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Mini Layer Cakes

Mini Layer Cakes by Wood and Spoon blog. These are tiny three layer pastel cakes perfect for parties, spring holidays, and Mother's Day. The small vanilla cakes are baked in a sheet pan and then frosted together with a simple American buttercream. The cakes are colored in pale easter colors and served as individual desserts. Perfect mini cake for two. Find the recipe and how to on thewoodandspoon.com by Kate Wood

What do Anna Kendrick, Bruno Mars, and my three kids have in common with today’s recipe? They’re tiny and straight-up ADORABLE. If I’ve said it once, I’ve said it a thousand times: fancy pants desserts like these mini layer cakes are my favorite. With soft pastel colors and a pint-sized stature, these little vanilla cakes are a happy treat to share with others. No, this isn’t the most social time of our lives (given the worldwide circumstances), but I’ve never known a time where people need love a little more. Maybe love them via cake?

Mini Layer Cakes by Wood and Spoon blog. These are tiny three layer pastel cakes perfect for parties, spring holidays, and Mother's Day. The small vanilla cakes are baked in a sheet pan and then frosted together with a simple American buttercream. The cakes are colored in pale easter colors and served as individual desserts. Perfect mini cake for two. Find the recipe and how to on thewoodandspoon.com by Kate Wood

I’ve been wanting to create a tutorial for simple mini layer cakes on this site for a while. I’ve hesitated because I really didn’t want to provide some set of instructions that required you to buy a ton of mini cake pans, cake rings, or other unnecessary equipment. I finally tooled around with a sheet pan cake and found that the layers, when trimmed out with a cookie cutter and briefly frozen prior to frosting, are actually pretty decent to work with. These mini layer cakes aren’t insanely easy to make, but with a smidge of patience you can totally do this. Scout’s Honor.

Mini Layer Cakes by Wood and Spoon blog. These are tiny three layer pastel cakes perfect for parties, spring holidays, and Mother's Day. The small vanilla cakes are baked in a sheet pan and then frosted together with a simple American buttercream. The cakes are colored in pale easter colors and served as individual desserts. Perfect mini cake for two. Find the recipe and how to on thewoodandspoon.com by Kate Wood

Making the Mini Cakes

To make these mini layer cakes, we first bake up a fluffy vanilla cake in a rimmed half sheet pan. This recipe is relies on whipped egg whites for its fluff, but you do need to take care not to overbake it. White cakes are prone to drying out, so bake only until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Once the cakes have cooled, use a 2″ round cookie cutter (I like this one!) to trim out cake circles. You want to cut out your circles pretty close together; if done correctly, you should end up with enough to make about 7 and a half-ish cakes. I was happy to have an extra layer in case one didn’t come out super clean, but you can feel free to eat those extra layers yourself. No shame. Place the cake layers on a clean sheet pan lined with parchment and freeze briefly so the cakes can firm up. This makes them easier to frost.

Mini Layer Cakes by Wood and Spoon blog. These are tiny three layer pastel cakes perfect for parties, spring holidays, and Mother's Day. The small vanilla cakes are baked in a sheet pan and then frosted together with a simple American buttercream. The cakes are colored in pale easter colors and served as individual desserts. Perfect mini cake for two. Find the recipe and how to on thewoodandspoon.com by Kate Wood

Mini Layer Cakes by Wood and Spoon blog. These are tiny three layer pastel cakes perfect for parties, spring holidays, and Mother's Day. The small vanilla cakes are baked in a sheet pan and then frosted together with a simple American buttercream. The cakes are colored in pale easter colors and served as individual desserts. Perfect mini cake for two. Find the recipe and how to on thewoodandspoon.com by Kate Wood

Frosting the Cakes

The frosting is a simple American buttercream. You can reference my recent post on stacking layer cakes for a little help here. I opted to frost the cakes entirely, but if you wanted an easier option and were planning to serve them quickly, you could also pipe the frosting onto the cakes for a naked look! Click here for a cute example I found on the internet. Truly, do whatever feels right here and just make something that goes with your vibe.

