buttercream Archives - Page 2 of 5

Hazelnut Cake with Baileys Buttercream for Mother’s day

11|05|2017

Layers of Hazelnut Cake with a delicious Baileys Original Irish Cream Buttercream, White Chocolate Glaze, topped with Baileys Truffles. A dream cake for Mother’s Day.

I am a firm believer in hand made presents for my loved ones. A gift made with love is more meaningful than something purchased. When the occasion is Mother’s Day, the motivation to get into action is ten folds. Mum gives us the world while growing up. Isn’t it fair that we try and give back a little bit to the most special, most irreplaceable person in our life? A painting, handmade candles or a pretty cake. Mums adore these sentiments. If you ask me, baking a cake is one of the sweetest gestures because it shows that you have spent time in creating something. To make that cake unique this year, I’ve added something I know is loved by the entire world. Baileys Irish Cream.

The Heavenly combination of hazelnuts in the cake layers and Baileys in the buttercream makes it a treat for the taste buds. And of course, it’s Mother’s Day so flowers are a must. Don’t you just love the idea of a cake as a vehicle for pretty flowers?

Baileys liqueurs are a dream to work with. They blend well in frostings or glazes whilst retaining their presence in a subtle, delicious way. Like all my cakes, the layers can be made ahead and are quite simple to put together. Naked cakes have a level of intrigue and rustic charm that appeals to many. They are also lighter as we forgo quite a bit of frosting which is perfect for Mummy-s. Lastly, I highly recommend the Baileys truffles. They are irresistible and something you could present on top of the cake as well as wrapped in a small box with cute ribbons around it. Anything to impress Mummy, right?

Happy Mother’s Day to all you beautiful Mums, GrandMums and soon to be Mums out there. I hope your day is filled with unlimited love and joy.

Disclaimer: This post is brought to you by Baileys. As always, all opinions expressed in this post are entirely mine.

Hazelnut Cake with Baileys Buttercream
Makes a 6 inch, 3-layered round cake

Hazelnut Cake

250 g unsalted butter, softened
11/4 cup castor sugar
4 eggs
1 tsp vanilla essence
21/2 cups self-raising flour
1 cup hazelnut meal (ground hazelnuts)
1 cup milk

Preheat oven to 160 degrees c (140 degrees C). Grease and line the base of 3, 6 inch pans with baking paper.

Using an electric mixer whisk together butter and sugar till fluffy and combined. Add the eggs, one at a time and beating after each addition. Add the vanilla, flour, hazelnut meal and milk and beat till mixture is smooth.

Divide uniformly between prepared pans and bake for 25-30 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Remove pans from oven. Leave aside for 10 minutes. Gently turn out cakes on to a wire rack. Cool completely to room temperature.

Baileys Buttercream

125 g unsalted butter, softened
11/2 cups icing sugar
1/3 cup Baileys Original Irish Cream

Beat the butter in a bowl using an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Gradually add icing sugar and beat till combined. Add Baileys Irish Cream and beat for another 2-3 minutes till mixture is smooth and blended.

White Chocolate Glaze

100 g white chocolate, roughly chopped
3 tbsp heavy cream
1-2 drops pink food colour

Heat the white chocolate and heavy cream over low heat in a small saucepan. When cream just reaches boiling point, remove from heat and leave aside. Stir with a spoon to make a smooth mix. Add the food colour and stir to blend.

Baileys Truffles

½ cup thickened cream
140 g white chocolate, roughly chopped
2 tbsp Baileys Original Irish Cream
½ cup shredded coconut

Place chocolate in a heat proof bowl. Heat cream over low heat until it just reaches to a boil (do not boil). Pour the hot cream over the chocolate and leave aside for 5 minutes. Stir mixture with a spoon until smooth. Add Baileys Irish Cream and mix till blended. Chill for 6 hours or until firm enough to roll into truffles. Using hands, roll into balls, then roll into plate of coconut. Keep chilled until needed.

To assemble: On a cake plate or stand, spread a little buttercream and place the first cake layer (so the cake does not move about while frosting). Spread a little Baileys Buttercream (about 1/3 cup). Place the second layer. Repeat. Place the last layer upside down (so you get a flat top to work with). Spread buttercream on top and sides. If you are after a naked look, a thin layer of frosting is good enough.
Stick the cake into the refrigerator for 10 minutes.

