Cookbook Cake

Beer Can Cake

I made this for extended family as a surprise "beer"thday cake! The cake is a Swiss Roll Cake, Chocolate sponge cake in a jelly roll pan with marshmallow buttercream filling and covered with marshmallow flavored ganache using limited edition marshamallow candy melts. I had to pour the ganache onto a sheet of parchment paper on a cookie tray, in a rectangle 9x8", move it into the freezer for about 15 minutes, then flip the sheet of ganache onto the cake and cut off the excess. I used the back of a knife to press it under the cake.

 I made "ice cubes" out of corn syrup and sugar molded in a mini ice cube tray. I used the brush embroidery technique to do the mountains in the logo.

 The beer foam or bubbles are white fondant rolled into different size balls and coated with gold luster dust. I attached them by piping a stream of buttercream then randomly pressing them into place.

 The top and bottom of the can are white fondant, sculpted and I even made the pop tab open. Sprayed the cake with silver color mist. I hand painted the logo and blue stripe on with color gel mixed with cake flavored vodka.

Sonya

I met a lady last week and somehow we got to talking about cakes. She asked if I could make one for an upcoming client meeting she had. She specifically wanted my UV Cake vodka whipped cream frosting, a vanilla cake and fruit. I drained the juice from a jar of maraschino cherries and added the remaining vanilla vodka from the "Corduroy" cake, the remaining cake vodka leftover after the frosting was made, a little water to cover and some sugar; soaked while baking and frosting. The vodka's I buy are shooter sized, perfect to have enough for individual cake recipes. The cakes were baked in 8" rounds.

Vanilla Cake
1 cup butter, softened
2-1/2 cups all purpose flour, sifted
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1-1/2 cups sugar
2 large eggs
3 large egg yolks
2 tsp clear vanilla extract
1 cup buttermilk

Whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Cream together butter and sugar. Add eggs and yolks one at a time. Add vanilla. Alternatively beat in flour mixture and buttermilk, beginning and ending with the flour mixture until just combined. Divide batter between two 8x2" pans greased, floured and parchment cut to size. Baked at 350 degrees for 25 minutes. 

UV Cake Vodka Whipped Cream
3 cups heavy whipping cream
5tbsp powdered sugar
1tsp Wilton Color Flow mix
2 tbsp UV Cake Vodka

Whisk together cream and sugar until stiff peaks form. Add color flow and vodka until combined.

Drunken Cherries
6 oz maraschino cherries, juice drained
3 tbsp Vanilla Vodka
1 tbsp Cake Vodka
1 tbsp water
1 tbsp sugar
Add all into the jar with the cherries. Soak as long as needed.

"Corduroy"

The newest addition!

My best friend had her baby shower today. I wasn't originally set to make her cake but the lady that was supposed to be making it had to back out due to family visiting. I was more than happy to take her up on the offer. I was given the instructions that the color theme was blue/green, the character is Corduroy the bear, and she wanted the message to be welcome baby boy. What could be more fitting than a 2 tier cake with Corduroy and his buttons? I was also told no chocolate; she prefers vanilla, white chocolate, cream cheese and the sort. So I decided on a white chocolate cake with a vanilla buttercream frosting. I used the frozen buttercream transfer method to make white buttons for the sides, outlined a white bear, and did the message "Welcome Baby Boy Campbell!" around the top button and even left holes just as a real button would have. I used food coloring diluted with vanilla flavored vodka to hand paint Corduroy on the frozen buttercream. The alcohol evaporates, leaving the vanilla flavor behind. Cakes were torted with buttercream also.

White Chocolate Cake
I used this recipe but for 18 servings. This was enough for one 6x3" round, and two 10x2" rounds*.

3-3/4 cups all purpose flour
1-1/2 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp salt
9 (1 ounce) squares white chocolate, chopped
3/4 cup hot water
1-1/2 cups butter, softened
2-1/4 cups white sugar
5 eggs
1-1/2 cups buttermilk

Sift together flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. In saucepan melt white chocolate with hot water, allow to cool. Cream together butter and sugar. Add eggs one at a time. Stir in flour mixture alternatively with buttermilk. Mix in melted white chocolate.

*Since I use my Wilton pans, they come with instructions of how much batter to use for each pan. Pans are misted with oil, coated in flour and parchment is cut to fit the bottom. Bake at times listed for pan size 350 degrees.

Vanilla Buttercream
Doubled the recipe to have enough for all the colors, torting and frosting.

1 cup solid vegetable shortening (Crisco)
1 cup butter, softened
2 tsp clear vanilla extract
8 cups powdered sugar, sifted
4 tablespoons milk

Cream together butter and shortening. Add vanilla. Add sugar 1 cup at a time, scraping down bowl periodically. Add milk, beat at medium speed until light and fluffy. Separate into smaller dishes and add gel food coloring until desired color is reached. I used 1/2 cup for black, 3 1/2 cups white (to torte and crumb coat) and divided the rest into blue and green.

Frozen Buttercream Transfer
Made a large button outlined in black, with green writing that said "Welcome Baby Boy Campbell!", then filled it in with white buttercream. Just follow her directions and remember to use the mirror image!