How to make a Pinata Cake

What could be better than cake? (That can’t be a serious question surely). Why, a cake with a load of colourful sweets inside of course!

Pinata cakes have taken the cake world by storm. They’re super easy to make and even more fun to slice into. You should always make sure your cake is at least 4 layers for one of these.

Here’s a recipe and instructions on how to assemble your very own colourful creation.

You will need;

9” cake tin

500g colourful sweets of your choice (I popped to the M&Ms store to choose my very specific colours, Jelly Beans are great too)

Ingredients

For the cake

250g unsalted butter, softened

300g unrefined caster sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

4 eggs, at room temperature

325g nature friendly self-raising flour

2tsp baking powder

½ tsp bicarb of soda

1/2 tsp salt

125ml milk, at room temperature

Preheat oven to 180 degrees. Grease and line 4 9” sandwich cake tins.

Sift the flour with baking powder, bicarb & salt and set aside.

Beat the butter until light and fluffy. Add the sugar and cream together for five minutes.

Mix the vanilla extract into the creamed butter and sugar.

Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing for 1 minute between each addition.

With the mixer on low speed, add half the flour and then half the milk until fully combined. Repeat with the remaining flour and milk. Don’t overmix.

Evenly divide the batter between each of the tins. Bake for 20 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre of each cake layer comes out clean.

Turn out onto a wire rack and leave to cool.

For the buttercream

Ingredients

250g butter, softened

500g icing sugar

2 tsp vanilla

2 Tbsp milk

Cream the butter until light and fluffy.

Add the sugar gradually and beat on highest speed. Add the vanilla.

Keep beating until the mixture smooth and creamy.

Add the milk and keep beating for another few minutes.

To assemble

Once the cake has completely cooled, spread a little of the buttercream onto a cake board or serving stand.

Place the bottom layer of the cake onto the board. Spread the buttercream over the cake layer.

Using a bowl or round tin that is at least 3” smaller in diameter than the cake as a template, cut the centre out of the two middle layers of the cake. Discard the centre of each layer as they won’t be needed.

Place one of the cut layers on top of the bottom iced layer. Spread the buttercream over and repeat with the second cut out layer. Once this has been done fill the hole in the centre with sweets of your choice.

Now spread the buttercream ready for the next layer and place the top layer on the cake.

Ice the top of the cake and the sides. Decorate with sprinkles or decorations of your choice.

Pics by Zoe Flammang 

My Favourite Chocolate Cake Recipe

I love chocolate cake. I would eat it every day if I could (no, seriously, I would). There’s a catch though, I don’t just love any old chocolate cake. I love this chocolate cake. Yep this one right here, it’s rich yet light, fluffy and moist and just simply delicious. I’m sharing the recipe with ya’ll because I’m in that kind of mood (and also because google search tells me you guys have been searching for it). So here it is!

Molly Bakes Chocolate Cake Recipe

Ingredients

100g cocoa powder (I like Green & Blacks as it gives off the richest flavour)

400g self raising flour*

2tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda

1/2 tsp salt

250g unsalted butter, room temperature

400g caster sugar*

2 tsp vanilla extract

4 eggs

350ml buttermilk

*For American & non-UK readers (howdy! **waves**), self raising flour is just cake flour and I don’t think you guys have caster sugar, so just use granulated and obvs bicarbonate of soda is just baking soda.

Preheat the oven to 180°C (356°F). Grease and line x3 or x4 20cm (8″) round cake tins (depending on how many layers you’d like your cake to be). Set aside.

Sift together the cocoa powder, flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and salt in a medium bowl. Set aside.

In a mixer or with a hand held whisk, beat the butter until pale and creamy. Add the sugar gradually and beat on high speed until the mixture is light and fluffy. Mix in the vanilla extract.

Add the eggs one at a time and drop the speed to medium. Leave a gap of one minute between each before adding the next, remember to scrape down the sides as you go.

Add a third of the flour and mix on low speed until just combined, then add half the buttermilk. Repeat this step, beginning and ending with the flour.

Divide the mixture equally between the prepared cake tins. Place in the oven and bake for 15-20 mins or until a cocktail stick inserted into the centre of each cake comes out clean. Turn out onto a wire rack to cool.

Once completely cooled, wrap the cakes in cling film (plastic wrap) and place in the fridge to chill. It’s much easier to ice a layer cake that is chilled, just keep it at room temperature until serving time.

For the buttercream

Ingredients

250g unsalted butter, room temperature

500g icing sugar

1tsp vanilla extract

200g dark chocolate, melted (I always use at least 70% cocoa solids)

Beat the butter on high speed until pale and fluffy. Gradually add the icing sugar and beat until well combined and the mixture is smooth and creamy. Mix in the vanilla extract then the melted chocolate. Once the mixture well combined with the chocolate you can use straight away to ice your cake.

