Call Me Cupcake

Sweet food & photography

Summer

Fluffy sponge cake with balsamic strawberries

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There is almost nothing that says summer as much as a simple, fluffy sponge cake with cream and strawberries. And while I do enjoy that as it is, in all its simplicity, I wanted to add something. And strawberries and balsamico is pretty much a match made in heaven, I know that since I made a cream soda with balsamic strawberries for a magazine not too long ago. It was honestly one of the best things ever, that I will make many times this summer.


Or let me call it “summer”, so far at least. If you’re from a nourthern
country, you probably know what I mean by that. When I was at the First We Eat workshop in Barcelona in March, Patricia of Sabores y momentos
asked me why I was so obsessed with checking my weather app all the
time. I told her that where I live, we need to make the most out of the
few sunny days we have, because it can literally be weeks until we see
the sun again. And that the weather is definitely a topic of
conversation in Sweden. She told me in her happiest voice “Well, that’s
not a problem here, it’s almost always sunny!”. Well, at least this cake
sure makes it feel like it’s sunny outside.




FLUFFY SPONGE CAKE
WITH BALSAMIC STRAWBERRIES

yields one 24 cm (9.5 inch) cake, serves 6-8

This cake does not keep well in the fridge as the strawberries tend to get a little mushy after a while, so make sure to prepare the strawberries and cream topping right before serving!


Ingredients
For the sponge cake
150 g butter
1 cup (225 g) granulated sugar
3 medium eggs, at room temperature
1 cup (150 g) all purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
zest from 1/2 lemon
2 tbsp milk

For the balsamic strawberries
300 g fresh strawberries
1 1/2 tbsp granulated sugar
1 tbsp balsamico
pinch of salt
1/4 tsp vanilla powder
zest from 1/2 lemon

For the topping
1 cup heavy whipping cream
2 tsp granulated sugar
Fresh mint leaves

Directions
Sponge cake
1. Preheat oven to 175°C (350°F)
2. Grease a 24 cm (9-9.5-inch) cake pan with a removable bottom. Sprinkle pan with bread crumbs or flour, make sure you get some on the sides of the pan aswell.
3. Melt butter and let cool.
4. Beat the eggs and sugar until lighter in color and texture, about 1-2 minutes. Stir in the melted butter.
5. Mix flour, baking powder and salt in a small bowl. Gently stir the flour
mixture into the egg mixture. Add lemon zest and milk and stir until batter is smooth.
6. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth top with a spatula.
7. Bake for 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean.
8. Let cake cool for 10 minutes before sliding a knife
around the edge and removing the sides of the pan. Let cool to room temperature.

Balsamic strawberries & topping
1. Hull the strawberries and cut them into thirds lengthwise. Place them in a bowl and toss with sugar, balsamico, salt, vanilla and lemon zest. Cover the bowl and let stand for 30 minutes until the berries release their juices. Toss every now and then.
2. Prick holes in the cake with a toothpick and spoon some of the juices from the berries on top of the cake.
3. Whip the cream with the sugar to soft peaks. Spread the whipped cream on top of the cake. Spoon strawberries on top and decorate with some mint leaves. Drizzle any leftover “juice” on top of the cake.
 

Spara

Strawberry rhubarb pie with elderflower

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Strawberry rhubarb pie is one of those classics that I absolutely adore. And that’s exactly why I hesitated a bit before adding elderflowers to the mix. But I’m glad to say it turned out so well, with just a hint of elderflower flavor. Perfect.

I know it looks like this pie has a huge puddle in the bottom, but it doesn’t, really. I was eager to photograph the inside and let it cool just 1 1/2 hours which is not enough to let it firm up completely.. I know, my bad. And it’s definitely not soupy like many other strawberry rhubarb pies I’ve tried. I macerate the fruit and then cook the liquids before I add them back to the pie (don’t want to lose any of that precious flavor!). I know it sounds like many steps to go through but I highly recommend trying it, to avoid a soggy pie bottom.

And for those of you who are interested, I made a little lattice guide. Check it out below! Oh, and sorry for blocking the view with my head so many times.. hehe.





STRAWBERRY RHUBARB PIE
WITH ELDERFLOWER

yields 1 pie, 8-9 inch pan

Strawberry and rhubarb tend to release a lot of juice when baked, therefore, I macerate the fruit with sugar and flavoring so they release some of the liquid (and I tell you, it’s a lot! I probably had around 2 cups). I then cook the liquid with cornstarch until it thickens. This is to avoid a soggy bottom in a double crusted pie. The fruit also shrinks a little bit when doing this, so you don’t get that gap between the filling and the crust!
Feel free to add another flavoring in place of elderflower. Cinnamon or cardamom would be delicious.


