Cake Covered With Mini Donuts

Chocolate Layer Cake with White Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting and Baked White Chocolate Cake Doughnuts

• Chocolate Layer Cake
• White Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting
• Baked White Chocolate Cake Doughnuts with Vanilla Glaze (decorated with pink tinted vanilla doughnut glaze and white nonpareils)

Chocolate Layer Cake

(From Ina Garten)

• All-purpose flour, for dusting
• ¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1¾ cups all-purpose flour
• 2 cups sugar
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 cup buttermilk
• ½ cup vegetable oil
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 cup freshly brewed hot coffee

1. Preheat the oven to 350° F.  Grease two 8-inch round baking tins with butter and line with non-stick baking paper (grease paper).  Dust the tins lightly with flour and tap out any excess.
2. Into a small bowl, using a fine mesh sieve, sift the cocoa 2 times.
3. In the bowl of an electric mixer, using a fine mesh sieve, sift the flour, sugar, cocoa powder (for the third time), baking soda, baking powder and salt. Attach the paddle attachment and mix on low speed.
4. In a separate bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, oil, eggs and vanilla.
5. Add the buttermilk mixture to the flour mixture and slowly mix on low speed until just combined (do not over-mix).
6. Gradually add the hot coffee and mix until fully combined.
7. Pour the batter into the prepared baking tins.  Bake until a cake tester inserted in the centre of the cakes comes out clean, about 35 minutes.
8. Let the cakes cool in the pans on a wire rack for 30 minutes; then invert the cakes and return the cakes to the wire rack to cool completely.  Remove the parchment paper.

White Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting

(Adapted From Sheila, tasteduds and originally from Cheryl, Cupcake Bakeshop)

• 7 ounces white chocolate, coarsely chopped
• ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 2 cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted
• Gel Paste food colouring (Wilton Pink)

1. Using a spatula, stir the white chocolate in a bowl set over a pan of just simmering water until melted and smooth.  Set aside to cool for 10 minutes.
2. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment on medium speed beat the butter and cream cheese until fluffy, 3 to 4 minutes.
3. Add the white chocolate and vanilla and beat to combine.
4. Reduce speed to low.  Add the confectioners’ sugar, ½ cup at a time, and mix until smooth and combined, scraping down sides and bottom of bowl as needed.
5. Using a toothpick add a drop of gel paste food colouring and mix until well combined. Repeat until you have reached the desired colouring.

Assembling and Decorating Chocolate Layer Cake

1. Using a pastry brush, brush all crumbs from the cakes.
2. Set a cake layer on a serving platter with the flat side facing up.
3. Evenly spread one-third of the frosting over the cake to the edge.
4. Top with second cake layer, rounded side up.
5. Spread the remaining frosting over the top and sides of the cake.
6. Starting at the base of the cake, gently press doughnut (unglazed side) on the side of the cake. Continue all the way around the cake and repeat with the second layer.  Garnish with 3 doughnuts on the top of the cake (unglazed sides in).

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Baked White Chocolate Cake Doughnuts

(Makes 36 mini cake doughnuts)

• 1¼ cups cake flour
• ½ cup sugar
• 1¼ teaspoons baking powder
• 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ½ cup buttermilk
• 1 large egg
• 1½ tablespoons butter, melted
• ½ teaspoon clear vanilla extract
• 4 ounces (100 g) white chocolate, melted

1. Preheat oven to 425° F.  Spray mini doughnut pan with non-stick cooking spray, set aside.
2. Place the chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over a small saucepan of just simmering water and using a spatula stir until chocolate is melted and smooth, set aside to cool.
3. Into a large bowl, using a fine-mesh sieve, sift together the flour, sugar, baking powder, nutmeg and salt.  Whisk to combine.
4. In a small bowl whisk together the buttermilk, egg, butter and vanilla.
5. Add the buttermilk mixture to the flour mixture and whisk to just combine.
6. Add the cooled chocolate and whisk to just combine.
7. Place the doughnut batter into a large piping bag fitted with a small coupler and screw (no tip required).  Pipe batter into doughnut pan.  Tap doughnut pan lightly on counter.
8. Bake until the tops of the doughnuts spring back when touched, about 4 to 6 minutes.  Remove from oven and cool in doughnut pan on a wire rack for 5 minutes before removing (do not miss this step).
9. Remove from pan and place on wire rack to cool completely.
10. Finish the doughnuts with glaze and sprinkles.

Vanilla Doughnut Glaze

• ¼ cup milk
• 1 teaspoon clear vanilla extract
• 2 cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted
• Gel paste food colouring (if using)

1. Warm the milk and vanilla in a medium saucepan set over low heat.
2. Add the confectioners’ sugar and whisk slowly until well combined.
3. If tinting glaze, using a toothpick, add a drop of gel paste at a time, whisking to combine well, until you’ve reach the desired colour.
4. Remove from heat and set over a bowl of warm water (you may have to reheat over low heat occasionally).

Assembling Doughnuts

1. Dip doughnuts, one-at-a-time, in the glaze and set on a rack placed over a baking sheet.  Decorate with sprinkles (if using) immediately.
2. Repeat with remaining doughnuts.  Let set 5 minutes before serving.

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