Sweet Treats: Mother's Day Blackberry Surprise Cake

My mother, sil and I were all together today with our families to meet my new little Elisabeth Rose, so a Mother's Day cake seemed fitting. I wanted something special, but had little time (due to a plumber showing up at 9:30 am!), so I came up with this recipe using basic cake mix and store bought frosting. You can incorporate it into your favorite yellow cake and cream cheese frosting recipe for something truly special.  This is easily one of the most delicious cakes I have ever tasted!

Ingredients:

Yellow Cake Mix Box, mixed to directions (I used Duncan Hines)...
* replace oil with equal part applesauce for healthier recipe if desired
2 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
2 1/2 tsp almond extract
lemon juice  (once cake is baked)


2 Layer Filling:
2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips, melted
1/4 c sugar
1 1/2 pint blackberries


Topping:
2 cans cream cheese frosting (I used white, use food coloring if desired)
pearly white Cupacke gem sprinkles
a few blackberries for garnish

Directions:

Preheat oven according to cake mix recipe. Prepare cake mix. Add vanilla and almond extracts.
Prepare 2 round cake pans with baking spray. Pour cake mix evenly into both pans. Bake according to directions.

While cakes are baking, prepare filling. Mix sugar and mash blackberries together in bowl. Allow to stand to firm up for 20 mins to 1 hour. (I let it stand only for about 10 mins because I was in a hurry, and that's why it seeped into the lower layer).

Once cake is baked and cool to touch, cut off rounded top of lower cake to create an even layer. Position lower cake layer on cake stand. Poke tops of both cakes multiple times and lightly sprinkle with lemon juice. Place foil or parchment paper strips around bottom of cake layer to prevent icing from getting all over cake stand.

Melt chocolate chips and liberally drizzle on top of the bottom layer.

Add blackberry filling on top of chocolate drizzle.
Place top cake over filling.

Frost cake in large dollops using a 'swirly' motion to create peaks in the icing.
Lightly sprinkle with pearl Cupcake Gem sprinkles and add blackberries to garnish.
Remove the foil/paper layer and clean up any icing on cake stand.

Nursing mommas get to eat bigger slices ;)   ALSO... if making Mother's Day cupcakes, A Fanciful Twist is giving away free downloads of her adorable cupcake toppers here!

 

Sweet Treats: A Fanciful Twist Vanilla Buttermilk Cupcake Recipe

So many interior design posts lately. Love them, and have plenty more to come, but I believe a cupcake post is in order. Really, if the whole world could just sit together and eat cupcakes merilly, wouldn't it be such a lovely place, as friendship and the desire to serve and help each other magically took place?

Vanessa, of A Fanciful Twist never ceases to ignite my imagination. Her lovely storytelling is simply wonderful as well as her lushious photography, full of magic and sparkles. Her famous Mad Hatter Tea party, full of whimsical details is on the horizon, (here, you can see 2008 and 2009* and some blogger parties here), and read the delightful little introduction to this year's party here (in which I plan on atteneding this year).

***

Do you not just love the shape of her cupcake? Her secret? Using extra tall cupcake liners! I've never seen them in stores, have you? Here is the recipe she uses, and her special notes on making the cupcake and icing:

the cupcake and the bee postcard set for sale in her shop

"I used this Vanilla Buttermilk Cupcake recipe right here. Two important notes are that, I increased the buttermilk to 1 scant cup (instead of 2/3 cup) after reading the reviews about dryness - And I only cooked mine for 16 minutes. Perfection!"

♥ Ingredients ♥

6 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 cup sugar, plus

2 tablespoons sugar

2 large eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup buttermilk

1. Beat butter and all the sugar on medium speed until well blended. Add eggs and vanilla and beat on high speed until well blended.

2. Sift together flour, baking powder, and salt.

3. With mixer on low speed, add one third of the flour mixture, followed by a third of the buttermilk – repeat, alternating in thirds. When all the flour is incorporated beat mixture on medium speed just until well blended.

4. Fill paper-lined or buttered muffin cups (1/3-cup capacity) about three-fourths full with batter (about 1/4 cup in each).

5. Bake in a 350° oven until tops spring back when lightly touched in the center, 16-20 minutes. Cool on racks 5 minutes; remove from pans. Cool completely.

6. Decorate with your favorite frosting.

♥Frosting♥

"My frosting invention is rather fluffy cheesecake like, but much more mild -

I took one stick of room temperature softened salted butter, 1 cup of sour cream, and 1/4 Tsp. of Vanilla and mixed them together with my hand mixer. I had 1 cup of powdered sugar waiting, that I added little by little to the already mixed sour-cream, butter and vanilla mixture.

I didn't use all the sugar for my mixture. But, you should add it little by little, tasting it until the frosting is to your likeness. I don't like mine very sweet. Note also that this cupcake recipe is very sweet on its own."

peace offering cupcake for the mad hatter

Cherries, sprinkles, fairy dust and whimsical dress-up costumes are optional.

Sweet Treats: Summer Strawberry Coconut Cake + Red Velvet Cupcake

I happened upon a sweet blog today called Candy Jamamas. When I saw her tag line "I never make a long story short", it just had me silently (because I am so refined) cracking up inside. She blogs about life, motherhood, cute crafts, yummy food, and lovely photography.

If you know me, I am a sucker for beautiful food pictures (which she has in abundance) and all of those amazing things. I love her sea inspired dresser transformation and her cowgirl party and the invites she made for it. When I saw her award winning cake recipe/photo, I just had to share. Do check out her blog and make her yummy cake! I will be adding her blog list to my foodie links! Be a dear and check out her cream cheese frosting pumpkin bars (drools)!

Summer Strawberry Coconut Cake

1 (18.5 ounce) box white cake mix
4 T. strawberry gelatin powder
2 T. all-purpose flour
1 t. baking powder
2 T. granulated sugar
3/4 cup vegetable oil
4 eggs
1/4 c. water
1/2 c. pureed strawberries
1 t. vanilla
1/2 t. coconut extract
1/2 cup fresh strawberries, finely diced
1 c. coconut, finely shredded in food processor
several strawberries to fill cake and garnish

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Combine dry ingredients in mixer bowl and stir together. Beat in eggs, water, strawberry puree and vanilla. Mix well. Stir in diced strawberries and coconut. Pour into two 8- or 9-inch round pans, greased and floured. Bake for 25-35 minutes, or until a tooth pick inserted into the center of the cakes comes out clean and the cakes are pulling away from the sides of the pans.

Put pans on wire racks and cool for 10 minutes. Remove from pans and leave on racks to cool completely. While cooling, make icing.

Spread some icing on first layer, then top with sliced strawberries. Place second layer on top and ice the rest of the cake. Cover entire cake in shredded coconut and garnish with fresh strawberries. I don't tint my coconut pink like in the original recipe, because I think it's so pretty to cut into the white cake and have the surprise of bright pink inside. I like the contrast of the white icing/coconut and pink cake.

The first time I made this, I did cupcakes. They're really pretty with a small strawberry on each one.

Cream Cheese Frosting

8 ounces cream cheese, softened
2 sticks (1 cup) butter, softened
2 16-oz. boxes powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Beat butter and cream cheese until smooth. Add vanilla. Slowly beat in powdered sugar until desired consistency. Add a tablespoon or so of milk if icing is too thick.



Now, look at this immaculate red velvet cupcake topiary, who knew? (perfect since it's National Cupcake Day!)