Cakes Archives - Page 2 of 10

Fudgy Chocolate Sheet Cake

Happy Friday, friends! Can you believe we’ve made it to spring? I, for one, could not be more thrilled. Give me all the sunshine and blooming trees, Easter egg hunts and chocolate bunnies, outdoor picnics and whatever else this warmer weather wants to offer. I’m all in. This week, my kids have been on spring break, and we’ve been keeping busy visiting with family, soaking up the sunshine, and, of course, baking! Today, I get to share a really kid-friendly bake, this fudgy chocolate sheet cake.

You might remember, my first book, HER DAILY BREAD, came out last December. Since then, I’ve had the pleasure of seeing many of you making some of the recipes, and it has motivated me to continue sharing one each month here on this site! Today’s fudgy chocolate sheet cake is one of the more simple baked goods from the book, and it’s the perfect recipe for beginner bakers or anyone hoping to serve a crowd. With just two bowls, loads of cocoa powder, and just under an hour of time, you can put together one of these fudgy goodies of your own.

Fudgy Chocolate Cake

My inspiration for this treat came from a local restaurant. There’s a great counter service place nearby that serves humble slices of chocolate cake with a thick, fudgy frosting on top. Anytime I visit there, I love to grab a slice to go, enjoying forkfuls of the generous serving over the next few days. This fudgy chocolate sheet cake is reminiscent of that quick-service favorite, although the icing here is more of a sugary, pour-on glaze. Truly, it’s so simple and delicious.

How to Make It

To make this fudgy chocolate sheet cake, we start with the cake batter. First, melt together the butter, coffee, and cocoa powder. Add this to the combined dry ingredients. Sour cream and a couple of eggs, which keep the cake moist, comes next to finish out the batter. While the cake bakes, begin preparing the icing. On the stovetop, butter, water, and cocoa powder melt together and stir into powdered sugar. The liquid glaze gets poured all over the still-warm cake while it is fresh from the oven before being allowed to rest and set up. The glaze thickens slightly but only after being subtly infused with the spongy cake.

This fudgy chocolate sheet cake is a potluck all-star. With a tender, moist crumb and a fudgy, pour-on icing, this cake comes together quickly, serves a crowd, and tastes delicious for days. Bonus: no fancy decorating tools required here. For a darker, more intensely flavored cake, try substituting dark cocoa powder for the regular unsweetened variety. Just don’t skip the sprinkle of sea salt at the end— it really makes this cake shine! If you enjoy it as much as I do, be sure to check out my book, HER DAILY BREAD, where 52 recipes and daily readings make for a book full of inspiring words and bites to feast on. Happy Baking & Happy Friday!

If you like this fudgy chocolate sheet cake you should try:

Marble Layer Cake
Banana Cream Pie Cake
Flourless Chocolate Cake
One-Bowl Chocolate Cake

Fudgy Chocolate Sheet Cake

Print Recipe

★★★★★

5 from 2 reviews

Author: Kate Wood
Prep Time: 15
Cook Time: 45
Total Time: 1 hour
Yield: 16 Servings
Category: Dessert

Ingredients

For the cake:

1 cup unsalted butter
1 cup brewed coffee
3/4 cup cocoa powder
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 3/4 cups granulated sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
¾ teaspoon table salt
2 large eggs, at room temperature
½ cup sour cream, at room temperature
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

For the icing:

½ cup unsalted butter
¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons water
¼ cup cocoa powder
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 1/2 cups powdered sugar
Maldon sea salt, optional

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Instructions

To prepare the cake:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and lightly grease a 9×13” pan.
In a saucepan over medium heat, combine the butter, coffee, and cocoa powder, stirring regularly until melted. Bring the mixture to a boil and cook for 30 seconds. Remove from heat and set aside while you assemble the dry ingredients.
In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking salt, and salt. Add the butter mixture and stir just until combined. In a small, separate bowl, whisk together the eggs, sour cream, and vanilla, and fold this mixture into the batter. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake until a toothpick inserted comes out clean, about 20—25 minutes.

To prepare the icing:

When the cake is about halfway through baking, combine the butter, water, cocoa powder, and vanilla in a saucepan over medium heat. Whisk regularly and be careful not to boil the mixture. Once the butter is melted, remove the pan from heat and carefully whisk in the powdered sugar until smooth. Pour the icing over the warm, finished cake and enjoy once the icing has set! Serve with a sprinkle of flaky salt if desired.

Mini Yellow Cake

How to Make It

The first thing you need to know about this mini yellow cake is the composition of the cake layers themselves. Yellow cakes attribute their color, flavor, and fluff to egg yolks and butter. With those two ingredients, this cake has a tender crumb and rich flavor. The frosting here is a bit different too- in lieu of a powdered sugar and cocoa powder tooth ache, I opted for a chocolate ganache-esquire frosting that is silky and fudgy without being too sweet. YUM.

Mini Yellow Cake by Wood and Spoon blog. This tiny yellow cake is perfect for small celebrations, small batch bites, and smash cakes! Learn how simple it is to make a moist yellow cake from scratch with a fudge chocolate stovetop frosting on thewoodandspoon.com

So what if you’re not after a super mini yellow cake? Simply double the recipe, bake the cake in 2- 9” pans at the same temperature, and once a toothpick inserted comes out clean, call it a day! I love having a tiny cake recipe in my back pocket, but we can easily adapt to make more cake for more friends. After all, sometimes more is more!

So happy Thursday, happy 2022, happy whatever the heck today is. But most of all, happy baking this mini yellow cake!

If you like this mini yellow cake you should try:

Smash Cake Tutorial
Almond Toffee Cake
Milk Chocolate Chip Cake
One-Bowl Chocolate Cake
Brownie Batter Cake
Mini Layer Cakes

Mini Yellow Cake

Print Recipe

This mini yellow cake packs all the flavor, fluff, and festivity of any standard cake- just in half the size!

Author: Kate Wood
Prep Time: 15
Cook Time: 25
Total Time: 240
Yield: 4-5 Servings
Category: Dessert

Ingredients

For the cake (Adapted from Rose Levy Beranbaum):

½ cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
¾ cup sugar
3 large egg yolks, at room temperature
1–1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1–1/2 cups cake flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
½ cup milk

For the frosting:

½ cup unsalted butter, diced
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1 cup powdered sugar
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
Pinch of salt

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Instructions

To make the cake:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Farhenheit. Lightly grease 2-6” round cake pans and cut out rounds of parchment paper to fit inside of the bottoms.
In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar on medium speed, scraping the bowl occasionally, until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes. With the mixer on low, add the yolks one at a time, followed by the extract. Scrape the sides of the bowl and stir in any unincorporated bits. In a small, separate bowl, stir together the cake flour baking powder, and salt. Add half of the mixture to the butter, stirring on low until nearly integrated. Add the milk and stir. Scrape the bowl and add in the remaining dry ingredients. Fold the mixture until smooth.
Divide the batter between the two pans and bake in the preheated oven for about 22-23 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Allow to cool completely.

To make the frosting:

Combine all of the ingredients in a medium-sized saucepan over low heat. Stirring consistently, melt the ingredients until the mixture is nearly smooth. Remove from heat and allow the mixture to melt completely. Pour the mixture into a bowl and place in the fridge. Allow to cool, stirring ever 15 minutes or so, until the mixture comes to a thickened, fudgy consistency. Then frost the cake. Level the cakes using a serrated knife and use and offset spatula to smooth the frosting on top of the first layer. Place the second cake on top and finish frosting as desired.

