Beer Girl Cooks

Cooking & Craft Beer

cream cheese frosting

Smoked Porter Beer Brownies

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Smoked Porter Beer Brownies are so fudgy and delicious! They’re super easy to make and have a hint of smokey flavor from a smoked porter beer. You can’t go wrong by finishing with a topping of a decadent amount of cream cheese frosting.

Smoked Porter Beer Brownies are so fudgy and delicious! They're super easy to make and have a hint of smokey flavor from a smoked porter beer. You can't go wrong by finishing with a topping of a decadent amount of cream cheese frosting.

I’m not messing around getting 2018 started.  I realize that January is about half over and I’m just arriving to the party.  What can I say.  I had to decide what to lead this new year with.  How do I want to represent and forecast what’s to come?

I decided for all of us that we need lots of chocolate, obscene amounts of cream cheese frosting, and beer.  So I give you Smoked Porter Beer Brownies.  Happy New Year!

Smoked Porter Beer Brownies are so fudgy and delicious! They're super easy to make and have a hint of smokey flavor from a smoked porter beer. You can't go wrong by finishing with a topping of a decadent amount of cream cheese frosting.

2017 was a crapstorm.  You guys know that.  I have confidence that this year is going to be great and I’m starting with a positive outlook.  Awesome things are going to happen for all of us.  Let’s do this together.  Hello 2018!  Bring on all things wonderful!

Smoked Porter Beer Brownies are so fudgy and delicious! They're super easy to make and have a hint of smokey flavor from a smoked porter beer. You can't go wrong by finishing with a topping of a decadent amount of cream cheese frosting.

After all – how can we lose when we’re starting out with Smoked Porter Beer Brownies?  Cheers!

Smoked Porter Beer Brownies are so fudgy and delicious! They're super easy to make and have a hint of smokey flavor from a smoked porter beer. You can't go wrong by finishing with a topping of a decadent amount of cream cheese frosting.

Smoked Porter Beer Brownies are so fudgy and delicious! They're super easy to make and have a hint of smokey flavor from a smoked porter beer. You can't go wrong by finishing with a topping of a decadent amount of cream cheese frosting.
5 from 4 votes
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Smoked Porter Beer Brownies

Smoked Porter Beer Brownies are so fudgy and delicious! They're super easy to make and have a hint of smokey flavor from a smoked porter beer. You can't go wrong by finishing with a topping of a decadent amount of cream cheese frosting.

Author rachelle

Ingredients

  • 1 cup smoked porter beer
  • 3 sticks butter divided
  • 1/2 cup cocoa powder
  • 5 large eggs
  • 2 cups sugar
  • 1/2 cup flour
  • 2 tablespoon vanilla divided
  • 1/8 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup milk chocolate chips
  • 8 ounces cream cheese
  • 4 cups confectioners sugar

Instructions

  1. Heat oven to 325

    Smoked Porter Beer Brownies are so fudgy and delicious! They're super easy to make and have a hint of smokey flavor from a smoked porter beer. You can't go wrong by finishing with a topping of a decadent amount of cream cheese frosting.

  2. Pour beer into a saucepan with fairly high sides, bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer until reduced to a 1/4 cup

  3. When beer is reduced, add 2 sticks of butter and cocoa powder to the same pan and cook over low heat until butter is melted while stirring until the mixture is smooth then set aside to cool slightly

  4. In a medium bowl, whisk together sugar, flour, and salt

  5. Add eggs to chocolate butter beer mixture, whisking them in one at a time

  6. Stir vanilla into the chocolate mixture

  7. Stir the flour mixture into the chocolate butter beer mixture until just combined

  8. Line a 8 x 8 inch square pan with parchment paper or grease the pan with butter then pour in the brownie batter

  9. Sprinkle the milk chocolate chips on top of the brownie batter

  10. Bake for 35 - 35 minutes, cool completely

  11. While the brownies are baking, make the frosting.  Add remaining one stick of butter and cream cheese to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and beat until smooth

