Mini Vanilla Cake Food

MINI VANILLA CAKE RECIPE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F/175°C. Line three 4-inch or two 6-inch round pans with parchment rounds and grease with non-stick baking spray.
• This recipe can be made by hand with a whisk or with a hand mixer. I prefer making it with a whisk.
• In a large bowl, whisk together 1 cup flour, 1 cup sugar, 1 tsp baking powder, and 1/4 tsp salt.
• Add 1/4 cup of melted butter, 1/4 cup oil, and 1 egg into the dry ingredients and whisk until combined. The batter will be thick.
• Then mix in 1/2 cup buttermilk and 1 tsp vanilla extract until combined. Whisk the batter together for any additional 30 seconds to make sure everything is properly combined. This will also help lighten up the texture of the cake layers.
• If desired, add in gel food coloring. Mix the color in by hand using a rubber spatula, scraping the sides and bottom of the bowl part way through.
• Divide batter evenly between the prepared cake pans.
• Bake for 30-33 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs. Allow the pans to cool for 10 minutes, then run an offset spatula around the perimeter of the pan to separate the cake from the pan.
• Place cake layers into the freezer for 20 minutes, to accelerate the cooling process. Once the layers are fully cooled, carefully flip the pans and remove the layers from the pans.
• Use a serrated knife to level the tops of the layers, then set aside. If you're making these in advance, wrap and freeze them at this point.
• While the cake layers bake and cool, make the vanilla buttercream frosting.
• Beat 3/4 cup butter on a medium speed for 30 seconds with either a hand mixer or a stand mixer fit with a paddle attachment.
• Mix in 2 tsp vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste and 1/4 tsp salt on a low speed.
• Gradually mix in 3 cups of powdered sugar and 1 Tbsp + 1 tsp of heavy cream.
• Continue to mix on low speed for a few minutes, until the desired consistency is reached.
• If the frosting seems too thick, add in additional cream (1 tsp at a time). If the frosting is too thin, add in more powdered sugar (quarter of a cup at a time).
• If you want to color the buttercream, add in the gel food coloring once the frosting is fully made, and beat on low until it's evenly colored.
• Stack and frost cake layers on a small plate or cake stand using a dab of frosting to help stick the first cake layer in place.
• Add an even layer of buttercream between each cake layer with a large offset spatula.
• Add a thin coat of frosting around the cake, fully cover the cake layers.
• Smooth using a bench scraper, then chill the cake in the fridge (20 minutes) or freezer (5 minutes) until the frosting is firm to the touch.
• Add a second, thicker layer of frosting to the cake, and smooth using a bench scraper. Then decorate as desired! I used a Wilton 1M frosting tip to pipe some fun swirls on top of the cake and added some nonpareil sprinkles.

MINI VANILLA CANELES

Steps:

• Cut the butter into small pieces and mix with the milk in a large saucepan. Split the vanilla bean in 2 pieces, scrape out the vanilla and add them to the saucepan. Set the saucepan over low heat and cook, stirring regularly with a wooden spoon, until the butter has melted and the milk starts bubbling around the edges (it shouldn't boil at all).
• Place the flour, sugar, egg and yolk in a large bowl and mix together, stirring thoroughly before adding each ingredient. Pour in the hot milk mixture slowly, gently stirring with a large silicone spatula. Let the dough cool to room temperature, about 10 minutes. Chill in the refrigerator for 24 hours.
• Preheat the oven to 475 degrees F. Spray the interior of each canele mold with butter spray, then set the molds in the freezer for 5 minutes to harden the butter.
• If you choose to flavor your caneles, add some lemon, orange or lime zest to the dough at this time.
• Fill the canele molds 3/4 of the way, leaving a 1/5-inch space at the top of each cavity. Bake the caneles for 4 minutes, then lower the oven temperature to 360 degrees F and bake until golden brown, about 56 minutes more. Remove the molds from the oven and immediately turn them over onto a cooling rack. Let them cool at room temperature for 10 to 15 minutes.

MINI VANILLA CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350, and spray a 6" round cake pan with 2" sides with cooking spray. Line the bottom of the pan with a round of parchment paper.
• In a medium-size bowl, beat together the butter and sugar with an electric mixer. Beat very well, about 1-2 minutes.
• Add the egg and vanilla, and beat until well-combined, about 15 seconds.
• In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, salt and baking soda. Add half of the this to the batter and beat for just a few seconds before stirring in half of the milk and vinegar. Continue beating. Add the remaining dry ingredients and beat, and then stir in the remaining milk.
• Scrape the batter into the prepared pan, smooth out the top, and bake on a small sheet pan for 37-39 minutes, until a cake tester comes out clean.
• Let the cake cool on a wire rack in the pan. Carefully remove it from the pan, pulling away the parchment paper once it has cooled.
• To make the buttercream, beat the butter in a medium-size bowl with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add the powdered sugar, vanilla and heavy cream, and beat until light and fluffy. If the mixture seems too stiff, add a splash more heavy cream.
• Use a little more than half of the buttercream to frost the cake. If you made the cake ahead of time and frozen it, it's best to apply a crumb coat of buttercream before applying a second layer.
• Place the remaining 1/4 of the buttercream in a piping bag fitted with a 1M tip, and pipe roses along the outside edge of the cake. To make a rose, pipe a spiral shape, starting inside of moving around the center.

