Did a year just go by in the blink of an eye? It sure did for me indeed, time flies so fast! Three years back when I started this blog, it was all about turning my passion into a hobby. Never did I imagine the amount of support and motivation I’d receive from my friends, family and the blogging community, and that Pepper Delight would become my full-time job. The whole thought of it seriously amazes me and being a self-taught cook and baker, I’m so darn proud of myself looking back at all these years.

This beautiful space has gifted me so many achievements and of course some good relationships too. I am fortunate enough to find many talented and inspiring people through the online world; those who follow my social media, read my blog, message me about my photos, recognize me at stores and stop by to talk about food n recipes… those are surreal moments and truly the most rewarding…!! So, I take this opportunity to thank all my dear friends and followers for the unconditional love.

I would also like to take a moment to give a big shout out to my dear friend Makos from The Hungry Bites who has been a constant support and guide throughout my whole journey. If you love Mediterranean food, then you must definitely check out his blog.

I am so excited to see what 2019 has in store for Pepper Delight. Thank you all for supporting and following…Cheers to many more years of Yummilicious Food…!!

Coming back to the highlight of today’s celebration – the Cake!

An Ombre cake had been on my to-do list for a long time, but I was a bit intimidated on how the whole thing would turn out. You know, all of my usual confusions before trying out any new cake style! But I am so glad that I tried it, coz it did turn out pretty well…!!

So, what’s a Neapolitan cake? Well, I am not going to dig into its history at the moment, but visually it’s a tri-colored 3 tier cake with each layer being a different flavour; strawberry, vanilla and chocolate. Even before I got to know about Neapolitan cakes, I have been inspired to do a multi colored cake and that arose from my love for Cassata ice-cream which we used to get in India; a 3-tier vanilla, strawberry and pistachio ice-cream layered over a sponge cake with candied fruits n nuts. In those days, a cassata slice was the ultimatum…I was in heaven!!

So, I guess the first question on your mind after seeing the cake pics and the recipe would be, “this is a lot of work, three sets of batter & frosting?” Well, not exactly. The three different flavors are incorporated using a single bowl of batter. First, you have to make a base vanilla cake batter and pour it equally into three cake pans. Leave one pan as is for the original vanilla cake, mix into the second pan the cocoa powder for making the chocolate cake, and into the third the strawberry jam with few drops of food color for a pretty pink strawberry cake. Fresh strawberry puree also works. Bake… and your cakes are ready!

Happy Cooking…!

Don’t forget to check out my previous years Blog Anniversary special cakes:

• 2017 – Chocolate Hazelnut Semi Naked Cake with Dark Chocolate Ganache 
• 2018 – Matcha Cake with Buttercream Frosting and White Chocolate Matcha Drip

Follow me on Instagram, try out the recipes and tag #pepperdelightblog to all your pictures of Pepper Delight recipes you prepare. Rate us if you love it!

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Neapolitan Cake

A Neapolitan Ombre Cake with an absolute delight of flavors – Chocolate, Vanilla & Strawberry Cakes in a Pink Buttercream Ombre!

Course Dessert

Cuisine French

Keyword blog anniversary, cake, neapolitan cake

Prep Time 1 hour hour 30 minutes minutes

Cook Time 35 minutes minutes

Cooling Time 1 hour hour

Total Time 3 hours hours 5 minutes minutes

Servings 10

Author Akhila

Ingredients

For the cake

• 1¾ cup flour
• 1¼ tsp baking powder
• ¼ tsp baking soda
• ¼ tsp salt
• ¾ cup softened butter (at room temperature)
• 1¼ cup granulated sugar
• 3 eggs (at room temperature)
• ½ tsp vanilla extract
• ½ cup milk
• 2 tbsp cocoa powder (sifted)
• ¼ cup strawberry jam (pref. seedless)
• 5-7 drops red food color (optional)

For the filling and crumb coat

• 1 cup softened butter
• 1½ cup powdered sugar
• ½ tsp vanilla extract
• 2 tsp milk cream
• 3 drops of red food color