  12. Add vanilla 

  13. Add confectioners sugar one cup at a time and beat until smooth

  14. Top cooled brownies with cream cheese frosting 

Recipe Notes

  1. Keep an eye on the beer while it's reducing.  It can boil over - this is why you want to use a fairly deep pan.
  2. You want the beer chocolate butter mixture to cool enough so that you don't cook your eggs when you add them
  3. You will want one stick of butter and the cream cheese softened to room temperature to make it easy to beat for the frosting
  4. After frosting the brownies you can pop them in the refrigerator for an hour or so for the frosting to firm up a bit and it will make them easier to cut

 

Peppermint Frosted Chocolate Stout Cookies

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Peppermint Frosted Chocolate Stout Cookies are the most delicious holiday cookie!  A  soft brownie cookie made with chocolate stout topped with decadent cream cheese frosting and finished with crushed peppermint for the win!

We’re feeling a bit chocolatey over here.

Peppermint Frosted Chocolate Stout Cookies are the most delicious holiday cookie!  A  soft brownie cookie made with chocolate stout topped with decadent cream cheese frosting and finished with crushed peppermint for the win!

And all things deliciously stout.

I told you how I started drinking beer at the Birdsong anniversary party then came home to bake cookies while watching the snow.  There was Coffee Vanilla Beer Pound Cake and Chocolate Mint Stout Crinkle Cookies involved.  What can I say.  I get creative and ambitious when I start drinking beer and celebrating at 11:00 am.

Peppermint Frosted Chocolate Stout Cookies are the most delicious holiday cookie!  A  soft brownie cookie made with chocolate stout topped with decadent cream cheese frosting and finished with crushed peppermint for the win!

What?  You don’t?

Anyway, these Peppermint Frosted Chocolate Stout Cookies use a modified version of the Chocolate Mint Stout Crinkle Cookies I posted the other day.  I couldn’t miss an opportunity to make and share an easy cookie that can be made different ways.  Everyone loves saving time and eating delicious cookies!

Peppermint Frosted Chocolate Stout Cookies are the most delicious holiday cookie!  A  soft brownie cookie made with chocolate stout topped with decadent cream cheese frosting and finished with crushed peppermint for the win!

So, do you have all of your cookies baked and holiday/Christmas/Hanukkah celebration decorations up?  It was a challenge in these parts, but we finally got our tree up last weekend while watching the Panthers game.  It didn’t magically appear as hoped, but it got done.  We even got a fancy light post for out front porch, some lights for the deck, and a GIANT 7 foot light up Santa for the dock.  It’s ridiculously hilarious, but totally fun.

I’m not sure you can appreciate how big this guy is from this picture, but his head almost reaches the roof.  And while you are looking up – notice the clock.  It’s always 5:00 on the dock! Cheers!  Happy Holidays!

Peppermint Frosted Chocolate Stout Cookies are the most delicious holiday cookie!  A  soft brownie cookie made with chocolate stout topped with decadent cream cheese frosting and finished with crushed peppermint for the win!
5 from 6 votes
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Peppermint Frosted Chocolate Stout Cookies

Peppermint Frosted Chocolate Stout Cookies are the most delicious holiday cookie!  A  soft brownie cookie made with chocolate stout topped with decadent cream cheese frosting and finished with crushed peppermint for the win!

Servings 48 Cookies
Author rachelle

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 2 cups granulated sugar
  • 3/4 cup vegetable or canola oil
  • 1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 4 large eggs
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1/3 cup chocolate stout or chocolate mint stout
  • 8 ounces cream cheese
  • 8 tbsp butter, room temperature
  • 2 tbsp vanilla extract
  • 4 cups confectioners sugar
  • 1 cup peppermint candies or candy canes crushed and broken into medium size pieces

Instructions

  1. Whisk or sift together flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl.

    In the bowl of a stand mixer using the paddle attachment (or using a hand mixer) beat the sugar and vegetable oil together.

