Who doesn’t love surprises?
xoxoxox
Simplest ones are the best.. little notes, a gifted latté or shared lunch, a weekend trip to the mountains..
or perhaps something hidden inside a Birthday Cake..
Red Velvety Chocolate Cake..
with a Whipped Black Raspberry Chambord Liqueur ♡ Filling
laced all round with girly ruffles that look like a tutu..
{ wouldn’t this make a perfect cake for a
bridal or baby shower or a little girl’s birthday as well? }
topped with a Pretty Pink Chambord Rose
{ Remember to leave out the liqueur for a little girl’s birthday! }
and a sprinkling of stars to wish on…
xoxoxox
Surprise Birthdays
{ planned by two beautiful daughters and a few friends }
are just the best way to celebrate a special mom and an awesome friend.
I must admit, these little boxes make awfully nice surprises too!
{ Do you think there’s something heart-shaped inside? }
Prepare the red chocolate cake and filling the day before your event and refrigerate.
On the day of the event, make your frosting and do a crumb coat.
Refrigerate your cake for a further 30 minutes then ice as desired.
- Cake
- 2 1/2 cups cake flour, sifted
- 1/2 cup lightly packed high quality cocoa powder
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp salt
- 3/4 cup canola oil
- 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1 tbsp red food coloring
- optional: additional red food coloring or red food gel
- (to achieve the desired color)
- 3/4 cup butter, unsalted and softened
- 1 3/4 cups sugar
- 4 eggs, at room temperature
- 2 egg yolks, at room temperature
- 1 cup buttermilk, at room temperature
- Wilton Tasty-Fill Heart Cake Pan (or 2 9? round cake pans if you don’t wish to have a heart in the center, the filling can be used as usual between the layers)
- 2 small (12 oz) frozen cool whip containers, thawed
- 1 cup raspberry jam or preserves
- 1-2 tbsp Chambord liqueur
- Preheat oven to 350° F. Grease both cake pans by spraying liberally with Flour and Butter Baking Spray.
- Sift together in a small bowl, the flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt.
- In another bowl, stir together the oil, vanilla and red food coloring.
- In a mixing bowl fitted with a paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar together on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Ensure you scrape down the sides of the bowl on occasion.
- Turn the mixer on low and slowly add the oil mixture, mix until well combined.
- Turn the mixer up to medium-high speed and beat until fluffy again. Add the eggs and yolks one at a time and beat after adding each egg.
- With the mixer back on low speed, add in the flour mixture and the buttermilk mixture, alternating in three parts, beginning and ending with the flour mixture. Near the end, remove the mixing bowl and finish blending the flour by hand with a spatula or wooden spoon to avoid over-beating the batter.
- Divide the batter evenly between the two pans, filling and smoothing the tops. Rap gently to remove any air bubbles. Place the pans in the center of the oven and bake for 25-30 minutes, until the middle springs back lightly to the touch and a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean. Do not over-bake as this will dry out the cake.
- Remove to a cooling rack for 10 minutes. Gently invert each pan and lay the cake layers back on the cooling rack until the layers are completely cooled.
- Meanwhile, in a small bowl, fold together the Cool Whip, raspberry preserves and Chambord liqueur.
- Once cooled, divide the filling evenly between both layers. *Note which layer is the bottom layer. The top has two channels to form the top of the heart and the bottom one has one deep channel. Keep the bottom layer on the bottom. Once the cream has been evenly divided, smooth the tops of the filling level with the cake layer with a knife or off-set spatula.
- Gently lift the top of the cake and lay over the bottom, centering it evenly on all sides.
- Cover and return the cake to the refrigerator overnight.
Cover and return the cake to the refrigerator overnight.
- 3 tbsp Wilton Meringue Powder
- 1/2 cup cold water
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup corn syrup
- 1/2 cup water
- red food gel
- 1-2 tsp Chambord Black Raspberry Liqueur
- sparkle glitter or stars
- turn-table
- bench scraper or off-set spatula
- icing bags
- #104 Wilton Icing Tip
- 1 round 9? white cardboard cake board
- In a mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, beat the meringue powder and cold water until you have stiff peaks, about 4-5 minutes.