For the outer ombre frosting

• ¾ cup unsalted butter (at room temperature)
• 1¼ cup powdered sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 3 tsp milk cream (or more if needed)
• 6-7 drops of red food color
• Fresh flowers (for decoration)

Instructions

For the cake

• Preheat oven to 350-degree F.
• Line three 6-inch pans with parchment paper, apply butter to the pan and set aside.
• In a medium bowl, combine dry ingredients by sifting flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat butter until smooth and creamy. Add the granulated sugar and beat until combined.
• Beat in the eggs one at a time, followed by adding vanilla extract.
• Add the dry ingredients alternating with milk and beat until they combine well. The batter will be thick, creamy and smooth.
• Pour the batter equally into three prepared pans (approx. 3 ladle batter per pan).
• Add the sifted cocoa powder to one pan for making the chocolate cake and mix well using a fork or a spatula. Keep aside.
• Whisk strawberry jam until it is completely smooth. You can microwave it for 15 seconds if thick, and whisk it for a smoother texture. Add it along with 6-7 drops of red food color to the third pan for making the strawberry cake, and mix well using a fork or spatula.
• 10. Place all the three pans in the center rack of the preheated oven and bake for 30–35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cakes comes out clean. The cooking times may vary per cake, for me the vanilla and chocolate cakes took 30 minutes and the strawberry cake took 35 minutes to bake.

For the filling and crumb coat

• Beat butter until creamy. Add powdered sugar and vanilla extract, beat until it turns out smooth.
• Add red food color and milk as needed for desired consistency. Make sure your frosting is not runny or too thick, it should be spreadable.
• If the frosting seems loose, refrigerate it for some time to thicken.

Assembling the cake

• Level the top surface of all the cakes by shaving off the uneven portions.
• Place your cake base on a turntable / cake stand.
• Apply a little frosting on the center of the cake base and spread. This helps the cake to stay tight and not slide off.
• Place the bottom cake on the center on the cake base.
• Apply a thin layer of frosting on top of the cake in the center and level it leaving ½ inch gap from the edges of the cake.
• Place the middle layer cake on top and press gently so that the excess frosting oozes out of the sides, if any.
• Repeat step 5.
• Place the third/final cake upside down on top of the frosting, so that the flat bottom of the cake faces upwards. Gently press and apply a thin layer of frosting on top of the third cake. Using a spatula, level the top and the oozed out frosting around the sides of the cake to form a thin and evenly covered crumb coating.
• Refrigerate 30 minutes for the crumb coating and filling to set properly.

For the outer ombre frosting

• Once the crumb coat is set, you can prepare the frosting for the outer ombre coat.
• Beat butter until creamy. Add powdered sugar and vanilla extract, beat until it turns out smooth. Add milk as needed for desired consistency. Make sure your frosting is not runny or too thick, it should be spreadable. If the frosting seems loose, refrigerate it for some time to thicken.
• Divide the prepared frosting into 4 pans; the 1st for the flat top surface coat in white, 2nd for the side top coat in white, 3rd for the side center coat in pink, and the 4th for the side bottom coat in dark pink.
• To the 3rd and 4th pans add the red food color as desired and whisk to make the pink and dark pink colored frostings respectively.
• Using a spatula, start applying the dark pink coat from the 4th pan on the side bottom of the cake. Using a scraper, scrape off excess frosting.
• Now move on the center side coat from the 3rd pan. Repeat applying coat & scraping, and continue to the top side and top flat coats using pans 2 and 1 respectively.
• Once your ombre coating is complete, refrigerate the cake for 30 minutes for the frosting to set.
• Decorate as desired with flowers, your cake is ready to serve!!

Notes

1. If your cake feels dry or crumbly after baking, brush some simple sugar syrup over the cake to retain it moistness and texture.

2. Grease your pan properly to avoid any cracks or holes in your cake. This helps the cake to slide through the sides of the pan easily.