Ingredients
For the pie crust
2 cups (300 g) all purpose flour
2 tbsp granulated sugar
1/4 tsp flaky sea salt
250 g (2 sticks + 2 tbsp) very cold salted butter, diced
6-8 tbsp ice water

For the filling
3 3/4 cup (500 g) 1/2 inch thick sliced & trimmed rhubarb
3 1/3 cup (500 g) fresh strawberries, hulled and halved or quartered
3/4 cup + 2 tbsp (200 g) granulated sugar
finely grated zest from 1/2 lemon
1/2 tsp real vanilla powder
pinch of salt
a handful of elderflowers, washed and stems removed

2 tbsp lemon juice
2 tbsp cornstarch

For the egg wash
1 egg
pinch of salt
1 tbsp milk

2 tbsp turbinado sugar, to sprinkle

Directions
Crust
1. Mix together the dry ingredients in a large bowl. Add the diced butter and, using your fingers or a pastry cutter, cut in the butter until dough is crumbly but there are still visible pieces of butter.
2. Drizzle with water, 1 tbsp at a time, and mix gently with a fork until dough just comes together, do not knead the dough! Pat the dough together, divide in half and flatten into two discs.
3. Wrap both pieces of dough in plastic wrap and place in refrigerator for at least an hour but preferably overnight.

Filling
1. Combine rhubarb, strawberries, sugar, lemon zest, vanilla, salt and elderflowers in a large bowl. Toss to combine. Cover and leave in room temperature for 30 minutes. Carefully toss every now and then.
2. Put a colander or sieve on top of a large non-reactive saucepan. Pour the filling into the colander and let stand for a few minutes until all the liquids have dripped into the saucepan. Put the berries back into the bowl and set aside.
3. In a small bowl, stir together cornstarch and lemon juice. Place the saucepan over medium heat and stir until it comes to a boil. Lower the heat and add the cornstarch slurry, stirring constantly until the mixture thickens. It should thicken quite a bit but still be a little runny, make sure it doesn’t turn into a paste! Leave to cool to room temperature, then add back to the berries.

Assembly
1. Preheat oven to 225°C (430°F) with a baking sheet in the lower part of the oven (think of it like a pizza stone!).
2. If needed, leave the pie dough in room temp for a few minutes before rolling.
Roll out one piece of the dough into a large circle on a lightly floured surface, about 1/8 – 1/4 inch (3-5 mm) thick. Make sure to roll and turn the dough so it doesn’t stick to the surface. Transfer to a 8-9 inch pie pan. Trim excess dough, leaving a 1 inch overhang.
3. Roll out the other piece of dough and cut into 12 long strips.
4. Spoon the filling into the prepared pan and place the strips in a lattice pattern on top (see video). Crimp the edges.
5. Put pie in the freezer for 15 minutes.

Bake
1. Mix the egg, a pinch of salt and milk in a small bowl.
2. Remove the pie from the freezer and brush it with egg wash and sprinkle with turbinado sugar.
3. Place the pie in the oven, on the cookie sheet. Bake for 15 minutes at 225°C, then lower the temperature to 175°C (350°F). Bake until the edges are golden brown and filling bubbly, about an additional 45-50 minutes. If the pie is browning too much, cover loosely with aluminum foil. Let cool completely before serving with vanilla ice cream.

Mini princess cakes | Miniprinsesstårtor

By 31 Comments


Princess cake has been on my to-do list for a while now. Since last summer I think, but I never got around to making one. I’ve eaten so many slices of princess cake in my life and I figured it was high time to make my own. Princess cake is one of the most typical Swedish pastries, and I’ve been very into making Swedish pastries lately. I know there is always some debate as to whether a real princess cake should contain raspberry jam or not. Nowadays they usually always do, as far as I know.  I chose to go with raspberry cream instead of jam, because why not? Raspberries are delicious. As they’re not really in season right now, I went for frozen ones.
And if I can, I always go for mini format. It does take a bit longer but aren’t they adorable? Totally worth it in my opinion, to be able to serve individual little cakes for your guests.
And what’s not to like? A light sponge, pastry cream, raspberry cream with a hint of lemon, more whipped cream and marzipan. They are actually lighter than you would think despite all that cream, and they aren’t overly sweet. Delicious.







