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Have You Ever Made Your Own Birthday Cake?

partysugar — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 10:15:00 -0700

Hostess-Inspired German Chocolate Cupcakes

YumSugar — Mon, 09 Mar 2009 16:15:40 -0700

For my uncle's birthday, I always bake him a German chocolate cake. However, this year I was bored with the regular old recipe and decided to try something new. Inspired by the classic Hostess Cupcakes, I created a rich German chocolate variation. First, I baked a moist chocolate cupcake. Next, I filled it with a coconut-pecan mixture. Finally, I topped it with a luscious layer of chocolate ganache.

Although the cake, ganache, and filling are simple to make, assembling the cupcake is more difficult. I tried using a pastry bag to stuff the center of the cupcakes, but quickly realized the pecans were too large and clogged the tip. Determined to fill the cakes, I used my finger to create a small cavity on the bottom of each cupcake and gently placed the filling inside. Any minor cracks were covered with thick a layer of ganache, so luckily, none of my guests noticed! To make your own scrumptious Hostess-inspired German chocolate cupcakes, read more.

German Chocolate Cupcakes
Adapted from Food & Wine

Ingredients

Cake
1 cup sugar
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, preferably Dutch process
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
Pinch of salt
2 large eggs
1/2 cup cold strong brewed coffee
1/2 cup buttermilk
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
Ganache
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 pound imported semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
Nut Filling
2 large egg yolks
1/2 cup sugar
3/4 cup evaporated whole milk
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
1 cup coarsely shredded sweetened coconut (about 2 1/2 ounces)
1 cup coarsely chopped pecans (about 4 ounces), toasted
3/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Directions

Toast pecan pieces at 350°F for 8-10 minutes until fragrant. Keep a close watch and occasionally toss the pecans to ensure that they don't burn.
Make the cake: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter and flour a muffin pan. In a bowl, sift together the sugar, flour, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
In another bowl, whisk together the eggs, coffee, buttermilk, and vanilla.
Beat the coffee mixture into the dry ingredients in 2 batches with an electric mixer on low speed. Beat in the butter. Pour the batter into the prepared muffin tin and bake for 8-12 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean.
Let the cakes cool in the pan on a rack.
Meanwhile, make the ganache: In a small saucepan, bring the cream to a boil over moderately high heat. Remove from the heat and stir in the chocolate.
Let stand for 1 minute, then whisk until smooth. Transfer the ganache to a bowl and refrigerate, stirring occasionally, until chilled and thickened, about 2 hours.
Make the nut filling: In a heavy medium saucepan, whisk together the egg yolks and sugar. Whisk in the evaporated milk and then the butter. Cook over moderate heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens and lightly coats a spoon, about 10 minutes; do not let it boil.
Remove from the heat and stir in the coconut, pecans, and vanilla. Transfer to a bowl and let cool completely.
To fill the center of the cupcakes with nut filling, turn each cake upside down. Using your finger or a small spoon, carefully scoop out some of the cake to create a small hole. Gently insert the nut filling. Turn right side up.
Place on a cooling rack with either a pan underneath or wax paper to catch the extra ganache. If ganache is too hard, let it stand at room temperature and stir it briefly. Use a spoon to drizzle the ganache until the entire cupcake is covered. Place in a refrigerator or freezer to allow the ganache to set.
Top each cupcake with a dollop of nut filling. Enjoy.

Makes 12 cupcakes.

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Come Party With Me: Boy's Birthday - Dessert

partysugar — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 15:00:50 -0700

Although there a tons of different equally delicious desserts out there, for a child's birthday, let them eat cake. Ask the birthday honoree what type of cake they would like to celebrate their big day.

Kenny is a huge fan of Butterfinger candy bars, so this milk chocolate-peanut butter layer cake is perfect for him. It has a crunchy middle layer filled with almonds, peanuts, and rice krispies.

This scrumptiously rich cake is sure to impress any age, so get the recipe and read more.

