Nifty Cake with Strawberries Peaches and Cream
A tribute to my father for his many gifts and love. Dad gave me my first photography lesson and encouraged me to continue with it along the way. Included with this tribute is a cake recipe for Nifty Cake. An updated version of the birthday cake I baked for him when I was a teenager. This cake recipe features his favorite fruits, strawberries and peaches. GS
Over the past few weeks my dad and his memory has filled my thoughts. His forward presence came around for no other reason than it is strawberry season. Dad loved strawberries, especially strawberries and cream. I can clearly see him sitting at the head of the table with a bowl of strawberries, pouring heavy cream all over them and then add a sprinkle of sugar. Whenever strawberries were in the house, this was his impromptu dessert.
I would watch his strawberry and cream routine with a raised eyebrow and a sideways smirk, “Really Dad? You’re drinking heavy cream.” I could not see how heavy cream, even adorned with strawberries, was worthy of such attention. Eating sweetened whipped cream I understood, but cream straight out of the container was gross. Ignoring my smirky adolescent attitude, Dad would dive into his bowl of strawberries and cream like a seasoned athlete, ever so focused and determined to savor every drop. Eventually, he would look up seeing my adolescent stare and say, “What? It’s great. Do you want some?” He was always eager to share the things that brought him joy.
It amazes me how random and small instances, or thoughts, can bring out strong emotions and memories. Once the strawberry trigger hit me, memories of my life with Dad filled me with his spirit, and it hasn’t left. I am not sad with these memories, it is nice to feel his presence since I can no longer see or talk with him. He gave me many gifts over our lifetime together, and I am grateful for the precious time we spent together.
One common interest we shared is still very prominent in my life. He gave me my first photography lesson. I can’t remember if I initiated it or not, but when I was around 12 years old he took me out to the dry grassy hills above Old St. Hilary Church and taught me how to use his Tele-Rolleiflex camera and his light meter. Tele-Rollei is a 120mm camera that required the photographer to look down into a viewing box to see the image. Also, a separate hand-held light meter was needed to determine the exposure. There was a lot to learn, and each photograph took extra time to set up and capture.
One of Dad’s favorite activities was taking pictures of wildflowers. So, on my first day I wandered along the Tiburon hills photographing wildflowers with apt attention and a new-found love. That day is as vivid to me like a bright California summer day. I wonder if Dad initiated this outing because the two of us were just sitting around the house and he thought we both needed something to do.
I recently found the photographs I took on our day together. Dad saved them filed with his slides as, “Jennifer’s Pictures.” Seeing my slides organized with his, made me feel that day was as important to him as it was to me. After all these years I never knew he had them. Ever since that day on the Tiburon hills, photography has been a significant part of my life. Thanks Dad.
Father’s Day BBQ recipe ideas to serve with Nifty Cake:
Grilled Sherry Marinated Flank Steak
Nifty Cake Recipe for Dad
When I was in middle school I started making birthday cakes for my family. I would ask my brothers what cake they wanted and set out to bake it for them. For Dad’s birthday I did not ask him what he wanted, I knew. I created a cake overflowing with his favorite fruits: yellow butter cake (from a mix), layered with strawberries, peaches and whipped cream.
This was my first “original” cake recipe. I piled the middle layer with whipped cream and fruit, then frosted the entire cake with more whipped cream and decorated with strawberries and peaches. It was a miracle the cake did not topple over. This cake is a strawberry, peaches and cream lover’s dream come true, and I made it for him every year until I went away to college.
Dad often used the expression “nifty” when he described something fun. In his honor, I decided to recreate my cake recipe I made for dad and call it Nifty Cake. When I first developed this cake recipe for Dad I used a cake mix. Now, I make cakes from scratch and had a lot of fun figuring out the type of cake to make. After testing several cake recipes, I decided on a Buttermilk Cake from Rose Levy Beranbaum’s book, The Cake Bible. I slightly adapted her cake recipe and substituted all-purpose flour instead of cake flour, because it is an ingredient people can easily get.
This buttermilk cake recipe with strawberries, peaches and sweetened whipped cream can be dressed up or kept simply adorned. If you are a person who does not like frosting, this is the cake for you. This is a delicate cake with slight tang and prominent butter flavor. It is delicious all by itself, or covered with any type of frosting. This cake is a blank canvas for endless varieties of frosting and toppings. It is the perfect cake for the strawberries and cream lover in your life.
Love and miss you Dad.
