This alphabet cake is made with the letter Z for Ziv, my husband, who celebrated his birthday recently. It was such a refreshing dessert compared to all the layer cakes we usually make. In particular, the caramel whipped cream is finger-licking good!
Letter cake step by step instructions
Cake batter
Preheat the oven at 325°F / 165°C / Gas mark 3. Grease and line three 9 x 11- inch sheet pans with parchment paper. You can also make just two thicker cake layers.Pro tip – If the layers are too thick, they will be heavy on the whipped cream frosting. So, ensure they are no more than 1-inch thick.
Dry ingredients – In a bowl, combine the all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside. In a bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, cream the butter, oil, and sugar until light and fluffy.Pro tip – The oil will create emulsification with the batter so it looks more whipped rather than fluffy. Then, add the eggs, one at a time, to the batter making sure to combine each well into the batter.Pro tip – Ensure each egg is well incorporated before you add the next one to prevent the batter from curdling.
Next, add the flour mixture and sour cream in three batches. Combine well but do not overmix.Pro tip – We do not want to activate the gluten in the flour. So, combine but do not overmix. Pour the batter into the prepared baking pans, spread with an offset spatula towards the edges. Tap on the counter a few times to remove air pockets. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean. When baked, cool in the pan for 10 minutes then transfer to the cooling rack.
Caramel
In a heavy-bottom deep saucepan, add the sugar, water, and corn syrup.Pro tip – Corn syrup prevent crystallization. And you can also use 1 tsp lemon juice. With the heat on medium, bring the sugar to a boil. Then, shake the pan slowly guiding the distribution of heat. DO NOT STIR.Pro tip – We avoid stirring to prevent the crystallization of sugar. The sugar should now be a deep amber color. Now, add the sea salt followed by the butter, heavy cream, and vanilla extract.Pro tip – The caramel will rise at this point, that’s normal. Hence, the deep saucepan.
Take it off the heat and cool to room temperature. Then, add the remaining whipping cream. Pour into another bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and chill in the fridge for at least 4 hours or overnight.Pro tip – It is important that the caramel whipping cream is well chilled. Otherwise, it will not whip to stiff peaks. Once cold, transfer to the stand mixer with a whisk attachment and whip to stiff peaks. Transfer to a piping bag with a round piping tip.
Whipping cream
In a stand mixer with the whisk attachment, whip the whipping cream to stiff peaks. Alternatively, you can use the caramel whipping cream for the top layer too. Transfer to a piping bag with a star piping tip.
Assemble
Prepare simple syrup – cool completely before using.Pro tip – Simple syrup is just sugar water that has been boiled and cooled. We use it to keep cake layers moist. Using a bread knife or cake leveler cut the domes off the cake layers. Peel the parchment paper from the cake. Using the alphabet template cut the cake into the desired shape as shown in the video. Do this will all three sheet cakes.Pro tip – Ensure you remove the baking paper from the cake before you carve the desired alphabet. Otherwise, it can break the alphabet later when trying to peel the cake.
Place the first layer on the cake board or cake stand. Brush each layer with the cooled simple syrup. Pipe the caramel whipped cream all over the alphabet, as shown in the video. Then, place the second layer on top, brush with simple syrup, and pipe more caramel whipped cream.
Finally, top with the third layer, and this time, pipe the whipped cream all over. Alternatively, you can continue to pipe with more caramel whipped cream. Top the alphabet cake with fresh fruits or other decorations. I used strawberries and blueberries along with a few colored heart candies. Enjoy!
Frequently asked questions
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