Cakes

Chocolate Cake with Strawberry Buttercream and Dark Chocolate Glaze – The Swedish Grace cake

March 13, 2019 By linda 14 Comments

This post is a paid collaboration with Rörstrand.

A few months ago, Swedish iconic brand Rörstrand reached out to me and asked if I wanted to create a cake for their new Swedish Grace cake stand (you’ve probably already seen this beautiful cake stand in my Gingerbread Village cake post). I think it’s pretty clear what my answer was?! YES!

At first it was difficult to think of something other than a classic Swedish princess cake or a cream cake with strawberries. I wanted to create something that felt like me, something that looked fantastic but wasn’t overly complicated and that you could bake all year round with either fresh or frozen berries. This chocolate cake is my very favorite, and the swiss meringue buttercream tastes like the best strawberry ice cream ever, paired with a dark chocolate glaze. Simple yet oh so delicious! And this cake will feed a LOT of people.

I find that this cake tastes even better after a couple of days in the fridge (but definitely make sure you don’t have strong smelling foods in the fridge, or place a cake dome/cover over the cake if possible), there’s just something about chocolate cake that’s been allowed to rest for a couple of days. You can make the cake layers a day or two ahead if you want!

As for the frosting, if you’re unfamiliar with swiss meringue buttercream PLEASE don’t throw it out if it curdles. That is completely normal! It happened to me the first time I tried it too (actually it happens quite often, but I know now it will come together) and I swore there was something wrong with the recipe. So I piped the curdled buttercream onto my cupcakes and let’s just say it wasn’t pretty. So please just keep beating and it will come together eventually. I promise, it’s so worth it! It’s the best buttercream ever. You can totally use raspberries instead of strawberries if you prefer the flavor combo of those two. Or why not a mix of strawberries and raspberries!?

CHOCOLATE CAKE WITH STRAWBERRY BUTTERCREAM AND DARK CHOCOLATE GLAZE

Makes one 20 cm cake – serves 15-20

This cake can be made 1-2 days ahead (actually it gets better after a day or two), wrapped in plastic wrap or stored in a airtight container. If strawberries aren’t in season, frozen work too! You can find the recipe in Swedish on Rörstrand’s website.

INGREDIENTS

CHOCOLATE CAKE

300 g (2 3/4 sticks) salted butter
175 ml (3/4 cup) milk
360 g (2 1/2 cup) all purpose flour
100 g (1 cup) cocoa powder
2 1/4 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. flaky salt
450 g (2 cups + 1 1/2 tbsp.) granulated sugar
3 medium eggs
250 ml (1 cup) sour cream
150 ml (2/3 cup) freshly brewed, strong coffee

STRAWBERRY BUTTERCREAM

225 g fresh or frozen strawberries
8 medium egg whites
400 g (barely 2 cups) granulated sugar
500 g (2 1/4 cups / 4 1/2 sticks) butter (I use salted butter but go ahead and use unsalted if you prefer)
2 tsp. vanilla extract

DARK CHOCOLATE GLAZE

125 g dark chocolate (70%), chopped
75 g salted butter

INSTRUCTIONS

CHOCOLATE CAKE

Preheat the oven to 175°C (350°F). Grease and flour/breadcrumb two 20 cm (8 inch) round cake pans.
Melt the butter in a saucepan and add the milk to the pan.
Sift the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt into a large bowl. Add the butter mixture, sugar, eggs, sour cream and coffee and stir until smooth.
Divide the batter evenly between the two prepared pans.
Bake on the middle oven rack for 35-40 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean.
Let the cakes cool in the pans for 10 minutes, then invert them onto a wire rack to cool completely.

STRAWBERRY BUTTERCREAM

If you’re using fresh strawberries, rinse and hull them and use an immersion blender to make a puree. If you’re using frozen strawberries, heat them in a sauce pan or microwave, then mix into a puree. Strain the mixture for a smoother buttercream, but this step isn’t necessary.
Combine the egg whites and sugar in a clean and heatproof bowl (preferably stainless steel or glass). Place the bowl over a saucepan with simmering water. The bowl should fit snugly, and the water should not be touching the bowl.
Constantly whisk the sugar and egg white mixture with a whisk until the mixture reaches about 65°C (about 140-150°F). If you don’t have a sugar thermometer, just rub some mixture between your fingers. If the sugar has melted and mixture is hot to the touch, it’s ready.
Remove the bowl from the heat, beat until white, fluffy and cool with a stand- or electric mixer. This step will take anywhere from 5-15 minutes.
When the bowl feels cool to the touch, start adding the butter, piece by piece. Don’t worry if the mixture looks curdled and soupy just keep beating – eventually it will become smooth! Add the vanilla and strawberry puree and beat until completely smooth.

ASSEMBLY & DARK CHOCOLATE GLAZE

Split both cake layers in half using a serrated knife. Place the first cake layer on a plate or cake stand. Spread with a layer of buttercream. Repeat with remaining layers.
Spread the buttercream on the top and sides of the cake using an offset spatula. Check out my guide on how to fill and cover a cake here. Save some of the buttercream for piping on top of the cake. Place the cake in the fridge while you prepare the glaze.
Glaze: Place the chocolate and butter in a sauce pan and place it over low heat. Stir often until everything is melted. Let cool to room temperature (but make sure it doesn’t thicken too much, it should still be liquid). Pour the glaze over the cake and quickly spread it over the edges of the cake to make it run down the sides. Let stand for a few minutes before piping the leftover frosting on top of the cake.

