I definitely have a big sweet tooth and one of my favourite desserts is cake. So today I will share with you my 3 all time favourite cakes and some great recipes.
1) The classic all chocolate cake.
In my opinion you can never have too much chocolate so what could be better then creamy chocolate icing on a rich chocolate cake? Not much! Here is a great recipe to make your own delicious chocolate cake at home.
“The Best Chocolate Cake” from Tasty
Ingredients
for 12 servings
CAKE
-
1 ½ cups flour (185 g)
-
1 cup dutch processed cocoa powder (120 g)
-
1 teaspoon salt
-
1 ½ teaspoons baking soda
-
½ teaspoon baking powder
-
1 ½ cups stout (360 mL)
-
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
-
1 tablespoon espresso powder
-
1 cup butter (230 g)
-
1 ½ cups sugar (300 g)
- 3 eggs
-
½ cup mayonnaise (145 g)
-
4 oz dark chocolate, chopped (115 g)
BUTTERCREAM
-
1 ½ cups butter, softened(345 g)
-
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
-
½ cup dutch processed cocoa powder (60 g)
-
5 cups powdered sugar(600 g)
-
5 tablespoons milk
- fresh fruit, to decorate
Preparation
- Grease and line three 8-inch (20 cm) cake tins with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa powder, salt, baking soda, and baking powder. Set aside.
- In a large glass measuring cup, combine the stout, vanilla, and espresso powder. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until it is light and fluffy, about 5 minutes, scraping down the sides occasionally to ensure all the ingredients are being evenly creamed together.
- Beat in the eggs, one at a time, ensuring each egg is fully incorporated before adding the next.
- Add the mayonnaise and beat until the mixture is smooth and creamy.
- Preheat oven to 325˚F (160˚C).
- Alternate adding the prepared dry and wet ingredients to the batter. Starting with about ⅓ of the dry ingredients, beat until incorporated. Then add ⅓ of the liquid ingredients, mixing until the batter comes together. Continue until all the wet and dry ingredients have been incorporated.
- Using a rubber scraper, fold the dark chocolate chunks into the batter.
- Distribute the batter evenly between the 3 prepared cake tins
- Bake for about 35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
- Place the cakes on a cooling rack and leave to cool for about 10-15 minutes, until the outside of the pan is cool enough to touch.
- Once the cakes have cooled, loosen the edges using a butter knife. Then place a large plate over the tin and invert to release the cake from the pan. Remove the parchment paper from the bottom of the cake and slide the cake back onto the cooling rack to cool completely. Repeat for the remaining two layers.
- While your cakes are cooling, prepare the buttercream.
- In a large bowl, beat together the butter and vanilla.
- Gradually add in the cocoa powder, powdered sugar, and milk, continuously beating until all the ingredients have been incorporated and the frosting is light and fluffy.
- Frost and decorate to your liking.
- Slice and serve.
- Enjoy!
2) Strawberry Shortcake
I can never say no to a light and fluffy strawberry shortcake. For me its just the perfect combination of flavours and its also been our family tradition for as long as i can remember to go strawberry picking and make a cake for my birthday. This cake definitely has a special spot in my heart so here is a great recipe for all you to try.
“Strawberry Shortcake” from Cooking with The New York Times
INGREDIENTS
- 2 pints ripe, well-rinsed strawberries
- ½ cup sugar, or more to taste
- 4 cups flour
- 3 tablespoons sugar
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 5 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 ¼ cups butter
- 3 cups whipping cream
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
PREPARATION
- Pick over and hull strawberries. Cut in half or slice, depending on size. Gently crush about a quarter of the berries with a fork to release their juices. Mix with remaining berries and the 1/2 cup of sugar, adding more sugar if necessary. Set aside, covered, for about half an hour to develop flavor.
- Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
- Into a large mixing bowl, sift together flour, 3 tablespoons sugar, salt and baking powder. Add 3/4 cup of softened butter, and rub into dry ingredients as for pastry. Add 1 1/4 cups cream, and mix to a soft dough. Knead the dough for one minute on a lightly floured pastry board, then roll it out to about 1/2-inch thickness. Using a 3-inch biscuit cutter, cut an even number of rounds – 2 rounds per serving.
- Use a little of the butter to grease a baking sheet. Place half the rounds on it. Melt remaining butter and brush a little on the rounds; place remaining rounds on top. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes, or until golden brown.
- Remove from the oven, and pull shortcakes apart. Brush the insides with some of the remaining melted butter.
- Beat remaining cream until it thickens. Add vanilla. Beat again just until thick.
- Place a bottom half of a shortcake on each plate. Top with a generous spoonful of berries. Cover with a top half, add a few more berries, and top with whipped cream. Serve immediately.
3) Caramel Pecan Cheesecake
While cheesecake may be different then a regular cake is it definitely equally as tasty. I love the combination of the sweet creamy caramel and crunchy pecans so much! Here is a recipe for you to try so you can enjoy this yummy dessert from home.
“Easy Caramel Pecan Cheesecake” from Southern Bite
Ingredients
- 9 full sheets of graham crackers crushed (about 1 1/2 cups crushed)
- 1/2 cup finely chopped pecans
- 4 tablespoons butter melted
- 4 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
- 1 1/4 cups firmly packed light brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 4 eggs
- 2 cups pecan halves I used these
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
- 1/3 cup heavy cream
Instructions
-
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly spray a 9-inch spring-form pan with nonstick cooking spray.
-
In a medium bowl, combine the crushed graham crackers, pecans, and butter. Stir well. Pour the mixture evenly into the bottom of the spring-form pan and press firmly to create a crust.
-
In the bowl of a stand mixer (or with a bowl and hand mixer) combine the softened cream cheese, brown sugar, and vanilla until well combined. Add the eggs and mix well.
-
Pour the batter onto the crust. Lightly tap the pan on the counter to get out any air bubbles.
-
Bake for 40 to 50 minutes, or until the center in almost completely set. Cool and then refrigerate overnight to allow the cheesecake to firm up before serving (or at least 3 hours for those impatient folks).
-
To make the topping, spread the pecans on a microwave safe plate and cook on high for about 3 minutes. In a medium saucepan, combine the butter, brown sugar, and heavy cream. Cook until bubbly, then stir in the toasted pecans. Cool to room temperature before pouring over the cooled cheesecake
Cooking With Claire 