The Making of a Wedding Cake

My cousin got married in November. When she got engaged she asked me to make her wedding cake!  I was a bit nervous as I have never made such a large (and important) cake before. I immediately started thinking of different techniques, elements and designs that I wanted to incorporate into the cake. I obviously began pinning away - you can check out my inspiration board here. I knew I wanted to keep the design simple and elegant. After lots of back and forth over the design of the cake we finally settled on a three tiered caked with a buttercream design.

The Design Process

The colours she choose for her winter wedding were navy, ivory and blush - which is one of my favourite colour combinations! Originally, since it was a winter wedding I was leaning towards evergreen and cranberries to embellish a simple buttercream cake but after talking with the bride we decided to move in a less Christmas-y direction and more towards a winter wonderland theme. 

We went back and forth on the design of the cake. It was important to me that I felt comfortable with all the techniques going into the cake. I didn't want to stress myself out by promising something I wasn't confident that I could deliver on.  Luckily, I had lots of inspiration to draw upon.

I knew I wanted for the cake to have some texture to add some visual interest and break up the layers. The simple rosette buttercream technique is a favourite of mine as it produces such a stunning result.  After seeing a photo of this cake I made earlier in the year, both the bride and groom agreed they wanted to incorporate it into their cake. 

To add some glamour to the cake we decided to use edible pearls in various sizes and shades. I loved how they caught the light and added more texture to the cake. They also helped to tie the tiers together and create a more cohesive design. I loved how the blush and ivory pearls popped on the navy buttercream. It created a really beautiful effect. 

Photo by: Andrew Downs Photography 

Cake Making & Decorating Timeline 

Deciding on the timeline of making and decorating the cakes was probably one of more stressful aspects of the entire process - the most stressful being actually delivering the cake but more on that later. I knew I wanted to leave enough time that I wouldn't feel rushed while making the cake but I also wanted to ensure that the cake was as fresh as possible for the day.

I choose to make the cake layers ahead of time and freeze them. This is something that I do often. I prefer levelling a cold cake. Freezing the cake does not effect the freshness, texture or moistness of the cakes at all! Freezing the cake layers means that you have more time closer to the wedding to focus on filling, frosting and decorating your cakes. Plus your cakes will already be cooled and ready to go when you want to start decorating! 

Photo by: Andrew Downs Photography

Delivery & Logistics 

This was the part that I was most worried about in the whole process. It would be heart breaking to make a beautiful cake only to have it ruined before getting to the venue! I didn't want all my hard work to go to waste. I went back on forth on how best to deliver the cake. It would be traveling by car for over an hour from where I was making it to the wedding venue. I decided that the least terrifying and most logical way to deliver the cake was as three separate layers and to stack the cake once I got to the venue. I have successfully delivered individual cakes before so why not go with what I know. This worked really well. The cakes were doweled and placed on cake boards when I was making them so they were all set to be stacked at the venue. I created a kit of everything I thought I would need (or might need) at the venue. 

When transporting the cakes I used individual cake boxes for them about 1-2 inches wider then the actual cakes. I used small squares of shelf (grip) liner under the cakes between the cake board and the box to keep the cake from sliding around in the box. I also cut larger square of the shelf liner to place under the boxes in the trunk of my car to keep the boxes from sliding around. This worked really well. The cakes were nice and secure and there was no damage! 

I was able to stack the cakes on site and add any last minute touches to the final cake. A few of the pearls fell off during transportation - but that was an easy fix! I would definitely recommend bringing extra buttercream, pipping bags, spatulas and extras of any delicate decorations. Once I added the cake topper - the cake was complete and ready for its debue! 

Overall I am so happy with how the cake turned out! It was amazing being a part of my cousin's wedding day is such a special and unique way. I am so happy that I pushed myself out of my comfort zone and made her wedding cake!  I learned so much along the way about making large tiered cakes and I enjoyed myself in the process. I loved seeing everyone's reaction to the cake - especially the bride and groom!  