Notes

To make a larger, 2 layer, 9″ cake, simply double the ingredients for the cake and bake in 2 (9″) pans! Bake at 350 degrees until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.

A Happy Daisy Cake (and a Royal Icing Transfer Tutorial!)

3 Comments / Cakes, Tutorials

Daisy Cake and Royal Icing Transfer Tutorial by Wood and Spoon. Learn how simple it is to make royal icing using meringue powder and transferring piped icing designs to baked cakes and cookies! This fun and festive tutorial will also show you how to make a cute and happy daisy cake. Learn how to decorate using royal icing with this recipe on thewoodandspoon.com

I’ll be honest: cake decorating is really not my thing. Although I love the creativity of putting together something that is equal parts tasty and beautiful, there are some people who are cut out for highly detailed desserts and pastries, and there are some who, well, are just not. I fall into that latter category. But since I’ve somehow made a career slinging recipes and photos of cookies, pies, and breads like I know what I’m doing, I thought that I would fill you in on one of my favorite dessert tricks: royal icing transfers. If you, like me, find most forms of cake decorating a bit daunting, keep reading while I show you how I made this daisy cake and how you can use royal icing to transform any little baked good you want.

What is a Royal Icing Transfer?

We’ve not spent much time discussing royal icing here, mostly because I typically opt for a thickly piped cookie glaze in lieu of royal icing, but there are actually a whole bunch of other jobs that royal icing performs well at. Gingerbread houses, homemade sprinkles, and sugar flowers would be nothing without royal icing, and today I’m going to show you how you can transfer piped icing designs from sheets of wax paper directly to a cake. A royal icing transfer is royal icing that has been applied to a sheet of wax paper, allowed to dry, and then carefully peeled off and transferred to a baked good. Because royal icing dries hard, perfectly piped designs can be picked up and placed onto any baked treat bearing a sticky surface: freshly frosted cakes, still-wet cookies, and swirled cupcakes.

Why Use a Royal Icing Transfer?

Although many people more proficient with a piping bag and tip might be able to decorate cakes, cookies, and confections freehand, some of us (raises hand) don’t have as much confidence in their own artistic designs. Instead, I like to print off shapes and letters onto sheets of printer paper, tracing the ink on top of a sheet of wax paper. This means I basically get to use a stencil and allow the icing to dry prior to transferring it to my cake or cookie. Using a royal icing transfer means I don’t worry about mess ups, shaky hands, or smudges, because I can create as many shapes as I want, only using the ones that turn out the way I wanted.

How to Create a Royal Icing Transfer:

Meringue Powder Royal Icing

Royal icing can be prepared in a number of ways, but my preferred method is made with meringue powder. Meringue powder can be found at craft stores or purchased online, and when combined with water and powdered sugar, it makes a glossy icing that can be thickened and piped.

Making It

To make royal icing, we simply combine powdered sugar, meringue powder, and water in a large bowl with a hand mixer. Stir until the mixture thickens slightly, leaving traces of the beater behind in the icing. For the purpose of piped designs, I like to test the viscosity of the icing by dragging a knife or spoon through the mixture; the icing will separate and slowly pool back together, all trace of the knife or spoon barely disappearing within 10-12 seconds. For more detailed designs, you may prefer a slightly thicker icing, so feel free to thicken it up by adding a few additional tablespoons of powdered sugar.

Spoon a small bit of the icing into a piping bag fitted with a piping tip and test out your design. Thicken (using powdered sugar) or thin (using just a few teaspoons of water) the icing as desired, and remember that thin icing will spread out and take longer to dry. Once your icing is the right consistency, you can modify its color using food coloring. I always recommend gel food coloring (I buy this kind!), and remember- a little goes a long way! Whisk in any gel coloring you prefer and allow the icing to rest for about 2 minutes to allow any bubbles to come to the surface the bowl. In the meantime, prepare your stencil.

Piping It

For royal icing transfers, I like to print my designs onto a piece of computer paper and then layer it onto a rimmed sheet pan with a piece of wax paper on top. Online programs like Canva make creating stencils a cinch. Keep in mind that many royal icing designs with two or more colors will need some dry time in between layers- don’t rush the process unless you’re fine with smeared designs.

When you’re ready to being, slowly apply pressure to the piping bags, tracing your stencil and filling in your design where needed. I like to use a food safe paint brush (that has never touched paint!) to move the icing around and fill in any borders, but you could also use a toothpick as well. Once finished, allow the designs to dry completely, usually 24 hours, before carefully peeling them off the wax paper and applying them to the surface of the baked good.

Troubleshooting Royal Icing Transfers

If your design is sticking to the wax paper, the underside may not be dry.
Designs that are too thin may break when peeling. Be sure to create plenty of extras just in case you experience breakage.
For easy peeling, consider piping designs directly onto their own little piece of wax paper. I typically avoid the extra work involved with this, but it does make the transfer easier.
Add any sprinkles, nonpareils, or colored sugar to the royal icing while wet, keeping in mind that thick royal icing will for a dried shell pretty quickly.
Use a toothpick or food-safe paintbrush to gently nudge any icing around on your design while wet.
Always use gel food coloring to dye royal icing.
Royal icing transfers will not stick to hardened surfaces! Be sure to apply designs while the surface of the cake, cookie, or confection is still sticky or wet.
If the surface you intend to apply your royal icing transfer to is no longer wet or sticky, you can often stick it using a few dots of royal icing on the back of your design.
If you, like me, are new to royal icing transfers, start with simple designs. The more detailed the design, the more frustrating the process will be.
Be sure to test the viscosity of your royal icing prior to piping; thin icing will spread out way too much.
Allow royal icing to dry at room temperature- not in the fridge. You can expedite this process by allowing a small fan to circulate air over them.

How to Make This Happy Daisy Cake

If you’ve read this whole post to see how to make this daisy cake, you’ve finally reached the right section! For this cake, I used a store-bought yellow cake mix baked in three (6″) cake pans. The cakes took about 23 minutes to bake, but just remove them from the oven when a toothpick comes out clean. While the cakes baked, I piped the first layer of the daisies (find my template here!).

First, prepare a single batch of royal icing and spoon about 2/3 of it into a prepared piping bag fitted with a #1 tip. Add a drop or two of yellow food color to the reserved 1/3 of icing, and place it in a small Tupperware or a bowl covered with a wet paper towel- this will prevent the icing from drying out. Pipe directly onto the wax paper, stenciling and filling in each flower as you go around. Remember that there is a learning curve here, and not every flower will turn out perfect. Be gentle with yourself. Allow the whites of the daisies to crust and dry, about an hour, before piping the yellow centers and sprinkling them with yellow sugar. Allow the designs to dry at room temperature overnight or 24-hours, preferably.

Once your cake layers have cooled and the daisies have dried completely, prepare the buttercream of your choice (you’ll need about 3 cups), and frost your cake. Peel off the daisies carefully and apply them directly to the sticky frosting. Leave the cake at room temperature and serve! I just think it’s super adorable and a welcome happy addition to these otherwise dreary months.

I hope you guys have learned a smidge in this tutorial and will give royal icing transfers a try! Let me know what you think and happy baking!

If you like this tutorial, you should try:

How to Make Homemade Sprinkles
Sugar Cookie Gift Tags
Meringue Cookies
Marbled Sugar Cookies
Painted Sugar Cookies

Royal Icing Recipe

Print Recipe

★★★★★

5 from 2 reviews

This simple royal icing is made with meringue powder and can be used to make royal icing transfers!