MINI PRINCESS CAKES
Makes 10 small cakes

Notes on this recipe
-Sponge cakes can be prepared 1-2 days in advance as long as they are stored in airtight containers, pastry cream can be made one day in advance. The finished cakes taste best the first two days.
-Don’t use the marzipan that you buy already rolled out, it’s way too stiff and thick to cover these tiny cakes. Believe me, I tried (so much for being lazy..)!
-Marzipan tends to dry out quickly, if this happens, wet your hands ever so slightly with some water and knead until smooth again. 
-It can be difficult to roll out all of the marzipan at once, especially to get the thickness even. My advice is to roll out half the marzipan, cover 5 cakes, and then do the rest. 

Ingredients
Sponge cakes
3 tbsp + 1 tsp (30 g) all purpose flour
3 tbsp + 1 tsp (40 g) potato starch
1/2 tsp baking powder
pinch of salt
2 large eggs
1/3 cup + 1 1/2 tbsp (90 g) granulated sugar
1/8 tsp vanilla powder

Pastry cream
(makes 1 cup, a bit more than you need)
1 cup (250 ml) milk
1/2 vanilla bean
3 tbsp (45 g) granulated sugar
2 tbsp (17 g) cornstarch
pinch of salt
1 large egg
1 egg yolk

Raspberry cream
75 g raspberries, fresh or frozen (thawed)
1 tbsp granulated sugar
finely grated zest from 1/2 lemon
1/4 cup (60 ml) heavy whipping cream

Topping
1 2/3 cup (400 ml) heavy whipping cream
2 tsp granulated sugar

350 g marzipan
green food coloring, if desired
powdered sugar, for dusting

Directions
Sponge cakes
1. Preheat oven to 175°C (350°C). Prepare a cupcake pan with 10 cupcake liners.
2. In a medium bowl, stir together flour, potato starch, baking powder and salt with a fork (to get rid of any lumps).
3. In a large bowl, beat eggs, sugar and vanilla until light and fluffy – about 2-3 minutes.
4. Fold in the dry ingredients and stir until batter is smooth.
5. Divide the batter between the 10 cupcake liners, filling them about 2/3 full.
6. Bake for 15-16 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean. Let cool completely.

Pastry cream
1. Put milk in a saucepan. Scrape the seeds out of
the vanilla bean and add seeds and bean to the saucepan. Cook over medium heat until mixture comes to a boil. Remove from heat.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together sugar, cornstarch, salt, egg and egg yolk. Slowly whisk in half of the hot milk to temper the eggs. Pour everything back into the saucepan and remove the vanilla bean.
3. Whisk over medium heat until the mixture becomes very thick. Put the saucepan in a cold water bath, stirring every now and then to prevent a skin from forming. When mixture is cool, pour into a clean bowl and cover with plastic wrap, pressing the plastic wrap against the surface of the cream. Put bowl in the fridge.


Raspberry cream
1. In a bowl, mash the raspberries with sugar and lemon zest. Set aside about 2 tbsp of the mixture for brushing the cakes.
2. In a medium bowl, beat 1/4 cup cream until stiff peaks form. Add the raspberry mixture (not the reserved 2 tbsp) and stir until smooth.


Assembly
1. Remove the cupcake liners from the cupcakes. Cut each cupcake into three layers.
2. Put the widest layers (the “top” of the cupcake) on small plates or a cutting board. Pipe or spread a layer of pastry cream onto the first cake layers. Put the second layers on top and brush with the reserved raspberry mixture. Pipe or spread a layer of the raspberry cream over. Put the last layers on top.
3. Beat 1 2/3 cups cream with 2 tsp sugar until stiff peaks form. Spread a layer of cream over the cakes. Put the cakes in the fridge while you prepare the marzipan.
4. Knead the marzipan with a tiny amount of green food coloring, if desired. Sprinkle some powdered sugar on your work surface to prevent the marzipan from sticking to it.
5. Roll the marzipan out very thinly, about 2 mm thick. Cut out rounds large enough to cover the whole cake, my rounds were approximately 14 cm (5.5 inches) across. Drape the marzipan over the cakes and smooth out any wrinkles with your hands. Cut off excess marzipan around the edges. Dust with powdered sugar and decorate with fresh roses or marzipan roses. Store cakes in the fridge.

