Autumn Delight Cake

Even though its late...Merry Christmas AND Happy New year!!


I actually made this cake for Christmas but havent had a chance to post it before then, but hey when is cake ever innapropriate? Never in my books.

Seeing as it is/ was the festive season I decided to make a more seasonal cake using flavours that we all know and associate with the holidays. I was reading Sweetapolita's blog a few weeks ago and bookmarked the recipe for her Autumn Delights cake immediately. I was mostly intrigued by the fact that the cake recipe didn't have any butter in it, and how the sweet potatoes would react in a batter not like a pie mixture.

Thankfully the cake doesn't have butter because the icings have a shed load!! Be warned if you are going on a diet this cake is definitely NOT for you!

I covered the cake in sugared rose petals which I'd never made before but were super easy and a very pretty addition and contrast to the brownness of the cake. However I wouldn't recommend eating them, although you can as they left a slightly weird bitter taste in the mouth! Maybe do some research (like I should have done) and find some more appetizing edible flowers to sugar.

Because we live in the UK and I refuse to pay £8 for a jar of Fluff from Selfridges, I had to substitute the Fluff for more marshmallows, but also used A LOT less butter in both icing recipes. I also cheated a bit and used powdered egg whites for the swiss butter cream as I didn't want to have a whole heap of egg yolks floating around that I didn't know what to do with. Me being me, I started the recipe wrong but managed to correct it so nothing was wasted thankfully. Somehow even though I decreased the amount of butter used in both icing recipes, I still thought they were too buttery, and I'm still not quite convinced with swiss butter creams; more effort than they are worth? 

When I make this cake again, which I probably will as it was just so moist, I think I'll replace the butter creams with a lighter, simpler icing, like a marscapone cream or even just have some creme fraiche on the side. The cake really does all the talking.

Autumn Delight Cake

(adapted from Sweetapolita)

Sweet Potato Cake 

Ingredients

Approx. 90og, about 3 large sweet potatoes

315 ml Sunflower oil (or vegetable, safflower, canola oil)

230g Self raising flour

4 large eggs

400g Caster sugar

2 tspns Baking powder

1 tspn Salt

1 tblspn Ground cinnamon

1 tblspn Ground nutmeg

1/2 tspn Ground ginger

2 tspns Vanilla extract 

50g Crystallised ginger 

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180C (350F). Grease 3 20cm round cake pans and set aside.

2. Place the sweet potatoes on a microwave safe plate and pierce them with a fork. Set the microwave for 15 minutes and turn half way through, until they are tender. Carefully remove the skin when cool (seriously wait till they are cool I burnt my fingers doing this!) and mash the flesh into a puree.

3. In a bowl beat the eggs and sugar together until they are light and fluffy. Add the oil and beat until well combined, then add the cooled mashed sweet potato.

4. Sift the dry ingredients into the bowl and combine. Then add the vanilla and crystallised ginger and mix well.

5. Pour the batter equally between the prepared tins and put in the oven for about 40 minutes or until a knife inserted in the centre comes out clean. Let the cakes cool.

Whipped Marshmallow Filling

Ingredients

12-16 standard-size white marshmallows

230g softened unsalted butter, cut into cubes

125g Sifted icing sugar 

2 tblspns milk

1 tspn vanilla extract 

pinch of salt

Method

1. Place the marshmallows on a sheet lined with parchment paper. Place under the grill and toast until the marshmallows are nice and brown on top (be sure to keep an eye on them–they burn very, very quickly), then remove tray from oven and carefully turn them over and return to oven to brown. Remove tray from oven and place on a wire rack to cool.

2. Whip the butter in a bowl until light and fluffy.

3. Add the sifted icing sugar, milk, vanilla, and salt and beat until well combined.

4. Add toasted and cooled marshmallows and marshmallow cream, mixing on low speed. Best used right away, but keeps well once in cake; keep at room temperature.

Brown Sugar and Cinnamon Swiss Buttercream

Ingredients

5 large egg whites approx 150g

250 g Light brown sugar

250g unsalted butter, softened and cut into cubes

2 tspns vanilla extract

pinch of salt

1tspn cinnamon

Method

(this is the method using all egg whites from actual eggs not powdered. If you want that recipe just substitute the 5 egg whites for the amount recommended on the packet mixed with water and continue the recipe as below)

1. Add egg whites and brown sugar into a heat proof bowl and simmer over a pot of water (not boiling), whisking constantly but gently, until the sugar has completely dissolved and the egg whites are hot.

2. Once the sugar has dissolved begin to whip the mixture 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 so). If you have a paddle mixer switch to it, if not keep the whisk and add softened butter in chunks until well incorporated, and mix until it has reached a silky smooth texture (if it curdles, keep mixing on medium-low and it will come back to smooth, HONESTLY).

3. Add vanilla, salt and cinnamon, continuing to beat on low speed until well combined.

Sugared Rose petals

Ingredients

Rose petals

1 egg white

about 20g vanilla sugar

Method 

1. Wash the rose petals thoroughly and let them dry. 

2. Lightly brush each rose petal with egg white and then dip or sprinkle the petal with sugar and leave to dry.

To assemble the cake, bring all the bits to room temperature. Using a spatula put the marshmallow buttercream in between each layer putting a cake on top of the next. 

Next spread a thin later of the swiss butter cream over the whole outside of the cake till its all covered. Keep spreading the icing until its all covered evenly. Then place the sugared rose petals on top. Eat immediately or store in a cool place.