- Mix sugar, corn syrup and water in a saucepan. Bring to a boil then remove from heat and cool slightly.
- With the mixer on low, slowly drizzly the hot syrup into the beater, mixing well as you pour. Slowly bring the mixer up to High and beat for 4-6 minutes until the frosting is stiff and fluffy.
- Add the salt and vanilla extract and mix until blended.
- Remove the cake from the fridge, and set it on the 9" cake board and then the turn-table if you have one. Then pile a generous 1/2 - 1 cup of frosting on the top layer. Using an off-set spatula, gently smooth the frosting across the top and down the sides of the cake, turning the cake with one hand as you go. Then use the bench scraper or off-set spatula to smooth round the sides. Red cake will show through at this point, but this is fine as you only want a thin layer. Try to get a flat top and a sharp 90° angle between the top and sides. As you go along you will get excess cake on your scraper and spatula, just rub the extra crumby icing off and discard in a second bowl and wipe your tools with a damp cloth and continue on.
- Once you have a thin coat, put your cake back into the fridge for 30 minutes to set the crumb coat.
- Decorative Frosting
- Meanwhile, fit your icing bag with a #104 Wilton icing tip. Once the crumb coat of frosting has set for 30 minutes, bring the cake out of the fridge. Smear a spoonful of frosting on the cake platter and set the cake in the center. Then put the cake and platter back onto the turn-table. *Placing a small piece of non-stick rubber mat/shelf liner or a wet piece of paper towel underneath helps the cake platter not to slide off the turn-table.
- Fill your icing back with the frosting. At this point you can practice on a piece of parchment paper. Tip your bag at a 45° angle, with the wider part of the tip touching the cake and the narrower part point out and away from the cake. Squeezing quite hard, move up the cake, the pressure, speed and gravity will create the ruffled effect. Note: This look isn't meant to be "perfect" but looks pretty with irregular ruffles. Stop when you reach the top of the cake and begin again on the bottom, fairly close to the last layer so that each ruffle overlaps somewhat. This goes quite quickly once you get the hang of it.
- Once the sides have been done, begin the same process by spinning around the outer layer of the top. Again, the wider part of the icing tip is down near the cake and the narrower tip up and off the cake. Continue around in a spiral until you have an area in the center left for your rose.
- Place the mixing bowl back on the stand, add a few drops of red gel food coloring and mix until the desired color is achieved. Blend on low and add 1-2 tsp of Chambord Black Raspberry liqueur. Taste and adjust the amount of liqueur but ensure icing is still stiff.
- Using a new icing bag, fill with the pink frosting using the same icing tip #104 and continue the ruffled spiral layers until you reach the center of the pink rose.
- Sprinkle over the pink rose with glitter or stars as desired. Slice and Serve!
ps.. Today happens to be my own birthday.. my daughter is making a wee “cakelet” to celebrate.. I will share it with you all in a few days… we’re off to celebrate!!
Wishing you much love for a very happy birthday today Smidge. May your day be filled with all the love and joy which you so richly deserve and may your year ahead be a wonderful one.
You are a very special friend to have sharing such wonderful birthday cake surprises! Your cake is exquisite!
🙂 Mandy xo
What beautiful birthday wishes, Mandy, thanks so much xo
That is such an elegant cake! Wow, you are so talented.
I hope you have a very happy birthday. 🙂
Thanks! xx
just lovely…..like lace.
Happy Birthday, Barb !!!
…despite the obvious calories, I will try this cake. It looks great !!!!!!!!!
Paul
Calories? I’m sure there are none in a birthday cake, lol!
My daughters birthday is Feb 18th and mine is the 26th. Im going to Mexico a few days after my birthday and I think the 10 pounds I will most likely gain after eating this cake will be well worth it….doubt I will run into anyone I know sunbathing in Mexico anyways. 😉
You are the best. seriously girl. <3
haha dont know why that went under someone else’s comment..oh well 😉
Sending you birthday wishes, Smidge!! I hope you have a lovely day today. Such beautiful, ethereal photos of your cake. I do love your cake plate too…
This cake was for a dear friend.. my cake hasn’t been made yet.. still deciding:D
I’ll look for that post too! 🙂
Thanks, Allison:) That plate was at Home Sense here.. it’s a discount outlet for interior decor. It was a great find for sure. xx
I think I would be baking many cakes if I had that pretty cake stand at the ready in my butler’s pantry!