We’ll do a step by step tutorial on how to ice a layer cake with buttercream really soon!

Pics by Zoe Flammang

Red Velvet Cake Recipe

 Ahh the Red Velvet cake, it started as a traditional American cocoa/buttermilk based cake from the Deep South with it’s exact origins long disputed. Little did they know this cake would become an international sensation with baking and cake fans. Many thought this was a fad but year after year the trusty ol’ Red Velvet has proved it has staying power. It’s inspired many spin offs (red velvet cookies, red velvet donuts, Oreos, truffles, milkshakes) and it’s even crossed over into the world of trainers – Red Velvet Air Max anyone? Yup, Red Velvet ain’t going away.

Such is it’s popularity, I’ve been making red velvet cake almost daily for over five years. There are lots of variations of recipes, all use pretty much the same ingredients while methods can differ slightly. This is the recipe we use in the bakery, it’s one I have adapted over the years and it’s bloody amazing – even if I do say so myself.

Red Velvet Cake

This recipe makes a tall 9″ cake.

Ingredients

500g self raising flour

1/2 tsp salt

2Tbsp cocoa powder

6tsp red food colouring, we find powder is best mixed with a little water to form a paste

240g unsalted butter, softened

500g caster sugar

2tsp vanilla extract

4 large eggs

350ml buttermilk

2tsp bicarbonate of soda (or baking soda if you’re from the US)

2tsp cider vinegar

Preheat oven to 180 degrees C/ gas mark 4. Grease and line 3 round 9″ cake tins.

Sift together the flour and salt. Set aside.

In a small bowl, mix the red food colouring paste with the cocoa powder and set aside.

Using a mixer, cream the butter until pale and add the sugar gradually. When making cakes I always beat the butter first before adding the sugar, it gives a much fluffier cake. Beat until pale and fluffy – about 5 minutes. Mix in the vanilla extract.

Add the eggs one at a time, leaving a minute between each. Scraping down the sides as you go. Mix in the red food colouring. You can add more colouring if you feel it’s not red enough but take care not to add too much liquid.

Now add a third of the flour to the mixer and mix it in on a low speed, add half the buttermilk then repeat with the next third of flour and remaining buttermilk. Add the final third of flour and mix until just combined. Take care not to overmix.

In a small cup, combine the bicarbonate of soda with the vinegar. Allow it to fizz, then quickly fold into the mixture.

Transfer a third of the mixture into each cake tin. Bake for 20-30 minutes (depending on your oven) or until a cocktail stick inserted into the centre comes out clean. Remove from the oven and turn out onto a wire rack to cool. Once cooled, refrigerate for one or two hours before icing.

Cream Cheese Frosting

There are many ways to make cream cheese frosting, here I add the cream cheese at the end. After years of trying to perfect my method, I found beating the cream cheese and butter together could be problematic. Sometimes you’d get lumps of butter that you just couldn’t get rid of, other times the mixture would go sloppy as soon as you started adding icing sugar. Adding the cream cheese at the end just avoids all these problems and is pretty fail safe. I don’t add any vanilla to this recipe as I find it masks the flavour of the cream cheese.

Ingredients

500g unsalted butter, softened

800g icing sugar, sifted

200g full fat cream cheese, softened

Cream the butter until light and fluffy. Add the icing sugar a little at a time and beat on medium/high speed until smooth. Mix in the cream cheese on low speed.

Once the cake is completely cool, level each layer using a serrated knife. Keep the trimmings for decoration. Place the bottom layer on a cake stand or board and spread a dollop of cream cheese frosting evenly using a palette knife. Do this with each layer then ice the top and sides. To decorate we crumble the trimmings either by hand or in a food processor and sprinkle over the top of the cake.

You can also use this recipe for cupcakes. This recipe makes 24-30 red velvet cupcakes, half the mixture if you only want to make 12.

Enjoy!

Pic credit: Zoe Flammang

Summery Tea Time Mini Cakes

They say the mercury will reach 28 degrees this week and although that yet remains to be seen, what better way to relax when the lovely warm weather does arrive than with edible florals and miniature layer cakes?

Last year the Naked Cake was everywhere and we’re sure it’s not going away anytime soon. So I’ve come up with a lovelier smaller version of it. The Mini Naked Cake. Yum.

There are many ways you can bake mini layer cakes, some of which involve costly mini layer cake tins. We like our easy and convenient way which makes such pretty shaped cakes. They’re essentially two small cupcakes baked without their liners and sandwiched together with buttercream. Pretty much any cupcake recipe will work for this depending on which flavour tickles your fancy. Decorate with a small dollop of buttercream and pretty pearls or edible flowers or simply dust with icing sugar.

