Rainbow Polka Dot Cake / Vanilla cake with Lemon Swiss Meringue Buttercream

I am so glad that everyone appreciated my post from last week on the Cake Pops that I made for my daughter birthday. I had also promised that I would publish the cake recipe soon but unfortunately I am almost 2 weeks delayed! Better late than never right?

Every year, habitually a few months before my daughter's birthday in October, I begin my frantic search for a cake that I should be whipping up for her. It takes me several days and umpteen phone conversations with my mom and sister to finally settle down with the recipe and design that we think my daughter would love. This year I planned to try out the really cute polka dot cake. The very first time I laid eyes on this design, I knew I had to try it out. Well, I had nailed down what to bake but I was utterly confused on how I should be decorating the cake. The past three years I have been decorating her birthday cake with fondant but this year was a time for a change. I decided to try a Lemon Swiss Meringue Frosting this time. It's very airy and light with just the right hint of lemon to top it off. 

Though I started decorating the cake around noon, it gradually began to get dark outside, especially with some storm clouds moving in. The darker it got outside the more upset I started to become as I realized that my natural ambient lighting for the cake photographs was going to be drastically ruined. All my joy and excitement turned into gloom as my focus turned to just wrapping up the decorating ASAP and make the most of whatever lighting that was available. All my great plans of shooting pictures to share the techniques of the cake designs had to be dropped. Finally at around 4pm I was done and I was able to click some pictures of the final product but I was not too enthused about the quality of the pictures at all. Neither was I happy about the cake decoration as it was done at a lightening speed.

Well, it was never supposed to be a day of gloom and with the help of my little bubbly daughter, I was able to shake it off soon as we got set to cut the cake. It was hilarious to see my husband’s expression as he dint have a clue that there was a surprise inside the cake too! Initially I dint tell him how I managed to get those polka dots inside the cake and it was definitely fun and entertaining listening to his supposedly intelligent guesses.
The next day I distributed the cake so some of our close friends. They loved it and their reviews definitely uplifted my spirits. Thank you y'all ;)

Rainbow cake decoration idea from here
Polka Dot cake idea from here
Recipe for lemon swiss meringue frosting mostly adapted from here
Recipe for cake partially adapted from here

Makes two 9 inch cakes plus 40 cake pops

Ingredients for cake and cake pops

2 1/4 cup (4 1/2 sticks) - Butter, softened

4 cups - Sugar

7 - Eggs, room temperature

4 1/2 cups - All-purpose flour

2 Teaspoon - Baking powder

1 Teaspoon - Baking soda

1/2 Teaspoon - Salt

1 1/2 Cup - Buttermilk, room temperature

3 Teaspoons - vanilla extract

Gel food colors (I used green, pink, yellow, purple)

Shortening or butter and Parchment paper to grease and prepare the pan

Equipment

Cake pop machine or Cake pop pans

2- Round 9 inch cake pans

Instructions 
           for cake pops

• Preheat cake pop machine OR Preheat the oven to 350F if you are using a cake pop pan.
• Sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
• Beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
• Add eggs one at a time, making sure to fully incorporate each egg before adding the next one.
• Mix in buttermilk and vanilla extract
• Add the dry ingredients 1 cup at a time until all the ingredients are mixed
• Take 4 bowls and scoop 3/4 cup of batter into each bowl. Keep the remaining batter aside.
• Add food color to each bowls and stir to incorporate it.
• Transfer the colored batter from the 4 bowls into 4 separate zip lock bags
• Cut off one corner of the zip lock bag and fill each well of the cake pop machine with about 1 tablespoon of the colored batter and cook 4 minutes or just until they are just baked. If you are using the cake pop pan the baking time will be very different.
• Let it cool in the fridge

           for the cake with polka dots

• Preheat the oven to 350F
• Grease two 9-inch round cake pans with with shortening or butter and line it with parchment paper. I always do both.
• Add the cake batter to the two 9 inch cake pans a little more than just enough to cover the bottom of the cake pans
• Place the color cake pops on the batter. I actually ended up putting more cake pops in the batter than shown in the picture below. I used around 16 cake pops in each cake.
• Cover the cake pops with the left over batter
• Bake for 30 minutes, or until a toothpick or cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove and allow to cool slightly in cake pans for about 5 minutes, then cool completely on a wire rack.

