Monday, January 6, 2014

pink ombre cake

It is a new year, and I was wondering what I wanted to bake. I thought that I would make a rainbow cake since I had not made one for a while. But while looking at my collection of food colours, I was really drawn to the red colouring.

So I changed my mind and made a pink ombre cake instead!


Ombre cakes are not difficult to make. You simply need a bit more patience as you would need to mix food colouring with the cake batter little by little until you get the shades that you want.

I started making this cake by creaming the butter and sugar until the mixture turned pale and fluffy.



I added the eggs, one at a time, and beat each egg thoroughly into the batter.


Then I added the flour and milk in the sequence flour-milk-flour-milk-flour, and beat only until the flour had been incorporated. The vanilla extract was added and mixed into the batter.



I divided the batter into 5 portions, and using toothpicks, I gradually added colouring to each portion until I got the colours I wanted.


I think it is important not to put too much food colouring as the colours will usually deepen over time anyway.

The cakes were baked, then cooled. I trimmed off the tops of the cake to level them.

To assemble the cake, I simply stacked them, with the darkest layer at the bottom and the lightest on top. Between each layer, I added a thin layer of Swiss Meringue Buttercream.


Then I frosted the cake with more Swiss Meringue Buttercream which I had tinted with a tiny amount of red colouring.


This was such an elegant cake.


Simply gorgeous!

To celebrate the beginning of a new year, I am giving away 2 6-inch, 5-layer Ombre cakes! To enter, simply complete the following:

Giveaway ends on Tuesday, January 21, 2014 at 12:00 a.m. Singapore time. The winner will be selected by random.org and contacted by email. Prizes must be collected before 31 March 2014 at Tanah Merah Kechil Ave. If there is no response after 48 hours, another winner will be selected. Open to Singapore residents only.

RECIPE
Pink Ombre Cake (Serves 8-10)
Adapted from Magnolia Bakery's Traditional Vanilla Birthday Cake 

Ingredients:
1 cup (250g) unsalted butter, softened
2 cups sugar - I reduced this to 1.5 cups
4 large eggs, at room temperature
1 1/2 cups self-rising flour
1 1/4 cups plain flour
1 cup milk - I used low fat milk
1 tsp. vanilla extract

Method:
1. Preheat oven to 170C. Grease and lightly flour three 9-inch round cake pans, then line the bottoms with waxed paper. - I used 5 6-inch round cake pans.
2. To make the cake: In a large bowl, on the medium speed of an electric mixer, cream the butter until smooth.
3. Add the sugar gradually and beat until fluffy, about 3 minutes.
4. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.
5. Combine the flours and add in four parts, alternating with the milk and the vanilla extract, beating well after each addition.
6. Divide batter into 5 portions. Tint with choice of colours. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until a cake tester inserted into center of cake comes out clean. - I baked my cakes for about 18-20 minutes
7. Let cakes cool in the pans for 10 minutes.
8. Remove from pans and cool completely on wire rack.
Note: If you're making cupcakes, line two 12-cup muffin tins with cupcake papers. Spoon the batter into the cups about three-quarters full. Bake until the tops spring back when lightly touched, about 20 to 22 minutes. Remove cupcakes from pans and cool completely on a rack before icing. When cake has cooled, ice between the layers, then ice top and sides of cake.
9. To assemble, trim tops of cakes to level the cakes. Stack cakes, starting with the darkest colour at the bottom. Add thin layers of buttercream between layers. Frost the exterior of cake with buttercream (tinted if desired). Add sprinkles, if desired.

I am submitting this recipe for Cook-Your-Books hosted by Kitchen Flavours.



33 comments:

  1. The cake looks absolutely gorgeous!

    If I do win one of the cakes, I'd like either a turqoise or a purple cake! :P

    Thank you for the giveaway!

    Mabel
    amazinglystill@gmail.com

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  2. Happy New Year!!

    Simply gorgeous. I love the color on this cake. My daughter would love this too.
    Thank you for your kind generousity.

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  3. Delicious... nice with pink and baby blue

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  4. Awesome lah! What can I say... you rock with your bakes! :D

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  5. Blue and green tones would look so gorgeous.

    Carol L, cmeilim@gmail.com

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  6. Nice... I like it with pink and purple...

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  7. This is such a cute cake! Awesome baking :)

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  8. Omg!!! Ur cakes look too delicious! So far anycolors u made all look rreally good! I think purple or orange will look appetising too!

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  9. Blue/turquoise & Green! Thank you for the giveaway! :)

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  10. Okok, I lurve Turqoise and PINK also!!! Lurve lurve ur beautiful cakes!! Alweez makes me smile =)

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  11. Pink/purple ombre look oh-so-sweet! Hope to win for my girl's 6th birthday in March :)

    ngoailee@yahoo.com

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  12. blue and pink!chueimei@gmail.com

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  13. Colourful cake..hope I am one of the winner:)

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  14. in my favourite colour, pink!
    edenie98@yahoo.com

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  15. This is perfect the way it is. I love pinks. Thanks for the giveaway :)

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  16. Pink or purple cake!

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  17. Another beautiful bake! Pretty pink or purple please, thank you for the giveaway!

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  18. This is so so pretty! I would love one in shades of blue and aqua! :) Thanks for the giveaway!

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  19. simply amazing :) the cake looks too good :) wish i could get a piece :)

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  20. I would love a rainbow cake in pink shades, just like this one as it's perfect for a princess! :) Thanks for hosting the giveaway.

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  21. pink or turquoise would be nice! Thanks for hosting the giveaway!

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  22. I love pink and orange. Thanks for the lovely giveaway!

    Jess; jesskoh@hotmail.com

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  23. Looks real pretty! Pink or Tiffany Blue for me. Thanks!
    Dowin - euphorialee@gmail.com

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  24. Shades of pink is lovely!
    Shih hui
    Xihui14 (at)gmail.com

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  25. I'd choose pink and/or purple. Gorgeous cake Diana!

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  26. I think my little girl will be in cake heaven with this gorgeous creation. Make it blue and it will be seventh heaven! Thanks for being so generous with your time and talent.
    Color types
    Colortypesink@gmail.com

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  27. How nice if I am bless with this Pink Ombre Birthday Cake .. I love sweet pink please. :P

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  28. That's the most perfect-looking cake ever! Looks delicious! :D

    I would love a Tiffany Blue version of this :) Thanks for the giveaway!

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  29. lovely creation! I think my little princess would loves it in pink and purple :)



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  30. Such a beautiful cake!
    Love the sweet pink colour!
    Thanks for linking!

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