Cake & Tiered Stands

Flora and Fauna Vanilla Cake

204 Park

Canada has 46 national parks and national park reserves that cover 303,571 square kilometers, which equates to 3 percent of Canada's total land that's preserved through Parks Canada. That's why Diana from 204 Park created this rustic, tiered vanilla cake that looks gorgeous on a simple cake stand to celebrate her favorite part about Canada: its natural beauty.

Ingredients

For the cake:

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• ¼ tsp salt
• 1 ½ sticks unsalted butter, softened
• 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 6 egg whites
• ¾ cup milk

For the icing:

• 4 ½ sticks unsalted butter, room temperature
• 9 cups powdered sugar
• 3 tsps vanilla extract
• 3 to 4 tbsp milk

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

2.Mix together the flour, baking powder and salt.

3. Mix the butter and granulated sugar in a mixer for five minutes or until mixture is very smooth, then add in the vanilla extract.

4.In a separate mixing bowl, whisk together egg whites and milk.

5.With the mixer on slow, add the milk and egg whites a bit at a time until the two mixtures are fully blended together.

6. Pour the batter into two greased 9-inch pans. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean. Allow to cool for at least five minutes before removing from pan.

7. While the cake is baking, make the icing by mix together the remaining butter with the powdered sugar and remaining vanilla extract. Continue mixing and add the milk a little at a time until the icing reaches desired consistency.

8. Optional: Add fresh greenery, woodland animal figurines, or chocolate flakes to resemble dirt for an earthy finish!

Maple Bacon Cake Donuts

The Cheerio Diaries

What's the one thing that's better than cake? Donuts. And what's the one thing that's better than donuts? Enough donuts to pile high on a cake stand in the shape of a cake. Andria from The Cheerio Diaries made these donuts to celebrate one of Canada's signature flavors: Maple. And as for the sprinkles on the icing? Bacon.

Ingredients

For the donuts:

• 1 cup sugar
• 4 tsp baking powder
• 1 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 eggs
• 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
• 1 cup milk
• 4 cups flour

For the maple glaze with bacon sprinkles:

• 2 cups powdered sugar
• 2 tbsp milk
• 2 tbsp maple syrup
• 1 cup cooked bacon, chopped

Instructions

1. In a large bowl mix together sugar, baking powder and salt.

2. Add in eggs, milk and melted butter and beat entire mixture well.

3. Add in the first three cups of flour, beating until well blended. Mix in fourth cup. The mixture should start to pull away from the sides and form a soft dough. If it feels too sticky, add a little more flour.

4. Cover with plastic wrap and chill in fridge for at least one hour.

5. Remove dough from fridge and cut in half. On a lightly floured surface roll to 1/2" thick.

6. Cut dough into circles (or any desired shape).

7. Fry donuts in 1" of oil, heated to 350 degrees Fahrenheit in large metal skillet. Donuts will puff up as they cook. Turn the donuts over as they brown. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes total, then remove from skillet and place on paper towel to absorb the excess oil.

8. While the donuts are cooling, make the glaze by whisking together powdered sugar and milk. While continuing to whisk, add in maple syrup.

9. If glaze is thicker than desired, add in more maple syrup until desired consistency is reached.

10. Dip donuts in glaze and place on parchment to cool.

11. Sprinkle donuts with chopped bacon before icing dries.

12. Once the icing is set grab your cake stand and start stacking. Decorate with candles, flowers -- the options are endless!

Vanilla Almond Love Cake

Creative Wife Joyful Worker

Codi Lynn of Creative Wife and Joyful Worker celebrated Canada's birthday by using this cake recipe passed down from her mother. This vanilla almond tiered cake pays homage to the Canadian flag by using red fondant to depict the maple leaf and hearts on the cake's façade. Canada may be turning 150, but the maple leaf has been used as an emblem of the country as early as the beginning of the eighteenth century.

Ingredients

For the cake:

• ¾ cup shortening
• ¾ cup butter
• 3 cups granulated sugar
• 5 eggs, room temperature
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tbsp baking powder
• ¼ tsp salt
• 1 cup almond milk
• 1 tbsp essence of almond

For the icing:

• ¾ cup butter, room temperature
• ¾ cup shortening
• 1/3 cup bleached flour
• 1 tbsp almond milk
• ½ tsp essence of almond
• 1 ¼ cup icing sugar

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

2. Prepare 8-inch square pan and 6-inch square pan by lining each with parchment paper or shortening.

3. In a large bowl, cream the butter and shortening together until light and fluffy.

4. Slowly add the granulated sugar one cup at a time, mixing as you go.

5. Add in eggs one at a time, making sure each is completely mixed before adding the next one.

6. In another medium-sized bowl, sift all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt together.

7. In another small bowl, mix together vanilla and almond milk.

8. Add flour mixture and milk mixture, alternating into your first large bowl. Mix until everything is added.

9. Distribute cake batter between both pans and bake for 50-60 minutes. When done, set aside to cool. Let fully cool before decorating and cutting into layers (best if cooled overnight).