Ingredients for Lemon Swiss Meringue Buttercream

10 large - Egg whites

2-1/2 cups - Sugar

2 1/2 cups - Unsalted butter, cut into cubes and cool, but not cold

2 teaspoon - Lemon extract

Pinch of salt

Instructions

• If you haven’t made this before, I advise that you watch this video as I found it helpful. I dint follow the recipe mentioned in the video though.
• Add egg whites and sugar and whisk it over a pot of water (double boiling technique) but make sure the water is not boiling.
• Whisk continuously until the mixture temperature reaches about 160°F. If you don't have a thermometer just make sure that the sugar has completely dissolved.
• Using an electric or stand mixer, begin to whip until the meringue is thick, glossy, and the bottom of the bowl feels neutral to the touch. You might achieve this in about 10 minutes.
• Now add butter cubes, one at a time, until incorporated, and mix until it has reached a silky smooth texture. The mixture might curdle during the process but this is normal so keep mixing and it will come back to a smooth and silky consistency.
• Add lemon extract and salt, continuing to beat on low speed until well combined.

Cake assembly and decoration

Cake board (about 9 inch round)

Toothpick

Ruler

Swiss Meringue Buttercream

6 Gel food color

6 zip lock bags

6 teaspoon of the same kind

Paper towel

Scissors

Turntable (optional)

6 glasses/cups

Instructions

• Take the cooled cake and place it on a cake board that is a little less than 9 inches.
• Place the first cake on this board.
• Spoon the swiss meringue buttercream and spread it evenly on the first cake
• Place the second cake on top bottom side up.
• Now spread swiss meringue buttercream on all sides of the cake just enough to cover all the cake. This is called crumb coating.
• Let the crumb coated cake rest in the fridge for 30 minutes
• Divide the left over swiss meringue buttercream into 6 bowls and add food color and whisk well until the color is completely incorporated
• Fill the zip lock bags with each individual color and cut off roughly a 1/4″ from the tip of each bag.
• Take the crumb coated cake and place on a turntable.
• Before you start decoration the cake please refer this link as it has pictures of each step.
• Measure the height of your cake and using a toothpick divide the height of the cake into 6 equal portions.
• Place each bag of buttercream into a glass and line them up in the order you wish to pipe. This simple tip will keep your workspace tidy as well as helping you keep track of the color order.
• Pipe your first vertical line of dots onto the cake into the 6 marked portions as the guideline to help get even sized dots
• Take a teaspoon and using the back gently swipe each dot evenly to the right or left. Use a spoon for each color and line them in the order you wish to pipe, just like the zip lock bags
• Repeat this process around the circumference of the cake
• Once you have covered the sides, chill the cake for 10 minutes before starting on the top.
• Pipe a circle of dots around the outer top edge and swipe into the center.
• Continue in this manner until finishing with a single dot of color right in the very center. Finish with a single dot.
• Transfer the cake to the cake stand!!! 

Mikaela's Birthday Cakes
1st Birthday Cake - Pastel Flower Cake - Confetti Cake with Buttercream
2nd Birthday Cake - Yo Gabba Gabba Cake - Orange cake with Orange Cream Cheese Frosting 
3rd Birthday Cake - "Toadstool House" - Red Velvet Cake with Cream Cheese Filling and Butter cream Frosting

Cake Pops for Mikaela's 4th Birthday

Mikaela is 4 !!!!  

I just cant believe how fast time flies, watching her grow and learn new things each day at an amazing pace. How I wish time could be frozen! It's definitely a joy to have a daughter like her and I thank God for this blessing as I truly believe that she is the best that has ever happened to me. I just can't thank him enough for this blessing!!!