    Beat in unsweetened cocoa powder until combined.

    Add eggs, vanilla, and beer and beat until combined.

    Gradually add flour mixture and beat to combine.

    Transfer dough to an airtight container with lid and refrigerate overnight or at least 4 hours.

    When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350 degrees.

    Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

    Using a tablespoon sized scoop, make small balls (about 1 inch round) and set on prepared baking sheet about 2 inches apart.

    Bake at 350 for 10 - 12 minutes. They should have spread out and stay somewhat soft.

    They come out a bit rounded on top, so I just pushed down the tops with the back of a spoon to make them flat to hold the frosting while they were still warm and pliable.

    Cool for 3-4 minutes on the baking sheet then transfer to a wire rack. Repeat with remaining dough until used up.  

    Combine cream cheese, butter, and vanilla extract in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and beat until smooth.  Gradually add confectioners sugar one cup at a time and beat until smooth.

    Using a pastry bag fitted with a tip of choice, fill with frosting and pipe onto cooled cookies.  

    Top with crushed and broken peppermint or candy cane pieces.

     Store in airtight container in refrigerator.

Peppermint Frosted Chocolate Stout Cookies are the most delicious holiday cookie!  A  soft brownie cookie made with chocolate stout topped with decadent cream cheese frosting and finished with crushed peppermint for the win!

Honey Roasted Grapefruit Wheat Ale and Meyer Lemon Cupcakes

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Honey Roasted Grapefruit Wheat Ale and Meyer Lemon Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting are so good you won’t want to share

Honey Roasted Grapefruit Wheat Ale and Meyer Lemon Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting are so good you won't want to share

My Honey Roasted Ruby Red Grapefruit Wheat Ale didn’t win the competition, so I consoled myself by using it to make cupcakes.

Honey Roasted Grapefruit Wheat Ale and Meyer Lemon Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting are so good you won't want to share

I mentioned this before, but didn’t really elaborate.  I brewed this beer for a competition called Beer and Branding.  It was a really cool event where home brewers were matched up with a marketing team.  The brewers created a recipe and brewed the beer while the marketing team designed a brand and label to go with it.  All the beer had to use a secret ingredient chosen by NoDa Brewing Company’s head brewer.

Honey Roasted Grapefruit Wheat Ale and Meyer Lemon Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting are so good you won't want to share

You guessed it – the secret ingredient was grapefruit.  I decided to cut them in half, cover them in honey, and roast them.  It was called Groovy Red Ruby and I think it was the best beer I ever brewed.  You can even see a little bit of pink from the red grapefruit in the head.

The label was really cool too!  My team did an awesome job and created a graphic of my white boxer, Holly, riding a wave on a surfboard.  I wish I had a copy to share, but sadly, I don’t.

Honey Roasted Grapefruit Wheat Ale and Meyer Lemon Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting are so good you won't want to share

It didn’t win the competition, but it is an amazing beer that I’m still enjoying and will absolutely brew again.  And I might just keep it all for myself. 🙂

Honey Roasted Grapefruit Wheat Ale and Meyer Lemon Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting
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Honey Roasted Grapefruit Wheat Ale and Meyer Lemon Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

Ingredients

For the Cupcakes

  • 3 cups flour
  • 1 tablespoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 2 sticks butter room temperature
  • 4 eggs room temperature
  • 2 cups sugar
  • 2 tablespoons lemon zest
  • 3 tablespoons lemon juice
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
  • 1 cup whole milk
  • 2 tablespoons heavy cream
  • 1/2 cup beer

For the Frosting

  • 16 ounces cream cheese
  • 2 stick butter room temperature
  • 4 teaspoons vanilla
  • 2 tablespoon meyer lemon juice
  • 2 teaspoon meyer lemon zest
  • 6 cups powdered sugar

