This post is dedicated to my daughter, Olivia, in honor of her ninth birthday (May 7). Sweets for my sweet! She has been a true blessing in my life, and I am honored to be called her mommy.
I made this cake for her birthday party on Sunday. It was a big hit. I'm not sure anybody would have known it was gluten free if they hadn't been told. I was very excited about this cake for a few reasons: 1. It was the debut of my new cake recipe, 2. It was my first time making and using marshmallow fondant (You can find the recipe at this lovely little blog The Chaplain's Wife), and 3. It was my first time making a patterned (zebra) cake (I borrowed this idea from the chickabug blog).
I know what you are thinking. This girl is crazy, debuting all of these things at a birthday party. What can I say? That's how I roll. Ok, you got me. Actually, I tested a few versions of the cake recipe before the party, making a few tweeks before I thought it was right. I also tested the zebra pattern before the party to make sure it would work. So, maybe I'm not that crazy after all. I'm sure my friends and family have a few things to say about that. Good thing they aren't writing this blog.
Anyway, I'm sure you are anxious to learn how to make this moist delicious cake, so without further ado . . .
What You'll Need:
Cake Pan(s) - (I used 9 inch rounds. The recipe as written makes 2. I increased it and made 3, because I wanted enough cake for the 20+ people that would be at the party. You can also make a 9 x 13.)
Wire Racks for cooling
Ingredients:
1 cup Butter or Shortening, room temperature (I used butter)
2 cups Sugar
4 large Eggs, room temperature
2 teaspoons Pure Vanilla Extract (Or change the flavor and replace with banana, almond, maple, orange or any flavor extract you like.)
1 1/2 cups Soy Flour (I don't recommend using Rice Flour for this. It makes the cake too gritty/grainy.)
1 cup Tapioca Starch/Flour
1 cup Potato Starch + extra for dusting the pan(s)
1 Tablespoon + 1 teaspoon Baking Powder
1 teaspoon Baking Soda
1 teaspoon Xanthum Gum
1 teaspoon Salt
1 1/2 cups Milk, hot
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease cake pan(s) and dust with potato starch (or any gluten free flour).
2. In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat butter and sugar at high speed until light and fluffy, approximately 5 minutes.
3. Lower speed to medium and add eggs, one at a time. Add vanilla and beat until fluffy again, scraping down bowl.
6. When you are finished laughing at me and my mishaps, this is where you pour the batter into the prepared cake pan(s).
Since I was making a zebra patterned cake, I divided my batter and colored half of it. Olivia wanted a purple and white zebra pattern, so I colored half the batter purple and left the other half it's original color. Then I poured the batter into the pans 1/4 cup at a time in an alternating pattern.
7. Bake in preheated oven for approximately 35 minutes or until done (depends on type of pan and your oven). Cool the cake(s) for 20 minutes in pans. Then turn cakes onto wire racks and cool completely before frosting. Sorry, I didn't take pictures of this either. I was way too excited at this point.
8. Frost your cake. I am usually a stickler for homemade baked goods, but since I made my own marshmallow fondant, I figured I could get away with the store bought frosting, especially since it is gluten free. So, I cheated and used store bought frosting to dirty ice (That is a technical baking term. I'm not being naughty.) my cake. Refrigerate the cake for at least an hour to let frosting set before putting on fondant.
Tada! If you aren't using fondant, you are done. Yay for you! Now, eat and enjoy!
9. Time for fondant. I am not going to explain all of the details about how to fondant a cake. This blog is really about the cake recipe. But since I went through all of the hard work to make such a beautiful cake for my daughter's birthday, I just had to share it!
Voila! Please let me know what you think. I hope you make this cake for many special occasions (and not so special occasions) to come, and that it is part of a lifetime of happy memories for you and your family/friends.
Anyway, I'm sure you are anxious to learn how to make this moist delicious cake, so without further ado . . .
