Chef Forum banner

summer cake ideas???

2K views 6 replies 5 participants last post by  ishbel 
#1 ·
I want to add some nice cakes that customers want to eat in the summer.  Light and yummy recipes or ideas.

Anyone have any suggestions??

Thanks
 
#2 ·
At present, I'm baking lots of winter cakes - Christmas puddings, black bun, christmas cakes - also things like fruit crumbles, Eve's pudding, Sticky toffee puddings, Sussex pond pudding, Dundee cake.

For summer,. I'd bake a summer pudding (not a cake), orange drizzle or lemon drizzle cakes, a pavlova, a madeira cake, apple & walnut loaf, tea breads.
 
#3 · (Edited)
[h3]Ingredients[/h3]
  • 1 (8 ounce) package reduced-fat cream cheese, softened
  • 1/2 cup white sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
  • 2 cups heavy cream

[h3]Directions[/h3]
  1. Combine the cream cheese, sugar, vanilla extract and almond extract in a large mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer. Fit the mixer with the whisk attachment and mix on medium speed until smooth. While the mixture is still whipping, slowly pour in the heavy cream. Stop and scrape the bottom of the bowl a couple of times while you continue whipping until the cream can hold a stiff peak

Lemon Poppy Seed Cake with Almond Frosting

3 cups cake flour

2 cups sugar

4½ tsp baking powder

½ tsp salt

3 tbsp poppy seeds

2 sticks (8 ounces) unsalted butter

1 large lemon, zest and juice

1¼ cups buttermilk*

5 egg whites

1/3 cup water

Poppy seeds or toasted flaked almonds to decorate

Almond Frosting

8 ounces cream cheese

2 sticks (8 ounces) unsalted butter

5 cups confectioners sugar

1 tbsp almond extract (if you'd like it less "almondy" use half almond extract and half vanilla)

* If you don't have buttermilk you can make your own by stirring 3 teaspoons of vinegar or lemon juice into each cup of milk and leaving for 10 minutes.

Method

-To make the cake, heat the oven to 350F. Grease three 8 inch cake pans and line the bases with parchment paper. Combine the flour, 1¾ cups sugar, baking powder, poppy seeds and salt in a mixing bowl. Mix gently to combine.

-Add the butter, lemon zest and 1 cup of buttermilk to the flour. Beat on low until completely mixed. Raise the speed to medium and beat for 1-2 minutes until lighter in colour.

-In a medium bowl, combine the egg whites with the remaining ¼ cup buttermilk, whisk to blend thoroughly. Add the egg white mixture to the batter in 2-3 additions, scraping down the sides of the bowl and beating only enough to incorporate the mix. Divide the batter between the three pans.

-Bake for 25 to 30 minutes until the cakes are golden brown, spring back when touched lightly in the centre, and a cake tester comes out clean. Leave to cool in the pans for 10 minutes before turning out.

-While the cake layers are cooling, make a lemon syrup. In a small pan combine the remaining ¼ cup sugar, water and lemon juice. Bring to the boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar.

-Generously brush the cakes with the lemon syrup while they are still warm. Then allow the cakes to cool completely.

-To make the frosting, in a large mixing bowl beat the cream cheese and butter with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Gradually add the confectioners sugar, 1 cup at a time, beating well between each addition. Add the almond extract and then continue to beat well for 3-4 minutes until light and fluffy.

-To complete the cake, place one layer, top side down, on a cake plate and spread about a fifth of the frosting over the cake to cover evenly. Repeat with the second layer and place the third layer on top. Frost the top and sides of the cake with the remaining frosting. Garnish with your choice of flaked almonds or poppy seeds.

Makes 1 x 8inch triple layer cake. Serves 12-16



Dreamsicle Cupcakes

For Cake:
2-3 medium oranges
3 large eggs
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon vanilla

1 teaspoon orange extract
2 cups sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon salt
Orange Frosting (see below)


Whipped Cream Frosting (use your favorite recipe)

211

Orange Frosting:
1 cup butter, room temperature
6-8 cups sifted powdered sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 teaspoon orange extract
1/4 cup orange juice (preferably fresh)


To make the cupcakes:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.


Peel oranges (removing any seeds and as much of the white pith as possible) and puree in a blender or food processor. Measure out 1/2 cup of the liquid pulp. In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine orange pulp, eggs, buttermilk, vanilla, orange extract, sugar, and vegetable oil.

With the mixer on low, gradually add in the flour mixture, beating until just incorporated.

Fill your cupcake containers of choice a scant 2/3 full and bake 20-25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Transfer cupcakes to a wire rack to cool completely before filling, frosting, or garnishing as desired.

