Prickly Pear Tequila Sunrise Cake

When we visited Saguaro National Park, we walked away with quite the abundance of prickly pear products: tea, syrup and a tequila sunrise jam made with prickly pear. However, as is often the case, the products sat in our cupboard waiting for the right time to try them. I decided to combine a few of them into a birthday cake for me/my dad. Inspired by the jam, I decided to make a prickly pear tequila sunrise cake.

Now, I've made tequila sunrise cupcakes before, and I feel like this version takes the cake. I modified an orange cake from Goodie Godmother. Both layers of this cake have wonderful texture, and the orange frosting reminds me of creamsicles. I didn't quite attain the swoopy frosting I was hoping for, so instead I blended the two frostings into each other.

End result: pretty and delicious cake.

Prickly Pear Tequila Sunrise Cake
Orange Cake
1 stick unsalted butter, softened
5-10 drops orange essential oil
2 eggs
1 cup granulated sugar
11/2 cups flour
11/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
3/4 cup orange juice
1/2 cup tequila
1/2 tsp. vanilla
Prickly Pear Cake
1 stick unsalted butter, softened
2 eggs
1 cup granulated sugar
11/2 cups flour
11/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 cup prickly pear syrup
1/2 cup milk
1/2 tsp. vanilla
Orange Frosting
2 sticks butter, softened
1 lb. powdered sugar
5-10 drops orange essential oil
2 tsp. vanilla bean paste
2-4 Tbsp. milk or heavy cream
Prickly Pear Frosting
2 sticks butter, softened
1 lb. powdered sugar
1/4 cup prickly pear syrup
2 tsp. vanilla bean paste
Filling
Prickly Pear Tequila Sunrise Jam

To bake the orange cake, preheat your oven to 350ºF. Grease, butter and flour a 9-inch round pan, and line the bottom with parchment paper.

Beat the butter, sugar and orange oil together in a mixing bowl or with a stand mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well, and scraping the bowl after each addition.

In a smaller bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder, and salt. In a measuring cup with a spout, combine the orange juice, tequila and vanilla. Add half the flour mixture to the mixing bowl, stir to incorporate, and then add half the liquid mixture. Scrape the bowl, add the other half of the flour, stir, scrape, and add the remaining liquid. Stir just until combined. Pour into cake bowl, and bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 40 minutes. Cool 10 minutes, and remove from pan onto a wire rack to cool completely.

To bake the prickly pear cake, preheat your oven to 350ºF. Grease, butter and flour a 9-inch round pan, and line the bottom with parchment paper.

Beat the butter and sugar together in a mixing bowl or with a stand mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well, and scraping the bowl after each addition.

In a smaller bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder, and salt. In a measuring cup with a spout, combine the prickly pear syrup, milk and vanilla. Add half the flour mixture to the mixing bowl, stir to incorporate, and then add half the liquid mixture. Scrape the bowl, add the other half of the flour, stir, scrape, and add the remaining liquid. Stir just until combined. Pour into cake bowl, and bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 40 minutes. Cool 10 minutes, and remove from pan onto a wire rack to cool completely.

To make the orange frosting, beat the butter until light and fluffy, almost white in color. Slowly beat in powdered sugar. Add the orange oil and vanilla, and then add milk until desired consistency is reached.

To make the prickly pear frosting, beat the butter until light and fluffy, almost white in color. Slowly beat in powdered sugar. Add the prickly pear syrup, and beat until smooth and fluffy.

(If you want to cheat, you can start both frostings together, and simply divide them before adding the unique ingredients. You'll end up with extra frosting, which is a great excuse to make tequila sunrise cupcakes. Or am I the only person who bakes a batch of orange tequila cupcakes to use up extra frosting?)

To assemble the cake, place the prickly pear layer down first. Cover with a layer of prickly pear tequila sunrise jam (or orange curd would be an excellent substitution). Top with orange cake layer. Frost the bottom portion of the cake with the prickly pear frosting, and the top portion of the cake with orange frosting. Swirl or combine as desired. (I used some prickly pear on the top and did the sunset effect there as well.)

