Sunday, April 17, 2011

White Chocolate-Strawberry Easter Cake

I did something yesterday that I've never done before. I decorated a holiday-themed cake for Easter. Even better? It came out pretty darn cute, if I do say so myself!! People sometimes ask me how I decide which recipes to feature in here. I don't really have a set method...I get my inspiration from all sorts of places. Sometimes I see a recipe on TV -- or in a cookbook or magazine -- and decide to tweak it. Sometimes I see what I have in my  kitchen and let my creativity guide me to create something fun and yummy.

Other times, I have to think a little bit outside the box. Like this time. Vosges Chocolate is my favorite brand of upscale gourmet chocolate. They recently sent me some of their delicious gourmet chocolate Easter bunnies to sample and share with with you in a recipe. But how would I showcase a chocolate Easter bunny in a recipe? When the bunnies arrived, they were so cute that I knew immediately that I wanted to feature at least one as decor for an Easter-themed cake. I knew this was a bit outside-the-box for me, but I decided to go for it. 

Honestly? I bake cakes so rarely that I only own ONE 9-inch cake pan! To make this cake, I had to go buy a second cake pan + a plastic cake keeper to transport it...how's that for dedication? I visited The Cake Doctor's website to find inspiration for a yummy recipe that used a boxed cake mix as a starting point. I figured the time saved by using a mix would allow me to focus my time and attention on decorating the cake. Michael's favorite cake combo is strawberries and cream cheese, so I knew that was the flavor I wanted to use.

This cake features melted white chocolate in both the cake batter and the cream cheese icing. A fresh strawberry filling is placed between the two cake layers before it's frosted with the white chocolate cream-cheese icing. I tinted the icing a light shade of green and topped the cake with green coconut "grass," Cadbury mini eggs, and a Vosges Barcelona Bunny (deep milk chocolate flavored with grey sea salt and hickory smoked almonds). It was a very simple idea, but it turned out really cute. If I can do this? I PROMISE that you can too!!! If you've got kids at home, this could be a fun project to do with them one afternoon this week. 

White Chocolate-Strawberry Easter Cake
adapted from The Cake Mix Doctor


Step 1:  Preheat oven to 350. Grease and flour two 9-inch round cake pans. Prepare the cake batter by adding the following ingredients to a mixing bowl: 1 package white cake mix, 2/3 cup water, 1/3 cup vegetable oil, 3 large eggs, and 6 ounces melted white chocolate. Beat on low for 1 minute, scrape down sides of bowl, and beat on medium speed for another 2-3 minutes. 


Divide the batter evenly between the two pans. Bake for about 30 minutes, until the cakes are golden brown and a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Cool in pan for 10 minutes, then remove from pan and cool for another 45 minutes.

Step 2:  While the cake layers are baking and cooling, make the icing and filling. Combine 1 stick butter, 8 ounces softened cream cheese, and 6 ounces melted white chocolate in a mixing bowl. Beat on medium speed for 1 minute, until fluffy. Add 3 cups powdered sugar. Mix on low speed until combined. Remove 3/4 cup of the icing to a smaller bowl. Add 1 cup chopped strawberries and a few drops red food coloring and stir to combine; this is your cake filling. Add a few drops of green fool coloring to the remaining icing.


Step 3:  To assemble and decorate the cake, place the bottom layer on a serving platter. Top with the strawberry filling. Make sure to leave a bit of a border so the filling doesn't come out the sides. Top with the second cake layer and frost the top and sides with the green icing. Place 1 cup sweetened coconut colored with green food color to look like grass on top.


Step 4:  Decorate the top of the cake with a chocolate Easter bunny and candy eggs to resemble an Easter yard decorated with eggs ready to be found on Easter morning.


Step 5:  When you're ready to serve the cake, cut into slices with a serrated knife. I thought the pink strawberry filling was a nice visual contrast to the green exterior of the cake.


This cake is really good...the white chocolate gives the cake a rich flavor. The coconut compliments the strawberries in the filling nicely, and the little chocolate eggs are a nice little extra treat at the end. In case you're wondering, the white border along the bottom of the cake is miniature meringue cookies that I found while wandering around Central Market yesterday. They're totally optional, but I thought they made a pretty addition to the decor. In their place, you could use white chocolate candy kisses or even pipe an icing border if you have a bag.

This cake would make a really cute centerpiece for an Easter dessert table next weekend! You can click here to order the Vosges chocolate bunny to place on top of the cake. They come in four different gourmet flavors, and they all taste fantastic. My personal favorite is the Orchid Vanilla Bunny: 62% dark chocolate with pieces of Tahitian vanilla bean pod.

27 comments:

  1. Yum! We'll have to try our hands at this later this week! That bunny is too cute!

    ReplyDelete
  2. how cute is this! love your decorations!