3. Pick the cake with the prettiest bottom for your topmost layer. Use the ones with cracks or holes for the middle or bottom layers.

4. Decorate the cake after placing on a turntable.

5. Use a strong/sturdy scraper to scrape down the excess frosting from the sides of the cake.

6. Refrigerate the crumb coated and fully frosted stages of cake to set properly. You can even bake the cake in advance and frost the next day to manage time.

7. Finally, ensure the cake is brought back to a room temperature before serving.

The post Neapolitan Ombre Cake – Celebrating 3 years of Blogging appeared first on Pepper Delight.

My blog turned 2… Happy Birthday Pepper Delight…!!

Two years of blogging, My My! Who would have thought about this twist in my journey into the world of blogs? There was never a moment in these two years I ever thought about quitting; in fact, it was one of the best decisions in my career. Life has been so beautiful with this blog on my side, a heavenly space where I can share my passion for cooking n photography, and opened for me a new world of knowledge; both food and styling, and of course an amazing pack of friends! So, Thank You my family, friends and my dear readers for the huge support you have showered me with… !

Every year for my blog anniversary, I bake something special to celebrate the big day, and an excuse to eat cake, right? Baking a matcha cake was on my list for a long time, but I was waiting for that perfect day. Last year for my blog’s first anniversary, I baked a Chocolate Hazelnut Cake which became the most popular recipe of 2017, and gifted me with so many features and shoutouts! Fingers crossed, let this matcha cake be another great beginning…

So, what is matcha? Matcha is the new sensational ingredient in the food industry; it’s powdered green tea leaves! The recipes with matcha are not limited to tea, but range from a wide variety of smoothies, cakes, to bread recipes. This green powder is a hot topic, the caffeine content of matcha is just half of that in a cup of black coffee and so makes it more favorable. Matcha is considered as a powerhouse of antioxidants, helps in lowering cholesterol and blood sugar levels, and also calms your body and mind.

And this cake? It’s the BEST!!! I know that I repeat this dialogue every time, but trust me guys…this cake is…OMG, seriously so delicious! The right balance of sweetness with a silky-smooth frosting, and a nutty white chocolate drip that just literally melts in your mouth. Don’t be intimidated by green tea, matcha not only gives the beautiful green color, the flavor too is amazing. This recipe is just perfect for any celebrations, birthdays, or anniversaries.

Don’t forget to check out my other Blog Anniversary special cakes:

• 2017 – Chocolate Hazelnut Semi Naked Cake with Dark Chocolate Ganache
• 2019 – Neapolitan Ombre Cake

Enjoy, Happy Baking…!

Follow me on Instagram, try out the recipes and tag #pepperdelightblog to all your pictures of Pepper Delight recipes you prepare. Rate us if you love it!

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Matcha Cake with Buttercream Frosting and White Chocolate Matcha Drip

Super Soft & Moist Matcha / Green Tea Cake with a Velvety Smooth Vanilla Buttercream and White Chocolate Matcha Drip…!! 

Course Dessert

Cuisine Japanese

Keyword cake, matcha, matcha cake, naked cake

Prep Time 1 hour hour 30 minutes minutes

Cook Time 50 minutes minutes

Total Time 2 hours hours 20 minutes minutes

Servings 10

Author Akhila

Ingredients

For the Matcha Cake

• 1¾ cup flour
• 1½ tsp baking powder
• ¼ tsp salt
• 2 tsp matcha powder
• ½ cup + 3tbsp unsalted butter (softened at room temperature)
• 1½ cup granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs (at room temperature)
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• ⅔ cup milk (at room temperature)

For the Vanilla Buttercream Frosting

• 1 cup +4tbsp unsalted butter (softened at room temperature)
• 1½ cup powdered sugar
• 3 tsp vanilla extract
• 4 tbsp heavy cream (at room temperature)

For the White Chocolate Matcha Drip

• 2 tsp matcha powder
• ¼ cup heavy cream
• 4 oz white chocolate

Instructions

For the cake

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Line three 6-inch pans with parchment paper, apply butter to the pan and set aside.
• In a medium bowl, combine dry ingredients by sifting flour, baking powder salt and matcha powder. Set aside.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat butter until smooth and creamy. Add the granulated sugar and beat until combined.
• Beat in the eggs one at a time, followed by adding vanilla extract.
• Add the dry ingredients alternating with milk and beat until they combine well. The cake batter will be dense, but that’s completely ok.
• Pour into the prepared pans and bake for 30-35 mins until a toothpick or a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean.
• Unmold the cakes carefully to a wire rack and allow them to cool completely.