Sweet & Salty Millionaire's Layer Cake

I've had this incredible cake bookmarked for a very long time from Sweetapolita. I figured my birthday was the perfect time to try this rather involved recipe. None of the steps alone are overly complicated, but you end up making 3 layer cakes, shortbread crumbles, salted caramel, Swiss meringue buttercream and chocolate ganache. You can see why it takes quite a bit of time ... and butter. Lots of butter.

This was my first time making Swiss meringue buttercream, and I'm so glad I made it. It's a luscious, buttery frosting, that is very different than a typical buttercream. It will not become my standard, but it's a nice varietal to have in my frosting arsenal.

This is rich, decadent and lives up to its Millionaire name.

Sweet & Salty Millionaire's Layer Cake
Chocolate Cake
2 1/4 cups flour
2 1/4 cups superfine sugar
3/4 cup dark Dutch-process cocoa powder
2 1/4 tsp. baking soda
2 1/4 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
1 cup buttermilk
3/4 cup hot water
1/3 cup vegetable oil
3 eggs, room temperature
1 Tbsp. vanilla

Vanilla Bean Swiss Meringue Buttercream

6 egg whites
1 3/4 cups sugar
2 cups butter, softened, cut into cubes
2 tsp. vanilla bean paste
Pinch of salt

Salted Caramel

2 cups sugar
1/2 cup water
1 cup heavy cream
2 Tbsp. butter
2 tsp. vanilla or vanilla bean paste
Generous pinch of sea salt

Shortbread Crumbs

1 cup flour
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter, softened, cut into cubes

Ganache Frosting

1 pound plus 6 ounces dark chocolate, chopped
2 cups heavy cream
1/3 cup corn syrup
1/4 tsp. sea salt
1/2 cup butter, cut into cubes
1 Tbsp. pure vanilla extract

To make the cakes, preheat oven to 350° F. Spray three 8-inch round cake pans with cooking spray, and line the bottoms with parchment paper rounds. (If you have to bake each cake separately, the batter will be fine to do this.)

In the bowl of electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, sift together flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder and salt. In a large measuring cup with a spout, combine the buttermilk, hot water, oil, eggs and vanilla.

Add liquid mixture to dry ingredients, and mix on medium speed until smooth, about 1 minute. Divide batter among the 3 cake pans (weigh batter for even layers at about 520 grams per cake pan).
Bake 2 of the layers until a toothpick or skewer inserted into the center comes out with a few crumbs, about 20-25 minutes. Repeat with the final layer. Let cakes cool in the pans for 10 minutes, and then turn onto a wire rack until completely cool.

To make the Swiss meringue buttercream, wipe the bowl and whisk of an electric mixer with paper towel and lemon juice, to remove any trace of grease. Add egg whites and sugar, and simmer over a pot of water (not boiling), whisking constantly but gently, until temperature reaches 130°F, or if you don't have a candy thermometer, until the sugar has completely dissolved and the egg whites are hot, about 8-10 minutes.

Place bowl back on mixer, and fit with the whisk attachment. Whip on medium-high speed until the meringue is thick, glossy, and the bottom of the bowl feels neutral to the touch. (This can take up to 10 minutes, or longer). Switch over to paddle attachment, and with mixer on low speed, add softened butter in chunks until incorporated, and mix until it has reached a silky smooth texture. (If it curdles, keep mixing, and it will come back to smooth). Increase speed to medium, and beat until the mixture becomes thick and fluffy, about 2 minutes.

Add vanilla bean paste and salt, continuing to beat on low speed until well combined. Keep in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 day, refrigerated for up to 1 week, or in the freezer for up to 2 months. Thaw at room temperature. Bring chilled buttercream back to smooth consistency by bringing to room temperature and then beating on low speed with an electric mixer for a few minutes. (I had a hard time getting mine back to the same fluffy consistency, but I think I didn't have it warmed to room temperature, which might have been my issue.)

To make the caramel, n a medium saucepan over medium heat, stir the sugar and water until combined. Brush down the sides of the saucepan with a wet pastry brush, and increase the heat to medium-high. Stop stirring, and let the mixture bubble until it reaches an amber colour (about 350°F). Promptly remove the saucepan from the heat, and whisk in the heavy cream carefully until smooth, followed by the butter.

