sugar redefined: strawberry, vanilla & black pepper

if you missed the lime and pink pepper corn cake feature of my new and very first book sugar redefined go check it out!

this last cake that i will feature for sugar redefined is super fun, cute, and very pink! it’s fruity with a bite of fresh strawberry, has a kick to it with the black pepper, and a hint of sweetness from a lovely white chocolate ganache drip.

i figured i should probably give some more detail on what sugar redefined contains. there are all sorts of weird flavors in this book that you probably would never have thought of. some ingredients are: herbs, odd spices like curry, fruits, some veggies, and even spirits because who doesn’t like a little extra in their cake? now these ingredients are paired with the best side kicks to make the oddness stick out more but also blend in and not be beyond disgusting. so when you see curry, don’t worry, it’s with something that makes it so good!

always have that creative spark; find your inspiration and make it into something great

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strawberry, vanilla & black pepper cake

makes one 3-layer, 6-inch cake

3 sticks unsalted butter
1 1/2 cup granulated sugar
5 eggs
2 vanilla beans, scraped
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 2/3 cup all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp fresh ground black pepper

preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. spray and line three 6-inch cake pans. in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, beat the butter and sugar until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes. scrape the sides of the bowl, add the eggs, vanilla bean, and vanilla and mix until incorporated. in a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and black pepper. add the dry mixture and the buttermilk alternating starting and ending with the dry in three parts. divide the batter evenly among the cake pans and bake for 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. let cool 10 minutes then carefully remove from the pans and continue cooling. (suggested to use a sheet pan with raised edges as this cake gets tall and more spill over the edges.)

filling

1 cup strawberries, cut and diced

buttercream

6 egg whites
1 3/4 cup granulated sugar
6 sticks unsalted butter
1 tsp vanilla
3/4-1 1/2 tsp fresh ground black pepper

for the buttercream, place the egg whites and sugar into the bowl of an electric mixer and place that over a pot of boiling water to create a double boiler. whisk together and let sit until the sugar has fully dissolved. using a whisk attachment, whip the egg whites until a meringue forms, about 3 minutes, and then slowly add the butter. let whip until fully incorporated, on high, for about 4 minutes. add the vanilla and black pepper.

ganache

2 oz heavy cream
2 oz white chocolate
1 tbsp dried strawberries, pulverized

for the ganache, place all the ingredients into a microwaveable bowl and heat in 15 second bursts, stirring, until the chocolate is melted. let cool.

assemble

to assemble, spread some buttercream on the first layer of cake, pipe around the edge of the cake, add the sliced strawberries, pushing them into the buttercream and top with more buttercream. repeat with the second layer of cake. Pour the ganache over the top of the frosted cake and let drip over the sides.

 

if you haven’t seen the lime and pink peppercorn cake feature please check it out! if you would like to order sugar redefined it is available in ebook format for $9.99 and is coming soon as a hard copy!