Gingerbread Village Cake

November 25, 2018 By linda 43 Comments

I have to say, I absolutely LOVED creating this cake. It’s the most fun I’ve had in the kitchen in a long time, and I definitely felt like I was a kid again. Which I think is exactly what baking and blogging should feel like! I can’t say it was without a little bit of frustration too, which is also part of baking, photographing and blogging I guess.

I can’t even remember the last time I piped icing on gingerbread cookies and at first it was just frustrating but after a good night’s sleep (it never fails me), I sort of got the hang of it. I will probably never be a master at it but I do enjoy it! Perhaps this year will be the year I make a gingerbread house again? We’ll see, we’ll see…

I love experimenting with recipes and tried a couple of different versions for the gingerbread layer, but in the end, this one with lingonberries was definitely my favorite. Lots and lots of flavor and so moist (I know a lot of people hate that word but I don’t know what other word to use, hehe).

I also experimented with getting that blueish grey shade on the cake. I was thinking about how blueberry powder reacts when I add lemon juice to it – it becomes pink when you add something acidic, so I figured it would become more blue when adding something alkaline. And it totally worked! Feel free to try it if you want, or don’t if you think it sounds weird. I promise you it’s not though! Hope you like it!

GINGERBREAD VILLAGE CAKE

Makes one 9-inch layer cake

Some notes about this recipe:
-If you can’t find lingonberry jam for this recipe, I bet frozen lingonberries would work too, just thaw them and stir them together with a little bit of sugar. Apple sauce might work too but I haven’t tried either of those suggestions.
-I used store-bought gingerbread dough for this cake but feel free to make your own! If your cookies float out too much during baking, be prepared with a sharp knife as soon as they get out of the oven – and cut the edges again. The cookies are still soft when they get out of the oven!
-Because I prefer not to use artificial food coloring, I experimented with black sesame and blueberry powder! I wanted the cake to be slightly grey/blue so I added some black sesame paste which does give a slight taste to the cake. Omit the sesame seeds if you know you don’t like them. I added baking soda to blueberry powder to change the ph of it. This doesn’t affect the flavor at all, but feel free to omit this from the recipe if you want. Or use a food coloring of your choice! Or just leave the cake white. All options are totally fine!

INGREDIENTS

Gingerbread cake

200 g (1 3/4 stick) salted butter
360 g (2 1/2 cups) all purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. flaky salt
1 tbsp. ground cinnamon
1 tbsp. ground ginger
1 tsp. freshly ground cardamom
2 tsp. freshly ground cloves
1 tsp. allspice (can be omitted)
4 large eggs
360 g (1 2/3 cup) granulated sugar
250 ml (1 cup) sour cream
150 ml (2/3 cup) lingonberry jam

Gingerbread cookies

about 500 g of gingerbread dough (I used store-bought but feel free to use homemade)
150 g (1 cup) powdered sugar
1 1/2 – 2 tbsp. lemon juice (or as needed)

Frosting

200 g (1 3/4 stick) softened butter (I use salted but feel free to use unsalted)
250 g (1 2/3 cup) powdered sugar
300 g cream cheese, at room temperature
1/4 tsp. vanilla bean powder
zest from 1 orange
2 tbsp. black sesame seeds + 2 tbsp. maple syrup (can be omitted)
2 tsp. blueberry powder + 1/4 tsp. baking soda + 1-2 tsp. water (optional)

INSTRUCTIONS

GINGERBREAD CAKE

Preheat the oven to 175°C (350°F). Grease and flour two 23-24 cm (9 inch) springform pans. Set aside.
Melt the butter and set aside.
Mix flour, baking soda, salt and spices in a medium bowl. Set aside.
Beat eggs and sugar until fluffy and lighter in color, about 3-4 minutes.
Add the dry ingredients and butter to the egg mixture in additions, and stir until completely smooth. Stir in the sour cream and lingonberry jam.
Divide the batter between the prepared pans. Bake on the middle rack for 25-27 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean.
Let cool in the pans for 15 minutes, then unmold onto a cooling rack to cool completely.

GINGERBREAD COOKIES

Knead the dough lightly with floured hands to make it soft and pliable. Lightly flour the table and the rolling pin and roll out to 2-3 mm thickness.
Cut out little house shaped cookies using a knife, or a cookie cutter if you have one (I made my cookies between 5-8 cm high, as the cake is around 8 cm high). Bake the cookies at 175°C (350°F) for about 5-8 minutes depending on size. Let cool completely.
Stir together powdered sugar and lemon juice in a small bowl. Start with a small amount of juice and add more until icing reaches a good piping consistency. Your mixture should be thick enough that it will not run when piped, but not so thick that you can’t squeeze it through a piping bag.
Transfer icing to piping bag and cut a tiny hole in the bag for piping. Decorate the cookies and let the icing harden before placing the cookies on the cake.

FROSTING

Beat butter and powdered sugar until pale and fluffy. Add cream cheese and vanilla and beat until just smooth. Stir in the orange zest.
Place the black sesame seeds and maple syrup in a mortar and pestle. Crush and grind the seeds until a paste forms. Stir the paste into the frosting.
If the frosting seems soft, place the bowl in the fridge while you prepare the next steps.

