Here are two recipes from really good baking blogs. I used the first one for Zara's first birthday cake and it was delicious. I think the second one would be good too.
http://bestcupcakerecipes.blogspot.com/search/label/frosting%20recipes
http://glorioustreats.blogspot.com/2010/02/cream-cheese-frosting-recipe.html
15.1.12
Fluffy Vanilla Buttercream Frosting
I got this recipe from a friend who used to be a chef at Martha Stewart and who now develops recipes at Good Housekeeping. It's easy, versatile and very forgiving. It keeps in the fridge for a long time and can be frozen as well. If you need it to be stiffer, just add more sugar.
Makes about 5 cups.
You can substitute other flavourings for the vanilla, like almond. For coloured frosting, stir in food colouring drop by drop until desired colour is achieved. You can also use coloured paste, one dot at a time. If you don't colour it, the frosting is a light creamy colour.
ingredients
2 C unsalted butter, softened (do not let it get too soft or melt)
6 C confectioners' sugar
1/2 t vanilla extract
dash of salt
method
Put butter in a bowl of an electric mixer or mixing bowl. Beat with paddle attachment or hand blender on medium-high speed until pale and creamy, about 2 minutes. Reduce speed to medium; add sugar 1/2 cup at a time, mixing well, about 5 minutes total. Add vanilla and salt. Raise speed to medium high; beat until smooth, about 1 minute more.
Makes about 5 cups.
You can substitute other flavourings for the vanilla, like almond. For coloured frosting, stir in food colouring drop by drop until desired colour is achieved. You can also use coloured paste, one dot at a time. If you don't colour it, the frosting is a light creamy colour.
ingredients
2 C unsalted butter, softened (do not let it get too soft or melt)
6 C confectioners' sugar
1/2 t vanilla extract
dash of salt
method
Put butter in a bowl of an electric mixer or mixing bowl. Beat with paddle attachment or hand blender on medium-high speed until pale and creamy, about 2 minutes. Reduce speed to medium; add sugar 1/2 cup at a time, mixing well, about 5 minutes total. Add vanilla and salt. Raise speed to medium high; beat until smooth, about 1 minute more.
Ganache Glaze
The longer the ganache sits undisturbed, the thicker it gets. Let it sit just long enough to remain easy to pour but not runny.
ingredients
1 lb bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
2 1/2 C heavy cream
method
Place the chocolate in a large heat-proof bowl.
Bring the cream just to a boil over medium-high heat; pour directly over the chopped chocolate. Allow to sit 10 minutes; use a rubber spatula to gently stir in the chocolate and cream until combined. Allow to sit at room temperature until it is the consistency of corn syrup, about 15 minutes. Use immediately.
ingredients
1 lb bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
2 1/2 C heavy cream
method
Place the chocolate in a large heat-proof bowl.
Bring the cream just to a boil over medium-high heat; pour directly over the chopped chocolate. Allow to sit 10 minutes; use a rubber spatula to gently stir in the chocolate and cream until combined. Allow to sit at room temperature until it is the consistency of corn syrup, about 15 minutes. Use immediately.
Whipped Ganache
Makes 1 quart.
Ganache will not whip properly unless it is cold.
ingredients
1 pound bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
2 1/2 C heavy cream
method
Place the chocolate in a large heat-proof bowl.
Bring cream just to a boil over medium-high heat; pour over chocolate. Allow to sit for 10 minutes; use a rubber spatula or a small whisk to gently stir the chocolate and cream until combined.
Transfer the ganache to the refrigerator to chill; stir every 5 minutes until the mixture is cool to the touch, about 30 minutes (watching carefully and stirring so that it remains a uniform temperature). Remove the bowl from the refrigerator; whip the ganache with a wire whisk until it just barely begins to hold its shape and is slightly lighter in colour. Do not overwhip, or the mixture will become grainy. The ganache will keep thickening after you stop whisking. Use immediately.
Ganache will not whip properly unless it is cold.
ingredients
1 pound bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
2 1/2 C heavy cream
method
Place the chocolate in a large heat-proof bowl.
