Triple-Layer Celebration Cakes.

So it has been nearly two months since I attempted my Nan and Pop's anniversary cake, and since then, I haven't done a whole lot of baking. So sadly, I don't have much to share with you yet! 

However, I did promise you a post about some of the celebration cakes I have baked over the last few months. So here you go! 

Triple-Lemon and Blueberry Layer Cake

Filled with lemon curd and vanilla cream

My Nan adores lemon flavoured anything. Lemon slice, lemon cake, lemon tarts. You name it, she loves it. So, for her 81st birthday, I thought it would be very appropriate to create something lemony! Having recently joined Pinterest, I was super keen to try out a recipe that looked absolutely delicious. You can see the recipe here. It had three moist layers of lemon cake, with a tangy curd in between. To cut the tartness of the curd, I decided to add whipped cream to each layer as well. Plus, who really needs an excuse to add cream to anything?! 

Triple-Cookies and Cream Layer Cake 

Filled with chocolate ganache, cream and a layer of oreos, smeared with cookie frosting 

This delicious cake was created for my brother, who absolutely loves to request different birthday treats each year. This year, I was asked to make something with oreos, which was an exciting challenge! I made this one up from scratch, and it was actually quite a success. Although very rich, it was totally delectable! And as a bonus, I even got the thumbs up from the cake connoisseur himself! This cake involved three layers of vanilla sponge, with one layer of dark chocolate ganache, and another of oreos and whipped cream. I then piped on an oreo frosting using the petal technique. I have included the recipe below. 

Vanilla Cake (this was just off taste.com)

© Melted butter, to grease

© 450g (3 cups) self-raising flour

© 150g (1 cup) plain flour

© 440g (2 cups) caster sugar

© 300g butter, cubed, at room temperature

© 310ml (1 1/4 cups) milk

© 6 eggs, at room temperature

© 3 teaspoons vanilla essence

1. Preheat oven to 140°C. Position a rack on the second lowest shelf of the oven. Brush a round 25cm (base measurement) cake pan with the melted butter to lightly grease. Line base and sides with non-stick baking paper.
2.  Place the self-raising flour, plain flour, sugar, butter, milk, eggs and vanilla essence in a large mixing bowl. Use an electric beater to beat on low speed for 30 seconds or until just combined. Increase the speed to high and beat for 1-2 minutes or until the mixture is thick and all the butter is incorporated. Spoon the mixture into the prepared pan and smooth the surface with the back of a spoon.
3. Bake in preheated oven for 2 1/2 hours or until a skewer inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean. Remove from oven and set aside for 10 minutes. Turn onto a wire rack for 2 hours or until completely cool.
4. Cut cake into 3 sections (layer 1-bottom layer), (layer 2-middle layer) & (layer 3 -top layer).

Cream Filling
© 250ml of thickened cream

© 2 tbl icing sugar

© 1 tsp vanilla essence

© 10 oreos crushed (i use a food processor to blitz them)

© 1 packet of extra oreos (not crushed)

1.       Whip cream till quite thick. Add in blitzed oreos and mix until combined.
2.       Smear half of cream mixture onto layer 1.
3.       Place extra oreos on top of cream to cover the entire surface area.
4.       Set extra cream aside.

      Chocolate ganache

       © 200 g dark chocolate 

       © 100 ml thickened cream

1. Melt chocolate in microwave.
2. Mix in cream quickly until smooth.
3. Smear onto layer 2. Top with extra cream filling.
4. Place layer 2 on top of layer 1
5. Place layer 3 on top of layer 2

Oreo frosting

© 227 g butter, softened

© 5 cups icing sugar

© 2 tsp vanilla essence

© 100 g crushed oreo

© 1/4 cup thickened cream

1.Cream butter in bowl of electric mixer fitted with paddle attachment, about 3 minutes.
Slowly add icing sugar, mixing on low speed for about 2 minutes.

2. Add remaining ingredients (apart from oreos) and beat on med-high for 3-4 minutes until very fluffy.

3. Add in oreos and mix for about 30 seconds.

4. Crumb coat the cake.

5. Pipe on using this youtube clip as a guide. 

      Triple-layer Kit Kat Cake
Filled with chocolate mousse and crushed Kit Kat, with a milk chocolate ganache exterior

     

        My lovely boyfriend recently turned 22, and to celebrate this special occasion, I made him a cake! Surprise surprise! A few weeks prior, I asked him what ingredient he would like to feature in his cake. His answer was Kit Kat and cookie dough, so I began my research! After some thinking time, I decided against using cookie dough in the cake. I wasn't sure how well it would go with Kit Kat, and thought that it would just make the cake way too sweet. I decided to bake a basic vanilla cake, and filled each layer with a dark chocolate mousse and crushed Kit Kat. I coated it was a milk chocolate ganache, and to top it off, I put a 'wall' of Kit Kat around the edge of the cake. This was such a delicious creation, and it finished off what was a lovely day perfectly! (Sorry about the average photo!)

      So there you go! Three-layered cakes for three very special occasions. 

Until next time, happy baking.

        xx