Buttercream Flower Cake

Its a surprise Party! Yeeeaaayyyy!!! Who of you doesn't like surprises?? I just looove them but the most I love to make them! And what is better them surprising someone with a cake?? And what if it is a delicious cake? heheh 

For quite some time I was really afraid of the famous Swiss Merengue Buttercream...So I finally decided to take the challenge and try it out. And I was really very surprised because it was super easy and so yummy! So I can't believe I just waited for so long until I actually tried it. You have to believe me it can't go wrong! Just go to your kitchen and take out your whisking bowl and make some yummy swiss merengue buttercream!! Your life will change! heheh 

I prepared a classic vanilla sponge cake, well maybe not that classic as it doesn't have any butter....but it is really fluffy, delicate and so fragrant! I filled it with a vanilla swiss merengue buttercream and a layer of home made strawberry jam!!! Probably the last strawberries of the season so I couldn't resist! 

For the sponge cake: 

Just 3 ingredients!! NO JOKE!! 

• 120 g sugar
• 5 large eggs, at room temperature
• 150 g flour 
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (optional)

Method:

All the ingredients have to be at room temperature. 

Preheat the oven to 175ºC a 20cm diameter pan. 

Put the whole eggs (together with the yolks) into the mixing bowl, add sugar and vanilla. If you have a stand mixer set it at medium speed and whisk for around 10-15min, if you are mixing by hand it might take even double of the time. The eggs will triple the volume and become pale yellow and the consistency will be thick. Sift the flour on top of the egg mixture, do it in 3 parts, and fold it gently with a spatula.

Pour the mixture into your baking pan and put into the oven for approx 40-45min. The cake is ready when golden brown. Take it our immediately from the oven and drop from 30cm on the floor! Yes that is right, just drop it!! This trick will prevent the cake of sinking... Leave to cool down completely.

For the Swiss merengue buttercream: 

• 4 egg whites 
• 110g sugar
• 300g butter

Method:

Put a bit of water in a small or medium saucepan and place on the stove. Heat to a simmer. Separate the egg whites into your bowl being careful to not get any yolks into bowl. Add sugar to egg whites and place the bowl over saucepan with simmering water. Stir egg whites and sugar constantly with whisk to prevent eggs from cooking until it reaches 70ºC on candy thermometer. 

Put the egg whites aside and wait until the temperature drops to 20ºC  In the mean time beat the butter until pale and fluffy. When the egg whites are cool pour them to the butter, mix on lowest speed until it all combines (might look scary at the beginning but it will come together). You will be happy too see the silkiest buttercream you have ever had. 
Now just assemble the cake!!! I've cut mine in 4 layers and before layering it with cream I have sprinkled it with some sugar sirup, which made the sponge moist :) 
Enjooooooyyy!!!!!!!! :)

My First 2 Tier Bday Cake :-)

Uffff that was so stressful!!! First time ever I was asked to prepare a two tier cake and this is the worse timing ever…I literally had no time at all to prepare it but I was crazy enough to try! And after hours and working until 4 am, the day before the delivery, I have finished…and I must say I was so extremely proud of myself that I even didn't feel how tired I was! So after "sleeping" 4 hours I got up to clean my kitchen and was waiting for the client to pick up the cake, even then I didn't feel the tiredness. The client came and loved my cake! This is the best feeling ever, when you see their astonished face saying "woooooow it's so beautiful"!! That was it!!!  The only and best expression I needed. As soon as he left I felt like all the strengths suddenly disappeared and I just couldn't move, couldn't move any single part of my body but I still needed to clean! So with the rest of the energy left I managed to clean the kitchen and then went to bed. I think as soon as I've hit the pillow I was already sleeping and dreaming about … my cake! hahahah How twisted and crazy can be a mind of a passionate baker?! 

So this time I will not post any recipe but I just couldn't help it and I had to share my pride, hope you forgive me! 

Just have a look! And tell me..aren't they adorable??? :) 

 aiiiii there is a story behind this tiger with one tooth…. The little bday boy was called by his parent "tiger" and now the little "tiger: had his first tooth…hihihi so here you go! A tiger with one tooth :-)

Valentine's Day Vanilla Loaf Cake

"Love is the happiness of today, and promise of tomorrow, so this warm note comes to you, to say that you must live life with a heart full of love. 

