Showing posts with label layer cake. Show all posts

One of things I love about living in Mexico is that there is always something to celebrate.  And today is not the exception.

Today is a particularly festive day all throughout Mexico and in the Limón household.  It is El Dia del Niño (Children's Day). 

In our family, the kiddies get the day off.  No chores.  No homework.  They have the entire day to do as they please.  And they decide what we will be having for lunch...an extra large pizza with pepperoni, chorizo and jalapeño peppers.

Our Dia del Niño celebration wouldn't be complete without a cake.  This year, my kiddies chose a Rainbow Cake.  I made them one for St. Patrick's day and they loved it so much that they requested it again for El Dia del Niño.

Making a rainbow cake couldn't be easier.  You start with a box mix, prepare according to package directions and color the batter with food coloring.  See?  Piece of cake.  (Pun totally intended.) 

Before we start, let's talk about food coloring.  I recommend that you use gel food coloring.  You get great color results and it won't water down your batter like using the liquid food coloring.

If you're like me and your living in a small town in Mexico, where gel food coloring isn't available, fear not.  Just head to one of the local mom & pop farmacias (pharmacy) and ask them for pintura vegetal.  It's powdered food coloring and comes in tiny brown paper envelopes in a variety of colors including: Azul (blue), Verde (green), Rojo (red) and Amarillo Huevo (egg yellow).  And best of all it's very inexpensive.  I bought 8 envelopes for 4 pesos.  (Less than 40 cents). 
   


Rainbow Cake

Ingredients:

  • 1 box Betty Crocker French Vanilla cake mix
  • 1-1/4 cups water
  • 1/3 cup vegetable oil
  • 3 eggs
  • Gel food coloring (red, orange, yellow, blue, green, purple)
  • White Frosting 


Directions:
Preheat oven to 350F.  Prepare the cake mix according to package directions.



Divide the cake batter into 6 bowls.  (About 3/4 cup of batter per bowl.)



Tint the cake batter with food coloring.



Pour the cake batter, one color at a time, into the center of a greased and floured cake pan.  I started with the purple, then continued to pour each color of batter directly into the center of the previous color.



I used two 9-inch rounds, but you could also use one 10 x 3 round pan. 
 


Bake at 350F, according to package directions.  I baked my two rounds for 25 minutes.



Fill and frost with your choice of frosting.  I prefer using a cream cheese frosting, but for this particular cake, I used ready made white frosting.  (Gasp!) (Hangs head in shame.)  In my defense, my electric mixer died on New Year's and I'm hoping the "kiddies" will gift me a new one for Mother's Day.   



Enjoy!!!


And watch how your kiddies will gobble this cake right up!


Photobucket

For the Kid In All of Us {Rainbow Cake}

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As you know, some of my favorite recipes are those that start out as one thing, but turn into something completely different.

I started making the Buttermilk Cake with Old-Time Fudge Icing from my Southern Cakes cookbook.


But...

Our local strawberry vendor paid a visit while my cake layers were in the oven.  Now, who can refuse a kilo of organic strawberries for 20 pesos?  That's a little over 2 pounds of strawberries for less than $1.50!

My Hubby bought 2 kilos, then turned to me and said that he wanted me to make him the cake that is on the cover of my Sky High Cakes cookbook.


Since I already had the Buttermilk cake in the oven, I decided to turn it into a Buttermilk Strawberry Shortcake.

Sigh!

It was AMAZING!  Heaven on a plate!  The cake itself was moist and tender.  The strawberries were the perfect balance between sweet and tart.  And the billowy layers of whipped cream were light and airy.

This cake would make a great Mother's Day gift!  (Hint, hint!)

Buttermilk Strawberry Shortcake 
(Buttermilk cake recipe courtesy of Southern Cakes cookbook by Nancie McDermott)

Ingredients:

  • 3 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 cup butter, softened
  • 2 cups sugar
  • 4 eggs
  • 1 cup buttermilk
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 pounds strawberries
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • Sweetened Whipped Cream or Whipped Topping


Directions:
*If you don't have buttermilk, add a teaspoon of either white vinegar or lemon juice to 1 cup of milk.  Let stand for 10 minutes before using.



Preheat your oven to 350 F.  Grease and flour two 9-inch round pans.  (Or three 8-inch round pans.)    In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, salt and baking soda; stir with a fork to mix well.  Set aside.

In a large bowl, combine the softened butter and the sugar; beat with a  mixer on high speed until very light and fluffy. (About 6 to 8 minutes.)



Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each one.



Add about a third of the flour mixture; beat at low speed just until the flour disappears.



Add half of the milk; beat at low speed just until milk disappears.  Mix in another third of the flour, followed by the rest of the milk and then the rest of the flour in the same way.



