Naked Cake Tutorial
Some might find this appalling but I used a cake mix to demonstrate how easy this naked cake is to make! I love baking from scratch but there are definitely times when I’ve used a cake or brownie mix to allow me to be more present and enjoy the little moments. This cake makes a beautiful centerpiece and takes very little time or effort to make!
Any cake mix will work and I just happened to grab a strawberry Pillsbury box to try out. I recommend replacing the water with buttermilk (or regular milk) and oil with butter. Using higher quality eggs such as free range will naturally lower the total cholesterol in the recipe as well. Follow the package directions for preparing the cake and that’s it!
The first time I baked a multi layered cake I made the mistake of not using parchment paper in the bottom of my pans. It was almost impossible to get the layers out of my pans without them breaking apart.
Make sure to spray your pans lightly with a non-stick spray and then place parchment paper rounds on the bottom of the pans. This way you can run a knife around the baked layers and then turn them upside down for an easy release.
I used three 6” pans (Fat Daddio’s Cake Pans are my favorite) and divided the batter between them evenly.
Allow the cake layers to cool completely and then level each layer using a serrated knife for easy stacking. If you aren’t ready to frost and decorate your cake just yet, this is a good time to wrap the layers in plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator.
The next step is to make your frosting. I decided to make a simple cream cheese frosting to pair with my strawberry cake.
Frosting Recipe
Ingredients:
8 oz full-fat block cream cheese, softened to room temperature
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
4 cups confectioners’ sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon (or a pinch) of salt
Directions:
In a large bowl using a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a paddle or whisk attachment, beat the cream cheese and butter on high speed until smooth and creamy. Add the confectioners’ sugar, vanilla, and salt. Beat on low speed until combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula. Then switch to high speed for 2 minutes. Frosting should be thick and smooth.
Add a generous scoop of frosting to the first layer of your cake. Smooth with an off-set spatula or butter knife. Try not to allow the knife to touch the cake layers otherwise you’ll pull up crumbs into the frosting. If you’re feeling fancy, you can add a jam or filling of your choice in between the layers. I had an almost empty jar of strawberry jam to use up.
Place the next layer of cake on top of your frosting and repeat the process until finished.
Now for the fun part! Just remember, there are no rules and being creative is what it’s all about! You can use flowers, fruits, or whatever you have on hand to decorate the top of your cake. I had a bunch of extra flowers from the previous weekend that I wanted to put to good use. If you’re using flowers, make sure to use non-toxic flowers and greenery. Below is a list of safe flower options.
Some non-toxic flower options: Rose, Bachelor’s Button, Carnation, Chamomile, Chrysanthemum, Dianthus, Dahlia, Hibiscus, Nasturtium, Lavender, Pansy, Strawberry flowers (or the berry!), Viola, Violets