Happy Valentine's Day my Love!"

I always wanted to prepare one of those hidden design cakes and I thought Valentine's Day is a perfect day to try! I was right! I think it looks beautiful and I am sure everyone will love the hidden heart inside this delicious cake! Try it and surprise your Love by preparing this so simple but special loaf cake! 

Ingredients:

For the red cake:

• 175g butter
• 175g sugar
• 2 eggs
• 100g yoghurt
• 175 flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 package vanilla sugar
• red food color

For the vanilla cake:

• 4 eggs
• 200g sugar 
• 1 package of vanilla sugar (16g)
• 150 g of butter
• 3 drops of vanilla essence
• 2 teaspoons of baking powder
• 100g of natural yogurt
• 240 g flour

Preheat your oven to 175ºC and prepare a teacake mould.

For the red cake: Using an electronic mixer cream the sugars and butter until cream and fluffy. Add eggs and keep whisking, add flour with the baking powder and mix until all ingredients combine. Add yoghurt and whisk again. Add so much food color to turn the mixture red. Make sure the color is distributed evenly. 

Pour the mixture into the baking tin and bake for approx 35min or until well-risen and firm to touch. Leave to cool down. When the cake is cool using a cookie cutter cut out heart shapes. 

For the vanilla cake: To make the vanilla cake follow the same steps as for the red cake except adding the red color :) 

Place enough plain mixture into the tin to cover the base with a layer of mixture that is 3cm deep. Place the red hearts along the centre of the tin on top of the plain cake mixture. Fill the tin with the remaining plain cake mixture, carefully covering the row of the red hearts. 

Bake for approx 45min or until the cake is firm to the touch. You can check to see that it's ready by sticking a cocktail stick into the centre of the cake. It should come out clean and not sticky, if it is still sticky just leave it in the oven for 5-10 minutes more. Leva to cool down in tin. 

Happy Velentine's Day!! 

With a cookie cutter cut our heart shapes

Place the red hearts along the centre of the tin on top of the plain cake mixture. Fill the tin with the remaining batter.

Once the cake is done it should look like this :)

I wish you a lovely Day!

Raspberry Yoghurt Bundt Cake

It is rainy and windy outside and everybody is into pumpkin, eggnog, cinnamon and all other autumn flavors (which I of course love as well) BUT now I just miss summer! I disagree with this autumn atmosphere and I want my summer back! So when I saw this beautiful raspberries spreading around this sweet delicate aroma for a second I felt like the summer had just started…So without thinking I took them to my basket and run home and … ..baked!!! You will love this moist, flavorful and soft bundt and the raspberry aroma will steal your heart!!! I could eat it every day! 

Ingredients:

• 300g flour
• 200g sugar
• 200g yoghurt
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 200g soft butter
• 3 eggs, room temperature
• 1 package of vanilla sugar (16g)
• 250g of raspberries + 3 spoons for the raspberries (either frozen or fresh)

Preparation:

Preheat your oven to 175ºC and prepare your bundt pan. 

In a mixing bowl beat together butter with sugars until light and fluffy. Add eggs one by one and keep whisking until everything combines. Now add flour, baking soda and baking powder and combine all together. At the end of whisking add yoghurt and whisk gently until you reach a creamy structure. 

Sprincle your raspberries with 3 spoons of flour (this will prevent the raspberries to fall to the bottom of the cake) and using a spatula gently mix ten into the paste. 

Pour the paste into the cake pan and bake for approx 60min, until so called dry cocktail stick. Cool down and enjoy :)

Apple Apricot Pie

I love apple pie but I wanted to tune it a bit and ad some summer touch! So I added some apricots! Their sweet and sour taste makes a perfect mach with apples. The dough is very delicate and crispy so every time you bit in the apple apricot filling will gently melt in your mouth. It is super easy and I am sure you will love it!