For the Vanilla Buttercream Frosting

• Beat butter until creamy. Add powdered sugar and vanilla extract, beat until it turns out smooth.
• Add milk as needed for desired consistency. Make sure your frosting is not runny or too thick, it should be spreadable.

Assembling the cake

• Level the top surface of all the cakes by shaving off the uneven portions.
• Place your cake base on a turntable/cake stand.
• Apply a little frosting on the center of the cake base and spread. This helps the cake to stay tight and not slide off.
• Place the bottom cake on the center on the cake base.
• Apply a thin layer of frosting on top of the cake in the center and level it leaving ½ inch gap from the edges of the cake.
• Place the middle layer cake on top and press gently so that the excess frosting oozes out of the sides, if any.
• Repeat step 5.
• Place the third/final cake upside down on top of the frosting, so that the flat bottom of the cake faces upwards. Gently press and apply a thin layer of frosting on top of the third cake. Using a spatula, level the top and the oozed out frosting around the sides of the cake to form a thin and evenly covered crumb coating.
• Refrigerate 30 minutes for the crumb coating to set properly.
• Now apply the final coat of frosting on top and around the cake, starting from the bottom to the top. Scrape down the excess frosting using a scraper. Refrigerate for another 30 minutes before pouring the matcha drip.

For the White Chocolate Matcha Drip

• Into a microwave safe bowl, sift the matcha powder and add 1 tablespoon of the heavy cream. Mix well until the powder is dissolved and there are no lumps.
• Pour the remaining heavy cream and mix well evenly.
• Now add the white chocolate to the cream-matcha mix and microwave for 30 seconds. The chocolate would have partially melted and using a spatula mix well till all the chocolate has dissolved and you get a thick sauce. If chocolate lumps exist, microwave at 10 second intervals and repeat till completely dissolved.
• Keep stirring till the sauce has cooled down, and then pour over the assembled cake. Refrigerate it to set for 15 mins.
• Decorate with fresh fruits or flowers.

Notes

• Grease your pan properly to avoid any cracks or holes in your cake. This helps the cake to slide through the sides of the pan easily.
• The vanilla buttercream frosting should be of the right consistency and spreadable. If it turn’s out to be loose, refrigerate for 15-30 mins to thicken. During winters, butter may turn cold and not stay at room temperature. In that case your frosting can become thick/buttery; either microwave the frosting for a few seconds, or try out the hair dryer method (worked out for me), and beat again till the perfect consistency.
• Hair Dryer method – While whisking your thickened frosting on a medium to high speed, point a hair dryer at high heat to the outer bottom of your bowl. You will see that butter starts melting and the frosting turn creamier. Turn off your dryer immediately (as the bowl will retain some heat), and continue whisking till you get the perfect consistency.  
• Pick the cake with the prettiest bottom for your topmost layer. Use the ones with cracks or holes for the middle or bottom layers.
• Assemble / decorate the cake after placing on a turntable.
• Use a strong/sturdy scraper to scrape down the excess frosting from the sides of the cake.
• Refrigerate the crumb coated and fully frosted stages of cake to set properly before topping with the white chocolate matcha drip. You can even bake the cake in advance and frost the next day to manage time.
• Finally, ensure the cake is brought back to a room temperature before serving.

The post Matcha Cake with Buttercream Frosting and White Chocolate Matcha Drip – A Blog Anniversary appeared first on Pepper Delight.