11. While the cake cools, make your frosting by whipping the butter and shortening until fluffy.

12. Sift bleached flour and add slowly to the butter and shortening mixture.

13. Slowly mix in almond milk.

14. Add icing sugar while continuing to mix until desired consistency is reached.

Maple Cake with Caramel Frosting

My 3 Little Kittens

This cake from Kristen of My 3 Little Kittens also focuses on the signature flavor of Canada. In fact, Canada produces so much maple that the province of Quebec alone accounts for 75 percent of the world's maple output! Kristen used syrup to give this cake its maple flavor and took it up a notch by adding a caramel frosting in traditional Canadian colors.

Ingredients

For the cake:

• 1 cup butter
• 2 ½ cups flour
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup sour cream
• ¾ cup pure maple syrup
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• ½ tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

For the caramel frosting:

• ½ cup butter
• ½ cup shortening
• 4 cups icing sugar
• 4 tbsp milk
• 1 tsp caramel extract

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease a 9-inch round baking pan.

2. In a bowl, mix flour, baking soda and baking powder.

3. Using a mixer, beat butter, sugar, and maple syrup on medium speed for approximately 5 minutes. Then add in eggs, mixing between each addition. Mix in vanilla.

4. Add flour mixture and sour cream a little at a time until combined on low speed.

5. Pour cake mix into greased pan and bake for 35 minutes.

6. While the cake is baking, make the icing by creaming together butter and shortening. Mix in caramel extract and icing sugar. Mix in milk last, and spread evenly on cake.

True North Maple Cake (Vegan)

Woman in Real Life

Joann of Woman in Real Life put a non-traditional spin on the traditional maple flavor by making it completely vegan. The layers of maple cake and maple buttercream frosting come together with a strawberry filling that gives the added bonus of Canada red. Place it on a simple red cake stand and you'll have a stunner for the big 1-5-0!

Ingredients

For the cake:

• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tbsp ground flax
• ¾ cup organic sugar
• 1 cup almond milk mixed with ½ tablespoon apple cider vinegar
• ½ cup maple syrup
• ½ cup grapeseed oil (or other light oil)

For the strawberry filling:

• 2 cups diced strawberries
• ¼ cup organic sugar
• ¼ cup water
• 1 tbsp cornstarch

For the maple buttercream icing:

• ¾ cup vegan margarine
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tbsp maple syrup
• 3 cups icing sugar
• 1 ½ to 2 tbsp almond milk
• ¼ tsp salt

Instructions

For the cake:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease two 8-inch round cake pans (or line bottoms with parchment paper and spray sides with cooking spray).

2. In a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda and salt.

3. In a small bowl, combine ground flax with 4 tablespoons of water. Set aside to thicken for 5 minutes or so.

4. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flax “egg,” sugar, almond milk mixture, maple syrup and oil.

5. Stir wet ingredients into the dry ingredients until just combined.

6. Divide batter evenly between the two cake pans.

7. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until a knife inserted into the centre comes out clean.

8. Remove from pans onto a cooling rack to cool.

For the strawberry filling

1. To make the strawberry filling, in a small pot, heat strawberries over medium heat, stirring constantly and mashing slightly until they start to soften.

2. Add sugar and continue to stir

3. Mix cornstarch into water. Add to pot and continue stirring regularly until the mixture thickens, about three to four minutes.

For the maple buttercream icing:

1. In a large bowl, beat the margarine, vanilla and maple sytrup with an electric mixer until smooth and fluffy, about a minute.

2. Add the icing sugar, a cup at a time, and continue mixing.

3. Add salt and 1 tablespoon almond milk and beat until combined. Add more almond milk ½ tablespoon at a time until right consistency is reached.

For assembly:

1. Trim the rounded top off of each layer of cake.

2. Apply a thin layer of icing to the bottom layer of cake. Smooth on the strawberry filling. Place the second cake layer on top.

3. Ice the whole thing or only the top if you prefer.

4. Optional: Double the cake recipe for a taller, four-layer cake. Try crumbling the trimmed-off cake over vegan ice cream and top with any leftover strawberry filling to eliminate waste and treat the chef (you!).