Category: Cake Making – from Flavor to Design

  • Chocolate Ganache

    INGREDIENTS 1 pound semisweet chocolate 4 cups heavy cream DIRECTIONS Place the chocolate into a medium bowl. Heat the cream in a small sauce pan over medium heat. Bring just to a boil, watching very carefully because if it boils for a few seconds, it will boil out of the pot. When the cream has…

  • Basic Buttercream

    INGREDIENTS 4½ cups sugar 2½ cups egg whites 3 pounds butter DIRECTIONS Place a medium sized sauce pan over medium heat, add 2 cups water and bring to a simmer. In large heatproof bowl add sugar and whites, blend. Place bowl over water and continually stir with whisk until temperature is 145°F to 155°F. Take…

  • Vanilla Cake

    Makes one cake INGREDIENTS 3 cups cake flour 1 tablespoon baking powder ½ teaspoon salt ½ pound (2 sticks) unsalted butter 2 cups sugar 5 eggs 1½ teaspoons vanilla 1¼ cups buttermilk Lemon curd, for filling Basic Buttercream, for frosting DIRECTIONS Preheat oven to 350°F. Prepare 2 sheet pans with non-stick spray and parchment paper.…

  • Chocolate Cake

    Makes one cake INGREDIENTS 2 cups flour 1 cup cocoa 1½ teaspoons baking soda ½ teaspoon salt ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter 1 cup light brown sugar 1 cup granulated sugar 3 eggs 1½ teaspoons vanilla 1½ cups buttermilk Basic Buttercream, for frosting DIRECTIONS Preheat oven to 350°F. Prepare 2 sheet pans with non-stick…

  • Hazelnut Sponge Cake

    Makes one cake INGREDIENTS 12 eggs, separated 8 ounces light brown sugar 14 ounces hazelnut flour 4 ounces all-purpose flour Pinch of salt 4 ounces granulated sugar Basic Buttercream, for frosting Chocolate block, for decorating Chopped hazelnuts, for decorating DIRECTIONS Preheat to 350°F. Butter 2 half-sheet pans and line them with parchment. In a metal…