This tall chocolate and orange multi-tiered cake will make a great impression on a couple's big day. The colours can be made to work with any palette; just be sure to go light and dark enough on either end to allow for a gradient of colour on the middle two tiers.
Look for white chocolate cigars at specialty chocolate shops, baking supply stores or online. Once you've tracked them down, measure their diameter and calculate how many you need to cover 38-inch (97 cm) and 26-inch (66 cm) round cakes. Of course, you'll want to have extras for any repair work. You will need double-sided tape to fasten the ribbons around the cakes, and twine to tie wildflowers in a delicate bundle.
This playful cake is the perfect balance between whimsical and elegant. Once you've placed the bottom row of polka dots, you have a guideline to follow for placing the remaining dots in a diminishing pattern to the top. You can smooth out any fingerprints left on the dots using a fondant iron once they're set but haven't dried completely.
A traditional Italian Maritozzo is a soft brioche bun filled with a cream filling. This version is stuffed with a homemade strawberry ice cream, making it a delicious and decadent ice cream sandwich.
Our technique of cooking the perfect cake in a slow cooker uses both the high and low settings, ensuring that the cake stays tender without being too moist. Good-quality parchment paper is on the heavier side, and it will help insulate the cake so that it bakes to a nice light-golden colour.
You can make the custard and cake for this shaggy white-on-white dream two days ahead and assemble the final product at your leisure. Just don't throw away the egg whites — you'll need them for the buttercream!
With all the flavours of pumpkin pie, this moist pudding, served warm with a gooey brown sugar sauce, is a true crowd-pleaser. Steaming is easier than you think!