Instructions

For the Cupcakes

  1. Preheat oven to 325
  2. Line 2 cupcake pans with paper cupcake liners
  3. Whisk or sift together flour, salt, and baking powder
  4. Add butter and sugar to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and beat on medium high until light and fluffy
  5. Add eggs one at a time making sure each one is incorporated before adding the next and scraping down the sides
  6. Add 1/3 of the flour mixture and beat until incorporated
  7. Add milk and beat until incorporated
  8. Add another 1/3 of flour mixture and beat until incorporated
  9. Add the beer, juice, and zest and beat until incorporated
  10. Add the remaining 1/3 of the flour mixture and beat until incorporated
  11. Transfer to prepared muffin tins filling about 3/4 of the way to the top
  12. Bake 25 - 27 minutes or until golden brown on top and done in the center, rotate pans halfway through baking
  13. Cool on wire racks

For the Frosting

  1. Combine butter and cream cheese in the bowl of a stand mixer and beat on medium high until smooth
  2. Add vanilla, juice, and zest and beat until combined
  3. Reduce speed to medium lo and add powdered sugar one cup at a time until combined and smooth
  4. Transfer frosting to a pastry bag fitted with whatever tip you like and pipe onto cooled cupcakes

NOTES: 

  1. Obviously you do not have this Honey Roasted Grapefruit Wheat Ale beer, but you can use a grapefruit ale or a wheat ale and substitute some of the lemon zest with grapefruit zest
  2. If you aren’t a cream cheese frosting freak like me, you can use half of the frosting recipe for a lighter frosted cupcake or substitute a butter cream if that blows your dress up
  3. I thought there was a gallery of the branding photos somewhere on Facebook, but I haven’t found them yet.  If I do, I’ll update this post and include a link.

 

Honey Roasted Grapefruit Wheat Ale and Meyer Lemon Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

Pumpkin Spice Whoopie Pies Recipe

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Pumpkin Spice Whoopie Pies Recipe

Pumpkin Spice Whoopie Pies Recipe

Heeeeyyyyyy, pumpkin!  Where in tarnation have you been hiding?  Well, the truth of the pumpkin matter is that I’m a closet pumpkin eater in all socially unacceptable seasons.  We don’t just save it for fall and holidays.  Pumpkin in August?  Why, yes, I believe I will.  Pumpkin pie in July?  Sign me up. Pumpkin cookies in February?  Be mine.

Pumpkin Spice Whoopie Pies Recipe

You get the picture.  Don’t judge me.

Pumpkin Spice Whoopie Pies Recipe

This pumpkin spice whoopie pie recipe is a regular around these parts.  I originally made and posted them a couple of years ago.  In AUGUST!  OMG!  Scandalous!

Pumpkin Spice Whoopie Pies Recipe

What was I thinking?  I was brand new to blogging then and no one was reading this here website except Lisa, Jennifer, and my mom.  They don’t judge.  Well, Jennifer totally judges.  If there were any negative comments I either didn’t care or forgot about them.

Pumpkin Spice Whoopie Pies Recipe

The point is that I did make and publish this recipe a couple of years ago, but I upgraded my website and had a new one designed.  I also upgraded my hosting company, which was an excellent idea.  Anyhoo, when my original content got transferred to my new site and new host, not all of the photos survived the trip.  The Pumpkin Whoopie Pie was one that didn’t make it.

Pumpkin Spice Whoopie Pies Recipe

So, we (and as usual, when I say we I really mean me) decided to have a do-over.

Pumpkin Spice Whoopie Pies Recipe

And here we are with some new and delicious pumpkin spice whoopie pies.  I just have to tell you that they are just as delicious in August as they are in October!  Happy Pumpkin Season!