To make the orange frosting:
In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the butter at medium-high speed until creamy. Add half of the sifted sugar, the vanilla, the orange extract, and the orange juice. Beat until combined. Gradually add the remaining sugar until the frosting reaches your desired consistency.


Key Lime Coconut Cake

Serves 12-16

1 cup sweetened flaked coconut
1 stick unsalted butter, softened
1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
1 tablespoon grated Key lime zest
2 large eggs
1 3/4 cups self-rising flour*
3/4 cup whole milk
1/4 cup fresh Key lime juice, divided
1 cup confectioners sugar
1 tablespoon rum (optional)


Preheat oven to 350°F with rack in middle. Generously butter an 8- by 8-inch square or 9- by 2-inch round cake pan and line bottom with a round of parchment paper.

Toast coconut in a small baking pan in oven, stirring once or twice, until golden, 8 to 12 minutes. Cool. Leave oven on.

Beat together butter, granulated sugar, and zest with an electric mixer until fluffy. Beat in eggs one at a time. Stir together flour and 1/2 cup coconut (reserve remainder for topping). Stir together milk and 2 tablespoons lime juice. At low speed, mix flour and milk mixtures into egg mixture alternately in batches, beginning and ending with flour.

Spoon batter into pan and smooth top. Bake until golden and a wooden pick inserted into center comes out clean, 40 to 45 minutes. Cool to warm, then turn out of pan and discard parchment.

Whisk together confectioners sugar, remaining 2 tablespoons lime juice, and rum (if using) and pour over cake. Sprinkle with remaining coconut.
 
#4 ·
I particularly like pavlova in the summer, with strawberries and some raspberries.  Do you know it?  no time now to post a recipe but it's very simple, a large meringue base, strawberries that have macerated with a little sugar and optional raspberry liqueur, then whipped cream, mixed very lightly with most of the strawberries, so they remain marbled, not amalgamated, then the rest of the strawberries and syrup drizzled over the top.  You could make the bases as individual cakes, and assemble at the last minute. 
 
#5 ·
How about a delicious summery savory veggiecake. Yes, non-sweet cake, to be served at apero time, with some charcuterie -or- salumi when you're paying in Italian money etc. A nice glass of bubbles of any style, or even a Campari soda if I'm invited...

Base of a veggie cake;

- 180 grams of flour

- 3 eggs

- 10 cl milk

- 1 tbsp of baking powder

- 10 cl olive oil

- S&P

- and yes again, NO sugar!

Additions to this particular cake; feta, sundried (halfdry) tomatoes, courgette chopped and seeds removed lightly softened in some olive oil, fresh basil.

Mix the eggs with the olive oil. Put a good handful of basilleaves, put in the milk and mix thouroughly with a handmixer into a lovely green that will color this cake. Don't sieve, add this mixture to the eggmixture. Sieve flour and baking powder over the eggmixture. Add S&P. Fold into a nice dough. Add chopped sundried tomatoes, softened courgette chunks and crumbled feta. Please do use real feta which is naturally crumbly, no elastic junk!! And please, please, don't even try to throw sugar in it, bwaaagh!

Bake in a greased cakemold 45-50 minutes at 180°C.

Don't cut the cake too soon, it will get a little browner as the basil will oxidate a little.

You can vary the additions as you like, but always be sure they are a little softened (steamed or fried in a pan) before using them.

 
#6 · (Edited)
Great idea. I love large Pavlovas and make them often for company (when it isn't humid) but they do not transport well - especially large pavlovas - so I'd suggest smaller, invidiual pavlovas or meringues instead if you are planning to sell them. I present them several ways making a typical indentation in the middle of a large pavlova before baking. Fill with a very tart lemon curd, cover with macerated raspberries and strawberries, drizzle with a good quality bittersweet chocolate sauce and then spread with whipped cream.

This is a link to a recipe for pavlova that I have been wanting to make for a while. Brown sugar pavolova with banana flambe and vanilla rum syrup. It all sounds very good but maybe too sweet and not too springy. What I like about the pavlova with the lemon curd is that the pavlova (meringue) is quite sweet, so having something tart like the curd along with the sweet is desirable. The English and Australians often make pavlovas with pomegranate

seeds in the filling for just that reason.

http://www.notquitenigella.com/2009/05/22/brown-sugar-pavlova-with-bananas-flambe-vanilla-rum-syrup/
 
#7 ·
In Australia, most Pavlovas that I've eaten have been served with passionfruit and mango - as well as kiwi fruit.  I love it when the meringue base is a chewy sort, hate the over-beaten, chalky ones!

Although it's not a cake, a great pudding in the summer is Eton Mess - meringues - crushed, macerated strawberries, thick double cream - all mixed gently together.
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top