Brown butter chocolate chip cake with bourbon caramel frosting

By 75 Comments



The same thing happens every year, I forget my blog birthday. Poor Call me cupcake. So neglected. So last week was Call me cupcake’s 6th birthday. SIX YEARS of blogging. That’s a long time! And it’s still just as fun. Six years calls for cake.

To be honest I struggled to come up with something to bake, which is usually never a problem for me. Often I have too many ideas floating around in my head, but I’ve been lacking inspiration lately, and most of all I’ve been procrastinating everything. And I mean everything.
Anyway, I started thinking of brown butter. I really like brown butter. Why not bake something with it? Ok, I’ll bake something with it. That’s pretty much how it went down in my head. Because who can sit around and wait for inspiration? I know I can’t. I just have to make something and hope it turns out well. And it turned out really, really well I think.
So here’s to Call me cupcake and all you lovely people who have followed along on this journey, I hope we get to spend many more years together in this little space I decided to create six years ago.






BROWN BUTTER CHOCOLATE CHIP CAKE
WITH BOURBON CARAMEL FROSTING

INGREDIENTS 
BROWN BUTTER CHOCOLATE CHIP CAKE
Recipe adapted from Raspberri cupcakes


Remember that the brown butter needs to be prepared ahead of time as it takes some time for it to solidify!

300 g unsalted butter
2 1/2 cups (360 g) all purpose flour
4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup (240 ml) milk
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 1/2 cup (330 g) granulated sugar
4 large eggs
150 g chocolate chips or chopped chocolate (I used 75 g milk chocolate and 75 g dark chocolate)

BOURBON CARAMEL
2/3 cup (150 ml) heavy cream
1 cup (225 g) granulated sugar
1 scant stick (100 g) cold butter, in cubes
1/2 tsp sea salt flakes
2 tbsp bourbon (can be omitted)

BOURBON CARAMEL FROSTING
4 large egg whites (approximately 150 g)
3/4 cups + 1 1/2 tbsp (180 g) granulated sugar
2 sticks + 2 tbsp (250 g) butter, at roomtemperature, cut in cubes
1/2 cup bourbon caramel (recipe above)

TOPPING
Apricots
Peaches
Cherries

INSTRUCTIONS
BROWN BUTTER
1. Place butter in a small saucepan on medium heat and stir until it melts completely.
2. 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 (it will continue to brown even after you remove it from the heat, so take it off early).
3. Scrape the melted butter and browned bits into a small bowl and chill until almost solidified but still soft enough to be beaten with an electric mixer (about 20-30 minutes in the freezer, an hour or so in the fridge).

BROWN BUTTER CHOCOLATE CHIP CAKE
1. Preheat oven to 175°C (350°F). Grease and flour three 15 cm (6 inch) cake pans.
2. Combine flour, baking powder and salt in a bowl, set aside. Mix milk and vanilla in a measuring jug, set aside.
3. Beat browned butter and sugar together in a large bowl until pale and creamy, about 5 minutes.
4. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
5. Alternately add flour mix and milk mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Beat until smooth. Add the chocolate chips and stir until blended.
6. Pour equal amounts of mixture into prepared tins and bake until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean and the outside is golden, about 34-37 minutes. Make sure not to over bake (or the cake will be very dry) so start checking after 30 minutes.
7. Let the cakes cool in the tins for 15 minutes, then carefully turn them out on to a wire rack to cool completely.

BOURBON CARAMEL
1. Gently heat the cream in a small saucepan. Set aside.
2. Put the sugar in another saucepan and heat on medium high until the sugar starts melting around the edges. Carefully swirl the sugar with a heatproof spoon until all the sugar has melted. If you’re using a baking thermometer, the sugar should be about 338°F (170°C).
3. Add the butter, piece by piece, and stir until melted. Carefully add the warm cream (it will bubble up!) little by little and stir until smooth.
4. Pour caramel into a jar and let cool 10 minutes before adding salt and bourbon. Leave the caramel to cool to room temperature while you make the frosting.

BOURBON CARAMEL FROSTING
1. Pour egg whites 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 water should not be touching the bowl.
2. Whisk the sugar and eggs with a whisk constantly 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.
3. Remove the bowl from the heat, beat until white, fluffy and cool with a stand- or electric mixer. This step can take about 5-10 minutes.
4. 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 until smooth! Add the caramel and beat until completely smooth.