Nifty Cake: Buttermilk Cake with Strawberries, Peaches and Whipped Cream
Ingredients
Buttermilk Cake
- 4 large egg yolks
- 2/3 cup / 5.5 oz / 160 g buttermilk
- 1/2 tea pure vanilla extract
- 1 3/4 cups plus 2 Tbls / 7 oz / 200 grams sifted all-purpose flour see note
- 1 cup / 7 oz / 200 g sugar
- 1 TB / 15 g baking powder
- 1/2 tea / 3.5 g Kosher salt
- 8 TBS/ 4 oz / 113 g unsalted butter - softened
Fruit Filling
- 8 oz / 225 g Fresh Strawberries
- 1/2 Fresh Peach
- 1/3 cup / 75 ml best quality strawberry or peach jam
Whipped Cream Frosting
- 2 cups / 16 oz / 500 ml heavy cream
- 1 1/2 tea pure vanilla extract
- 2-3 tea sugar
- Decorate the top of the cake with additional peach slices and strawberries.
Instructions
Buttermilk Cake
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You will have more success if all your ingredients are at room temperature when you begin mixing the cake batter.
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Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit /175 degrees Celsius/ Gas Mark 4
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Butter the bottom and sides of a 9-inch (23 cm) springform cake pan. Line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper, then butter the paper. Lightly flour the bottom and sides of the cake pan. Shake out excess flour.
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In a medium bowl lightly mix together the egg yolks, 1/4 of the buttermilk, and vanilla.
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In a mixing bowl of a stand mixer add the sifted flour, sugar, baking powder and salt and mix together for a few seconds on low speed so they are all fully blended. Add the butter, cut up in tablespoons pieces, and the remaining buttermilk to the mix. Mix the ingredients together on low speed until the dry ingredients are incorporated with the butter. Increase the speed to medium and beat for 1.5 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and scrape the batter off the
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paddle/beaters.
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Add the buttermilk/egg mixture to the flour in 3 intervals, beating the batter for 20 seconds between each addition. After mixing the batter, scrape down the sides of the bowl and paddle attachment.
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Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan and smooth out the surface with an offset spatula. Bake the cake for 30-40 minutes or until a cake tester inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean and dry.
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Take the cake out of the oven and let it cool for 10 minutes in its pan on a cooling rack. Run a knife around the edge of the pan to loosen the cake from the sides. Turn the cake out of the pan and remove the parchment paper from the bottom of the cake. Turn the cake over, right side up, and place on the cooling rack. The cake should be completely cooled before frosting and serving.
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This cake is best eaten the same day it is made, but will last wrapped airtight in plastic wrap, for 3 days on the counter, 5 days in the refrigerator, and for 2 months in the freezer.
Fruit Filling
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Clean and remove the stems from the strawberries. Dry with paper towels. Cut the strawberries into bite size pieces and put into a small bowl.
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Peal the skin off the peach, then slice into thin segments. Cut each segment into bite size pieces and add to the bowl with the strawberries. Gently mix the fruit together until well combined. Set aside.
Whipped Cream
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Chill the bowl you will use to make whipped cream and the beaters in the freezer for 10 to 15 minutes.
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Take the bowl and beaters out of the freezer and add cold heavy cream and vanilla to the chilled bowl. Beat the cream mixture on high speed until the cream forms soft peaks. Add the sugar and beat on high until stiff peaks are formed when the beaters are lifted from the cream. Be careful not to over mix and turn the cream into butter. If you are planning to frost the cake with the cream, you will want the stiff peaks. If you are planning to have the whipped cream only for the middle and top cake layers the whipped cream can be softer and not whipped as stiff.
Putting the cake together
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Divide the cake in half horizontally to make two layers. (See Note) Put the bottom layer on a serving plate and the top layer on another plate or rimless pan or tray. (Cardboard cake rounds are perfect if you have them)
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Evenly spread the strawberry or peach jam across the top of the bottom cake layer. Spread 1 cup of the whipped cream evenly across the jam.
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Add the mixed fruit then spread the fruit. Press the fruit evenly into the cream so that there is a flat and smooth fruit/cream layer.
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Slide the top cake layer on top of the bottom cake layer, lining up the notches on the side, (see note). Add the remaining whipped cream and spread it over the top of the cake. Decorate the cake with additional peaches and strawberries as you wish.
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The cake is best served the same day it is made. Add the fruit and whipped cream to the cake as close to serving time as comfortable. Store the cake in the refrigerator, loosely wrapped with plastic wrap until ready to serve. Take the cake out of the refrigerator 15 minutes before serving.
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After 24 hours the cake will get soggy and the whipped cream will loosen.
Recipe Notes
Nifty Cake is a buttermilk cake with strawberries, peaches and sweetened whipped cream. It is a delicious and simple cake that is appropriate for any occasion. The buttermilk cake can easily be eaten plain, topped with whipped cream and fruit on the side. It is the perfect cake for those who do not like frosting, as well as served with any variety of frosting you wish.
The buttermilk cake recipe was slightly adapted from Rose Levy Beranbaum recipe, "Buttermilk Country Cake" in "The Cake Bible Cookbook".
© 2017 – 2018, Ginger Smith- Lemon Thyme and Ginger. All rights reserved.
