Happy 7th Birthday to our twin girls!!!

I never thought I was going to be a mom because I had no desire to when I was younger, but I am glad I changed my mind because we wouldn’t be living this grand of a life with them.

They inspire me to bake and create fun desserts. If it wasn’t for them I wouldn’t think of making all the crazy and fun desserts, like this Under The Sea Cake. This cake was so fun to do. Somewhat like the Wave Cake I did a couple of weeks ago.

I created a ombré affect again, not with waves this time but with rosettes. I made the cake and frosting from The Sprinkles Baking Book. Both our girls wanted the cake and frosting to be vanilla. I tried so hard to add a fruit filling but they were not having it. Maybe next year… Then for the pipping on the outside of the cake I used the Wiltons Vanilla Buttercream Frosting with purple and teal food gel coloring. Recipes for all are below. I also found the sea molds and gum paste mixing kit from a Michaels craft store.

When doing cakes like this, I like to break it up in two days. First day I will bake the cakes, fill the cakes, and do a crumb coat frosting on the outside of the cakes. The second day I pipe the entire outside of the cake. It really lessens the stress and prevents mess ups if I do these kind of cakes in steps and/or days.

How To Make Under The Sea Cake

First, make your favorite cake and then fill and frost with your favorite frosting.
- For this cake I choose to do a vanilla cake from The Sprinkles Baking Book (recipe below).
- I used a vanilla frosting to fill and do a colored crumb coat on the cake (recipe below).
- I also used the Wiltons Vanilla Buttercream Frosting to decorate the cake with the rosettes (recipe below).
- For this cake I used Wiltons Gel Food Coloring violet and teal.
After your cakes have been baked, filled, stacked, and have a colored crumb coat on, you will make the buttercream frosting to pipe the rosettes on the cake. For this cake I wanted to do 4 different color shades. I wanted mostly purple shades and a little bit of teal. With that said, I divided my frosting into two bowls. One bowl had about 3/4th of the batch of frosting and the other bowl had about 1/4th of the batch of frosting. The bowl that had about 3/4th of the frosting I colored it the lightest purple color and the other bowl with 1/4th of the frosting I colored a light teal. Next, you will divide the lightest colored purple frosting in two individual bowls, one bowl with a little bit more frosting than the other. Color the bowl with a little bit more frosting a little darker purple. Now divide half of that bowl with the darker color purple into another bowl and color the new bowl even a darker purple. You should now have 3 different shades of purple and 1 shade of teal.
Now the fun part, you get to decorate the cake! For this cake I used Wiltons pipping tip 1M, a pipping bag, and Wilton® Icing Bag Ties. I pipped the rosettes staring from the bottom (darkest color purple) and working all the way to the top (lightest color purple). For the last layer and the top of the cake I pipped teal rosettes. I also added purple sprinkles throughout the cake for fun!

How To Make Vanilla Cake

First, gather all your ingredients.

3 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
1 & 1/3 cups whole milk
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
1 cups (2 sticks) unsalted butter, slightly softened
2 cups granulated sugar
2 large eggs
4 large egg whites
3/4 teaspoon purple gel food coloring
3/4 teaspoon teal gel food coloring
Optional: Non-stick cooking spray

Preheat the oven to 325°F degrees. Butter two 3-inch round cake pans (or you can use non-stick cooking spray), line the bottom with parchment paper cut to fit, and butter the parchment paper. Flour the pans, coating the bottom and sides of each pan, then tap out the excess flour.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

In a small bowl, stir together the milk and vanilla.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or a large bowl with a handheld mixer, beat the butter and sugar on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes.

Reduce the speed to medium-low, slowly add the eggs and egg whites one at a time, and beat until creamy, 1 to 2 minutes.

Slowly add half the flour mixture, then the milk mixture, then the remaining flour mixture, beating until just blended after each addition.

Divide the batter evenly between two bowls. Color one bowl with the violet food gel and the other bowl with the teal food gel.

Place the batter in prepared cake pans and bake until the top is just dry to the touch and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 50 to 60 minutes.

