I’m going to come right out and say it… 2019 was a great year. It all began when I made the Norwegian Success Tart for Project Pastry Love and proclaimed that this new year would be a success. Well, it was! I wrote an article for Shore Monthly, I performed in two hilarious, and touching plays, I officially started my baking business, and I rode my bicycle around the neighborhood a dozen or so times. Don’t get me wrong, 2019 had it’s share of hardships, but through it all I remained grateful. You see, I normally count my negatives (i’m excellent at that), but this past year I decided to count my blessings. It wasn’t easy, but it made a difference.
One of the highlights of 2019 was winning a cocktail competition at a neighborhood Halloween party. I made a version of the classic Dark & Stormy cocktail (It will be going up on my cocktail blog in a couple weeks). So, in honor of that victory, a thank you to 2019, and a toast 2020 I made you a Dark & Stormy buttercream cake.
Happy New Year.
Let’s do it! I got this recipe from Sift Magazine‘s December 2017 issue. They did a spread on cocktail-inspired cakes. Seeing as how I’m a fan of both I jumped right in. The Dark and Stormy cake hits all of the notes from the classic cocktail– a ginger-flavored cake, a ginger beer/rum sugar syrup soak, and rum-flavored buttercream. Finally, I made candied limes and adorned them on top for garnish.
A couple of things to keep in mind when making this cake:
- You must soak the baked cakes in the sugar syrup. I found the cakes to be very dry on their own. Not only will it give it a wonderful texture (I’m going to say it… moist!), but it enhances the Dark and Stormy taste.
- To prevent cake batter from curdling, add a tablespoon of flour right after you’ve mixed in the first two eggs (there are four in total). Curdling happens when the eggs are mixed in all at once, and too quickly. A little flour, and mixing in an egg one at a time will help. You’ll find this step within the instructions.
- I made a “naked cake” (crumb coated on the side, and decorated on top) because I ran out of buttercream. If you’d like your cake to be fully clothed I suggest you double the buttercream recipe.
When the recipe calls for both brown and white sugar I always like to combine them before adding in the softened butter. I do this by pressing down with a fork to get out all of the lumps.
The batter is thick, so after you have divided it evenly between your cake pans smooth the top with an offset spatula. Bake for about 35 minutes in a 350 degree F. oven. I found this cake to be done when the internal temperature reached 190 degrees F.
I filled and then crumb coated the entire cake. I frosted one more layer of buttercream on top, to smooth it out, and give it a thicker appearance.
To clean and dress her up for the Ball, I piped around the perimeter using a star tip. I also piped out tiny “pearls” around her neck, and I gave a crown of candied limes. Voila!
Notes
Special equipment needed: Parchment paper, two 8-inch round cake pans, standing mixer with a paddle attachment, saucepan, offset spatula, rubber spatula, sifter, thermometer, piping bags, large star tip, wire racks, pastry brush, 8-inch cake board, cake turntable
Ingredients
For the cake:
- 3/4 cup (150 g) Granulated Sugar
- 3/4 cup (150 g) Brown Sugar
- 1 cup (2 sticks or 113 g) Unsalted Butter, softened
- 1 TBS Baking Powder
- 2 tsp. Ground Ginger
- 1/2 tsp. Salt
- 1 tsp. Vanilla Extract
- 4 Large Eggs, at room temperature
- 3 cups (375 g) All-Purpose Flour
- 3/4 cup Milk
- 1/4 cup Dark Rum
- 1/2 tsp. Rum Extract
For the Dark and Stormy Soak:
- 1/4 cup peeled, and sliced Fresh Ginger
- 1/2 cup (100 g) Granulated Sugar
- 3/4 cup Ginger Beer
- 1/4 cup Dark Rum
For the Rum Buttercream
- 3 sticks (169 g) Salted Butter, at room temperature (65 to 67 degrees F.)
- 1/4 cup Ginger Beer
- 1/2 tsp. Rum Extract
- 1 TBS Dark Rum
- 3 to 4 cups Powdered Sugar, sifted
- *This will make enough buttercream to fill, and frost a "naked" cake. Double the buttercream recipe if you'd like to fill, crumb coat, and completely cover the cake.
To make the candied limes:
- 1 Lime, cut in thin slices
- 1/2 cup (100 g) Granulated Sugar
- 2 TBS Sugar
- 1/2 cup Water
Instructions
To make the cake:
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and line with parchment two 8-inch round cake pans (grease the parchment too).
- In a bowl connected to a standing mixer fitted with paddle attachment mix the two sugars with a fork. Be sure to press down the mixture so that there are no clumps. Add the butter, baking powder, ground ginger, salt, and vanilla and mix for 5 minutes, or until light and fluffy.
- Beat in 2 eggs (one at a time) until combined. Add a tablespoon of the flour, and mix. Beat in the remaining 2 eggs (one at a time) until combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
- While the mixer is on low speed, and in three batches, alternate adding the flour, and the milk to the mixture. Be sure to begin and end with the flour. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
- Mix in the rum extract, and dark rum.
- Divide the batter between the two cake pans. Using an offset spatula, smooth out the tops, and then drop the cake pans about 3 inches above onto the counter top to extract any air bubbles.
- Bake for 30 to 35 minutes (rotating halfway). Cakes are down when they spring back when lightly touched, and the internal temperature reaches 190 degrees F.
- Cool in the pans on a wire rack for 10 minutes, and then extract them from the pans to continue to cool.
To make the Dark and Stormy soak:
- In a medium-sized saucepan bring the ginger, sugar, ginger beer, and rum to a boil (stirring occasionally). Once the sugar has dissolved remove the saucepan from the stove. Set aside.
To make the rum buttercream:
- In a bowl connected to standing mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter on medium speed for 10 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
- Pour in the ginger beer, rum extract, and dark rum, and beat for 30 seconds. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
- Add a cup of the sifted powdered sugar, and mix for only 30 seconds. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Repeat until you reach your desired consistency.
To make the candied limes:
- In a small-sized saucepan, bring the water and 1/2 cup of sugar to a simmer.
- Add the lime slices, and continue to simmer for 10 to 15 minutes, or until the pith of the limes appear translucent.
- Drain and spread the limes on a wire rack to cool (about an hour).
- Once the lime slices are dry, coat each in the 2 tablespoons of sugar. Set aside.
For assembly:
- Once they are completely cool level each cake. Place them on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
- Using a pastry brush, brush the Dark and Stormy sugar syrup onto the cut side of cakes. Be sure to use about 1/4 cup of the soak on each cake.
- Flip the cakes over, and brush about 1/4 cup of the Dark and Stormy sugar syrup on the flat side.
- Place an 8-inch round cake board on your cake turntable. Place one of the cakes on top with the cut side up.
- Smooth on 3/4 cup of the buttercream. Make sure it is leveled.
- Place the second cake on top of the buttercream layer (cut side down).
- Crumb coat the cake. Be sure to put extra frosting on top, so that it is thicker than the sides.
- Decorate the cake how ever you'd like with the remaining buttercream. Cover with the candied limes.
- Enjoy!
