Company Cake Recipes

COMPANY CHOCOLATE CAKE

Steps:

• In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking soda and salt; set aside. In a small saucepan, combine cocoa and water until smooth; add butter. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly; add to dry ingredients and stir well. Combine the eggs, buttermilk and vanilla; stir into chocolate mixture., Pour into a greased 13x9-in. baking pan. Bake at 350° for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack., For chocolate sauce, in a small saucepan, combine the sugar, cocoa, milk and butter. Bring to a boil; boil for 1 minute. Remove from the heat; stir in vanilla. Serve warm with cake and ice cream. Garnish with cherries if desired.

MY BEST VANILLA CAKE - STAYS MOIST 4 DAYS!

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 180°C/350°F (160°C fan) for 20 minutes before starting the batter (Note 8). Place shelf in the middle of the oven.
• Grease 2 x 20cm / 8" cake pans with butter, then line with parchment / baking paper. (Note 9 more pan sizes) Best to use cake pan without loose base, if you can.
• Whisk flour, baking powder and salt in a large bowl. Set aside.
• Beat eggs for 30 seconds on speed 6 of a Stand Mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, or hand beater.
• With the beater still going, pour the sugar in over 45 seconds.
• Then beat for 7 minutes on speed 8, or until tripled in volume and white.
• Heat Milk-Butter: While egg is beating, place butter and milk in a heatproof jug and microwave 2 minutes on high to melt butter (or use stove). Do not let milk bubble and boil (foam ok). Don't do this ahead and let the milk cool (this affects rise).
• Gently add flour: When the egg is whipped, scatter 1/3 flour across surface, then beat on Speed 1 for 5 seconds. Add half remaining flour, then mix on Speed 1 for 5 sec. Add remaining flour, then mix on Speed 1 for 5 - 10 sec until the flour is just mixed in. Once you can't see flour, stop straight away.
• Lighten hot milk with some Egg Batter: Pour hot milk, vanilla and oil into the now empty flour bowl. Add about 1 1/2 cups (2 ladles or so) of the Egg Batter into the Milk-Butter (don't need to be 100% accurate with amount). Use a whisk to mix until smooth - you can be vigorous here. Will look foamy.
• Slowly add milk: Turn beater back on Speed 1 then pour the Milk mixture into the Egg Batter over 15 seconds, then turn beater off.
• Scrape and final mix: Scrape down sides and base of bowl. Beat on Speed 1 for 10 seconds - batter should now be smooth and pourable.
• Pour batter into pans.
• Knock out bubbles: Bang each cake pan on the counter 3 times to knock out big bubbles (Note 10 for why)
• Bake 30 minutes or until golden and toothpick inserted into centre comes out clean.
• Remove from oven. Cool in cake pans for 15 minutes, then gently turn out onto cooling racks. If using as layer cakes, cool upside down - slight dome will flatten perfectly. Level cake = neat layers.
• Frost with frosting of choice, or cream and fresh berries or jam. See list of ideas in post!
• Beat butter with paddle attachment in stand mixer for 3 minutes on high until it changes from yellow to almost white, and it becomes fluffy and creamy.
• Add icing sugar / powdered sugar gradually in 3 lots, beating slowly (to avoid a powder storm) then once mostly incorporated, beat on high for a full 3 minutes until fluffy.
• Add vanilla and milk, then beat for a further 30 seconds. Use milk only if needed to make it lovely and soft but still holds it's form (eg for piping). Use immediately. (If you make ahead, refrigerate then beat to re-fluff).

EASY STRAWBERRY CAKE RECIPE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
• Liberally grease and flour 2 - 8" round cake pans. I prefer Baker's release. Set aside.
• In a large mixer bowl, stir together the cake flour, AP flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.
• Add the cubed butter and mix until it looks like coarse, moist crumbs.
• Beat in the eggs, one at a time.
• In a measuring cup, combine the milk, strawberry puree, and vanilla. Stir until well combined.
• With the mixer on low, carefully pour the milk/strawberry mixture into the flour/butter mixture, slowly beating until smooth.
• Add in food color until you reach the desired color. Keep in mind that the color will intensify as it bakes.
• Divide the batter between the two prepared cake pans.
• Bake for 35-40 minutes or until the toothpick test comes out clean.
• Cool completely before removing from the pan and frosting. I like to freeze mine for at least 1-2 hours before decorating as it keeps the crumbs from getting in the frosting.
• Place the butter in a large mixer bowl and beat on high until light and fluffy.
• Add the vanilla and salt, mix until just combined.
• Slowly beat in the confectioner's sugar, 1 cup at a time making sure it is completely incorporated each time before adding the next cup.
• Fold in the strawberry puree or jam.
• Beat in the food color- if using.
• Combine the strawberries and sugar in a small food processor or blender and pulse until it reaches the consistency of thin jam.
• Remove one of the cakes from the pan and place it on a cake plate or cardboard round. You can add a small dollop of frosting underneath to keep it from shifting on the plate.
• Use a cake leveler or sharp knife to trim off the dome if your cake did not bake flat.
• Add some of the frosting in an even layer on top of that bottom round of cake. You can also add about 1/4 cup of additional strawberry puree or jam on top of the frosting for additional flavor and visual interest.
• Remove the second cake from the pan, trim the cake as you did the first layer to make sure it is nice and evenly flat.
• Place that layer on top of the filling layer.
• Using an offset spatula, spread a thin coat (this is the crumb coat) of frosting around the whole cake, tops, and sides. You should be able to see through it. I like to freeze the cake at this time to set the frosting and make it easier to work with for the decorating.
• Once frozen, add another thicker layer of frosting to the top and sides of the cake.
• Transfer the remaining frosting to a piping bag and decorate as desired. I use a medium open star tip for this one.
• Top the cake with a single strawberry in the center.
• Keep refrigerated until ready to serve.

THE PERFECT CHOCOLATE CAKE

Steps:

• Sift the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, and salt into the bowl and mix until combined.
• In another bowl, combine the buttermilk, oil, eggs, and vanilla.
• With the mixer on low speed, slowly add the wet ingredients to the dry. With mixer still on low, add the coffee and stir just to combine, scraping the bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula.
• Pour the batter into two 8-inch round prepared pans and bake for 30-40 minutes at 350°F, until a cake tester or toothpick comes out mostly clean (not wet).
• Cool in the pans for about 10 minutes, then turn them out onto a cooling rack and cool completely.

COMPANY CAKE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350 degrees.
• Spray an 8x8 pan with cooking spray.
• Beat eggs, sugar, oil and milk until mixed.
• Combine dry ingredients; add to egg mixture.
• Mix well.
• Stir in vanilla.
• Pour into prepared pan.
• Bake for 30-35 minutes, until a pick comes out clean.
• Cool.
• In heavy saucepan, cook and stir caramels and water until smooth.
• Add pecans; cool slightly.
• Cut cake into squares, spoon caramel sauce over cake squares.