I’m usually a layer cake girl through and through, but during the holiday hustle and bustle I often reach for easy desserts I can throw together and make ahead of time. Ever since I discovered the no-bake method for cheesecake it’s becoming more and more of a go-to! It’s so easy to whip up a day (or more!) ahead of time and the flavor possibilities are endless. My latest flavor concoction: this no-bake eggnog cheesecake with a biscoff cookie crust. If you love eggnog, drop everything you’re doing and MAKE THIS for your next festive gathering! 

This no-bake eggnog cheesecake is creamy and custard-like, perfectly spiced, packed with eggnog flavor, and couldn’t be easier to make. You’ll basically whip most of the ingredients together to combine them and gently fold in some whipped cream before pouring it into a Biscoff cookie crust. Once refrigerated, the filling sets into a thick mousse-like consistency – rich and creamy yet easily holds its shape when cut into slices. I love the no-bake method because it’s so fail-proof and yields such a delicious result with minimal effort! 

The biscoff cookie crust takes this no-bake eggnog cheesecake one step beyond and adds caramel spice notes that make the whole dessert even more festive! If you’d prefer a more traditional crust, you could substitute the biscoff cookie crumbs in the recipe below for graham cracker crumbs. 

Key Ingredients for No-Bake Eggnog Cheesecake 

Let’s talk about the key ingredients involved in this no-bake eggnog cheesecake filling:

• Cream Cheese – essential for adding that classic tangy cheesecake flavor and for creating a thick filling. You must use full-fat brick-style cream cheese in this recipe in order to create the perfect filling consistency. Cream cheese spreads and low fat options contain a lot more water, which will end up turning your filling into eggnog cheesecake soup. 
• Granulated Sugar – this helps break down the cream cheese and adds just the right amount of sweetness. There’s not a ton of sugar in this recipe so that the tangy cheesecake flavor comes through.
• Heavy Whipping Cream – beating the heavy whipping cream (or double cream) into stiff peaks is the key to achieving a thick and custard-like cheesecake filling. Don’t substitute this or settle for soft peaks! You’ll want to whip it with a whisk attachment or hand mixer for about 2-3 minutes. 
• Eggnog – I used traditional store-bought eggnog for this recipe, but feel free to experiment with different types of eggnog! If you have a homemade recipe you love, it should work. 
• Rum Extract – I never have alcohol on hand (I’m straight edge) but feel free to substitute this for actual rum if you want to! If you’d rather use rum extract you should be able to find this in the baking aisle at your local grocery store. 
• Spices – to really amplify the eggnog flavor I added extra cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves.

How to Decorate No-Bake Eggnog Cheesecake

Once the no-bake cheesecake is set (after 8+ hours), you can decorate however you’d like! I removed mine from the springform pan and piped on some homemade whipped cream (that I spiked with a little eggnog!) in a crescent formation using Wilton Tip 1M for the rosettes and Tip 32 for the stars. Then, I garnished the piping with Biscoff cookie crumbs, sugared cranberries, and little sprigs of rosemary. Feel free to get creative and decorate however you’d like! 

Making No-Bake Cheesecake Ahead of Time

One of the greatest things about this no-bake cheesecake is you can make it ahead of time! After you add the filling into your Biscoff cookie crust, you’ll place it in the refrigerator to set up for at least 6-8 hours (but overnight is best). You can make it up to two days in advance, which is a game changer when it comes to planning for holiday hoopla. 

If you want to make it even further in advance you can freeze this no-bake eggnog cheesecake after the filling is set. So basically refrigerate it overnight and then pop it in the freezer for up to 3 months! Just be sure to wrap it well – I recommend removing the sides from the springform pan and covering the cheesecake surface and sides with one layer of plastic wrap and one layer of aluminum foil. 

This no-bake eggnog cheesecake is sure to be a hit at your next holiday party! I can’t wait for you to make it.

Print

No-Bake Eggnog Cheesecake with Biscoff Cookie Crust

A deliciously festive eggnog cheesecake made without any baking! Rich and creamy no-bake cheesecake filling infused with spiced eggnog on a beautiful Biscoff cookie crust.

Prep Time 20 minutes

Refrigeration 8 hours

Servings 12 slices

Ingredients

Biscoff Cookie Crust

• 1 package (250g) Biscoff cookies
• 1/3 Cup (75g) unsalted butter, melted

Eggnog Cheesecake Filling

• 2 Cups (480ml) heavy whipping cream, cold
• 16 Oz (452g) full-fat brick-style cream cheese, room temperature NOT the spread
• 1 Cup (200g) granulated sugar
• 1/2 Cup (120ml) eggnog
• 1 tsp rum extract or rum
• 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp ground cloves

Eggnog Whipped Cream

• 1 Cup (240ml) heavy whipping cream, cold
• 1/4 Cup (60ml) eggnog
• 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1/3 Cup (40g) powdered sugar

Additional Garnish

• fresh rosemary sprigs
• sugared cranberries* recipe link in notes
• Biscoff cookie crumbs

Instructions

Make the Biscoff Cookie Crust

• Using a food processor, grind the Biscoff cookies into a fine crumb. You can alternatively place the Biscoff cookies in a large Ziploc bag and use a rolling pin to crush them into crumbs.
• Add the Biscoff cookie crumbs into a medium bowl and pour the melted butter on top. Mix until uniform, then press the mixture into the bottom and up the sides of a 9-inch springform pan or 10-inch springform pan. Use a round glass or jar to pack the crust as tightly as possible (this helps keep it together when you cut the cheesecake slices later). Freeze the Biscoff cookie crust in the pan for 10-20 minutes while you prepare the eggnog cheesecake filling.

Make the Eggnog Cheesecake Filling

• Using a hand mixer with a medium bowl or a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, whip the cold heavy cream on medium-high speed until stiff peaks form, about 4–5 minutes. Set aside.
• In another large bowl (either with a hand mixer or stand mixer), beat the cream cheese and granulated sugar together on medium until creamy. Scrape down the bowl and paddle as needed. Add the eggnog, rum extract (or actual rum), nutmeg, cinnamon, and cloves. Beat on medium-high speed until smooth and combined (no lumps), about 2–3 minutes.
• Use a rubber spatula to gently fold the whipped cream into the cheesecake filling until combined.
• Remove the Biscoff crust from the freezer and add the eggnog cheesecake filling into it. Spread the filling to the edges of the crust and smooth the top using an angled spatula, then cover it tightly with plastic wrap or aluminum foil. Refrigerate for at least 8 hours and up to 2 days. For best results, chill the cheesecake overnight. This will yield the most set filling.

Make the Eggnog Whipped Cream

• Place the metal bowl from your stand mixer and the whisk attachment (or a medium metal bowl and hand mixer attachments) into the freezer for 10 minutes to chill.
• Add all of the eggnog whipped cream ingredients into the chilled bowl. mix together on low speed until combined, then increase the speed to high and beat until stiff peaks form, 2-3 minutes.

Assembly

• When you’re ready to serve the no-bake eggnog cheesecake, remove the rim from the springform pan. Divide the eggnog whipped cream between two piping bags, one fitted with Wilton Tip 1M and one fitted with Wilton Tip 32. Pipe rosettes with Tip 1M and stars with Tip 32 in a crescent formation. Garnish with sugared cranberries and fresh rosemary sprigs.

Notes

*Find my recipe for sugared cranberries in this blog post. 

Make Ahead Tips:

1. After making and freezing the Biscoff cookie crust, it can be covered and stored in the refrigerator until you add the filling (1-2 days ahead is best for the freshest flavor).
2. You can make and assemble the no-bake eggnog cheesecake up to 2 days in advance, stored in the refrigerator and covered in aluminum foil or plastic wrap. You can alternatively freeze the cheesecake for up to 3 months after it’s set in the refrigerator. Be sure to cover well if freezing. I recommend one layer of plastic wrap and one layer of aluminum foil. 

Leftovers: Store leftovers (covered well) in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months. 

This no-bake eggnog cheesecake is sure to be a hit for the holiday season! I hope you love it as much as I do. Let me know what you think in the comments below and feel free to tag @sugarandsparrowco on Instagram if you post a pic! I love to see what you create.

The post No-Bake Eggnog Cheesecake with Biscoff Cookie Crust appeared first on Sugar & Sparrow.

If you’re a black tea drinker, you’ve probably had your fair share of Earl Grey. Its bergamot orange notes are totally irresistible to me, and while I love it as-is, it’s even better made into a London Fog (aka a delicious Earl Grey tea latte). When I was thinking about cozy cold-weather cake flavors, this delicious combo came to mind – aromatic Earl Grey tea infused cake paired with a creamy vanilla Earl Grey frosting. It’s essentially a London Fog in cake form and I couldn’t be more satisfied with it! 

What is a London Fog?

A London Fog is essentially a vanilla-sweetened Earl Grey tea latte with foamy milk. To make it, you steep some quality Earl Grey tea, add some vanilla syrup (or your favorite sweetener with a little vanilla extract), and top it off with some foamy milk. The name ‘London Fog’ comes from the effect of the foamy milk hitting the black tea and creating a cloud-like plume, resembling a foggy London afternoon. But while it sounds like the drink originated in England, it actually comes from Canada! 

The Perfect London Fog Flavor in Cake Form 

Creating this warm and comfy London Fog flavor in cake form begins with the magic of steeping. You’ll add some loose leaf Earl Grey tea into a pot of milk and bring it to a boil, then steep the tea to infuse the milk with the flavor. After straining out the tea leaves, you’re left with Earl Grey milk that you’ll use to flavor both the cake and the buttercream. 

Let’s talk about these London Fog cake layers. Not only are they infused with Earl Grey milk, they also have loose leaf Earl Grey tea added right into the batter. This creates a lovely flecked appearance but also enhances the tea flavor, adding just the right amount. These layers are also super moist with the addition of sour cream and have a beautifully soft crumb due to the cake flour. 

The Earl Grey buttercream is flavored with a few tablespoons of the Earl Grey milk and an extra dose of vanilla to amplify the London Fog vibe. It’s super smooth and creamy, and when paired with the cake, creates the perfect flavor experience. If you’re a Earl Grey tea lover, you will be in heaven with this cake.  