Author: Kate Wood
Prep Time: 5
Total Time: 5 minutes
Yield: 1-1/2 cups
Category: Dessert

Ingredients

2 cups powdered sugar
1–1/2 tablespoons meringue powder
1/4 cup room temperature water

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Instructions

Combine all three ingredients in a large bowl and use a hand mixer to blend together on medium speed until glossy and slightly thickened, about 1-2 minutes. Add additional water a teaspoon at a time to thin out or add additional powdered sugar a tablespoon at a time to thicken up. Stir until combined.

Notes

See directions in text above for achieving the appropriate viscosity royal icing for piping,

One-Bowl Chocolate Cake

3 Comments / Cakes

Happy Sunday, you crazy kids. I hope this weekend finds you at rest and hungry for dessert, because today we’re making a seriously simple one-bowl chocolate cake. We all need a no-fail, go-to chocolate cake recipe, and today’s recipe is becoming my new favorite. Before we dive in, I wanted to share a few other things I’ve been enjoying in my home, closet, toiletry bag, and more. Without further ado, here it is: my favorite things!

Things I’m Wearing:

After a few months of Alabama heat, I’m looking forward to anything that even slightly resembles fall and the cooler weather I hope it brings. On my wish list: new loafers. These Sam Edelman loafers, shown in both classic and updated looks, come in the softest black leather that didn’t even kind of pinch my heels. I love these with a pair of jeans or a tailored skirt! I’ve also been on the hunt for a new pair of white tennies. These classic canvas shoes from Superga come in a variety of colors, and, for those looking for a little more height, a platform heel option. Sign me up!

Things for the Kitchen:

Anyone else dying to start entertaining again? ME TOO. Although COVID has kept many of us from hosting friends and family, it can’t keep us from dreaming about those future gatherings. I’m been loving the glassware options available at Crate & Barrel lately, and the pieces below are currently in my shopping cart. I’m thinking a casual girls night-in: cheese and champagne for starters, Irish coffee and caramel corn for dessert. *Chef’s Kiss*

Things I’m Reading:

I’ve been a reading machine this year thanks to a few good friends who send their favorite book titles my way. This summer, I knocked out a few reads that I’ll be recommending to basically everyone from here on out. The titles below, The People We Meet on Vacation, The Four Winds, and Girl with a Louding Voice, are all way different from one another but wonderful in their own right. For a light read, go for the first option; for a beautifully written sob-fest, opt for one of the other two.

Things in My Toiletry Bag:

I’ve got two new faves to share here. First up, a travel blow dryer. Last New Year’s Eve, I traveled with friends to Blackberry Farm and fell in love with the blow dryer in the bathroom. I loved it so much that I called back last month to find out what kind it was so I could purchase it for home. This travel drier from GHD is high-powered and totally worth the splurge.

Another new favorite is this Osea Cleansing Milk. I’ve been trudging through the murky waters of adult-onset rosacea these past few months, and finding products that are gentle enough for my newly sensitive skin has been a challenge. I love this cleanser for its simple ingredients and calming effects. If anyone else has another favorite for rosacea- HIT ME UP!

One-Bowl Chocolate Cake

With all the chocolate cakes on this site, do we really need another? Well, I’d argue YES. This is a one-bowl situation that is so simple I had to photograph my kiddos making it. Truly, it’s a measure and dump kind of thing. The end-product is a moist and fluffy chocolate cake that is sweet, not too rich, and the perfect vehicle for my favorite milk chocolate buttercream.

To make it, we start with the dry ingredients. Flour, sugar, cocoa powder, and leavening are stirred together in a bowl. Next come the liquid ingredients: buttermilk, oil, eggs, coffee, and vanilla extract. Stir the batter until no lumps remain and bake in two pans inside of a preheated oven. Once cooled, the cakes cake be leveled and frosted with an oh-so decadent whipped milk chocolate buttercream. Frost the cake in your desired manner and keep it at room temperature until you’re ready to serve. Lucky for you, this one-bowl chocolate cake stays moist for days.

In a pinch, you can substitute regular milk for the buttermilk, hot water for the coffee, and dark or black cocoa powder for the regular unsweetened cocoa powder. You can also opt for dark or semi-sweet chocolate in place of the milk chocolate in the buttercream! One of my favorite things about this one-bowl chocolate cake is that it’s extremely adaptable- feel free to make it your own!

I hope you’ve enjoyed this round-up of my favorite things. If you have time this weekend, give this one-bowl chocolate cake a try! It’s DIVINE. Happy Sunday and HAPPY BAKING!

If you like this one-bowl chocolate cake you should try:

White Chocolate Cake
Milk Chocolate Chip Cake
Flourless Chocolate Cake
Chocolate Caramel Crumble Cake

One-Bowl Chocolate Cake

Print Recipe

★★★★★

5 from 2 reviews

This chocolate cake features a fluffy milk chocolate buttercream and can be made from start to finish in a single bowl!

Author: Kate Wood
Prep Time: 25
Cook Time: 30
Total Time: 120
Yield: 9 Servings
Category: Dessert

Ingredients

For the cake:

2 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups granulated sugar
2/3 cup cocoa powder
1–1/2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons baking powder
2–1/4 teaspoons corn starch
1 teaspoon salt
2 eggs room temperature
1 cup buttermilk, room temperature
½ cup black coffee, hot
1/2 cup (120 mL) vegetable oil
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract

For the frosting:

6 ounces milk chocolate, gently melted
1–1/2 cups unsalted butter, at room temperature
3–1/2 cups powdered sugar
¼ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
5 tablespoons of heavy cream or milk

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Instructions

To prepare the cake:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray 2 (8″) round cake pans with baking spray and line the bottoms with parchment rounds.
In a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, combine all of the dry ingredients and stir until combined. Add all of the wet ingredients and mix on medium speed for just shy of 1-2 minutes, scraping the bowl (and bottom of bowl!) twice throughout.
Pour equal amounts of batter in both pans. Carefully place in the oven and bake for about 23-25 minutes, or until center is just barely set and toothpick comes out of cake almost clean. Allow to cool in the pans and on a cooling rack for 20 minutes and then remove from pans to continue the cooling process. Cake will stay fresh for several days if covered, or, for one month if wrapped well in saran wrap and frozen in freezer.

To prepare the frosting:

In a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, cream the butter on medium speed for two minutes. Scrape the sides of the bowl and add the powdered sugar, beating on medium for another minute and a half. Add the salt, vanilla, and cream and beat to combine for 30 seconds. Fold in the melted (but not hot!) chocolate quickly until incorporated. If your chocolate was too hot and the mixture seems too thin and loose, you can place it in the fridge to firm up a bit or add a smidge of powdered sugar.

To assemble the cake:

Use a serrated knife to cut the domes off the tops of the cake. Tops of the cake should be flat prior to assembling. Place a bit of frosting on you plate or cake board that you wish to frost your cake on and set your first layer on top. Use an offset spatula to spread a hefty dollop of frosting on top of the first layer. Place the next layer on top and repeat this process. Frost the sides of the cake and decorate as desired. Cake is should be stored covered tightly with plastic wrap and is best eaten within 2 days of making.

Berry Buckle

4 Comments / Breakfast, Cakes, Pies and Tarts

Before I moved to the South, I didn’t know a thing about Southern hospitality. In my mind, hospitality was something reserved for the hotel industry and Martha Stewart. What could the word possibly mean outside of those two instances? In the 15+ years since that I’ve lived in the Deep South, I’ve slowly gotten to tiptoe in to warmth that is Southern hospitality, and I gotta say, it feels good. The kindness, the intentionality, and the service of it feels like living and breathing love. There’s nothing like it.

