Spumoni Cake
I’m baaaaaaack!
And I’m back with a bang! I totally missed you guys, but I enjoyed my vacation, and now I’m all rested up and refreshed from a very much needed break. I decided that my return should be impressive, so here we are with a Spumoni Cake.
This cake, y’all – I can’t even!
It’s no secret that I love all things spumoni. I’ve made No-Churn Spumoni Ice Cream and Spumoni Cheesecake, but I’ve never made anything like this Spumoni Cake before.
This all started because of my recent St. Patrick’s Day birthday and the party we had to celebrate all things me! A couple of years ago, we went to a local restaurant for my birthday (that’s now closed, so sorry to see you go Villa Antonio) and they gave me the most delicious spumoni cake for dessert.
Actually, I went to powder my nose and while I was gone Chris told our server that it was my birthday, which he is never allowed to do because I do not want the entire restaurant singing to me. #soembarrassing
Given that this was St. Patrick’s Day and the rest of Charlotte was doing the pub crawl, there wasn’t much risk of being humiliated because we pretty much had this Italian restaurant to ourselves.
The server asked Chris what kind of birthday dessert I would like and he just said that I like spumoni. Then like magic a slice of spumoni cake appeared with a simple happy birthday from our kind server.
Chris, of course, got the stink eye, but I couldn’t stay mad after he brought spumoni cake into my life.
So when we started planning my birthday party this year I tried to find that dang cake on the interwebs. Google couldn’t find that specific cake from the now defunct Villa Antonio, but it brought magic back into my life when it led me here and showed my the most beautiful cake I’ve ever seen in my life.
I totally had to have it for my birthday cake! I actually made the cake 3 times because I’m not much of a cake baker or decorator, so I needed a trial run to see if I could pull it off. The first time I made it exactly the way the recipe was written, but then Chris pointed out his surprise that I didn’t put any Southern Tier Creme Brulee Stout in it since I was putting it in everything else these days.
Zoink! Head smack! DO OVER!
The second time I swapped out the coffee from the original recipe with my favorite beer of the cold season and I made cream cheese frosting instead of the original buttercream.
I also swapped out the pudding mix for homemade pistachio pudding in the pistachio cake layer and the frosting. That is the reason for the different colors in the photos. The pudding mix makes a much brighter green color in the cake and the frosting.
I ended up serving two spumoni cakes at my party because why not?
One had all three colors of frosting and the other I just covered in chocolate buttercream flowers. Sadly, I was running behind on party day and I forgot to take a picture of that one. Just imagine this cake, but all chocolate. They were both a hit with my friends and family!
I knew I needed this Spumoni Cake in my life the minute Google uncovered this wonder to me. And I can tell you that it was just magical to see all my party guests’ faces light up when we walked in with these gorgeous cakes for dessert!
I’ll be the first to admit that my cake decorating skills are pretty much non-existent, but I do have to say I’m pretty proud of this cake and it’s not bad for a beginner!
[amd-zlrecipe-recipe:158]
Spumoni Cake inspired by and adapted from I am Baker
Chocolate layer adapted slightly from I am Baker
Pistachio and Cherry layers process adapted from I am Baker and cake base adapted from Martha
Homemade Pistachio Pudding Recipe here
NOTES:
- The original recipe uses packaged pudding mix which is how I made it the first time and has the brighter green color in the photos of both the frosting and the cake. The second and third times I used homemade pudding in the cake and the frosting. The photos of the steps (including the photo of the inside) are with the pudding mix and the finished cake with the lighter colored pistachio frosting are with the homemade pudding.
- This cake is kind of a project, so I made the cakes, wrapped them tightly in layers of plastic wrap and heavy duty foil and froze them until the day before I was going to serve the cake. The day before I just removed them from the freezer and left them on the counter overnight. Then made the frosting and assembled and finished it.
- You will have an extra layer of the chocolate cake that you can either double the chocolate frosting and add a fourth layer or keep it in the freezer for another day.
- You can watch a video here for instructions of how to make cake roses.
Welcome baaaaaaack!!! Good for me I don’t have to miss you, because you are just a text away. 😉 But I have missed your posts! I have been expecting this cake, and guuuuurrlll you more than delivered! So beautiful, Rachelle! The rose flower icing looks perfect! And I am looooving that you added creme brulee beer and your Pistachio pudding in here! Over the top decadent and delicious! Pinned! Cheers, doll! Xoxo
Beautiful! and with steps! Wait – you had a party???