Happy Birthday Smidge. What a glorious cake!
Thank you.. it’s always great having a birthday:)
Sorry I’ve been an absent friend of late. Nice to see you haven’t lsot your touch! Delicious post, young lady!
Happy Birthday! hope is a fantastic year ahead in your life!
Look at that!! How beautiful, Smidge!! Something tells me one of your birthday presents was being able to make and give away a cake like this 🙂 It’s an artful masterpiece! I love your talents…there are many.
Happy, happy birthday Barb! I hope your day is everything you want it to be and that you have so much fun. Cheers! xoxo
Haha, you know me too well.. You’re absolutely right, Sarah:D xx
Barbara, this .. is priceless – and even if I’m not a fan of icing … love the cream filling in the middle – so beautiful like everything else in your “sweetie shop” – what a cake … I would die if I got a cake like that on my birthday – I would save it and just look at it .. and the Tiffany box I love to have too. Was it your birthday – that I missed completely, I read it was your daughters best friends mum .. how stupid can I be.
Happy tomorrow .. and the day after and the day after and the day after and the day after and the day after and the day after and the day after and the day after and the day after and the day after and the day after and the day after and the day after and the day after and the day after and the day after and … and as we say in Sweden, GRATTIS!
It was my friend’s birthday party.. And mine is today:D You are priceless, Viveka! xx
So I didn’t miss anything … great. I hope you had a fantastic day … and you got some nice small boxes too.
Just made your orange cake .. I think I got the measures all mixed up. It came out okay, but very sweet. I halved the recipe. This with cup and ml .. cup and grams .. get different measures depending on witch converter online I use.
Happy Birthday! 😀
I absolutely love those cake pans! 🙂 And the recipe for the filling looks delicious.
AHH I love the heart in that cake!! BEAUTIFUL job!! And a little blue box!? OHH what a good birthday. HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU TOO!
This happens to me every time I show up here and see one of your Creations! My eyes pop wide and my head won’t stop rocking back and forth! 🙂 They might have a name for this condition, I’m not sure? But I think I might have heard the term Smidgeon-Syndrome and I think I must have it! Absolutely wonderful, Smidge!! Spectacular!! Have a wonderful birthday celebration, Barb and a year to follow of Life’s many good things!! love, spree
I should not follow your blog while on diet 🙁
That looks so elegant and yummy!
Happy Birthday:) What a STUNNING Cake – love the ruffled frosting!!! Happy Thursday
Happy, happy, happy birthday to you (all the best gals are born at the end of January!). That is an incredible cake and what a funky mould – have never seen one like that. A work of art, do hope you get something beautiful too 🙂
That cake looks amazing!
Happy Birthday Smidge 🙂
This is truly a sight to behold. What a gorgeous cake and a beautiful way to surprise someone on her birthday.
A very happy birthday my friend, you deserve this incredibly elegant cake 🙂
Cheers
Choc Chip Uru
It looks so perfect and fairytale-like!
Wow that is such a cool cake tin! Love the cake, just beautiful and so delicate looking.
Happy Birthday. 😉
This. Is. A. Piece. Of. Art. Do you hear me? This is not baking, this is taking it to a whole new level where it should be in an art gallery if it wasn’t making me drool so much. The cut cake is just so amazing with the bright red cake and filling. And happy birthday smidge! I hope you get spoilt.
Happy Birthday dear Barbara, the photographs are so beautiful as always. And yes, how delicious, I am sure! Thank you, love, nia
Your cake looks divine! Wow! And a feast for the eyes!
You make the best cakes, Smidge. What a beautiful gift for your friends. They must have been blown away. How gorgeous. And I just love the heart centre xx
Happy Birthday! Your cake is just lovely! I hope that you have a wonderful day!