Just yesterday, Charlie’s daycare teacher offered to share some blueberries she had picked from the bushes on her property. A few hours later, she showed up at my door with a 12-gallon storage bin filled to the brim with hand-picked summer produce. No charge, no request for anything in return, just an offer from a friend who knew my baby loved blueberries. I spent the next few minutes filling bags with berries to share with my friends and tried not to get teary-eyed over the obvious symbolism that was playing out right in front of me. I was reminded that when we love others, whether via blueberries, our words, our actions, or some other form of hospitality, that love almost always gets passed on and affects so many more people that we initially imagined. It multiplies and grows.

“Love is the flower you’ve got to let grow.” -John Lennon

I’d like to be a person that grows love. The hospitality and generosity I received in that bin of blueberries reminds me that that every little thing can make a difference, and those simple offerings of kindness rarely affect just the person we’re sharing them with. They make a difference, and the world needs more of that love. So today (or sometime in the future!), when you have the opportunity to give generously yourself and your resources, I hope you’ll remember that hospitality isn’t a job set aside for a select few- it’s an opportunity for us all.

Blueberry Buckle

Now that I have blueberries, I’m looking forward to recipes that will honor the fruit in a way it deserves. This berry buckle is so simple that I think you’ll like it too. This vanilla and almond-scented buttermilk cake has fresh berries and a simple and buttery almond streusel on top. The end result is a cake that is equal parts breakfast and dessert, which we all know is my very favorite thing to make. Served with a dollop of whipped cream or simply a cup of coffee, this berry buckle is definitely the perfect treat to make this summer. Let me tell you how.

To make this berry buckle, we start by creaming butter and sugar together until it’s pale and fluffy. A single eggs and extract come next followed by buttermilk and a few simple dry ingredients. Spread the batter into an 8″ or 9″ pan and then dotted with fresh berries- any of your favorites will do. Bake the cake partially before being sprinkling the top with the almond streusel.

After baking, this berry buckle tastes terrific served warm with ice cream or even on its own. If you happen to have some ripe summer produce on hand, this is definitely a terrible option for utilizing it. Give the recipe a try and let me know what you think! Happy Wednesday and Happy Baking!

If you like the berry buckle you should try:

Blueberry Lemon Pound Cake
Blueberry Sour Cream Pie
Whole Wheat Blueberry Muffins
Blueberry Cornbread
Strawberry Almond Skillet Cake

Berry Buckle

Print Recipe

★★★★★

5 from 2 reviews

This berry buckle is a moist buttermilk cake dotted with fresh summer berries and a simple almond streusel!

Author: Kate Wood
Prep Time: 10
Cook Time: 30
Total Time: 40 minutes
Yield: 9 Servings
Category: Dessert

Ingredients

For the streusel:

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons unsalted butter at room temperature
¼ cup sliced or chopped almonds

For the cake:

1/4 cup (55 gm) unsalted butter, at room temperature
¾ cup (150 gm) sugar
3/4 teaspoon vanilla
½ teaspoon almond extract
1 large egg, at room temperature
1–1/4 cups (150 gm) all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
½ cup (120 gm) buttermilk
1–1/2 cups mixed berries (I used 1 cup blackberries and ½ cup blueberries)

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Instructions

To prepare the streusel:

Stir to combine the flour and sugar. Use the back of a fork to cut the softened butter into the dry ingredients until it is incorporated in pea-sized crumbs. Toss in the almonds and set aside.

To prepare the cake:

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Grease a 10” cast iron skillet and set aside.
In the bowl of a stand mixer or in a large mixing bowl, cream together the butter and ¾ cup sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add the vanilla, almond extract, and egg and beat to combine. Scrape the sides of the bowl. In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add half of the flour mixture to the butter and stir to almost combine. Add half of the buttermilk and stir to almost combine. Repeat this process once more until all of the flour mixture and milk has been combined. Scrape the sides of the bowl and fold in any unincorporated bits.
Spread the batter out in the greased skillet. Arrange the berries all over the top of the batter, pressing them down gently into the batter. Bake in the preheated oven for about 15 minutes, and then carefully sprinkle the streusel on top of the cake. Bake for an additional 12 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Allow to cool slightly prior to serving.

Chocolate Mascarpone Cheesecake

5 Comments / Cakes

Can you even believe it’s been a year?

We’ve spent so much of these past 365 days talking about the pandemic; it almost seems redundant for me to spend even another second mentioning it here. The truth is, what we’ve experienced has been life changing. I think it’s really healthy to consider how far we’ve come and what we need moving forward. While it would be easy to look at the past 12 months and try to wish it away or shove it all into the darkest corners of our past, I don’t want to waste this experience; I’d love for each of us to walk away from the pain and trouble of this pandemic as better, more resilient and loving versions of the selves that entered into it. So here’s what I’ve been chewing on.

Chocolate Mascarpone Cheese by Wood and Spoon blog. This is a creamy chocolate cheesecake made with mascarpone cheese, a chocolate sandwich cookie Oreo crust, and a rich caramel topping. The crust is scented with espresso powder and lends a buttery crunch to the otherwise smooth dessert. This is a decadent treat for chocolate lovers and a great alternative to a cream cheese cheesecake. Learn how to make it on thewoodandspoon.com

“Relationship means everything.”

The single greatest take-away I have from this past year is that relationships mean everything. Most of us, prior to 2020, took even the smallest interactions and gestures of kindness for granted. A smile at the grocery store, a lazy coffee date with a friend, sharing a bucket of popcorn at the movies or a bottle of wine around a crowded dining table. The encouragement and solidarity we find in those interactions have the potential to nourish our souls in deep ways. For me, it wasn’t until those interactions were deemed unsafe that I began to realize how much I needed them. Texting, phone calls, and waves from a distant aren’t always enough; sometimes we need that face-t0-face talk with our best friend. We need to hug our grandparents and our little sisters. We need to care for one another with laughter and kindness and touch because we were created for relationship. The isolation of this year hasn’t just been a bummer for our social calendars. It’s left a wanting hole in most of us.

Weeks ago, I met my grandparents in a drive-thru COVID vaccine line to give them their paperwork. The parking lot was filled with maybe a hundred cars, most of which were occupied by elderly people. I’m not sure if it was just me (#hormones), but the energy was almost palpable, and I teared up thinking of all the families who were going to be safely reunited with their grandparents soon. I took a lot of those relationships for granted, and I’m eager to learn from this experience by loving the people around me a little more generously.

“Less really is more.”

Another big take-away I have from this past year is that, in some cases, less really is more. I had the privilege of staying home with my kids those first couple of months of quarantine. Although I complained some about in our scaled-back life, I was grateful for what I found in its place. Where there was once busyness and rushing in our normal day to day life, I found time. A pace of life I hadn’t walked out in years. I’m really grateful to have had those opportunities with my children, and, looking back, I realize that a lot of the “stuff” that filled our calendars before wasn’t really what my heart desired. What I wanted deep down and had the luxury of experiencing during quarantine was intentional relationship with my family. Moving forward, I hope I’ll remember some of that, particularly when the urge to do more (and all too much) sneaks in.

Grace.

The final big thing that this past year has reinforced in my mind is that we all need to show one another a whole bunch of grace. Each of our stories has read completely different these past 365 days. It’s helpful for me to remember that my version of this experience has likely been vastly different from yours. We will all process the challenges and loss of this past year in our own way but we can offer one another grace in the midst of it all, particularly when it comes to areas where we don’t see eye to eye. My hope is that, after living through a year that pruned away a lot of the comforts and certainties and facades that many of us (raises hand!) clung to, we find that all that cutting back and stripping away made room for growth that our previous selves wouldn’t have made room for.

