Best Flowers And Vines Cake Recipes

MOONCAKES

Steps:

• For the lotus paste: Place the dried lotus seeds in a medium bowl and cover with plenty of room temperature water. Let the seeds soak and rehydrate for at least 6 hours, and preferably overnight.
• Rinse the lotus seeds under cold water, then split them in half to remove and discard the green sprout in the center (they are very bitter). Transfer the seeds to a large pot and fill with plenty of water. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce to medium-low and simmer until the seeds are tender enough to smash with a fork, about 1 hour. Drain well, then transfer the seeds to a food processor while they are still warm, add 3/4 cup sugar and puree until very smooth. (Add 1 to 2 tablespoons water if necessary to get a very smooth texture). Strain through a fine mesh sieve into a medium bowl.
• Melt 1 tablespoon vegetable shortening and the remaining 2 tablespoons sugar in a medium nonstick skillet over medium-high heat, then cook until caramelized and deep golden, about 5 minutes. Add the lotus puree and cook, stirring continuously, until most of the moisture has been cooked out and the puree is similar in texture to thick mashed potatoes, 6 to 8 minutes. Add the remaining 1/3 cup vegetable shortening, then continue to cook, stirring continuously, until all of the shortening has fully incorporated and the paste is very thick, glossy and pulls away from the sides of the pan, about 6 minutes more. (The final lotus paste should be amber brown in color and almost stretchy in texture.) Transfer to a medium bowl and let cool completely.
• For the mooncake dough: Meanwhile, whisk together the golden syrup, alkaline water and vegetable oil in a large bowl until combined. Add the cake and all-purpose flours, then stir with a wooden spoon until a shaggy dough forms. Gently knead the dough until it comes together completely, then wrap in plastic wrap and set aside to rest, about 45 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Divide the lotus paste into 12 equal pieces (each about 2 1/2 tablespoons) and roll into golf ball-size balls. Place on a plate and chill in the refrigerator, 20 to 30 minutes. The colder the balls, the easier it will be to shape the mooncakes.
• Roll about 1 tablespoon of the mooncake dough into a ball, then place between 2 pieces of parchment paper that have been lightly dusted with flour. Use a rolling pin to flatten the dough to about 1/8 inch thick and 3 1/2 to 4 inches wide. Place one of the lotus paste balls in the center of the dough, and shape the dough around it, pinching the edges to seal. Roll the ball in your hands to smooth the exterior.
• Place the assembled ball in a plastic 2-inch wide miniature mooncake press mold, then turn the press upright on your work surface. Press the plunger down until you feel resistance, then lift the mooncake mold off the table and use the plunger to carefully press the mooncake out. Transfer to the prepared baking sheet, then refrigerate while you make the remaining mooncakes in the same manner.
• Bake the mooncakes until the tops are no longer shiny and the dough has just set, 10 to 12 minutes. Let cool 10 minutes. Whisk the egg together with a splash of water in a small bowl, then brush over the tops and sides of each mooncake. Return to the oven and bake until deep golden brown, 10 to 15 minutes more. Let cool on the baking sheet 10 minutes, then transfer to a rack to cool completely. Enjoy fresh or store in an airtight container for 2 days (they'll get shinier as they sit).

BLOOMING SPRING FLOWER CAKE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F. Spray bottom of 13x9-inch pan with cooking spray.
• In large bowl, beat cake mix, water, oil and eggs with electric mixer on medium speed 2 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally. Pour into pan.
• Bake 28 to 33 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes. Run knife around sides of pan to loosen cake. Place cooling rack upside down over cake. Turn upside down carefully so cake is on rack, and remove pan. Turn upside down onto another rack, and flip cake right side up. Cool completely, about 1 hour.
• In 2 medium bowls, place 3/4 cup each of frosting. To 1 bowl, add red food color to desired pink color; to other bowl, add blue food color to desired color. In 2 small bowls, place 1/3 cup each of frosting; add yellow and green food colors to desired colors.
• Place cake, top side up, on serving platter. Spread remaining 1 1/2 cups frosting on top and sides of cake.
• Using photo as guide, decorate as follows: Fit 1 decorating bag with large size star piping tip; fill bag with pink frosting. Pipe center of a rosette flower onto top of cake. Touch piping tip to cake to attach frosting-apply steady pressure to bag while squeezing; pipe in a tight circle to make a flower about 2 inches in diameter, tapping tip to cake to complete flower, and lift off. Continue to pipe different size rosettes and stars over top of cake with pink frosting. Next add blue frosting to same decorating bag. Continue to pipe rosettes and stars with blue frosting.
• Fit another decorating bag with medium-size star piping tip; fill with yellow frosting. Pipe different size rosettes and stars around top of cake to fill in empty spaces. Fit another decorating bag with small round piping tip, and fill with green frosting. Pipe green leaves and vines to fill in spaces.
• Store loosely covered at room temperature.

PEEPS SUNFLOWER CAKE

Steps:

• Prepare and bake cake mix according to package directions, using two parchment-lined and greased 9-in. round baking pans. Cool in pans 10 minutes before removing to wire racks; remove paper. Cool completely., If cake layers have rounded tops, trim with a long serrated knife to make level. Spread frosting between layers and over top and sides of cake. , For petals, arrange Peeps around edge of cake, curving slightly and being careful not to separate chicks. For sunflower seeds, arrange chocolate chips in center of cake.

FLOWERPOT CAKES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Brush inside of each flowerpot with oil, and line bottom with parchment paper round. Brush parchment with oil, and lightly dust with cocoa.
• Sift cocoa, flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and salt into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Add egg and yolk, 3/4 cup warm water, buttermilk, oil, and vanilla; mix on low speed until smooth, about 1 minute.
• Divide batter among prepared pots, filling each about two-thirds full. Transfer to a rimmed baking sheet. Bake, rotating sheet about halfway through, until a cake tester inserted into centers comes out clean, 45 to 50 minutes. Let cakes cool completely in the flowerpots on a wire rack.
• Frost cakes with an offset spatula; sprinkle with crushed cookies. Top with candies; "plant" 1 mint sprig in each cake.