Transfer the cakes in the pans to a wire rack and cool completely, then invert them onto cake rounds or another flat surface, like a platter, cake board, or revolving cake stand.

Using a long serrated knife, trim off any uneven or domed parts from the top of each cake layer to create a flat surface. Place one of the cakes on a serving platter or a cake board, leveled-sided up.

FOR THE VANILLA FROSTING:

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, slightly softened
1/8 teaspoon fine sea salt
3 cups confectioners sugar, sifted
5 teaspoons whole milk
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or a large bowl with a handheld mixer, beat the butter and salt on medium speed until light and fluffy, 2 minutes.

Reduce the speed to low, gradually add the confectioners sugar, and beat until incorporated.

Increase the speed to medium, add the milk and vanilla, and beat until fully blended, 1 to 2 minutes, making sure not to incorporate too much air into the frosting.

Using an offset spatula, frost the top of that layer (with vanilla frosting), and then stack the other cake layer on top of the cake. Color the vanilla frosting the desired color and then frost the cake working from center outward, frost the top and sides of the cake.

After your cakes have been baked, filled, stacked, and have a colored crumb coat on, you will make the buttercream frosting to pipe the rosettes on the cake. For this cake I wanted to do 4 different color shades. I wanted mostly purple shades and a little bit of teal. With that said, I divided my frosting into two bowls. One bowl had about 3/4th of the batch of frosting and the other bowl had about 1/4th of the batch of frosting. The bowl that had about 3/4th of the frosting I colored it the lightest purple color and the other bowl with 1/4th of the frosting I colored a light teal. Next, you will divide the lightest colored purple frosting in two individual bowls, one bowl with a little bit more frosting than the other. Color the bowl with a little bit more frosting a little darker purple. Now divide half of that bowl with the darker color purple into another bowl and color the new bowl even a darker purple. You should now have 3 different shades of purple and 1 shade of teal.

FOR THE WILTONS VANILLA BUTTERCREAM FROSTING:

1 teaspoon Imitation Clear Vanilla Extract 8 ounces (I used regular pure vanilla extract)
1/2 cup solid vegetable shortening
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter or margarine, softened
4 cups sifted confectioners’ sugar, approximately 1 lb.
2 tablespoons milk

In large bowl, beat shortening and butter with electric mixer until light and fluffy. Beat in vanilla.

Gradually add sugar, one cup at a time, beating well on medium speed. Scrape sides and bottom of bowl often. When all sugar has been mixed in, icing will appear dry.

Gradually add milk or water, beat at medium speed until light and fluffy.

Now the fun part, you get to decorate the cake! For this cake I used Wiltons pipping tip 1M, a pipping bag, and Wilton® Icing Bag Ties. I pipped the rosettes staring from the bottom (darkest color purple) and working all the way to the top (lightest color purple). For the last layer and the top of the cake I pipped teal rosettes. I also added Purple Sprinkles throughout the cake for fun!

I also used the sea mold with a gum paste mixing kit and food coloring gel from a Michaels craft store.

Tips & Tricks

Using a cake turntable like the WIlton Cake Turntable would help out a lot when making this cake.
My favorite go-to baking book is The Sprinkles Baking Book: 100 Secret Recipes from Candace’s Kitchen.
I prefer using gel-based food coloring instead of liquid food coloring. I feel as if the gel-based food coloring gives a more vibrant color. You also do not have to use as much as you would if you were using a liquid food coloring. I remember using almost the whole bottle of liquid red food for one batch of cupcakes, so now I just stick to the gel-based food coloring for my cake mixes and frostings.
I love using Wilton baking pans. I feel like they are the best quality pans out there for the price. They do not rust, are durable, and easy to clean.
Whether you are frosting a cake or piping decorations, the consistency of the icing is key to getting the right results. Too soft and your decorations will droop. Too stiff and your icing will be difficult to spread. Go here for the 3 different buttercream icing consistencies.
For all-purpose flour I love using Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free All Purpose Baking Flour. I first fell in love with this brand when I started eating healthy back in 2012, shortly after our twins were born. I first tried their Steel Cut Oats. Then when I had more time to bake I started using a lot of their other products such as, Almond Flour, Coconut Flour, Gluten Free Flour, Whole Wheat Flour, Pastry Flour, Bread Flour, and Xanthan Gum. They have so much more too! Baking mixes, Oats, Bars, Cereal, Granola, Grains, Beans, Seeds, Baking Aids, and more Flours! Seriously go check them out. Best quality baking products out there and no I am not getting paid to say this, I just love their products that much!
Since I bake quite often I like to buy stuff in bulk. I love buying my flour, sugars, pure vanilla extract, butter, oil, eggs, and spices at Costco.
Costco, Target, & Amazon are my favorite stores to shop at!