This year her birthday celebrations were not elaborate as we did not throw a huge party at home like we usually do but we still wanted to make her day as special as possible. I decided to make cake pops for her school friends and teachers hoping it would make a cute snack for the 4 year old preschoolers! 

Lately I have been addicted to Pinterest and I just can get enough of it even after hours of browsing everyday. People come up with so many ideas and its just visual heaven for a person like me. Each day after gawking through those gazillion awe-inspiring pins I feel I will never have enough time to do the things in my bucket-list or rather "boards" in Pinterest terminology ;)!! 

Being the Pinterest addict that I am how could I go for a store bought cake pop stand??? Obviously, I decided to make my own! You wont believe it if I disclose the number of shops I visited to get the material for it. I just wanted it perfect for her. We both loved the shopping part, though mommy is finding it difficult to lift the 35 pounder into the shopping cart these days!!

Well, here is another inspiration I got from Pinterest : a special birthday quiz that I would take for her birthday every year, starting this year, which could then grow into a memorable scrapbook compilation. Isn't that cool? I know I am already excited and curious to see how things would change over the years :)

Do you remember those pastel Lamingtons that I made for Easter last year? Weren't those cute? Well, here are some Lamington cake pops. My daughter and her friends thought they were yummy and seemed to just love them! Well, of course she couldn't say no to the pink and purple sprinkle ones either!!!

I also made a special cake for her birthday that we cut at home. I will post that next week, so stay tuned for more :)

Recipe adapted from Babycakes Recipe Booklet

Makes approx 4 dozen cake pops

Ingredients

1 1/2 Cups - All purpose flour

1 Tsp - Baking powder

1/2 Tsp - Salt

1/2 Cup - Butter, softened

1 Cup - Sugar

2 - Eggs

2 Tsp - Vanilla

1/2 Cup - Milk

1 Tablespoon - Wilton Colorburt batter bits (optional)

For coating

1 packet /12 OZ/340gm - Wilton White Candy melts

Sprinkles / Colored sugar / Desiccated coconut (as desired)

Cake pop sticks
Gel Food Color (if you desire colorful pops)

Equipment

Cake Pop machine \ Cake pop pan

Directions

• In a small bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
• Beat butter and sugar until light and creamy.
• Mix in the eggs and vanilla.
• Alternately stir in flour and milk into batter
• If adding batter bits, mix it in at this stage.
• Transfer the batter into a ziploc bag and cut about 1 cm off from one corner
• Preheat the cake pop machine
• Fill each well with about 1 tablespoon batter and cook 4 to 5 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.  Let it cool in the fridge
• Melt candy melts according to package directions.I used the microwave method.
• Dip the tip of the cake pop sticks into the melted candy melts (about 1 cm) and insert into the cake balls about half-way.
• Freeze for about 20 minutes to ensure that the cake pops get glued to the stick
• Remove cake balls from freezer.
• Dip cake balls carefully into the chocolate until covered.
• Allow the excess chocolate drip off. 
• Add the sprinkles immediately else the chocolate will harden quickly.
• Allow the decorated cake pops to dry on a styrofoam block or on an inverted colander
• Place into the freezer to speed up setting time.

Notes and Tips

• Here is a good video that would guide you through the process of dipping the cakes pops into candy melts.
• Make sure you choose a cup/dish that is tall and slender so that the cake pop can be completely submerged into the melted candy.
• Cover with a clear treat bag & ribbon, if desired.
• Store in a single layer, in an airtight container.

 
Sending this recipe to Nancy of Spicie Foodie for the October YBR

 

Thai Red Chicken Curry

Recently I have been experimenting with the addition of a human "touch" in some of my food photographs, so you might occasionally see my daughter or my husband. Well, this time I volunteered to be the model myself assuming that I had a steadier hand than both my previous models, especially with the arduous task of balancing food with chopsticks  :) 

Just to share an interesting quirk about our family's eating-out habits-  We hardly ever visit an Indian restaurant though we both are Indian by birth! We would rather try something new, something I am not used to preparing at home rather than venture onto the usual fare that we grew up eating and cooking. We made some exceptions during my pregnancy as I had to satisfy some cravings for spicy food and also occasionally when we both feel like eating something spicy and curry-based. During such instances Thai cuisine has turned out to be our unanimous choice.