Kitchen Sink Chewy Oatmeal Cookies
What do you get when you combine, rolled oats, sun-dried raisins, butterscotch chips, dark chocolate chips and cinnamon? You have everything but the kitchen sink oatmeal cookies. This recipe is a family favorite and one of our staple cookie recipes. Kitchen sink oatmeal cookies have stood the test of time and saw this family through growth spurts, swim meets, birthdays, snow days, fun days, and holidays.
I got this recipe about 19 years ago from a friend. Our children were in nursery school together and it was her turn to bring the school snack. I can still hear Jane’s friendly voice telling me about her cookies.
Me: “What are these cookies? They are delicious.”
Jane: “They are Kitchen Sink Cookies.”
Me: Perplexed and speechless as I tried to grasp the meaning behind naming cookies after a kitchen sink. Certainly, my kitchen sink was not an appetizing sight, especially after making cookies. Obviously, I was not to date with familiar expressions.
Jane: Seeing my befuddled expression rescues me from my confusion and with a joking smile on her face says, “They’re called Kitchen Sink Cookies because they have everything in them but the kitchen sink.”
Me: (LOL) “Oh yeah, I get it. Right.”
With that mystery solved, Jane gladly shared her recipe.
The real surprise inside these oatmeal cookies is the blast of buttery caramel from the butterscotch chips. Even though there is a decent amount of butter, the butterscotch makes everything stand out. Every bite is loaded with surprises. I believe there is no such thing as too many goodies mixed into cookie dough.
When I make these cookies, I feel like I am not just sharing cookies, but my family’s history as well. This oatmeal cookie recipe begins when my youngest son attended preschool and fills many spaces up to the present. Hopefully, there will be several opportunities to share these oatmeal cookies in the future. Every time I make these cookies, clear memories of each of my sons come to mind. It is one of the great things about homemade cookies. Not only do they bring joy, but they share a story of life well lived.
One memory I have, and it always gives me a laugh, is from Andrew’s college years. You would think nothing would outshine cute preschoolers eating cookies with their classmates, but imagine college varsity swimmers inhaling a bag of cookies after an exhausting swim meet. That is a sight to see. Think of Doctor Seuss characters with crazy spiked hair and large funnel-shaped mouths, sucking up everything in its path.
After giving Andrew two bags of Kitchen Sink Oatmeal Cookies to share with the team, I noticed everyone seemed restless. The whole team sat on the bleachers, supposedly listening to their coach go over the team’s accomplishments after a triumphant swim meet. However, all the swimmers discretely had their eye on the bags of cookies. Their facial expressions said, “Where’s the cookies?” while glancing back and forth from their coach to their teammates searching for the cookie trail.
I discovered Andrew was on a mission to hide the cookies from his best friend. A person who had no problem inhaling the double batch of cookies in one bite, especially after a swim meet. When I caught up with Andrew I saw a full bag of crumbles, not a full bag of homemade with love oatmeal cookies. I imagined this bag of cookies being tossed about and stuffed into backpacks just to keep them out of sight. Andrew did not mind because with his mission accomplished, that bag of cookie crumbles was all for him.
I really like cookies and for many years always had them in the house. Between myself, Joe, and three sons we easily went through more than one box of cookies a week. If there weren’t any cookies in our pantry, the boys would say there was no food in the house.
We are now better behaved. Several years ago I made a promise to myself, I would no longer buy cookies. If I wanted them, I would make them, or someone else in the family could. I made this promise to cut back on processed food and lose weight. It worked, and over the years I kept this promise 98% of the time. It is not as much of an inconvenience as I first thought.
There is a big difference in flavor and texture between homemade and store-bought cookies. If you are going to eat sweets, then you might as well eat the freshest and healthiest option you can.
Fortunately, when I make kitchen sink oatmeal cookies they satisfy everyone’s favorite cookie requirement. Joe and Andrew’s favorite cookie is oatmeal raisin. I always want some form of dark chocolate in my cookies, and Evan and Taylor are just happy to have them. Making one batch beats buying multiple boxes from the store every time.
Making cookies instead of buying them is an easy promise to keep. I discovered it is not a major production to do. Besides, cookies are timeless and every generation enjoys having fresh made cookies, as they bring out the child spirit in all of us.
Kitchen Sink Chewy Oatmeal Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups 223 g all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp 1 g baking soda
- 1 tsp 2 g cinnamon (or 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg)
- 1/2 tsp 1 g Kosher salt
- 1/2 lb / 2 sticks / 226 g butter, softened but still cool
- 1 cup 192 g firmly packed brown sugar
- 1/2 cup 109 g granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tsp 3 g pure vanilla extract
- 3 cups 253 g old fashioned rolled oats
- 1/2 heaping cup 85 g raisins
- 1/2 heaping cup 88 g Semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 1/2 heaping cup 88 g butterscotch chips
Instructions
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If you are cooking one cookie sheet at a time, arrange the oven rack in the center position in your oven. Preheat oven to 350F / 175C/ Gas Mark 4 and line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Set aside.