Bring cream just to a boil over medium-high heat; pour over chocolate. Allow to sit for 10 minutes; use a rubber spatula or a small whisk to gently stir the chocolate and cream until combined.
Transfer the ganache to the refrigerator to chill; stir every 5 minutes until the mixture is cool to the touch, about 30 minutes (watching carefully and stirring so that it remains a uniform temperature). Remove the bowl from the refrigerator; whip the ganache with a wire whisk until it just barely begins to hold its shape and is slightly lighter in colour. Do not overwhip, or the mixture will become grainy. The ganache will keep thickening after you stop whisking. Use immediately.
Luscious Chocolate Cake
This cake is from the Martha Stewart cookbook that Cassandra gave me for Christmas a few years ago. I made it for Zara's first birthday, and it's really delicious! I used buttercream frosting between the layers and for the crumb coat, and cream cheese frosting for the outside, but I've used the whipped ganache for another cake and it's heavenly. The frosting and ganache recipes are posted individually.
Makes one 9-inch 3-layer cake; serves 8-10.
You will need 3 9x2-inch cake pans. If you want to use 8-inch cake pans for this (you will have batter left over), fill them halfway, and place them on a baking sheet before sliding them in the oven.
I used a 7-inch springform pan to make 2 layers, and it seemed to turn out ok, although I had batter left over.
ingredients
1 C plus 2 T unsalted butter, room temperature, plus more for pans and parchment
1/2 C plus 1 T best-quality cocoa powder, plus more for pans
1/4 C plus 2 T boiling water
3/4 C milk
2 1/4 C sifted cake flour (not self-rising)
3/4 t baking soda
1/2 t salt
1 3/4 C sugar
2 t pure vanilla extract
3 large eggs, lightly beaten
Whipped Ganache
Ganache Glaze
or
Buttercream Frosting
or
Cream Cheese Frosting
method
Preheat the oven to 350F/180C/160C convection with two racks centred. Butter three 9x2-inch cake pans, and line with parchment paper; butter and dust the bottoms and sides of the pans with cocoa. tap out the excess. Sift the cocoa into a medium bowl; stir in the boiling water until smooth; gradually whisk in the milk. Set aside to cool.
Sift the flour, baking soda, and salt into a bowl. Set aside. in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter on low until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Gradually beat in the sugar, scraping down the sides twice. Beat in the vanilla.
Add the eggs, a third at a time, beating after each addition. With the mixer on low speed, alternate adding the flour mixture and the reserved cocoa mixture a little at a time, starting and ending with the flour mixture. Divide batter evenly among pans; spread with an offset spatula until level.
Bake, rotating pans if necessary, until a cake tester inserted into the centre of each cake comes out clean, 20 to 25 minutes. Transfer teh pans to a wire rack to cool, about 15 minutes. Remove the cakes from the pans, remove the paper, and return to the rack to cool, top-side up.
With a long serrated knife, trip the top of each cake layer until level. Transfer one layer to a cardboard cake round. (I transferred one layer to the bottom of my springform pan and it worked perfectly.) Spread about 1 1/4 C of the whipped ganache on the cake. Top with a second layer. Repeat. Spread the remaining whipped ganache evenly over the top and sides of the cake so seal in the crumbs and form a smooth surface. Chill until the crumb coat is firm, about 30 minutes.
Place the cake (still on the cardboard cake round) on a wire rack set in a baking pan. Pour enough ganache glaze over the cake to fully coat, shaking the pan gently to help spread the ganache if necessary. Let sit for 15 to 20 minutes. The ganache in the baking pan maybe strained through a fine sieve and added back to the glaze. Pour the remaining glaze over the cake; allow excess to drip off sides. If top is not smooth, gently shake pan, or run an offset spatula quickly over the surface. Allow to set at least 30 minutes before serving.
Makes one 9-inch 3-layer cake; serves 8-10.
You will need 3 9x2-inch cake pans. If you want to use 8-inch cake pans for this (you will have batter left over), fill them halfway, and place them on a baking sheet before sliding them in the oven.