ASSEMBLY
1. If cakes are rounded on top, even out with a knife. Cut all three cake layers in half using a sharp serrated knife (you’ll end up with six thinner layers). Put the first layer on a cake board or a cake stand. Drizzle a couple of teaspoons of caramel on top of the layer. Spread frosting on the first layer. Add the next layer and repeat until you’ve used up all six layers
2. Spread a thin layer of frosting all over the cake (this is the crumb coating layer, to hold all the crumbs in place) using an offset spatula. Put the cake in the fridge for about 10 minutes or until the crumb coating layer has firmed up a bit (leave the bowl of frosting in room temperature).
3. Spread the remaining frosting all over the cake until cake is smooth. For a totally even and smooth surface, dip an offset spatula in warm water and dry it between every pass. Works like a charm!
4. Decorate the cake with halved apricots and slices of peach, cherries and pour some extra caramel over the cake (just make sure it’s cold enough or the buttercream will melt). Serve each cake slice with extra peach slices (this cake is absolute heaven paired with peach!) and caramel sauce.

Spara

Strawberry buttermilk pancakes with elderflower and poached rhubarb

By 16 Comments

I can’t believe it’s been an entire month since I blogged. Time flies, as they say.
Apparently it’s been so long that I completely forgot that my previous post was pancake related as well. I usually try to vary each post a bit more, but one can never have to many great pancake recipes. Right?
It’s also a whole month since I travelled to France, and to tell you the truth, I haven’t even begun to look at the photos yet. I know that I’ve been busy this month, but what have I done, really? I can’t bring myself to remember. And in a few days I’m leaving for France again.
When I was in France a month ago, the elderflower was already blooming and it was really hot. Looking outside right now, it looks like November. Raining and 14°C. Which also means that the elderflower here has really been struggling to bloom. I don’t think I’ve ever seen it bloom this late, and it’s not even quite there yet! So if you live in a country where the elderflower has already bloomed, feel very free to make these pancakes without it as they are so delicious with just strawberries. Incredibly fluffy, light and just perfect!





STRAWBERRY BUTTERMILK PANCAKES
WITH ELDERFLOWER AND POACHED RHUBARB

Serves 3-4
Note that this recipe makes more pancakes than pictured (I was hungry)!

INGREDIENTS
PANCAKES
1 cup all purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/8 tsp salt
1/4 tsp vanilla powder or 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup buttermilk
2 medium eggs
25 g butter (1/4 stick), melted and cooled

125 g chopped strawberries (about 3/4 cup)
3-5 elderflower heads

POACHED RHUBARB
100 g rhubarb, trimmed and finely chopped (about 3/4 cup)
1/2 cup water
4 tbsp granulated sugar
1 tbsp lemon juice
1/4 tsp vanilla powder or 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

DIRECTIONS
PANCAKES
1. Sift flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and vanilla powder into a bowl.
2. Mix together the buttermilk and eggs in a small bowl (and vanilla extract if using).
3. Add the wet ingredients to the dry and stir carefully until mixture is smooth. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let stand 15 minutes in roomtemperature. Add the butter and stir until smooth. Stir in the chopped strawberries.
4. Heat a nonstick frying pan with some butter. Pour about 2-3 tbsp of batter into the frying pan and immediately sprinkle the top of the pancake with some elderflower blossoms. Turn and fry until golden brown.

POACHED RHUBARB
1. Put rhubarb, water, sugar, lemon juice and vanilla in a saucepan.
2. Let simmer very gently for about 2-3 minutes or until rhubarb is soft, not mushy!
3. Put a strainer on top of a bowl. Pour mixture into strainer and put the rhubarb pieces in another bowl to cool. Pour the liquid back into the saucepan and let simmer until slightly thickened, about 5-10 minutes. Pour into a bowl to let cool, then add the rhubarb.
4. Spoon the rhubarb pieces on top of your pancakes and pour some rhubarb “syrup” on top. Serve with toasted almond flakes and fresh strawberries.

Blueberry lemon muffins with cardamom crumble topping

By 51 Comments


Okay, can we just talk about these muffins for a while? They are so delicious. You need to make them, now. I almost can’t believe how fluffy and perfect they are. I’m pretty sure I need to make this recipe as a cake too. Soon.

I’m leaving for Iceland next week (sounds like I’m moving there but I’m not) and I know myself all too well. I need to write lists everyday because I have a fear of forgetting something. Soon, I’ll start dreaming nightmares about missing my flight or forgetting my bag at the airport.
I wish I could be a little more relaxed. Laid back. Especially when it comes to traveling. Besides from the fact that I have travel anxiety, I know it will be an amazing trip and I’m looking forward to it so much. I’ve packed my camera gear and I’ll bring my computer as well so hopefully I’ll be able to update with some photos while I’m there!