Clip a candy thermometer onto the saucepan, and return the mixture to medium-high heat until it reaches 248°F). Transfer the caramel to the heatproof bowl, and stir in the vanilla and sea salt. As the caramel reaches room temperature, it will become thick and spreadable. Store in a sealed jar in refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

To make the shortbread crumbles, preheat oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a Silpat mat. In a medium bowl, combine the flour and sugar. Cut in the butter using a pastry blender or your fingers, until you have distributed the butter and achieved pea-size bits. Turn the mixture in an even layer onto the prepared baking sheet, and bake for 10 minutes. Remove the tray from the oven and, using a heatproof spatula, gently break up the mixture and return to the oven for 10 more minutes. Let tray cool completely on a wire rack. Once cool, keep in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.

For the ganache frosting, place chopped chocolate in a large heatproof mixing bowl. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine the cream, corn syrup and salt, and bring just to a boil. Pour hot cream mixture over the chocolate, and let sit for about 1 minute. Using a whisk, combine the chocolate mixture until smooth. Add butter and vanilla, and mix again until smooth. Mixture will thicken to spreadable frosting consistency, and eventually become solid at room temperature. To soften, simply warm and bring to desired consistency.

Prepare your fillings and frosting and ensure they are all at spreadable consistency. For the ganache, this will take about 15-30 minutes after making it, and about 30-60 minutes for the caramel. If you have made ahead, simply warm the ganache and let cool until spreadable, and do the same for the caramel.

Slice all three cake layers in half horizontally, so you have a total of 6 cake layers. Smear a small dollop of the ganache frosting on a cake plate, pedestal or cake board, and place your first layer cut side up (so bottom of the cake layer is touching plate), and using a small offset palette knife, spread about 1 cup of buttercream on the layer leaving about 1-inch around the edge, followed by one-third of the caramel and then a generous handful of shortbread crumble. Place your next cake layer on top, and spread about 1 cup of the ganache frosting all the way to the edge.

Repeat previous step until you get to the final cake layer. Place last layer face down (cut side down) and frost entire cake with the ganache frosting. Let sit for about 15 minutes and then finish with a thick coat of ganache frosting. Sprinkle on some Fleur de Sel. Finished cake can be kept at room temperature for up to 8 hours. Keep refrigerated if longer than 8 hours, but serve at room temperature.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Smoothie

Some people drink green smoothies. I tried. Once. It was gross.

This, on the other hand, is delicious. It's chock full of protein ... and chocolate. How Sweet It Is nailed this, although mine was much more smoothie than smoothie bowl to eat with a spoon. I'm trying to convince myself this is a healthy breakfast because of all the nutrients and such ... it did keep me full until lunch, so that counts for something.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Smoothie
2 cups chocolate almond milk
1 cup ice
1/2 cup cup plain Greek yogurt
3 frozen bananas
4 Tbsp. cocoa powder
3 Tbsp. peanut butter
3 Tbsp. hemp seeds
1 Tbsp. chia seeds
2 tsp. vanilla extract
pinch of salt

Blend all ingredients together until smooth. Either drink or slurp from bowls if your version is thick enough. You can top with whatever you please, but the original post suggested cacoa nibs, chia seeds, coconut flakes, sliced almonds, sliced banana, peanut butter or hemp seeds. Makes 2 to 4 servings.

Glam Rock Layer Cake

When I came across this cake, I thought of my friend's daughter who's celebrating her birthday this month. I'm excited to have an excuse to replicate this awesome creation from Sweetapolita because it's such a fun cake. (And I don't have to figure out a volleyball cake or a Five Nights at Freddy's cake, which were other suggestions for this cake.)

Be sure to check out the original post at Sweetapolita for her notes, tips and such. She does a great job within her tutorial. (And her cake looked at least 10 times cooler than mine.)

