Celebrate International Cake Day with these delectable and dreamy recipes

Today, 26 November, marks International Cake Day

Dating back to the 13th century, cakes have become a very important celebratory symbol, from being the centrepiece at weddings and birthdays, to being the star attraction at tea parties and a religious symbol in many countries around the world during holidays and celebrations.

Four Capsicum Culinary Studio alumni who are making waves in the baking world were asked to share their favourite cake recipes, and this is what they have sent:

Khashifah Ismail’s decadent chocolate cake

Ingredients

• 250g of soft margarine
• 1½ cups of castor sugar
• 4 eggs
• 4 teaspoons of baking powder
• 4 tablespoon of cocoa powder
• 2½ cups of all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon of vanilla essence
• 400g of dark chocolate, chopped
• 400ml of whipping cream
• 2 tablespoons of butter

Instructions

1. Pre-heat oven to 180°C and place a rack in the centre. Line two 20cm x 20cm square pans with baking paper.
2. Place the margarine and sugar in a bowl and using a hand-held beater with a paddle attachment, beat until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, and continue to beat between each egg. Add the vanilla essence and mix until all ingredients are well combined. In a large bowl, sieve together the flour, baking powder and cocoa powder and mix well.
3. Add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, mixing in slowly until well combined and lump-free. Pour half the batter into each cake tin (I always weigh the batter to get the exact amount into each pan) and bake for 35 minutes. Insert a cake skewer into the middle and if it comes out clean, the cakes are done.
4. Leave to cool for 10-15 minutes then remove from their tins. Next make sugar syrup by heating half a cup sugar and half a cup water until the sugar dissolves.
5. When cool, use a pastry brush to apply the syrup to both cakes as this will keep them moist and allow the chocolate ganache to stick to the cake more effectively.
6. For the chocolate ganache, heat the cream until just before it starts to boil then remove from the heat and pour it over the broken-up chocolate stirring all the while so the chocolate melts. Add the butter and mix well so the ganache is shiny. Leave to cool overnight.
7. Cut the cakes in half so you have 4 layers. Whip the ganache to a piping consistency, place into piping bag and apply it until it covers the entire cake. Set in the fridge until firm then slice, serve and eat!

Jaen-Mari Breytenbach’s carrot cake

Ingredients

For the cake

• 400g cups of flour
• 3 teaspoons of baking powder
• 1½ teaspoons of cinnamon 
• Half teaspoon of salt
• 295ml of vegetable oil
• 200g of sugar
• 200g of brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon of vanilla essence 
• 4 eggs
• 300g of carrots, peeled & grated (save the peels for garnish)
• 125g of pecan nuts, chopped
• 65g of raisins
• 65g of pineapple, grated
• 65g of zucchini, grated
• Zest of 2 lemons
• 130g of dried cranberries  

For the cream cheese icing

• 113g of salted butter, softened
• 226g of cream cheese
• 1 teaspoon of vanilla essence                     
• Quarter teaspoon of salt
• 500g of powdered sugar
• Half cup of lemon zest

ALSO READ: Saturday tasty treat: Strawberry pavlova cake

Instructions

1. Heat the oven to 180°C. Grease two 23cm round cake pans and line the bottom with baking paper then grease the top of the paper. In a bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, salt and cinnamon until well blended. In a separate bowl, whisk the oil, both sugars and vanilla essence.
2. Whisk in the eggs, one at a time, until combined. Using a large rubber spatula, scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl then add the dry ingredients in 3 parts, gently stirring until they disappear and the batter is smooth. Stir in the carrots, nuts and raisins.
3. Divide the batter evenly between the two prepared cake pans. Bake until the tops of the cake layers are springy when touched and when a toothpick inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean (35 to 45 minutes).
4. Cool cakes in pans for 15 minutes then turn out onto cooling racks, peel off parchment paper and cool completely

For the cream cheese

1. Combine butter and cream cheese in the bowl of a stand mixer (or you can use an electric hand mixer) and beat until creamy, well-combined and lump-free. Add vanilla essence and salt and stir well to combine. With mixer on low, gradually add powdered sugar until completely combined. Use to ice completely cooled cake.