Crunchy Milk Chocolate–Peanut Butter Layer Cake
From Food and Wine magazine

Ingredients

Cake:
2 cups plus 2 tablespoons sugar
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
2 large eggs
1 cup milk
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons boiling water
Filling:
1/3 cup sliced almonds
1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar
2 large egg whites
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1/2 cup salted roasted peanuts, coarsely chopped
1 cup creamy peanut butter
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
3 ounces milk chocolate, chopped
1 cup Rice Krispies
Ganache:
1 1/4 pounds milk chocolate, chopped
1 3/4 cups plus 2 tablespoons heavy cream, warmed

Directions

Make the cake: preheat the oven to 350°. Butter and flour a 9-by-13-inch cake pan.
In a large bowl, whisk the sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
In a medium bowl, whisk the eggs, milk, oil, and vanilla. Whisk the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Whisk in the boiling water.
Pour the batter (it will be thin) into the prepared pan and bake for about 50 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cool.
Invert the cake onto a work surface. Working carefully, slice the cake horizontally. Reduce the oven temperature to 325°.
Make the filling: trace a 9-by-13-inch rectangle onto a sheet of parchment paper and lay it on a large baking sheet.
In a food processor, pulse the almonds with the confectioners’ sugar until they’re finely ground.
In a bowl, using an electric mixer, beat the egg whites at medium speed until soft peaks form. Add the granulated sugar and beat until the whites are stiff and glossy, about 2 minutes.
Using a rubber spatula, fold in the almond mixture. Spread the meringue on the parchment to fill the rectangle. Sprinkle the chopped peanuts on top.
Bake for about 20 minutes, until lightly browned and firm. Let cool.
In a medium bowl set in a saucepan of simmering water, heat the peanut butter with the butter and milk chocolate, stirring constantly, until smooth and melted.
Remove from the heat and fold in the Rice Krispies. Spread the mixture all over the meringue rectangle. Transfer to the freezer and let cool completely.
Make the ganache: in a medium bowl set in a saucepan of simmering water, melt the chocolate. Whisk in the cream until smooth. Remove from the heat and refrigerate for 1 hour, whisking occasionally, until thick enough to spread.
Assemble the cake: place the bottom cake layer cut side up on a large board. Spread one-third of the ganache over the cake. Invert the filling onto the cake and peel off the paper.
Spread half of the remaining ganache over the filling, then top with the second cake layer. Refrigerate until firm, at least 1 hour.
Using a serrated knife, trim the edges. Spread the remaining ganache over the top and sides of the cake and refrigerate to set. Cut and serve.

Serves 16.

Make ahead: the cake can be refrigerated for up to 4 days.

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Suri's Birthday Cake: Love It or Hate It?

YumSugar — Sat, 19 Apr 2008 00:03:33 -0700

Yesterday, this cake was delivered for Suri Cruise's 2nd birthday. The perfectly springtime cake was created by a local specialty shop and is reported - but not confirmed - to have cost $5,000. So tell me, what do you think of this birthday creation?

Pacific Coast News Online

Red Velvet Birthday Cake

partysugar — Mon, 09 Apr 2007 10:58:47 -0700

It was my sister's 22nd birthday a little over a week ago and lucky me, I had a reason to make a cake. I asked her to let me know what kind of cake she wanted and was expecting her typical favorite: chocolate with peanut butter. So, I was super surprised and excited to see that she was challenging me with a cake I had never made before: a red velvet cake! I sort of made my own recipe by combining a few and it was an absolute success! The cake was moist and velvety and there was not one slice leftover. Erica, one of my sister's best friends, even asked, "Where did you buy the cake?" which made my night. I didn't have enough food coloring so it ended up being somewhere between pink, red, and brown. To make this cake for your next birthday party, read more

Red Velvet Cake
Modified from Martha Stewart and Bon Appetit magazine

For cake:
3/4 Cup unsalted butter, room temperature, plus more for pans
2 1/2 Cups cake flour, (not self-rising), sifted, plus more for pans
3 Tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/2 Teaspoons baking powder
2 Cups sugar
3 large eggs
1 Teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/4 Teaspoon salt
2 1-ounce bottles liquid red food coloring
3 Tablespoons lukewarm water
1 Cup buttermilk
1 Teaspoon baking soda
1 Tablespoon white vinegar
For frosting:
2 8-ounce packages cream cheese, room temperature
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups powdered sugar
3 1/2-pint baskets fresh raspberries
3 1/2-pint baskets fresh blueberries

