These cupcakes with broken glass were made for my nephew’s birthday. They came out so spooky that I decided I’d post them here in time for Halloween. For sugar glass, I experimented with a few different techniques before using the one that gave me the cleanest glass.
| Prep Time: | 45 mins |
| Cook Time: | 20 mins |
| Additional Time: | 30 mins |
| Total Time: | 1 hr 35 mins |
| Servings: | 24 |
| Yield: | 1 11×17-inch cake |
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups white sugar
- 1 cup butter, softened
- 3 large eggs, at room temperature
- ½ cup sour cream, at room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 pinch salt
- 1 cup milk, at room temperature
- 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
- ½ cup white sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups heavy whipping cream
- 2 cups sliced fresh strawberries
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour an 11×17-inch baking pan with 1-inch high sides.
- Prepare the cake: Beat sugar and butter together in a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy. Beat eggs one at a time into the butter mixture; beat in sour cream and vanilla.
- Sift flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together in a bowl. With the mixer at low speed, add flour mixture to butter mixture alternately with milk just until combined. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl and finish mixing with a rubber spatula. Pour batter into the prepared pan; spread to corners of the pan and smooth the top with a spatula.
- Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Cool cake completely, about 30 minutes. To remove cake from the pan, run a paring knife between cake and the pan. Cover cake pan with a plate or cooling rack; invert to transfer cake onto a plate.
- Make the frosting: Beat cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla together in a bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed until fluffy, about 2 minutes. Reduce mixer speed to low; slowly pour in cream. Once cream is incorporated, turn mixer speed to medium-high; beat until stiff peaks form, about 2 minutes.
- Spread cream cheese mixture evenly over top and sides of cake, smoothing the top.
- Finish with decoration: Place 2 to 3 rows of overlapping strawberry slices parallel to the short sides of the cake for the two red stripes of the Canadian flag. Trace out a maple leaf shape in the center of the cake with a toothpick. Use points of strawberry slices to create points of the maple leaf. Cut a strip of strawberry for the leaf stem. Fill in the area of the maple leaf with sliced strawberries.
- Refrigerate cake until ready to serve.
- This cake can be decorated and served right in the pan for easier transport. If removing the cake from the pan, frost the sides and add sliced strawberries around the edge for a nice presentation.
- Raspberries can be used for the sides of the flag, but strawberries work best for the maple leaf. You can find maple leaf templates for your cake online.
- Store leftover cake, covered, in the refrigerator.
Nutrition Facts
| Calories | 311 kcal |
| Carbohydrate | 29 g |
| Cholesterol | 84 mg |
| Dietary Fiber | 1 g |
| Protein | 4 g |
| Saturated Fat | 12 g |
| Sodium | 205 mg |
| Sugars | 18 g |
| Fat | 20 g |
| Unsaturated Fat | 0 g |
Reviews
My baking time for this recipe was 33 minutes @ 375°. I found that 20 minutes for a cake this large was not enough time. Also I had to whip the icing for 4 minutes (not 2) in order to have stiff peaks. Otherwise my Canada Day practice cake was perfect!
Best vanilla cake I have ever made or tasted. So moist, simple and delicious. I brought it to a Canada Day party and there wasn’t a crumb left.
I made a Halloween cake using this recipe. I used a bundt pan to make a pumpkin shape, layered the two pieces with purple buttercream frosting, then covered with white fondant. The cake held up very well. I followed the recipe exactly as written, with the exception of adding an additional teaspoon of vanilla and 1 tsp of almond extract. That is just a personal preference though. I also added food coloring to make the batter orange. I will use this recipe for all of my vanilla cake needs!
This came out great! The cake is very tasty and the frosting is amazing. I only had an 11 x 15 inch pan and it came out fine. Next time I will have some sliced strawberries on hand to serve with pieces that end up without strawberries on them.
I made this cake for a July 1st, Canada 150 party. Exactly as written — it was delicious. The best white cake I’ve ever tasted, 20 other people agreed and I had none left at the end of the night. I will be using this cake and frosting recipe again. Won’t be waiting for next Canada day.
Wow! This is one wonderful, moist, tasty cake!! Made it as directed….although should have let ingredients sit longer at room temperature….just had to mix longer. I didn’t make the frosting….I used it for strawberry shortcake instead…. hardly even needs frosting!! Although not a white cake…its yellow in color….its better than any yellow I’ve ever had.
I made it exactly as called for but split it into two for a two day celebration. Will make it again and maybe not wait until Canada Day 😀
This also makes a great Layer cake for any occasion! Put the batter in two 8 or 9 inch round cake pans and bake for 18-20 minutes.
This was the best vanilla cake I’ve ever made, and the whipped cream cheese frosting is magic. I was impressed, too, that the leftover cake was still in good shape the next day.