I am very much still a cake-baking novice.
I've only frosted a couple other cakes before this one, and don't have a wealth of knowledge to give you, but what I do know I will share with you. I will break down for you all the steps you need to bake this cake - or any cake with a similar look.
We are going to take things one step at a time.
The Cookies
Tools:
Llama and cactus cookie cutters (If you're in Europe, you can also find these on amazon.co.uk)
Rolling pin
Baking paper
Cookie tin or large Tupperware-type container
Offset spatula
Stand mixer
Paddle attachment
Ingredients:
3/4 cup (170 grams) unsalted butter (softened at room temperature - approx 2 hours)
3/4 (150 gr) cup sugar
1 egg
2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups (256 grams) all-purpose flour
Directions:
1. Cream together butter and sugar on medium setting for about 20-30 seconds.
2. While mixer is going add egg and vanilla extract.
3. On a low speed add in baking powder and salt.
4. Still on the low speed, add the flour 1/2 cup at a time.
5. Mix until flour just combined.
6. Pour onto a slightly floured surface. Kneed into a ball for about 10 seconds, then flatten into a disc shape.
7. Using your (lightly floured) rolling pin with thickness gauges, roll dough to 1/4 inch thickness.
8. Get out your cookie tin or Tupperware out, as well as sheets of baking paper that fit inside.
9. Dip your cookie cutter in flour, then cut the desired shape out of the dough. Use an offset spatula to lift them into your cookie tin or Tupperware. Make sure the cookies do not touch each other. When you have filled one layer of cookies, add a new sheet of baking paper and continue until you have used up all of your dough.
10. Feel your tin and place in refrigerator for 20-30 minutes.
11. Preheat your oven to 350 F/180 C.
12. Once your oven has reached the appropriate heat, remove your chilled cookies from the refrigerator, line a baking sheet with baking paper, transfer them onto it and bake them for 5-7 minutes, depending on size. You want the edges to just barely brown.
13. When you remove them from the oven, make sure you allow them to cool for 5-7 minutes before trying to remove them from your baking sheet.
14. Allow to fully cool before attempting to do anything else with them. If you are going to decorate them at a later date, use the same method as when they went in the fridge - line a cookie tin or container with baking paper, and move cookies into it using sheets of baking paper between each layer. Place in freezer, to be decorated at another time. The cookies will keep like this fora couple months.
Decorating with Royal Icing
Tools:
Zip-top bags
Toothpicks
Small bowls
Spoons
Stand mixer
Paddle attachment
Food-safe black marker
Ingredients:
1 lb (453 grams) powdered sugar
3 tbsp meringue powder
6 tbsp warm water
(I decorated my cookies 2 days before the party. Any earlier, and I think they would be too dry.)
Directions:
1. Watch as many YouTube tutorials as you'd like.
2. Combine powdered sugar, meringue powder and water on medium speed for 5 minutes (until stiff peaks form). (Cover with a damp kitchen towel to keep from drying out while you're working.)
3. Spoon out about a cup of white icing into a bowl. One tsp at a time, add water until it reaches the desired consistency. (Mine fell somewhere between piping and flood consistency.)
4. Fill your zip-top bag with your icing, then cut a very very small bit off the tip of one of the bottom corners of your bag.
5. Follow the outline of your llama, leaving their tail portion empty.
6. Once the outline is complete, fill in the space, using a toothpick to even things out and pop any air bubbles.
7. Allow to set up for a bit. (This is a great time to mix up a green and start on your cactuses, if you're making them, too.)
8. Spoon out about 1/4 cup of white icing, using a toothpick add just a bit of ivory gel color. Add water 1/2 tsp at a time to reach desired consistency. Fill piping bag, snip tip, and make tail and snout.
9. Repeat that step for every color you choose to decorate the rest of you llama with - their saddle, any other decorations you might want to add. The same applies for making the cacti. Allow your icing to dry a bit each time before adding the next element.
10. Once they're all done, place on large baking sheet, cover with plastic wrap and allow to dry for full 24 hours.
11. Once they are dry, using your food safe marker draw on their faces.
The Cake
I'm not trying to take any credit for this recipe, it's from Chel Sweets, and so is the frosting recipe. I'm writing it out here as a reference, and do easily visit again if I need.
Ingredients:
3 cups (390 grams) all purpose flour
3 cups (600 grams) sugar
2 1/2 tsp (10 grams) baking powder
1 tsp (6 grams) salt
1 cup (227 grams) room temperature unsalted butter
1 cup (235 grams) egg whites (approx. from 7 eggs)
1 1/2 cup (345 grams) buttermilk at room temperature
1 tbsp (28 grams) vegetable oil
2 tsp (8 grams) vanilla extract
* makes 3 x 8 inch layers
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 350°F / 175°C. Line a 8 inch / 20 cm pan with a parchment round, and grease with non-stick baking spray.