Did you know that Thai curries with coconut milk are very similar to Kerala cuisine with the exception of the herbs that are used. Thai cuisine calls for lemongrass, Kaffir lime leaves and Galangal root whereas Kerala cuisine uses curry leaves, Ginger and Bay leaves. My sister and her family went to Phuket for a vacation last year and I still recall how she would rave about the scrumptious authentic Thai dishes she feasted on. I hope with this recipe you can get your Thai food cravings satisfied - Enjoy!

Serves 6

Ingredients
Chicken
1 1/2 lb - Chicken breast cut into pieces
1 inch - Fresh ginger
6 cloves - Garlic
1 Tablespoon - Paprika (adjust to your spice level)
2 - Kaffir lime leaves OR bay leaves
Salt to taste
Oil

Vegetables
1 - Red bell pepper
2 small or 1 big- Zucchini
2 crowns - Broccoli

Sauce
1 can (400 ml) - Coconut milk
2 Cups - Chicken stock
6 Tablespoon - Minced fresh lemongrass OR store bought prepared lemongrass
1 Tablespoon - Corn Starch
1 Tablespoon - Fish sauce
1 Tsp - Shrimp Paste
1 Tablespoon- Brown sugar
1 Tsp - Galangal root powder or use fresh if available
3/4 Tsp - Cumin powder
3/4 Tsp - Coriander powder
1/4 Tsp - Cinnamon powder
Salt

Garnish
Fresh basil
1 Tablespoon - Fresh lime juice

Directions

• Grind the ginger and garlic into a smooth paste. You can use mortar and pastel for this if you don't have a small jar blender 
• Marinate the chicken with ginger-garlic paste, paprika and salt.
• Heat about 1 tablespoon of oil in a wok and add the kaffir lime leaves and saute for 1 minute. 
• Add vegetables and saute for 3 minutes. Season them with salt. Set them aside.
• Add another tablespoon of oil to the wok and add the marinated chicken. 
• While the chicken is cooking mix all the ingredients under the sauce in a bowl except corn starch.
• Once the chicken piece are cooked, add the sauce and bring it to a boil
• Mix corn starch with about 3 tablespoons of water and add it to the boiling liquid
• Add the saute veggies and mix well.
• Serve with brown rice or white rice

Notes and Tips

• Kaffir lime leaves come from the Kaffir lime tree, a lime tree native to Indonesia. The leaves are highly aromatic and suitable for Asian cuisines, including Thai, Indonesian, Cambodian and Lao cuisines. They are easily recognizable by their emerald-green, double leaf lobes, which makes them appear as if two leaves are joined together.
• Galangal is a type of ginger used in the Thai kitchen as well as other Southeast-Asian cuisines. Also referred to as Siamese Ginger, it has a slightly milder taste than the North American variety, and can be distinguished by its reddish skin. Look for Galangal at your local Asian market (fresh or frozen) or grocery store. (Note that galangal can also be purchased in its dried, ground form; however, like ground ginger, the dried version does not have the same quality of flavor or nutrients as the fresh.) I used galangal powder that I bought from an Asian store.
• Lemongrass is a stalky plant with a lemony scent that grows in many tropical climates, most notably in Southeast-Asia. A common ingredient in Thai cooking, lemongrass provides a zesty lemon flavor and aroma to many Thai dishes. I used this from Giant Eagle.
• Opt out fish sauce and shrimp paste if you are allergic to seafood.
• I highly recommend 'Thai Kitchen' coconut milk. That is my personal favorite. OR substitute with fresh thick coconut milk
• I have used broccoli, red pepper and zucchini in my dish but you can substitute it for any of your favorite veggies 
• Do not overcook the veggies - They should have a slight crunch to them. Overcooking veggies will kill the nutrients and they will loose their vibrant color. 
• I used coconut oil to prepare this dish.