Here’s a recipe for our Victoria Sponge mini cakes;

Makes 12 mini cakes

You will need two 12 hole cupcake tins

Ingredients

For the sponges:

375g self raising flour

2tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda

1/2 tsp salt

250g unsalted butter, softened

300g caster sugar

2 tsp vanilla extract

4 large eggs

250ml milk

For the buttercream:

125g unsalted butter, softened

250g icing sugar, sifted

4 tbsp milk, room temperature

1 tsp vanilla extract

Raspberry or strawberry jam

Decorations of your choice

Preheat the oven to 180 degrees C. Grease the muffin tins and dust with flour. Sift together the flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and salt.

Beat the butter until pale, add the sugar and beat on high speed until mixture light and fluffy. Beat in the vanilla.

Add each egg one by one on medium speed, beating until fully incorporated. Leave a minute between each addition.

Add half the flour and stir gently until fully combined, add half the milk then repeat with the remaining flour and milk.

Using an ice cream scoop fill each hole halfway and bake in the oven for about 14-18 minutes until a cocktail stick inserted into the centre comes out clean. Remove from the oven and place on a cooling rack. Once fully cooled place in the fridge to chill this will make removing them and levelling them easier.

To make the buttercream, beat the butter until pale, then add the sugar gradually and beat until light and fluffy. Mix in the vanilla then add the milk until fully combined. Transfer the buttercream into a small bowl, cover and set aside while you prepare the cakes.

Remove the cakes from the tins and cut any domed tops off with a knife to level them. Pipe the buttercream onto half the cakes and spread jam onto the remaining half. Sandwich together.

To decorate you can blob the top of the cakes with buttercream and add edible flowers, pearls, sprinkles or simply dust with icing sugar.

Note: when making chocolate mini layer cakes dust the tins with cocoa powder instead of flour.

To serve place them on a pretty cake stand. We love our Beatrix cake stand from Oliver Bonas.

Photo credit: Zoe Flammang

Easter Simnel Cupcakes Recipe

A recipe I created for Ella Valentine Baking Eggs.

This is a modern take on the traditional Easter cake – these Simnel cupcakes won’t disappoint. With a creamy, yet fluffy texture and delicious marzipan topping they’re the perfect cupcake for Easter.

Ingredients

500g marzipan

300g caster sugar

155ml sunflower oil

50g honey

1 tsp vanilla extract

80g full fat cream cheese

4 large eggs

125g raisins

100g currants

200g plain flour

2 tsp baking powder

2 tsp mixed spice

To decorate (optional)

Edible gold balls

Edible gold leaf

Edible glue

Method

Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/Gas Mark 4. Line a 12 hole muffin tin with liners.

Sift together the flour and mixed spice. Set aside.

Beat the sugar, oil, honey, vanilla, cream cheese until smooth. Then, add the eggs and mix until well combined. Stir in the raisins and currents. Fold in the flour.

Spoon the mixture equally into the liners. Fill them just over halfway. Bake for 20-15 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the centre comes out clean.

While the cakes are in the oven, roll out the marzipan and cut out 12 discs with a fluted 5cm pastry cutter. Stack them on a plate.

As soon as the cakes are out of the oven place a marzipan disc on top of each cake and transfer to a wire rack to cool.

To decorate: Use the remaining marzipan to make 12 balls for the centre of each cupcake.

Use edible glue to attach the gold balls round the outside of the discs. Use edible gold leaf to add extra sparkle.

All American Cookies Recipe

Sometimes nothing can beat the American chocolate chip cookie. One of my all time favourite treats. Here’s the perfect recipe that is quick to make, perfectly chewy, buttery and delicious. Feel free to add toasted nuts, fudge pieces or even guilty pleasures like M&Ms for variations on the classic.

This recipe makes 12 cookies

Ingredients

112g unsalted butter, softened

135g caster sugar

112g light muscovado sugar

140g plain flour

1/2tsp salt

3/4 tsp baking powder

1 large egg

1/2 tsp vanilla

50g white or milk chocolate chips

Method

Preheat oven to 180°c

Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

Sift the flour, salt and baking powder together in a small bowl.

Beat butter and sugar together until light and fluffy then mix in vanilla.

Add the egg and beat until fully incorporated.

Add the dry ingredients and mix in until fully combined.

Fold in the chocolate chips.

Use an ice cream scoop to portion out the cookies, a level scoop for each. Scoop them about 2 inches apart on the baking trays, it should fit six cookies on each tray.

Place in the oven and bake for 8-10 minutes or until the cookies are golden brown and just set in the centre. Remove from the oven and leave on a wire rack to cool.

Pic credit: Zoe Flammang