London Fog Cake Decorating Details 

After filling and crumb coating the London Fog cake with the Earl Grey buttercream, I decided to add some texture to the final coating of frosting with a scalloped cake comb. I knew I wanted to top the cake with a salted caramel drip as a finishing touch, and the scalloped buttercream was such a beautiful backdrop for it. 

I made a half batch of my favorite salted caramel recipe for the drip and decided to use it on half of the cake (aka a half drip). Although salted caramel is not traditionally part of a London Fog, it adds just a little hit of sweet complexity to the whole cake. If you’re not a salted caramel fan or you don’t feel like making it, feel free to omit it. The cake and buttercream are the real stars of this show. 

After the salted caramel half drip set, I used the rest of the Earl Grey buttercream to pipe stars in a crescent formation following the drip as a guide for the beginning and end. I used Wilton Tip 4B for all of the star piping. To finish it all off, I sprinkled some loose leaf Earl Grey tea on top. Simple and beautiful! 

This London Fog cake is best enjoyed on a cozy cold day surrounded by friends while the rain patters softly against the window. Ok, that sounds extra romantic so if you can’t have that setting it also tastes amazing any old day, even if you’re enjoying it for breakfast on a day where all you have planned is lounging in your pajamas. Whatever the scene, I hope you love this one as much as I do!

Print

London Fog Cake

The classic London Fog drink in cake form: layers of deliciously moist Earl Grey tea-infused cake and silky smooth Earl Grey buttercream, topped with a salted caramel drip for effect. The perfect cozy cold-weather cake!

Prep Time 40 minutes

Cook Time 45 minutes

Servings 15 slices

Ingredients

Earl Grey Milk

• 1 1/3 Cups (315ml) whole milk
• 1 Tbsp (2g) Earl Grey tea, loose leaf

London Fog Cake

• 2 3/4 Cups (290g) sifted cake flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp Earl Grey tea, finely ground
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 Cup (226g) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 3/4 Cups (350g) granulated sugar
• 3 large eggs, room temperature
• 1/2 Cup (120g) sour cream, room temperature
• 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1 Cup (240ml) Earl Grey milk, room temperature (recipe above)

Earl Grey Buttercream

• 1 1/2 Cups (339g) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 5 1/4 Cups (630g) powdered sugar
• 1 Tbsp (15ml) pure vanilla extract
• 3 Tbsp (45ml) Earl Grey Milk, room temperature (recipe above)
• 1/4 tsp salt

Salted Caramel Drip (Optional)

• 1/2 Cup (100g) granulated sugar
• 3 Tbsp (43g) unsalted butter, room temperature, cut into cubes
• 1/4 Cup (60ml) heavy whipping cream, room temperature
• 1/2 tsp salt

Garnish

• 2 tsp Earl Grey tea, loose leaf

Instructions

Make the Earl Grey Milk

• Bring the milk and tea to a boil in a small pot over medium-high heat. Turn the heat off and steep for 10 minutes. Use a fine mesh sieve to strain the tea leaves from the milk and be sure to press all the liquid out from the leaves.
• After straining, reserve 3 Tbsp (45ml) of the Earl Grey milk for the buttercream recipe. After this, you should be left with 1 Cup (240 ml) of Earl Grey milk for the cake recipe. If you end up with less, top it up with more whole milk to measure out 1 Cup (240 ml) exactly. If you end up with more, discard the extra Earl Grey milk and measure out exactly 1 Cup. Let the Earl Grey milk cool to room temperature before using it in the recipes.

Make the London Fog Cake

• Preheat the oven to 350°F/177ºF. Prepare three 6-inch or two 8-inch cake pans by spraying the sides with a baking spray and fitting a parchment paper circle to the bottom of the pan.
• Add the cake flour, baking powder, baking soda, ground Earl Grey tea, and salt into a medium bowl and whisk to combine. Set aside.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter at high speed for about 2 minutes, until it is creamy. Add the sugar and mix the ingredients at medium-high speed for 2 minutes, scraping the bowl and paddle at the halfway point. Decrease the mixer’s speed to low and add the eggs, one at a time, mixing until they are just combined and scraping the bowl and paddle as needed. Add the sour cream and vanilla, increase the mixer’s speed to high and beat the ingredients for 1 minute.
• With the mixer in the off position, add in the dry ingredients all at once. Turn the mixer to low speed and mix until just combined, then add the (room temperature!) Earl Grey milk mixture in a slow steady steam and mix until just incorporated. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl and give it a few stirs to make sure there are no lumps. The batter will be slightly thick.
• Pour the batter evenly into the prepared cake pans and bake for 30-35 minutes. They're done when they spring back to the touch and a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean. Let the cakes cool in the pan for five minutes before turning them out onto a wire rack for an additional few hours of cooling.

Make the Earl Grey Buttercream

• In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (a hand mixer works fine too!), cream the butter on medium-high until it’s creamy and light in color, about 5 minutes.
• With the mixer on low speed, add the powdered sugar a few cups at a time, scraping down after each addition and making sure each cup is fully incorporated before adding the next one. Add the Earl Grey milk, vanilla, and salt. Continue mixing on low speed until fully combined and smooth, scraping down the bowl and paddle as needed.

Make the Salted Caramel Drip (Optional)

• Have everything pre-measured and ready to go (you’ll be constantly stirring). Place the sugar in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat and stir constantly with a wooden spoon, until it melts into an amber-colored liquid and no sugar clumps remain, 4-5 minutes. 
• Reduce the heat to medium. Carefully add the butter (it will bubble up when you do) and use a whisk to combine it with the sugar mixture until the butter is fully melted and incorporated, about 2 minutes.
• Add the heavy whipping cream in a steady stream while whisking. As soon as the cream is incorporated, let the caramel boil for a full minute before removing it from the heat and stirring in the salt. Let the salted caramel come to slightly above room temperature before dripping the cake in Step 3 of the Assembly instructions below.

Assembly

• Once the London Fog cakes are completely cooled, level them to your desired height. Add a swipe of Earl Grey buttercream onto a cardboard cake circle and place the first cake layer on top. Fill and stack the cake with Earl Grey buttercream, then crumb coat the cake with Earl Grey buttercream. Place the crumb coated cake in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes to let the buttercream set firm.
• To create the design pictured, reserve about 1/4 Cup of the remaining Earl Grey buttercream for the piping on top of the cake, then use the rest of the buttercream to frost the cake. Use a cake comb to create the scalloped texture, then place the cake in the refrigerator for another 30+ minutes to let the frosting firm up.
• Once the frosting is cold and firm to the touch, make sure the salted caramel (if using) is slightly above room temperature, then place it into a piping bag. Snip off the end of the piping bag and create the drip halfway around the cake. Place the salted caramel dripped cake back into the refrigerator for 5-10 minutes to let the drip set.
• Place all of the remaining Earl Grey buttercream into a piping bag fitted with Wilton Tip 4B. Pipe buttercream stars on top of the cake in a crescent formation using the salted caramel drip as your guide for beginning and ending the piping. Finish the look by sprinkling loose leaf Earl Grey tea on top of the piping.

Notes

Make Ahead Tips: 

1. The Earl Grey milk can be made ahead and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator up to 3 days ahead. Bring it back to room temperature when you’re ready to use it in the cake and buttercream recipes.
2. The London Fog cake layers can be baked ahead and stored at room temperature, wrapped in plastic wrap, for up to two days. Alternatively you can store the cakes in the freezer for up to two months.  
3. The Earl Grey buttercream can be made ahead and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to two weeks. When you’re ready to use it, bring it back to room temperature and re-mix in your stand mixer to bring it back to smooth buttercream consistency. 

To Make as Cupcakes: fill the tins no more than 2/3 full and bake at 350ºF for 15-18 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. 

I hope you fall head over heels for this London Fog cake like I have! Let me know what you think in the comments below and feel free to tag @sugarandsparrowco on Instagram if you post a pic. I love to see what you create!

The post London Fog Cake with Earl Grey Buttercream appeared first on Sugar & Sparrow.

I’ve been dreaming about making a Rafaello cake for awhile now, and the holiday season seemed like the ideal time to give it a go. After all, they do look like cute little snowballs. If you’ve never tasted a Rafaello before, it’s basically the best coconut-almond candy ever – a crispy coconut covered wafer shell, gooey milk cream center, and a white almond inside. They’re delicious, and the perfect inspiration for a layer cake. 

This Rafaello cake starts with delicious almond cake layers. It’s basically my favorite vanilla cake recipe, but with almond extract being the dominant flavor component. The recipe uses cake flour and egg whites to create a light, fluffy crumb, but also uses sour cream to add lots of moisture. The result is packed with almond flavor and just divine. 

For the filling, I decided to make a coconut pastry cream to mimic the experience of biting into the gooey center of a Rafaello. This involves cooking canned coconut milk, some thickening agents, and a little bit of sugar until it turns into a custard-like consistency. If you’ve never made pastry cream before, it’s not nearly as hard as it sounds. Be sure to read through the recipe before you start cooking and you’ll be just fine. I topped the coconut cream filling between each cake layer with toasted almonds to add a little more almond flavor and crunch – wholly inspired by the almond center of a Rafaello. 

I decided to use my white chocolate buttercream recipe as a base for the frosting and added coconut extract to create a coconut-white chocolate flavor. While here technically isn’t white chocolate in a Rafaello, somehow it tastes like there is, so I thought it would be the perfect way to tie things together. I do not regret my decision one bit. All together, this cake tastes just like a Rafaello and has all the textures you’d want in a Rafaello-inspired cake. 

In true Rafaello fashion, I ended up rolling the cake in shredded coconut to give it amazing texture and extra coconut flavor. I topped the cake with white chocolate coconut buttercream swirls and placed a Rafaello truffle in between each one. Wilton Tip 4B was my go to for the swirls on this one, but any piping tip you love for swirls will do. 

I ended up sending this Rafaello cake to work with my husband and it was a major hit! He kept texting me updates and comments he heard from his coworkers and it totally made my day. I love how this cake turned out and it’s so amazing to hear when people love a recipe as much as I do. Whether you’re already a fan of Rafaellos or you love coconut-almond flavored desserts, I hope this cake is a major hit with you too.

