Lady Cakes by Katie Smiley

Lady Cakes

a book on baking and female friendship by Katie Smiley

In celebration of all female friendships built on joy and an agressive believe in each otherâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s capacity. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s been fun smashing the patriarchy together.

About This book is a collection of cakes I’ve created for some of my most enduring friendships. I love birthdays. Maybe it’s because my mom always celebrated birthdays with festive style and and I’ve had the good fortune of having such excellent people in my life. But I look forward to birthdays for the chance to reflect on the important role someone has played in my life. When I was freshly graduated from college, I wanted to do something special for friends’ birthdays, but had limited options with my $11 /hr lifestyle. So I started making cakes. I wasn’t a technically skilled baker, so instead of trying to make the most delicious cakes ever, I sought to create cakes that were as unique and non-standard issue as the birthday celebrant. What started as a frugal solution, turned into a favorite ritual: capturing the majesty of the people in my life in the form of cake. There have been plenty of flops: weird flavor choices, structural flaws resulting in collapsing sliding monstrosities, and seriously wonky decoration. But I’ve learned a lot, and at the end of the day, eaten a lot of cake. Bake on, Katie 2

Table of Contents the Blackston

chocolate coconut mango zebra cake

the Sloane

lemon-curd angel food cake

the Shanika

fig pistachio honey cake with amaretto marscapone cream

the Kathryn

triple berry matcha cake

the Christina

dark chocolate rosemary bourbon cake

before we start baking...

Katie’s guide to cake creation Balance sweetness with fruit, dark chocolate, or alcohol A lot of time when people say they don’t like cake, what they don’t like are cloyingly sweet sugar on top of whipped sugar concoctions. Layer cakes are, by design, a little overwhelming, so you need to cut the sweetness with something. I always use at least one element with fruit, dark chocolate, or alcohol, but the more, the merrier. Just think about what is will be like eating this cake. If merely reading the recipe makes you long for a glass of milk, add more complexity.

Embrace the need for precision Opposed to the more free-form cooking, baking is about procedure and precision. This can turn away a lot of would-be-pastry-chefs. My advice to you is this: don’t fight the need for precision, embrace it. Don’t think of baking as “cooking with rules”, think of it as a form of meditation. It ’s a chance in our overstimulated lives, to turn the brain off a little, follow a recipe exactingly, and end up with a nice treat.

Substitutions are not for beginners Substituting ingredients for things you have on hand or vegan, gluten-free, sugar-free alternatives is great, but if you’re new to baking, it ’s hard to know the role ingredients play in a recipe. My advice is to just follow a recipe rote the first time you make it. You’ll develop a sensistivity for making substitutions once you’re familiar with it.

Inspiration comes from many places When coming up with a recipe for one of my friends, I usually start with word association. I write down personality traits, colors, flavors, habits, and anything else that makes me think of them and I start looking for patterns. Then I think about recipes that mirror some of those qualities.

When in doubt, ask If you’re having trouble coming up with a concept, ask your friend the following: Choose one: chocolate or vanilla Choose one: fruity or boozey If you were a candy, which would you be? What’s the best thing you’ve ever eaten? What did you like about it?

Decor should be simple & edible I’m not a fan of fussy cakes. Keep things simple, and tasty. The best decor provides a preview of the flavors inside. Think about using leftover filling or whole incredients on top. And if you’re going to pipe a birthday message, write it out with a toothpick first then trace it with a piping bag.

February 13

the Blackston chocolate coconut mango zebra cake

Christina Blackton is a woman of great clarity and tenacity, fun and flexibility. A public transit professional, she is concerned with building equitable, active ways for people to access cities. If you need a buddy to trek across the city for a lecture on urban housing policy, push you to train for that half marathon, or dance the night away in bedazzled dayglow, she is game. When translating her awesomeness to a cake, I try to pack in a lot of different flavors and some visual spectacle. This makes for a cake that is just the right amount of a bit too much.

the Blackston chocolate coconut mango zebra cake

mango mousse

instructions

2 lb. mango

Peel, core, and rougly chop mango. 1

Mango must be very ripe.

1 T. lime juice 7 oz. sweetened condensed milk

Puree mango, lime juice, and sweetened condensed milk.

Overnight is best.

Add sugar to room temperature butter. Beat with a mixer until light and fluffy. 1

Also look for a color change. Perfectly creamed buter and sugar will turn white.

Beat eggs into mixture one at a time. 2

Adding wet ingredients slowly keeps the mixture from separating.

To acheive zebra effect, spoon 1/ 4 c. of coconut batter into pan. Then spoon 1/ 4 c. chocolate batter on top of the coconut. Shake pan lightly to spread batter out. Add another 1/ 4 c. of coconut then chocolate and repeat til full.

I don’t trust greased pans alone, so I fully line my pans with tinfoil. It’s overkill, but fool-proof.