Mini Layer Cakes by Wood and Spoon blog. These are tiny three layer pastel cakes perfect for parties, spring holidays, and Mother's Day. The small vanilla cakes are baked in a sheet pan and then frosted together with a simple American buttercream. The cakes are colored in pale easter colors and served as individual desserts. Perfect mini cake for two. Find the recipe and how to on thewoodandspoon.com by Kate Wood

I opted for pastel hues on my mini layer cakes, and you can find some info on the colors I used in my recipe. As always, I opted for Americolor food gels, but use whatever you have on hand. Keep in mind that food coloring can often change the texture of your frosting, so be sure not to use too much. For decoration, I smeared a bit of white buttercream on top and garnished with assorted white and clear sprinkles. Again, this is dealer’s choice. Fresh flowers, fruit, or confetti is super pretty too.

Mini Layer Cakes by Wood and Spoon blog. These are tiny three layer pastel cakes perfect for parties, spring holidays, and Mother's Day. The small vanilla cakes are baked in a sheet pan and then frosted together with a simple American buttercream. The cakes are colored in pale easter colors and served as individual desserts. Perfect mini cake for two. Find the recipe and how to on thewoodandspoon.com by Kate Wood

It feels odd to be sharing recipes for cake with you at a time like this, but I also simple sources of pleasure and joy should be indulged in, especially now. If you’re homebound and looking for a fun project, this could be just the ticket. Give the recipe a try, pop the cakes into the mailboxes of people you love, and be apart of your own personal delicious little love movement. Y’all take care and happy baking.

Mini Layer Cakes by Wood and Spoon blog. These are tiny three layer pastel cakes perfect for parties, spring holidays, and Mother's Day. The small vanilla cakes are baked in a sheet pan and then frosted together with a simple American buttercream. The cakes are colored in pale easter colors and served as individual desserts. Perfect mini cake for two. Find the recipe and how to on thewoodandspoon.com by Kate Wood

If you like these mini layer cakes you should check out:

Mini Victoria Cakes
Mini Strawberry Galettes
Smash Cake Tutorial
Funfetti Cake

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Mini Layer Cakes

These mini layer cakes are cute and delicious treats for gifting or sharing with a few! Check out the tutorial here!

  • Author: Kate Wood
  • Prep Time: 60
  • Cook Time: 30
  • Total Time: 120
  • Yield: 7
  • Category: Dessert

Ingredients

For the cake:

 

  • ¾ cup (170 gm) egg whites (I use ones directly from the carton), at room temp
  • 1 cup (230 gm) unsalted butter, at room temp
  • 11/2 cups (300 gm) sugar
  • 3 cups plus one tablespoon (400 gm) cake flour
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup (240 gm) milk
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla

For the frosting (Recipe makes a bit of extra frosting, but this will be sufficient for getting to decorate the tops!)

  • 11/2 cups (340 gm) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
  • 6 cups powdered sugar
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • Milk or water to thin the frosting

Instructions

To prepare the cake:

  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and prep a rimmed half sheet pan (18”x13”) by lining it with a sheet of parchment paper and lightly greasing the sides.
  2. In the clean bowl of a stand mixer or a large mixing bowl, beat the egg whites on medium-high speed until stiff peaks form. Set aside in another bowl while you continue prepping the cake.
  3. In the same stand mixer bowl you whipped the egg whites in, cream the butter and sugar for 2 minutes. Scrape the sides of the bowl. Combine 3 cups of the flour, baking powder, and salt and add half of this mixture to the butter mixture. Stir on low to almost combine and then add half of the milk and the vanilla. Stir to combine and then add the remaining half of the dry ingredients followed by the remaining half of the milk. Use a rubber spatula to gently fold in the egg whites being careful not to overwork the batter. Smooth the batter into your prepared pan and bake until a toothpick inserted comes out clean, about 19-20 minutes. Be careful to not overbake! The top will be golden and set when the cake is done. Set aside to cool completely- you can expedite this process by popping it in the freezer after cooling on the counter for a bit. Once cool, use a 2” round biscuit or cookie cutter to trim out circles of cake. You should be able to get about 23 circles out of the sheet cake which will make 7 cakes plus 2 extra layers for backup. Feel free to pop the layers on a clean baking sheet lined with parchment paper and freeze briefly while you make the frosting. This will make assembly a little easier.
  4. To prepare the frosting, whip the butter on medium speed using the paddle attachment on your mixer. Continue for about 3 minutes, scraping the bowl as necessary, until pale and smooth. Add half of the sugar and stir to combine. Add the remaining sugar, the vanilla, and a couple of tablespoons of milk or water to help it all come together. Stir and add water or milk a tablespoon at a time until the frosting is smooth. Consistency is important here- make sure the frosting isn’t so stiff that it will pull on and rip the cake layers while assembling, but it also needs to be thick enough so that it won’t just squish out the sides. A good consistency frosting will plop off your rubber spatula but will chill to firm. Pop it in the fridge if it gets too warm.