Lemon Raspberry Layered Cake

“Brighten your day with this cheery lemon raspberry layered cake”

Do you ever get that feeling where you just need to make a cake? You have a million and a half other things to do but you can't seem to rid that nagging feeling of I just really need to bake this cake. No, just me? I opened my fridge the other day and staring at me was a bag of lemons I had bough from the grocery store and I knew I had to make a lemon cake. It seemed a little bit silly to want to make a Lemon Raspberry cake in the middle of February since I typically associate both flavours with spring or summer but here we are. This cake is bright in flavour and definitely brightens up the dark winter days that we have been having. I think I was drawn to the lemons because I needed some sunshine in my life after days of over cast skies.  

I love the pop of pink that the raspberry cream cheese filling provides in the middle of the cake. It is a nice surprise to cut into the cake and see such a vibrant pink colour. It definitely adds to the cheeriness!  The cream cheese frosting takes this cake to the next level. As you know my cream cheese frosting is very popular. It pairs nicely with both the raspberry and the lemon.  I decided to decorate this cake in a simple rosette design. It is fairly simple to do and creates a stunning looking cake. 

Lemon Cake

Makes: One 6 inch cake

Ingredients:

1 1/2 c cake flour

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 c butter, at room temperature

1 c sugar

2 eggs

1 lemon, zest & juice separate

1/2 c milk

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease and flour a 6 inch round baking pan, set aside

In a medium bowl sift together flour, baking powder and salt

In the bowl of a stand mixer, fitted with a paddle attachment, on medium-high speed beat together butter and sugar until light and fluffy

Beat in eggs and lemon zest until incorporated. Scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Mix in lemon juice.

Slowly alternate adding in the milk and flour mixture, ending with the dry. Mix until just incorporated

Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake for 45minutes - 1 hour or until toothpick inserted into the centre comes out clean

Raspberry Filling

Ingredients:

1 c frozen raspberries

1/2 c sugar

1 tbsp corn starch

1 cup cream cheese frosting, recipe below

Directions:

In a small pot, over medium heat add frozen raspberries and sugar. Stir occasionally until the raspberries have broken down and sugar has dissolved

Allow the mixture to come to a light boil. Stir in corn starch to thicken mixture. Bring mixture to a light boil once more and allow to cook for an additional 3-5 minutes

Let raspberry filling cool completely. In a small bowl, combine raspberry filling with about one cup of cream cheese frosting

Cream Cheese Frosting

Ingredients:

1 c butter, room temperature

16 oz cream cheese, room temperature

8 c icing sugar

1 tbsp vanilla

1-2 tbsp heavy whipping cream (optional)

Directions:

In a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, on medium speed, beat together butter and cream cheese until light and fluffy (3-5 minutes)

Reduce speed to low and add in icing sugar one cup at a time. Mix until combined. Add in vanilla. Whip frosting on medium - high speed until light, fluffy and pale in colour

If you would prefer a thinner frosting, add in whipping cream until desired consistency is reached

Assembling the Cake

1. Once the cake has cooled completely, torte into 3 layers. Use a small amount of cream cheese frosting to secure the bottom layer to a 8 inch cake board. 
2. Using an off set spatula spread the raspberry cream cheese filling between each layer. Until cake is fully stacked. Chill cake in fridge for 30 minutes. 
3. Crumb coat your stacked cake and chill.
4. Frost with cream cheese buttercream as desired. I used a Wilton 2D tip to create this rosette effect.

Hot Chocolate Layered Cake

A rich, moist chocolate cake filled with layers of chocolate ganache and fluffy whipped cream. The cake is topped with gooey homemade marshmallows making it a true show stopper!