Print

Rafaello Cake

Inspired by Ferrero Rafaello truffles, this cake is layers of delicious almond cake, coconut cream filling, toasted almonds, and white chocolate coconut buttercream. It's even rolled in shredded coconut like the real deal.

Prep Time 50 minutes

Cook Time 55 minutes

Servings 15 slices

Ingredients

Coconut Cream Filling

• 1 Cup (240ml) full-fat canned coconut milk, divided
• 1/4 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 2 Tbsp cornstarch
• 3 Tbsp granulated sugar
• 1 large egg yolk

Almond Cake

• 2 3/4 Cups (290g) sifted cake flour* DIY recipe in notes
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp salt
• 3/4 Cup (170g) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 1/2 Cups (300g) granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs + 2 large egg whites
• 1/2 Cup (120g) sour cream, room temperature
• 2 tsp almond extract
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1 Cup (240ml) whole milk, room temperature

White Chocolate Coconut Buttercream

• 12 Oz (340g) white chocolate chips
• 2 Cups (452g) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 3 Cups (360g) powdered sugar
• 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 2 tsp coconut extract
• 1/4 tsp salt

Additional Fillings & Toppings

• 4 Tbsp slivered almonds, toasted** see notes for toasting instructions
• 6 Rafaello truffles
• 1 1/2 Cups shredded sweetened coconut

Instructions

Make the Coconut Cream Filling

• Place 3/4 Cup (180ml) of the coconut milk and the vanilla into a medium saucepan. Stirring often, cook over high heat until it begins to simmer. Remove from heat.
• In a medium metal or glass bowl, whisk together the remaining 1/4 Cup (60ml) of coconut milk, egg yolk, sugar, and cornstarch.
• Whisking vigorously, slowly pour the simmered coconut milk mixture over the egg mixture. Whisk until fully combined, then pour the whole mixture back into the saucepan and cook over high heat (still whisking constantly) until it thickens and begins to boil.
• Pass through a strainer and into an airtight container. Cool to room temperature, then place in the refrigerator a couple hours to set. It will become a custard-like consistency when set.

Make the Almond Cake

• Preheat the oven to 350°F. Prepare three 6-inch or two 8-inch cake pans by spraying the sides with a cooking spray (Baker's Joy is my favorite) and fitting a parchment paper circle to the bottom of the pan.
• Add the sifted cake flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt into a bowl and whisk to combine. Set aside. 
• In the bowl of your stand mixer (a handheld mixer works fine too!), beat the butter on high for two minutes until it's light and creamy. Add in the sugar and continue to mix on medium-high for another two minutes. Turn the mixer to low and add the eggs and egg whites, one at a time, mixing until just combined and scraping down the bowl and paddle as needed. Add the almond extract, vanilla extract and sour cream, turn the mixer to high, and beat for one full minute. It will look curdled at this point, but don’t worry – it will become smooth cake batter at the end.
• Add in the dry ingredients all at once and turn the mixer to low speed. Mix until just combined, then slowly pour in the milk. Continue to mix on low speed until just combined, about 30 seconds. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl and give it a few stirs with a whisk to make sure there are no lumps. The batter will be slightly thick.
• Pour the batter evenly into the prepared cake pans and bake for 30-35 minutes. They're done when they spring back to the touch and a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean. Let the cakes cool in the pan for five minutes before turning them out onto a wire rack for an additional few hours of cooling. Make sure they're entirely room temperature before applying any frosting. 

Make the White Chocolate Coconut Buttercream

• Melt the white chocolate chips in the microwave in 30 second intervals, stirring after each one until there are no lumps. Set aside to cool slightly. Alternatively, you can use a double boiler to melt the white chocolate.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter on high until creamy and light in color, about 5 minutes. Turn the mixer to low, add the powdered sugar, and mix until well combined. Scrape down the bowl and paddle. Give the melted white chocolate a few stirs and test the temperature. It should be slightly warm, but not hot enough to melt the butter (if it is, wait a few more minutes). If it's any cooler, you'll end up white chocolate bits in the buttercream, so you may need to pop it back into the microwave for a few more seconds to warm it back up. When it seems just right, add it in.
• Turn the mixer to medium speed and beat for 2 minutes, until the mixture is smooth. Add the vanilla extract, coconut extract, and salt and mix on low for another minute, until fully combined. 

Assembly

• Once the almond cakes are completely cooled, level them to your desired height. Add a swipe of white chocolate coconut frosting onto a cardboard cake circle and place the first cake layer on top. Pipe a circle of white chocolate coconut buttercream around the edge. Fill in the center with a thin layer of more white chocolate coconut buttercream, then add half of the coconut cream filling. Smooth it down until it reaches the top of the buttercream circle height-wise, then sprinkle half of the toasted almonds on top. Here's a detailed tutorial on this filling method.
• Repeat the filling and stacking process with the final cake layer. Crumb coat the cake with white chocolate coconut buttercream, then place it in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes to let the buttercream set firm.
• To create the look pictured, frost the cake with white chocolate coconut buttercream and smooth it until the sides are level. I kept the top edge of the buttercream raw instead of swiping it inward like I usually do. You can either add the shredded coconut to the sides of the cake at this point (while the frosting is still wet) or follow the instructions for rolling the cake below.
• To roll the cake in coconut: Place the frosted cake into the refrigerator for another 30 minutes to let the buttercream firm up. Meanwhile, place the shredded coconut onto a cookie sheet. When the buttercream on the cake is firm, place another cardboard cake circle that's slightly smaller than the diameter of your cake onto the top of your cake (you can always trim one down if you don't have a smaller size on hand). Use this technique to release the cake from the turntable. Place one hand underneath your cake and one hand on top of the cake (the cardboard cake circles will make it easy to handle), then roll the cake through the shredded coconut to cover the sides.
• Once the sides of the cake are covered in coconut, place the remaining white chocolate coconut buttercream into a piping bag fitted with Wilton Tip 4B. Pipe swirls on top of the cake, leaving about a 1-inch space between each. Place the Rafaello truffles in between each swirl.

Notes

*DIY Cake Flour Recipe: To make your own cake flour, spoon and level one cup of all-purpose flour and remove 2 Tbsp. Add 2 Tbsp of cornstarch. Repeat per the amount of cake flour you need, then sift the flour and cornstarch mixture 4 times (don’t skip that step!). After sifting, spoon and level to re-measure the amount of cake flour you need. 

**How to Toast Almonds: Place the slivered almonds in a dry skillet over medium heat. Heat, stirring often with a wooden spoon, until the nuts are fragrant and golden brown, about 4 to 5 minutes.

Make Ahead Tips:

1. The coconut cream filling can be made ahead and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. 
2. The almond cake layers can be baked, cooled, wrapped in plastic wrap, and left out at room temperature up to two days ahead of decorating. Unfrosted cake layers can be wrapped tightly in plastic wrap and stored in the freezer for up to two months before thawing and frosting.
3. The white chocolate coconut buttercream can be made ahead and stored in an airtight container at room temperature for one day. Alternatively, you can store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to two weeks. When you’re ready to use it, bring it back to room temperature and re-whip with your stand mixer to bring it back to piping/frosting consistency.
4. The almonds can be toasted ahead and stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to two weeks. 

I hope this Rafaello cake is everything you wished it would be! Let me know what you think in the comments below and feel free to tag @sugarandsparrowco on Instagram if you post a pic! I love to see what you create.

The post Rafaello Cake Recipe appeared first on Sugar & Sparrow.

It has been quite awhile since I whipped up a cupcake recipe and now all I want to do is write more cupcake recipes! They’re just so fun and so quick to throw together. These sugared cranberry cupcakes are no exception – perfect for taking to your next holiday party or baking on a whim. And they look so festive with those sugared cranberries on top that who could resist?

I love a good surprise swirl, so these sugared cranberry cupcakes have a vanilla cupcake base with a cranberry swirl baked right inside. The swirl is made from fresh sweetened cranberries boiled with orange juice, orange zest, and a little cornstarch for thickening. When those cranberries heat up, they burst out their juices and the whole thing thickens into a jam-like consistency. Once it’s room temperature, you’ll add the cranberry mixture into each filled cupcake tin and swirl it right into the vanilla cupcake batter with a toothpick. They bake up so beautifully and are the perfect holiday flavor!

For the frosting, I could not stop thinking about topping these cupcakes with white chocolate buttercream and it turned out to be a delicious idea! I love this frosting because it has the perfect white chocolate flavor without being too sweet and it pipes like a dream. It’s silky smooth and just dreamy with those cranberry swirled cupcakes. 

The white chocolate buttercream is super easy to make, but there is one thing that can end up going wrong if you’re not careful: the temperature of the melted white chocolate. I always melt my white chocolate chips in the microwave in 30 second intervals (it takes 3 to 4), stirring after each one. Once melted, you have to wait to add the white chocolate until it’s slightly above room temperature. Too hot and it will start melting the butter, too cold and it will harden, leaving you with little bits of white chocolate throughout your buttercream instead of it being silky smooth. As long as you melt the white chocolate right when you start whipping up the butter, it should be the perfect temperature when it comes time to add it in. Just check it first and re-melt it if you need to. 

Even though the sugared cranberries seem quick to throw together for topping cupcakes at the last minute, they’re actually the first thing you want to make. You’ll need to boil a simple syrup together, wait for it to come to room temperature, then coat the fresh cranberries in it. Then, you’ll need to wait for those cranberries to dry a little bit (45 minutes) before coating them with granulated sugar. Since there’s a little bit of waiting in the process, I always like to make them the day before I do the rest of the baking so they’re ready to go.  

For decorating, I used Wilton Tip 6B to pipe a swirl of white chocolate frosting on top of the cupcakes, then added three sugared cranberries onto each one. Feel free to get creative with your decorating – the sugared cranberries could look really cute accented with some edible leaves to look like holly! No matter how you decorate, these are sure to be a hit for the holidays and I hope you love them as much as I do.

Print

Sugared Cranberry Cupcakes with White Chocolate Buttercream

Delicious vanilla cupcakes with a cranberry swirl baked inside, topped with white chocolate buttercream and sugared cranberries. The perfect festive cupcakes for the holidays!

