Iron Chef Shellie
 

Donut Cake

Iron Chef Shellie turns 7 today! From humble beginnings, to the present day crazy cakes. What better way to celebrate than with a cake covered in donuts?

@ironchefshellie

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Recipes

Donut Cake
January 24, 2015
Recipes

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Donut Cake

Today, Iron Chef Shellie turns 7!

Like any good child, she has been through; the wonderful ones, the terrible twos, the terrifying threes, the fearsome fours, the fierce fives, the sour sixes, and now we arrive at the sneaky sevens. 

Donut-Cake_Happy-Birthday

One parenting website describes this age as:

… the ‘middle years’, your child will be becoming more aware of the world outside his home. He’ll be gaining confidence and starting to make real friends, but will still need you to step in and help him with his problems from time to time.    

If you haven’t been following me on social media, you’ll be unaware that I am becoming more aware of the world outside home. I’ve finally broken the seven year overseas travel drought (with the exception of one very, quick trip to New Zealand), and I’m currently, freezing my ass off in Sweden somewhere! HURRAH!

I’ve been meeting some amazing creative people, and there is no doubt, I might need you guys to help wrangle me in if I get too crazy from time to time if my baking ideas get too out of control. Let’s hope that doesn’t happen too often, but I’d still love your support if it does 😉

Sprinkling DonutsMini Donuts

After seven years, I still absolutely adore baking. Sometimes however, the humble looking cake just isn’t enough, and I have to take it up a notch. To celebrate seven years, no ordinary, run of the mill cake was going to do. That folks, is how the donut cake was born.

Donut Cake_Light The Candles

In a perfect world, this cake would be at least double the height, covered in twice or three times as many donuts, of different colours. Alas, there will be other opportunities to create even crazier donut cakes! This one just kept making me giggle as it looked so fun.

Thank you everyone for your on going support over the seven years. Especially those who read it in it’s infancy, when the photos were rubbish and my ramblings probably made no sense… not that they do these days either!

Here’s to you my friends, and here’s to more years to come 🙂

Donut-Cake_demolished-comp

Donut Cake

Print Recipe

Ingredients
  

Red Velvet Cake

  • 120 g unsalted butter at room temperature
  • 300 g caster sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 40 g cocoa powder
  • 80 ml red food colouring
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 240 ml buttermilk
  • 300 g plain flour
  • 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
  • 3 tsp white vinegar

Cream Cheese Frosting

  • 600 g icing sugar sifted
  • 100 g unsalted butter at room temperature
  • 250 g cream cheese cold

For the donuts

  • 115 g plain all purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup caster sugar
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 2 large eggs room temperature
  • 3 tbs extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 tbs full cream milk + 1/4 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

For the donut chocolate glaze

  • 70 g dark chocolate very finely chopped
  • 1/3 cup heavy cream

Instructions
 

For the red velvet cake

  • Preheat the oven to 170°C/325°F/gas mark 3. Grease and line four 18cm layer cake tins and set aside.
  • Put the butter and the sugar in a freestanding electric mixer with a paddle attachment (or use a handheld electric whisk) and beat on medium speed until light and fluffy and well mixed. Turn the mixer up to high speed, slowly add the egg and beat until everything is well incorporated.
  • In a separate bowl, mix together the cocoa powder, red food colouring and vanilla extract to make a very thick, dark paste. Add to the butter mixture and mix thoroughly until evenly combined and coloured (scrape any unmixed ingredients from the side of the bowl with a rubber spatula). Turn the mixer down to slow speed and slowly pour in half the buttermilk.
  • Beat until well mixed, then add half the flour and beat until everything is well incorporated. Repeat this process until all the buttermilk and flour have been added. Scrape down the side of the bowl again. Turn the mixer up to high speed and beat until you have a smooth, even mixture. Turn the mixer down to low speed and add the bicarbonate of soda and vinegar. Beat until well mixed, then turn up the speed again and beat for a couple more minutes.
  • Distribute the batter evenly amongst the four cake tins and bake in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes, or until the sponge bounces back when touched. A skewer inserted in the centre should come out clean. Leave the cupcakes to cool slightly in the tray before turning out onto a wire cooling rack to cool completely.