Make the white chocolate glaze 5 minutes before you take the cake out from the fridge. Once the glaze is cool but still flowing freely when you lift it with a spoon, spoon it onto the cake very gently. This will create the drippy effect. Let the glaze set for 30 minutes.
Decorate with Baileys truffles and fresh flowers. Make sure the stems of the flowers are wrapped in baking paper or foil so they don’t touch the cake directly.

Red Velvet Christmas Cake With CSR Sugar

15|12|2016

Layers of Light Red Velvet Cake, Golden Syrup Buttercream, sweet-tangy, home-made Cranberry Jam with crunchy Meringue and Candied Rosemary leaves.

It is that time of the year! Don’t you just love the last quarter of the year leading up to Christmas? The planning, the excitement, the extra aisles that get added to the supermarkets, the artfully done packaging of gifts, the invites that start flowing in from everywhere, delicious Christmas menus and the excuse to eat lots of cake. No points for guessing that I am almost always given the responsibility to bring dessert to the parties. Honestly, I would do that with pleasure. Every time!

My go to this year are Naked Cakes. Simple, elegant, not loaded with frosting and the opportunity to be creative. This is the best time to play with my assortment of CSR Sugars and Syrups because I cannot imagine an Aussie Christmas without Golden Syrup, Treacle or the indispensable brown sugars and Caster Sugar. If you have been reading my blog for a while you already know how much I rely on CSR Sugar products to get consistently successful and delicious results in my kitchen.

I am totally in love with CSR Sugar’s Golden syrup and after experimenting with a Golden Syrup ice cream recently I was waiting for an opportunity to add it to buttercream. I am glad I did because this one is just out of the world. A mellow caramel flavour without having to make caramel. Don’t you love such clever short cuts?
Armed with this wonderful new flavour, I settled for a light, sponge like Red Velvet Cake that would marry wonderfully with my Golden Syrup buttercream and look festive as well. To add to the festivity and flavours, I made a sweet-tangy cranberry jam and spread a thin coat on the layers. To finish I decorated my cake with home-made red swirled meringues, crushed candy canes (store-bought) and candied rosemary leaves. The rosemary leaves add another level of complexity that creates magic in your mouth.
This cake is easy to assemble, even if you are making a layer cake for the first time. You could create the different elements ahead in time like I did and assemble on the day you want to serve it. I can’t wait to see the reactions when I bring this to the Christmas table.

So now tell me dear readers what is your favourite Christmas treat? Do you create a family recipe or experiment with new ideas every year? I have some great news for you. By making and sharing your Christmas favourite you could win one of the ten, $250 Visa gift cards that CSR Sugar is very generously giving away.
All you need to do is
• Make your Christmas favourite
• Share it on Instagram or Facebook
• Tag CSR Sugar
• Use the #FestiveFavourites

Good luck to all of you! I am really excited to see what you create

This post is brought to you by CSR Sugar. All opinions expressed are entirely my own.

Red Velvet Cake
Makes a 3 layered 6 inch cake

180g butter, softened
1 1/2 cups (315 g) CSR Caster sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 eggs
2 1/2 cups (375 g) self-raising flour
2 tablespoons cocoa powder
11/4 cup (250ml) buttermilk
1 tablespoon white vinegar
1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
2 tablespoon red liquid food colouring

Golden Syrup Swiss Meringue Buttercream
Yields about 3 cups of buttercream
4 egg whites
3/4 cup CSR Caster sugar
300 g unsalted butter, room temperature
¼ cup CSR Golden Syrup

Cranberry Jam
Makes approx. 2.5 cups
3 cups frozen cranberries, thawed
1 cup CSR Caster sugar
1 cup water
1 tsp grated orange or lemon zest

Red Swirl Meringues kisses
Makes about 25 meringues
1 egg white
¼ cup CSR Caster Sugar
2-3 drops vanilla extract
Red gel food colour

Candied Rosemary leaves
6-7 fresh sprigs of Rosemary
1 egg white
4 cup CSR Caster sugar

To make the Red Velvet Cake : Preheat oven to 180 degrees C. Grease and line the bases of three 6 inch round (base measurement) cake pans with baking paper.
Use an electric mixer to beat the butter, sugar and vanilla in a large bowl until pale and creamy. Add the eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the flour, cocoa powder and buttermilk, in batches, until well combined. Add the vinegar, bicarbonate of soda and food colouring and stir to combine.
Spoon mixture evenly among the prepared pans. Use the back of a spoon to smooth the surface. Bake in preheated oven for 25-30 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre of the cakes comes out clean. Remove from oven. Set aside for 5 minutes before turning onto a wire rack to cool completely.