Pumpkin Spice Whoopie Pies Recipe
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Pumpkin Spice Whoopie Pies Recipe

Ingredients

For the Pumpkin Cakes

  • 1 cup white sugar
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar
  • 1 can pumpkin 15 ounce
  • 1 stick butter
  • 3 cups flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice

For the Filling

  • 1 8 oz block of cream cheese softened
  • 1 stick butter softened
  • 2 tablespoons vanilla extract
  • 3 1/2 cups powdered sugar

Instructions

For the Pumpkin Cakes

  1. Preheat oven to 350
  2. Beat together sugar, brown sugar, pumpkin, and butter
  3. In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and pumpkin pie spice
  4. Add dry ingredients to the wet and stir to combine
  5. Coat whoopie pie pan with cooking spray
  6. Scoop about 1 tablespoon of the batter into each of the whoopie pie pan cups
  7. Bake 15 - 17 minutes or until done in the middle and golden brown
  8. Cool completely on a wire rack

For the Filling

  1. Add cream cheese and butter to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and beat until fluffy and combined
  2. Add vanilla extract and powdered sugar and beat slowly at first, then increase speed until combined and smooth

For the Assembly

  1. Scoop about 1 tablespoon of filling on to the flat side of one of the pumpkin cakes then top with the flat side facing filling of another pumpkin cake, repeat

NOTES: 

  1. I used my trusty, but not rusty whoopie pie pan for this recipe.  If you don’t have one, you can either buy one here or just use a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper or a slip mat.  Just be sure that you use a measuring spoon or something to make them all even sizes or you’ll have some clumsy looking whoopies.  They’ll still be delicious though. And this is not a sponsored or affiliate post, I just love my whoopie pie pan.
  2. I like to chill my cream cheese frosting a little bit after making it to firm it up a bit.
  3. These can either be served immediately or made ahead of time – just refrigerate until about 15 minutes before serving.

 

Pumpkin Spice Whoopie Pies Recipe

Lemon Blueberry Whoopie Pies Recipe

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Lemon Blueberry Whoopie Pies Recipe

Lemon Blueberry Whoopie Pies

Who doesn’t love a whoopie pie?  I mean seriously, two cakes stuffed with some delicious filling for your own personal little some kind of wonderful?

Lemon Blueberry Whoopie Pies

I decided to take a walk on the wild side and make a whoopie pie a bit different than the traditional chocolate cake marshmallow filling variety.  Not that I normally need any particular reason to do something different, but today we are celebrating!

Lemon Blueberry Whoopie Pies

Jenna of A Savory Feast recently welcomed a baby boy into her family, so today a few blog friends and I are throwing her a virtual baby shower! If only we lived closer so we could all get together, but since we cannot, but here are some ideas for a smashing baby shower menu. We included a few of Jenna’s own recipes (without her knowing!) so be sure to give her posts some love!

Lemon Blueberry Whoopie Pies

I decided to use some blueberries to make a festive (and blue-ish) filling to put between some little vanilla cakes and it was a total win.  I made the cakes with a whoopie pie pan, so they came out of the molds the perfect size for a baby shower.

Lemon Blueberry Whoopie Pies

Lemon Blueberry Whoopie Pies

Lemon Blueberry Whoopie Pies

Lemon Blueberry Whoopie Pies

Lemon Blueberry Whoopie Pies

Lemon Blueberry Whoopie Pies

Lemon Blueberry Whoopie Pies

Lemon Blueberry Whoopie Pies

Join me in the celebration of Jenna’s sweet boy and scroll down below to see what everyone else is bringing to the party!

Congratulations, Jenna!