MINI VANILLA CUPCAKES

Steps:

• Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 350°F. Line muffin cups with liners.
• Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt in a bowl. Stir together milk and vanilla in a small bowl.
• Beat together butter and sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer at medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, about 4 minutes. Add egg and beat until just combined. Reduce speed to low, then add flour and milk mixtures alternately in batches, beginning and ending with flour and mixing until just combined.
• Divide batter among muffin cups, filling them two-thirds full, and bake until tops are pale golden and a wooden pick or skewer inserted in centers comes out clean, about 15 minutes. Invert cupcakes onto a rack and cool completely.
• For each color, transfer 1/4 cup buttercream to a separate small bowl and tint with food coloring (if using), then frost tops of cupcakes.
• *Wilton Paste Food Coloring available at wilton.com.

MINI VANILLA CUPCAKES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease an 18-cup mini muffin tin or line with cupcake liners.
• Sift flour, baking powder, and salt into a bowl.
• Whip butter and sugar in a separate bowl with an electric mixer until fluffy. Mix in egg and vanilla extract. Add flour mixture and milk; whip until just combined. Fill the prepared muffin cups 3/4 full with batter.
• Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 10 to 14 minutes. Cool in the tin for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack and let cool completely, about 20 minutes.
• Meanwhile, whip powdered sugar, butter, and vanilla for frosting in a bowl until well combined. Frost cooled cupcakes.

MINI VANILLA TEA CAKES

Steps:

• Cakes:.
• Have all the ingredients at room temperature. Position a rack in the lower third of the oven and preheat to 350°F Grease the wells of the mini tea cake pan and dust with flour. Tap out excess.
• To make the cakes, over a sheet of waxed paper, sift together the flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer beat the butter on medium speed until creamy and smooth, about 30 seconds.
• Add the granulated sugar and beat until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes, occasionally stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl.
• add the eggs a little at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla, about 1 minute.
• Reduce the mixer speed to low and add the flour mixture in three additions, alternating with the milk and beginning and ending with the flour. Beat each addition until just incorporated, stopping the mixer occasionally to scrape down the sides of the bowl.
• Spoon 2 teaspoons of the batter into each well of the prepared pan. Tap the pan on the counter top to eliminate any air bubbles.
• Bake just until cakes are no longer sticky on top, 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer the pan to a wire rack and let the cakes cool in the pan for 1 to 2 minutes. Invert the pan onto the rack and lift off the pan. Let the cakes cool completely, about 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile, wash and dry the pan, grease and flour the wells, and repeat with the remaining batter.
• If desired, using a serrated knife, cut the cakes horizontally. Spoon 1/4 teaspoons of jam on the bottom half of each cake, then cover with the top half.
• Glaze:.
• To make the glaze, in a large bowl, whisk together the confectioners' sugar, egg whites, milk and vanilla until smooth, about 1 minute. Whisk in the food coloring, one small drop at a time, until the desired color is reached.
• Slowly drizzle the glaze over each cake, allowing it to completely cover the top and sides before glazing the next cake. Tap the wire rack on the counter top to remove excess glaze.
• Let the glaze dry completely, about 1 hour, before serving.
• Variations:.
• Lemon - make the cake batter as directed above, adding 1 1/2 teaspoons lemon extract along with the vanilla. For the glaze, substitute 4 teaspoons lemon extract for the vanilla.
• Almond - Make the cake batter as directed above, adding 3/4 teaspoons almond extract along with the vanilla. For the glaze, substitute 1/2 teaspoons almond extract for the vanilla.

MINI MOCHA VANILLA CAPPUCCINO LAVA CAKES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F, then grease and line 12 cups of a muffin pan.
• In a bowl, mix flour, baking powder, cappucino and cocoa; set aside.
• In another bowl, mix maragarine, milk and sugars until well blended.
• Add vanilla and almond extracts, and whisk in egg substitute.
• Whisk in flour mixture, and beat until smooth.
• Divide the batter among 12 muffin cups, then gently press 1 tablespoon chocolate chips into the center of each. Chill in freezer while you prepare the frosting.
• Add chocolate syrup, vanilla and powdered sugar to Crisco. Beat until smooth and creamy. Beat in cappucino until well mixed.
• Add whipped cream, and continue to beat until thick and smooth. Chill in freezer while you bake the cakes.
• Bake cakes 20-25 minutes, until they rise and appear crusty. A toothpick inserted in the center should come away with a thick batter attached.
• Immediately remove cakes from pan and place on cooling rack. Allow to cool 5 minutes.
• Spread frosting over cakes, and garnish with a Hershey's Kiss.