Blueberry lemon muffins with cardamom crumble   
Makes 10-12
(Depending on the size of your baking cups)

Ingredients
Cardamom crumble topping
2 tbsp all purpose flour
2 tbsp granulated sugar
1/2 tsp ground cardamom
pinch of salt
25 g (about 1 1/2 tbsp) cold butter, diced

Muffins
100 g (1 scant stick) butter
1/3 cup + 1 1/2 tbsp (100 ml) yogurt
zest from 1 lemon
2 medium eggs
1/2 cup + 2 tbsp (135 g) granulated sugar
1 1/4 cups (180 g) all purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
Pinch of salt
1 cup (150 g) blueberries, fresh or frozen

Directions
Crumble topping
In a small bowl, stir together flour, sugar, cardamom and salt. Add butter and mix with your hands until mixture is crumbly. Put bowl in the fridge while you prepare the muffins.

Muffins
Preheat oven to 200°C (390F) and line a muffin pan with 10-12 baking cups. Melt the butter and add yogurt and lemon zest. Beat eggs and sugar until light and fluffy, then add the butter mixture. Mix flour, baking powder and salt in a bowl and stir them into the wet ingredients. Fold in blueberries. Fill liners 3/4 full and sprinkle cardamom crumble on top. Bake for 18-21 minutes.

Vanilla bean cake

By 61 Comments


Autumn is definitely upon us. The days are getting shorter and the air is getting crisper. It’s sunny. And it rains. Then 5 minutes later, it’s sunny again.
Don’t get me wrong, I absolutely adore autumn, it’s probably my favorite time of the year (ok, I think I say that about all seasons).
I feel more inspired and full of energy than ever, and I can finally wear my favorite clothes again. Yes, I wear clothes during summer too, but way to little for my taste. I always feel like I lose my sense of style (the little that I have..) when it’s too hot outside.
In fact, I feel so inspired and have so many ideas that in the end, nothing gets done. Almost. Or maybe it’s in my head because people around me tell me “But, you get SO much done” and I just shrug my shoulders.. I run around, doing a little bit of this and a little bit of that.
I’m wondering, are there any freelancers reading this? How are you coping with time management?  I’m completely clueless so hit me up with your best tips please!

I actually surprised myself when I took these photos because they are so very summery, and my mood is set to autumn. I guess it’s still summer though, after all, it’s only August.








Vanilla bean cake
Makes one 6 inch cake / Serves 6-8

Recipes from my book Lomelinos tårtor

Ingredients
Cake
50 g (1/2 stick) butter
3 large eggs
1 cup (225 g) granulated sugar
1/2 tsp pure vanilla powder (or seeds from 1 vanilla bean)
1/3 cup + 1 1/2 tbsp milk
1 1/4 cups (180 g) all purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
pinch of salt

Vanilla buttercream frosting
300 g butter, softened
1 1/2 – 2 cups powdered sugar
1/4 tsp pure vanilla powder (or seeds from 1/2 vanilla bean) or 1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 cup heavy whipping cream
pink food coloring, if desired

Directions
Cake
1. Heat oven to 175°C (350F).
2. Butter and flour two 6 inch (15 cm) cake pans.
3. Melt the butter and let it cool.
4. Whip eggs, sugar and vanilla until very light and fluffy, about 5-7 minutes. Heat the milk until lukewarm and add to the egg mixture. Whisk in the melted butter.
5. Mix together flour, baking powder and salt in a bowl. Add dry mixture to the batter and stir until smooth.
6. Divide the batter between the two prepared pans.
7. Bake for 28-30 minutes, then let the cakes cool for 10 minutes in their pans before inverting them onto a cooling rack. Let cakes cool completely.

Frosting
1. Beat butter until smooth.
2. Add powdered sugar and beat until very fluffy and pale, about 3-4 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl every now and then.
3. Add vanilla and cream and whip for 30-60 seconds or until cream is fully incorporated.
4. If the frosting is full of air bubbles (because this frosting is fluffy!), stir with a spatula until smooth.