Glam Rock Layer Cake
"Black" Chocolate Cake
2 1/3 cups flour
3/4 cup plus 1 Tbsp. black cocoa powder
1 1 /2 tsp. baking powder
3/4 tsp. salt
1 1/2 cups  buttermilk, room temperature
1/2 cup very hot water
1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
2 1/2 cups packed light brown sugar
2 tsp. vanilla extract
4 large eggs, room temperature
1/4 cup mayonnaise, room temperature
1 1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. distilled white vinegar
Electric Purple Frosting
1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
3 cups powdered sugar, sifted
1/4 cup milk
2 Tbsp. water
2 tsp. vanilla extract
Pinch of salt
Purple gel paste color
Black Frosting
2 cups unsalted butter, softened
2 1/2 cups powdered sugar, frosted
3/4 cup premium dark cocoa powder
1/2 cup hot water
1/2 cup sour cream
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract 
Generous pinch of salt
8 ounces premium dark (but not extra dark) chocolate, chopped or chips, melted
Black soft gel paste color
Garnish
Sprinkles of your choice (1-2 cups, depending on size of the sprinkles)

For the cakes, preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease and flour three 9-inch round cake pans (may need to bake one layer, and repeat the process to bake other layers depending on oven size and amount of cake pans. Line bottoms with parchment if desired for easy removal.

In a large bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt. In a large measuring glass with a spout, mix together the buttermilk and water. Set aside.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and brown sugar on medium speed until very light and fluffy, about 8 minutes. Add the vanilla, and beat well. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well (about 30 seconds) and scraping the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula after each addition.

Lower the speed to the lowest setting, and add one third of the dry mixture until just combined, and add half of the buttermilk mixture. Repeat with the remaining flour and buttermilk mixtures. Remove the bowl from the stand mixer, and whisk in the mayonnaise.

In a small bowl, combine the baking soda and vinegar, and quickly add to the batter. Whisk until smooth, about 30 seconds. Divide one-third of the batter into each pan.

Bake the first two layers in the center of the oven until a wooden pick comes out with a few crumbs, 30-35 minutes. Let the cake layers cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes, and then gently invert onto the wire rack. (Wipe the pans clean and repeat with the final layers if needed.) Let all of the layers cool completely. The cake layers will keep wrapped tightly in plastic wrap at room temperature for up to 3 days or freeze for easier frosting.

To make the purple frosting, beat the butter on medium speed until very pale and creamy, about 8 minutes. Reduce the speed to low, and gradually add the powdered sugar, milk , vanilla and salt. Beat for 1 minute.

Increase the speed to medium-high, and beat until very light and fluffy, about 6 minutes. Add a few drops of purple gel paste until desired shade is achieved. (Frosting with keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Bring chilled frosting to room temperature and beat on low speed to soften. If necessary, you can warm the frosting in a heatproof container in the microwave in 10-second intervals, stirring after each one, until smooth and spreadable.)

For the black frosting, beat the butter until pale and fluffy, about 6 minutes. Sift together powdered sugar and cocoa. On low, add dry ingredients, water, sour cream, vanilla and salt. Beat until incorporated. Beat 2 more minutes on medium. Add melted chocolate, and beat on medium until smooth. Add a small amount of the black color (about 1/2 tsp.). Pulse until combined. Let sit for about 15 minutes. (The color will take awhile to reach it's true color.) Add more color if necessary, until desired black tint is achieved.

To frost, sandwich the cake layers together with the purple frosting in the middle. Make sure your layers are lined up nicely, wrap in plastic wrap and chill at least 15 minutes. Remove the cake from the refrigerator, and frost the entire outside of the cake with a thin layer of black frosting as a crumb coat. Chill at least 30 minutes until frosting begins to firm.

Frost the cake evenly and smoothly with the black frosting, reserving about 1 1/2 cups for the piped border. Chill cake another 20 minutes.You will want the frosting for the buttercream "poof" border to be very soft, in order to achieve the appealing peaks. Warm frosting in a small heatproof bowl for about 8-10 seconds, and stir. Fill a pastry bag fitted with a large plain round tip with the softened frosting and pipe some buttercream "poofs" around the outside of the cake top.

Pour your sprinkles into a medium bowl, and gently press sprinkles onto the bottom third of the cake, all the way around, letting the excess fall back into the bowl. You can also put the cake on a cookie sheet and let the excess sprinkles fall onto the sheet. Return the cake to the fridge until the buttercream poofs are very firm, about 30 minutes. Pour more sprinkles atop the flat exposed surface of the top of the cake. Cake will keep covered at room temperature for up to 3 days. Serve at room temperature.