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter two 8-by-2-inch round cake pans. Line with parchment paper, and butter again. Dust with flour, and tap out the excess; set aside. In a medium bowl, sift together cake flour, cocoa, and baking powder; set aside.
In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the butter and sugar, and beat on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 15 minutes.
Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
Add vanilla, salt, food coloring, and water; beat, scraping down the sides of the bowl, until well combined.
Add reserved dry ingredients in additions, alternating with the buttermilk; beat on low speed until well combined.
In a small bowl, stir together baking soda and vinegar; add to batter. Beat on medium speed for 10 seconds. Be sure not to over beat.
Divide batter between prepared pans, and bake until a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean, 25 to 30 minutes. Remove pans from oven, and transfer to a wire rack to cool, about 15 minutes. Turn cakes out onto rack; let stand until completely cool.
Make frosting: Beat cream cheese and butter in large bowl until smooth. Beat in vanilla. Add powdered sugar and beat until smooth.
Place 1 cake layer, flat side up, on platter. Spread 1 cup frosting over top of cake. Arrange 1 basket raspberries and 1/2 basket blueberries atop frosting, pressing lightly to adhere.
Top with second cake layer, flat side down. Spread remaining frosting over top and sides of cake. Arrange remaining berries decoratively over top of cake. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate. Let stand at room temperature 1 hour before serving.)

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Come Party With Me: My Birthday Party - Menu (The Cake)

partysugar — Wed, 05 Sep 2007 10:03:31 -0700

As crazy as it may seem, I always make my own birthday cake. I know most people like it when someone else makes them a super special birthday cake, but I love making cakes so it's a pleasure to make my own. For the cocktail party I'm hosting, I want a classic cake with beautiful presentation. Right now, I've settled on this recipe for a golden cake with sour cream chocolate frosting, but you never know, I may decide I want to make a different one by the time the actual party comes around! To see how this gorgeous cake is made, read more

Golden Cake With Chocolate Frosting
From Gourmet magazine

3 1/2 cups cake flour (not self-rising)
1 tablespoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter, softened
2 cups sugar
4 large eggs at room temperature
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 cups sour cream
Chocolate sour cream frosting
1 1/4 lb fine-quality milk chocolate, finely chopped
10 oz fine-quality semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
3 cups sour cream
2 teaspoons vanilla

Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter 2 (9- by 2-inch) round cake pans and line bottoms of each with rounds of wax or parchment paper. Butter paper and dust pans with flour, knocking out excess.
Sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
Beat together butter and sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition, then beat in vanilla. Add half of flour mixture and mix at low speed until just blended. Add sour cream, mixing until just combined, then add remaining flour mixture, mixing at low speed until batter is smooth.
Divide batter between pans, smoothing tops. Bake in middle of oven until cake is springy to the touch and a tester comes out clean, 30 to 40 minutes. Cool in pans on racks 10 minutes, then invert onto racks, remove paper, and cool completely.
Meanwhile, make the frosting: melt chocolates in a double boiler or a large metal bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water, stirring occasionally. Remove bowl from heat, then whisk in sour cream and vanilla. Cool to room temperature, stirring occasionally (frosting will become thick enough to spread). You must work quickly and spread the frosting before it becomes too thick. (If icing does become stiff, reheat over simmering water, then cool and try again.)
Trim tops of cooled cake layers with a long serrated knife if necessary to make flat and level. Halve each layer horizontally with serrated knife to make a total of 4 layers.
Put 1 cake layer on a cake plate and spread with 3/4 cup frosting. Layer remaining cake layers using 3/4 cup frosting between each layer. Frost top and sides of cake with remaining frosting.

Serves 12.

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Happy Birthday Barbie Cakes

YumSugar — Fri, 09 Mar 2007 00:03:12 -0800

Guess whose favorite American gal turns 48 today? Why it's Barbie! She was launched at the American International Toy Fair on March 9, 1959. You'd never know because she looks great for her age, although I think she may have had some work done...

To celebrate her birthday I went out and hunted down a fantastic gallery of Barbie birthday cakes (bake a cake, stick Barbie in it and decorate!) photos over at Flickr.
There were over 590 photos, so I've narrowed it down to some of my favorites. Some of these are amazing works of art, and some of these are just down right silly. Be sure you check out the hot tub cake and the mud wrestling cake too. To see more Barbie cake images read more

View 8 Photos ›

Source: Flickr (various members)

Come Party With Me: My Birthday Party - Dessert

partysugar — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 10:30:38 -0700

I'm pretty traditional when it comes to birthdays and I can't remember celebrating one without a special cake. It may come as a shock, but every year, I make my own birthday cake. Researching cake recipes and going through the process of baking one has become a ritual that I look forward to and enjoy - as much as the senselessly extravagant birthday party. For 28, I've decided on a chocolate truffle cake with ganache topping and rum syrup. Instead of serving regular vanilla ice cream, I'm upping the ante and pairing the cake with a tropical sorbet terrine. It has three (coconut, raspberry, and mango) layers of sorbet that I think will perfectly complement the richness of the cake. To look at these scrumptious dessert recipes, read more.