OMG Rachelle! I’m speechless! This cake sounds incredibly delicious and looks absolutely gorgeous! A beginner at cake decorating?? I beg to differ!! Well done!
You do know how to do a birthday the right way! I think this cake sounds and looks amazing!!! The layers of flavor….well done!
I’d be pretty proud of myself, too, if I made this cake, Rachelle! Looks so delicious- the colours and the flowers. And what a combo with the chocolate, cherry and pistachio. Must have taken a bit of work, but so worth it! Pinning 🙂
I’d be pretty proud of myself, too, Rachelle if I made this cake! So pretty – the colours, the flowers. And what a combo with the chocolate, cherry & pistachio. Must have taken a while to make, but so worth it! Pinning 🙂
Howdy!! I missed you! So glad you’re back but more glad you took the break you needed! Okay – this cake – I cannot. It reminds me of a puffy dress I would have adorned my little girls in for Easter way back in the day! It is beautiful(!) and the flavors – forget about it! You nailed that decorating, girlfriend!
Girl, I pinned this immediately before even reading the recipe ingredients or instructions because this cake is gorgeous!!!! And I know it tastes yummy. Glad to have you back ‘cos love your recipes. Wish you lived close to me so you could make this cake for me for my birthday 🙂
There is no other way to describe this but stunning! You say you’re a beginner but I think the piping looks perfect. I’ve never heard of this cake before. All the different layers sound delicious.
This cake is gorgeous!! Love the flavors and pretty colors.
Such and beautiful and delicious cake. Love the pistachio flavor the most!
This cake is seriously unreal! I am the WORST at cake decorating- it just stresses me out- so I’m totally in awe 🙂
Welcome back!! You are back with a bang with this cake, sounds delicious and of course looks very pretty too!
Welcome back, glad you enjoyed your vacation! Um, this cake is insane. Seriously I’m in LOVE — I haven’t had spumoni-flavored anything in a long time, and now I’m craving it hardcore. I love that you used a Creme Brûlée Stout — genius idea. Also your decorating skills are perfect! Anytime I try and decorate a cake or cupcake, I get the shakiest hands and it turns into a legit disaster – well done!
Literally obsessed with that frosting. One word: GORGEOUS!
Wow! That cake is beautiful! It looks delicious! I have never had spumoni cake but now I won’t be able to get it off my mind.
Sounds like you had a nice break, Rachelle! I’m loving that you shared this gorgeous cake today. So perfect for a Monday and definitely needed! Love your frosting technique, too! Mine always turns out like a 5 year old decorated it!
Welcome back! I would totally love to come home to cake like this! And your cake decorating is beautiful – you’re a pro! I’m such a terrible baker my cakes always look like they had a stoke. 😉
Welcome back! I am glad that you had a nice break away 🙂
What a way to come back too – look at all that delicious layering. I haven’t actually heard of this cake before though.
Welcome back dear Rachelle! And what a comeback with this WOWLICIOUS cake. This is just too gorgeous to be true. All those beautiful and delicious layers are making me drool! YUMMY!
This. Is. BEAUTIFUL! Not a cake decorator, my arse. You can make lovely cakes. And the three colors are amazing. I wouldn’t be mad at Chris for wanting to celebrate! Awesome birthday!
Rachelle – This cake is gorgeous. I love the different layers and colors. So beautiful!
Wow, you are back in a big way, Rachelle! This cake is totally amazing…and it comes with a great story, too. (I mean, why wouldn’t you want an entire restaurant singing to you??) And I love that you served up 2 cakes. What were you just saying about making way more than we ever need? Thank goodness for friends, right? 🙂 P.S. Your cake decorating skills aren’t too shabby. This cake looks awesome!
You did a beautiful job decorating this cake! And um, yes to have TWO birthday cakes 🙂 That’s what birthday celebrations are for, right?! Love your swaps here and I love how gorgeous this is – I am going to have to give it a a go!
this is a FANTASTIC idea, and very well executed! kudos to you!
Welcome back! So glad you had a great vacation! This cake is gorgeous! I love all the layers and you totally nailed the pretty frosting!
Glad you had a nice vacation! Love this beautiful cake! Can’t wait to try it! Pinning!
Oh my goodness how gorgeous is this cake??? Not to mention it sounds fantastic!! So glad you had a great time on vacation!!!
Wow! Love everything about this cake! Not only do the flavors sound wonderful, it is absolutely GORGEOUS! Can’t wait to try the recipe.