Prep Time 1 hour 15 minutes

Cook Time 35 minutes

Servings 14 cupcakes

Ingredients

Sugared Cranberries

• 3/4 Cup (150g) granulated sugar, divided
• 1/4 Cup water
• 1/2 Cup (48g) fresh cranberries

Cranberry Swirl

• 1 Cup (95g) fresh or frozen cranberries
• 2 tsp orange zest
• 2 tsp fresh orange juice
• 1 Tbsp granulated sugar
• 1 1/2 tsp cornstarch
• 2 Tbsp water
• pinch of salt

Vanilla Cupcakes

• 1 1/4 Cups (132g) sifted cake flour* DIY recipe in notes
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 Cup (113g) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 3/4 Cup (150g) granulated sugar
• 1 large egg + 1 large egg white, room temperature
• 1/4 Cup (60g) sour cream, room temperature
• 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 Cup (120ml) whole milk, room temperature

White Chocolate Buttercream

• 6 Oz (170g, 1 scant cup) white chocolate chips
• 1 Cup (226g) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 1/2 Cups (180g) powdered sugar
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1/4 tsp salt

Instructions

Make the Sugared Cranberries (Ahead)

• In a small saucepan, create a simple syrup by mixing together the water and 1/4 Cup of the granulated sugar. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat, then allow it to simmer for 2 minutes on low. Remove the syrup from the heat and cool to room temperature.
• Place a piece of parchment paper onto a cookie sheet, then place a cooling rack on top. Stir the cranberries into the saucepan to coat them in the syrup, then use a slotted spoon to remove them from the saucepan and place them onto the cooling rack to dry for 45 minutes.
• Roll the cranberries through the remaining sugar to coat them. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.

Make the Cranberry Swirl

• Add the cranberries, orange zest, orange juice, sugar, cornstarch, water, and salt into a medium saucepan. Cook over medium heat until the mixture begins to boil and the cranberries begin to burst, about 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and place into an airtight container in the refrigerator to let cool for about 30 minutes, or until room temperature. It will thicken into a jam-like consistency as it cools.

Make the Vanilla Cupcakes

• Preheat the oven to 350°F and prepare a cupcake or muffin tin with cupcake liners. Add the sifted cake flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt into a bowl and whisk to combine. Set aside. 
• In the bowl of your stand mixer (a handheld mixer works fine too!), beat the butter on high for 2 minutes until it's light and creamy. Add in the sugar and continue to mix on medium-high for another 2 minutes. Turn the mixer to low and add the egg and egg white, mixing until just combined and scraping down the bowl and paddle as needed. Add the vanilla and sour cream, turn the mixer to high, and beat for 1 full minute. It will look curdled at this point, but don’t worry – it will become smooth cake batter at the end.
• Add in the dry ingredients all at once and turn the mixer to low speed. Mix until just combined, then slowly pour in the milk. Continue to mix on low speed until just combined, about 30 seconds. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl and give it a few stirs with a whisk to make sure there are no lumps. The batter will be slightly thick.
• Pour the batter evenly into the prepared cupcake liners. Add a spoonful of cranberry swirl onto the top of each cupcake and use a toothpick to gently swirl it around. Bake for 15-18 minutes. They're done when they spring back to the touch and a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean. Make sure they're entirely room temperature before applying any frosting. 

Make the White Chocolate Buttercream

• Melt the white chocolate chips in the microwave in 30 second intervals, stirring after each one until there are no lumps. Set aside to cool slightly.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter on high until light and creamy, about 5 minutes. Turn the mixer to low, add the powdered sugar, and mix until well combined. Scrape down the bowl and paddle, give the melted white chocolate a few stirs (make sure it’s not hot enough to melt the butter OR is too cool and starting to harden. It should be just slightly above room temperature) and add it in. Turn the mixer to medium speed and beat for 2 minutes, until the mixture is smooth. Add the vanilla and salt and mix on low for another minute, until fully combined.

Assembly

• Once the cupcakes are cooled to room temperature, fit a piping bag with Wilton Tip 6B and fill it with the white chocolate buttercream. Top each cupcake with a swirl, then garnish with sugared cranberries.

Notes

*DIY Cake Flour Recipe: To make your own cake flour, spoon and level one cup of all-purpose flour and remove 2 Tbsp. Add 2 Tbsp of cornstarch. Repeat per the amount of cake flour you need, then sift the flour and cornstarch mixture 4 times (don’t skip that step!). After sifting, spoon and level to re-measure the amount of cake flour you need. 

Make ahead tips:

1. The sugared cranberries can be made up to 3 days ahead of time and stored in an airtight container. After that they may start to weep. 
2. The cranberry swirl can be made up to one week ahead and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. 
3. The cupcakes can be baked ahead and stored covered with plastic wrap at room temperature up to 2 days ahead of decorating. You can alternatively store the cupcakes in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 2 months.
4. The white chocolate frosting can be made ahead and stored in an airtight container at room temperature for one day. Alternatively, you can store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to two weeks. When you’re ready to use it, bring it back to room temperature and re-whip with your stand mixer to bring it back to piping/frosting consistency.

 

I hope these sugared cranberry cupcakes are a total hit for the holidays! Let me know what you think in the comments below and feel free to tag @sugarandsparrowco on Instagram if you post a pic! I love to see what you create.

The post Sugared Cranberry Cupcakes with White Chocolate Buttercream appeared first on Sugar & Sparrow.

Fall is the most inspiring time of year for me when it comes to recipes. The cold weather always gets me in the mood to bake, so that helps, but it’s the cozy flavors of the season that really amp me up. When I was thinking about new flavor pairings for my favorite pumpkin layer cake, I instantly thought Biscoff frosting would be incredible. Spoiler alert: I was not wrong. This cake is what Fall cake dreams are made of! 

This is my favorite pumpkin cake recipe, ever. It’s deliciously moist, packed with pumpkin flavor, and has just the right amount of spice. It’s been my go-to for years and something I crave every single Fall. I’ve paired it with cream cheese frosting for a classic combo, made it into a pumpkin pie-inspired layer cake for Thanksgiving, and used it to make the pumpkin spice latte cake you’ll find in my book. This pumpkin Biscoff cake, though. It is NEXT LEVEL. 

The Biscoff frosting completely elevates this pumpkin cake. Made with Biscoff cookie butter spread, it has gorgeous notes of cinnamon and caramel that really amplify the spice flavor in the pumpkin cake. Together, these flavors are absolutely perfect for Fall. To take things a step further, I crumbled Biscoff cookie crumbs in between the cake layers and added them as garnish on the outside of the cake. Because you can never have too much Biscoff. 

I’m lucky to be able to find Biscoff cookie butter spread at my local grocery store and Target, but if you’re having a hard time finding it locally you can get it here on Amazon. You can also substitute any cookie butter in place of the Biscoff spread, so if you have a different favorite brand feel free to use that instead! 

To decorate this cake, I used a Wilton cake comb to create the grooved texture in the Biscoff buttercream and left the top edge raw. It looked nice and rustic like that. Then, I added Biscoff cookie crumbs around the bottom edge of the cake and topped it with Biscoff buttercream swirls and more cookie garnishes. I used Wilton Tip 1M for the swirls here. 

However you decorate, this cake is bound to impress at your next Fall gathering! It would make an excellent Thanksgiving cake or just an all-around cozy bake for a rainy day. I’m completely in love with this flavor pairing and I hope you love it as much as I do! 

Print

Spiced Pumpkin Biscoff Cake

Deliciously moist pumpkin cake layered with Biscoff cookie butter frosting and crumbled Biscoff cookies throughout. The perfect next-level Fall cake!

Prep Time 40 minutes

Cook Time 35 minutes

Servings 15 slices

Ingredients

Pumpkin Cake

• 2 3/4 Cups (290g) sifted cake flour
• 2 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp allspice
• 1 tsp nutmeg
• 1/2 tsp ground ginger
• 1 Cup (226g) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 3/4 Cup (140g) packed brown sugar
• 1 Cup (200g) granulated sugar
• 3 large eggs, room temperature
• 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 Cups (12 oz) canned pumpkin purèe
• 1 Cup (240ml) full fat buttermilk* DIY recipe in notes

Biscoff Frosting

• 1 1/2 Cups (339g) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 3/4 Cup (188g) Biscoff spread or cookie butter
• 5 Cups (600g) powdered sugar
• 1 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 4 Tbsp (60ml) whole milk, room temperature
• 1/4 tsp salt, or to taste

Additional Fillings/Toppings

• 1/2 Cup (50g) crushed Biscoff cookies, divided
• 4 Biscoff cookies, halved

Instructions

Make the Pumpkin Cake

• Preheat the oven to 350ºF/177ºC and prepare three 6-inch or two 9-inch cake pans by spraying the sides with cooking spray and placing a wax or parchment paper circle into the bottom of each one. Measure the cake flour by spooning into your measuring cup and leveling it. Place it into a medium sized bowl and add the baking powder, baking soda, salt, ground cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg, and ground ginger. Whisk together and set aside.
• In the bowl of your stand mixer (a handheld mixer works fine too!), cream the butter on high for two minutes until it's light and fluffy. Add in white and brown sugars and continue to mix on high for another two minutes, scraping down the bowl and paddle as needed. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing thoroughly after each addition. Add pumpkin puree and vanilla and mix for one minute on medium-high, scraping down the bowl and paddle once more.
• With the mixer on low speed, add in the dry ingredients and mix until just combined. Add the buttermilk in a steady stream and mix until just incorporated. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl and give it a few stirs to make sure there are no lumps. Batter will be slightly thick, but pourable.
• Pour batter evenly between the cake pans (fill them no more than ⅔ full) and bake for 35-40 minutes, until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Cool the cakes in the pan for ten minutes before removing and continuing to cool on a wire rack or flat surface.

Make the Biscoff Frosting

• With a hand mixer or paddle attachment on your stand mixer, cream the butter and Biscoff cookie spread together on medium-high until it’s creamy and fully combined, about 5 minutes.
• Turn the mixer to low and add the powdered sugar a few cups at a time, scraping down after each addition and making sure each addition is fully incorporated before adding the next. Add the vanilla, whole milk, and salt and continue to mix on low for another 2 minutes, scraping down the bowl and paddle as needed, until fully incorporated and smooth.

