Monday, December 9, 2019

Winter Wonderland Cake for Baking Bloggers

It's time for Baking Bloggers again and the theme this month is Snow.  Sue of Palatable Pastime is our leader but we all voted on a theme for the month.   Rather democratic of us, I must say. 
Winter Wonderland Cake

And I knew right away that I was going to use 7 Minute Frosting on the top to fit in with the Snow theme.
The only question I had was,  what was I going to put underneath the frosting. 
Critical question that.  I mean, I hate to say it, but I can probably eat the whole thing when I make this frosting.  And I was brave as well.  I'd made two batches a couple of weeks ago that totally failed.  And it shook my confidence, a lot.  I've been making this frosting for over 50 years many years and it was my first fail, and not just once, but twice, in a row. sigh.
Winter Wonderland Cake

I figured out what I'd done wrong though and this time it worked.

But onto the cake...
I looked in the pantry for inspiration and what to my wondering eyes should appear, but a lone can of pumpkin hiding by itself, forgotten, overlooked, sitting dejectedly in the rear.  Close by were also some of my faves, dried Cranberries and Pecans.
So, I played.
I've never outgrown my days of making mud pies, but now I use real ingredients and feed them to other people.

Here goes, and I have to say that this cake turned out AWESOME!, flavourwise that is.   And while the 7 Minute Frosting didn't quite do what I wanted it to, it still looked decent and tasted great.  
Winter Wonderland Cake



Winter Wonderland Cake

Yield: 12-16 Servings
Author:
prep time: 20 Mcook time: 35 Mtotal time: 55 M
This holiday themed cake is perfect for any special occasions or holidays in the winter months. You can bake it in two 9 inch layers or in a bundt pan. Either one is good.

ingredients:

Cake
  • 1 cup butter
  • 1 1/2 cups sugar
  • 3 eggs
  • 3 cups self rising flour (if using regular AP flour, add 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder)
  • 1 can (15 oz.) canned pumpkin
  • 1/2 cup Milk
  • 1/2 cup chopped Pecans
  • 1/2 cup dried Cranberries
  • 1/2  tsp. powdered ginger
  • 1 tsp.  Cinnamon
  • 1-2 tablespoons Bourbon
Frosting between layers
  • 1 can prepared Vanilla Frosting
  • 1/2 cup Dried Cranberries
  • 1/2 cup Chopped Pecans
  • 1/2 ounce Bourbon
7 Minute Frosting
  • 2 egg whites
  • 1 1/2 cups white sugar
  • 1/3 cup water
  • 1/4 tsp. Cream of Tarter
  • 1 tsp. bourbon ( what was drained from the dried cranberries from the filling)
  • green gel food coloring

instructions:

How to cook Winter Wonderland Cake

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees, grease and flour two 9 inch pans, or one 10 cup bundt pan.
  2. Cream butter and sugar together until light in color.  This ensures that the sugar has incorporated into the butter.  Add the eggs, one at a time and mix in, adding a couple of tablespoons of flour after each egg.  Add the pumpkin and mix in.  Then add half the remaining flour, mix in, then add the milk and finish off with the rest of the flour.    Add the bourbon,  and then fold in the cranberries and pecans.  Pour the batter into two 9 inch pans which have been greased and floured, dividing it evenly between the two.     Bake for 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
  3. If baking it in a bundt pan, bake at 325 degrees for 55-60 minutes. 
Filling
  1. Place the dried cranberries in a small dish and pour enough bourbon over top to cover.  Place in microwave and zap for 30 seconds on high, stir and then zap for another 30 seconds.  Set aside so it can cool.  Drain, reserving the rest of the bourbon for the 7 minute frosting, if desired.
  2. Chop the pecans up a little, and mix into the canned Vanilla Frosting, then add the drained and cooled dried cranberries.  
  3. Mix well.
7 Minute Frosting
  1. Mix ingredients together in a either a heat proof glass bowl or a stainless steel bowl.  Place over simmering  water, making sure the bowl does not touch the water.  Using a hand mixer, beat at high speed for 7 minutes, until the frosting leaves peaks when the beaters are pulled out (turn mixer off first, otherwise you end up wearing the frosting).  Add the reserved bourbon from the dried cranberries, or add 1 teaspoon regular bourbon and mix in.  
Assembly
  1. Level off the cakes if desired,  and place onto a plate.  Add a dab of prepared frosting on the center of the plate, and place one layer of the cake onto it, bottom up.   Spread the prepared frosting which has been mixed with the re-hydrated cranberries and pecans, evenly across the cake, pushing some of it to the edges.   Place the other layer on top, bottoms up, and press down a little.   Take out a little of the 7 Minute frosting and add some green gel food coloring to it, tinting it to your satisfaction.  Place into a piping bag, set aside for a few minutes.  
  2. Spread the remainder of the 7 minute frosting across the top and sides evenly across the cake.  
  3. Using the reserved, green tinted frosting, pipe small trees on top, mounding the frosting slightly, and then using the remainder of the frosting, pipe trees onto the side of the cake.  Three dots for the base, then two dots on top and finishing with a dot for the topper.   Sprinkle some Christmas themed sprinkles around the perimeter of the top of the cake, in a pleasing fashion, in between the 'trees'.
  4. This is only a suggestion for decoration, please use your own imagination for decorating. 
Created using The Recipes Generator

Check out what the rest of the Baking Bloggers made.

Baking Bloggers

Snow

Winter means snow- with snowflakes both outside and in our kitchens!
Looking for ideas for Christmas gifts? Check out my cookbooks on Amazon. All are available as paperbacks or as e-book. Any of them would be a great gift for the foodies in your life

Simple Shrimp Recipes - 25 + Appetizer, Entree and Dipping Sauces. 

Nibbles and Bites - A Compilation of Appetizers, Canapes and Finger Foods

Hygge - Danish Food and Recipes
Sidsel Munkholm - Author
Sidsel Munkholm - Author

Sid loves to cook, feed people and have fun in the kitchen. She shares her successes and the involuntary offerings she sometimes gives the kitchen goddess as well. And she's still looking for the mythical fairy to help her clean the kitchen after a marathon cooking session. Currently working on a cookbook showcasing the recipes from her Danish heritage.

8 comments:

  1. What an amazingly beautiful cake Sid. Almost a shame to cut it.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks, I sometimes get a little carried away when I'm decorating a cake, but the cake was stellar in taste. I did have fun decorating it.

      Delete
  2. I've never done a 7 minute frosting before. This is absolutely beautiful!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. If you do it right, it's one of the simplest frostings to make. And tastiest as well. It's my favorite to eat and make.

      Delete
  3. That looks snow-licious! I've never done 7 minute frosting and it's a definite must try!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks, it was fun to make. And it was also delicious to eat.

      Delete
  4. pumpkin, pecans, cramberries - a great cake that includes all of the flavors of the season. I am sure this cake tastes just as delicious as it looks!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It did taste wonderful, and pretty much on point for this time of year.

      Delete

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