Love(ly) Mini Cakes

This week, two of our close friends got married. It was a beautiful ceremony, the reception was so much fun, and it was special to see two people we love making such an important promise to each other.  On Wednesday night I brought some treats over for the bride, Megan. I made a handful of little cakes and we drank pomegranate martinis, chatted, and squee-ed over the wedding details.  It was a lovely way to spend some time with Megan before the wedding weekend whirlwind was in full force.

I made eight “cakes” total, four red velvet and four vanilla. Essentially I made a sheet cake of each flavor and then used cookie cutters to create little miniature layers.  They were so cute, personal stacked layer cakes. Perfect for those that love a lot of icing. And because Aaron and Megan got married the same week as Valentine’s Day (and because weddings are full of, you know, love) I wanted to decorate the cakes with pretty red and pink details.  When I couldn’t find red sprinkles a friend recommended crushed hard candies, which were excellent! They were both the right color AND delicious.  So, a total win.

Congratulations Aaron and Megan! We love you!

Love(ly) Mini Cakes

white cake:

1 cup sugar

1 stick butter

2 tsp vanilla

2 eggs

1 1/2 flour

1/2 cup milk

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

red velvet cake:

2 1/2 cups all purpose flour

1 tsp baking powder

1 tbsp cocoa powder

1 3/4 cups sugar

1 tsp salt

1 1/2 cups vegetable oil

1 cup buttermilk, room temperature

2 large eggs, room temperature

3 tbsp red food coloring

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 tsp white vinegar

whipped cream:

1 cup heavy whipping cream

1 tsp vanilla

2 tbsp sugar

chocolate frosting:

1/2 cup butter, softened

3 cups powdered sugar

1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa

1/4 cup milk 

Pink and red hard candies for decoration

Instructions: 

Start with your white cake. In your mixer, cream butter and sugar. Add in eggs, one at a time.  Add vanilla, and then slowly add in flour, mixing all the while.  Finally, add in milk.  Oil and flour a baking sheet.  Pour batter into your pan and bake in a 350 oven for 25 minutes, or until golden brown. Transfer to rack and let cool.

Next, cook your red velvet cake. Sift together dry ingredients.  In a stand mixer or large bowl, mix together wet ingredients.  Beat until combined with paddle attachment.  Slowly add dry ingredients to wet ingredients. Oil and lightly powder your pans. Pour cake batter evenly between three cake pans.  Bake for 30 minutes or until cooked all the way through, rotating halfway. Transfer to racks and let cool.

For the red velvet cake, I made a whipped cream frosting.  To make this, simply whip heavy cream, sugar, and vanilla until stiff peaks form. For the white cake I made a chocolate frosting. To make this, beat butter until smooth. Add remaining ingredients, one at a time, beating until smooth.

To make the cakes, use cookie cutters to cut out different shapes. I made four 2 layer circular cakes and four one layer heart shaped cakes. Ice between the layers of any cakes and coat the outside with icing. Then, using something hard, crush your hard candies and sprinkle them on top.