I used a 7-inch springform pan to make 2 layers, and it seemed to turn out ok, although I had batter left over.
ingredients
1 C plus 2 T unsalted butter, room temperature, plus more for pans and parchment
1/2 C plus 1 T best-quality cocoa powder, plus more for pans
1/4 C plus 2 T boiling water
3/4 C milk
2 1/4 C sifted cake flour (not self-rising)
3/4 t baking soda
1/2 t salt
1 3/4 C sugar
2 t pure vanilla extract
3 large eggs, lightly beaten
Whipped Ganache
Ganache Glaze
or
Buttercream Frosting
or
Cream Cheese Frosting
method
Preheat the oven to 350F/180C/160C convection with two racks centred. Butter three 9x2-inch cake pans, and line with parchment paper; butter and dust the bottoms and sides of the pans with cocoa. tap out the excess. Sift the cocoa into a medium bowl; stir in the boiling water until smooth; gradually whisk in the milk. Set aside to cool.
Sift the flour, baking soda, and salt into a bowl. Set aside. in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter on low until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Gradually beat in the sugar, scraping down the sides twice. Beat in the vanilla.
Add the eggs, a third at a time, beating after each addition. With the mixer on low speed, alternate adding the flour mixture and the reserved cocoa mixture a little at a time, starting and ending with the flour mixture. Divide batter evenly among pans; spread with an offset spatula until level.
Bake, rotating pans if necessary, until a cake tester inserted into the centre of each cake comes out clean, 20 to 25 minutes. Transfer teh pans to a wire rack to cool, about 15 minutes. Remove the cakes from the pans, remove the paper, and return to the rack to cool, top-side up.
With a long serrated knife, trip the top of each cake layer until level. Transfer one layer to a cardboard cake round. (I transferred one layer to the bottom of my springform pan and it worked perfectly.) Spread about 1 1/4 C of the whipped ganache on the cake. Top with a second layer. Repeat. Spread the remaining whipped ganache evenly over the top and sides of the cake so seal in the crumbs and form a smooth surface. Chill until the crumb coat is firm, about 30 minutes.
Place the cake (still on the cardboard cake round) on a wire rack set in a baking pan. Pour enough ganache glaze over the cake to fully coat, shaking the pan gently to help spread the ganache if necessary. Let sit for 15 to 20 minutes. The ganache in the baking pan maybe strained through a fine sieve and added back to the glaze. Pour the remaining glaze over the cake; allow excess to drip off sides. If top is not smooth, gently shake pan, or run an offset spatula quickly over the surface. Allow to set at least 30 minutes before serving.
Cheese Quiche
This recipe is very easy and delicious. The mustard, nutmeg and cayenne add a nice kick.
ingredients
1 deep-dish frozen pie crust
150g of gruyere cheese, grated
3 eggs
200mL of creme fraiche or sour cream (not low-fat)
1 pinch of nutmeg
1/4 t Dijon mustard
1 pinch of cayenne pepper (optional)
method
Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/160C forced air. Bake the pastry blind for 10 minutes, or until the dough is firm to the touch. Remove the beads and the baking paper and bake for another 5 to 10 minutes, or until the centre starts to brown. Remove from the oven. Sprinkle the grated gruyere over the crust. Beat the remaining ingredients together, and add salt and pepper if desired. Pour the mixture over the cheese and bake for 20 to 30 minutes, or until the mixture is firm and golden brown on top. Remove from the oven and let the tart cool for a few minutes before serving.
ingredients
1 deep-dish frozen pie crust
150g of gruyere cheese, grated
3 eggs
200mL of creme fraiche or sour cream (not low-fat)
1 pinch of nutmeg
1/4 t Dijon mustard
1 pinch of cayenne pepper (optional)
method
Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/160C forced air. Bake the pastry blind for 10 minutes, or until the dough is firm to the touch. Remove the beads and the baking paper and bake for another 5 to 10 minutes, or until the centre starts to brown. Remove from the oven. Sprinkle the grated gruyere over the crust. Beat the remaining ingredients together, and add salt and pepper if desired. Pour the mixture over the cheese and bake for 20 to 30 minutes, or until the mixture is firm and golden brown on top. Remove from the oven and let the tart cool for a few minutes before serving.
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