 

To assemble the cakes:

  1. Each mini cake will have 3 layers. Mix up your colors as you please. For the colors pictures here, I used Americolor Food Gels. The pinkish one is a 3 parts red, 2 parts blue, and ½ part brown. I recommend adding the color a tiny bit at a time to make sure you don’t mix a color you’re not fond of! The blueish greenish cake is 3 parts blue with ½ part brown. The orange-ish cake is 3 parts deep pink with ½ part brown.
  2. When ready to assemble, smear a little frosting on your cake board or serving plate and stack the first layer. Add about 2 tablespoons of frosting on top and use an offset spatula to smooth. Stack a second cake layer and repeat this process twice to finish with a third cake layer. Spread a thin crumb coat of frosting on the cake and pop it into the fridge or freezer to set up. I placed a cooling rack with a sheet of parchment on it in my freezer so that I could quickly chill the cakes while I was making them. I found keeping the cakes cold while assembling helped make the process simple.
  3. Once your crumb coat has set up, finish frosting the cake with the remaining frosting and decorate as desired! For my cakes, I use a round dollop of white frosting that I smudged with the end of my offset spatula. White large and small nonpareils and clear sprinkles finished them up! Share with someone you love and enjoy!

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Lemon Lavender Icebox Cake

Lemon Lavender Icebox Cake by Wood and Spoon. This is a lemon layer cake frozen with lavender whipped cream and a raspberry preserve filling. The cake can be made ahead of time in advance and serves a crowd. Perfect springtime treat for easter dessert or mothers day. This cake can be made rectangle or square or round and is way more simple that is looks! Get the how to on infusing lavender into food and makes a soft and fluffy citrus cake. Recipe by Kate wood thewoodandspoon.com

Happy Sunday, Friends! I hope this weekend has been full of joy and love and rest for you. We did a lot of the opposite this weekend, as we partook in the madness that is March college basketball. My husband (an Auburn fan) and myself (a UK fan) will have to duke it out later this afternoon as our teams play each other in the Elite Eight match, so pray for us. For your lazy-day entertainment, I’ve rounded up a list of things I’ve been reading, eating, and shopping for,  plus I’m sharing the how-to on this seriously adorable lemon lavender icebox cake. Grab a fork and let’s dive in!

Lemon Lavender Icebox Cake by Wood and Spoon. This is a lemon layer cake frozen with lavender whipped cream and a raspberry preserve filling. The cake can be made ahead of time in advance and serves a crowd. Perfect springtime treat for easter dessert or mothers day. This cake can be made rectangle or square or round and is way more simple that is looks! Get the how to on infusing lavender into food and makes a soft and fluffy citrus cake. Recipe by Kate wood thewoodandspoon.com

What I’m Reading:

  • I relate to this article on “crispy-gone-soggy” foods (think soggy nachos, leftover General Tso’s carryout, etc) on so many levels. It’s an opinion piece from Bon Appetit that is entirely funny and delicious on so many levels. Check it out for a casual laugh and stomach rumble.
  • Food52’s annual cookbook tournament  has just wound down, and I am so thrilled to pick up copies of the winning books. Basically they’ve picked some of the most eye-catching cookbooks from the year go head-to-head in a bracket-style throw down. The judges are mostly renowned chefs who whittle the list of best cookbooks down from 16 to 1. Read about the finalists (and the winner!) here.
  • I’m just wrapping up “Everybody, Always” by Bob Goff. It’s a heartwarming, inspiring, and, at times, difficult read, but there’s so much truth in it that I love it. Loving people can be really hard, but Bob breaks this lifelong pursuit down to just loving the person in front of you, one day at a time. Such a good read.

