FOUR LITTLE CUPCAKES

Posted in Cake by sallybr

Vanilla or Chocolate Cupcakes, all with American Buttercream in different decorating styles. Two designs went tropical, showcasing a plump Brazilian “brigadeiro” on the top.

VANILLA CUPCAKES
(adapted from several sources)

120g all-purpose flour
150g granulated sugar
40g butter, unsalted, removed from the fridge for 30 minutes
1 large egg
120mL milk
1 + 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp vanilla paste or extract
1/4 tsp salt

Heat the oven to 350F and line a cupcake pan with paper baking cups. Recipe makes 9 to 10 cupcakes.

Put the flour, baking powder, sugar, salt and butter cut in small pieces in the bowl of a KitchenAid type mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on medium-low until the butter is in very small pieces, almost like sand.

Whisk the egg with the milk and vanilla, add slowly to the mixer running in low-speed. Once it is almost smooth, increase the speed to high for a couple of minutes, scraping the bottom of the bowl once.

Stop the mixer and make sure the batter is fully smooth, mixing by hand with a spatula. Add batter to the 9 cupcakes, filling half-way full only. Bake for 15 to 18 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean when inserted in the center.

Leave cool completely before decorating.

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

PASTEL TONES CUPCAKES

Vanilla cupcakes were baked then frosted with American buttercream, using this recipe. The batch was divided in three portions, dyed pastel pink, teal, and the last portion left white. Then, it was a matter of having fun with different piping tips and finish them with sprinkles in matching color.

I used a 3D Wilton tip for the large rose swirl, and a tip 20 for the other details. Just have fun with it, no precision needed. I love the end result…

BRAZILIAN-STYLE CUPCAKES, TWO WAYS

I used the same vanilla cupcake recipe, the same American buttercream. Rolled brigadeiros in sprinkles, and used them to decorate the cupcakes right after frosting. I used a large open star tip to make petal-style piping. You can use white frosting, or make a marble type like I did in one of my batches, using pink and white.

These turned out fun and from what I heard, were a big hit when I donated them…

GALAXY CUPCAKES

CHOCOLATE GALAXY CUPCAKES
(inspired by several sources)

for the cupcakes (makes 10):
100g all-purpose flour
20g cocoa powder
140g granulated sugar
40g butter, softened
1/8 tsp salt
1 large egg
120mL milk, full-fat
1 + 1/2 tsp baking powder

Heat oven to 350F and line a tray with cupcake liners.

Mix the milk with egg in a small bowl, whisk, reserve.

Put the flour, cocoa powder, butter, sugar and salt in the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix until the butter forms a sand consistency. Pour half the milk mixture into the bowl and mix on low-speed for a minute. Increase the speed to medium-high for a couple of minutes. Add the remaining milk mixture, and mix on low-speed until fully incorporated.

Increase the speed for a few seconds, then add the batter to the lined cupcakes. Bake for about 15 minutes, until a toothpick comes clean when inserted in the center.

Cool the cupcakes completely before frosting.

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

For the galaxy effect, divide the buttercream in three portions, one of them smaller than the other two (no need for exact measurements, you can eye-ball). The idea is to minimize the amount of the very dark component, otherwise it will overpower the design. Dye the smallest portion black, the other two teal and pink. Add them in straight lines over plastic wrap, roll the wrap like a sausage and insert into a large piping bag fitted with an open star tip. Pipe swirls, and add sprinkles. These would be amazing next to the cookies I blogged about recently, don’t you think?

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28Jul2026

RAGGIO TRICOLOR YOGURT CAKE

Posted in Cake by sallybr

This cake is made with a special silicone pan from Silikomart, called Raggio. For some reason, I am always a bit insecure to try a recipe unless I see it made in that exact pan, so when I found this version years ago, I was thrilled. Promptly saved it in my files. Took me a while, but here I am to share the outcome. It is a bit sad that Barbara, the Polish-Italian food blogger behind it, does not seem to be publishing new recipes anymore, but if you want to pay her a visit and see the wonderful bakes she shared in the past, click here.

RAGGIO TRICOLOR YOGURT CAKE
(sightly modified from FoodOhFood)

450 g flour
2 tsp of baking powder
1 pinch of salt
220 g of soft butter
450 g white sugar
125 g strawberry yogurt
1 tsp of vanilla extract
5 eggs at room temperature
120 ml buttermilk

for the dark batter:
2 + 1/2 tbsp of unsweetened cocoa powder
2 + 1/2 tbsp of milk

for the red batter:
1 tbsp of milk
1 tbsp of cocoa
1 tsp strawberry emulsion (optional, I used this one)
red food dye

Powdered sugar, for dusting (optional)

In a KitchenAid type mixer, whisk soft butter along with sugar for 4-5 minutes or until it becomes light and fluffy. Add yogurt and whip again. Then gradually add eggs and finally vanilla extract. Sift flour, baking powder and salt into a second bowl.
Now, gradually add buttermilk and dry ingredients into the mixture with the eggs. Do it in 3 or 4 times, always whipping at low speed until all the ingredients are well blended.