Make sure you post your photos on Instagram and tag me in them so I can see your creations from my blog #eazypeazylemonsqueezee

Sprinkles Vanilla Cake

Adapted from The Sprinkles Baking Book: Vanilla Cake

By: Tammie

May 21, 2019
8 to 10
1 hr
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Ingredients

3 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
1 & 1/3 cups whole milk
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, slightly softened
2 cups granulated sugar
2 large eggs
4 large egg whites
3/4 teaspoon purple gel food coloring
3/4 teaspoon teal gel food coloring
Optional: Non-stick cooking spray

Directions

Step 1: Preheat the oven to 325°F degrees. Butter two 3-inch round cake pans (you can use non-stick cooking spray), line the bottom with parchment paper cut to fit, and butter the parchment paper. Flour the pans, coating the bottom and sides of each pan, then tap out the excess flour.
Step 2: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
Step 3: In a small bowl, stir together the milk and vanilla.
Step 4: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or a large bowl with a handheld mixer, beat the butter and sugar on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes.
Step 5: Reduce the speed to medium-low, slowly add the eggs and egg whites one at a time, and beat until creamy, 1 to 2 minutes.
Step 6: Slowly add half the flour mixture, then the milk mixture, then the remaining flour mixture, beating until just blended after each addition.
Step 7: Divide the batter evenly between two bowls. Color one bowl with the purple food gel and the other bowl with the teal food gel.
Step 8: Place the batter in prepared cake pans and bake until the top is just dry to the touch and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 50 to 60 minutes.
Step 9: Transfer the cakes in the pans to a wire rack and cool completely, then invert them onto cake rounds or another flat surface, like a platter, cake board, or revolving cake stand.
Step 10: Using a long serrated knife, trim off any uneven or domed parts from the top of each cake layer to create a flat surface. Place one of the cakes on a serving platter or a cake board, leveled-sided up. Using an offset spatula, frost the top of that layer (with vanilla frosting), and then stack the other cake layer on top of the cake. Color the vanilla frosting the desired color and then frost the cake working from center outward, frost the top and sides of the cake.
Step 11: After your cakes have been baked, filled, stacked, and have a colored crumb coat on, you will make the buttercream frosting to pipe the rosettes on the cake. For this cake I wanted to do 4 different color shades. I wanted mostly purple shades and a little bit of teal. With that said, I divided my frosting into two bowls. One bowl had about 3/4th of the batch of frosting and the other bowl had about 1/4th of the batch of frosting. The bowl that had about 3/4th of the frosting I colored it the lightest purple color and the other bowl with 1/4th of the frosting I colored a light teal. Next, you will divide the lightest colored purple frosting in two individual bowls, one bowl with a little bit more frosting than the other. Color the bowl with a little bit more frosting a little darker purple. Now divide half of that bowl with the darker color purple into another bowl and color the new bowl even a darker purple. You should now have 3 different shades of purple and 1 shade of teal.
Step 12: Now the fun part, you get to decorate the cake! For this cake I used Wiltons pipping tip 1M, a pipping bag, and Wilton® Icing Bag Ties. I pipped the rosettes staring from the bottom (darkest color purple) and working all the way to the top (lightest color purple). For the last layer and the top of the cake I pipped teal rosettes. I also added purple sprinkles throughout the cake for fun!
Step 13: I also used the sea mold with a gum paste mixing kit and food coloring gel from a Michaels craft store.