Ingredients:

For the pastry:

• 250g of cold butter
• 400g flour
• 1 egg
• 1 yolk
• 150 g sugar
• 1 small teaspoon of baking powder
• 1 package of vanilla sugar

For the filling:

• you can use 250ml prepared apple mouse or do it yourself from here: My mum's apple pie
• 2 fresh apricots, cut in small cubes

Preparation:

You can make your pastry by hand, or simply pulse all the ingredients into a food processor. If making by hand, sieve the flour with the baking powder, sugars into a large mixing bowl. Add chopped butter and mix with your hands until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Add the egg and the yolk and gently work it together until you have a ball of pastry dough. Sprinkle a little flour over the pastry, then wrap it in cling film and pop it into the fridge to rest for 0.5h - 1 hour.

Preheat your oven to 180ºC. Take your cooled pastry out of the fridge. Prepare a pie dish around 28cm in diameter. Flour a clean surface and a rolling pin. Cut off the half of your pastry and put that aside. Roll the rest into a circle just over 1.5cm thick.  Put your pastry circle into the dish and push it into the sides. Take a fork and make some small holes in the pastry, then put the dish into the oven and prebake for about 15min. Take it out and cool down.

Take your apple mouse and the apricot cubes and pour into the prebaked pastry. Take the remaining half of the pastry and roll again over 1cm thick. With a knife cut the pastry into stripes, put them on the top of your apricot - apple mouse forming a chequered pattern.

Again put it into the oven and bake for another 30min until the top of the pie gets a nice golden color.

Bon appétit!!!

White Chocolate Almond Raspberry Sweet Rolls

Can you imagine starting your morning with these fluffy, sweet raspberry rolls?? Mmmm I love them! These are one of my favorites and I promise you once you try them you just can't stop eating! In general I love all yeast pastries just can't get enough of them! Yeast scares off many of you but believe me it is not that difficult as it sounds juts give it a try and you see you will be repeating this recipe!! The only downside of this recipe is that the rolls disappear in minutes!!! 

Ingredients:
For the dough:

• 7g instant yeast
• 100ml warm milk
• 50g powder sugar
• pinch of salt
• 400g flour
• 2 eggs
• 2 yolks
• 50g soft butter

For the filling:

• 60g white chocolate, grated 
• 40g almond flakes
• 1 spoon vanilla sugar
• 100g fresh or frozen raspberries

Preparation:

Prepare 22cm round tin. 

Mix together the milk and yeast and set aside for 10 minutes. Once the yeast has foamed up pour them to the mixing bowl of a stand mixer and add flour, sugar and the pinch of salt. Whisk all together. Start whisking and start adding eggs one by one, the same with the yolks. Mix on low speed using the dough hook or if you are patient and brave enough start knitting by hand :) Keep knitting around 15min and during the last 5min add the softened butter. Gradually add more flour, if needed, until the dough is elastic and does not stay stuck to the mixing bowl. The texture will be quite soft and elastic like a gum. Cover the dough with a tea towel and leave to rest for about 1 hour. The dough should double of its size. 

Remove the dough from the bowl and place on a floured surface. Roll out the dough into a 10x12 rectangle. Sprinkle the dough with the vanilla sugar, almonds and raspberries (if you are using frozen raspberries make sure you do not defrost them before, keep them frozen). Roll into a jelly roll shape. Slice into 2cm slices. Place in your prepared baking tin. You can use the remained egg white to brush your rolls, it will give them a delicate shine! 

Preheat the oven to 50ºC place your baking tin and leave it for 30min to rest again. You will see your rolls start growing again. Now amend the temperature to 180ºC and bake for 22min. 

I never glaze my rolls as I am to impatient to eat them so I just use powder sugar to sprinkle them a bit!!! 

that's the prepared dough and the rolls how they look before and after growing :)

...and the result is just Delicious!!! 

YUM, YUM, YUM!!

Summer Strawberry Cake

I guess I really am in a strawberry mood!! Or maybe it is the summer mood…Strawberries will always remind me of warm and sunny days. I really can feel the summer coming soon when the days are longer and the mornings become pleasant even more when you can have a delicious strawberry cake for breakfast :) This recipe is probably the easiest I have even done and it is ready whiting few whisks and minutes! You can also use different fruits like berries or raspberries, any will make a great combination. Of course it is perfect not only for breakfast but also to accompany an afternoon tea!! 