    ReplyDelete
  3. I think that it turned out really cute! I love the combination of white chocolate and strawberry.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Oh, my gosh that is adorable! I LOVE it! That strawberry filling is making my mouth water right now.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Oh my goodness, this looks delicious! Those bunnies are just ADORABLE, too! I'm so jealous that you go to sample all of 'em!

    ReplyDelete
  6. Your cakes is darling! I love the bunny peeking out of the coconut grass. Strawberries are my favorite fruit, so this cake is a winner in my book. How lucky you were to get the Vosges chocolate bunny. They're from Chicago, you know:)
    I want on that list!

    ReplyDelete
  7. Thanks for all the kind comments...i thought it came out pretty cute for a first attempt. i had a lot of fun making it, and it tasted REALLY good!! Might have to make another for Easter next week!

    @Becky - I've visited Vosges boutiques in Chicago (Michigan Ave), New York, and Vegas. I've been a Vosges fan for five or six years. They always have such creative flavor combinations!

    ReplyDelete
  8. This looks so adorable..love the beautiful cake and decoration!!! Thanks for sharing!!!

    ReplyDelete
  9. I love that rabbit! Congratulations on a beautiful decorating job, Wendy, it's terrific!

    ReplyDelete
  10. Oh, yum! This looks fabulous, Wendy...what a cute Easter cake. I'll be up in Chicago in a few weeks and will hunt down some Vosges chocolates...fun!!!

    ReplyDelete
  11. Wendy, your Easter cake looks incredible! So moist and fluffy, and the colors are so fun! Great job on this and thanks for your kind comments on my blog... I'm so excited about the move to Austin and hope to eventually meet you for lunch, too!

    ReplyDelete
  12. You did it! And you did an amazing job- it is so beautiful!! That bunny is too darn cute!

    ReplyDelete
  13. really cute, wendy! i love that it both looks good AND tastes good - always a plus. =)

    ReplyDelete
  14. The cake looks fantastic! I love the flavour, too. Love strawberries and cream cheese.

    ReplyDelete
  15. Wendy, I think that bunny is giving me the eye, the you need to eat me eye. The cake came out so cute and I bet it tasted good with the cream cheese and strawberry filling. This would be adorable on the Easter table. I'm getting excited for the holiday.
    -Gina-

    ReplyDelete
  16. Wendy-You come up with the most clever and inspirational ideas with appetizers, cakes, entrees...you name it. You're the "queen" of the super fun, pretty, and yummy ideas!
    I adore this fun, colorful and delicious Easter cake, that would disappear from our table in a "heartbeat"
    Thanks for your kind words of caring...and thanks for sharing your lovely cake, and recipe!
    xoxo

    ReplyDelete
  17. Wow! That is quite a cake! So colorful and festive. I love that you used the bunny as the topper, and I bet it's not half bad to nibble on either :)
    I love the Cake Mix Doctor...my go-to chocolate cupcake recipe is from that book. So easy!

    ReplyDelete
  18. The bunny looks adorable. I like how it's head is tilted to one side.

    ReplyDelete
  19. Nicely done Wendy!!! I'm not much of a cake maker either, and when I do make one it usually doesn't come out photo-worthy. Your did!! Nicely done!

    ReplyDelete
  20. Lovely Easter themed cake. I could go for a slice myself and I don't even eat sweets.

    Bravo!

    ReplyDelete
  21. Oh my white chocolate and strawberry together in a cake sounds and looks incredible. Your cake is so cute. I love the eggs with the bunny on top! :)

    ReplyDelete
  22. That is such a darling Easter cake, my kids would go crazy over this. The strawberry/white chocolate flavor combination is also a wonderful one and I wouldn't mind having a slice of this delectable dessert. YUM!

    ReplyDelete
  23. Looks like I'll be biting the bullet and attempting a scratch version of this cake for our family Easter meal. My brother in law's favorite is red velvet, so going to give it a whirl. Have a favorite recipe? If so, email to wendyweekendgourmet@gmail.com!!

    ReplyDelete
  24. Ah, Wendy! Trying the Red Velvet from scratch, huh? It will be great, I'm sure! I haven't decided what flavor cake we will make, but the kids are getting excited in anticipation of the bunnies coming and us making the cake...I will probably use a buttercream frosting since it pipes so well. I wish I had a camera so I could take a photo to send you. Maybe I will ask for one for my birthday!
    love you!

    ReplyDelete
  25. We are hosting a linky for "EASTER Cookies & Treats" on THIS WEEK'S CRAVINGS and we would love for you to link up your awesome recipe!

    http://momscrazycooking.blogspot.com/2011/04/this-weeks-cravings-linky-party-25.html

    ReplyDelete
  26. CONGRATS this was the #2 recipe on the Easter Sunday buffet at Dee Dee's Delights! I welcome you to post anytime on the Sunday Buffet!

    ReplyDelete

I love hearing your feedback!!!