This cake is truly like hot chocolate in cake form. It combines all of my favourite elements of hot chocolate.  During the winter months I love cozying up with a mug of hot chocolate and reading a good book. Or as I have been doing lately, watching a cheesy Christmas movie. When trying to decide on a dessert to add to our table this holiday season I knew I wanted to recreate one of my favourite drinks as a layered cake. The cake itself is a rich chocolate cake that is incredibly moist. I knew when I pulled it out of the oven that it would be delicious based on its rich chocolate smell alone. I wanted to add another chocolate element to the cake and I knew a chocolate ganache would be perfect. I spread a thin layer between each layer to add to the chocolate flavour and moistness of the cake. I went with a naked cake to showcase the beautiful homemade whipped cream frosting. I always forget how delicious and special homemade whipped cream is. I really should make it more often considering how simple it is to make. I had to top the cake with homemade marshmallows! You can't have hot chocolate without marshmallows it just seems wrong.  I kept my cake simple, playing off a classic hot chocolate but it would be easy to make even more festive by swapping the vanilla extract in the cake for peppermint extract and adding crushed candy canes to the chocolate ganache filling for a Peppermint Hot Chocolate variation. 

Homemade Marshmallows

The best part of hot chocolate is of course the marshmallows! I highly recommend making homemade marshmallows to top the cake but if you are short on time store bought marshmallows will work as well. You will need a stand mixer to make homemade marshmallows - a hand mixer's motor just isn't strong enough. I killed a few hand mixers that way in university before finally getting my stand mixer. If you have never made homemade marshmallows before they look more intimidating then they are and they taste divine! A few tips for making marshmallows: read the entire recipe through at least once before you start (this is good practice with any recipe but especially helpful for marshmallows), have your pan prepared before you start making the marshmallow, and have a warm wet cloth available to wipe your hands or clean up any spills! These marshmallows freeze great as well - so if you have any extras just pop them in the freezer. 

Making the Cake

Everything for this cake except the whipped cream frosting can be made a day or two in advanced of when you are going to be serving it. The homemade marshmallows can be made in advanced and frozen - they freeze great and can be frozen for up to 3 months! The cake layers and the ganache can be made a day or two before. Be sure to store the ganache in the fridge and tightly wrap the cakes in plastic wrap. 

Hot Chocolate Layered Cake

Yield: Two 8 inch cakes 

Ingredients:

2 c flour

3/4 c coco powder

2 c sugar

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

3/4 c butter, room temperature, cut in cubes

3 eggs

2 tsp vanilla

1/3 c vegetable oil

1 c sour cream

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350F. Prepare two 8 inch pans, grease and coat in coco powder

In a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment mix together dry ingredients

Cut butter into dry ingredients. Mix until mixture resembles corse sand

On medium speed, beat in eggs, one at a time, scrapping down the side of the bowl after each addition. Beat in vanilla and vegetable oil

Stir in sour cream until just incorporated be careful not to over mix

Evenly divide batter between prepared pans. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until a tooth pick inserted into the centre comes out clean

Chocolate Ganache 

Ingredients:

6 oz heavy cream (approx 3/4 c)

6 oz semi sweet chocolate, chopped

Directions:

In a small heavy bottom pan over medium-high heat, heat cream until just before it boils

Poor heated cream over chopped chocolate. Whisk until smooth

Whipped Cream

Ingredients:

2 c whipping cream, cold

1 c powder sugar, sifted

2 tsp vanilla extract

Directions:

Place bowl and whisk of stand mixer in the fridge to chill for a least 10 minutes

Beat cream on high speed until soft peaks begin to form. Slowly beat in powdered sugar and vanilla extract until stiff peaks form, be careful not to over beat or cream will start to separate

Marshmallows 

I followed this recipe from the Kitchn for my homemade marshmallows

Assembling the Cake

To assemble the cake. Torte each cake so that you have 4 layers in total. Spread a thin layer of ganache on each layer. Put a small dab of ganache on your cake board and place your bottom layer on top. Fill with fresh whipped cream frosting. Repeat until your cake is assembled. Frost the top of your cake with whipped cream frosting and pile your homemade marshmallows on top. Drizzle with ganache. Store in the fridge until you are ready to serve.