Lemon Lavender Icebox Cake by Wood and Spoon. This is a lemon layer cake frozen with lavender whipped cream and a raspberry preserve filling. The cake can be made ahead of time in advance and serves a crowd. Perfect springtime treat for easter dessert or mothers day. This cake can be made rectangle or square or round and is way more simple that is looks! Get the how to on infusing lavender into food and makes a soft and fluffy citrus cake. Recipe by Kate wood thewoodandspoon.com

What I’m Eating:

  • With warmer weather and bathing suit season on the horizon, we’ve been trying to include lots of salads and veggies in the dinnertime lineup. This bulgur salad with cucumbers, dill, chickpeas, and peppers is anything but basic, and it’s probably my favorite dish I’ve prepared in months. Serve with grilled chicken or fish if you’re cooking for a meatatarian, otherwise, this salad needs no other sidekick.
  • Ok, so I must not be really concerned about that summer body, because we’re still totally making burgers. These ones are smashed thin like the ones you might get at a greasy diner, and they are outrageous delicious. We top ours with grilled red onion and serve with skillet hash browns. My mouth is actually watering.
  • I love how easily a pork tenderloin will serve my family of four, but I’m always getting stuck in the savory herb-crusted rut. This recipe from Tyler Florence boasts a chimichurri sauce that is to die for and makes the whole dish feel fresh and exciting. Serve with rice, beans, and grilled veggies.

Lemon Lavender Icebox Cake by Wood and Spoon. This is a lemon layer cake frozen with lavender whipped cream and a raspberry preserve filling. The cake can be made ahead of time in advance and serves a crowd. Perfect springtime treat for easter dessert or mothers day. This cake can be made rectangle or square or round and is way more simple that is looks! Get the how to on infusing lavender into food and makes a soft and fluffy citrus cake. Recipe by Kate wood thewoodandspoon.com

What I’m Shopping For:

  • The Madewell spring collection has me longing for non-maternity wear. The bright colors, flowy materials, and simple retro patterns are 100% my ballgame.
  • I just ordered this bathing suit coverup both for now and post-baby. When I’m chasing after two kiddos at the pool, I don’t want to worry what is falling out of the backside of my suit, and this coverup is the light and airy ticket I’ve been looking for. Plus, the side tie means that I can wear it as my body transitions in the coming months!
  • The springy dishes and serveware at Sur La Table have me itching to throw a garden party. I’m dying over the new cast iron colors and floral china. Check it out here.

Lemon Lavender Icebox Cake by Wood and Spoon. This is a lemon layer cake frozen with lavender whipped cream and a raspberry preserve filling. The cake can be made ahead of time in advance and serves a crowd. Perfect springtime treat for easter dessert or mothers day. This cake can be made rectangle or square or round and is way more simple that is looks! Get the how to on infusing lavender into food and makes a soft and fluffy citrus cake. Recipe by Kate wood thewoodandspoon.com

What I’m Baking:

Lemon lavender icebox cake. Isn’t she a beaut? I love how dainty and fancy this sweet make-ahead dessert feels, and I love the ease with which I’m able to prepare it. Made with a fluffy and citrusy lemon cake, a lavender-infused whipped filling, and sweet raspberry preserves, this cake is the springy layered treat your tables have been begging for.

I made this lemon lavender icebox cake in partnership with my friends at Kerrygold. Their unsalted butter keeps the lemon cake moist  in spite of the cake’s time spent in the icebox, and it adds a subtle richness to every bite. I love having a go-to butter brand to suit my favorite decadent desserts, and this little freezer-friendly cake is no exception.

Making the Icebox Cake

To make this lemon lavender icebox cake, we start by baking the cake. This cake whips up easily with butter, sugar, eggs, and the usual suspect dry ingredients. The juice of the lemons adds tang and acidity to this cake while the zest adds a fragrant, lemony taste to every bite. We bake the batter in a half sheet pan and allow it to cool completely before we throw it all together.

The filling for this lemon lavender cake is basically a bulked-up whipped cream. We add in a little cream cheese to the mixture to stabilize the airy whipped cream which gets its flavor from an infusion of dried lavender. I purchased a small bag of dried culinary lavender on Amazon, but some of you big city folks may be able to find it in your grocery stores.