The typical test for done-ness is to insert a knive into center, if it comes out clean, the cake is finished. But I like the bounce test: lightly press on cake, if it springs back to its shape, cake is done.

1 c. heavy cream

pro tips

In separate bowl, whip cream until stiff. Fold cream into mango mixture. Refridgerate for several hours. 2

chocolate coconut zebra cake 1 1∕ 2 c. butter 2 c. white sugar 5 eggs 3 c. flour 1 1∕ 2 t. baking powder 1 1∕ 2 t. baking soda 1 ∕ 2 t. salt

Sift dry ingredients into a medium sized bowl. Set aside.

2 t. vanilla 1 c. coconut milk

Whisk together wet ingredients in a separate bowl.

∕ 4 c. sweetened coconut

Spoon half of batter into separate bowl. Add coconut.

∕ 4 c. cocoa powder

Add cocoa powder to the remainder.

Alternatingly add portions of wet and dry ingredients to butter and sugar mixture. Continue until fully combined.

Divide batter evenly between 3 greased 9” round pans 3 in zebra pattern. 4 Bake for 45–55 minutes at 350°. 5

chocolate frosting

instructions

12 T. butter 1 1∕ 2 c. cocoa powder

Beat room temperature butter, vanilla. and cocoa powder until smooth.

3-4 c. powdered sugar 2 ∕ 3 c. heavy cream 2 t. vanilla

Begin adding powdered sugar, gradually. Add vanilla and splashes of cream as frosting thickens. Continue adding sugar until you reach desired texture. 1

pro tips 1

Powered sugar is about reaching texture, not taste. To make a stable layer cake, you’ll need a thicker frosting, so don’t cut corners here. Frosting is stable if you can turn a spoonful of it upside down without it moving.

This keeps the mousse from oozing out.

This is called a “crumb layer”. It traps all the messiness,so you can apply a neat coat later.

I chose to hint at the tropical mango with some pineapple flowers. Thinly slice pinapple and press slices into a cupcake tin. Keep in oven on low heat, 150°-200° , for an hour.

assembly After cake has cooled, place first layer on your serving tray. Place 1 ∕ 3 of chocolate frosting in a piping bag fitted with large round tip. Pipe a layer of frosting around perimeter of cake. 1 Spread 1∕ 2 of mango mousse evenly on the first layer. Add second layer and repeat previous steps. Add final layer. Spread a thin layer of frosting on the sides of cake. 2 Refridgerate for 15–30 minutes. Empty remainder of frosting on top of cake. Spread it evenly across the top and down the sides. Pipe remainder of frosting decoratively. Finish with decor. 3 8

February 27

the Sloane lemon curd angel food cake

Sloane is elegant and sincerely sweet, with a secret tangy silliness. She’s the most sophisticated former ballerina you’ve ever met who also trolls Reddit. An early riser and a deeply competent person, she gets more done before I wake up than I will accomplish all day. For that reason, I’ve put together an efficient combination of recipes. Lemon curd requires egg yolks and angel food cake requires egg whites. Making them together means 2 treats from the same batch of eggs. This cake leaves you satisfied, but not sluggish. So you can still join for one of her accidental 10 mile walks across Chicago. 10

the Sloane lemon-curd angel food cake

lemon curd 8 egg yolks 1 c. white sugar

instructions Place the egg yolks into bowl of a double boiler.1 Beat for 1 min.

pro tips 1

A double-boiler is just a heat proof bowl resting on top of a pot of boiling water.

This step is not completely necessary, but I think it helps make a fluffy texture.

Cake flour is just slightly finer flour. All purpose flour will work, but again, finer ingredients make for a fluffier cake.

When it comes to knowing the difference between egg white textures, it’s just a matter of experience. Trust that it’s hard for everyone when they’re first learning. Medium peaks mean that when you lift the whisk out of the bowl, a peak will hold its shape, except for the tip, which will collapse and curl.

Add sugar and beat for another min.

1/2 c. lemon juice 2 zested lemons

Add lemon juice and zest. Stir to combine.

12 T. butter, chopped into 1/2” pieces

Stir in the butter a piece at a time, completely melting before adding another one.

Turn off heat, but continue stirring, until the mixture thickens, 10–20 min.

Strain mixture and refrigerate for at least 2 hours before use.

angel food cake 1 3/4 c. sugar 1/4 t. salt 1 c. cake flour

Process sugar until superfine,1 about 2 min. Sift half of the sugar with the salt and cake flour, 2 setting the remaining sugar aside.

12 1/3 c. 1 t. 1 1/2 t.