ASSEMBLY

Cut both cake layers in half using a serrated knife so you get four cake layers.
Place the first cake layer on a cake board or directly onto a plate or cake stand. Spread a layer of frosting on the first layer. Repeat this until you’ve used up all layers.
Spread a thin layer of frosting all over the cake. Place the cake in the fridge for a few minutes if the frosting is soft.
Place the blueberry powder and baking soda in a small bowl and stir in some water. Let stand for a couple of minutes, then add to the remaining frosting. Stir until smooth.
Cover the cake with the remaining frosting and decorate with the gingerbread cookies. I placed toothpicks behind the cookies on top of the cake to get them to stand up. Dust with snow (aka powdered sugar) if desired.

Spiced Pear Cake

October 31, 2018 By linda 16 Comments

A few months ago I saw this beautiful spot right next to the water on one of our daily forest walks with Mozart (our little westie, in case you’ve missed him in my instagram stories). I knew I had to have a shoot there at some point because it was just so pretty. But then, life happened and I forgot all about it.

Honestly I have so many ideas all the time, so many things I want to do. It becomes almost too much, and I end up doing nothing – which means staring at my computer screen and all the e-mails I should be responding to and then feeling bad about not being able to and decide to punish myself a little bit more by staring at my screen for another few hours, getting absolutely nothing done. It’s a vicious circle.

So a couple of days ago, after test baking this cake a couple of times – I decided that spot I had found was the perfect place to shoot this cake. Of course it was also the same day we had to service our car so I had to take my bike. I don’t mind at all, I actually LOVE cycling and I don’t drive – but with the cold and the wind and a heavy crate on my bike I almost turned around after a little while. I’m so glad I didn’t though! I forget how much I love shooting outside, and that I was finally able to shoot with these gorgeous pieces from Leu Ceramics (that cup is my new favorite for espresso and in this case, apple juice, hehe).

I was however not able to bring my tripod on my bicycle and I wanted to make a couple of cinemagraphs so I had to build a ‘tripod’ on top of the crate using a 100mm lens, an 85 mm lens, my phone and a tampon. Yeah… don’t even ask. It worked though! Perhaps not the angle I wanted, but still. You can see them right underneath the recipe. As for the recipe, it’s sort of like a soft gingerbread cake, which is one of my favorite things to eat this time of year.

SPICED PEAR CAKE

Makes 1 cake

Choose pears that are quite firm for this cake, or they will become mushy when the cake is baked. I’ve tried this recipe with yogurt and creme fraiche and both work like a charm!

INGREDIENTS

SPICED PEAR CAKE

200 g (1 1/3 cup + 1 1/2 tbsp.) all purpose flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
3/4 tsp. ground ginger
3/4 tsp. allspice
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
125 g softened salted butter
200 g (1 cup) granulated sugar
zest from 1 orange
zest from 1 lemon
1/8 tsp. vanilla bean powder
2 large eggs
150 ml (2/3 cup) creme fraiche or thick yogurt, at room temp.
5 pears
Powdered sugar, for dusting

INSTRUCTIONS

SPICED PEAR CAKE

Preheat the oven to 175°C (350°F). Grease and flour/breadcrumb a springform pan (about 23 cm/9 inches in diameter).
Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, ginger, allspice and cinnamon in a medium bowl. Set aside.
In a large bowl, beat together the butter, sugar, zests and vanilla until light and creamy, about 2-3 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in the flour in three additions, and the creme fraiche/yogurt in two, beginning and ending with flour. Beat until just smooth.
Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Smooth the top with a spatula. Wash the pears and pat them dry with a clean kitchen towel. Cut of a little bit of the bottom of the pears so they stand up straight in the batter. If you skip this step, they will tip over. Press the pears down into the batter, stem end up.
Bake the cake on the lowest rack of the oven for 50-55 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean. Start checking around 40 minutes, as you might need to cover the cake with foil if the pears are browning too much.
Remove the cake from the oven and let it cool on a wire rack for 15 minutes, then remove the sides of the springform pan, or if you’ve baked in another pan you can leave the cake to cool completely in the pan. Dust with powdered sugar before serving.

Banana bread with brown butter chocolate spread

October 7, 2018 By linda 16 Comments

I’ve been thinking about making banana bread for some time now, but haven’t been patient enough to wait for bananas to become ripe. Hehe. Sounds silly, I know! I even tried making a banana bread using roasted banana but it was definitely not the same. The bananas simply NEED to be very ripe to get the right sweetness and flavor. I know there are some tricks for speeding up the process but I haven’t tried them myself.

I’m not sure what else to say about this recipe other than it’s seriously dangerous and you will want to eat the whole thing by yourself. Especially slathered in that creamy brown butter chocolate spread. Yuum. It’s perfect for the beautiful autumn weather we’re having – accompanied by a cup of coffee or chai tea.

If you’re looking for other banana recipes, you can find my Banana bundt cake with butterscotch sauce HERE and my Banana upside down cake HERE. I very much encourage you to try those too as they are two of my favorite recipes ever.