Cinnamon tuile

Ingredients

• 100g of egg whites
• 100g of icing sugar 
• 50g of corn flour
• 100g of butter, melted
• 150g of flour
• Half teaspoon of vanilla essence
• 1 teaspoon of cinnamon

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 180℃. Add egg whites to a large bowl and whisk a little before adding the sugar and whisking until frothy. Stir in the flour, corn flour and vanilla essence and then add the melted butter. Add cinnamon and mix to a smooth batter.
2. Spoon onto two lined baking trays and spread thinly using an offset spatula and bake for 7 to 8 minutes until the tuiles are just turning golden around the edges. Remove the baking trays from the oven and let cool completely. Break tuille into chards.
3. For the carrot peels – deep fry them in hot oil and remove when golden brown and crispy. Drain on paper towels then use for garnish on the cake along with the tuile as well as extra nuts and dried fruit if desired. 

Hendrik Pretorius’ chocolate cake with orange cream cheese chocolate frosting

Ingredients

For the cake

• 6 eggs, separated
• 250g of all-purpose flour
• 350g of sugar
• 120ml of vegetable oil
• 240ml of hot water
• 50g of cocoa powder
• 20ml of baking powder
• Pinch of salt
• 1 teaspoon of vanilla essence96ml water
• 100g of sugar

For the orange chocolate cream cheese frosting

• 350g of cream cheese
• 375g of icing sugar
• 125g of soft butter
• 2 teaspoon of vanilla essence
• 2 tablespoon of orange juice.
• 50g of cocoa powder
• Zest of 1 orange

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 180°C. Grease two 16cm round cake pans and line the bottom with baking paper then grease the top of the paper and the sides of the pans. Set aside. Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt, then mix in the cocoa powder, add the hot water and allow to cool. In a separate bowl, combine the egg yolks, oil, sugar, vanilla and cocoa mixture. Add this to the dry ingredients and mix until well combined. Whip egg whites till stiff and fold lightly into the batter. Pour evenly into the two cake pans and bake for 20-25 minutes. Remove the cakes from the cake pans when they are completely cooled down. Trim the top part of the cakes with a serrated knife so both cakes are flat on top. Use a pastry brush to brush about one half of the sugar syrup* over the top of the cake. Spoon one third of the frosting* on top of the cake and with an offset spatula spread it evenly to the edges. Place the other layer cake on top and repeat the process but using the remainder of the frosting. Garnish with Chantilly cream and orange slices.
2. For the sugar syrup, combine the sugar and water in a saucepan over medium heat and stir until all the sugar is dissolved. Remove from the heat and cool completely.
3. For the frosting, mix the butter, cream cheese and cocoa until smooth. Add the icing sugar followed by the orange juice and orange zest and mix further, then lastly add the vanilla essence and whisk until the mixture is light and fluffy. Refrigerate for 30 minutes before use.

Ferdinand October’s chocolate caramel cake

Ingredients

For the cake

• 100g of cocoa powder
• 330ml of boiling water
• 270g of cake flour
• 10g of baking powder
• 3g of bicarbonate of soda
• 7 extra large eggs
• 440g of light brown sugar
• 250ml of sunflower oil

For the ganache

• 300g of dark chocolate
• 500ml of cream
• 80g of butter
• 2 tins of caramel treat

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 170°c and prepare two 22cm pans with spray and cook and line the bottom with baking paper. Whisk the cocoa powder and water until smooth and set aside. Sieve together the flour, baking powder and bicarb into a bowl. In an electric mixer attached with a whisk attachment, whisk the eggs and sugar on high speed until light and fluffy. Slowly add the oil while still mixing on fast speed. Add the dry ingredients and mix until just combined. Add the liquid cocoa and mix. Divide the batter into the two cake tins and bake for 30-35 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the cakes comes out clean. Remove from oven and leave for 10 minutes before removing from tins to cool further.
2. For the pouring ganache: Place the cream in pot over medium heat and bring to just before boiling point. Pour hot cream over chocolate, add butter and lave for 5 minutes. Mix until smooth and glossy. Set aside.  
3. For the chocolate spreading ganache: Place the cream in pot over medium heat and bring to just before boiling point. Pour hot cream over chocolate, add butter and leave for 5minutes. Mix until smooth and glossy. Set aside.
4. To assemble the cake, cut both sponges horizontally into two even layers. Place the first layer on a plate and spread evenly on top half a tin of caramel. Repeat with second and third layers. Place final cake layer on top and place cake in the fridge for 60 minutes to firm up. Remove from fridge and spread chocolate spreading ganache all around cake. Place the cake back in fridge for 30min. Remove from fridge, place on a drip tray with a pan underneath to catch excess pouring ganache and pour over the pouring ganache. If the pouring ganache has cooled and became thick, it can be reheated in the microwave until slightly warm. After the pouring ganache has been poured over the cake, leave the cake on the drip tray for 5 minutes. Get creative and decorate to your liking.

These recipes were supplied by Capsicum Culinary Studio