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In a medium bowl add the flour, salt, baking soda, and cinnamon and stir with a wire whisk until evenly mixed. Set aside
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In a bowl of a stand mixer, or handheld mixer, beat together on medium to medium-high speed, the butter, brown sugar and granulated sugar until soft and creamy, about 2-3 minutes.
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Add the eggs and vanilla and beat until the eggs are thoroughly combined.
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Add the flour mixture and mix on low speed to start just for the flour to get absorbed in the batter. Then turn the seep up to medium and mix until just combined. This does not take long so be careful not to overmix the dough.
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Add the rolled oats and mix until just combined.
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Remove the bowl from the mixer and stir in the raisins, chocolate chips, and butterscotch chips until evenly combined in the cookie dough.
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Drop rounded tablespoons (1 oz / 32 g) of cookie dough on the cookie sheet, spaced about 2 inches (5 cm) apart.
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Bake for 10 - 12 minutes or until the cookies are golden brown.
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Cool on cookie sheet for 3 minutes, then move the cookies to cool on a cooling rack.
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Store the cookies in an airtight container on the counter. Should stay fresh for a couple of days.
Recipe Notes
If you wish, spoon the cookie dough on a cookie sheet then cool in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes. Then bake. They might take a minute or too longer to bake. The chilled dough makes the cookies a little lighter and fluffier then when you bake the dough beginning at room temperature.
If you are baking more than one rack at a time, arrange the oven racks in the upper thirds of your oven. Rotate the cookie sheets from top to bottom rack and front to back halfway between the total cooking time.
© 2017 – 2018, Ginger Smith- Lemon Thyme and Ginger. All rights reserved.
Nectarine and Blueberry Galette
There is nothing like eating a fresh ripe nectarine or any ripe fruit for that matter. Its sweet perfume and the soft give of its’ flesh, informs me that I am holding a delicious and ripe nectarine. I love the warm colors. Each nectarine has a unique and variegated mosaic of rich sunset colors. No two nectarines are the same. The bright perfume and one bite will tell you just how ripe the nectarine is. As the juice drips down my chin and elbow I forego all good manners just to get every drop of its sweet juice. To eat a fresh ripe nectarine, is tasting the fruit at its brightest and sweetest. I am in awe of Mother Earth and her many nourishing gifts.
Fresh fruit is refreshing and delicious, but sometimes extra preparation and cooking will reward you with a sweeter and more concentrated fruit-filled flavor. A simple baked fruit tart is an easy and delicious choice for a summer dessert. One of my favorite baked fruit dessert is a galette. The free form structure of a fruit galette is just my style. I love pie, but I am never satisfied with how mine look. I feel a lot of pressure to present a pristine and detailed pie crust without any flaws. Whenever I try to make a pie, I feel like my fingers just get in the way and I lack the extra-fine motor skills to perform such neat and detailed work. I know practice makes perfect, but the simplicity and informality of a galette appeals to me.
© 2017 – 2018, Ginger Smith- Lemon Thyme and Ginger. All rights reserved.
Taste of Mexico: Double Coconut Pie
Every celebration deserves a fun dessert, and for Cinco de Mayo I discovered Coconut Pie. This pie is from the Yucatecan region of Mexico with a nutty crust and a creamy fresh coconut filling. This is not a custard pie, more like a giant nutty coconut macaroon. Coconut pie has a nice balance of sweet, nutty and light caramel flavors with crumbly and chewy textures.
This recipe originated from Rick Bayless, Yucatecan-Style Fresh Coconut Pie, in Rick Bayless’s Mexican Kitchen. My intention was to make his coconut pie recipe as directed with fresh coconut, then adapt it. Unfortunately, my first pie did not work out as I planned, and left me with more unanswered questions than not.
The truth is, after cracking open my coconut, the shell had moldy looking spots on the inside. This unappetizing vision shattered my tropical dream and forced me to consider if the coconut was going bad. So, instead of reveling in fresh coconut perfume and fantasizing about sunny Mexican beaches, I scoured the world wide web. Google, “Do coconuts go bad?” The unanimous answer is, yes. Normally I am up for any culinary adventure, but this experience left me feeling there was too much work involved for something with a high chance of not working out.
Nowadays, coconut products are widely available in all stores. Purchased coconut water and dried shredded coconut may not be fresh, but they have their merits. The biggest merit being, I could confidently buy them seeing the expiration date in clear view. But more importantly, buying the coconut water, coconut flour, and shredded coconut made it easier to make this delicious pie.