Assembly

• Once the pumpkin cakes are completely cooled, level them to your desired height. Add a swipe of Biscoff frosting onto a cardboard cake circle and place the first cake layer on top. Add a layer of Biscoff frosting as filling, then sprinkle on about 2 Tablespoons of crushed Biscoff cookies before adding the next layer on top. Repeat the filling and stacking process with the final cake layer. Crumb coat the cake with Biscoff frosting, then place it in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes to let the buttercream set firm.
• To create the design pictured, frost the cake with Biscoff frosting and use a cake comb to create grooved texture on the sides. Keep the top edges raw. While the frosting is still tacky, gently press Biscoff cookie crumbs around the bottom third of the cake. Pipe swirls of Biscoff frosting on top of the cake and place half of a Biscoff cookie in between each swirl. Finish by sprinkling the rest of the Biscoff cookie crumbs over the swirls.

Notes

*DIY Buttermilk recipe: add 1 Tbsp of white vinegar to a jar and top it with 1 Cup of whole milk. Stir and let sit for 15 minutes before using in the recipe. 

Make Ahead Tips: 

1. The pumpkin cake can be baked ahead and stored at room temperature, wrapped in plastic wrap, for up to two days. Alternatively you can store the cakes in the freezer for up to two months.  
2. The Biscoff frosting can be made ahead and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to two weeks. When you’re ready to use it, bring it back to room temperature and re-mix in your stand mixer to bring it back to smooth buttercream consistency. 

I hope you fall head over heels for this pumpkin Biscoff cake like I have! Let me know what you think in the comments below and feel free to tag @sugarandsparrowco on Instagram if you post a pic! I love to see what you create.

The post Spiced Pumpkin Biscoff Cake appeared first on Sugar & Sparrow.

I’ve always been smitten with Red Velvet Cake. It’s quite the looker with that deep red crumb, and the subtle chocolate cake and cream cheese frosting combination is absolutely divine. Red Velvet is versatile too – it can be a fancy cake or completely hilarious (remember the armadillo cake in Steel Magnolias?), a total party hit or a cozy weekend bake, delicious all year round. It’s been on my list for awhile now, and with Valentine’s Day right around the corner I thought now is the perfect time. Well, any time is really the perfect time. 

This Red Velvet Cake is wonderfully soft and moist, has the perfect touch of chocolate flavor, and is extremely addicting when paired with cream cheese buttercream. I always thought Red Velvet Cake was just a chocolate cake with red food coloring mixed in but I was wrong. There’s actually only a few Tablespoons of cocoa powder added, but it tastes just perfect that way – just like a traditional Red Velvet Cake ought to taste. I was so thrilled when I cut into these beautiful layers! 

What Gives Red Velvet Cake Its Color? 

It may or may not come as a surprise to you that Red Velvet Cake is (gasp) dyed red with food coloring. I was actually shocked to see how much food coloring goes into a Red Velvet Cake recipe while I was researching recipes. I thought it would be something like one to two drops of red food coloring but nope. Some recipes call for 2 Tablespoons or an entire bottle. I wanted to see if I could get away with less food coloring and it turns out that 1 Tablespoon is just fine, especially if you’re using a concentrated food color gel like AmeriColor Super Red (it’s what I used). Since the food color gel doesn’t add any flavor to the cake, you could add even less (or none at all) and still have a great tasting cake. But what’s the fun in that? You know you’re going to want to dye this cake batter deep red! 

Cream Cheese Buttercream is the Perfect Pairing

Red Velvet Cake and Cream Cheese Buttercream are made for each other. It feels against the rules to top this cake with anything else (except probably the traditional Ermine frosting). I could sing the praises of this Cream Cheese Buttercream all day long because it’s oh so tasty and just the right consistency for not only filling and frosting the cake, but piping the decorations on top as well. I love it so much that it should probably have it’s own recipe post (next on my list!). 

How to Decorate a Red Velvet Cake

If you Google Red Velvet Cakes, you’ll see a lot of similar designs: plain white frosting and cake crumbs. It’s classic that way. You can decorate a Red Velvet Cake any way you want, but I chose to play off of the traditional design by adding a textured finish with a cake comb, some simple piping on top, and of course, those pretty cake crumbs. I will confess that I tried to top this cake with some more elaborate white chocolate decorations speckled with cake crumbs but they ended up looking like blood splattered glass shards. Maybe a better idea to stick in my back pocket for Halloween. 

If you want to replicate this cake design though, here’s how I did it: after filling and crumb coating the cake with Cream Cheese Buttercream, I placed it in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes to let the crumb coat firm up. This makes a stable foundation for the final layer (and pretty necessary since Cream Cheese Buttercream is always so much softer than other types of buttercream). Then, I frosted the cake with a final layer of Cream Cheese Buttercream and used a cake comb from this set to create the textured finish. I stuck cake crumbs to the side of the cake using this technique, piped a crescent of rosettes and stars on top with Wilton Tips 1M and 4B, and finished it all off by sprinkling cake crumbs over the top. Voila! 

However you decorate, this classic cake is sure to be a hit wherever it goes. Enjoy!

Print

Red Velvet Cake Recipe

The classic deep red layer cake that's perfectly moist, fluffy and beautifully paired with cream cheese buttercream. Traditional Red Velvet Cake at its finest!

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes

Servings 15 slices

Ingredients

Red Velvet Cake

• 2 1/2 Cups (260g) sifted cake flour
• 2 Tbsp natural unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 Cup (113g) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 1/2 Cups (300g) white granulated sugar
• 1/2 Cup (120ml) vegetable oil
• 2 whole eggs, room temperature
• 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1 tsp distilled white vinegar
• 1 Tbsp red food color gel*
• 1 Cup (240ml) buttermilk, room temperature** DIY recipe in notes

Cream Cheese Buttercream

• 1 Cup (226g) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 16 Oz cream cheese, room temperature brick-style, not the spreadable kind
• 8 Cups (960g) powdered sugar
• 1 Tbsp pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp salt, or to taste

Instructions

Make the Red Velvet Cake

• Preheat the oven to 350ºF and prepare three 6-inch or two 8-inch cake pans by spraying the sides with cooking spray and placing a wax or parchment paper circle into the bottom of each one. Measure the sifted cake flour by spooning into your measuring cup and leveling it, or simply sift the cake flour into a bowl on your kitchen scale to measure it. Place the cake flour into a medium sized bowl and add the cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. Whisk together and set aside.
• Cream the butter on high for two minutes, then add the vegetable oil and sugar. Cream together on medium-high until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Scrape down the bowl and paddle. Turn the mixer to low and add the eggs one at a time. Once the eggs are incorporated, add the vanilla and white vinegar and mix on low for another 30 seconds. Scrape down the bowl and paddle once more.
• Mix the red food color gel into the buttermilk. With the mixer on low speed, alternate adding the flour mixture and buttermilk in three additions, beginning and ending with the flour mixture. Mix only until the ingredients start to come together, then whisk the batter by hand a few times to make sure there are no large lumps.
• Pour the batter into prepared cake pans (no more than 2/3 full) and bake for 30-35 minutes, until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Let the cakes cool in the pan for five minutes before carefully removing them and placing the cakes on a wire rack or cookie sheet. Allow the cakes to cool completely before assembling and frosting.

Make the Cream Cheese Buttercream

• In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and cream cheese on high until light, fluffy, and uniform (no lumps), about five minutes. Turn the mixer to low and add the powdered sugar a few cups at a time, mixing thoroughly after each addition. Add the vanilla and salt, mixing on low for another 30 seconds.

Assembly

• Once the Red Velvet Cakes are cooled throughout, level and torte the layers to your desired height. Reserve the cake tops for crumbles. Fill and stack the cake with Cream Cheese Buttercream. Crumb coat the cake and place it into the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes to let the crumb coat firm up before frosting with a final layer of Cream Cheese Buttercream.
• To create the look pictured, frost the cake with Cream Cheese Buttercream. Don't worry too much about getting perfectly smooth sides, but do run an icing smoother over them to get them level and straight. Then, use a cake comb to create texture. Crumble up the cake tops and add them to the bottom third of the cake using this technique. Pipe a crescent formation of rosettes and stars with Wilton Tips 1M and 4B on the top of the cake, then sprinkle more cake crumbs on top.

Notes

Make Ahead Tips: 

1. The cake layers can be made ahead and stored, wrapped in plastic wrap, at room temperature for up to two days. Alternatively, you can store the wrapped cake layers in the freezer for up to 2 months before thawing and frosting.
2. The Cream Cheese Buttercream can be made ahead and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to two weeks. When you’re ready to use it, bring it back to room temperature and re-whip in your stand mixer to bring back to smooth buttercream consistency. 

*Red Food Color Gel: I recommend using any brand of red food color gel that is concentrated and flavorless. I used AmeriColor Super Red for this recipe. Feel free to use less food color gel if you don’t care for the cake to be as red (or none at all, but what’s the fun in that?)

**DIY Buttermilk Recipe: Add 1 Tbsp white vinegar into a mason jar or measuring cup. Add one cup (240ml) whole milk and let sit for at least 15 minutes before using in a recipe. 

To Make as Cupcakes: fill cupcake tins no more than 2/3 full and bake at 350ºF for 15-18 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. This recipe makes 24-30 cupcakes. 

Did you make this cake recipe? I want to know how it went! Leave me a comment below and feel free to tag @sugarandsparrowco on Instagram to show me. I love to see what you create!

The post Red Velvet Cake Recipe appeared first on Sugar & Sparrow.

Hot cocoa is such a cozy drink on it’s own, but when you add peppermint, it basically becomes a cup of Holiday cheer! Now, imagine those flavors in cake form: layers of hot cocoa infused chocolate cake, peppermint buttercream, and some marshmallow creme filling to bring it all together. It’s the perfect blend of festive flavors and makes an eye-catching centerpiece for your Holiday dessert table!