In a large bowl, whisk together egg whites, water, orange extract, and cream of tartar. After 2 minutes, switch to mechanical mixer.

egg whites warm water vanilla cream of tartar

Sift in reserved sugar, while beating at medium speed. Once you have achieved medium peaks, sift enough of the flour mixture in to dust the top of the foam. Fold in gently with spatula. Continue until all of the flour mixture is incorporated. Carefully spoon mixture into an ungreased tube pan. Bake for 30-40 minutes at 350°.

whipped cream

instructions

1 c. heavy whipping cream 1 t. vanilla

Place heavy cream and vanilla in large bowl 1 and begin whipping slowly. Gradually increase speed.

1/4 c. powdered sugar

As cream stiffens, sift a fine layer of powdered sugar on cream.

pro tips 1

Cream whips best with a chilled whisk and bowl. Place them in the freezer 30 minutes in advance.

As with most egg-white based recipes, you can expect the cake to collapse slightly as it cools.

Continue whipping until stiff peaks have formed.

assembly After cake has cooled 1, invert the pan onto a cooling rack. Lightly tap on the sides with a spoon. Cake will slide out. When cake is room temperature, cover sides with generous portion of lemon curd. Dollop with whipped cream and garnish with fresh berries.

March 11

the Shanika fig pistachio honey cake with amaretto marscapone cream

Remarkably self-possessed and articulate; sure about what she wants from life, but willing to embrace uncertainty; this lady is a pint-sized, open-hearted wavemaker. When you need big picture perspective, career gaming, shared enthusiasm for ambitious themed dinner party planning, she is there to talk it out, make google docs, and pour the tea. This cake is partly inspired by colors I associate with her. The warm amber of honey, the cool pinks and purples of figs, and the renewing greens of pistachio. It also a tribute to her unicorn essence in style and substance: itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s both rich and enriching, complex and accessible, and refined, but informal. 13

the Shanika pistachio fig honey cake with amaretto marscapone cream

honey cake 2 c. flour 2 t. baking powder 1/2 t. salt 2 t. cinnamon 3 1/2 c. 1 c. 11/2 c. 1 t. 1/2 c.

eggs neutral oil honey sugar vanilla espresso

Sift dry ingredients into a medium sized bowl. Set aside.

I don’t trust greased pans alone, so I fully line my pans with tinfoil. It’s overkill, but fool-proof.

The typical test for done-ness is to insert a knive into center, if it comes out clean, the cake is finished. But I also like the bounce test: lightly press on cake, if it springs back to its shape, cake is done.

Cream whips best with a chilled whisk and bowl. Place them in the freezer 30 minutes in advance.

Whisk together wet ingredients with sugar in a separate bowl. Make a well in the center of dry ingredients and begging slowly adding wet ingredients. Whisk until mixture is smooth and consistent. Divide batter evenly between 2 greased 9” round pans. 1 Bake at 350° for 40–50 minutes, or til baked through. 2

amaretto marscapone cream 1 c. heavy whipping cream

Whip cream until soft peaks form. 1

2 c. marscapone 1/4 c. powdered sugar 3 T. Amaretto

Add mascarpone, powdered sugar, and Amaretto. Continue beating until cream is stiff.

assembly Place first layer of cake on serving tray. Cut off domed top to make a flat layer.

To get a finer honey drizzle, microwave it for 15â&#x20AC;&#x201C;30 seconds before using.

Dollop half of cream on top of bottom layer. Spread evenly. Add next layer and spread remainder of cream on top. Scatter figs on top and sprinkle with pistachios. If you want to add an extra taste of honey, drizzle a spoonful or two over the top. 1

May 11

the Kathryn triple berry matcha cake

This lovely cake-muse has been a part of my life since 2011, but within months of knowing her, it felt like a friendship that extended far earlier than that. She exudes a kindness, warm, and thoughtfulness that immediately makes people feel comfortable and at ease. When I think of Kathryn I picture large mugs of tea, pastel hues, letters and conversations that leave me contemplating for days, and recommendations for books Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll end up loving. This fresh, ombre berry, green-tea frosted cake aspires to capture some of her favorite flavors as well as her light touch sophistication. 17

the Kathryn triple berry matcha cake

berry coulis

instructions

pro tips

3 oz. berries

Finely chop berries. 1, 2

Fresh and frozen both work

1 T. white sugar t. vanilla 1/8 c. water

Combine all ingredients in a small pot on stove, low heat. Bring to a boil while stirring constantly. Coulis is done when fruit is soft and mixture is even.

To achieve my ombre effect, I made three different coulis with strawberries, raspberries, and blackberries.

For a smoother cake texture, remove seeds by straining with a fine-mesh sieve.

Add sugar to room temperature butter. Beat with a mixer until light and fluffy. 1

Also look for a color change. Perfectly creamed buter and sugar will turn white.

Beat eggs into mixture one at a time. 2

Adding wet incredients slowly keeps the mixture from separating.