Assembly
1. Divide both cakes in half so you have four layers.
2. Put the first layer on a cake stand or serving platter. Spread about 1/4 cup of frosting on the first layer.
3. Repeat step 2 until you’ve used up all layers.
4. Spread a very thin layer of frosting all over the cake. Put cake in the fridge for 15 minutes.
5. Divide remaining frosting between two bowls and color into two different shades of pink if desired.
6. Spread a thick layer (alternating between the two colors of frosting) all over the cake, then use a large offset spatula two make patterns.
7. Store cake in the fridge (because of the cream) and bring to room temperature before eating.
8. Decorate with edible clover flowers.

Black Forest gâteau

By 54 Comments

I’m a huge fan of boozy desserts and this cake is no exception. I must say it’s one of my all time favorites.
When I made some research for my first book, I realized that the Swedish Schwarzwald cake I had been eating all my life was something completely different than the German Schwarzwälder Kirschtorte (also known as the Black Forest cake/gâteau). The Swedish Schwarzwald cake consists of hazelnut meringue layers, whipped cream and chocolate and is of course also one of my favorites. Definitely something for a future blogpost.

Anyway, this is my version of the Black forest cake. Wait, let’s call it gâteau instead. Black forest gâteau. Sounds so much fancier. It consists of three fluffy layers of chocolate cake drenched in kirsch syrup, mascarpone frosting, cherries in kirsch, shaved chocolate, chocolate ganache and fresh cherries. I think that’s all. Phew.





black forest gâteau
Serves 6-8

Recipe adapted from my book Lomelinos tårtor

Notes about this recipe:
-Bring egg and sour cream to room temperature before beginning.
-For the filling, you can always use store-bought cherries in rum if you don’t feel like making your own cherries in kirsch.
-The frosting recipe makes slightly more than you need for filling the cake as it’s a little difficult to scale down this recipe. You could always use the extra frosting for piping dollops on top of the cake, then putting the cherries on top, like so.
-This cake is really, really tall and therefore it might be in need of some support. Placing a skewer in the middle of the cake when moving it is not a bad idea. I put a skewer in mine, then let the cake set for 20 minutes in the fridge, after that it was surprisingly stable. I was even able to take the cake along for a ride in the car (with me holding the cake of course)!
-If you want a more stable cake, bake the cakes in two or three 8 or 9 inch pans instead (but make sure to adjust baking time).

Ingredients
Cake
50 g butter (a scant 1/2 stick)
1 1/4 cup (180 g) all purpose flour
1/3 cup + 1 1/2 tbsp (20 g) cocoa powder
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
pinch of salt
1 cup (225 g) granulated sugar
1 large egg
2/3 cup sour cream
1/3 cup + 1 1/2 tbsp hot water

Cherries in kirsch
250 g whole cherries (weight with pits and all)
1 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/4 cup kirsch liqueur
1/4 cup granulated sugar

Dark chocolate ganache
50 g dark chocolate
1/4 cup heavy cream
1 tbsp butter

Mascarpone frosting
1 tub (250 g) mascarpone cheese
3-4 tbsp powdered sugar
1/3 cup + 1 1/2 tbsp heavy cream


Decoration
100 g milk chocolate, shaved or grated
Fresh cherries for the top

Directions
Cake
1. Heat oven to 175°C (350F).
2. Butter and flour three 6 inch (15 cm) cake pans. Melt the butter and let it cool.
3. Sift flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and baking soda in a large bowl. Add all other ingredients -salt, sugar, egg, sour cream, melted butter and hot water. Stir until completely smooth.
4. Divide batter between the three prepared cake pans.
5. Bake for 20-22 minutes, then let the cakes cool for 10 minutes in their pans before inverting them onto a cooling rack. Let cakes cool completely before using.

Cherries in kirsch
1. Pit and halve the cherries and put them in a saucepan with the lemon juice, kirsch and sugar. Let come to a boil and then let simmer for about 15 minutes, stirring carefully every now and then, until the cherries are soft but not mushy.
2. Pour the mixture through a strainer, with a bowl underneath to reserve the liquids. Put the cherries in another bowl to cool.
3. Prick holes in the cakes with a toothpick and brush with some of the kirsch liquid. If you wish to make a thicker syrup (which you can pour over the cake), put the remaining liquid back in the sauce pan and let simmer for about 5 minutes or until thickened. Pour into a bowl and let cool completely.

Dark chocolate ganache
1. Chop the chocolate finely and put in a bowl.
2. Heat the cream and butter in a saucepan until hot but not boiling, then pour the cream mixture on top of the chocolate. Leave for 30 seconds, then stir until completely smooth. Leave to cool to spreadable consistency.