If you love a peppermint hot cocoa at your local coffee shop, you’ll be obsessed with this cake. It all starts with my favorite one-bowl chocolate cake recipe, only I’ve infused it with hot cocoa to give it the perfect flavor. It’s moist, decadent, and pairs perfectly with the peppermint buttercream and marshmallow creme. The buttercream gives it just the right amount of peppermint flavor. After trying lots of peppermint buttercream recipes that tasted like toothpaste, I was very intentional in the amount of peppermint extract I added. Turns out it doesn’t take much! 

Now let’s talk about this striped filling, because just look at it! I alternated adding peppermint buttercream (tinted red) and store bought marshmallow creme to create this striped effect when you cut into it. I think it’s such a fun touch! You can get this look with your filling by piping alternating circles – first peppermint buttercream, then marshmallow creme, then repeat until you reach the center of the cake. It will look like a bullseye when you’re finished, but it’ll be striped when you cut the slices. 

If you’d rather use all marshmallow creme as the filling or all peppermint buttercream, go for it! You can’t go wrong with these flavors. To use all marshmallow creme as the filling, be sure to follow the method for soft fillings in this blog post to ensure it doesn’t squish out between your cake layers. 

It’s been awhile since I’ve made a striped buttercream cake but I just had to with this one. Not only do the red and white stripes make me think of peppermint, they’re iconic of the Holidays. You’ll need a good cake comb (here’s the one I use) and red food color gel to get this striped finish. If you’ve never attempted buttercream stripes before, here’s a post that will show you how to create them. 

To finish this Peppermint Hot Cocoa Cake design, I added chocolate ganache drips, then combined red and white peppermint buttercream in the same piping bag before piping it into swirls with Wilton Tip 4B. I sprinkled crushed candy canes and mini marshmallows all over the top of the cake to give it some extra texture. If you’re storing the decorated cake in the refrigerator like I always do, be sure to hold off on sprinkling the candy canes until the last minute. They tend to liquify when going between room temperature and the refrigerator. My advice is to add the crushed candy canes at the point when you take the cake out of the refrigerator, which should be an hour or two before serving it. Cake always stores best in the refrigerator but tastes best at room temperature. 

No matter how you decorate, I am so excited for you to try this Peppermint Hot Cocoa Cake recipe and hope you love it as much as I do!

Print

Peppermint Hot Cocoa Cake

Layers of hot cocoa infused chocolate cake, peppermint buttercream, and marshmallow creme filling. The perfect festive treat for your Holiday dessert table!

Prep Time 30 minutes

Cook Time 40 minutes

Servings 15 slices

Ingredients

Hot Cocoa Cake

• 3 Tbsp hot cocoa powder
• 1 Cup (240ml) whole milk, room temperature
• 2 Cups (265g) all purpose flour
• 1 1/2 Cups (300g) white granulated sugar
• 2/3 Cup (60g) unsweetened natural cocoa powder
• 2 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 Cup (120ml) vegetable oil
• 2 large eggs, room temperature
• 1 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1 Cup (240ml) hot water

Peppermint Buttercream

• 2 Cups (226g) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 7 Cups (840g) powdered sugar
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 3/4 tsp pure peppermint extract
• 3 Tbsp whole milk, room temperature
• 1/4 tsp salt, or to taste
• red food color gel (optional)*

Chocolate Ganache Drip (Optional)

• 1/2 Cup (95g) semi sweet chocolate chips
• 1/2 Cup (120ml) heavy whipping cream

Additional Fillings & Toppings

• 3 Oz marshmallow creme
• crushed candy canes
• mini marshmallows

Instructions

Make the Hot Cocoa Cake

• Preheat the oven to 350ºF and prepare three 6-inch or two 8-inch cake pans by spraying the sides with cooking spray and fitting the bottoms with a wax paper or parchment cake circle.
• Whisk the hot cocoa powder into the whole milk and set aside. Place all of the dry ingredients into the bowl of a stand mixer and stir on low for 30 seconds to fully combine them. Add the vegetable oil, eggs, vanilla, and hot cocoa mixture and stir on low until just combined.
• Ensure that the hot water has been heated to a simmer, then with the mixer still on low, add the hot water in a slow stream. Turn the mixer to medium and beat until smooth, about 2 minutes. The batter will be very thin.
• Pour into prepared cake pans no more than 2/3 full and bake for 35-40 minutes, until a wooden toothpick inserted comes out clean. Cool completely before frosting.

Make the Peppermint Buttercream

• With a hand mixer or paddle attachment on your stand mixer, cream the butter on medium-high until it’s creamy and light (almost white) in color. About 7 minutes.
• Turn the mixer to low and add the sifted powdered sugar a few cups at a time, scraping down after each addition and making sure each cup is fully incorporated before adding the next one. Add vanilla extract, peppermint extract, milk, and salt and mix on low for another minute until fully incorporated.
• Reserve half of the peppermint buttercream in a separate bowl. Add red food color gel to the half that’s still in the bowl of your stand mixer and mix on low until you achieve a red color. Keep in mind that it may take 30 minutes or more for the color to deepen and develop fully.

Make the Chocolate Ganache (Optional)

• Place chocolate chips into a heat resistant bowl (glass or metal). In a saucepan over medium-high heat, warm the heavy whipping cream until it just starts to simmer. I always look for small bubbles forming around the edge and a soft simmer starting in the middle. When it's reached this point, pour the cream into your bowl of chocolate and let sit for about 30 seconds.
• Whisk the mixture together until it’s uniform in consistency and there are no bits of chocolate left on your whisk. Allow to cool at room temperature for 10-20 minutes, or until the ganache itself is room temperature or slightly above, before using it as a drip. See the notes below for making this part ahead or troubleshooting if you don’t get the timing just right for your drip.

Assembly

• Once the Hot Cocoa Cake layers have cooled completely, level and torte each one to your desired height. Place the first layer onto a cake turntable.
• Prepare two piping bags by snipping off a ½ inch opening. Fill the first piping bag with red tinted Peppermint Buttercream and the second with marshmallow fluff. Pipe a circle of red Peppermint Buttercream along the outer edge of the cake layer on your turntable. Then, alternate piping subsequent smaller circles of marshmallow fluff and red Peppermint Buttercream until you reach the center of the cake layer. The filling should look like a bullseye.
• Place the second cake layer on top and repeat the filling process before adding the final layer on top, upside down so that the bottom of the layer is the top of the cake. Crumb coat the cake with red Peppermint Buttercream. Place the crumb coated cake into the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes to let the frosting firm up.
• Frost the crumb coated cake with the un-tinted Peppermint Buttercream and use this tutorial to create red and white stripes with a cake comb. Once the cake has its final layer of frosting, place it back into the refrigerator for at least 20 minutes before dripping with chocolate ganache.
• Finish the look with Peppermint Buttercream swirls along the top edge of the cake (I used Wilton Tip 4B for the ones pictured), then sprinkle crushed candy canes and mini marshmallows all over the top.

Notes

*The red food color gel that I recommend is Americolor Super Red. It’s very concentrated so you don’t have to use a whole lot to achieve a rich red color.

Make Ahead Tips:

1. The Hot Cocoa Cake layers can be made ahead and stored, wrapped in plastic wrap, at room temperature for up to two days. Alternatively, you can store the wrapped cake layers in the freezer for up to 2 months before thawing and frosting.
2. The Peppermint Buttercream can be made ahead and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to two weeks. When you’re ready to use it, bring it back to room temperature and re-whip in your stand mixer to bring back to smooth buttercream consistency. 

To Make As Cupcakes: fill cupcake tins no more than 2/3 of the way full and bake at 350ºF for 15-17 minutes, until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Yields about 35-40 cupcakes.

Did you make this Peppermint Hot Cocoa Cake recipe? I want to know how it went! Let me know in the comments below and feel free to tag @sugarandsparrowco on Instagram and show me! I love to see what you create.

The post Peppermint Hot Cocoa Cake Recipe appeared first on Sugar & Sparrow.

It’s that time of year when all the coffee shops start selling lattes with festive flavors. Anytime I see a Holiday drink menu roll out I can’t help but get inspired to translate those flavors into cake form (see also: my Peppermint Latte Cake and Hot Cocoa Cake recipes). I thought it was about time for a delicious Gingerbread Latte Cake and to my complete satisfaction (and after lots of recipe testing), this one checks all the boxes! 

The recipe starts with a moist, heavenly Gingerbread Cake that will have your kitchen smelling like Holiday cheer. Between the spices, the brown sugar, and the sticky sweet molasses, this Gingerbread Cake tastes like the real deal. It’s got a decadent crumb and is packed with delightful gingerbread flavor. I love using cake flour in most of my recipes to make my cakes as light as possible, but in the recipe testing sessions for this one, I did learn that all purpose flour makes the best structure. The texture turned out perfect in the end! 

The spiced gingerbread flavor in this cake pairs so perfectly with the richness of the Coffee Buttercream and tastes so reminiscent of a gingerbread latte. I was in Holiday cake heaven eating all the scraps as I decorated. The buttercream is so easy to whip up and uses instant coffee (espresso powder works too!) mixed with milk to add flavor. It’s so silky smooth and perfect for filling, frosting, and piping. 

I’ve really been in the Christmas spirit this year, so I decided to go super festive with the cake decorating on this one. The design may look a little complex, but I promise it’s super easy with the right tools. I started by frosting the cake smooth and adding a White Chocolate Ganache Drip on half of the cake. I piped coffee buttercream rosettes with Wilton Tip 1M in a cascading pattern up the side of the cake and around the top (really similar to this technique). Then, I added some gingerbread man marshmallows that I found at my local Fred Meyer (here are similar ones), piped coffee buttercream stars with Wilton Tips 4B and 32, and finished off the look with some pretty Holiday sprinkles. 

No matter how you choose to decorate, this cake is so delicious whether you’re a gingerbread latte fan already or simply love all Holiday flavors. Here’s a quick video of the cake decorating process I used in case you’re inspired:

If you’re into cake decorating videos like this one, be sure to check out my YouTube channel! You’ll find tons of decorating tutorials, recipe videos, and my Cake Basics series in video format. I’m always adding new videos there, so be sure to hit the subscribe button and be in the know when I post a new one. 

