Tag Archives: birthday cake

Happy Birthday Dempsey Peanut Butter Chocolate Cake

Posted on by February 24, 2015

I’m really excited to share with you this Happy Birthday Dempsey Peanut Butter Chocolate Cake. Today, my nephew Dempsey was born very early in the morning, just about 23 minutes too late to share his birthday with his father, my brother Ivan. Because we don’t know what Dempsey likes yet, and since he can’t eat cake, I made this Happy Birthday Dempsey Peanut Butter Chocolate Cake with his father’s birthday in mind. My brother loves the Peanut Butter and Chocolate combo, so I decided to make one of my favorite old standby recipes from Ina Garten in honor of both Dempsey and Ivan. Truth told, Dempsey came before I had a chance to go grocery shopping so I wanted a recipe I could make with things I had on hand. You will notice that I’ve varied the original recipe to accommodate some leftover Snowstorm Hot Chocolate. I thought it would be fun to share how I substitute and alternate to use up leftovers, but if you don’t have Snowstorm Hot Chocolate on hand or don’t want to make it, it’s really easy to make the cake without it. I do recommend using melted chocolate, rather than cocoa powder because it’s … Continue reading →

True Birthday Cake- Welcome Hudson!

Posted on by February 15, 2015

Hazelnut Marble Cake with Tangerine and Chocolate Buttercream “Baby” Cake This week was very special for me, so I had to make this very special True Birthday Cake- Welcome Hudson! I became an aunt for the first time as Hudson was born very late Wednesday night. My brother (Hudson’s father), Ivan pointed out earlier in the day that Dirty Laundry Kitchen should probably celebrate this news as well. He recommended a variation on the marble cake that my mother often made for our birthdays to celebrate Hudson’s real birthday. I made two small cakes in a heart-shaped silicon mold in honor of his tiny size. I updated the marble cake with some hazelnut flour to up the ante on richness and moistness. I used some tangerine buttercream for the center and just added chocolate to the tangerine buttercream for the outer layer of frosting. This created a layered flavor effect that was really special. Just like Hudson. But even if you don’t have a new baby joining your family anytime soon, I know that my True Birthday Cake- Welcome Hudson! cake would also be a great birthday cake for all loved ones. Congrats Britt and Ivan and I can’t wait … Continue reading →

French Buttercream

Posted on by July 1, 2013

1 ½ cups plus 1 tablespoon sugar ½ cup water ½  cup egg whites 3 sticks unsalted butter; softened ¼ teaspoon fine salt orange and yellow food coloring candy thermometer Tangerine syrup: ½ cup tangerine juice ½ cup Meyer lemon juice (or ¾ tangerine and ¼ lemon if you can’t find Meyers) This will make enough buttercream for an 8-inch layer cake. Don’t double it if you’re making the small cake. I still had some leftover from the lavender macarons, so I don’t have pictures of every stage. I will add them next time I make buttercream. Sorry! Boil tangerine and Meyer lemon juice until it’s reduced down to ¼ cup. Mix 1 ½ cups sugar with water in a small, heavy saucepan. Add in the tangerine syrup. Cook over high heat until syrup reaches 238 degrees F on a candy thermometer (soft ball stage). Watch it closely when you’re getting to 200; it’s fast at the end. While syrup is cooking, beat egg whites until firming up. Add 1 tablespoon sugar and beat until stiff, but not dry. With mixer on low, stream syrup into the egg whites. (Caution here! The syrup is really hot. Make sure you don’t … Continue reading →

American Buttercream

Posted on by April 19, 2013

1 stick butter at room temperature 4+ cups powdered sugar fine salt flavoring of your choice (typically vanilla, but in this instance, tangerine and chocolate) Tangerine syrup: ½ cup tangerine juice ½ cup Meyer lemon juice (or ¾ tangerine and ¼ lemon if you can’t find Meyers) ½ cup 60% cacao or more dark chocolate chips melted and cool Boil tangerine and Meyer lemon juice until it’s reduced down to ¼ cup. Beat butter for at least two minutes. Slowly add in the powdered sugar until it reaches your desired consistency. Then add in the tangerine syrup. You may need to add more powdered sugar to get the frosting thick and glossy but still spreadable. Once you’ve used what you need for the middle layer, beat in the melted chocolate to create your chocolate tangerine buttercream frosting for the outside of the cake. … Continue reading →