About Double Coconut Pie
Traditionally, Pay de Coco, Estilo Yucateco has an almond and breadcrumb crust and filled with grated fresh coconut, slivered almonds and condensed milk. Rick Bayless altered the traditional coconut pie recipe by replacing the condensed milk with a reduction of fresh coconut water and heavy cream. He essentially made a condensed milk, but with extra coconut flavor.
I liked his idea of using coconut water, but because I planned to buy it, I needed to figure out how much to use. Based on the amount of coconut water that dribbled out of my expired coconut, I estimated a 1/2 cup of coconut water. You could add more, 3/4 cup, but keep in mind the time needed to reduce the cream will take longer.
Gluten Free Double Coconut Pie
As much as I wanted to make a traditional Mexican dessert, the original crust seemed dry. Additionally, I wanted to make a gluten-free pie. Alice Medrich has a delicious gluten-free pie crust recipe in Flavor Flours, using coconut flour and shredded coconut. I believed if I adapted her recipe and substituted it for the traditional one, the integrity of the Yucatecan pie would still be intact. Also, this gluten-free coconut pie crust adds extra cookie-like texture and doubles the coconut flavor. I included ground almonds in the crust with the shredded coconut to keep the warm nutty flavor of the traditional coconut pie recipe.
Hungry for more Mexican Food? Try Poblano Chili Cream Sauce with Grilled Chicken
With my recipe adjustments, I made coconut pie easier to make, yet maintain the appeal of the original recipe. By using store-bought products I cut down on the time commitment, and the risk of buying a bad coconut. If I ever live in a tropical environment, I will certainly make it with fresh coconut. Until then, my tropical daydreams will continue while enjoying coconut pie. Not only is this a great dessert to celebrate Cinco de Mayo, it will be well received any time of the year.
Taste of Mexico: Double Coconut Pie
Ingredients
- Pie Crust:
- 1 cup / 122 g almond slivers
- 1/2 cup / 112 g granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup / 40 g coconut flour
- 1/2 cup plus 1 Tb/ 50 g unsweetened dried shredded coconut
- 1/4 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp Kosher salt
- 6 Tbs / 85 g unsalted butter - very soft
- 1 large egg white
Coconut Filling
- 1/2 cup / 125 ml coconut water
- 1 cup / 250 ml heavy cream
- 2/3 cup / 147 g granulated sugar
- 2 1/2 cup grated dried coconut - flaky coconut 1 1/4 cup / 94 g and shredded coconut 1 1/4 cup / 105 g - plus more flaky coconut for garnish
- 3 large egg yolks
- 1 tsp vanilla
Instructions
Pie Crust
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Preheat the oven for 325F / 160C / Gas Mark 3. Place the almonds on a sheet pan and toast in the oven until lightly golden, about 7-10 minutes. Halfway through the toasting, stir the almonds and turn the sheet pan from front to back.
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Once toasted, measure 1/2 cup / 61 grams of the almonds and set aside for the pie filling.
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Put the remaining almonds and the sugar in a food processor and pulse until the almonds have a fine texture.
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In a medium size bowl, mix the almond-sugar, coconut flour, shredded coconut, baking powder, salt, softened butter and egg white until well combined. Your clean hands will do the best job of getting everything all mixed through.
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Press the coconut / almond mixture evenly across the bottom and up the sides of a tart pan. The sides should be thicker than the bottom of the pan.
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Place the pan on a sheet pan and bake in the oven for 12 minutes, or just starting to turn golden at the edge. Remove the crust from the oven and set aside.
Pie Filling
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Raise the oven temperature to 350F / 175 C/ Gas Mark 4
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While the crust is baking, simmer the coconut water, heavy cream and granulated sugar in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Reduce the liquid to 1 cup / 250 ml. It could take from 15-20 minutes from the time the cream reaches a good simmer. The cream will become thicker and lightly golden. And bubbles will be larger and less foamy. I measure it in a heat proof liquid measure just to make sure.
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Add the reduced cream to a mixing bowl, then add the reserved slivered almonds, shredded and flaky coconut, egg yolks, and vanilla. Stir until well combined and spoon into the pie crust. Make sure the filling is up against the sides. Place the pie on a sheet pan then bake in the middle rack in the oven for 30 - 35 minutes until lightly golden. Check the pie half way through and make sure the crust is not browning too much. Cover the edge with foil if needed
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While the pie is baking, scatter a couple of handfuls of flaky coconut on a sheet pan and toast in the oven with the pie, until it is just beginning to brown in the oven. Watch the coconut carefully so it does not get too dark and burn. About 4-5 minutes. Slide the toasted coconut on a plate to cool. Set aside.
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Once finished, cool the pie on a wire rack for 10 minutes then slip off the rim of the tart pan by placing the tart on top of a secure glass, and easily slide the side rim down. This will help prevent the crust from sticking.
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The pie slices easier when it is cool or cold, but tastes best warm. If you wish, completely cool the pie or chill it, then slice the pie into serving pieces and warm in the oven.