Print

Gingerbread Latte Cake Recipe

Inspired by the ever festive gingerbread latte at your local coffee shop, this cake features layers of fluffy spiced gingerbread cake paired perfectly with rich coffee buttercream. In other words, the perfect cozy Holiday cake!

Prep Time 25 minutes

Cook Time 35 minutes

Servings 15 slices

Ingredients

Gingerbread Cake

• 2 3/4 Cups (360g) all purpose flour
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 tsp ground ginger
• 1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1/2 tsp ground cloves
• 1 Cup (226g) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 3/4 Cup (150g) white granulated sugar
• 1/2 Cup (170g) packed brown sugar
• 3 large eggs, room temperature
• 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 3/4 Cup (180ml) molasses
• 1 Cup (240ml) full fat buttermilk* DIY recipe in notes

Coffee Buttercream

• 1 Tbsp instant coffee powder or espresso powder
• 3 Tbsp whole milk, room temperature
• 2 Cups (452g) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 7 Cups (840g) powdered sugar
• 4 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1/4 tsp salt, or to taste

Decorations

• gingerbread man marshmallows link to similar ones below
• white chocolate ganache drip link to recipe below
• holiday sprinkles link below

Instructions

Make the Gingerbread Cake

• Preheat the oven to 350°F. Prepare three 6-inch or two 8-inch cake pans by spraying the sides with a cooking spray (Baker's Joy is my favorite) and a parchment or wax paper circle fitted to the bottom of the pan. Alternatively, you can grease and lightly flour the pans.
• Add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves into a bowl. Whisk to combine and set aside.
• In the bowl of your stand mixer (a handheld mixer works fine too!), cream the butter on medium-high for two minutes. Add in the white and brown sugars and cream on medium-high for another two minutes until light and fluffy, scraping down the bowl and paddle as needed. Turn the mixer to low and add the eggs one at a time. Add the vanilla and molasses, turn the mixer to high, and beat for one full minute.
• With the mixer on low speed, alternate adding the flour mixture and the buttermilk, beginning and ending with the flour mixture. Mix until just incorporated. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl and give it a few stirs to make sure there are no lumps. Batter will be thick, but pourable.
• Pour the batter into prepared cake pans (no more than 2/3 of the way full) and bake for 30-35 minutes. They’re done when they spring back to the touch and a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean. Let the cakes cool in the pan for five minutes before turning them out onto a wire rack for an additional few hours of cooling. Make sure they’re entirely room temperature before applying any frosting.

Make the Coffee Buttercream

• Combine the instant coffee powder (or espresso powder) with the whole milk and set aside. In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream the butter on med-high until light and fluffy (about 5 minutes), scraping down the bowl and paddle a few times in between.
• Add powdered sugar a few cups at a time, scraping down the bowl and paddle between intervals. Then add the vanilla, the coffee/espresso milk mixture, and salt. Mix on low until fully incorporated, about one minute.

Assembly

• Once the Gingerbread Cakes have cooled completely, level and torte each layer to your desired height. Fill and crumb coat the cake layers with Coffee Buttercream. Place the crumb coated cake into the refrigerator for at least 20 minutes to firm up before moving on.
• To create the cake design pictured, frost a smooth layer of Coffee Buttercream around the cake and place it back into the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes, then create drips on half of the cake with White Chocolate Ganache.
• Fit one piping bag with Wilton tip 1M, a second piping bag with Wilton tip 4B, and a third with Wilton tip 32. Divide the remaining Coffee Buttercream amongst the three bags. Pipe rosettes with Wilton tip 1M in a diagonal direction up the side of the cake, continuing halfway around the top rim. Place gingerbread men marshmallows decoratively between the rosettes. Pipe stars with Wilton tips 4B and 32 around the rosettes and marshmallows, continuing up the side of the cake and halfway around the top edge. Here is a similar technique for the piping. Finish the look with Holiday sprinkles.

Notes

DIY Buttermilk recipe: add 1 Tbsp of white vinegar to a jar and top it with 1 Cup of whole milk. Stir and let sit for 15 minutes before using in the recipe. 

Make Ahead Tips: 

1. The Gingerbread Cake can be made ahead and stored at room temperature, covered tightly in plastic wrap, for up to two days. Alternatively, you can cover with plastic wrap and store in the freezer for up to two months before thawing to room temperature. 
2. The Coffee Buttercream can be made ahead and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to two weeks. When you’re ready to use it, bring it back to room temperature and re-whip in your stand mixer to bring back to smooth buttercream consistency. 

Did you make this Gingerbread Latte Cake recipe? I want to know how it went! Let me know in the comments below and feel free to tag @sugarandsparrowco on Instagram and show me! I love to see what you create.

The post Gingerbread Latte Cake Recipe appeared first on Sugar & Sparrow.

One of my very favorite pies to make for Thanksgiving is a chocolate pecan pie topped with salted caramel. The crunch of the pecans, richness of the chocolate, and sweetness of the caramel together are next level. I’m surprised it’s taken me this long to translate that flavor palette into cake form, but I’m beyond pleased with how it turned out – it’s the perfect pie alternative for your Thanksgiving feast and just an all-around amazing holiday flavor combo!

This Chocolate Pecan Pie Cake starts with my favorite ultra-decadent Chocolate Cake recipe that is super quick to throw together. It’s a one-bowl recipe and you probably have all the ingredients in your pantry already. Easy. But we’re just getting started. 

The homemade Pecan Pie Filling and Salted Caramel you’ll be adding between those cake layers takes everything to the next level. I’m not kidding when I say that the Pecan Pie Filling tastes exactly like (you guessed it) pecan pie. You’ll be cooking both the filling and the caramel on the stove, and the aroma of them will fill your house with instant holiday cheer. Also, don’t be intimidated by the thought of making Salted Caramel from scratch – I promise it’s the easiest caramel you’ll ever make. There are only four ingredients and you don’t even need a candy thermometer to achieve caramel perfection. 

To tie all of these delicious holiday-inspired flavors together, I frosted the cake with Brown Sugar Buttercream. It’s the perfect compliment to the flavor palette and super easy to whip up and work with. Since the fillings are semi-thin, I piped a circle of Brown Sugar Buttercream around each layer before filling in the center with the fillings – a technique I explain in this Cake Basics blog post. 

For decorating the cake, I frosted a smooth layer of Brown Sugar Buttercream and dripped the sides with Salted Caramel (details on that are in the assembly instructions below). Then, I decorated the top of the cake with pecan halves, much like you would decorate a traditional pecan pie. Around the top edge, I piped a rope border using Wilton Tip 4B. It’s basically piping a continuous series of swirls while rotating the turntable until you’ve bordered the entire top edge. 

However you decorate this Chocolate Pecan Pie Cake with Salted Caramel, it’s sure to be tasty. It’s my ideal holiday flavor combo and I hope you love it as much as I do. Enjoy!

Print

Chocolate Pecan Pie Cake with Salted Caramel

Inspired by my favorite Thanksgiving pecan pie recipe, this cake features layers of decadent chocolate cake, pecan pie filling, and homemade salted caramel, all wrapped up in tasty brown sugar buttercream. The perfect cozy holiday cake.

Prep Time 30 minutes

Cook Time 1 hour 30 minutes

Servings 15 slices

Ingredients

Chocolate Cake

• 2 Cups (265g) all purpose flour
• 1 2/3 Cups (340g) white granulated sugar
• 2/3 Cup (60g) unsweetened natural cocoa powder
• 2 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 Cup (120ml) vegetable oil
• 2 large eggs, room temperature
• 1 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1 Cup (240ml) full-fat buttermilk*, room temperature DIY recipe in notes
• 1 Cup (240ml) hot coffee or hot water

Pecan Pie Filling

• 1/2 Cup (100g) white granulated sugar
• 1/2 Cup (170g) packed brown sugar
• 2/3 Cup (160ml) light corn syrup
• 1/3 Cup (75g) unsalted butter
• 2 large eggs
• 1 1/2 Cups (195g) chopped pecans, toasted
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract

Salted Caramel

• 1 Cup (200g) white granulated sugar
• 6 Tbsp (85g) unsalted butter, room temperature, cut into six slices
• 1/2 Cup (120ml) heavy whipping cream, room temperature
• 1 1/4 tsp salt

Brown Sugar Buttercream

• 2 Cups (452g) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 Cup (200g) packed brown sugar
• 7 Cups (840g) powdered sugar
• 1 Tbsp pure vanilla extract
• 4 Tbsp whole milk, room temperature
• 1/4 tsp salt, or to taste

Instructions

Make the Chocolate Cake

• Preheat the oven to 350ºF and prepare three 6-inch or two 8-inch cake pans by spraying the sides with cooking spray and fitting the bottoms with a wax paper or parchment cake circle. 
• Place all of the dry ingredients into the bowl of a stand mixer and stir on low for 30 seconds to fully combine them. Add the vegetable oil, eggs, vanilla, and buttermilk and mix on low until just combined. With the mixer still on low, add the hot coffee (or hot water) in a slow stream, then turn the mixer to medium and beat until smooth, about 2 minutes. The batter will be very thin. 
• Pour into prepared cake pans no more than 2/3 full and bake for 35-40 minutes, until a wooden toothpick inserted comes out clean. Cool completely before filling and frosting.

Make the Pecan Pie Filling

• Combine the sugars, corn syrup, butter, eggs, pecans, and salt in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. Reduce the heat to low and simmer, stirring constantly for 6-8 minutes until the filling is thickened. Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla. Cool completely before using as filling. It will thicken and stabilize as it cools.

Make the Salted Caramel

• Have everything pre-measured and ready to go (you’ll be constantly stirring). Place the sugar in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat and stir constantly with a wooden spoon, until it melts into an amber-colored liquid and no sugar clumps remain, 5-6 minutes. 
• Reduce the heat to medium. Carefully add the butter (it will bubble up when you do) and use a whisk to combine it with the sugar mixture until the butter is fully melted and incorporated, 2-3 minutes. 
• Add the heavy whipping cream in a steady stream while whisking. As soon as the cream is incorporated, let the caramel boil for a full minute before removing it from the heat and stirring in the salt. 
• Let the caramel cool to room temperature before using as a filling or drip. It will thicken as it cools. 

