Well, the city’s St. Patty’s Day festivities may be canceled, but that doesn’t mean the party can’t go on…in your mouth! You can all still celebrate green this weekend in cake form! Which by the way is the best form! This Shamrock Shake Cake is what cake St. Patty’s Daydreams are made of, or day dreams!
Well, it’s the end of the world as we know it lyrics are playing over and over in my head. With all the fear over the pandemic, the markets are going crazy, toilet paper is flying off the shelves…. there is no better time than now for a little escapism and indulgence. If I am going down, I am going down with cake!
This Shamrock Shake inspired cake is really nostalgia in a bite. I remember being a kid and waiting with bated breath until March and they released that green goodness at McDonalds! We would beg our mom to take us to get one. Well this cake really does elicit those shake memories only better! The vanilla cake with malted milk powder is kissed with fresh mint. Then to add a little more of a grown-up twist, the layers are brushed with more mintyness with Crème De Menthe. Which not only amps the mint up a notch but keeps those delicious layers moist…yes moist. Then the queen of all buttercreams, The Swiss Meringue Buttercream is spiked with more Crème De Menthe. Now, these are subtle mint notes that pair and accentuate the delicate vanilla flavor of the cake. We don’t want a shamrock shake toothpaste cake! The result is pure magic and will remind you of climbing into the back seat of the minivan with your 3 other siblings not buckled up and heading to be the first in line at the drive through to suck up that St. Patty’s Day seasonal favorite!
Simply decorated, no fuss, no muss, no coconuts…. mint!
Minty green buttercream leaves! The best kind of leaves if you ask me.
Four perfect layers of cake, frosting, then cake, then more frosting, then cake….you get it:)
Marshmallowy, meringuey deliciousness adorns the top! Some more marshmallowy, meringuey deliciousness in-between those layers!
Yes, that is one big slice of cake, but apocalypse, pandemic, TP… eat the damn cake!
Just because the city is on lockdown doesn’t mean you can’t celebrate. So stay calm this weekend, wash your hands often and eat cake more often. Starting with this Shamrock Shake Cake! You won’t be disappointed, you will be opposite of disappointed…delighted, encouraged, fulfilled and comforted. Who can’t use a little comfort right now? So have your cake and eat it too!
Happy Weekending, Social Distancing and Shamrock Shake Caking It In!
Diane
- For the Cake:
- 2¼ cups AP flour
- ⅓ cup malted milk powder
- ½ cup unsalted butter - room temp
- ¼ cup vegetable oil
- ¼ cup almond oil
- 1 ½ cups sugar
- ⅓ cup coconut yogurt - room temp (can sub regular plain yogurt)
- 3 tsp. vanilla paste
- 4 large eggs room temp
- 4 tsp. baking powder
- ½ tsp. salt
- ¾ cup whole milk room temp (steeped with mint leaves)
- 0.75 Container of fresh mint
- Crème de Menthe
- For the Buttercream:
- 6 large egg whites
- 1½ cups of granulated sugar
- ½ tsp. of salt
- 4 sticks unsalted butter at room temp
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
- 3 tbsp. crème de menthe
- green food coloring (optional)
- Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees. Line two 6 inch round cake pans with cooking spray and parchment paper, set aside.
- In a small saucepan add the milk and the whole package of fresh mint leaves. Muddle (smash) the mint leaves with wooden spoon or muddler. Heat over medium heat until scaled, just bubbling around the edges. Turn off the heat and allow the mint to steep into the milk for 20 minutes. Pour into bowl through a fine mesh strainer to catch the mint leaves and set aside.
- In a large bowl, combine all of your dry ingredients and whisk to combine.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the butter and sugar and beat until light and fluffy, around 5 minutes. Add in the coconut yogurt and mix to combine. Add the eggs one at a time and beat after each addition. Add the vanilla paste and mix. Add the almond oil and vegetable oil and mix to combine.
- Add a third of the dry ingredients and mix to just incorporate. Add half of the mint milk and mix to incorporate. Scrape down sides of bowl as needed. Add another 3rd of the dry ingredients and mix to just combine. Add the rest of the milk and mix. Last add the remainder of the dry and mix until just incorporated and no flour bits remain.
- Evenly pour the batter between the two prepared cake pans and smooth top off with off-set spatula. Place in the oven on middle rack and bake 30 - 40 minutes, rotating halfway through. Mine took closer to 35 minutes, but start checking cake at 30 minutes, then every 5 minutes after until toothpick inserted comes out clean. Cool on wire rack for 15 minutes then remove cakes from pan and allow to cool completely on racks.
- Once cakes are cooled slice off the dome tops of the cake with a cake cutter or serrated knife. Then using the cake cutter, slice each round in half. You will have four even layers.
- For the Buttercream:
- Separate whites from yolks in the bowl of a stand mixer.
- Pour sugar in bowl with the egg whites and add the salt.
- Place bowl over, not touching, a pot with simmering water.
- Whisk constantly until sugar has completely dissolved around 160 degrees. If you don’t have a candy thermometer, you can tell it’s done when you rub a little of the mixture between your fingers and it is completely smooth with no graininess. Should take about 10 minutes.
- Then return bowl to stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment.
- Begin beating the eggs and sugar until whites are glossy and stiff peaks have formed.
- The bowl should be cool to the touch, this will take around 10 minutes. Take about two cups of the meringue and place into a separate bowl and set aside.
- Next switch to the paddle attachment and beat on medium high speed.
- Add the butter slowly one piece at a time to incorporate. The mixture will look like it’s curdled, keep mixing, that is normal. Mix until frosting is smooth and shiny.
- Add in the vanilla extract and creme de menthe and mix.
- Optional add a few drops of green food coloring. Mix to combine.
- Frost the Cooled Cakes:
- Place the first layer down on a round cake board and place on cake decorating stand or cake stand. Pour a little crème de menthe into a small bowl. Using a pastry brush, dip in the crème de menthe and brush of over the top of the first cake layer. No need to soak, a nice light touch. Add about half a cup of frosting to the layer and smooth with off-set spatula. Add about ⅛th of a cup of the meringue and gently spread over the buttercream. Add the second layer on top of the first and repeat the process until you get to the top layer. Add more frosting to the top layer and spread evenly over top. Add more frosting over the sides of the cake to make a crumb coat and smooth with off-set spatula. Then dot large dollops of frosting around the entire side of the cake. Using a cake scraper, smooth sides pressing edge against the cake at 45 degree angle while spinning the cake stand. To create the lines in the cake, use off-set spatula and gently press end to the bottom of the cake and spin the cake stand gently moving the spatula up until you have lines around the whole cake.
- Last add the remaining meringue to a large piping bag with tip of choice and decorate the top of the cake with the meringue. Serve at room temperature. Store left-overs in airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- Enjoy!
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