Weigh the batter and divide it into three equal parts. For the chocolate part, take a cup or a small bowl and mix a tablespoon of light mixture with 2 and a half tablespoons of milk and 2 and a half tablespoons of unsweetened cocoa powder. Add this color to the first third of the batter and stir in gently.

For the red color, mix a generous tablespoon of the light mixture with 1 tablespoon of milk, 1 teaspoon of unsweetened cocoa powder, the strawberry emulsion (if using) and just enough of the red food dye. The teaspoon of cocoa is used to darken the red color. Add the prepared mix to the second third of the batter and stir in.

To give a desired tricolor effect, place the mould so that it remains slightly inclined. Add several spoonfuls of the red batter into the mould. Add some of the dark mixture to the bottom of the red color and some of the light mixture to the top. Fill the mold almost to the brim, alternating the colors, then place it on the flat surface and add a few more layers of colored batter. Fill the mould to about three quarters in hight. You will have leftover batter, that you can use to make cupcakes.

Bake at 350F for 50 – 60 minutes for the Raggio cake and 25 minutes for cupcakes. Or bake until a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean. Once removed from the oven, let them cool completely before removing from the mould.

Serve with a light dust of powdered sugar, if so desired.

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

Comments: I confess intricate silicone pans intimidate me. Bundt pans are always a little stressful to un-mold, but silicone pans are like Bundts on steroids. The secret is to allow the cake to cool for a long time before releasing from the pan. Some people like to even stick it in the freezer for 30 minutes after cooling just to make sure. But when that cake comes out perfect, it’s the most amazing thrill…

This cake is super simple to make, and smells amazing as it bakes. I donated it whole, so apologies for not showing it cut. It is a small price to pay when you don’t eat your own concoctions…

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20Jul2026

PINK VELVET LAYER CAKE

Posted in Cake by sallybr

Perfect for Valentine’s Day, but wonderful for any other celebration, this is a real adorable design and not too complicated to make. However, it helps to have a smooth frosting to start with, and that can make a baker hyperventilate a bit. Don’t ask me how I know….

PINK VELVET LAYER CAKE
(slightly modified from I’ll Bring the Cake)

¾ cup buttermilk
⅔ cup sour cream
⅓ cup vegetable oil
4 egg whites
1 tablespoons raspberry emulsion (I used this one)
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons freeze-dried raspberries, powdered in a food processor
1 box white cake mix
pink gel food dye, a couple of small drops

for the vanilla buttercream:
3 sticks (1½ cups) unsalted butter
Pinch of salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
¼ cup heavy cream (plus more if needed)
7 to 8 cups powdered sugar

Heat the oven to 325°F. Prepare three 6-inch round cake pans covering the bottom with parchment and spraying baking spray on the sides and bottom. Reserve.

In a large bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, sour cream, oil, egg whites, raspberry emulsion, vanilla and freeze-dried raspberries until thoroughly combined. Sift in the cake mix and pink foo dye, whisk until just combined. Split the batter evenly among the prepared pans.

Bake for 25 to 27 minutes, until the center is baked through. Let the cakes cool in the pan for about a minute before flipping them out onto a wire rack to cool completely. Wrap and transfer the cakes to the freezer for 30 minutes before proceeding with frosting. You can also save them in the fridge to continue the following day.

Make the buttercream: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter on medium speed until it’s light and fluffy. Add the salt, vanilla, and heavy cream and beat again until thoroughly combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. With the mixer on low speed, add the powdered sugar about ½ cup at a time. Add a little more heavy cream if needed, then flip the mixer to high speed and beat until the buttercream is lighter in color and texture, about 2 minutes. Separate one cup of frosting to dye pink, leave the rest plain.

Assemble the cake: Place a cardboard cake round on a cake turntable. Dot a little bit of buttercream in the center of the round and spread it out with an angled icing spatula. Place the first chilled cake layer in the center. Add a layer of buttercream. Place the next cake layer on top, then repeat, making sure to line the layers up evenly. After adding the top cake layer, crumb coat the cake by spreading a thin layer of buttercream around the entire cake. Freeze the cake for 5 minutes.

To the reserved buttercream, add 1 drop of soft-pink gel coloring and stir to incorporate. Pipe hearts and little blobs, using a round tip for the hearts, and an open star to the little blobs. Cover the top with sprinkles and add a decorative border with a 1M piping tip.

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

Comments: This recipe is an example of “doctored cake mix”, in which you start with a box cake component but add bells and whistles to it. Many will twist their noses, I honestly do not see anything wrong, I can bake a cake from scratch, but don’t mind taking a little shortcut here and there. I donated the cake whole, and I don’t feel like asking volunteers to take pictures for me, they have a lot to think about during the dinners, so I cannot show you the inside. It got very nice reviews, though, so I am confident about sharing the recipe with my readers. The pink color I used is my all-time-fave, Dusty Rose. Every chance I get, I incorporate it into my bakes.