BANANA BREAD WITH BROWN BUTTER CHOCOLATE SPREAD

Makes 1 loaf cake

This cake can be made 1-2 days ahead (actually it gets better after a day or two), wrapped in plastic wrap or stored in a airtight container.
Recipe from my book “Sweet food & photography” / My Sweet Kitchen

INGREDIENTS

BANANA BREAD

125 g unsalted butter, softened
210 g (1 scant cup) granulated sugar
1 large egg
210 g (1 1/2 cup) all purpose flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. flaky salt
1 cup (about 2-3) very ripe mashed bananas
125 ml (1/2 cup) sour cream or thick yogurt
1 banana, for topping

BROWN BUTTER CHOCOLATE

225 g (1 cup/2 sticks) unsalted butter
75 g semi sweet chocolate (55%), chopped
pinch of salt
1-2 tbsp. powdered sugar

INSTRUCTIONS

BANANA BREAD

Preheat the oven to 175°C (350°F). Grease and flour/breadcrumb a 5 cup (1,2 liter) loaf pan.
In a large bowl, beat the butter and sugar until pale and creamy, about 3-4 minutes. Add the egg and beat until smooth.
In a medium bowl, mix together the flour, baking soda and salt.
Fold the dry ingredients into the butter and egg mixture. Combine the mashed banana and sour cream and add to the batter, then stir until smooth.
Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top with a spatula. Split a banana in half lengthwise and place on top of the batter, dot the bananas with a little extra butter if desired.
Bake on the lower rack for about 60-67 minutes (but start checking a little earlier) or until a cake tester comes out clean. Keep an eye on the cake so it doesn’t brown too much on top. If it does, cover the pan loosely with a piece of aluminum foil or parchment paper (make sure to not seal it, the cake needs room to breathe and rise!). Let the cake cool in the pan for 15-20 minutes, then invert it onto a wire rack to cool.

BROWN BUTTER CHOCOLATE

Place the butter in a light colored saucepan (so you can see the butter change color) over medium heat and leave until it melts and start bubbling.
Continue cooking, stirring frequently until the milk solids turn brown and the butter smells nutty, about 5-10 minuter longer. Take care not to burn the butter (it will continue to brown even after you remove it from the heat, so take it off in time). Pour the butter into a bowl and let cool for a few minutes, then add the chopped chocolate and salt and stir until smooth.
Either leave at room temperature or place the bowl covered in the fridge until the spread thickens to a soft butter consistency. Beat the mixture until fluffy, and add in powdered sugar if desired.

Apple cinnamon bundt cake

August 9, 2018 By linda 16 Comments

Whilst it’s not a good year for blueberries, it’s definitely a good year for apples which makes me super happy since apples are amongst my favorite things to bake with. And most of all, I needed a good reason to use some of my thrift store finds in a shoot, like that bundt pan, the pretty cake stand I bought at a flea market on our way to the Norway workshop, the broderie Anglaise apron (I’m absolutely obsessed with broderie Anglaise!), that vintage bicycle basket and the new hand carved beautiful utensils from Grain and Knot.

If you follow me on Instagram, you probably recognize some of these finds from my stories and know that I’m sort of obsessed with thrift shopping. More on this soon, hehe. Anyway, this apple bundt cake reminds me a of a soft gingerbread cake. Perhaps that’s why I love it so much? I was very tempted to add some cardamom too, but I already add cardamom to basically everything I make so cinnamon had to suffice. I mean, cinnamon and cardamom are basically two of the best flavour out there. Especially together. I’m thinking of cinnamon and cardamom buns which is preeeetty much the best thing ever, right?!

APPLE CINNAMON BUNDT CAKE

Serves 8

This cake is basically a Swedish ‘sockerkaka’ which, roughly translated, means sugar cake. It’s very fluffy and quite light in texture. Feel free to add other spices, like cardamom or cloves. Or replace the lemon with orange, so good! Note that I baked this cake in a vintage cake pan which usually takes a little longer – make sure to start checking doneness around 30-35 minutes.

INGREDIENTS

100 g (1 scant stick) salted butter
100 ml (1/3 cup + 1 1/2 tbsp) milk
finely grated zest from 1 lemon
180 g (1 1/4 cup) all purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
2-3 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. salt
2 apples (about 280 g)
1 tbsp. fresh lemon juice
1 tbsp. all purpose flour
3 large eggs, at room temp
180 g (3/4 cup + 1 1/2 tbsp) granulated sugar
Powdered sugar, for dusting

INSTRUCTIONS

Preheat oven to 175°C (350F). Grease and flour a 4 1/2 – 5 cup (about 1 – 1.2 litre) bundt or loaf pan.
In a saucepan, melt the butter and stir in the milk and lemon zest. Set aside.
In a medium bowl, mix together flour, baking powder, cinnamon and salt. Set aside.
Core, peel and dice the apples (to about 1 x 1 cm dices). Toss them in a bowl with lemon juice and 1 tbsp flour.
In a large bowl, beat eggs and sugar until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Sift in the flour mixture and stir gently until combined. Add the butter mixture and stir until completely smooth. Should there be lumps of flour left in the batter, beat until just combined. Stir in the diced apples.
Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake on the lowest rack in the oven for 40-45 minutes (start checking doneness around 30 minutes) or until a cake tester comes out clean. Let cool for 10 minutes in the pan, then invert onto a wire rack to cool completely. Dust with powdered sugar. Serve with whipped cream if desired.

Carrot cake with lime cream cheese frosting & salted caramel sauce

May 29, 2018 By linda 13 Comments

After a fabulous workshop in Paris with Joann, Elise and Eva, and our amazing guests, I was happy to come home to super hot summer weather in Sweden (still going strong!). I decided to make one of my favorite cakes for the workshop, my carrot cake.

I know, I’ve posted it before but it’s just so insanely good so no harm in posting it again. This time with the addition of lime in the cream cheese frosting and a salted caramel sauce. Let me tell you, it’s so so good!? I love this combination so much.

