DULCE DE LECHE CAKE

 

it's a double cake week on modest marce! this might be the BEST week ever. tonight i am celebrating halloween & attending the R.O.M's halloween bash dressed as creulla de vil. what's a better way to party then partying in a museum?! i cannot wait to spray paint half my hair white tonight. so what are we celebrating today with this fancy cake? i mean.. even though halloween hasn't technically happened yet, i think we have celebrated it enough on the blog (re: pumpkin chocolate cake, chocolate caramel apples, spicy pumpkin seeds). instead we are celebrating the launch of woven magazine's kickstarter campaign. this magazine has been created by two very awesome west coast people, jeremy & christi, who i have been fortunate to work with. this month, they need our help to create issue one of woven magazine in print. please check out the campaign & all the beautiful work they have created thus far, i know you'll love it.

happy weekend! happy halloween! happy trick or treating! xo

ingredients

for the cake

  • 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 1/2 cups white sugar
  • 1/4 cup dulce de leche
  • 3 large eggs
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 1/2 cup vegetable oil
  • 2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup whole milk

for the frosting

  • 1 1/2 cups unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 3-4 cups icing sugar, or to taste
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 2 tablespoon + 1 cup dulce de leche

directions

  • for the cake: preheat oven to 325 degrees. in the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment cream butter, sugar and dulce. add the eggs and mix until light and fluffy. mix in vanilla and oil until combined. in a separate bowl sift the flour, baking powder, and salt. gradually add to stand mixer at low speed. once flour is JUST combined into the wet ingredients, add the milk. evenly distribute batter into two 9-inch cake pans. bake for 20-25 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. let cakes cool completely before flipping onto a cooling rack.
  • for the frosting: add butter, icing sugar, vanilla & 2 tablespoons of dulce in the bowl of a stand mixer and whip until light and fluffy, about 8-10 minutes. remaining dulce will be used to assemble the cake.
  • assembly: cut cakes evenly down the middle so you have four thin layers of cake. begin with the first layer of cake, followed by a thick layer of frosting & finished with a layer of dulce de leche. repeat until the top layer. for the final layer simply frost the top & edges with the buttercream. drizzel with left over dulce if desired.

like what you see? get it here. cake stand | wood measuring cups | linens | cake server | plate

SPICY PUMPKIN SEEDS + PUMPKIN CARVING SCENES

 

i think roasting pumpkin seeds is an equally important halloween tradition as pumpkin carving. i mean, the two pretty much go hand in hand since you have to scoop out the pumpkin guts anyways before carving. judging by the big smile on my face this is my favourite part. our pumpkin was inspired by the movie the nightmare before christmas, which i just recently watched on netflix. it was also inspired by the pumpkin we carved a couple years ago, but instead we carved a happy faced jack skellington. this year we went full halloween & gave jack an evil smile. when lit up (see last photo) he looks pretttttty spooky. the pumpkin seed recipe below is for spicy roasted pumpkin seeds, something a little different from all the sweet stuff i tend to make. i figured halloween comes with enough sugary treats, so why not kick it up a bit with some spice!

ingredients

  • 1.5 to 2 cups pumpkin seeds, rinsed & dried
  • 1 tablespoon melted butter
  • 1 teaspoon chili flakes
  • 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder or garlic salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon paprika
  • 1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

directions

  • in a mixing bowl toss pumpkin seeds with butter, chili flakes, garlic salt, paprika, cayenne pepper & salt.
  • roast at 300 degrees for

like what you see? get it here. gentle fawn cardigan | mixing bowl | dip bowls | silpat

PUMPKIN CHOCOLATE CAKE ft. WOVEN MAGAZINE

 

over the past couple weeks i worked on a super exciting feature with the creators of wovenmagazine!!!! a west coast based magazine who captures the stories of makers, artist & thinkers. check out the interview with me + the recipe for this pumpkin chocolate layer cake! both the pumpkin & chocolate layers are made with fresh pumpkin. make this for an upcoming halloween party or have it grace your thanksgving holiday table. it might just be better then pumpkin pie (yeah i said it).

get the article here.

xo

ingredients

for the pumpkin cake

  • 1 ½ cups raw sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 cup pumpkin puree (fresh or canned)
  • ½ cup oil
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • ½ cup whole milk
  • 1 ¾ cup flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • ¼ teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon cinnamon
  • ½ teaspoon nutmeg

for the pumpkin chocolate cake

  • 1 ½ cups raw sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 cup pumpkin puree (fresh or canned)
  • ½ cup oil
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • ½ cup whole milk
  • 1 ½ cup flour
  • ¼ cup Dutch cocoa powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • ¼ teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon cinnamon
  • ½ teaspoon nutmeg

for the buttercream frosting

  • 1 1/2 cups unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 3-4 cups powdered sugar, or to taste
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

directions

  • for the pumpkin cake: in a mixing bowl add sugar, eggs, pumpkin, oil & vanilla. Mix until the ingredients are well combined & the eggs are light/fluffy. In a separate bowl sift the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon & nutmeg. Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, alternating with the milk. Stir until a smooth batter is formed. Grease & flour two 9-inch round cake pans, divide batter equally amongst the two. Bake at 325 degrees for 20-25 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean.

  • for the pumpkin chocolate cake: while the pumpkin cakes are in the oven, begin making the chocolate batter. In a mixing bowl add sugar, eggs, pumpkin, oil & vanilla. Mix until the ingredients are well combined & the eggs are light/fluffy. In a separate bowl sift the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon & nutmeg. Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, alternating with the milk. Stir until a smooth batter is formed. Grease & flour two 9-inch round cake pans, divide batter equally amongst the two. Bake at 325 degrees for 20-25 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean.

  • for the buttercream frosting: once both your cakes have cooled completely, make your frosting. In the bowl of a stand mixer using the beater attachment (or using hand held beaters) add your butter, sugar, and vanilla. Whip until light & fluffy, about 8 minutes.

  • to assemble: Start with the pumpkin layer, a generous amount of frosting followed by the chocolate pumpkin layer. Repeat. Frost the outside of the cake as desired.

like what you see? get it here. cake stand | cake server | linen | mixing bowl | wooden spoon | plates | mug | apron