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Garnish with toasted coconut flakes and creme fraiche.
© 2017 – 2018, Ginger Smith- Lemon Thyme and Ginger. All rights reserved.
Celebrate with Pink Champagne Cake
It turns out for the past half century I missed out on a special dessert. I recently learned this dessert originated in Oregon in the 60’s, then variations developed all over California. I was there. How did I, or anyone in my family or friends, not know about this? If it was hot in Eureka, it was hot in San Francisco. Despite the gravitational pull of anything pink had on me then, this popular and pink dessert slipped by unnoticed. Pink Champagne Cake was a popular dessert in the 60’s but I believe a resurgence is in order. It is a beautiful tower of pale pink cake and buttercream, flavored with pink champagne.
I first discovered it in a cookbook, American Cake by Anne Byrn. My thoughtful sister gave me this book because she knows how much I like to research the history and story behind the food I make. It is a great cookbook about the history of cakes in America with recipes from the 17th century to present time. Pictured right on the cover is a beautiful pink cake garnished with white chocolate and bright pink rose petals. It is a true sight of beauty and elegance. Apparently, as Anne Byrn explained, pink champagne was a popular drink in the 60’s among hip California women. It also became a popular color from jewelry to shag carpets. This cake was created to ride the Pink Champagne trend. I love seeing how food culture and popular culture connect and influence each other.
Cake batter
Cakes measured for slicing in half to make a 6 layer cake
Cake with crumb layer of frosting
Pink champagne cake is the first recipe I have made from this book and it is an unexpected winner. I was not sure how it would taste, but the subtle flavors balance with the light texture. The cake is moist and made with egg whites, like a chiffon cake, but is slightly denser because of the butter. The frosting is very sweet, and even though it is a buttercream Confectioners sugar is the dominant ingredient. There are several types of buttercreams and this recipe I consider is an American buttercream. They usually are not as smooth as European buttercreams and have a lot more sugar.
I made pink champagne cake twice, first as written, and the second time with a different buttercream. American buttercream is not my favorite frosting. They tend to be too sweet and slightly gritty from all the powdered sugar. Instead, I used a recipe from Rose Levy Beranbaum cookbook, The Cake Bible. Her buttercream recipe is light, silky smooth, not as sweet, and very buttery. I thought the texture of this mousseline buttercream matched the light texture of the cake. I also added some strawberry purée because strawberry adds a little more depth to the pink champagne buttercream. This is an American cake, but the European buttercream is a lot nicer and more elegant than the American one. Anne Byrn shared her recipe on Food 52 if you want to see her original.
One downside, the mousseline buttercream is not an easy frosting for a beginner to make. It helps to have a confident eye and hand that experience develops. There is always a first time. Be patient and give yourself plenty of time to make this. You will also need a candy thermometer, or a good instant read thermometer that goes up to 255˚F (124˚C). My version is somewhat of a production between the strawberry purée, buttercream, the cake, and all the layers. The original frosting is a lot easier to make.
If you want to bake this cake, but are unsure about making a European buttercream, make the original frosting from the recipe provided in the Food 52 link. However, taste as you add the sugar. The frosting is very sweet. When I made it, I cut back on the amount of sugar by two cups and I still thought it was too sweet. I added lemon juice and lemon zest to cut the sweetness.
The original recipe is a three layer cake. It is a beauty to look at, but I thought making six layers with strawberry mousseline buttercream would be a nice way to add more strawberry flavor throughout the cake. I am a little embarrassed by how uneven my layers came out. I have not had this issue before. In the past my measure and marking technique has been successful in creating even layers. I believe the cakes were more domed shaped than I realized. I do work hard to be consistent. However, wouldn’t you know the one time I am documenting my work for reference and prosperity, it does not turn out the way I want it to. As I always say, “This is how you know it is homemade. It is perfect in its’ imperfections.”
Springtime is the beginning of a lot of special occasions, and Spring is one of them. After a long winter who doesn’t want to come out and celebrate the new season’s emerging life. No more dormancy and short days. Life is blooming all around and that alone is worth celebrating. It is also the beginning of Easter, Passover, more birthdays, graduations, bridal showers, baby showers, bachelorette parties, weddings, and anniversaries. Pink Champagne Cake is the perfect cake to make for these momentous occasions.