For the cream cheese frosting

  • Beat the icing sugar the unsalted butter together in a freestanding electric mixer with a paddle attachment (or use a handheld electric whisk) on medium-slow speed until the mixture comes together and is well mixed.
  • Add the cream cheese in one go and beat it until it is completely incorporated. Turn the mixer up to medium-high speed. Continue beating until the frosting is light and fluffy, at least five minutes. Do not over beat, as it can quickly become runny.

For the donuts

  • Preheat oven to 190°C. Grease donut pan with olive oil and set aside.
  • Combine milk with lemon juice set aside for 5 minutes.
  • Place the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl and whisk to combine.
  • In small separate bowl, combine olive oil, eggs, and milk/ lemon juice mixture. Whisk together until thoroughly combined.
  • Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredient mixture, and whisk until smooth.
  • Use a piping bag to pipe the batter to evenly distribute batter into your donut pan.
  • Bake donuts for 10-12 minutes or until they lightly spring back when pressed.
  • Remove from pan immediately and allow to cool completely on a wire rack.
  • To make the dark chocolate glaze; place the finely chopped chocolate in small heatproof bowl. Scald cream (heat until just below boiling point), then over chocolate and allow to sit for a minute and a half.
  • Using a whisk, slowly begin to incorporate cream into chocolate—starting in centre of the bowl—until mixture comes together and is very shiny and smooth.
  • Dip tops of donuts into the ganache and set aside on wire rack to set.

To assemble the cake

  • Dab a blob of icing on a cake stand/platter, and place the first layer of cake on top of the blob.
  • Evenly spread about a quarter of the icing on top, and place the next layer of cake on top, pushing down gently. Repeat the cream cheese and cake routine until you have no cake layers left.
  • Spread a thin layer of the remaining cream cheese over the entire cake, and put in the side for about 30 minutes to set.
  • Spread the remaining cream cheese over the cake, and place the donuts around the cake as you desire, before the cream cheese sets.

Donut Cake_the end

Comments

9 comments on “Donut Cake
  1. Mum

    Who got to enjoy this lovely cake?

    Reply
    January 24, 2015 at 8:58 am
  2. Ewen

    Happy birthday Shellie, may the donuts be with you!

    Reply
    January 24, 2015 at 5:01 pm
  3. Sammie @ The Annoyed Thyroid

    Hope seven feels like heaven! That cake looks like the monkeys nuts and the photos are screen lickingly good! Happy Blogaversary (and happy holidays too!)

    Reply
    January 24, 2015 at 6:15 pm
  4. Hannah

    Aw, happy blogiversary you superstar!!! I’m melting (also shivering 😉 ) over your travel joy on Instagram and sending you a billions hugs and cheers for the next seven years to come!

    Reply
    January 24, 2015 at 10:17 pm
  5. Maureen | Orgasmic Chef

    Red velvet donut cake? What an utterly exquisite dessert to celebrate turning 7.

    Reply
    January 24, 2015 at 10:31 pm
  6. leaf (the indolent cook)

    It just gets better and better! This cake looks amazing. Happy 7 years of blogging, and enjoy your time in Sweden – what a cool place to visit, looking forward to hearing more about it!

    Reply
    January 24, 2015 at 10:48 pm
  7. Daisy@Nevertoosweet

    I’ve said it a few times but what the heck HAPPY BLOGVERSARY again I am so so so proud of you 🙂 Everything you and the blog have achieved! I’ve loved every single post, every recipe and of course getting to know you! I’m sure 2015 is going to be another crazy, big and fantastic year for you! Can’t wait to catch up soon xx

    Reply
    January 25, 2015 at 1:30 am
  8. chocolatesuze

    happy blogiversary! here’s to many more years to come!

    Reply
    January 26, 2015 at 6:08 pm
  9. Cara @ Gourmet Chick

    Happy blogbday Shellie! Great achievement making it to 8 and happy travels you lucky thing

    Reply
    January 27, 2015 at 6:39 pm

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Donut Cake

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Shellie Froidevaux

All content on this site is by Shellie Froidevaux - aka Iron Chef Shellie. Her skills include recipe development, food styling in her kitchen studio, lifestyle and travel photography, restaurant photography on location, styling and shooting social media for her clients and photography workshops for people who really want to change their game :)

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