Lemon Lavender Icebox Cake by Wood and Spoon. This is a lemon layer cake frozen with lavender whipped cream and a raspberry preserve filling. The cake can be made ahead of time in advance and serves a crowd. Perfect springtime treat for easter dessert or mothers day. This cake can be made rectangle or square or round and is way more simple that is looks! Get the how to on infusing lavender into food and makes a soft and fluffy citrus cake. Recipe by Kate wood thewoodandspoon.com

Assembling the Cake

To assemble this lemon lavender cake, we invert the cooled cake out of the pan and cut it into three equal-sized rectangles. I use a big ruler for precision, but you can wing it if that’s more your speed. Spread a thin layer of prepared raspberry preserves all over each piece of cake and then begin stacking! Place your first piece of raspberry-coated cake on a small, freezer friendly platter. Dollop 1/3 of the infused whipped cream on top and gently spread to a flat layer. Stack a second piece of cake and repeat this process again.

Take care to spread the whipped cream as flat and evenly as possible to maintain a more stable cake. Some of the whipped cream may barely squish out the sides of the cake as you stack it, but don’t worry. Just be careful to not press down hard on the cake and remember it will all firm up in the freezer.

Leave the lemon lavender icebox cake in the freezer overnight, and, once frozen, feel free to trim up the edges to form neat rectangle slices. I cut 1/2″ pieces for serving, but you could also cut squares or wedges if you please! Just be sure to show off all those fancy layers, because, DANG, they are beautiful.

Many thanks to Kerrygold for sponsoring this delightful spring treat. It’s an honor to partner with a brand that I trust and adore so much, and I hope you all will welcome them to your kitchens as well. Enjoy this Sunday, enjoy some time spent baking, and GO CATS.

If you like this lemon lavender icebox cake you should check out:

Strawberry Icebox Pie

Peppermint Bark Icebox Cake

Lavender Vanilla Bean Sugar Cookies

Lemon Lavender Cookies

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Lemon Lavender Icebox Cake

This lemon lavender icebox cake is a chilled springtime treat with lemon cake layers, lavender whipped cream, and sweet raspberry preserves.

  • Author: Kate Wood
  • Prep Time: 30
  • Cook Time: 15
  • Total Time: 420
  • Yield: 12
  • Category: Dessert

Ingredients

For the cake:

  • 1 cup (230 gm) unsalted butter, at room temperature (I use Kerrygold)
  • 11/3 cups (265 gm) sugar
  • 3 large egg whites
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • ¾ cup (180 gm) milk
  • 3 tablespoons lemon juice
  • 11/2 tablespoons lemon zest
  • 2 cups (270 gm) all-purpose flour
  • ¼ teaspoon baking soda
  • 11/2 teaspoons baking powder
  • ¾ teaspoon salt

For the cream:

  • 2 cups heavy whipping cream
  • 2 tablespoons dried culinary lavender
  • 4 ounces (110 gm) regular cream cheese, at room temperature
  • 1/3 cup (65 gm) sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract
  • Lavender food coloring, if desired.
  • 1 cup raspberry preserves

Instructions

To prepare the cake:

  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and spray a half sheet pan (18″ x 13″ x 1″) with baking spray. Line the bottom with a rectangle of parchment paper and set aside.
  2. In a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, cream together the butter and sugar on medium speed until fluffy, about 2 minutes. Scrape the sides of the bowl and add the egg whites and vanilla and mix to combine. Scrape the sides of the bowl and add half of the milk plus the lemon juice and zest. Mix until combined and then add about half of the flour as well as the baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Scrape the sides of the bowl and add the remaining milk followed by the remaining flour. Mix on low only until combined and scrape the sides of the bowl. Fold in any unincorporated bits and spread the batter into the prepared pan. Bake in the oven for about 13 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Set aside to cool completely.

To prepare the cream:

  1. Combine the whipping cream and lavender in a bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Allow to rest in the fridge overnight or at least 6 hours. When ready to prepare the cream, cream the cream cheese and sugar on medium speed in a large bowl until combined, about 30 seconds. Slowly drizzle in the cream while the mixer is on low to incorporate. Add the vanilla extract and continue beating on medium speed until the mixture has thickened and stiff peaks form. Add a smidge of light purple or lavender food coloring if desired. Set in the fridge until ready to use.