Pink Champagne Cake
Ingredients
Cake
- Butter and flour for preparing three 8-inch cake pans
- 3 cups / 348g cake flour*
- 1 Tbs / 16g baking powder
- ½ tsp Kosher salt
- 6 large egg whites room temperature
- 1 cup / 250ml pink champagne room temperature
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 Tbs vegetable oil
- 2 cups / 447g granulated sugar
- 1 cup 2 sticks / 226g unsalted butter, at room temperature
- Pink food coloring*
Strawberry Purée
- 20 oz / 567g frozen strawberries with no added sugar
- 2 tsp lemon juice
- 2-3 tsp granulated sugar optional
Pink Champagne Mousseline Buttercream
- 3 cups 6 sticks 1 ½ lb / 680g unsalted butter, soften but still cool
- 1 ½ cups / 332g granulated sugar divided
- ⅓ cup / 75 ml water
- 7 large egg whites room temperature
- ¾ tsp + ⅛ tsp cream of tartar
- 3 fl oz / 90 ml / 5-7 Tbs pink champagne room temperature
- Finely grated zest from one lemon
- Pink food coloring*
- ½ cup / 125 ml strawberry purée
- Decorate with shaved white chocolate or sliced strawberries, or grated coconut, or edible rose petals, or other candy garnishes
Instructions
Strawberry Purée -Takes about 20 - 30 minutes to make, not including the defrosting time.
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Start defrosting the strawberries the day before or first thing in the morning. They will take several hours for the strawberries to defrost and release their juice. Suspend a colander over a large mixing bowl. Add the frozen strawberries to the colander and let the strawberries thaw out and release their own juices. Occasionally press down on the strawberries to encourage the juices to release. You should get close to 1 1/4 cup juice.
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In a small saucepan, pour in the strawberry juice and turn the heat to medium high. Reduce the juice to about 1/4 cup.
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Purée the strawberry pulp in a food processor until smooth. There will be some texture because of the seeds, but you want it as smooth as you can.
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When the strawberry juice is reduced add the strawberry puree and stir. Add the lemon juice and taste the strawberries. Depending on how tart or sweet the strawberries taste, add about 2 -3 teaspoons of granulated sugar. You will not want it very sweet because the buttercream will be sweet. Stir until the sugar is dissolved. Pour the strawberry purée into a heat proof glass measuring cup. You should have about 1 ¼ cup. The purée can be stored in an airtight container for 10 days in the refrigerator, or frozen for up to one year.
Cake - Takes about 20 minutes to mix, about 25 minutes to bake, 40 minutes - 1 hour to cool
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Place the oven rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 350˚F/ 175˚C / Gas Mark 4
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Prepare 3, 8-inch cake pans. Cut a circle of parchment paper for each pan, large enough to fit inside your cake tins. Lightly butter the bottom and sides of each pan, then coat with a light dusting of cake flour around the sides and bottom. Tap the pan against the counter to release any excess flour. Discard the excess flour. Place the parchment paper circles inside each cake tin. Set aside.
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Place the flour, baking powder, and Kosher salt inside a medium size bowl. Mix the flour mixture with a wire whisk to get all the ingredients thoroughly mixed together. Set aside.
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Place the egg whites, champagne, vanilla and oil in a medium mixing bowl and whisk together until thoroughly mixed through. Set aside.
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Put granulated sugar and butter in a bowl of a stand mixer, or large bowl if using a handheld mixer. Mix on medium speed until lighter and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes.
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Scrape down the sides of the mixing bowl with a rubber spatula.
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Turn the speed on low and add a portion of the flour to the butter, and mix. Then add a portion of the egg whites to the bowl and mix. With the beater on, alternate adding the flour and the egg whites to the butter, ending with the flour.
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Turn off the mixer and stir in one tiny drop of pink food coloring. Stir by hand until all mixed through.
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Divide the batter evenly between the three prepared cake pans.
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Place all three pans in the oven on the center rack and bake until the cake is lightly golden brown, the cake has pulled away from the sides of the pans, and a cake tester comes out clean when poked in the center of each cake. About 23-27 minutes. Be careful not to overbake the cakes. The cakes will taste dry if they are overbaked.
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Place the cakes in the pan on cooling racks and cool for 10 minutes. After the cakes have cooled for 10 minutes, run a knife around the edge of each cake pan to loosen the cakes. Turn the cake upside down resting the top of the cake in one hand, and pull the pan away. Carefully peel off the parchment paper and place the cake right side up on the cooling rack. Repeat for the remaining cakes. Cool completely before frosting. Can be made in advance. Wrap each cake tightly with plastic wrap and store on the counter for 1 day.
Pink Champagne Buttercream- Takes about 20 to 30 minutes to make.
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In a large mixing bowl beat the butter with a hand-held mixer until smooth. Set aside away from any heat source.
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Place a heatproof glass measuring cup to the side next to the stove where you will be working. In a small heavy saucepan heat 1 cup plus 3 Tbs sugar and 3/8 of a cup (90 ml) of water over medium high heat. Stir the sugar in the water until it is completely dissolved and the liquid is bubbly. Reduce the heat to the lowest setting. (If using an electric range turn off the heat and set the saucepan aside).