What You'll Need:
Cake Pan(s) - (I used 9 inch rounds. The recipe as written makes 2. I increased it and made 3, because I wanted enough cake for the 20+ people that would be at the party. You can also make a 9 x 13.)
Wire Racks for cooling
Ingredients:
1 cup Butter or Shortening, room temperature (I used butter)
2 cups Sugar
4 large Eggs, room temperature
2 teaspoons Pure Vanilla Extract (Or change the flavor and replace with banana, almond, maple, orange or any flavor extract you like.)
1 1/2 cups Soy Flour (I don't recommend using Rice Flour for this. It makes the cake too gritty/grainy.)
1 cup Tapioca Starch/Flour
1 cup Potato Starch + extra for dusting the pan(s)
1 Tablespoon + 1 teaspoon Baking Powder
1 teaspoon Baking Soda
1 teaspoon Xanthum Gum
1 teaspoon Salt
1 1/2 cups Milk, hot
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease cake pan(s) and dust with potato starch (or any gluten free flour).
2. In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat butter and sugar at high speed until light and fluffy, approximately 5 minutes.
3. Lower speed to medium and add eggs, one at a time. Add vanilla and beat until fluffy again, scraping down bowl.
4. In a separate bowl, mix soy flour, tapioca starch/flour, potato starch, baking powder, baking soda, xanthum gum and salt. Whisk together with a whisk. Those of you who read my blog on a regular basis know that I don't believe in sifting. It just takes too darn long, and I am anything but patient when it comes to certain things. So, use your whisk. It works just as good in my opinion. Sorry, I didn't take a picture of this. I didn't really think it was necessary.
5. Add half the dry mixture to the sugar mixture and beat at low speed until combined. Add half the milk and blend. Then add remaining dry mixture and milk. Mix on medium-low speed until smooth, approximately 2 minutes. This is where things got a little hairy for me. As I said earlier, I increased the recipe by 50% so I would have 3 cakes. My poor KitchenAid mixer just couldn't handle all of those ingredients. So, I had to move to plan b. Thank God, I still have my hubby's grandmother's old hand mixer. Wait till you see a picture of it. You will definitely get a kick out of this!
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| Isn't this great? And it still works like a charm! |
6. When you are finished laughing at me and my mishaps, this is where you pour the batter into the prepared cake pan(s).
Since I was making a zebra patterned cake, I divided my batter and colored half of it. Olivia wanted a purple and white zebra pattern, so I colored half the batter purple and left the other half it's original color. Then I poured the batter into the pans 1/4 cup at a time in an alternating pattern.
7. Bake in preheated oven for approximately 35 minutes or until done (depends on type of pan and your oven). Cool the cake(s) for 20 minutes in pans. Then turn cakes onto wire racks and cool completely before frosting. Sorry, I didn't take pictures of this either. I was way too excited at this point.
8. Frost your cake. I am usually a stickler for homemade baked goods, but since I made my own marshmallow fondant, I figured I could get away with the store bought frosting, especially since it is gluten free. So, I cheated and used store bought frosting to dirty ice (That is a technical baking term. I'm not being naughty.) my cake. Refrigerate the cake for at least an hour to let frosting set before putting on fondant.
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| It's not perfect, but neither am I. There, I said it. My hubby will never believe it. |
9. Time for fondant. I am not going to explain all of the details about how to fondant a cake. This blog is really about the cake recipe. But since I went through all of the hard work to make such a beautiful cake for my daughter's birthday, I just had to share it!
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| White Base |
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| With Purple Stripes |
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| Fondant Bow |
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| With Banner, Bow & Trim |
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| This is what the zebra cake looks like! |
"It is not fancy hair, gold jewelry, or fine clothes that should make you beautiful. No, your beauty should come from within you - the beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit. This beauty will never disappear, and it is worth very much to God." 1 Peter 3:3-4
Sheryl
I have to admit it was good.
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