Make the Brown Sugar Buttercream

• With a hand mixer or paddle attachment on your stand mixer, cream the butter and brown sugar on medium-high until it’s creamy, light, and homogenous. About 4 minutes.
• With the mixer on low, add the powdered sugar a few cups at a time, scraping down after each addition and making sure each cup is fully incorporated before adding the next one.
• Add vanilla, milk, and salt and mix on low for another minute until fully incorporated.

Assembly

• Once the Chocolate Cakes have cooled completely, level and torte each layer to your desired height. Place the first layer on a turntable and pipe a circle of Brown Sugar Buttercream around the edge. Fill in the center with (room temperature) Pecan Pie Filling about 3/4 of the way to the top of the buttercream circle height-wise. Drizzle room temperature Salted Caramel on top of the Pecan Pie Filling. Here's a detailed tutorial on this filling method.
• Place the next cake layer on top and repeat the process of piping the buttercream circle and filling in the center with Pecan Pie Filling and Salted Caramel. Place the final layer on top, upside down so that the bottom of the cake layer is the top of the cake. Crumb coat the cake with Brown Sugar Buttercream and place it in the refrigerator for at least 20 minutes to let everything set up.
• To create the cake design pictured, frost a smooth layer of Brown Sugar Buttercream around the cake and place it back into the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes to create a cold foundation for the Salted Caramel drip. Meanwhile, microwave the Salted Caramel in 10 second increments until it's slightly warmer than room temperature and good drip consistency (this post shows examples of perfect drip consistency with Chocolate Ganache and those same rules apply to Salted Caramel drip consistency). When the cake is nice and chilled and the Salted Caramel is perfect drip consistency, drip the cake. Place it back into the refrigerator for 10 minutes to let the caramel set.
• Create a design on the top of the cake with halved pecans. Prepare a piping bag with Wilton Tip 4B and fill it with Brown Sugar Buttercream. Holding the piping bag at a 45 degree angle pointed at the top of the cake, pipe a series of continuous swirls to create a rope border around the top edge.

Notes

DIY Buttermilk recipe: add 1 Tbsp of white vinegar to a jar and top it with 1 Cup of whole milk. Stir and let sit for 15 minutes before using in the recipe. 

Make Ahead Tips: 

1. The Chocolate Cake can be made ahead and stored at room temperature, covered tightly in plastic wrap, for up to two days. Alternatively, you can cover with plastic wrap and store in the freezer for up to two months before thawing to room temperature. 
2. The Pecan Pie Filling can be made ahead and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to two weeks. Bring back to room temperature before using in this recipe. 
3. The Salted Caramel can be made ahead and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to two weeks. When you’re ready to use it, reheat it in the microwave in 10 second intervals until it reaches room temperature. 
4. The Brown Sugar Buttercream can be made ahead and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to two weeks. When you’re ready to use it, bring it back to room temperature and re-whip in your stand mixer to bring back to smooth buttercream consistency. 

Did you make this Chocolate Caramel Pecan Pie Cake recipe? I want to know how it went! Let me know in the comments below and feel free to tag @sugarandsparrowco on Instagram and show me! I love to see what you create.

The post Chocolate Pecan Pie Cake with Salted Caramel appeared first on Sugar & Sparrow.

Now that I’ve shared my Eggnog Cake Recipe and my Hot Cocoa Cake recipe, it’s only fitting that I close out my 2020 holiday cakes with another that’s based on a festive drink: this decadent Peppermint Mocha Cake! This one may be my favorite one of all and it even impressed my husband, who is not a coffee drinker or a big fan of peppermint. We could not stop tasting it and talking about how good it was, so I am confident that you’ll love it too. Oh, and just look at that candy cane drip. 

I always try to get my flavors as close to the inspiration as possible, and the flavors going on in this Peppermint Mocha Cake ended up being spot on to the real deal. I thought about topping it with peppermint buttercream (I really wanted it to look like a striped candy cane at first), but the coffee buttercream was actually the perfect choice for the taste of this one. It gives you a great hit of coffee to balance out the peppermint and chocolate in the cake, and it’s so tasty you’ll want to sneak a few spoonfuls here and there or frost some cake scraps with it for snacking (that’s what I do). 

For the cake layers, I adapted my favorite Chocolate Cake recipe to include peppermint extract and hot coffee. In the original recipe, you pour in one cup of hot (simmering) water at the end, so for this version just make sure the coffee is hot, as in just-brewed. You can totally use instant coffee for this part too – I actually ended up using these Starbucks Via packets (made according to the package instructions) and they worked great! After those tweaks to the chocolate cake recipe that’s already extra moist and decadent, this version ended up being the ideal balance of peppermint, chocolate, and coffee. In other words, the perfect base for this Peppermint Mocha Cake. 

After filling and frosting the cake with Coffee Buttercream to enhance the coffee flavor of this cake, I dripped it with my go-to Chocolate Ganache recipe. After the drips set, it was super easy to press on candy cane bits and the result was so eye-catching! I basically used the same method as was used in this Sprinkle Drip Cake tutorial. One note on the candy cane drip though: adding the candy cane bits can’t be done too far ahead of time. When I left the cake in the refrigerator overnight, the moisture of the drip ended up melting a few of the pieces. If you do want to make this cake ahead and keep that drip looking perfect, be sure to add the candy cane pieces the day you’re serving the cake. They’ll press onto the drip just fine, even after it has set. 

To finish the look, I added a little piping to the top in a crescent moon shape using Wilton Tip 1 (for the rosettes) and 4B (for the stars). Then, I sprinkled more candy cane bits over the top. However you choose to decorate, this Peppermint Mocha Cake is downright delicious. As I type this weeks later, I’m already thinking about making it all over again. I consider that the sign of a good cake. Enjoy!

Print

Peppermint Mocha Cake Recipe

Inspired by the classic holiday coffee treat! Layers of peppermint mocha flavored cake and coffee buttercream, dripped with candy cane speckled chocolate ganache.

Prep Time 45 minutes

Cook Time 40 minutes

Servings 15 slices

Ingredients

Peppermint Mocha Cake

• 2 Cups (265g) all purpose flour
• 1 2/3 Cups (340g) granulated white sugar
• 2/3 Cup (60g) unsweetened natural cocoa powder
• 2 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 2 tsp instant espresso powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 Cup (120ml) vegetable oil
• 2 whole eggs, room temperature
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp pure peppermint extract
• 1 Cup (240ml) full-fat buttermilk*, room temperature DIY recipe in notes
• 1 Cup (240ml) hot coffee

Coffee Buttercream

• 2 Cups (452g) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 8 Cups (960g) powdered sugar
• 4 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 Tbsp instant coffee or instant espresso powder
• 3 Tbsp whole milk, room temperature
• 1/4 tsp salt

Chocolate Ganache Drip

• 1/2 Cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 1/2 Cup heavy whipping cream

Additional Garnish

• 1/4 cup crushed candy canes

Instructions

Make the Peppermint Mocha Cake

• Preheat the oven to 350ºF and prepare three 6-inch or two 8-inch cake pans by spraying the sides with cooking spray and fitting the bottoms with a wax paper or parchment cake circle. 
• Place all of the dry ingredients into the bowl of a stand mixer and stir on low for 30 seconds to fully combine them. Add the vegetable oil, eggs, vanilla, peppermint, and buttermilk and mix on low until just combined. With the mixer still on low, add the hot coffee in a slow stream, then turn the mixer to medium and beat until smooth, about 2 minutes. The batter will be very thin. 
• Pour into prepared cake pans no more than 2/3 full and bake for 40-45 minutes, until a wooden toothpick inserted comes out clean. Cool completely before frosting.

Make the Coffee Buttercream

• Combine the instant espresso/coffee with the whole milk and set aside. In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream the butter on med-high until light and fluffy (about 5 minutes), scraping down bowl and paddle a few times in between.
• Add powdered sugar a few cups at a time, scraping down bowl and paddle between intervals. Then add the vanilla, the coffee/espresso milk mixture, and salt. Mix on low until fully incorporated, about one minute.

Make the Chocolate Ganache

• Place chocolate chips into a heat resistant bowl (glass or metal). If you’re starting with a chocolate bar, chop it into small pieces until they’re about the size of chocolate chips. 
• In a saucepan over medium-high heat, warm heavy whipping cream until it just starts to simmer. I always look for small bubbles forming around the edge and a soft simmer starting in the middle. When it's reached this point, pour the cream into your bowl of chocolate and let sit for about 30 seconds. 
• Whisk it together until it’s uniform in consistency and there are no bits of chocolate left on your whisk. Cool ganache at room temperature for 10-20 minutes, or until the ganache itself is room temperature or slightly above. 

Assembly

• After the Peppermint Mocha Cakes have cooled completely, level and torte the layers to your desired height. Then, fill and frost the cake with Coffee Buttercream. To create the look pictured, place the cake in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes before dripping with chocolate ganache. Here are tips on how to create the perfect drip. Place the dripped cake back into the refrigerator for 5 minutes to let the drip set before pressing on the crushed candy cane pieces by hand.

Notes

*DIY Buttermilk Recipe: add 1 Tbsp of white vinegar to a jar and top it with 1 Cup of whole milk. Stir and let sit for 15 minutes before using in the recipe. 

Make Ahead Tips:

1. The Peppermint Mocha Cake layers can be made ahead and stored, wrapped in plastic wrap, at room temperature for up to two days. Alternatively, you can store the wrapped cake layers in the freezer for up to 2 months before thawing and frosting.
2. The Coffee Buttercream can be made ahead and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to two weeks. When you’re ready to use it, bring it back to room temperature and re-whip in your stand mixer to bring back to smooth buttercream consistency. 
3. The Chocolate Ganache can be made ahead and stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to two weeks. When you’re ready to use it as a drip, microwave it in 10 second increments, stirring after every interval until your ganache is room temperature and uniform in consistency.

To Make As Cupcakes: fill cupcake tins no more than 2/3 of the way full and bake at 350ºF for 15-17 minutes, until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Yields about 35-40 cupcakes.

Did you make this recipe? I want to know what you think! Let me know in the comments below or tag me on Instagram. I love to see what you’re caking!

The post Peppermint Mocha Cake Recipe appeared first on Sugar & Sparrow.