To make the Golden Syrup buttercream :Place the egg whites and sugar in a large bowl that is placed over a saucepan of simmering water (over low heat), and whisk continuously, until the sugar has completely dissolved and the bottom of the bowl is warm to touch
Remove the bowl from the heat and whip on high speed until meringue holds stiff peaks and looks glossy. The bowl should have completely cooled by now.
Add the butter, 2 tablespoon at a time, until thick and fluffy. If it begins to look curdled, continue to whip until it comes back together, before adding in remaining butter.
When the buttercream has come together, add the golden syrup gradually and mix till smooth and well blended.

To make the Cranberry Jam: Put all the ingredients in a large saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. Continue boiling for 5-10 minutes or until the cranberries become a soft mush and sauce has thickened. Cool to room temperature. Pour into a clean jar and refrigerate until needed.

To make the Red Swirl Meringue Kisses: Preheat oven to 110°C/90°C fan-forced. Line 2 baking trays with baking paper.
Using an electric mixer, beat egg whites until stiff peaks form. Add caster sugar. Beat for 8 minutes or until sugar has dissolved. Continue to beat until meringue is glossy with stiff peaks.
Place mixture into a piping bag fitted with a 5mm fluted or plain nozzle and lightly streaked with red gel food colour. Pipe meringue kisses onto prepared trays, allowing 2cm gap between each of them. Bake for 45 minutes or until meringues are firm. Turn off oven. Allow to cool in oven with door slightly ajar.

To make the candied Rosemary leaves: Line a baking tray with baking paper. Place the egg white in a small bowl and the caster sugar onto a small plate. Make sure the leaves are dry before you start. If not pat dry with a kitchen towel. Working one at a time, dip each rosemary leaf into the egg white (scrape off excess against the bowl) and then dip into the plate of caster sugar, turning it to ensure an even coat on both sides. Lay the leaves in a single layer on the tray lined with baking paper to dry out. Leave aside for 24 hours, turning once in between.

To assemble : Place one layer of cake on a cake stand or plate. Spread a thin coat of cranberry jam. Take a piping bag fitted with a round nozzle and streak it with red gel colour on one side. Fill up the bag with golden syrup buttercream. Pipe buttercream kisses all over the cake layer. Place the second layer and repeat. Repeat with the third layer. Decorate with meringues, crushed candy canes, frozen cranberries (thawed) and candied rosemary leaves.

Baker’s Notes
• I have used 6 inch pans to make 3 layers. You could go with two layers if you are using a larger pan. Alternatively, you could double the recipe.
• Grease pans well because the cake is quite light and needs to be handled gently to avoid breaking.
• Cranberry jam adds to the Christmas feel. If you want to avoid this step, you could use store bought jam.
• Frozen cranberries are available in all major supermarkets. Thaw them before using on the cake.
• If you are not comfortable with making meringues at home, plain vanilla store bought meringues can be used to decorate the cake.
• Cranberry jam and meringues can be made up to a week in advance. Candied rosemary can be made up to 2 days ahead. Cake layers can made up to two days ahead, individually wrapped in cling film and stored in the refrigerator.
• Buttercream can be made up to 3 days ahead. Before using, bring it to room temperature and whip it a few times till fluffy and smooth.

Orange Cupcakes With Cherries

4|07|2016

It is so easy to forget that it is winter here in Australia when you gaze at the vibrant summery posts across the blog-o-sphere and certainly when you see lush red cherries and colourful berries on Instagram. Living in Sydney, we are fortunate to have access to every kind of fresh produce at any time of the year whether local or imported. Usually I won’t even look at imported produce and believe in eating fruits in season because they are not only fresher and cheaper but it also means supporting our wonderful farm community that I am a die hard fan of. There are however, two instances when I find myself deviating from this. Either when I am working for a publication on the other side of the globe and I am shooting summer in winter (speaking of which, I have some wonderful news to share soon) and when I spot CHERRIES! Sorry, can’t resist! No matter what!