Stir in the vanilla.



Divide the batter among the prepared pans.



Bake at 350 F for 20 to 25 minutes, until the cakes are golden brown and spring back when touched lightly in the center.  Cool the cakes in the pans on wire racks for 10 minutes.  Remove cakes from pan and continue to cool until room temperature.



While the cake layers are cooling, hull and slice the strawberries.



Toss the strawberries with the 1 cup of sugar, ground cinnamon and vanilla.  Set aside for 10 to 15 minutes.



Place one of the cake layers top-side down on a cake plate.  Spoon half of the sliced strawberries and their juices over the cake.



Top strawberries with whipped topping.  Place the other cake top-side down over whipped topping.  Top with the remaining strawberries and whipped topping.




Enjoy!!!



With Love,



Linking up with Gooseberry Patch Strawberry Recipe Round-Up

Mother's Day Treat {Buttermilk-Strawberry Shortcake Cake}

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My second cake with The Cake Slice Baker's is a Burnt Sugar Cake.  I was a little intimidated by the recipe because I have had a couple of burnt sugar disasters.  Well all that is in the past because this cake couldn't have been easier.

The cake was very easy to put together.  So moist and delicious!  Really, the flavor is amazing, like sweet caramel.  And the gorgeous golden color reminds me of butterscotch pudding.

The only problem I had was with the frosting. I don't know if it was the frosting's consistency or my complete lack of cake decorating skills, but it was a little difficult to spread.  A bit thin if you ask me. 

I took this cake to my in-law's home to celebrate my brother-in-law's birthday.  Everyone loved the cake!  The teenagers and younger kiddies all raved about the frosting.

I really like how the cake and frosting taste, but together it seemed a bit overwhelming.  Is there such a thing as too sweet?  I think a Cream Cheese frosting would be really good with this cake.  And the frosting would be great with any Chocolate cake or maybe even an Applesauce cake. (Mmmm!)

Burnt Sugar Cake from Southern Cakes by Nancie McDermott

Cake:

  • 3 cups all purpose flour
  • 1 tablespoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 cup milk
  • 1 cup butter
  • 1¾ cups sugar
  • 4 eggs
  • ½ cup Burnt Sugar Syrup (below)


Burnt Sugar Syrup:

  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 cup boiling water


Burnt Sugar Frosting:

  • 3¾ cups confectioners sugar
  • ½ cup Burnt Sugar Syrup (above)
  • ¼ cup butter
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 to 3 tablespoons evaporated milk or normal milk


Burnt Sugar Syrup:
Heat the sugar in a cast iron skillet or another heavy bottomed pan with high sides. Heat over a medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until the sugar melts into a clear brown caramel syrup. It should be the colour of tea.


Gradually add the boiling water, pouring it down the sides of the pan so that if the syrup foams and bubbles up, you should be protected.  Continue cooking, stirring often, until the water combines with the syrup and turns a handsome brown syrup. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool. Store the cooled syrup in a sealed jar if not using straight away
.

Cake:
Heat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour two 9 inch round cake pans.

In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder and salt and stir with a fork to mix well.


Stir the vanilla into the milk.


In a large bowl, beat the butter and the sugar with an electric mixer at high speed for 2 – 3 minutes, until they are well combined. Stop now and then to scrape the bowl down. Add the eggs, one by one, beating well each time.


Pour in half a cup of the burnt sugar syrup and beat well.


Add a third of the flour mixture and about half of the milk, beating at a low speed, until just incorporated. Mix in another third of the flour and the rest of the milk. Finally, add the remaining flour.


Divide the batter between the cake pans and bake at 350F for 20 to 25 minutes until the cakes are golden brown, spring back when touched gently in the centre and begin to pull away from the sides of the pan. Let the cakes cool in the pans on a wire rack for15 minutes. Turn out the cakes into the wire rack to cool completely.


Burnt Sugar Frosting:
In a large bowl, combine the confectioners sugar, the burnt sugar syrup, butter and vanilla. Beat with a mixer at medium speed for 2 to 3 minutes, scraping down the bowl now and then to bring the ingredients together. Add 2 tablespoons of the milk and continue beating until the frosting is thick, soft, smooth and easy to spread. Add a little more sugar if it is thin, and a little more milk if it is too thick.

To Assemble
Place one layer, top side down, on a cake stand or serving plate. Scoop about ¾ cup of the frosting onto the cake. Spread to the edges and place the second cake layer over it, top side down. Frost the sides of the cake, and then the top until it is evenly covered.


Enjoy!!!

With Love,
Leslie Limon

Printable Recipe

Burnt Sugar Cake

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