There’s been lots of learning this past year, and this is just a small glimpse into mine. It may have been overkill to share allllll of that, but my hope is that you’ll have the opportunity to reflect on your own story and pick out a few things you want to take with you from here on out. I’d love to here from you about this in the future, but, for now, let’s get to this chocolate mascarpone cheesecake.

Mascarpone Cheesecake

I love cheesecake, particularly when it comes to ones that are made extra with comforting toppings. This chocolate mascarpone cheesecake is all the yummy, creaminess of a traditional cheesecake with the added taste and texture of mascarpone cheese. Add that to a chocolate cookie crust and gooey caramel, and you have yourself a winning combination.

The directions for this chocolate mascarpone cheesecake are pretty thorough, mostly because I know a lot of people struggle with making cheesecakes. There always seems to be sunken centers, fault line cracks, and soggy crusts, right? So, while the instructions may be over-the-top, I find the juice is worth the squeeze here, and that extra attention to detail yields a really fantastic end product. While the star of this show is definitely the cheesecake center, there is room to take some liberties when it comes to the topping. I used a cup of my favorite homemade caramel sauce for this cake, but you are welcome to sub in your favorite store-bought variety or recipe of your own. Or perhaps you want more chocolate? Try a ganache topping, a homemade fudge sauce, or maybe even just some fresh fruit. Make the cheesecake your own here.

Phew. That was a lot of conversation today, but to sum things up– this past year has been a lot, love your people well, and don’t forget to make this chocolate mascarpone cheesecake. Happy Tuesday and happy baking!

If you like this chocolate mascarpone cheesecake you should try:

Simple Cheesecake Bars
Peanut Butter Chocolate Cheesecake
Brown Sugar Cheesecake
Peppermint White Chocolate Cheesecake
Honey Mascarpone Tart with Salty Graham Cracker Crust

Chocolate Mascarpone Cheesecake

Print Recipe

★★★★★

5 from 3 reviews

This chocolate mascarpone cheesecake is a rich and fluffy dessert with an espresso scented chocolate cookie crust and a thick caramel topping.

Author: Kate Wood
Prep Time: 30
Cook Time: 60
Total Time: 180
Yield: 9 Servings
Category: Dessert

Ingredients

For the crust:

12 ounces (about 31 cookies) chocolate sandwich cookies (like Oreo’s)
½ teaspoon espresso powder
5 tablespoons (70 gm) unsalted butter, melted

For the cheesecake:

1 pound/ 2 blocks (450 gm) of cream cheese, softened to room temperature
1 pound mascarpone cheese, at room temperature
1 cup (200 gm) sugar
¼ cup (20 gm) cocoa powder
3 large eggs (170 gm), room temperature
¾ cup (180 ml) heavy cream, room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup caramel sauce (follow the link in the text of my post for my favorite recipe or use your own favorite recipe or store-bought variety here)

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Instructions

To prepare the crust:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Prepare a 9″ springform pan by wrapping it in sheets of aluminum foil. I use 3 layers of extra wide, heavy duty foil wrapped to the top lip of the pan. Spray the inside walls and bottom of the pan with cooking spray.
Process your chocolate sandwich cookies in the blender on medium speed until they have been reduced to crumbs. Combine the crumbs with the espresso powder and melted butter in a small bowl until the crumbs are well moistened. Gently pat out your mixture evenly into the bottom of the pan. Bake in the preheated oven for 12 minutes.

To prepare the cheesecake:

Begin boiling some water in a kettle or saucepan for your water bath.
Place the softened cream cheese, mascarpone cheese, and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer. Cream on medium speed until smooth. Scrape the sides of the bowl and add the cocoa powder and eggs. Stir on medium until integrated. Add the cream and vanilla extract and stir to combine.
Strain the cheesecake batter through a mesh strainer (if desired) into a reserved bowl. Pour the strained batter on top of the crust. Gently rap the pan on the counter to help any air bubbles escape.
Place your springform pan into a slightly larger baking dish/pan and fill the larger pan with the boiling water you prepared for the water bath until the water reaches about halfway up the sides of the springform pan. Carefully place both pans in the preheated oven and bake for 1 hour. After an hour of baking, the edges and top of the cheesecake should be set but still slightly jiggle in the center. Turn the oven off and allow the cheesecake to rest in the oven for an additional hour. Remove from oven and aluminum foil, discard the water bath, and then place the cheesecake in the fridge to chill for several hours or overnight. The cheesecake can be stored in the fridge for several days.
When ready to serve, top with warmed caramel sauce, slice and serve.

Chocolate Tiramisu (and announcing MY FIRST BOOK!)

12 Comments / Cakes, Confections and Candies

Chocolate Tiramisu by Wood and Spoon blog. This is a small batch tiramisu recipe made in a loaf pan, switched up with the addition of a chocolate ganache. Mascarpone cheese keeps this dessert true to the Italian classic and crisp ladyfingers soak in kahlua and coffee. Learn how to prepare make-ahead tiramisu on thewoodandspoon.com

Grab a fork and settle in, because we are CELEBRATING all sorts of things with a little chocolate tiramisu today.

First off, it’s my FIVE YEAR BLOG ANNIVERSARY. Yep, five years. It blows my mind in every possible way that this site has existed for that long. Together, we’ve made ____ recipes, welcomed two new babies, built a house, had a couple website refreshers, and shared wayyyy too much personal information. If you’ve stuck around with me since the beginning (Hi, Mom), thank you. Your support and emails and kindness have meant the world to me. To have a job that feels more like a hobby is such a blessing, and I couldn’t be more grateful. Although a lot has changed since day one of this site, my love of food and writing remains the same, and I’m thrilled to keep on keeping on here. Which brings me to celebratory item number two:

Drumroll, please…

I WROTE A BOOK. A real life book (!!!!) It’s been a long road, so I wanted to share a little about the process.

I started this blog in 2016 in hopes of becoming a cookbook author. At the time, I was following other bloggers who had been around a while and were finally landing cookbook deals of their own. I wanted in! So after lots of nervous back-and-forth with my husband, friends, and mother (Hi again, Mom!), I decided to dive in and start this site with the end-goal of writing a book.

Less than two years later, I had established a relationship with a publishing company and was writing a cookbook proposal with one of their senior editors. This was it! My dreams were coming true! We worked hard for months, but the day before my proposal was to be approved for contract, the publishing company was bought out by a giant media company. Immediately, all projects not under contract were suspended, and after another 6 months of back and forth, they were completely dissolved. I was crushed. It had been over a year of time and work and vulnerability with that company, and I was so disappointed to start over.

My editor for the project was incredibly kind, and at her last day on the job, she connected me with a book agent out of New York. After some conversation and brainstorming, we began working together to iron out the existing proposal. We got a few nibbles from a couple of publishing companies, but ultimately, the project fell flat. By now, it’s January of 2020. It had been two years of proposal writing with no signs of success on the horizon, and here we were, back at square one.

Thank goodness we didn’t give up.

Over the next couple of months, I wrote a new cookbook proposal from scratch, and the day after I submitted it to my agent, I began writing a second proposal. This one was different: a 365-day devotional for women. The Word document on my computer basically filled itself with 56 pages of stories and scripture and thoughts and questions, and less than a month later, it was ready to submit to my agent. We decided to move forward with the devotional, and within no time, I was negotiating offers from multiple publishers. Ultimately, my little project found a home at HarperOne, an imprint of Harper Collins, and in July, I dove head first into writing my very first book. Over the next few weeks, I’ll be sharing more about the project, but for now, I’ll end with this:

Don’t give up.
Take a chance on your ambitions.
Work hard.
Ignore the pessimists and self-doubt that tell you you’ll never reach the desires in your heart, and if there’s something in there worth going after, do it. When I take inventory of the most beautiful and life-giving things in my story, I’m reminded that absolutely none of it happened overnight, and so much of the deferred hope, perseverance, and effort that I experienced allows me to treasure those gifts for what they are. A closed door or setback in your story doesn’t mean the end of your story, and I really believe that when we push through the barriers and unbelief, we often find breakthrough and joy on the other side.