Happy Birthday Smidge! (Shengri Kuai Le! ) May your day be filled with funs surprises just like your beautiful red velvet cake. Take care, BAM
Birthday blessings Smidge 🙂
Barbara, your baking prowess never ceases to amaze me, not to mention make me hungry when I wasn’t before I read your post. Beautiful cake beautifully captured by your photos. You have such a feel for flavor profile coupled with impeccable technique. I’m sure your dear friend was pleasantly surprised by such a delightful, elegant treat from such a special and talented friend. As for your own birthday, I hope you had a very Happy 39th Birthday and wish you many more 39th birthdays for years and years to come.
Whoever said “Life’s too short to stuff a mushroom” had never visited your kitchen! Fantastic cakes. Have a very birthday and maybe a rest from cake making:)
My being behind in y blogging duties has come with a price, I missed your birthday. So sorry, barb, and I hope you accept my belated birthday wishes. I hope it was a wonderful day filled with the people and things you hold most dear.
Now, about this cake. WOW! “Surprise!” is right. The frosting alone made that cake exceptional. That heart inside was something else! I’m almost sorry to learn how you did it. I’d prefer to continue to believe that you’ve a magic wand that wave around the kitchen when you “bake” cakes. Or did you use your wand to make those cake pans just to throw us off the trail? Hmmm …
Happy belated birthday, Barbara, cannot wait to see the “cakelet” your daughter make for you, I am sure it is as gorgeous as yours. The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.
What a stunningly beautiful cake you made for your friend.The surprise photo said it all.
YUM! never thought I would crave cake at 6am but this is doing it for me! Happy belated birthday!! xx
Ahhh how lovely!! What a beautiful idea.
Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you, happy birthday, dear, sweet Barbara, Happy birthday to you!
I’m not a big red velvet fan (I just don’t get it) but I would certainly drive into this gorgeous cake, without prejudice! I love those blue boxes too, I received one for Christmas and what a lovely surprise it was!
Just have to say that I just saw your “interview with Cheri Lucas” (She’s the one who found my blog for the Freshly Pressed award) and how totally wonderful that she chose yours to feature for that informative page! Congrats! 🙂 You blog has been gorgeous from the start and it’s lovely that it’s recognized as such! OH, and HAPPY BIRTHDAY!
What a simply stunning cake!
Beautiful! Happy Birthday!!
I knew that as soon as I saw it that I would welcome
a very large slice, and wow it certainly looks delicious 🙂
Happy Birthday! This cake looks heavenly. Your cakes are exquisite and masterpieces. I love that inside surprise too 🙂
Hope your birthday was absolutely heavenly, my angel! xoxo, Kathryn
HAPPY BIRTHDAY SMIDGE!!!!!! Enjoy your fabulous weekend away 🙂 This cake looks absolutely lovely, especially those little stars. Thank you for such a fun recipe!! xx
Nicely done! I love the middle part as well, its a nice surprise
Love your heart cake pan ! Can one buy it in Calgary? I love stopping by your website and love your blog and your recipes!
Thanks so much.. Michael’s Craft Store has them:) xxx
Sent from my iPhone
How special! How lovely! Happy belated birthday, Smidge…I hope your day was filled with much joy and some sweet surprises too.
You are the ultimate cake maker LOL. Seriously, you always seem to make a cake that i want to make right away knowing it will not look anything like you made it. But I will try lol. Love this
Beautiful and the fact that you have the palest of blush color as the center flower makes it spectacular. I love the subtleties and then bam, that wonderful inside when you slide right through! Happy Birthday!
That looks so perfect Barbara. I’ll bet your friend was very happy. What an amazing cake to surprise her with!
And Happy Birthday to you too dear lady, I hope you had a wonderful day.
xx
One more little happy birthday from the blogger catching up… beautiful and delicate, this cake you made- a true celebration of friendship. xo… wendy
Enchantingly lovely … I aspire to make cakes like yours. Happy belated birthday! I’ve been behind on my reading lately, and look what I’ve been missing! Ah well, I always say the belated greetings just keep the party going
that is beautiful!
Happy, Happy Belated Birthday Barbara! I hope your day was amazing and filled with lots of love and laughter. Your cake is exquisite. I adore that cool pan that makes the heart filling. You have a very lucky friend to receive such a delicious surprise. Take care.
Thanks, Geni! It was a lovely birthday, I’m a lucky gal to have her as my friend:) xx
Oh, Barbara, that is just stunning! Exquisite work!
Beautiful Cake!
🙂
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