Wedding Blog

Miss D’orsay, Miss Latte, and Weddingbee hostess MightySapphire requested the recipes for the cake-in-a-jar “asks” I created to invite my nearest and dearest to be in the wedding party. Well, ask and you shall receive.

The five recipes — Toasted Coconut Cherry Cake, Pineapple Spice Cake, Lemon Poppy Seed Cake, Mocha Chip Cake, and Orange Almond Cake — all require the same wet ingredients (which won’t be layered into the jars):

• 3 large eggs
• 3/4 cup water
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature, cut into tablespoons

Each set of directions is also identical:

• In a mixer bowl, blend cake mix ingredients (this is the yumminess layered in the jar) briefly.
• Beat in 3/4 cup butter and 1/2 cup water. Beat on medium for 1 1/2 minutes.
• In a small bowl, beat 3 eggs with 1/4 cup water and 2 teaspoons vanilla. Add egg mixture to batter in three batches, beating well after each addition.
• Scrape batter into 2 parchment-lined 8- or 9-inch pans.
• Bake for 20 to 30 minutes at 350 F.
• Cool in pans for 10 minutes. Invert onto racks to cool completely.

And now, the dry ingredients for each cake.

Toasted Coconut Cherry Cake:

• 2 1/2 cups sifted cake flour
• 2/3 cup brown sugar
• 2/3 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup buttermilk powder or nonfat milk powder
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup flaked coconut, toasted
• 1/3 cup finely diced dried sweet cherries

Finish with vanilla frosting sprinkled with toasted coconut.

Pineapple Spice Cake:

• 2 1/2 cups sifted cake flour
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1/3 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 cup buttermilk powder or nonfat milk powder
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon allspice
• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup finely diced dried pineapple (3 ounces)

Finish with a caramel or brown sugar frosting.

Lemon Poppy Seed Cake:

• 2 1/2 cups sifted cake flour
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1/3 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 cup buttermilk powder or nonfat milk powder
• 3 tablespoons poppy seeds
• 1 tablespoon grated lemon zest
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup finely chopped lemon slice candy

Finish with a simple lemon glaze.

Mocha Chip Cake:

• 2 cups sifted cake flour
• 2/3 cup brown sugar
• 2/3 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/4 cup buttermilk powder or nonfat milk powder
• 1 tablespoon espresso powder
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips

Finish with chocolate frosting or vanilla frosting mixed with espresso powder.

Orange Almond Cake:

• 2 1/2 cups sifted cake flour
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1/3 cup brown sugar
• 1/3 cup finely ground roasted unsalted almonds
• 1/4 cup buttermilk powder or nonfat milk powder
• 1 tablespoon grated orange zest
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/3 cup coarsely chopped roasted unsalted almonds

Finish with an orange or chocolate glaze.

Which one sounds best to you? Do you think any would be tasty enough to serve as wedding cake?

Happy baking!