Don't get scared as the dough comes out quite thick and this is to carry al the "heavy" strawberries so that they stay on the top of the cake. Enjoy! 

Ingredients:

• 100 g butter
• 130 g sugar
• 1 large egg
• 100ml buttermilk or milk, whatever you have in the fridge
• 180g flour
• 1 package instant vanilla pudding (40 g)
• 1,5 tsp baking powder
• 1 package vanilla sugar (16g)
• as many strawberries as you can fit into your cake ;-)

Preparation: 

Preheat your oven to 180ºC. Prepare 22cm round tin. Beat butter together with the sugars either in the food processor or in a bowl with a whisk, until pale. Add the egg and keep whisking. When the ingredients have combined start adding buttermilk and all the dry ingredients, whisk until all combines again. 

Pour the mixture into the tin and place strawberries cutter in pieces (ith the cutter part upwards) and bake for 50min. You can check to see that it's ready by sticking a cocktail stick into the centre of the cake. It should come out clean and not sticky, if it is still sticky just leave it in the oven for 5-10 minutes more.

Walnut - Honey Pound Cake

I think that walnuts and honey are the perfect couple! So why not to put them all together into a punt cake? I just loved this recipe. All that delicious honey sirup which the cake has drunk makes it incredibly moist and flavorful…. It is great to accompany with tea or coffee or already enjoying it for breakfast! Give it a try and I promise you will not regret!! 

Ingredients:

• 200g soft butter
• 200g sugar
• 3 eggs
• 200 flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• pinch of salt
• 50g full natural yogurt
• 1 package vanilla sugar (16g)
• 6 spoons honey
• 60g hopped walnuts

Preparation:

Preheat your oven to 175ºC and prepare a teacake mould 8cm x 27cm. 

Beat eggs and sugars together either in the food processor or in a bowl with a whisk, until pale. Add butter, yogurt, flour, salt and baking powder and whisk until combined. Now add 4 spoons of honey and again combine all together. Add walnuts and again whisk until they combine with your cake mixture. Pour the mixture into the cake tin and bake in the preheated oven for around 50-60 minutes. You can check to see that it's ready by sticking a cocktail stick into the centre of the cake. It should come out clean and not sticky, if it is still sticky just leave it in the oven for 5-10 minutes more.

When the cake is still in the oven prepare the honey sirup: pour 50ml water into a pot add 2 spoons of honey and on a low heat cook until the water evaporates and the liquid reduces by half. Now if your cake is ready take it out of the oven and immediately sprinkle the hot cake with your honey syrup. Sprinkling it when still hot makes your cake will drink all the honey syrup, and that is the secret to keep the cake moist and juicy :)

Apple tart with a caramel touch

If you don't have too much time to bake but you fancy something sweet this tart is perfect for you!! Veeeery tasty and the most important extremely easy and quick to make. 
The shortcrust pastry and the sweet apple with a caramelized touch makes a perfect couple :) You will really enjoy it!!!!

Ingredients:

For the pastry:

• 150g of cold butter
• 250g flour
• 1 egg
• 100 g sugar
• 1 small teaspoon of baking powder
• 1 package of vanilla sugar

For the filling: 

• 1 large apple
• 50g butter
• 3 spoons of light brown sugar

Preparation:

Preheat your oven to 180ºC. Prepare a pie dish around 28cm in diameter. 

You can make your pastry by hand, or simply pulse all the ingredients in a food processor. If making by hand, sieve the flour with the baking powder, sugars into a large mixing bowl. Add chopped butter and mix with your hands until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Add the egg and gently work it together until you have a ball of pastry dough.

Flour a clean surface and roll dough into a circle and put your pastry into the dish and push it into the sides. Take a fork and make some small holes in the pastry, then put the dish into the oven and prebake for about 15min. Take it out and cool down. 

Peel the apple and cut in thin slices, put on the pastry. Put the butter into a pan and on a low heat wait until it melts, add sugar and keep steering until you get a smooth toffee. Pour it onto the sliced apple and bake for another 20-25 minutes. Cool down and enjoy :)

Coconut bundt cake

I know Christmas is just over and you had a looot of nice desserts but I just can't live without cakes! And I just can't get enough of coconut so here it is my moist and flavorful coconut bundt. A perfect treat for an afternoon tea or just perfect with a hot coffee in the morning when cold winter is outside! 

