We're so excited to share this recipe and craft with you! We made a purple cake (without food coloring!), iced it with cream cheese frosting (yum!) and used red and purple sanding sugar to highlight the celebration of our 15th year. It's easy and fun!
Make this cake for a gathering or turn it into an activity! Have each lady bring a frosted cake and provide candy and cake decorations for everyone to decorate their cake together. So many fun possibilities!
Check out the step-by-step photos below as a guide. Happy 15 years Red Hat Society!
Purple Celebration Cake
Adapted from Smitten Kitchen
Cake
1 stick unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup frozen raspberries, thawed and pureed in blender
1/2 cup frozen blueberries, thawed and pureed in blender
3 egg whites
1/3 cup milk
1 1/2 cups cake flour (to make your own cake flour, measure out 1 1/2 cups of all-purpose flour, subtract 3 tablespoons of flour and replace with 3 tablespoons of cornstarch. Sift twice to combine and proceed.)
3/4 cup sugar
1 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
a little extra softened butter for greasing the pan
Frosting
1 - 8 oz. package cream cheese, at room temperature
1/2 stick unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 teaspoon real vanilla extract
3/4 cup confectioners sugar, sifted (or more to taste)
Decoration
cardboard
exacto blade or sharp scissors
red and purple sanding sugar
spoon
Make the Cake
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Butter an 8 inch round or square pan. Line the bottom with parchment and butter the paper.
- In a stand mixer (like a kitchen aid with paddle attachment) or with an electric mixer, blend the softened butter with the fruit puree until light and fluffy, 2-3 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a flexible spatula and blend, again, 30 seconds more. Add egg whites and milk and blend until combine thoroughly.
- In a medium bowl, combine cake flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Use a whisk to combine. Add to the butter/fruit/egg/milk mixture and combine with a spoon or spatula until you don't see any more flour the the batter is just combined. Do not overmix.
- Pour batter into your prepared 8 inch pan. Bake the cake for 25-35 minutes or until a toothpick or cake tester inserted in the center of the baked cake comes out clean. Cool cake completely before frosting.
Make the Frosting
- In the bowl of a stand mixer (like a Kitchen Aid mixer with a paddle attachment) or a large bowl with an electric mixer, cream together the softened cream cheese and butter. Blend for 2-3 minutes or until the mixture is light and fluffy. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, add the vanilla and mix until thoroughly combined.
- Add 3/4 cups of sifted confectioners sugar and mix until combined. Taste to see if you would like the frosting sweeter and add more sugar, if you like.
Decorate
- Use scraps of wax or parchment paper and tuck under each side of the cake to keep your serving plate clean. If you have a lazy susan, this helps to turn and spread the frosting, too.
- Spread a thin coating of room temperature frosting on the completely cooled cake. Start with the sides and then frost the top. Once a thin, even layer is applied, add the rest of your frosting and spread evenly.
- Use a cardboard box (leftover from cereal, granola bars, etc.) and draw out the number 15. Use an exacto blade or sharp scissors to cut the letters out of the cardboard.
- Place the stencil over your cake, making sure to center it the best you can. Press down a bit to make sure the stencil lays flat on the cake.
- Use a spoon to carefully add the sugar into each stencil. Spoon both sugar colors around the edge, too, if you like. Serve and enjoy!
Labels: 15th anniversary celebration, cake, craft, purple celebration cake, red hat society, RHS