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In a large mixing bowl of a stand mixer, beat the egg whites until foamy. Add the cream of tartar and beat until the egg whites form soft peaks. Add the remaining sugar, one tablespoon at a time to the egg whites, and beat on high speed until stiff peaks form. Turn off the mixer and return your attention back to the sugar syrup.
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Turn the heat up to high and boil the sugar syrup until it reaches the temperature of 248˚F - 250˚F (120˚C) using a candy thermometer or an instant read thermometer. Pour the syrup into the heatproof glass measuring cup to stop the cooking.
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Return to the egg whites and turn the speed up to high speed. If using a handheld mixer, slowly drizzle the syrup into the egg whites without the syrup touching the beaters. If you are using a stand mixer, turn the speed off, add a little of the syrup, then turn the speed up to high and beat for 5 seconds and stop. Repeat the process until the syrup is added into the egg whites, scraping the clinging syrup with a rubber spatula to get every drop. If you get the syrup on the whisk or beaters, the syrup will just spray over the sides of the bowl and not mix into the egg whites. Once all the syrup is added, turn the speed down to medium and beat for a couple of minutes to cool the whipped egg whites.
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On low speed, beat in the whipped butter into the cool egg whites, one tablespoon at a time. The buttercream will look thin at first, but it will eventually thicken up. If at any time the buttercream starts to look curdled, stop adding butter and turn the speed up a little. Beat until smooth. Once smooth, continue to add the butter one tablespoon at a time until done.
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Lower the speed and add in the pink champagne and lemon zest, and beat in. Add one tiny drop of pink food coloring and mix until thoroughly mixed through. (Can be made in advance up to this point, keep in the refrigerator for 2 days or freeze).
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Measure in a dry measuring cup, 2 ¾ cup (685 ml) buttercream and place in a medium mixing bowl. Set the remaining buttercream aside. Add ½ cup (125ml) cooled strawberry purée to the buttercream and beat by hand until mixed together. Cover both bowls of buttercream and keep on the counter away from any heat until you are ready to assemble the cake.
Putting it all together- About 30 minutes to assemble.
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For a 6-layer cake, measure with a ruler the height of each cake and mark the center with a toothpick. Measure and mark the center point around the circumference of each cake. The toothpicks are your guide to cut each cake in half through the middle. With a long serrated knife, rest the serrated edge up against the side of a cake and on top of the toothpicks. With a gently sawing motion cut through the cake, paying attention to your markers and turning the cake as you work your way around the circumference, and then through the middle of the cake. Repeat for each cake. Keep the pairs together. Select which cake layer is going to be your top layer and set aside.
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Take apart one divided cake and place the bottom portion of the cake on your cake plate.
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Spread ½ cup (125ml) of the strawberry buttercream over the top of the cake. Make a smooth and level layer of buttercream. Place the top portion of the cake on top of your frosted layer and spread ½ cup (125 ml) of strawberry buttercream evenly and smoothly across the top.
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Continue to stack and frost the tops of each layer with ½ cup (125ml) strawberry buttercream until you get to the top layer. The strawberry buttercream is to be used only for the middle layers of frosting. While you are stacking your cake layers, try to get them as level as possible. Trim off the top of each layer if they are uneven, before you frost the layers.
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For a three layer cake frost each layer with 3/4 cup pink champagne buttercream or strawberry pink champagne buttercream.
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Once the layers are assembled, spread a thin "crumb" layer of pink champagne buttercream around the top and sides of the cake. This is to get the cake frosted with a thin protective layer so the crumbs won't show through the frosting. Once done, spread more buttercream all over the top and working down the sides of the cake for a nice finishing layer of buttercream. Frost as much as wanted or needed.
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Decorate the cake with shaved white chocolate over the top of the cake and extra strawberries for decoration.
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Keep the cake in a cool spot loosely covered with aluminum foil up to 2 days unrefrigerated. Best if eaten the day it is assembled.
Recipe Notes
Cake flour has less gluten and produces a more delicate cake than with all-purpose flour. If you like to bake cakes, cake flour is nice to have around. Swans Down and Softasilk are two brands that sell cake flour. Do not buy self-rising cake flour. If you do not want to buy cake flour, or cannot get some, substitute 1 cup of all-purpose flour, plus 2 Tbs all-purpose flour, plus 2 Tbs cornstarch for every cup of cake flour. Recipe from The Kitchn
Ingredient amounts for buttercream if you want to make a 3-layer cake:
Unsalted butter - 1 lb / 454g (4 sticks),
Sugar - 1 cup / 200 g,
Water - ¼ cup / 2oz 60 ml,
5 large egg whites,
Cream of tartar - ½ + ⅛ teaspoon,
Pink Champagne - up to 3 fl oz or 90 ml, Tiny drop of pink food coloring.
Use 3/4 cup of buttercream between the three layers, instead of 1/2 cup.
I used Wilton Liquid food coloring - Base Pink. Wilton also makes a gel food coloring in pink.
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