Tropical Sorbet Terrine
From Everyday Food

Ingredients

1 cup sweetened shredded coconut
1 pint coconut sorbet, softened
1 pint raspberry sorbet, softened
1 pint mango sorbet, softened

Directions

Preheat oven to 350. Line a 6-cup (8 1/2 by 4 1/2 inches) loaf pan with a long strip of plastic wrap, leaving a 2-inch overhang on long sides; set aside.
Spread coconut on a rimmed baking sheet. Toast in oven, tossing occasionally, until golden, 8 to 10 minutes; let cool completely.
Sprinkle 1/2 cup toasted coconut in prepared pan. Dollop coconut sorbet on top, and spread evenly; sprinkle with cup toasted coconut. Repeat with raspberry sorbet and remaining cup toasted coconut, then mango sorbet. Fold plastic overhang over sorbet, and freeze until firm, at least 6 hours and up to 2 weeks.
To serve, unfold plastic, and invert pan onto a plate; remove plastic. Slice terrine crosswise with a serrated knife.

Serves 12.

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Chocolate Truffle Cake
From Saveur

Ingredients

For the cake: 
11 tbsp. unsalted butter, softened 
1 1⁄2 cups flour 6 oz. semisweet chocolate, preferably 54%,  chopped 
1⁄2 cup confectioners' sugar
 7 eggs, separated 
1⁄2 tsp. salt 
1 cup sugar 
1⁄2 cup dark rum
For the ganache
 24 oz. semisweet chocolate, preferably 54%,  roughly chopped
 3 cups heavy cream 
Chocolate shavings 
Cocoa powder, for dusting

Directions

Make the cake: Heat oven to 325°. Line bottom of a 9" springform pan with parchment paper. Grease pan with 1 tbsp. butter. Add 1⁄4 cup flour; shake to evenly coat inside. Invert and tap out excess flour; set pan aside.
Set a medium bowl over a 1-qt.saucepan of simmering water. Add chocolate; melt. Set aside to let cool.
In a large bowl, beat the melted chocolate, butter, and confectioners' sugar with a handheld mixer on medium speed until pale and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add egg yolks one at a time, beating well after each addition. Sift in the flour and salt and mix until just combined; set batter aside.
In a bowl, beat egg whites on high speed until frothy. Sprinkle in 1⁄4 cup sugar and beat to form stiff, glossy peaks. Using a rubber spatula, fold egg whites into the cake batter. Pour batter into prepared pan and smooth the top with the rubber spatula. Bake until toothpick inserted in cake comes out clean, about 1 hour. Transfer to a rack; let cool. Invert and unmold cake. Cut cake horizontally into 3 even layers; set cake layers aside.
Dissolve remaining sugar and 1⁄4 cup water in a 1-qt. saucepan over medium-high heat. Cook, whisking occasionally, until syrup has slightly thickened, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in rum; let cool.
Make the ganache: Place chocolate in bowl of a standing mixer. Bring cream to a boil in a 2-qt. saucepan; pour over chocolate; let sit for 5 minutes. Using a rubber spatula, combine chocolate and cream. Let cool, stirring occasionally, until ganache reaches room temperature. Chill until ganache has the consistency of peanut butter, 2 hours. Transfer bowl to standing mixer fitted with a whisk. Whip on medium speed, 15–20 seconds.
Place bottom cake layer on a cardboard cake circle. Using a pastry brush, brush cake with one-third of rum syrup. Using a butter knife, spread 1 cup ganache evenly across cake top. Top with second cake layer and one-third of rum syrup; repeat process with remaining cake, rum syrup, and ganache. Spread remaining ganache over cake. Press chocolate shavings onto sides. Shake cocoa powder over cake with a mesh sieve.

Serves 16.

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At a Birthday Party, Do You Prefer Ice Cream or Cake?

partysugar — Sun, 06 Sep 2009 01:30:17 -0700

Let's Dish: What Is Your Favorite Birthday Dessert?

partysugar — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 12:50:00 -0700

Since I turn a year older this Wednesday, I can't stop thinking about birthdays. Most importantly, birthday desserts. Last week when YumSugar asked me what kind of cake I would make myself, I quickly replied chocolate cake with chocolate ganache frosting. "Isn't that what you made last year?" she asked, shocked that I would repeat something. I started to panic before I realized, it was what I made last year! And the year before. And the year before that, too. At that moment, it became clear that chocolate cake with chocolate ganache frosting is my favorite birthday dessert. Considering that everyone loves a special celebratory treat on their birthday, tell me, what is your ideal birthday dessert?