To acheive ombre effect, combine all ingredients except berry coulis. Separate mixture into 3 separate bowls. Then add colis to each respective bowl. Stir to combine. Add a few drops of red and/or blue food coloring to enhance color gradient.

I don’t trust greased pans alone, so I fully line my pans with tinfoil. It’s overkill, but fool-proof.

1/8

Set aside and allow to cool.

berry cake 15 T. butter 2 1/2 c. white sugar 5 eggs 2 1/2 c. flour 5 t. baking powder 1/2 t. salt

Sift dry ingredients into a medium sized bowl. Set aside.

2 1/2 t. vanilla 1 1/4 c. whole milk 3/8 c. berry coulis

Whisk together wet ingredients in a separate bowl. Alternatingly add portions of wet and dry ingredients to butter and sugar mixture. Continue until fully combined. 3 Divide batter evenly between 3 greased 9” round pans. 4 Bake for 30–40 minutes at 350°. 5

matcha frosting 1 c. butter 4 oz. cream cheese 1 t. matcha t. vanilla

Beat room temperature butter and cream cheese until smooth and even. Add matcha powder and vanilla.

1/2

3–4 c. powdered sugar 18

Begin adding powdered sugar, gradually. Continue until you reach desired texture. 1

Assembly Place first layer on your serving tray. Slice off the rounded top so the cake is perfectly flat. Spread 3/4 c. of frosting evenly over bottom layer. Add next layer and repeat process. Finish with top layer.

This is called a “crumb layer”. It traps all the messiness, so you can apply a neat coat later.

Spread a thin layer of frosting on the sides of cake. 1 Refridgerate for 15–30 minutes. Empty remainder of frosting on top of cake. Spread it evenly across the top and down the sides. Pipe remainder of frosting decoratively. Garnish with fresh berries.

Devember 21

the Christina dark chocolate rosemary bourbon cake

This cake was the most challenging for me to develop. Not only because Christina works as a chef after years as a food journalist, and is hands down my favorite person to eat with, but also because she maintains flawless, minimalist style while still posessing an the ability to appreciate most flavors (and people). Sheâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d try anything once, but is very selective about the things she makes part of her life. She nails black and white without the slightest hint of austerity; a perfect execution of casual elegance and approachable cool. It inspires me everyday and makes me long for her luncheonette launch. This cake stays true to her classic style while adding an unexpected flavor combo inspired by her love of herbaceous dessert and her December birthday. 20

the Christina dark chocolate rosemary bourbon cake

dark chocolate bourbon cake 2 c. flour 21/2 c. sugar 3/4 c. dark chocolate cocoa powder 2 t. baking soda 11/2 t. salt

Sift dry ingredients into a medium sized bowl. Set aside.

2 eggs 1 c. sour cream

In a large bowl, whisk together eggs and sour cream until consistent and smooth.1

3/4 c. 3/4 c. 2 T. 1 t.

In a liquid measuring cup, combine water, bourbon, 2 vinegar, and vanilla. Slowly whisk mixture into eggs and sour cream.

water bourbon white vinegar vanilla

1 c. neutral oil

You’ve probably already noticed that this recipe is very different from the others. It tastes like a cake and brownie hybrid. It’s very rich and fudgey.

I used a large amount of bourbon in this because I wanted the taste to be very strong, but feel free to adjust the ratio of water:alcohol as long as you end up with 11/2 c. of liquid total.

This cake is very soft, so it’s especially important to line the pans fully with tinfoil. I also recommend putting the cakes in the freezer for 10–15 before removing them from the pans.

Very slowly add oil to other liquid ingredients. Allow small amounts of oil to fully incorporate before adding more. Whisk in dry ingredients. Continue until fully combined. Divide batter evenly between 3 greased 9” round pans. 3 Bake for 30–40 minutes at 350. 4

rosemary buttercream 1 c. butter 3–4 sprigs of rosemary

In a medium pot, add butter and rosemary. Melt over medium high heat and bring to a boil for 1 minute. Remove from heat. Allow rosemary to steep for 60–90 minutes until butter is cool to the touch. Strain out rosemary and chill in the fridge until ready to use.

3-4 c. powdered sugar 1 T. heavy cream 1/2 t. salt

Beat room temperature butter and slowly add powdered sugar, salt, and cream. Mix until buttercream is smooth.1

assembly Place first layer on your serving tray. Slice off the rounded top so the cake is perfectly flat. Spread 3/4 c. of frosting evenly over bottom layer. Add next layer and repeat process. Finish with top layer. Spread a thin layer of frosting on the sides of cake.1 Refridgerate for 15–30 minutes. Empty remainder of frosting on top of cake. Spread it evenly across the top and down the sides. Pipe remainder of frosting decoratively. Garnish with fresh sprigs of rosemary.

This is called a “crumb layer”. It traps all the messiness, so you can apply a neat coat later.