You wanna know a little secret? The cakes came with me to Paris all the way from Sweden, in my checked bag by the way. Obviously not the assembled cake with frosting, that would be a very bad idea. But still! It’s the second time I try it and it works like a charm. I know it sounds crazy to do this as I had access to a fabulous kitchen in Paris, but I just like to be prepared and I find it difficult to bake in a new kitchen. Perhaps that should be my next blogpost, how to bring cake on a flight? 😉

CARROT CAKE WITH LIME CREAM CHEESE FROSTING & SALTED CARAMEL SAUCE

Yields one cake, serves 6-8

INGREDIENTS

CAKE

150 g (1 1/4 stick) salted butter
3 large eggs
135 g (2/3 cup) granulated sugar
110 g (1/2 cup) light brown sugar, firmly packed
180 g (1 1/4 cup) all purpose flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1 1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. flaky salt
250 g (about 1 3/4 cups grated) carrots, finely grated
150 ml (1/2 cup + 2 tbsp.) apple sauce

CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

150 g (1 1/4 stick) softened unsalted butter
110-150 g (3/4 – 1 cup) powdered sugar
200 g cream cheese
1/4 tsp. vanilla bean powder
zest from 1 organic lime

CARAMEL

110 g (1/2 cup) granulated sugar
50 g (3 tbsp.) salted butter, in small cubes
75 ml (1/3 cup) heavy cream
1/4 tsp. flaky salt

INSTRUCTIONS

CAKE

Preheat oven to 175°C (350°F). Grease and flour two 6-inch (15 cm) cake pans.
Melt the butter and set aside to cool.
Beat eggs and sugars until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes. Add in the melted butter and stir until smooth.
In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt, then gently stir dry mixture into the batter until just smooth. Add grated carrots and apple sauce and stir until combined. Divide batter between the two cake pans.
Pour the batter into the prepared baking pans, smoothing the tops with a spatula. Bake in the lower part of the oven for about 40-43 minutes, or until a cake tester comes out clean. Let the cakes cool in the pans for 15 minutes, then invert onto a wire rack to cool completely.

FROSTING

Beat butter and powdered sugar (start with the smaller amount and add more if needed) until pale and fluffy. Add cream cheese and vanilla and beat until just smooth. Stir in the grated lime zest.
If the frosting seems soft, place the bowl in the fridge while you prepare the next steps.

CARAMEL

Place the sugar in a heavy-bottomed saucepan. Place the pan over medium to high heat until the sugar starts melting around the edges. Turn the heat down to low and stir gently with a wooden spoon until sugar is completely melted and golden brown. Be careful not to burn the sugar! Stir in the butter, piece by piece, stirring between each addition.
Little by little and very slowly pour the cream into the saucepan with the melted sugar and butter (it will bubble up so make sure to be careful as this stuff is hot!). Add the salt and stir until smooth. Pour the caramel into a heat proof bowl and let cool completely.

ASSEMBLY

Cut both cake layers in half with a serrated knife so you get four cake layers.
Put the first cake layer on a cake board or directly onto a plate or cake stand. Spread a layer of frosting on the first layer. Repeat this until you’ve used up all layers.
Spread a thin layer of frosting all over the cake. Place the cake in the fridge for a while if it seems unstable.
Pour the caramel sauce over the cake, letting it drip down the sides. Top with fresh berries if desired.

Chocolate cake with chocolate chip mascarpone filling and chocolate fudge frosting

March 24, 2018 By linda 44 Comments

Chocolate cake with chocolate chip mascarpone filling and chocolate fudge frosting

Makes one 8-inch cake, serves 10-12

Ingredients

Chocolate cake

200 g (~1 3/4 sticks) salted butter
125 ml (1/2 cup) milk
240 g (1 2/3 cups) all purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp. baking soda
68 g (2/3 cup) cocoa powder
315 g (1 1/2 cups) granulated sugar
1/4 tsp. flaky salt
2 medium eggs
150 ml (2/3 cup) sour cream
125 ml (1/2 cup) hot coffee

Chocolate chip mascarpone filling

250 g mascarpone
2 tbsp. powdered sugar
150 ml (2/3 cup) heavy cream
pinch of salt
80 g (2.8 oz) dark chocolate (85%), finely chopped

Chocolate fudge frosting

100 g (3.5 oz) dark chocolate (85%), chopped
175 g (~1 1/2 sticks) salted butter, softened
150 g (1 cup) powdered sugar
4 tbsp. (1/4 cup) cocoa powder
2-3 tbsp milk or heavy cream
4 tbsp. (1/4 cup) sour cream (can be omitted, but tastes really nice with the chocolate)
flaky salt, to sprinkle

Instructions

Chocolate cake

Preheat oven to 175°C (350°F). Butter two 20 cm (8-inch) cake pans and dust them with flour or cocoa powder.
Melt the butter, add milk and set aside to cool.
In a large bowl, mix together the flour, baking soda, cocoa powder, sugar and salt. Add the butter mixture, eggs and sour cream to the dry ingredients and beat until just smooth.
Add the hot coffee and stir until smooth (batter will be quite liquid at this point).
Divide the batter evenly between the two cake pans. Bake the cakes on the lowest rack for 22-26 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean. Let the cakes cool in their pans for 10 minutes, then invert onto a cooling rack to cool completely.
When cakes are completely cool, split them in half using a serrated knife.

Chocolate chip mascarpone filling

In a medium bowl, beat mascarpone and powdered sugar until smooth and creamy. Add the cream and salt and beat until mixture thickens. Stir in the chopped chocolate.

