Blue Blueberry Almond Ombré Cake

What to do when you're bored and have a few hours free on a Sunday night? If you're me, the answer to that question is quite easy - bake a delicious almond (dairy-free!) layer cake, play around with stacking tiers on each other, and last but not least, practice techniques like making various shades of icing and piping the cake in a simple but beautiful design. The result = my Blue Blueberry Almond Ombré Cake. Folks, make this cake ASAP. It was delicious!

The Finished Product

Wow, I was so pleased with how this cake turned out! I have definitely come very far in practicing my piping techniques, keeping a steady hand, and perfecting the subtle shades needed to really get the ombré effect *just right*. I used almond extract in the cake as well as almond milk. I like to experiment with different types of ingredients and I was so happy how this cake turned out. The layers were not quite as fluffy as if I had used normal milk, but the consistency was pleasing and the almond flavor made for a lovely dairy-free cake. The fresh buttercream made with almond extract instead of vanilla had such a lovely smell and the tiers of the cake held up so well! A happy Sunday night product indeed.

Almond Cake Layers

Ingredients:

• 2 1/2 cups (325g) all purpose flour
• 2 cups (414g) sugar
• 3 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 cup (240ml) milk (I used almond milk!)
• 1/2 cup (120ml) vegetable oil
• 1 tbsp almond extract
• 2 large eggs
• 1 cup (240ml) water

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F (176°C) and prepare three 8 inch cake pans with non-stick baking spray and parchment paper in the bottom. These cakes can have a tendency to stick to the pans a bit, so I strongly recommend the parchment paper in the bottom. To make the tiered cake, I used two 8 inch cake pans and one 6 inch pan for the top layer.
2. Add the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt to a large mixer bowl and combine. Set aside.
3. Add the milk, vegetable oil, vanilla extract and eggs to a medium sized bowl and combine.
4. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and beat until well combined.
5. Slowly add the water to the batter and mix on low speed until well combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed to make sure everything is well combined.
6. Divide the batter evenly between the prepared cake pans and bake for 24-28 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs.
7. Remove the cakes from oven and allow to cool for 2-3 minutes, then remove to a cooling rack to finish cooling. These cakes can have a tendency to stick to the pans a bit so jiggle them a bit to loosen from the sides of the pan before turning the cakes out to cool.

Assembly with a Side of The Great British Baking Show

It's not secret to my friends and family that I am borderline obsessed with The Great British Baking Show. I enjoy nothing more than popping on an episode as I whip up some cookies or decorate a cake. Here my fresh buttercream sits waiting with my homemade strawberry blueberry jam and the first layer of my almond cake. Cake decorating can be tedious, but I've found that if you take it one step at a time, before you know it, you'll have a polished cake to share! Note that I am not posting any pictures halfway through the process. To be honest, halfway through a cake decorating project, it looks like an absolute mess and you have no idea how it will come out looking suitable. But keep pushing! Those final piping layers will hide a multitude of imperfections.

Buttercream Frosting

Ingredients:

• 1 cup (230g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
• 3 cups (360g) powdered sugar
• 2-3 tablespoons heavy cream or heavy whipping cream (Again, I used almond milk!)
• 1 teaspoon almond extract
• pinch of salt, adjust to taste

Directions:

1. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or in a large mixing bowl using an electric mixer, beat the butter on medium speed until smooth.
2. Add in the powdered sugar and mix on low speed at first, then increase to medium speed and continue mixing for another 1-2 minutes until the mixture starts to come together.
3. Add in the heavy cream or almond milk (start with 2 tablespoons and add a little more if needed), almond extract, and salt and continue mixing on medium-high speed for another minute or until everything is well combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.

An Inside View

The cake cut beautifully after completion of the piping and the jam and frosting between the layers was evident. I am always looking for ways to improve so one thing I'd do differently with this cake is add A LOT more jam between the layers. I was concerned it was too much during assembly, but I think more jam between the layers would've helped the berry flavor to shine through more and create an even prettier division of layers.

Strawberry Blueberry Jam

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cup (240g) mixed berries (I used strawberries and blueberries)
• 3 tbsp (45ml) water
• 3/4 cup (155g) sugar
• 3 tbsp cornstarch

Directions:

1. To make the berry topping, add the berries and water to a food processor and puree until smooth. You should end up with about 2/3 cup puree.
2. Combine the sugar and cornstarch in a medium saucepan. Stir in the berry puree.
3. Cook over medium heat, stirring consistently until mixture thickens and comes to a boil, about 8-10 minutes.
4. Allow to boil for 1 minute, then remove from heat. Refrigerate and allow to cool completely.