Vanilla Frosting

Adapted from the Sprinkles Baking Book: Vanilla Frosting

By: Tammie

May 21, 2019
2 cups
10 min
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Ingredients

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, slightly softened
1/8 teaspoon fine sea salt
3 cups confectioners sugar, sifted
5 teaspoons whole milk
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Directions

Step 1: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or a large bowl with a handheld mixer, beat the butter and salt on medium speed until light and fluffy, 2 minutes.
Step 2: Reduce the speed to low, gradually add the confectioners sugar, and beat until incorporated.
Step 3: Increase the speed to medium, add the milk and vanilla, and beat until fully blended, 1 to 2 minutes, making sure not to incorporate too much air into the frosting.

Wilton's Buttercream Frosting

This recipe is for stiff consistency buttercream, which is excellent for piping decorations like flowers. However, it will need to be thinned for icing cakes and borders.

By: Tammie

May 21, 2019
2 cups
10 min
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Ingredients

1 teaspoon Imitation Clear Vanilla Extract 8 ounces (I used regular pure vanilla extract)
1/2 cup solid vegetable shortening
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter or margarine, softened
4 cups sifted confectioners' sugar, approximately 1 lb.
2 tablespoons milk

Directions

Step 1: In large bowl, beat shortening and butter with electric mixer until light and fluffy. Beat in vanilla.
Step 2: Gradually add sugar, one cup at a time, beating well on medium speed. Scrape sides and bottom of bowl often. When all sugar has been mixed in, icing will appear dry.
Step 3: Gradually add milk or water, beat at medium speed until light and fluffy.
Step 4: Note 1: For Pure White Icing (stiff consistency): Omit butter and substitute an additional cup shortening for butter and add teaspoon Clear Butter Flavor. Substitute Clear Vanilla for Pure Vanilla Extract.
Step 5: Note 2: Keep bowl covered with plastic wrap until ready to use.
Step 6: Note 3: If using a hand mixer, beat shortening, butter (if used) and liquids first, then add sugar, as above. Make one batch at a time to prevent hand mixer from burning out.
Step 7: Note 4: Depending on the humidity and climate, it may be necessary to adjust the liquid and the sugar in your icing. If icing looks dry, add small amounts of liquid (1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon at a time). If icing is too wet, add 1 tablespoon of sugar at a time. The key for both adjustments is adding small amounts until you achieve the right consistency.
Step 8: Note 5: This recipe can be made with all butter by replacing 1/2 cup of shortening with 1/2 cup of butter. An all-butter recipe will make a noticeably softer buttercream and will also melt faster than a recipe made with shortening.
Step 9: Note 6: If you find that this recipe is too sweet, consider using a pinch of salt, which will help cut the sweetness. Let the pinch of salt dissolve in your liquid to avoid granules of salt in the buttercream. Try substituting some of the butter in the recipe with salted butter.
Step 10: Note 7: Adding Flavor: Wilton’s Buttercream Icing recipe is a great base for your favorite flavorings and extracts. Add flavoring to taste, but be mindful not to add so much liquid that it affects the consistency of your icing. If you like using a lot of flavor, try substituting some of your liquid with flavoring.
Step 11: Note 8: Try using the Treatology Flavor System, designed specifically for decorating. Because these flavors are concentrated, you’ll only need to use a few drops. You can also mix them to create new flavors. In addition, the Treatology Flavor System can be used to flavor cake batter and other baked goods without affecting the consistency of your batter.
Step 12: Note 9: Clear Flavors are also a great option for adding flavor to buttercream without adding color. These flavors are essential for making pure white icing and maintaining vibrant colors for decorating.
Step 13: Note 10: Storing Buttercream: Leftover buttercream can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to two weeks. Buttercream can also be frozen for up to six months. Before reusing, bring buttercream back to room temperature and rewhip using a paddle attachment until it’s back to the correct consistency.