- Mix together 3 cups all purpose flour, 3 cups sugar, 2 1/2 tsp baking powder and 1 tsp salt in a stand mixer with a paddle attachment or hand mixer until fully combined.
- Mix in 1 cup of unsalted butter slowly into the dry ingredients on a low speed. Continue to mix until no large chunks of butter remain and the mixture looks crumbly.
- Pour in 1 cup of egg whites and mix on low until just incorporated. Mix in 1 1/2 cups buttermilk in two installments, on a low speed.
- Add in 2 Tbsp of vegetable oil and 2 tsp of vanilla extract and mix at a low speed until fully incorporated.
- If you plan to color your cake layers, add in the gel food coloring with the vanilla and oil.
- Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula, then beat on a low speed for about 30 seconds to make sure everything is properly mixed together.
- I only have one 8 inch pan, so I had to do my best to eyeball how much batter looked like about a third of it. Ladle the batter into your prepared pan.
- Bake for 33-35 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs. Allow the pan to cool for 10 minutes, then run a small offset spatula around perimeter of the pan to separate the cake from the pan. Apply a new baking paper round, spray with non-stick baking spray, and repeat for 3 other layers.
- Allow to fully cool before attempting to handle.
- Use a serrated knife to level the tops of the layers right before you plan to assemble your cake, or you can wrap and freeze them in you're making them in advance. I wrapped and froze them just as this link suggested.
+ If you make these cake layers in advance and freeze them, let them thaw for about 20 minutes before making your cake. The cake layers should still be slightly cold to the touch, which will make it easier to assemble your cake. I found them easier to level and assemble this way.
I decided to assemble the layers the day before the party.
For this, I needed frosting.
I once again turned to Chel Sweets. She says she makes 1 1/2 portion when decorating a cake. I actually didn't catch that until after, and made it 1 portion. I had just enough frosting. So, if I was wanting thicker frosting, or something like that, I would do what she suggests, and do a 1 1/2 portion.
Ingredients:
2 cups (453 grams) room temperature unsalted butter
1 tbsp (12 grams) vanilla extract
1/2 tsp (3 grams) salt
7 cups (907 grams) powdered sugar
3 tbsp (45 grams) heavy cream
gel food coloring
- Beat 2 cups of unsalted butter on a medium speed for 30 seconds until smooth with a paddle attachment / stand mixer or a hand mixer.
- Mix in 1 tbsp vanilla extract and 1/2 tsp salt on a low speed.
- Slowly add in 7 cups of powdered sugar, 1 cup at a time. Alternate with 3 tbsp of heavy cream, and mix on a low speed.
- Mix on low until the ingredients are fully incorporated and the desired consistency is reached.
- If the frosting is too thick, add in additional cream (1 tbsp at a time). If the frosting is too thin, add in more powdered sugar (quarter of a cup at a time).
- If you plan to color the buttercream, add in the gel food coloring once the frosting is fully made, and beat on low until it reach the desired colored. I used pink and a little yellow.
- Watch lots of youtube videos on how to frost and assemble a cake.
Assembly:
Tools:
turntable
8 inch cake disk
frosting bag
offset spatula
1. Remove frozen cake layers from freezer. Unwrap and allow to thaw a little.
2. Using a serrated knife, cut off "dome" of cake, making it level.
3. Place an 8 inch metal cake disk on a turntable. (A turntable is very helpful, but you could probably do without. The metal disk is great for keeping the cake neat and steady, and moving it from the workspace to the cake stand.)
4. Put a dollop of frosting on the disk to help the cake not shift.
5. Place your first cake layer on top of that dollop. Scoop out about a cup of frosting on top, and using an offset spatula evenly spread it out.
6. Place your second layer on top, being careful to line up your layers. Scoop out another cup of frosting, spread it out evenly.
7. Place your third cake layer on top. Add approx. 1 cup of frosting to top and spread out evenly.
8. Using a piping bag, squeeze out frosting along the side of the cake. Using an offset spatula try to get the frosting as even as possible.
9. Work on the top and sides until it is smooth.
10. Place in the fridge overnight.
The Final Touches
What you'll need:
cake
cookies
1. A couple hours before the party, remove the cake from the fridge.
2. Using your hand gently press sprinkles into the side of the cake. (If you aren't sure, again, I encourage you to watch a couple youtube videos). Add some to the top as well.
3. GENTLY press your cookies into the top. If they don't want to stay, stick a toothpick behind them. Strategically place the candles where you want them, as well. (I used two candles, because it was my daughter's 2nd birthday.)
4. Place on cake stand. Your cake will be fine sitting out for a couple hours inside.
And there you have it!
It was certainly a labor of love, but I am beyond thrilled with how it turned out!
Now, to start thinking about a certain 6 year old who keeps telling me he wants a pirate themed 7th birthday party... argh!
No comments:
Post a Comment