Chocolate fudge frosting & assembly

Melt the chocolate and set aside to cool.
Beat butter, powdered sugar and cocoa powder until pale and creamy, about 2 minutes. Add the cooled, melted chocolate and beat until smooth. Add milk or heavy cream and sour cream and beat until incorporated. If frosting feels loose, put the bowl in the fridge for a few minutes.
Place the first cake layer on a plate or cake stand. Spread with a layer of mascarpone filling. Repeat with remaining layers.
Spread the chocolate frosting on the top and sides of the cake using an offset spatula. If you have chocolate frosting left over, feel free to pipe it on top of the cake. Sprinkle with flaky salt.

Lemon poppy seed bundt cake with a lemon syrup & blueberry glaze

February 9, 2018 By linda 35 Comments

I’ve struggled to come up with something to bake for the blog lately, but when I saw this pan in a second hand shop, I knew immediately what I wanted to make. Inspiration is a funny thing. It comes and goes, and usually it comes when you least expect it.

I have to act on it when it comes, which means a lot of other important things get pushed to the side. You know, as in eating well, taking care of myself, seeing friends, responding to calls and texts (who am I kidding, I never respond to calls), wearing something other than yoga pants. I started doing yoga almost every day though so at least I have an excuse for the yoga pants.

I think I’ve been in hermit mode since I quit my nine-to-five job, almost five years ago. I thank my friend Carey for encouraging me to take the mbti-test (16 personalitites) which has been sort of life changing for me. It made me understand myself, as an infp, and other people (yes, I forced everyone I know to take the test!) so much better.

But I digress. Cake! I made another version of this cake almost one year ago but was never happy with the recipe. Up until now, I haven’t had a proper lemon cake on my blog. HOW is this possible?

I adore lemon cake, especially with poppy seeds. And what a lemon cake it is, the best one I’ve made – by far! Soaked in lemon syrup and with a blueberry glaze. And how beautiful is that pan? I might make a pudding in it next time. Wouldn’t it be perfect for that?

LEMON POPPY SEED BUNDT CAKE WITH A LEMON SYRUP & BLUEBERRY GLAZE

Serves 8

You can also bake this cake in a loaf pan! If you’re baking in a vintage cake pan, make sure to check doneness before removing the cake from the oven. I had to bake it for almost 70 minutes when using a vintage pan, , whilst in a new pan it only took 47 minutes.

INGREDIENTS

BUNDT CAKE

210 g (1 1/2 cups) all purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
225 g (1 cup) granulated sugar
2 tbsp. finely grated lemon zest (from about 2 lemons)
125 g (slightly more than 1 stick) softened salted butter
3 large eggs
100 ml (1/3 cup + 1 1/2 tbsp) heavy cream
3 tbsp. fresh lemon juice
3 tbsp. poppy seeds

LEMON SYRUP

1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
55 g (1/4 cup) granulated sugar

BLUEBERRY GLAZE

3/4 tsp. freeze dried blueberry powder
1 tbsp. fresh lemon juice
75 g (1/2 cup) powdered sugar
1-2 tbsp. milk
Poppy seeds, for topping

INSTRUCTIONS

CAKE

Preheat oven to 175°C (350F). Grease and flour a 6 cup (1 1/2 litre) bundt or loaf pan.
In a medium bowl, mix together flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
Place the sugar in a large bowl. Add the finely grated lemon zest and rub together until sugar is fragrant and zest is incorporated. Add the butter and beat until mixture is light and creamy, about 2-3 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition.
In a small bowl, combine heavy cream and lemon juice. Add the flour mixture and cream mixture in additions to the butter mixture, beginning and ending with the flour, and stir until batter is smooth. Stir in the poppy seeds.
Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan, smoothing the top with a spatula. Bake on the lowest rack in the oven for 45-50 minutes (start checking doneness around 35-40 minutes, and cover the top with foil if the cake is browning too much) or until a cake tester comes out clean. While the cake is baking, you can prepare the syrup (instructions below). Let the cake cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then invert onto a cooling rack.

LEMON SYRUP

Combine lemon juice and sugar in a saucepan. Place over medium high heat and stir until the sugar is dissolved. Set aside to cool.
Brush the cake with the syrup while the cake is still warm, then let the cake cool completely. Place the cake on a cake stand or serving platter.

BLUEBERRY GLAZE

Place blueberry powder in a small bowl. Add a little splash of the lemon juice and stir until a paste forms. Stir in the rest of the lemon juice and the powdered sugar. Add milk to desired consistency.
Drizzle glaze over the cake and sprinkle poppy seeds on top.

A trip to Norway + Brownies with salted caramel and toasted meringue and a gingerbread bundt cake

December 22, 2017 By linda 56 Comments

Last week, I was lucky enough to spend a few days in winter wonderland… errr, I mean at Melgården in Norway with some wonderful friends, Olivia of Adelasterfoodtextures, Samantha of The Botanical Kitchen, Kati of Blackwhitevivid and of course, the lovely lady of the house, Live of Melgården. Only sweet Krissy of Cottage farm missing!

Melgården truly looked like my idea of winter wonderland, SO cold (-19°C one day, brrr) and lots and lots of snow. Rolling hills, fog and frost on the windows. Like a dream come true. It made me feel like a kid again on so many levels. My fingers and toes weren’t as excited as I was though, nor was my camera gear or my phone battery which died within 10 minutes outside.

Melgården is like something out of a fairytale, or possibly a Wes Anderson movie, and I dare to say it’s every food photographer’s dream with all the rustic backdrops and props, and that GORGEOUS scenery. We drove through a snowy Sweden all the way up to snowy Rena, Norway, with the car full of fresh vegetables and props. We almost couldn’t fit in there!