I haven’t met my little brother and darling cousins who live in the USA and UK for years and I’ve kind of made a mental note to be there only during cherry season. Who doesn’t want to enjoy 2 cherry seasons in the same year? But that has to wait and this at least is easier. Buying it from from the supermarket! I couldn’t stop staring at them last week when I saw them. They were 5 times the regular price but no, there was no thinking twice when so many combinations were racing in my mind. Oh the possibilities!

I decided to make orange flavored cupcakes and add cherries to the batter. It was delicious. The best of winter and summer in a cupcake! I had some leftover vanilla frosting from a cake I made for a dear friend’s son’s birthday and I thought the colours would looking amazing together. To add extra tang to the cupcakes, I’ve used citrus peel that you could either make at home or use store bought. They are inexpensive and a great addition to your pantry if you like baking. You could add them to pretty much anything a get a nice little citrus boost in your baked goods. The birthday cake, I mentioned earlier (Chocolate Mud Cake with Pineapple Tim tams and vanilla frosting) was a huge success so I am sharing a photo of that as well at the end of the post.

Do you ever buy produce that is not in season? What is that one fruit or vegetable you would be ready to defy the seasons to bring home?

Orange Cupcakes With Cherries (partly adapted from Taste.com)
Makes 12

2 cups self-raising flour, sifted
3/4 cup castor sugar
1/4 cup milk
125 g butter, melted, cooled
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla essence
2 oranges, rind grated, juiced
1/2 cup citrus peel (divided)
1/2 cup cherries, pitted and roughly chopped (can use frozen or canned as well)
Vanilla Swiss Meringue Buttercream, to frost
Fresh Cherries, to decorate

Vanilla Swiss Meringue Buttercream
4 egg whites
1 cup castor sugar
300 g unsalted butter, room temperature
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1-2 drops, food coloring of your choice (optional)(I used teal)

To make the cupcakes : Preheat oven to 200 degrees C (180 degrees C for fan forced ovens). Line a 12-hole muffin pan with paper cases.
Combine flour and caster sugar in a bowl. Make a well in the center.
Add milk, butter, eggs, orange rind, vanilla and 1/2 cup of orange juice to flour mixture. Using a large metal spoon, stir gently to combine. Gently fold in 1/4 cup of the citrus peel and the chopped cherries.
Spoon mixture into prepared muffin pan. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean. Stand in pan for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool.

To make the Vanilla Swiss Meringue Buttercream : Place the egg whites and sugar in a large bowl that is placed over a saucepan of simmering water (over low heat), and whisk continuously, until the sugar has completely dissolved and the bottom of the bowl is warm to touch

Remove the bowl from the heat and whip on high speed until meringue holds stiff peaks and looks glossy. The bowl should have completely cooled by now.
Add the butter, 2 tablespoon at a time, until thick and fluffy. If it begins to look curdled, continue to whip until it comes back together, before adding in remaining butter.

When the buttercream has come together, add the vanilla extract and food coloring (if using) and mix till you get the desired shade.

To assemble: Once the cupcakes have cooled completely, pipe a swirl of buttercream on the tops or could dollop it with an ice cream scoop. Decorate with fresh cherries and the leftover citrus peel.

White And Gold Cake. Because Mum is Gold!

6|05|2016

Mum is gold! Mum is precious! Mum is love! And Mum is the world! Perhaps there is no greater truth than that. My Mum lives miles away from me and I wont get to meet her anytime soon but I have never felt her presence more than now. The funny thing is that I see so much of her in myself lately. In the way I try to reason, discipline and encourage my little boys. All the things that didn’t matter to me when I was growing up and I would turn a deaf ear to has magically assumed a place of utmost importance in my life. It’s weird and until last year I even hated to admit it. How could I possibly turn into the ‘eat your vegetables’, ‘put your jumper on because you sneezed’ kind of drama Mommy who will stand and watch until her kids have walked themselves all the way into the classroom during school drop-offs! What is wrong with me!!! I promise I always wanted to be a cool Mommy, whatever that means. All that being said, every Mum is special and deserves a day when she is spoilt through and through. I had this glittery, shimmering gold like cake in mind for a very long time and I feel this is just the cake for Mother’s Day.