To assemble the cake:

  1. Invert the cake out of the pan and cut along the long edge into three equal pieces. You’ll wind up with 3 rectangles of cake about 5-1/2” x 12-1//2” in size. Spread 1/3 of the preserves on each piece of cake in a thin even layer. Place on piece of the jammy cake on a serving dish and spread 1/3 of the lavender whipped cream on top. Smooth to flatten the whipped cream without overworking the cream and then top with another jammy piece of cake. Repeat this process once more finishing with the remaining layer of cake and lavender whipped cream on top. Place in the freezer to firm up the top quickly, about an hour, and then cover gently with plastic wrap and continue freezing for another 6 hours. You can clean up the edges of the cake by cutting through the frozen layers to even them up, if desired. Otherwise, slice ½” wedges for serving and top with fresh raspberries, if desired. I prefer to slice while frozen and then let the slices warm up slightly at room temp for about 10-15 minutes prior to serving. Otherwise, let the cake barely thaw at room temp for about 20-30 minutes prior to slicing and serving.

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Hummingbird Layer Cake

Hummingbird Layer Cake by Wood and Spoon Blog. This is a recipe for a traditional southern pecan, coconut, banana, and pineapple filled cake. The recipe comes from Katie Jacobs' new book So much to celebrate. A cream cheese frosting makes this stacked naked cake sweet and moist. Perfect for summer parties and celebrations. Find the recipe at thewoodandspoon.com

In my recent years of being educated into Southern culture, there are a few things I’ve learned to be true. I’ve learned that you will be called “Ma’am,” no matter how old you are. I’ve found that iced tea does not come unsweetened; chicken is best served fried. Finally, moreso than football, camouflage, or pickup trucks, Southerners are really serious about their family recipes.

Hummingbird Layer Cake by Wood and Spoon Blog. This is a recipe for a traditional southern pecan, coconut, banana, and pineapple filled cake. The recipe comes from Katie Jacobs' new book So much to celebrate. A cream cheese frosting makes this stacked naked cake sweet and moist. Perfect for summer parties and celebrations. Find the recipe at thewoodandspoon.com

During my first year of living in Selma, Alabama, I discovered a number of foods for the first time. Skillet cornbread, fried pork chops, and chocolate chess pie were all foods that I barely knew existed and had definitely had never tried. Of all the bites I tasted during those early months in the deep South, one treat that stands out head and shoulders above all others in my mind is hummingbird layer cake, a cinnamon, pecan, and coconut flavored cake kept moist with the addition of bananas, crushed pineapple, and a sweet cream cheese frosting. While the combination of those ingredients seemed kinda odd to me, I nevertheless tried the cake and immediately fell in love.

Hummingbird Layer Cake by Wood and Spoon Blog. This is a recipe for a traditional southern pecan, coconut, banana, and pineapple filled cake. The recipe comes from Katie Jacobs' new book So much to celebrate. A cream cheese frosting makes this stacked naked cake sweet and moist. Perfect for summer parties and celebrations. Find the recipe at thewoodandspoon.com

Hummingbird Cake

Northerners, I’ll be honest- you’re missing out if you’ve never tried hummingbird cake. In true Southern form, this cake is heavy, rich, and moist, but the bright fruity flavors combined with the warm scent of cinnamon keeps you coming back for more and more. It’s a comforting recipe that somehow tastes like home, and I am beyond ecstatic to share the recipe for this delightful cake with you today!

Hummingbird Layer Cake by Wood and Spoon Blog. This is a recipe for a traditional southern pecan, coconut, banana, and pineapple filled cake. The recipe comes from Katie Jacobs' new book So much to celebrate. A cream cheese frosting makes this stacked naked cake sweet and moist. Perfect for summer parties and celebrations. Find the recipe at thewoodandspoon.com

This recipe for hummingbird cake comes from a darling Southern book written by my friend Katie Jacobs. “So Much To Celebrate” is an entertaining how-to filled with recipes, party ideas, and more. Katie, a Nashville native, put her keen eye for style, color, and Southern flair to use in this book that is equally beautiful as it is inspiring. While a number of recipes caught my eye, it was the hummingbird layer cake that stole my heart.

Hummingbird Layer Cake by Wood and Spoon Blog. This is a recipe for a traditional southern pecan, coconut, banana, and pineapple filled cake. The recipe comes from Katie Jacobs' new book So much to celebrate. A cream cheese frosting makes this stacked naked cake sweet and moist. Perfect for summer parties and celebrations. Find the recipe at thewoodandspoon.com

Making the Cake

To make this hummingbird layer cake, we start by mixing the wet ingredients with the sugar until light and fluffy. Next, several mashed bananas, crushed pineapple, pecans, and coconut are added, followed by the dry ingredients and a healthy spoon of cinnamon. The cake gets baked in four separate pans until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.