I couldn’t believe how efficient we were. With about 5 hours of daylight each day and in two days, I shot FOUR cakes (I can only share two of them here though.. 🙂 ) and a whole bunch of other beautiful things that you can see in this post. That’s why I love working in a team so much, especially this team <3

And this is why I’m delighted to share that Olivia, Krissy and I will be hosting a workshop again, at Melgården in 2018! I literally can’t wait!! If you’re interested, make sure to subscribe by e-mail for more details and prerelease. You can fill in your e-mail address in the sidebar on the right 🙂

I’d also like to take the time to thank you for your continued support this year! It wouldn’t have been the same (or at all!) without you. Wishing you all Happy Holidays and a very Happy 2018!

BROWNIES WITH SALTED CARAMEL AND TOASTED MERINGUE

9-12 servings

Some notes about this recipe: If you’re not a fan of hazelnuts, you can definitely make these brownies with walnuts, pecans or almonds (I’ve tried all and they’re all delicious!). The brownies are also super delicious without caramel and meringue if you prefer that. When test baking, I baked my brownies for 32 minutes – it was almost set, slightly wobbly in the middle and it came out gooey and delicious. After a day in the fridge it has exactly the consictency I like in brownies! Make sure to have a look HERE in case you’d like to make an edible gift out of this recipe.

INGREDIENTS

Brownies

100 g (3.5 oz) hazelnuts
150 g (about 1 + 1/3 stick) salted butter
4 tbsp. (1/4 cup) coffee
150 g (1 cup) all purpose four
1/2 tsp. baking powder
30 g (1/3 cup) cocoa powder
1/2 tsp. flaky salt
135 g (1/2 cup + 2 tbsp.) granulated sugar
110 g (1/2 cup + 2 tbsp.) light brown muscovado sugar
3 large eggs
150 g (5.2 oz) dark chocolate, chopped

Caramel

110 g (1/2 cup) granulated sugar
50 g (3 tbsp.) salted butter, in small cubes
75 ml (1/3 cup) heavy cream
1/4 tsp. flaky salt

Meringue topping

2 large egg whites
90 g (1/3 cup + 1 1/2 tbsp.) granulated sugar
1/2 tsp. lemon juice
zest from 1 orange

INSTRUCTIONS

Brownies

Preheat the oven to 175°C (350°F). Place the nuts in a baking dish and toast for 10-12 minutes or until fragrant and slightly browned. If the nuts aren’t already skinned, wrap them in a kitchen towel and rub until most of the skins come off. Let cool completely, then chop them coarsely.
Melt the butter in a saucepan and set aside to cool.
Butter a baking pan, approximately 17 x 17 cm (measured at the bottom of the pan, the top is 20 x 20 cm) and cover it with baking paper.
In a large bowl, stir together flour, baking powder, cocoa powder, salt, granulated sugar and brown sugar. Add the melted butter, coffee, eggs, chopped nuts and chocolate and stir until completely smooth.
Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan and bake for 30-35 minutes or until cake is almost set but the center wobbles slightly.
Remove from the oven and let the cake cool in the pan.

Caramel

Place the sugar in a heavy-bottomed saucepan. Place the pan over medium to high heat until the sugar starts melting around the edges. Turn the heat down to low and stir gently with a wooden spoon until sugar is completely melted and golden brown. Be careful not to burn the sugar! Stir in the butter, piece by piece, stirring between each addition.
Little by little and very slowly pour the cream into the saucepan with the melted sugar and butter (it will bubble up so make sure to be careful as this stuff is hot!). Stir until smooth. Pour caramel into a heat proof bowl and let cool completely.

Meringue topping

Place egg whites, lemon juice and sugar in a clean and heatproof bowl (preferably stainless steel or glass).
Put the bowl over a saucepan with simmering water. The bowl should fit snugly, and the simmering water should not be touching the bowl. Whisk the sugar and egg whites constantly with a whisk until the mixture reaches about 65°C (about 140-150°F). If you don’t have a sugar thermometer, just rub some mixture between your fingers. If the sugar has melted and mixture is hot to the touch, it’s ready.
Remove the bowl from the heat, beat until white, fluffy and cool to the touch with a stand- or electric mixer. This step can take about 5-10 minutes. Stir in the orange zest.

Assembly

Place the cake on a plate or serving platter. Drizzle/spoon caramel on top, then spread the meringue over the caramel. Brown the meringue using a kitchen torch.

GINGERBREAD BUNDT CAKE

Makes 1 bundt

Some notes about this recipe:I used a 10 cup bundt pan to bake this cake and it was actually slightly too small for the batter so I would suggest putting a piece of baking paper underneath the pan while baking so the batter doesn’t end up on the floor of your oven, or reserving some of the batter to bake some muffins. A 12 cup pan would probably be more suitable.