Chocolate Tiramisu

I’ve never actually had chocolate tiramisu until I prepared this particular recipe. Truly, I’m wondering why it’s not made more frequently. I mean, we all love classic tiramisu, right? This is no different, just a little extra chocolate. Here, a chocolate ganache, mascarpone, and whipped cream come together to make an espresso-scented treat that is altogether rich and creamy and comforting. The tall slices make for an elegant dessert that requires very little time and effort. If you’re looking for a simple yet impressive make-ahead dessert, I hope you’ll take a chance on this chocolate tiramisu. Truly, it’s delightful.

There’s another delicious recipe and more on the book coming next week. In the meantime, if you get an opportunity to make this chocolate tiramisu, tell me about it! Happy Saturday to you and HAPPY BAKING!

If you like this chocolate tiramisu, you should try:

Classic Tiramisu
Tiramisu Cream Puffs
Tiramisu Cake
Kentucky Coffee
Toffee Espresso Chocolate Chip Cookies

Chocolate Tiramisu

Print Recipe

★★★★★

5 from 1 reviews

This chocolate tiramisu is a small-batch recipe made in a loaf pan and flavored with the addition of chocolate ganache.

Author: Kate Wood
Prep Time: 15
Total Time: 360
Yield: 6 Servings
Category: Dessert

Ingredients

½ cup (85 gm) semisweet chocolate, chips or chopped
¾ cup plus 2 tablespoons heavy whipping cream, divided
1 cup (240 gm) warm espresso or strong-brewed coffee
2 tablespoons Kahlua or rum/coffee liquor
2 large egg yolks
¼ cup (50 gm) granulated sugar
8 ounces mascarpone cheese
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
18–20 ladyfinger cookies (hard or soft is fine)

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Instructions

Prepare an 8”x4” loaf pan by lining it both ways with plastic wrap, extending the plastic beyond the sides. Set aside.
In a small saucepan over low heat, gently heat the chocolate chips and 2 tablespoons of whipping cream, stirring constantly, until melted and smooth. Do not overheat. Once chips are completely melted, remove from heat to a bowl and set in the fridge while you prepare the rest of the elements.
Combine the espresso and kahlua in a small bowl. Set aside.
In a medium bowl, beat the egg yolks and sugar together until thickened and pale, about 2-3 minutes. When a beater or spatula dipped into the mixture is removed it should gradually pour off in a thin, viscous ribbon. Add the mascarpone and beat on low till combined. Stir in the slightly cooled chocolate and cream mixture. Set aside.
In a separate bowl, beat the remaining heavy whipping cream and vanilla on medium speed to stiff peaks. Fold the whipped cream into the egg yolk mixture until smooth and fluffy, being careful not to overwork. Set it aside.
When you’re ready to assemble the tiramisu, dust the bottom of your prepared pan with a thin layer of cocoa powder. Working quickly and carefully, dip both sides of your lady fingers into the coffee/kahlua mixture and arrange them in a single layer in the bottom of your dusted dish. You want to fill in any larger holes but don’t worry about breaking up your ladyfingers to squeeze them into tiny holes. Spread 1/3 of the cream mixture on top of the lady fingers and dust the cream with another layer of cocoa powder. Repeat your process twice with another layer of ladyfingers, cream, and cocoa powder for a total of three layers. Allow to set up in the fridge for 6 hours for cool removal from the pan. Alternatively, you can prepare this up to a day or two in advance, keeping covered and stored in the fridge. When ready to serve, invert the pan onto a serving platter and peel back the plastic wrap. Dust with additional cocoa powder or grated chocolate if desired and serve slices.

Champagne and Strawberries Cake

6 Comments / Cakes

I recently saw this quote on Instagram that said “Women don’t want flowers for Valentine’s Day. They want sushi, a fun face mask, control over the tv, and for someone else to put the kids to bed. It’s me. I’m women.” I laughed, because, in a way, it’s totally true.

Most of the women I know (particularly Moms) do in fact want to be on the receiving end of thoughtfulness and recognition on Valentine’s Day, but most of us are starved for things much more valuable (but less expensive!) than a few dozen roses. We want our favorite meal, some personal space, and the ability to do exactly what we want to do when we want to do it. We want to watch our favorite show without flipping back to “the game” or without someone asking them to get them a cup of water. For those of us whose lives are run by school schedules and bedtimes, ever at the mercy of someone else’s fever or teething pain, we just want ~~a day~~ a few minutes that are exclusively ours to do exactly as we please.

Oh, and flowers. We also want flowers. Is this too much to ask?

Because it’s been a while since we did a “favorites” round-up on this site, I thought I’d share a few things that I’ve been loving lately. It’s definitely too late to pass on as a last-minute hint to your special someone, but there’s no time like the present to treat yourself. Take a look at some of my current faves, and who knows! Maybe they’ll be one of your faves soon too!

A Few Favorites:

“Cravings: Hungry for More.”

First up is Chrissy Teigan’s second cookbook. Is the book a few years old already? Yep. But is it currently $12 on Amazon and worth all that and then some? Absolutely. This cookbook is one of my favorites time and time again. Not only is she hysterical, but the food is delicious and rarely that difficult. If you’re a home cook with a hankering for American meets Thai food, this will be your jam.

Tata Harper Skincare.

Does anyone else’s skin freak out in the winter? (Cue everyone raising their hands.) Yep, me too. I’ve been totally digging Tata Harper skincare lately, and because they just started selling discovery kits, you can try it out too! Tata’s products are clean with better-for-you and natural ingredients that actually work. I’m obsessed.

Tonic and Rye Cocktails.

At our most recent trip to Blackberry Farm, my favorite cocktail was their tonic and rye, a citrusy and refreshing spin on this winter bourbon drink. I’ve made an embarrassing amount of these at home since finding the recipe online, and now you can too!

Fun Mom Hat.

Anyone else love that scene in “Mean Girls” where Regina George’s mom says, “I’m not a regular mom. I’m a cool mom!” Well, this hat feels like the updated version of that. My kids can barely read, but you can bet they know what this hat reads because, well… I’ve reminded them like a million times. This hat is comfortable and comes in all sorts of colors too!

Lake PJs.

At the end of last year, I did the very adult thing of investing in pajama sets. Truly, the only person I know that wears matching pjs all the time is my Nana (and she happens to be the coolest!), so I’m considering this a very stylish and put together decision. I love all the Lake pajamas for their thick and soft cotton, and this newest floral print is adorable.

Williams-Sonoma Goldtouch Pro Pans.

Goldtouch pans from WS were one of the first things on my wedding registry, and I’ve been loving them ever since. That is, until now, because now there’s goldtouch PRO, and obviously I need that in my life. I whole-heartedly recommend these (Especially their half-sheet, quarter sheet, cooling racks, and muffin tins!) for all things baking!

Champagne and Strawberries Cake

So true, you may not get any of the above favorites in time for Valentine’s Day, but I do have one additional happy for you today: champagne and strawberries cake! It’s pink, lightly sweetened, and even mini in size for our stay-at-home 2021 Valentine weirdness, and the flavoring feels just right for February 14th, doesn’t it? Champagne and strawberries always feels like a romantic and festive combo in my mind, and in this cake, it works like a dream. Here, champagne-scented cake layers are baked soft and fluffy into two 6″ layers. A champagne simple syrup is added later for extra flavor and moisture.