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12Jul2026

COCONUT LAMINGTONS

Posted in Cake, Desserts, Desserts, Sweets by sallybr

Maybe you know Haniela from her amazing cookie decorating skills, but she goes way beyond that: she is an accomplished baker on all sorts of areas. One of her husband’s favorite desserts is the Australian classic, Lamington. Hani has used this recipe for a long, long time and her blog post about it makes this potentially intimidating concoction pretty straightforward to make. Check her detailed article here.

COCONUT LAMINGTONS
(from Haniela’s blog)

for the sponge cake:
2 + 1/3 cup all purpose flour (330 grams)
1 tbsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
4 large eggs, at room temperature
1 + 1/4 cup powdered sugar (150 grams)
6 tbsp oil (82-85 grams)
2 tbsp honey (45 grams)
1 tsp Vanilla Extract
1 cup milk, at room temperature (240-250 grams)

for the chocolate glaze:
2 + 1/2 cup powdered sugar (300 grams)
1/2 cup cocoa powder (50 grams)
6 tbsp milk (90-95 grams)
1 cup unsalted butter (226 grams)
1/2 tsp Vanilla Extract
unsweetened coconut (1 + 1/2 5oz bags)

Heat oven to 350°F.

Line a 9×13-inch cake pan with parchment. Into a bowl, combine all-purpose flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.

In a large bowl, beat 4 large eggs with powdered sugar on medium-high, for 5-8 minutes, until pale in color. Then gradually beat in oil untill well combined. Then beat in honey and lastly add vanilla extract. Beat well. Gradually, on medium speed beat in flour mixture, alternating with room-temperature milk.

Pour cake batter into a prepared 9×13 inch cake pan. Use a spatula to evenly distribute the batter into a pan. Bake the cake for 20-25 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool the cake in the pan for 5-10 minutes. Invert the cake onto a cooling rack, cover it with a kitchen towel, and cool completely.

Trim the sides of the cake, about 1/4 to 1/2 inch off each side. Then cut the cake into 2-inch squares. Cover with a towel while you prepare the chocolate glaze so teh cake doesn’t crust around the edges.

Make the glaze: In a saucepan, combine powdered sugar, cocoa powder and milk. Heat on low heat until completely melted and smooth. Then, gradually add cut-up butter and heat the glaze until all the butter is melted. Whisk until the glaze is homogeneous. Remove from the heat, stir in vanilla extract. Keep chocolate glaze warm for dipping. Glaze thickens as it cools, simply warm it up as needed.

Pour glaze into a bowl, dip one square cake at a time. Use a fork to help you turn the cake to coat. Then let the cake sit on a fork and tap the fork or your wrist to release any excess glaze, allowing it to drip back into a bowl. Coat each glazed cake square in coconut.

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

Comments: The sponge cake component was a total dream to work with, perfect bake, flat, allowing me to cut square pieces without any struggle. I made the cake the day before, kept it covered with Saran wrap and a towel at room temperature. Next morning I cut the pieces, glazed and coated them with coconut. My advice is to work near a sink, rinse and dry your fingers after each piece that gets coated. It is a messy process but I thought it was going to be much worse. To coat in coconut, I dropped the glazed piece on the bowl, then used a fork to flip it. At that point I could hold the piece with my fingers touching the two sides that already had coconut on them, and coated the sides turning the piece with my hand. That worked well, using a fork was just too awkward for me. I donated the whole batch, but whenever I make a recipe for the first time, I save one for me and the husband to taste. Two thumbs all the way up, moist cake, delicious coating, chocolate and coconut make a wonderful match. I really hope you give Haniela’s recipe a try, it is a nice baking project to tackle, and you will feel quite accomplished later…

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16Jun2026

THE BEWITCHING KITCHEN TURNS 17!

Posted in Cake by sallybr

Sometimes I cannot quite believe that I’ve been doing this for seventeen years, but what is even more amazing to me, is that I still feel a wonderful thrill every time I hit “publish” on a new post. And yes, I realize I’ve said that before, after all, it’s been seventeen years of cooking and sharing joy. To celebrate the occasion, I baked a cake, but to be completely honest, there were a few issues, so I am not sharing the recipe. It comes from a pretty well-known cookbook. Enough said. Chocolate layer cake, with fudge buttercream and ganache drip. The issue was the buttercream, but I did my best to work around the problem.

Four layers of chocolate cake, filling of fudge buttercream with bits of shortbread cookies, and a drizzle of caramel sauce. After frosting the cake, a dark chocolate ganache was poured on the flat top, allowing it to drip down the sides. A little extra buttercream to make rosettes on top, chocolate sprinkles and gold for good luck.

The cake was donated whole, so I cannot show the inside, but I heard it was very rich and delicious. As to the journey of blogging, mine will definitely keep going. Phil and I are officially retired for almost a full month, and want to expand a bit my horizon on cooking in general, attempting recipes that are a bit more exotic, maybe. Let’s see how it goes. If you’ve been here from the very beginning, thank you for hanging around for so long. If you are new to my little virtual spot, I hope you’ll find plenty of things to read about and maybe make in your own kitchen. Make it bewitching. And let’s step into the 18th year of food blogging, shall we?

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