Tag: cake

Cakes

Berry Bourbon Cake (Patriotic cake)

Becca Bakes

Happy Inauguration Day folks!

Today was a historic day in America as we saw our first woman be sworn in as Vice President. And let me tell ya, that left me pretty emotional. To celebrate, I donned my “I’m speaking” shirt and got to work on this patriotic cake. With a splash of bourbon, this cake really feels like a celebration cake. This recipe is so easy, you could whip it out for Memorial Day, the 4th of July, and Labor Day!

Tips and Tricks

  • This cake doesn’t have a frosting, so I recommend topping with whipped cream
  • To make the cake extra special, make your own whipped cream by combining 3 cups whipping cream, 1 cup white sugar, 1 tablespoon vanilla extract, and 1/4 teaspoon of kosher salt and whipping at medium-high speed for 3 minutes. Super easy to do, and really makes a difference, I swear!
  • You can substitute any berries you’d like! I used raspberries and blueberries, but I’d love to try strawberries or blackberries next time.
  • Normally, I replace unsalted butter with salted butter, but the chemistry of cake is more precise than it is for cookies. Don’t mess with chemistry, friends.
  • For cakes, you’ll definitely want to use a standing mixer. I just got one (and named her Martha!) and she has changed my life.
  • In case you need reminding – once you have added the flour do not over mix the batter. Seriously. Stop mixing about 5 seconds before you really think you need to. You want that cake fluffy as hell.

Ingredients

  • 1 stick unsalted butter
  • 1 3/4 cups flour
  • 1 3/4 tsp. baking powder
  • 3/4 tsp. baking powder
  • 1/4 tsp. kosher salt
  • 1/3 cup white sugar
  • 2/3 cup brown sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 4 tsp. bourbon
  • 2/3 cup whole milk
  • 1 cup raspberries
  • 1 cup blueberries
  • Sanding sugar for sprinkling
  • Whipped Cream for topping

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
  2. Butter a 9-inch round cake pan, line bottom of pan with parchment paper, and butter parchment
  3. In a bowl, combine flour, baking powder, and salt
  4. In a large mixing bowl, beat butter and both sugars on medium-high speed until light and creamy (~3 minutes)
  5. Add eggs, 1 at a time, mixing well in between
  6. Add bourbon, mixing well
  7. Add milk and flour mixture and mix until just combined (hey you – don’t over mix that damn cake!)
  8. Pour into the cake pan, smoothing top with a spoon or spatula
  9. Sprinkle with both berries, pressing some deep into the batter.
  10. Sprinkle generously with sugar (make it rain, baby!)
  11. Bake for 45-50 minutes, until the sides pull away from the pan and the cake springs back when lightly touched
  12. Cool completely, top with whipped cream, and enjoy!

This cake is one of the easiest I have made from scratch, and can be whipped up in no time! I believe in you!

Happy Baking!

-R

Cakes

Heath Cake

Becca Bakes

The world’s most moist cake.

Alright, listen. I know people hate the word “moist”, but I just don’t understand why. How else do you describe the perfect cake without a hint of dryness? An entire jar of caramel is delicately poured onto it making this cake foolproof and… the most moist cake in the world.

Tips and Tricks

  • Never trust the cook times on the box for cookies, cakes, and brownies. They will almost always result in overcooked, dry, baked goods. I’m not sure who approved these cooking times…
  • While this cake is simple, allow for plenty of time between steps for the cake to cool and for the caramel to seep into it
  • Make sure you have space in your refrigerator! This is a great cake for parties, but needs to be refrigerated, which can be an issue when there are other party goodies in the fridge
  • I left this cake in the pan because I was supposed to take it to a dinner party. However, if you grease the pan and sprinkle flour on it before pouring in the cake batter, it should pop right out!
  • Always test done-ness of the cake by putting in a fork or toothpick into the center of the cake. If it comes out clean, you are done! If not, pop that bad boy back in the oven and check again in a few minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 box of german chocolate cake mix (I use Pillsbury!)
  • 1 8oz bag of Heath candy pieces
  • 1 12oz jar of caramel topping
  • 1 8oz tub of Cool Whip (thawed in fridge for 24 hours)
  • 1 cup of water
  • 1/2 cup of vegetable oil
  • 3 large eggs

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
  2. Lightly grease 13x9in pan and sprinkle with flour
  3. Combine cake mix, water, oil, and eggs in a large mixing bowl
  4. Beat with an electric hand mixer for 2 minutes
  5. Pour cake batter into the pan
  6. Smooth out mixture with a spoon and give the pan a little jiggle to make sure the batter is evenly distributed
  7. Pop into the oven and bake for 29 minutes
  8. Allow cake to cool for at least 1 hour
  9. With a butter knife, create small holes throughout the cake , each about about 1 inch apart
  10. Pour the entire bottle of caramel sauce onto the cake. It should seep into the holes you created
  11. Let the cake rest for 30 minutes (it’s so tired!)
  12. With a spatula, frost the cake with the entire tub of Cool Whip
  13. Sprinkle as much Heath Candy Topping as you would like onto the cake. I used a little more than half of the bag
  14. Refrigerate until ready to consume

Delish! This is Matt’s most requested dessert, and that’s really saying something! Try this for your next birthday party if you want something a little different, very sweet, with a crunchy candy topping 🙂

Happy Baking,

-R