Hummingbird Layer Cake by Wood and Spoon Blog. This is a recipe for a traditional southern pecan, coconut, banana, and pineapple filled cake. The recipe comes from Katie Jacobs' new book So much to celebrate. A cream cheese frosting makes this stacked naked cake sweet and moist. Perfect for summer parties and celebrations. Find the recipe at thewoodandspoon.com

The frosting for this hummingbird layer cake is ultra-rich but perfectly sweet. Butter and cream cheese are creamed together before powdered sugar and vanilla are whipped in. In true cream cheese frosting fashion, this icing is fairly loose, so to achieve clean edges, I refrigerated the cake throughout the icing process and tried not to fuss with it too much. As a garnish, I trimmed some fresh blooms, a sweet and feminine topping worthy of a Katie Jacobs cake. I think she would approve.

Hummingbird Layer Cake by Wood and Spoon Blog. This is a recipe for a traditional southern pecan, coconut, banana, and pineapple filled cake. The recipe comes from Katie Jacobs' new book So much to celebrate. A cream cheese frosting makes this stacked naked cake sweet and moist. Perfect for summer parties and celebrations. Find the recipe at thewoodandspoon.com

This hummingbird layer cake is out of this world, a delightful treat to enjoy all year round. If you’re looking for a gift idea for a lady in your life, check out her book at this link here! Katie represents Southern baking well, and I don’t think you’ll be disappointed. Happy baking!

Hummingbird Layer Cake by Wood and Spoon Blog. This is a recipe for a traditional southern pecan, coconut, banana, and pineapple filled cake. The recipe comes from Katie Jacobs' new book So much to celebrate. A cream cheese frosting makes this stacked naked cake sweet and moist. Perfect for summer parties and celebrations. Find the recipe at thewoodandspoon.com

If you like this hummingbird layer cake you should check out:

Hummingbird Muffins

Almond Coconut Cake

Banana Coconut Chocolate Cream Pie

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Hummingbird Layer Cake

This hummingbird cake is a Southern specialty from Katie Jacobs’ new book. Moist layers of cake made with cinnamon, banana, and crushed pineapple are filled with pecans and coconut, and the frosting is a rich and fluffy cream cheese icing.

  • Author: Katie Jacobs
  • Prep Time: 35
  • Cook Time: 35
  • Total Time: 90
  • Yield: 12

Ingredients

For the cake:

  • 3 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup vegetable oil
  • 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
  • 2 cups sugar
  • 3 large eggs
  • 2 cups mashed ripe banana (about 3 large)
  • 1 can (8 ounces) crushed pineapple, drained
  • 1 cup chopped pecans
  • 1 cup shredded coconut, unsweetened

For the frosting:

  • 1 pound (16 ounces) cream cheese, room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 11/2 cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into pieces, room temperature
  • 2 pounds confectioners’ sugar, sifted

Instructions

For the cake:

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour four 8-inch round cake pans.
  2. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt; set aside.
  3. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat oil, vanilla, and sugar until combined, about 2 minutes. Add eggs one at a time, incorporating each before adding the next. Beat at medium speed until mixture is pale yellow and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
  4. In a separate bowl, mix together banana, pineapple, pecans, and coconut. Add to egg mixture; stir until well combined. Add flour mixture; blend well.
  5. Divide batter between pans. Bake, rotating pans halfway through, until golden brown and a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean, 25 to 35 minutes.
  6. Transfer pans to a wire rack. Once cooled, invert cakes onto racks; reinvert, top side up. Cool completely. While cake is cooling, make frosting.

For the frosting:

  1. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat cream cheese and vanilla until light and creamy, about 2 minutes. With mixer on medium speed, gradually add butter, beating until incorporated. Reduce mixer speed to low. Gradually add sugar, beating until incorporated. Use immediately to frost and layer the cake.

Notes

  • This frosting is rich and fairly loose. To help keep your cake edges clean, refrigerate the cake throughout the icing process to help it set up.

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SOMETHING SWEET FOR YOU

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