Mascarpone frosting
Beat the mascarpone and sugar until creamy. Add the heavy cream and whip until thick.

Assembly
1. Put the first cake layer on a serving platter or cake stand. Spread a thick layer of mascarpone frosting on top. Put half of the kirsch cherries on top, then add some grated/shaved chocolate.
2. Put the next cake layer on and repeat the same steps as before.
3. Top with the third and last cake layer. Spread a thick layer of ganache on top. Decorate with fresh cherries and chocolate shavings, and if you wish, the thickened kirsch syrup.

Strawberry peach popsicles with coconut milk

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These popsicles have been lingering in my freezer for weeks now.
I’ve been waiting for the perfect timing to take pictures and the perfect idea on how to style them, but apparently that time and that idea never came (and I was sick of waiting and wanted to eat them too of course).
Oh well. That happens sometimes, and when that happens I think it’s best to keep things simple. Crooked popsicle sticks and all.

The best thing about photographing popsicles is that you get to eat all of them. So now I’ve eaten three to make up for all the waiting. Yes, that’s right. I’ll probably eat the fourth one very soon.


Strawberry peach popsicles with coconut milk
Makes 10-12 popsicles

Notes on this recipe:
-You can mix everything together in one bowl if you prefer that, but I like them swirly like this.
-To make popsicles vegan, use maple syrup instead of honey (though I haven’t tried it).
-The vodka can definitely be omitted if desired. I use it to make the popsicles smoother.

Ingredients
2 cups (250 g) strawberries
2 peaches (I used donut peaches and they weighed 100 grams together)
1 can full fat coconut milk (400 ml / 1 3/4 cups)
1/4 cup + 1 tbsp honey
a pinch of salt
1 1/2 tbsp vodka, divided (can be omitted)

Rinse and drain the strawberries and remove the pit from the peaches. Puree in a blender and mix with 1 tbsp honey and 1 tbsp vodka. Set aside.
Mix coconut milk with honey, a pinch of salt and 1/2 tbsp vodka.
Pour mixtures alternately into popsicle molds. Insert popsicle sticks and freeze until firm, about 4-5 hours.


Blackberry galette

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I decided to go to my friend Lina’s parents place yesterday to pick some blackberries and hang out with her and her family. I’ve known them for 13 years now. Still going strong. It feels like there is always a celebration going on when I’m there (not because of me, of course..). I like that.
I brought pie dough so we could make a galette, because I knew there would be berries to pick. Lots and lots of ripe blackberries. It’s always a challenge to bake at someone else’s place because you never know what ingredients they have on hand. I always have sugar, flour, butter, eggs, milk.. yeah, you get the idea. But not all people do. You don’t “know” the oven like your own and you have no idea what kitchen tools they have. And I didn’t bring any props, because I really didn’t plan to make a blogpost. This galette is pretty great on its own and there is really no need for fancy props here.

This galette has just the right amount of sweetness, so you can easily sneak in a scoop of vanilla ice cream if you want to. Or two, or even three..







blackberry galette
Makes 2 galettes (the size pictured)

Crust
1 1/3 cup (195 g) all purpose flour
1 tbsp powdered sugar
1/4 tsp salt
150 g cold butter in cubes
3-4 tbsp ice water

Filling
500 g fresh blackberries
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1 1/2 tbsp cornstarch
1/2 tsp vanilla powder

1 egg
1 tbsp milk
1 tbsp granulated sugar

Mix flour, powdered sugar and salt in a bowl. Add the butter and mix until you get fine crumbs. Add the water (begin with 3 tbsp and add an additional 1 tbsp if the dough feels too dry) and mix until the dough just comes together. Wrap dough in plastic wrap and put in the fridge for 2 hours.

Preheat oven to 175°C (350°F).
Divide the dough into two pieces. Roll out both pieces on a lightly floured surface. Transfer the dough rounds to a baking sheet covered with baking paper.

Put blackberries in a large bowl. Mix sugar, cornstarch and vanilla in a small bowl. Add sugar mixture to the blackberries, folding carefully to avoid crushing the berries. Divide berries between the dough rounds, folding up the edges around the berries.
Lightly beat egg with milk in a small bowl. Brush edges with egg wash, then sprinkle 1/2 tbsp sugar over each galette. Bake for 35-45 minutes or until edges are golden brown and filling bubbly. Let cool for a few minutes, then serve with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

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