The frosting here, though, really is the star. Fresh strawberries and pureed, cooked down, and combined with a smidge of powdered sugar and butter. The end-product American buttercream truly tastes like strawberry ice cream, and that is in no way disappointing. The cake layers come together with a thick slather of buttercream, and then you’re free to decorate as desired!

To add words to this champagne and strawberries cake, I printed a text template in a word document that was sized to fit on the 6″ cake. After chilling the cake thoroughly, I gently centered the paper on the cake and used a toothpick to lightly trace the text, indenting in through to the cake. I went back over my light trace with the toothpick a second time and then piped the text on using a number 5 piping tip. Voila! My piping skills are not great, so I was thrilled to figure out a way to get some pretty writing on this pretty little cake.

Happy Friday and happy Valentine’s Day to you! I hope you get EXACTLY what you want this Sunday, and moreso than that, I hope you feel really loved by someone special in your life- a spouse, a child, a friend, a parent, whoever. Enjoy this champagne and strawberries cake and HAPPY BAKING!

If you like this champagne and strawberries cake you should try:

Raspberry Champagne Pop-Tarts
Champagne Elderflower Cupcakes
Champagne Popsicles
Strawberry Rhubarb Cake

Champagne and Strawberries Cake

Print Recipe

★★★★★

4.3 from 3 reviews

This champagne and strawberries cake features fluffy champagne cake layers, a champagne syrup soak, and a real strawberry American buttercream!

Author: Kate Wood
Prep Time: 30
Cook Time: 30
Total Time: 120
Yield: 4-6 servings
Category: Dessert

Ingredients

For the cake:

2 large eggs, at room temperature
¾ cup (150 gm) granulated sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
½ cup (120 gm) vegetable oil
1–1/2 cups (190 gm) cake flour
1–1/4 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
½ cup (120 gm) champagne or sparkling wine

For the buttercream:

1–1/2 cups (200 gm) fresh strawberries, hulled and halved
1 cup (230 gm) unsalted butter, at room temperature
4 cups powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Pinch of salt

For the syrup:

1 cup (240 gm) champagne or sparkling wine
¼ cup (50 gm) granulated sugar

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Instructions

To make the cake:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and lightly grease 2- 6” pans. Line the bottom with a round of parchment paper.
In a large bowl or the bowl of the stand mixer, beat to combine the eggs, sugar, and vanilla on medium speed for one minute. Add in the oil and beat to combine again. Add in half of the flour as well as the baking powder and salt. Stir on low to combine and add in half of the champagne. Stir and repeat this process with the remaining flour and champagne. Scrape the sides of the bowl and stir in any unincorporated bits. Divide the batter between the two pans and then bake in the preheated oven for about 25 minutes, or just until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Remove from oven and set aside to cool completely. In the meantime, prep the buttercream and syrup.

To make the buttercream:

Use a blender or food processor to puree the berries. Add them to a small saucepan and cook down on low heat, stirring regularly, until halved down to ¼ cup total mixture. Set aside in a heat-safe container to cool in the fridge. When ready to frost the cake, cream the butter in a stand mixer set to medium speed for 4 minutes until pale. Add the powdered sugar, ¼ cup of the strawberry mixture, the vanilla, and salt. Stir to combine. Add in water, milk or cream 1 tablespoon at a time to get the mixture to the appropriate consistency.

To make the syrup:

Bring the champagne to a boil in small saucepan, reduce heat to low, add in the sugar, and cook for an additional 5 minutes to dissolve the sugar. Set aside in a heat-safe container to cool completely. You won’t use all the syrup.

To assemble the cake:

Trim the domes off of the cakes using a serrated knife. Use a pastry brush to paint the cake tops with the cooled syrup. Spoon a bit of frosting onto a 6” cake board or plate and place your first cake layer on the center. Spread a thick layer of frosting on top of this first layer and place the second layer on top. Spread the frosting all over and decorate as desired. Cake is best eaten within two days of making and should be stored covered at room temperature.

Brown Butter Cake with Candied Pecans

4 Comments / Cakes

It’s here! It’s the most wonderful time of the year! I don’t know about you, but I fall into the camp of people who really like Christmas- the lights, the music, and the wonder of it all has always captivated me in a special way, and even though things are different this year, the feeling remains the same. COVID can’t rain on this parade, and we’re going to kick off the festivities with a seriously yummy treat: brown butter cake with candied pecans.

I know- this site has been pecan-heavy this year. We’ve made cookies and tarts and loads of other sweets, but you can’t blame me- pecans reign supreme here in the South. Today’s recipe is a small, 6″ naked layer cake made with brown sugar layers, a brown butter buttercream, and sugared pecans throughout. Here, we have all the cuteness and festivity of a layer cake packaged in a smaller, more manageable-for-a-few-sized dessert. Let me tell you how to make it!

Making the Cake

First, we start with the cake. Butter, oil, and two kinds of sugar are creamed together in a stand mixer until light and fluffy. Eggs and vanilla come next, followed by the dry ingredients. Bake the batter in three 6″ pans and then set aside to cool. In the meantime, you can get started on the pecans! A little butter is melted down and stirred together with Diamond of California Pecans Halves. Toss in some cinnamon and sugar and bake in the preheated oven until toasted. Allow to cool and just try not to eat them all in the meantime. Finally, with a little brown butter we whip up a frosting with powdered sugar, salt, and vanilla. Voila!

To stack this cake, I used a piping bag outfitted with a large round tip. Squeeze rounds of buttercream all over the tops of each layer as your stack the cake, being sure to scatter in some of the chopped candied pecans as you go. If you’re like me and want a little extra frosting, you can frost this cake as you normally would. Decorate the top with extra pecans and save any leftovers for sharing with friends and family in the coming weeks.

Many thanks to my friends at Diamond of California for sponsoring this post! They have long been my go-to brand for all things nuts, and this cake is no exception. Be sure to search “diamond” in the search tab of my site to see other recipes made with their yummy products over the years! Happy December and Happy baking, y’all!

If you like this brown butter cake you should try:

Cinnamon Sugar Cake
Bourbon Caramel Cake
Brown Butter Balsamic Caramel Cake
Brown Sugar Pound Cake

Brown Butter Cake with Candied Pecans

Print Recipe

★★★★

4 from 1 reviews

This brown butter cake has simple fluffy layers with a brown butter whipped buttercream and candied cinnamon sugar pecans throughout!

Author: Kate Wood
Prep Time: 45
Cook Time: 45
Total Time: 120
Yield: 7-8 servings
Category: Dessert

Ingredients

For the cake:

½ cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
¼ cup canola oil
½ cup sugar
¼ cup brown sugar, packed
1 large egg, at room temperature
1 large egg yolk, at room temperature
1–3/4 cups cake flour
½ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
3/4 cup milk, at room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the candied pecans:

2–1/2 tablespoons sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups Diamond of California Pecan Halves

For the buttercream:

1–1/2 cups unsalted butter, divided
4 cups powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ teaspoon salt
½ tablespoon milk or heavy cream

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Instructions

To prepare the cake:

Preheat the oven to 350. Lightly grease three 6” round pans and cut out parchment paper rounds to fit into the bottom of them. Set aside.
In a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, cream together the butter, canola oil, sugar, and brown sugar until smooth, about a minute and a half. Add the egg and yolk and stir until combined. Scrape the sides of the bowl and stir in any unincorporated bits. Add half of the cake flour, the baking powder, baking soda, and salt and stir on low to combine. Add ¼ cup of the milk as well as and vanilla. Stir on low. Add the remaining cake flour and milk and stir on low just until combined. Fold in any unincorporated bits. Divide the batter evenly into the prepared pans and bake in the middle of the oven for about 22-25 minutes or until the cake has puffed, turned golden, and a toothpick inserted just barely comes out clean. Don’t overbake! Set aside to cool completely.