Lemon Blueberry Whoopie Pies
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Lemon Blueberry Whoopie Pies Recipe

Ingredients

For the Cakes

  • 1 cup sugar
  • 11 tablespoons butter
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
  • 1/4 teaspoon almond extract
  • 2 large eggs
  • 3 cups flour
  • 2/3 cup whole milk
  • zest of 1 lemon

For the Filling

  • 1 cup blueberries
  • juice of 1 lemon about 1 1/2 tablespoons
  • 1 8 ounce block of cream cheese softened
  • 1 stick of butter softened
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
  • 3 1/2 cups powdered sugar

Instructions

For the Cakes

  1. Preheat oven to 400
  2. Butter or spray a whoopie pie pan and set aside
  3. Beat sugar and butter together until creamy
  4. Add baking powder, salt, vanilla extract, and almond extract
  5. Add eggs one at a time
  6. Add 1/3 of the flour, then 1/2 of the milk, another 1/3 of the flour, then the rest of the milk and finish with the last 1/3 of the flour
  7. Scoop about 1 tablespoon of the batter into each of the whoopie pie pan cups
  8. Bake 7-9 minutes or until golden and springy to touch
  9. Cool in pans for about 5 minutes then remove and cool completely on wire rack

For the Filling

  1. Combine blueberries and lemon juice in a high speed blender or food processor and puree until as smooth as possible
  2. Combine cream cheese and butter in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and beat on medium until creamy
  3. Beat in vanilla extract
  4. Beat in blueberry mixture
  5. Beat in powdered sugar one cup at a time until combined and smooth

For the Assembly

  1. Add about 1 tablespoon of the filling to the flat side of one cake and top with a second cake, repeat until all the cakes are all cakes are used
  2. Arrange on a platter and refrigerate about 1 hour so the filling sets up

Cake recipe slightly adapted from King Arthur Flour

Notes

  1. Cakes can be made on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or slip mat
  2. You may need to loosen the cakes from a whoopie pie pan by lightly running a rubber spatula around the edges
  3. If the blueberry and lemon is too thick to puree, add a tablespoon of water
  4. I had leftover filling, so you would probably be ok just making half
  5. If you want to make them pink, substitute strawberries or raspberries for blueberries
  6. This recipe made 24 whoopie pies

Recipes for the perfect baby shower!

Greek Panzanella by Winstead Wandering
Nightshade Free Antipasto Platter by I Say Nomato
Peach Streusel Coffee Cake by A Savory Feast
Cucumber Finger Sandwiches by The Speckled Palate
French Palmiers by Lavender & Macarons
Roasted Red Pepper & Goat Cheese Crostinis by A Savory Feast
Mini Summer Layered Trifle by Lauren’s Kitchen the Blog
Honey Sriracha Meatballs by A Joyfully Mad Kitchen
Panko, Cream Cheese and Herb Stuffed Mushrooms by A Savory Feast
Lemon Blueberry Whoopie Pies by Beer Girl Cooks
Sparkling Balsamic Mocktails with Berry Ice Cubes by Feast + West
Honey Sweetened Limeaid with Blueberries by A Savory Feast

lemon-blueberry-whoopie-pies

Cara Cara Orange Layer Cake with Citrus Cream Cheese Frosting

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Cara Cara Orange Layer Cake with Citrus Cream Cheese Frosting

Cara Cara Orange Layer Cake with Citrus Cream Cheese Frosting

 

This may not be the most beautiful cake in the world, but your dad or father’s day person in your life will totally love it.  It’s actually the ugly duckling of cakes and I’m ok with that.  I was an ugly duckling for a long time (maybe I still am?) with awkward skinny long legs and shyness that would beat the band.  I never fit in anywhere and probably still don’t.  But you know what?  It doesn’t matter when you have fantastic father figures in your life.  We’ll talk about high school heart breaks some other time.  I’ll bring the wine.

 

Cara Cara Orange Layer Cake with Citrus Cream Cheese Frosting

 

So, we can make fancy pants cakes like this if it blows your dress up and if your dad loves pastels, but does your dad really want that?  I say, let’s go rustic.  And usually when I’m talking rustic I’m talking messy, sloppy, or down right ugly.  I’m pretty sure all those descriptions apply here.

Way to sell it, Rach!

