Cinnamon Bun Cake

When you say "Birthday", I say "Cake"! No seriously. Any time someone says birthday I think of cake. And I feel like I'm not the only one out there am I right.

SO When I was given the opportunity recently to make not one BUT TWO cakes for a friend's birthday party I was like HECK YEAH! 

This is the story of the first cake. (Second cake coming soon!)

I was given the memo that said friend really really likes cinnamon buns and wanted a "cinnamon bun cake... what ever that is". It was my job to figure out "what ever that was" and turn cinnamon bun into cake form.

CHALLENGE ACCEPTED.

I thought about just making one big ass cinnamon bun.

But there is something about birthday parties and layer cakes that are just such a great combination... I could not resist!

The Cinnamon Bun Cake was born!

This is a dessert that has all the physical properties of a layer cake, but all the flavours of the classic breakfast treat. Cinnamon spiced vanilla cake, sandwiching a layer of cinnamon sugar filling, all coated in a cream cheese frosting. And decorated with lil' mini cinnamon buns. Cuz, CUTE!

If you like cinnamon buns, and you like cake, then this is a keeper for you! The birthday friend approved. As did the birthday party goers!

Cinnamon Bun Cake

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/2 cups cake flour

1 tbsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1 tbsp ground cinnamon

1 cup butter

1 3/4 cup sugar

4 eggs

2 tsp vanilla

1 1/4 cups milk

Preheat oven to 350F, butter two 8" round cake pans with butter, dust with flour and tap out excess flour.

Sift together both flours, baking powder, salt and cinnamon.

Cream together the butter and sugar until pale and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time beating until each is incorporated, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Beat in vanilla. Reduce speed to low. Add flour mixture in three batches alternating with the milk, beating until combined after each.

Divide the batter evenly between the two tins and give the tins a firm tap on the counter to let any air bubbles escape. Bake until a toothpick inserted comes out clean and tops are springy, about 30 minutes or so.

Let cakes cool for at least 10-15 minutes in the tins before removing them. Let them cool completely before filling/frosting them. At this point, you can wrap the cakes individually in plastic wrap and keep them in the freezer until you need them (up to one month). Fun fact! Frozen cakes are actually way easier to frost than room temperature ones.

Cinnamon-Sugar Filling

1/4 cup melted butter

2 tbsp brown sugar

1 tbsp cinnamon

Mix all ingredients together in a small bowl.

Cream Cheese Frosting

8 ounces cream cheese, softened to room temperature

2 ounces (1/4 cup) softened butter

4 cups sifted icing sugar

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Cream the cream cheese and the butter together. On low speed, gradually add the icing sugar and mix until fully incorporated. Mix in the vanilla extract. Beat on high for a few minutes to create a light and fluffy frosting. Like the cake, frosting can be made ahead of time and kept in the fridge for up to 3 days, or frozen for up to 1 month.

ASSEMBLY!

Place one cake layer onto desired serving platter or cake stand. Spread the top of this cake with the cinnamon-sugar filling. Spread a layer of the cream cheese frosting over top of this layer. Place the second cake layer on top. Spread a thin layer of cream cheese frosting over the top and sides of the cake, using an offset spatula to make it as even as possible. This is just the base layer of frosting, so it can be quite thin (called the "crumb-coat"). Place the cake in the fridge for about 30 minutes to let the crumb-coat firm up a bit. This will make it easier to frost later.

Take the cake out of the fridge and frost with the remaining cream cheese frosting, swirling and spreading as you wish. Garnish the top with halved mini cinnamon buns! 

Happy Baking!

XO Lari

Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

When I was younger I thought carrot cake was gross. I also thought cream cheese was disgusting. WHO DID I THINK I WAS?!

Actually, a more correct statement would be when I was younger I thought any kind of cake other than chocolate cake was gross. I was born a chocoholic... and still am. Proudly.

My mother's birthday and mine are very close together and often times growing up, we would celebrate our birthdays with our extended family at the same time. To make us still feel unique and special, my dear Gran would bake two cakes, one for each of us! My mom's cake would be her favourite cake: carrot cake with cream cheese frosting. Mine was always Chocolate cake with chocolate frosting (and Gran did indeed make the best). 

So obviously when it came time to have cake, I went for chocolate! Because what can be better than chocolate?? (I have found in life that the answer to this question is not rhetorical, and the answer is most often: nothing can be better than chocolate.)

Perhaps I never gave carrot cake a fair chance from the get go. I am pleased to say that over the years, I have given carrot cake many more tries, and I have discovered am actually a big fan! My tastebuds have matured like my parents promised they would and now I make carrot cake and cream cheese frosting and I LOVE IT. It has found its way in to my recipe repertoire.

Don't get me wrong, if I have a choice between carrot cake and chocolate cake, I gotta go for the chocolate. But now I totally appreciate a good carrot version: soft and tender with thin threads of bright orange ribboning through, warmly spiced and topped with a pure white, silky cream cheese frosting... I get it now.