To prepare the pecans:

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees Farenheit. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with foil and lightly grease with cooking spray. Set aside.
In a small bowl, combine the sugar, salt, and cinnamon. In a separate bowl, stir together the butter and vanilla and then toss in the pecans. Add the sugar mixture and toss to evenly coat the nuts. Spread the nuts out on the baking pan and bake for about 20 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes. Once dry and aromatic, remove from the oven and allow to cool completely. Store in an airtight container until ready to serve.

To prepare the buttercream:

In a small saucepan, dice ½ cup (4 ounces) of the butter and place on medium-low heat. Allow the butter to melt, sizzle, and begin to foam, stirring regularly all the way. Once the butter begins to bubble, stay next to the pan, stirring all the while, and watch as the buttercream turns pale golden to a fragrant amber-colored mixture. Remove from heat, being sure not to burn the butter, and place in a heat-safe bowl to cool to room temperature. Once cooled, add the brown butter to the bowl of a stand mixer and add in the remaining butter. Cream on medium speed until smooth, about one minute. Add the powdered sugar, vanilla, and salt and stir to combine. Add the cream and whip for 1 minute to fluff up.

To assemble the cake:

Use a serrated knife to trim the domed top off of the cakes. Chop about ¾ cup of the pecans. Add the frosting to a large piping bag fitted with a large round tip. Pipe rounds of frosting all over the top of the first cake and sprinkle pecans on top. Repeat this process with the remaining two layers, stacking the cake as you go. Serve and enjoy!

Brown Butter Balsamic Caramel Cake

3 Comments / Cakes

Happy Friday!! I didn’t plan on sharing this cake recipe today, but as luck would have it, it’s ready! Hooray! I’ll keep it short and simple and get right to the main event: brown butter balsamic caramel cake.

I know what you’re thinking: balsamic caramel? I get it, so hear me out. About a year ago, we did a how-to on caramel here. We walked through the ins and outs of how to make it and since that time, we’ve flavored caramels with all sorts of stuff- coffee, peanut butter, maple syrup, and more! But today, we’re venturing into new and exciting territory, going where no man (or woman!) has gone before on this site: balsamic caramel. With the addition of a smidge of high-quality balsamic vinegar, we can ever-so-slightly modify the taste and scent of ordinary caramel, taking it from something yummy and sweet to a filling that is intoxicating, interesting, and down-right sophisticated. Combine that with brown butter cake layers and buttercream and you have yourself a winner. Lt’s talk about how to make it.

Making the Cake

The cake layers are straight-forward. We start by browning butter in a pan (more on that here!), cooling it, and whipping it into a cake batter. The cakes bake up into thick, 9″ wide layers, and are allowed to cool. In the meantime, we can work on the caramel. Butter and brown sugar melt down and cook in a pan until thick and golden. Carefully stir in some heavy cream, salt, and that smidge of balsamic for flavor and allow it to cool completely in the fridge. Once it’s room temperature, we can make the buttercream and begin the assembly!

Trim off any domed tops from the cakes and spread a smooth layer of buttercream on top of the first layer. In order to put some caramel within the cake, we’ll need to pipe a dam around the perimeter (more on that here!) and pour in some of the cooled caramel. Place the second layer on top and decorate as desired with any remaining frosting. I opted to top the cake with extra caramel and some toasted hazelnuts, but this is all totally up to you! Either way, this brown butter balsamic caramel cake came out looking though, don’t you?

I know next week will be all about pumpkins, pies, turkey dinners, so for now, let’s just give thanks for this beauty of a cake. I’ve got another yummy recipe in store for y’all next week, even amidst all the holiday excitement! If you get to make this cake, let me know what you think in the comments below! Happy Friday and Happy Baking!

If you like this brown butter balsamic caramel cake you should make:

Bourbon Caramel Cake
Molten Caramel Chocolate Cakes
Chocolate Caramel Crumble Cake
Cinnamon Sugar Cake

Brown Butter Balsamic Caramel Cake

Print Recipe

This two layer cake has fluffy brown butter layers, a balsamic vinegar caramel filling, and a simple American buttercream flavored with that same tangy caramel!

Author: Kate Wood
Prep Time: 45
Cook Time: 30
Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
Yield: 9 Servings
Category: Dessert

Ingredients

For the cake layers:

1–½ cup unsalted butter
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
3 large eggs, at room temperature
2–3/4 cups cake flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup milk, at room temperature
¼ cup white vinegar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

For the caramel:

½ cup unsalted butter
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup heavy cream
¼ cup balsamic vinegar (or more, according to your taste)
3/4 teaspoon salt

For the buttercream:

1–1/2 cups unsalted butter
2/3 cups prepared caramel
2–1/2 cups powdered sugar

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Instructions

To prepare the cake, cube the butter and place it in a medium, light-colored, heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium low heat. Stir regularly to allow the butter to melt evenly. It will begin to sizzle, foam, and then brown. Continue stirring and scraping the sides of the pan as the butter browns and remove to a heat-safe bowl when the butter has golden flecks throughout and the pan smells fragrant. Allow to cool completely to soft, room temperature. I prefer to speed this process up in the fridge.
When ready to bake the cake, ensure that your butter is room temperature and preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease two 9” pans with baking spray and cut out rounds of parchment paper to fit directly into the bottom of each pan. Cream the butter, sugar, and brown sugar in a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer on medium speed for 4 minutes. The mixture will be light and fluffy. Scrape the sides of the bowl and add the eggs one at a time, stirring after each addition. Add half of the flour, the powder, soda, and salt. Sitr on low to combine. Combine the milk, vinegar, and vanilla and add half of that mixture. Stir on low and scrape the sides of the bowl. Add the remaining dry ingredients followed by the remaining wet and use a rubber spatula to fold in any unincorporated bits. Do not over mix. Divide the batter between the two pans and bake until a toothpick inserted comes out clean, about 35 minutes. Bake time differs from oven to oven. Remove from oven when done and allow to cool completely.
In the meantime, prepare the caramel. In a medium, heavy-bottomed pan, combine the butter and brown sugar and stir regularly until the mixture has melted. Bring to a rolling boil and use a rubber spatula to barely stir the caramel on the edges of the pan toward the middle. Cook for 4 minutes. Remove from heat and carefully stir in the remaining ingredients. Transfer to a heat-safe container and allow to cool completely.
When ready to frost the cake, cream the butter for the buttercream on medium speed for 3 minutes. Add the caramel and powdered sugar and whip for an additional minute. Scrape the sides of the bowl and mix again to incorporate.
Use a serrated knife to level the cakes and place a schmear of buttercream on a prepared cake board or plate. Place the first layer on top and smooth a large plop of buttercream on this first cake. Place a cup of the buttercream in a piping bag or Ziploc and snip the end off to make a ½” sided opening. Pipe a dam around the perimeter of the top of the cake and spoon some of the remaining caramel inside. Place the second cake layer on top and lightly press down to seal it to the bottom cake. Be sure no caramel smushes out. Finish icing with the remaining buttercream and decorate as desired! I used toasted hazelnuts and extra caramel! Enjoy!