to cover your entire cake top and sides.  I like to use an off-set frosting spatula, but you could use a knife too.  To make the swirl I just used my spatula starting from the outside and turned my cake in a circle moving towards the middle.  To make the #1 I used some leftover cream cheese frosting, or you could use the vanilla buttercream from our quintessential cupcake recipe, just half it and save some for your next cake.  I piped it on with a star tip which is very easy and turns out looking clean and nice.  I also used some little crystal sprinkles around the edge just for fun.

Cake recipe adapted from “A Gathering of Friends” cookbook. Oreo Buttercream adapted from Creme de la Crumb blog.

Cake, celebration cakes, Uncategorized

Hello Kitty Rainbow Layer Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

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img_2416My firstborn recently turned 7 – and like most 7 year old girls she is a big “Hello Kitty” fan.  I came across a cute hello kitty cake pan on wilton.com and decided to whoop it up as a special  birthday surprise.  I filled it with a rainbow cake and it looked so small and sad all alone that I made another rainbow cake which made it into a much more substantial and fancy rainbow layer cake.  I’m not talented as a decorator, my strengths are in making the most delicious cakes, not the most beautiful, but I’ve been working on it, and I’m going to go ahead and say this cake turned out super awesome!  I have to give Wilton credit because I just looked on the packaging that came on the pan as inspiration for how to frost the cake, but I did a few things my own way that paid off big time in the flavor department, which is obviously the most important!  You can fill it with any cake you like, but I’m going to give instructions for my easy delicious rainbow cake and cream cheese frosting.  And believe me, cutting into a double rainbow cake is such a fun and dramatic reveal – girls of a certain age are guaranteed to go nuts when you pull out the first slice!

For the cakes: 
2 boxes white cake mix – I use pillsbury classic white cake mix
1 cup butter melted (separated 1/2 cup or 1 stick per cake)
2 cups water (separated 1 cup per cake)
6 eggs (separated 3 eggs per cake) room temperature works best
food dye

For the Frosting: 
12 ounces cream cheese room temperature
10 tablespoons 1 1/4 sticks unsalted butter at room temperature
1 1/2 cups confectioners sugar (sifted)
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1-2 tablespoons whole milk or cream (if needed to thin a little)
black decorating gel
red or pink food dye
yellow food dye

  1. For the cake.  Prepare your pan by spraying it with baking spray or coating in butter and patting flour into the pan.  I find it works best to make one cake at a time.  I also think it’s helpful to use paper bowls for the colors, much less mess and they are easy to pour with.  Line up 6 bowls, spray them lightly with cooking spray so your batter dumps out easily.

    IMG_2395
    rainbow caking in the making by twocarolines.com
  2. In a large bowl mix 1 cup of water, 1/2 cup melted butter, and 3 eggs, add the cake mix.  Pour batter as evenly as you can between your 6 paper bowls (if you want to go all out you can weigh them but I found it quite easy to eyeball it).  In the first bowl put yellow food coloring until you achieve desired color and do the same for orange, red, purple, blue, and green.  Pour each color into your cake pan in order from the center.  Just pour one over another ending with the green.  Give it a good smack on the counter and without mixing your colors make sure the batter is in the ears of the mold.
  3. Bake for about 27-33 minutes, focus on doneness rather than bake time.  Cake is done when a toothpick comes out clean and your cake has started to barely pull from the sides of the pan.  Let cool on a rack for 10 minutes or so then turn out on to a cooling rack to cool completely.  Once cool cut off the round top (treat for later!) and place kitty face side up on to your cake board, stand or serving plate.
  4. To make your next rainbow cake repeat steps 1, 2, and 3.
  5. To make the frosting, cream the butter, cream cheese, and vanilla then add the sifted powdered sugar.  If your frosting seems too thick put a teaspoon of whole milk or cream in with it.
  6. To frost the cake.  On your first cake that is cut side down, kitty side up, plop a fairly generous (3/4 cup or so at least) heap of frosting on the top and spread evenly touching your spatula to the frosting only and not the cake.  Take about 1/2 cup frosting and mix with red or pink food dye to make the bow color.  Take about a tablespoon or two and mix with yellow to make the nose color.  I used a parchment piping bag for the yellow and put the pink into a piping bag with a small star tip – wilton recommends tip 16, but I eyeballed it and it worked out.  Place the second layer and now go step by step for the kitty frosting detail.
    1. First fill in the inside loop of the bow, I used the star tip and smoothed it out with my spatula (not a perfectionist obviously).
    2. Outline the inside and outside loop of the bow and the knot with the black decorating gel.
    3. Fill in the rest of the stars with your pink frosting.  Be sure to apply even pressure and lift the bag off only after you’ve stopped pushing or your stars will be weird and pointy.
    4. Use a parchment bag, a plastic bag with a hole cut or even just your frosting spatula to fill in the yellow nose and smooth it out
    5. Use the black decorating gel to fill in the eyes.
    6. Use the black decorating gel to fill in the whiskers
    7. Fill a large piping bag with a small star tip – wilton recommends 16 (I pull the sides up over a tall vase to fill it then fold them over) with all the rest of your white cream cheese frosting.
    8. Pipe stars all over the head of your kitty trying not to leave too many gaps (as you can see if you compare, mine had way more gaps than wilton’s, but it still looked awesome).  This takes a minute, but it’s not to hard.
    9. Once I had piped out the stars I filled in the black a little better here and there.
    10. To frost the sides of your cake, either take what’s left in your bag and spread it onto the sides with a frosting spatula, or pipe it evenly around your cake.  I tried this, but couldn’t keep my hand steady enough so I ended up smoothing it with the spatula after I piped it and it looked great.  Enjoy!
IMG_2423
rainbow layer cake by twocarolines.com

Frosting recipe Martha Stewart Cream Cheese Frosting from Martha Stewart Cakes book.  Cake pan and decoration technique by wilton.com.  Go to this Hello Kitty Cake Pan instructions link for more professional detailed decorating info.