Cake Celebrity

I suppose I've faced my first true test of balancing blogging with medical school...and according to my stats for the last couple of weeks, I think I failed. I may be able to redeem myself though! After all, I think the recipe for Ellen Degeneres and Portia De Rossi's wedding cake or Jennifer Aniston's birthday cake deserves a little a lot of extra credit. I can't claim to have worked undercover at the Sweet Lady Jane Bakery, but I can say that I think I've perfected the recipe for the ketogenic celebrities' favorite carb splurge. Ever since I started making it, the triple berry cake has become the cake my friends and family request most often...so it's sort of a celebrity itself. Yes, this cake is a little labor intensive...but consider it a labor of love because that's what this cake tastes like-- joyful, unadulterated love.

Fluffy Vanilla Bean Cake

Serves 15

5 Large Egg Whites, at room temperature

1 Whole Egg

1 Cup Milk, preferably 2% or whole milk

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

3 Cups cake flour, sifted

1 vanilla bean, split in half and scraped*

2 Cups sugar

1 Tablespoon + 1 teaspoon baking powder

¾ teaspoon salt

12 tablespoons unsalted butter, frozen and cut into 24 even pieces

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease, flour, and line two 8-inch baking pans.
2. In a medium bowl, stir the egg whites, whole egg, and ¼ of the milk. Stir in the vanilla and set aside.
3. In the bowl of an electric mixture fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the dry ingredients (including the vanilla bean) together on low speed for 30 seconds.
4. Add the butter one piece at a time, about every 10 seconds. Continue to mix on low until the mixture is a fine crumbly texture. Add the rest of the milk, and mix on low for 2 minutes. Scrape the sides of the bowl and begin to add the egg mixture in 3 separate batches, mixing until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. The batter should be homogenous. Fold once or twice to ensure everything at the bottom of the bowl is incorporated.
5. Divide the batter in two, spreading it evenly in the cake pans.
6. Bake until a toothpick comes out with a few crumbs when inserted into the center, about 30 minutes. However, check the cake at 20 minutes to be sure you’re not over baking.
7. Let cool on racks for 10 minutes before loosening the sides carefully. Gently turn the cakes out and allow it to cool further.

*place the leftover pods in your sugar container to make vanilla sugar, or steep them in your black tea.

 Vanilla Cake Recipe Adapted from: Sweetapolita

Nush’s Vanilla Buttercream Icing

Serves 20

2 sticks of Unsalted Butter, softened at room temperature

½ teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

8 Cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted

1/3 Cup milk, preferably 2% or whole milk, room temperature

1/3 Cup Heavy Whipping Cream

Directions

1. In the bowl of a kitchen aid stand mixer fitted with whisk attachment, whip the butter for 4 minutes at medium high speed. This will make your butter cream and incorporate quite a bit of air. Add salt and vanilla and continue to whip for another minute.
2. Add in the confectioners’ sugar cup by cup. Be sure to start out at a slow speed to prevent your kitchen from looking like a winter wonderland. Slowly increase the speed to medium high and whip until all the powdered sugar is incorporated. Turn the mixer off before you add the next cup of sugar and repeat the process.
3. When the mixture starts to become stiff (this will happen before all the sugar has been added), add in the 1/3 Cup of milk. Scrape the sides of the bowl, and whip the frosting for 1 minute or until the frosting is homogeneous.
4. Continue to add in the rest of the sugar.
5. Lastly, add the heavy whipping cream. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl and whip at medium speed for 20 seconds. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl  and whip at medium-high speed for another 20 seconds. Be careful not to over whip your frosting after the heavy whipping cream has been added. Over whipping will cause the heavy whipping cream to turn into butter and cause the frosting to be heavier instead of lighter. What you want is to whip the cream into a whipped cream texture that ends up making the most fluffy, divine buttercream frosting that's worthy of naming after yourself...

*By replacing ½ Cup of the powdered sugar with Ghirardelli cocoa powder, you’ve got a delicious cocoa buttercream. You can also add some vanilla bean to take your vanilla buttercream to the next level of fancy.

Nush’s Buttercream Frosting Recipe ©KiwiConfections

Whipped Cream

Serves 15

1 Cup Heavy Whipping Cream, kept refrigerated until ready to use

1 Tablespoon confectioners’ sugar

½ teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

1. Place a perfectly clean and completely dry metal mixing bowl and the whisk attachment in the freezer for 10 minutes.
2. Attach the frozen metal mixing bowl and whisk attachment to your stand mixer.
3. Take the whipping cream out of the fridge and add it to the metal mixing bowl. Start out whipping at low-medium speed for 30 seconds. Add in the sugar and vanilla.
4. Gradually increase the speed, and whip at a higher speed for another 30 seconds or until soft peaks form. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl and whip at high speed for 5-10 seconds—be careful not to over whip thus turning your heavy whipping cream into butter.

To Assemble the Triple Berry Cake

1. Chop up 5 washed strawberries, 10 washed raspberries, and 10 washed blackberries. Lay the berries on a paper towel to absorb excess water.
2. Use a large knife to make sure the top surface of both cake layers are even and flat. (Save those cake scraps for eating with the left over frosting)
3. Place one cake layer on the cake stand.
4. Place half the whipped cream on top of the bottom cake layer. Arrange the berries on top of the whipped cream. Place the last half of the whipped cream on top of the berries.
5. Place the second cake layer on top of the berry/whipped cream layer.
6. Spread the buttercream frosting around the cake. Even out the frosting with a large straight-edged spatula.
7. Color ½ Cup of the buttercream with green food coloring and use a frosting tip to draw vines and leaves on the top and sides of the cake.
8. Slice a few strawberries in half length wise. Wash and dry some additional blackberries and raspberries. Make sure all the berries are completely dry (especially the cut sides).
9. Arrange the berries around the perimeter of the cake (cut side down). Use the green icing to create additional leaves or branches in respect to the berries.
10. Keep the cake refrigerated until about 20 minutes before serving. Enjoy!

Photo Credits: KiwiConfections

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