INGREDIENTS

Gingerbread bundt cake

540 g (3 3/4 cups) all purpose flour
2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. flaky salt
1 tbsp. ground cinnamon
1 tbsp. ground ginger
2 tsp. freshly ground cardamom
2 tsp. freshly ground cloves
1 tsp. ground bitter orange peel (can be omitted)
4 large eggs
240 g (1 1/4 cup) light brown muscovado sugar (or regular light brown sugar)
200 ml (3/4 cup + 1 1/2 tbsp) cane syrup
250 g (2 + 1/4 stick) salted butter
200 ml (3/4 cup + 1 1/2 tbsp) heavy cream
300 ml (1 1/4 cup) milk

Cream cheese glaze

120 g (3/4 cup + 1 1/2 tbsp) powdered sugar
100 g cream cheese
1-3 tbsp. freshly squeezed orange juice

INSTRUCTIONS

Gingerbread bundt cake

Preheat the oven to 175°C (350°F). Grease and flour a large bundt pan with 10-12 cup (preferably 12 cup) capacity. Set aside.
Mix flour, baking soda, salt, spices and ground bitter orange peel in a bowl. Set aside.
Beat eggs and sugar until fluffy and lighter in color, about 3-4 minutes. Add cane syrup and beat until smooth.
Melt the butter in a saucepan and stir in cream and milk.
Add dry ingredients and butter mixture to the egg mixture in additions, and stir until completely smooth.
Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake in the lowest oven rack for 55-65 minutes, but start checking doneness after 50 minutes. Keep an eye on the cake during the whole baking time so the top won’t brown too fast (if it does, carefully place a piece of baking paper or aluminum foil on top).
Let cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then unmold onto a cooling rack to cool completely. The cake will most likely come out domed, so feel free to even that out with a sharp serrated knife once the cake is cool.

Glaze

Combine powdered sugar and cream cheese in a bowl. Beat until smooth and creamy, about 1 minute.
Stir in orange juice to desired consistency. Pour the glaze over the cooled cake.

Cheesecake filled chocolate bundt cake with white chocolate matcha glaze

November 14, 2017 By linda 34 Comments

I knew from the moment I opened the box to this bundt pan that I was going to bake a chocolate bundt cake in it, and then top it with a matcha glaze. The cheesecake filling idea popped into my head as I was making the batter for the chocolate cake. It was a good idea, to say the least. This is probably my most favorite chocolate cake ever, it’s like a fudgey, delicious brownie in consistency. Mmmm. And I swear it gets even better after a couple of days in the fridge, which is awesome because to be honest, who can eat such a huge cake in one go?

And guys, I bet you already know them, but if you don’t, you need to know about Nordic Ware bundt pans (they did not pay me to say this, I just adore their pans and want to share). Now, I love my vintage cake pans but I’ve had so many cakes stick to the pans and it’s just such a waste of time and good ingredients. I’ve not had a single cake stick to the pan with my NW pans. So there you go.

Anyway, if you’re making this recipe, make sure to read up on the notes right before the ingredients and instructions in the recipe. 🙂

Cheesecake filled chocolate bundt cake with white chocolate matcha glaze

Yields one bundt cake, serves 10-12

Some notes about this recipe: I suggest using coffee in the cake as it heightens the chocolate flavor, but water works as well. I used a white chocolate with lemon flavor because I couldn’t find regular white chocolate, and I think that made the cake taste even better! So adding some lemon or orange zest to the cake, cheesecake batter or glaze definitely wouldn’t be a bad thing. If you don’t like matcha, you can absolutely omit it from the glaze. If the cake isn’t eaten the same day, wrap it well and store it in the fridge, I actually find that the cake becomes better after a day or two in the fridge!

Ingredients

Cheesecake filling

200 g full-fat cream cheese
1 medium egg
60 g (~1/4 cup) granulated sugar
1 tsp. all purpose flour
1/4 tsp. vanilla bean powder

Chocolate cake

200 g (~1 3/4 sticks) butter
125 ml (1/2 cup) milk
240 g (1 2/3 cups) all purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp. baking soda
68 g (2/3 cup) cocoa powder
300 g (barely 1 1/2 cups) granulated sugar
1/4 tsp. salt
2 medium eggs
150 ml (2/3 cup) sour cream or thick yogurt
125 ml (1/2 cup) hot coffee or water

White chocolate matcha glaze

100 g (3.5 oz) white chocolate, finely chopped
100 ml (1/3 cup + 1 1/2 tbsp.) heavy cream
1-2 tsp. cooking grade matcha powder

Instructions

Cheesecake filling

Preheat oven to 175°C (350°F). Beat together the cream cheese, egg, sugar, flour and vanilla. Set aside while you prepare the cake batter.

Chocolate cake

Grease one 10-cup bundt pan (2.4 liters) and dust with flour or cocoa powder.
Melt the butter, add milk and set aside to cool.
In a large bowl, mix together the flour, baking soda, cocoa powder, sugar and salt. Add the butter mixture, eggs and sour cream to the dry ingredients and beat until just smooth.
Add the hot coffee and stir until smooth (batter will be quite runny).
Pour about 1/2 of the cake batter into the prepared pan. Spoon about 1/2 of the cheesecake filling over the cake batter, trying to not let it touch the pan (a little bit is ok though, just make sure to use a high quality pan so it doesn’t stick to the pan). Pour a little bit of the chocolate cake batter over the cheesecake mixture, just to cover it. Spoon in the rest of the cheesecake mixture, and then cover with the remaining chocolate batter.
Bake for 45-55 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean. Remove the cake from the oven and let it cool inside the pan for 20 minutes before inverting it onto a wire rack to cool completely.

White chocolate matcha glaze

Place the white chocolate in a heat proof bowl.
Pour the cream into a saucepan and whisk in the matcha powder. Place the saucepan over medium high heat until cream is very hot but not boiling. Pour the cream over the chocolate – make sure all the chocolate is covered with cream, if not, press chocolate down with a spoon. Let stand for 30 seconds, then stir until chocolate is melted and glaze is completely smooth.
Let glaze cool completely, then drizzle over cake.

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