 

Cara Cara Orange Layer Cake with Citrus Cream Cheese Frosting

 

The point is – and yes, eventually I usually have one – it’s Father’s Day this weekend.  Your dad or other significant dad/grandpa/uncle/step/or other dad figure in your life loves you.  He/She loves all your broken bones, skinned knees, lopsided smiles, and rustic, janky cakes with cracks and frosting squishing out the sides.  And that’s what love is.

Happy Father’s Day!

Cara Cara Orange Layer Cake with Citrus Cream Cheese Frosting
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Cara Cara Orange Layer Cake with Citrus Cream Cheese Frosting

Ingredients

For the Cake

  • 1 cup butter room temperature, plus more to prepare the pans (1 - 2 tablespoons)
  • 2 cups sugar
  • 4 large eggs room temperature
  • 3 cups cake flour
  • 1 tablespoon baking powder
  • 1 cup whole milk
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla bean paste
  • 1 cara cara orange juice and zest

For the Frosting

  • 16 ounces 2 8 ounce blocks cream cheese
  • 2 sticks butter
  • 2 cups powdered sugar
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste
  • 2 cara cara oranges juice and zest

For the Garnish

  • 1 - 2 cara cara oranges thinly sliced
  • Mint leaves

Instructions

For the Cake

  1. Preheat oven to 350
  2. Measure and cut 2 pieces of parchment paper to fit 2 (9) inch cake pans
  3. Butter cake pans, fit parchment circles into bottom of pans, and butter the parchment paper
  4. Add butter and sugar to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and beat until fluffy, 3 to 4 minutes
  5. Add eggs, one at a time, making sure each is incorporated before adding the next
  6. In a separate bowl, whisk together flour and baking powder
  7. Gradually add flour mixture to butter mixture, alternating with milk - start and end with flour, beat just until combined
  8. Stir in vanilla bean paste, zest, and juice
  9. Divide evenly between the two prepared cake pans
  10. Bake 28 - 30 minutes or until a toothpick comes out of the center clean
  11. Cool on wire rack for 10 minutes, turn out onto wire racks to cool completely

For the Frosting

  1. Add cream cheese and butter to the bowl of a stand mixer and beat on medium until combined
  2. Slowly add powdered sugar and beat until smooth and combined
  3. Add vanilla bean paste, zest, and juice and beat until combined

For the Assembly

  1. Using a serrated knife, slice each cake in half horizontally through the middle making 4 cakes approximately the same thickness
  2. Arrange the first layer on a cake stand or plate and spread 1/4 of the frosting on top
  3. Add the second layer and spread 1/4 frosting on top
  4. Repeat with the last two layers
  5. Garnish with orange slices and mint


Adapted from Bake from Scratch Cake Special Issue June 2016, page 26 and 27

Note: If you wrap the cakes tightly in plastic then aluminum foil while it’s still warm and freeze them it will seal in some of the moisture and make them easier to cut and frost while thawing.

 

Cara Cara Orange Layer Cake with Citrus Cream Cheese Frosting

 

Spumoni Cake

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Spumoni Cake

Spumoni Cake

 

I’m baaaaaaack!

 

Spumoni Cake

 

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!

 

Spumoni Cake

 

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.

 

Spumoni Cake

 

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.

 

Spumoni Cake

 

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

 

Spumoni Cake

 

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.

 

Spumoni Cake

 

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.

 

Spumoni Cake

 

Chris, of course, got the stink eye, but I couldn’t stay mad after he brought spumoni cake into my life.

 

Spumoni Cake

 

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.

 

Spumoni Cake

 

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.

 

Spumoni Cake

 

Zoink!  Head smack! DO OVER!

 

Spumoni Cake

 

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.

 

Spumoni Cake

 

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.

 

Spumoni Cake

 

I ended up serving two spumoni cakes at my party because why not?

 

Spumoni Cake

 

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!

 

Spumoni Cake

 

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!

 

Spumoni Cake

 

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.

Spumoni Cake