Ingredients:

• 4 eggs
• 200g sugar 
• 1 package of vanilla sugar (16g)
• 150 g of butter
• 2 teaspoons of coconut essence (you can skip it, if you don't have one)
• 2 teaspoons of baking powder
• 5 spoons of milk
• 300 g flour
• 100g coconut flakes

Preparation:

Preheat your oven to 175ºC and prepare a bundt cake pan. Beat eggs together with the sugars either in the food processor or in a bowl with a whisk, until pale. Add the butter, milk, flour, and baking powder and whisk until combined, now add coconut flakes and combine all together.

Pour the mixture into the cake tin and bake in the preheated oven for around 45 minutes until there is a little gold color on the top of the cake. You can check to see that it's ready by sticking a cocktail stick into the centre of the cake. It should come out clean and not sticky, if it is still sticky just leave it in the oven for 5-10 minutes more.

Carrot cake with a creamy mascarpone frosting

Carrot cake with a soft and sweet mascarpone frosting - one of the classics! Not much to add, you just have to taste it! 

Ingredients:

For the cake

• 5 eggs
• 250 g softened butter
• 250 g light brown sugar
• 1 package vanilla sugar (16g)
• 170 g flour
• 2 teaspoon baking powder
• 100 g chopped almonds
• 100 g chopped walnuts
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 pinch ground cloves
• 1 pinch ground nutmeg
• instead of adding the spices separately you can use 1 teaspoon of gingerbread  spice mixture
• 250 g carrots – approximately 2 large carrots, peeled and grated
• 1 small mature peach, peeled and grated
• pinch of salt

For the mascarpone frosting:

• 200 g mascarpone cheese
• 100 g ricotta cheese
• 85 g icing sugar
• 1 package vanilla sugar (16g)

Preparation:

Preheat the oven to 180ºC. Prepare 22cm round tin. Beat the egg yolks with the sugar and vanilla sugar together by hand or in a food processor until the sugar is melted. Beat the butter together with the eggs mixture until pale. Add flour and baking powder and mix again. Add almonds, walnuts, spices and grated carrot, peach and mix together well. 

In a separate bowl, whisk the egg whites with a pinch of salt until stiff, then gently fold them into the cake mix.

Pour the mixture into the prepared cake tin and bake in the preheated oven for about 60 minutes until it gets a golden color.

Leave the cake to completely cool.  

Mix all the icing ingredients together and spread over the top of the cake.

Fluffy Vanilla Pudding Cake

This cake is perfect for "emergency occasions" very easy to prepare but extremely tasty and delicious. If you like vanilla flavors you definitely have to try this one! The texture is light and fluffy and the vanilla flavor makes the cake just irresistible!

Ingredients:

• 4 eggs
• 1 cup of sugar ( 200g)
• 1 package of vanilla sugar (16g)
• 150 g of butter
• 2 instant vanilla puddings 40 g each
• 3 drops of vanilla essence
• 2 teaspoons of baking powder
• 100g of natural yogurt
• 160 g flour
• Optional - desiccated coconut or chopper almonds.

Preparation:

Preheat your oven to 175ºC and prepare a teacake mould 8cm x 27cm. Beat the yolks and the sugars together either in the food processor or in a bowl with a whisk, until pale. Add the butter, yogurt, flour, instant puddings and baking powder and whisk until combined.

In a separate bowl whisk the egg whites with a pinch of salt until they form soft white foam peaks*. Now take your vanilla mixture and start adding the white foam, fold together carefully – without beating the bubbles out of the egg white completely. The egg whites will give the cake this nice fluffy texture. If you like you can sprinkle the desiccated coconut or almonds over the cake. Pour the mixture into the cake tin and bake in the preheated oven for around 45 minutes until there is a little gold color on the top of the cake. You can check to see that it's ready by sticking a cocktail stick into the centre of the cake. It should come out clean and not sticky, if it is still sticky just leave it in the oven for 5-10 minutes more.

* Tip: You will get a perfect egg white foam by adding, just before whisking, to the egg whites a pinch of salt ;-)