So my love affair with mud cakes continues. They are just brilliant to turn into layer cakes especially for celebrations. This is a Caramel Mud Cake with an Orange Swiss Meringue buttercream and a chocolate ganache to top off. The cake is very simple to make with even layers so I didn’t even have to slice off and adjust. The golden border are just regular sprinkles (called 100s and 1000s in Australia) painted with a mix of edible glitter and a teeny bit of alcohol. It’s actually quite simple though doesn’t seem like it. Watch this video. The flowers on top are my latest obsession with gum paste. I’ve been having so much fun making flowers in different colours and varieties to go on top of my desserts. The other decorations are Hershey’s kisses and bay leaves with a touch of gold.

Do you celebrate Mother’s day? What are your plans for this special occasion? We celebrated Mother’s Day at the twins school today and I returned home totally spoilt and emotional. I need to do a completely separate post on that one. Wishing you and yours a beautiful Mother’s day.

White And Gold Cake
Makes a 3 layered 6 inch round cake

Caramel Mud Cake (adapted from Taste.com)

200 g butter, cubed
200 g white chocolate (Nestle brand), chopped
200 g (1 cup, firmly packed) dark brown sugar
180ml (3/4 cup) hot water
1 tablespoon golden syrup (or honey)
2 teaspoons vanilla essence
2 eggs, at room temperature
150 g (1 cup) plain flour
150 g (1 cup) self-raising flour

1 cup sprinkles (lighter colours are better)
edible glitter
fresh, edible or gum paste flowers

Orange Swiss Meringue Buttercream
4 egg whites
1 cup castor sugar
300 g unsalted butter, room temperature
1 tbsp finely grated orange zest
2 tbsp freshly squeezed orange juice or 1 tbsp orange liquor (like Grand Marnier)

Chocolate Ganache
80 g dark chocolate, roughly chopped
1/4 cup heavy cream

To make the Caramel Mud cake: Preheat oven to 160 degrees C. Grease and line the bases of 3 , 6 inch pans with baking paper.

Place butter, chocolate, sugar, water, golden syrup and vanilla essence in a heavy-based saucepan. Stir over medium-low heat with a wooden spoon for 5 mins or until chocolate melts and mixture is smooth. Set aside for 20 mins to cool.

Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Sift combined flours over chocolate mixture and stir with a wooden spoon until well combined.

Divide mixture evenly between the prepared pans and bake in preheated oven for 20-30 mins or until a skewer comes out almost clean. Stand cakes for 20 mins before turning onto a wire rack to cool.

To make the Orange Buttercream : Place the egg whites and sugar in a large bowl that is placed over a saucepan of simmering water (over low heat), and whisk continuously, until the sugar has completely dissolved and the bottom of the bowl is warm to touch

When the buttercream has come together, add the orange juice and orange zest and whip again until blended.

To make the Chocolate Ganache Place chocolate pieces in a small bowl. Heat heavy cream on medium high until it comes to a boil. Remove from heat and immediately pour cream over chocolate and stir until completely mixed and glossy. Alternatively, the chocolate and cream can be heated in short bursts together in the microwave. Let cool before glazing the cake

To assemble : Place a layer of caramel mud cake on a plate or cake stand. Dollop 1/2 cup of orange buttercream and spread out with an offset spatula.
Place the second layer and repeat the same process.
Cover with the third layer. Frost the outside (top and sides) with orange buttercream.
Stick the sprinkles around the cake forming a border. I did not use a piping gel as the sprinkles easily stuck to the buttercream. Place the cake into the fridge for 15 minutes.
Make the chocolate ganache 5 minutes before you take the cake out from the fridge. Once the ganche is cool, but still flowing freely when you lift it with a spoon, spoon it onto the cake slowly. Be gentle on the edges to create the drippy effect.
Let the ganache set properly before pinting with gold and decorating with flowers, candies and decorations.