Like many things in life, there are about a bajillion different variations for carrot cake... This recipe is what I would think of as a simple, classic version: no fancy frills or add ins. However it is easy to make it your own by adding in some fanciness. I would try folding chopped pecans into the batter before baking, or spiking to the frosting with maple syrup. But here is the basic, and mini is cuter so they are in cupcake form!

Carrot Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

Recipe slightly adapted from Martha

For the cupcakes:

• 1 pound of carrots, peeled and grated
• 3 eggs
• 1/3 cup buttermilk
• 2 cups sugar
• 1 1/2 cups vegetable or canola oil
• seeds from 1 vanilla bean pod (If you don't have a a vanilla bean pod, use 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract)
• 3 cups flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp ground ginger
• 1/8 tsp ground cloves

Whisk together the first 6 ingredients until combined. Sift over the remaining ingredients and mix until just incorporated. Divide the batter evenly among paper lined cupcake tins, filling each about 3/4 full. Bake at 325 for about 23-28 minutes. (*If you are using mini muffins tins, I find that the baking time is about 15 minutes)

Transfer tins to wire racks to cool for 10 minutes, then turn out cupcakes to cool completely before frosting.

Alternatively, I find these cupcakes unfrosted make a delicious mid afternoon snack with a tea or coffee :)

For the frosting:

• 8 oz cream cheese
• 2 oz butter
• 4 cups sifted powdered sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla

Beat the cream cheese and the butter until soft. Gradually add the powdered sugar and beat until fluffy. Mix in the vanilla.

Transfer the mixture to a piping bag fitted with a star tip.

Swirl the cream cheese frosting onto each cupcake and share with all your friends.

This totally counts as a serving of vegetables. And the frosting is a serving of dairy. Like a solid meal, right? Does this count??

Happy Baking!

<3Lari

Pumpkin Pecan Cake

This cake was invented for a friend of mine who was having a birthday! I asked her what her dream birthday cake would be, and she said she loves pumpkin spice, and cream cheese frosting, and nuts. Good choice, my friend, good choice indeed. My friends have such great taste.
This is what I invented for her: A moist pumpkin spice cake, frosted with a maple cream cheese frosting and garnished with toasted pecans. For a little extra somethin' special, I adorned the top of her cake with a heart made from maple candied pecans (one of my favourite treats!).

With some help from her roommate, I snuck over to her house to surprise her with a (very belated) birthday cake! She promptly stopped her vacuuming and invited me to partake in a slice. And if I do say so myself... This cake was darn delicious.

It would be totally charming in cupcake form too, I think. A perfect cake for Autumn or winter weather! 

Pumpkin Spice Cake

Recipe adapted from Martha Stewart's cupcake recipe

You will need:

• 2 cups cake flour
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 1/2 tsp ground ginger
• 1/2 tsp nutmeg
• 1/8 tsp cloves
• 1/2 cup butter
• 1 1/4 cups brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup butter milk
• 3/4 cup canned pumpkin puree, or homemade if you have some kickin

Grease and flour two 8" round cake pans and set aside. Sift together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and spices.

In the bowl of a standing mixer, cream the butter and brown sugar until fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time until each is incorporated, scraping the sides of the bowl as needed. Reduce the mixer speed to low and add the flour mixture in three additions, alternating with the buttermilk. Lastly, fold in the pumpkin puree. 

Divide the batter evenly between the two prepared cake pans and bake in a 350 oven for anywhere between 25-35 minutes. Oven times may vary! Depending on how crazy your oven is. Regardless, your cake is done when:

a) you poke it gently and it kind of spongily springs back in response or...

b)when you insert a skewer or a toothpick, and it comes out clean , not all battery.

Try not to over bake it, because over baking is the number one crime in the kitchen. However if you find that your cake is a little dry, don't beat yourself up... that's what frosting is for! On that note...

Maple Cream Cheese Frosting

You will need:

• 1 cup (8 ounce package) cream cheese
• 1/4 cup (2 ounces) butter
• 4 cups sifted icing sugar
• 1/2 tsp vanilla 
• 1/4 tsp maple extract
• 1 tbsp maple syrup

Cream the cream cheese and the butter together. On low speed, gradually add in the icing sugar a bit at a time, scraping down the bowl as needed. Mix in the extracts and the maple syrup, then beat the frosting on a medium high speed until fluffy and delicious. :)

Candied Pecans

Pecan halves

Maple syrup

pinch of salt

I don't really give measurements, because I find that they are not required. Just use as many pecans as you want, and make sure they are evenly covered with a thin layer of syrup. The only real way to mess this up is to forget them in the oven.

Combine all of the ingredients and toss about on a lined baking sheet. Bake at 350 for about ten minutes until your house smells yummy, and the syrup has candied itself onto the pecans as if by magic!

Try not to eat them all before they make it onto the cake... this is easier said than done.

Long live the Pumpkin Spice.
<3 Lari