Loaded Strawberry Shortcake

This is a cake inspired by something I had a taste of on an out-of-town trip.  That particular cake was a 2 layer strawberry chiffon cake, filled with whipped cream and chopped strawberries, and frosted with whipped cream, topped with slices of fresh strawberries.

Now, I don't particularly like strawberries, unless they are really sweet, and only then if they're dipped in a specific blend of cream, but when I saw the (really) big, plump, really red strawberries at the local market in Baguio, I bought 2 kilos!!!  Price be dxxxxd,  I was determined to make MY strawberry shortcake!  One that is chock-full of strawberries!  From the cake itself, to the filling, frosting, topping... EVERYTHING!

So here are the (2 kilos) strawberries, hulled and cleaned - the smaller ones got chopped, while the larger ones were reserved for the cake topping.

Presenting...  my creation - which I fondly call THE

Loaded Strawberry Shortcake...

3 layers of strawberry chiffon cake (no added flavorings or color!), filled with strawberry cream, with chopped (fresh) strawberries, frosted with strawberry whipped cream, and topped with fresh strawberries!

A peek inside the cake -

And, as usual, I did not add any preservatives, artificial flavors or colors.  So, the cake layers did not have a pink hue, rather the cake layers were more yellowish.  The strawberry cream filling had pureed strawberries as well as chopped strawberries.  The whipped cream is strawberry as well (you can see the strawberry bits) but both filling and frosting are pale pink due to the "natural coloring" of the strawberries.

The only "problem" with this cake?  The lack of supply of fresh strawberries in the local market.  This cake was made with about 2 kilos of strawberries!  Talk about being loaded!!!  But the cost really is  prohibitive!!!

But I would like to offer this cake.  It's just too yummy not to share... I just have to figure out how (and without skimping on the strawberries!). :)

Mochaccino

Mocha is another favorite flavor.  Mocha, as Wikipedia explains, could refer to a coffee drink or a coffee bean (amongst others).  Mocha, as a flavor, however, is often thought of as a mix of coffee and chocolate flavors.  Mochaccino is a coffee drink with chocolate.

MaBelle's version is a mocha cupcake, frosted with coffee (or mocha, or chocolate) buttercream, with a sprinkling of cocoa (and cinnamon, optional), topped with a coffee bean (for decoration purposes only).

The cupcakes are yummy (of course!).  Although personally, I think the coffee flavor overpowers the chocolate a bit.  Then again, mocha is coffee with chocolate, not the other way around... ...

Caramel Cake

A cake that took me a year to make...

Lemon Chiffon Cake, with Custard Cream Filling, frosted with Caramel Icing, with Vanilla Buttercream borders, and decorated with (off-the-shelf) sugar flowers.

While we do not add artificial colors, a birthday cake (or any occasion cake) would look drab.  So while we DO NOT ADD artificial colors, there are times when we use ready made cake toppers or decorations that (obviously) used coloring.  And while, technically, such decorations are made of sugar (and hence can be eaten) we discourage eating them because (really now) all that sugar is really not good for anyone, and there's plenty of sugar in the cake and the icing to begin with!

Anyway, here's a peek inside the cake...

If only the cake was easier to make... took a whole day!  Baking the cake, cooking the filling, making caramel then cooking it to make the icing, then making the buttercream until finally filling and frosting the whole cake!  Imagine if I had to make the flowers myself, too!!!

Anyway, the birthday boy (who requested this cake last year!) was very, very happy.  In fact, he was so happy that within 15 minutes of finishing the cake, a fourth of it disappeared into his tummy.  Some hours later, only half remained.  And as of this writing (technically 12 hours after the cake was finished), only a small slice was left!

And that, ladies and gentlemen, is what I consider the greatest measure of (my personal) success!

Ultimate Ube Cupcakes

Ube is my favorite flavor!  Especially when it's an ube chiffon cake.  It took me a while to make an ube cupcake because I'd been used to the light and airy ube cake that the heavier-type cupcake was strange to me.  Until my repeated experimentation finally resulted in one that I was ok with... and while my "traditional" frosting for ube is a whipped cream (sometimes with macapuno), for this one I wanted a super-duper ube umph.  So this ube cupcake is frosted with ube halaya buttercream!  And I have decided to call them "Ultimate Ube" because the double ube - cake AND frosting!

Up close and personal...

(see the ube bits?)

Even more personal...

This really is my all time favorite!!!

Mickey Mouse-themed Cake

For the first time, a request for a cake and cupcake "package" was asked of me... specifically with a Mickey Mouse theme!

I thought about it for a long time!

The "easiest" would be if I found figurines or cake toppers to plop onto the cake but I couldn't find any (in our part of the world the marketplace is limited!).  In my desperation, we even asked a friend abroad if he could find some for us (but he wasn't able to find any too...)

At the last minute (and I do mean just the day before the party!) I was meeting someone in a relatively small mall and while waiting I strolled around... and found a small Mickey Mouse stuffed toy!  Of course I checked its legitimacy and yes!  It was the genuine article... and it was on sale!!!  I bought it!

The concept came together after that.  Cupcakes with Mickey (and friends) candy and logo pick toppers for the bottom and middle layers and a top layer of cake with Mickey Mouse, a spray of flowers at his back, and candles that read "Happy Birthday".  The sides of the cake decorated with mickey logo candies...

The cake was beautiful!!!  but I have to say that the artistry is by hubby - I had the general concept in mind but execution was his - like I said, I have little (very little!) artistic talent.

A close up of the cake with the "happy birthday" candles lit.

It was yummy!!!  I am proud to say that my standard chocolate cake is always good but the bittersweet buttercream (a new recipe for me) was so yummy that hubby could not resist!  He said he would only taste a bit and he ended up finishing the "test" run!

Happy Birthday!

Now someone is asking about a Minnie Mouse-themed cake!!!