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I was in Hobby Lobby last week buying art supplies for my 16 year old, Ethan. He is in his first semester at the local community college and taking an art class that has a supplies list that reads like the inventory sheet at Hobby Lobby. Seriously, if the store carries it it is on the list! When I was painting and doing commissioned work back in the day I spent less on supplies than was required by this class.
Anyway, while hyperventilating over the contents of the cart I decided to poke around in the baking section. What to my wondering eyes should appear but a new Wilton pan (or new to me) that created a cake with a heart filling on the inside.
Seriously?
Seriously.
I immediately started clicking off cake and filling ideas and combinations. This would make the most awesome ice cream cake ever! I decided to try purple velvet cake. I thought getting a deep purple cake tone and then using a lavender cheesecake filling would be amazing for Valentine’s Day. And it will be… Just as soon as I figure out how to get the color right. It kept coming out too dark and looking chocolate. I am wondeirng if doing a white cake and just using purple dye would not be better. Anyway..the cake itself was amazing.
I do have some tips for using this pan. You will probably need to double the recipe for the cake batter. This is a deep pan.
- Use baking spray on the pan.
- Be sure tha cake is completely cool before filling.
- After the cake is assembled, chill it thoroughly. The slices will cut better and the filling won’t mush down. I didn’t do this and some of the slices don’t have the clear heart on them.
- Cut the cake with a hot, wet knife to go through the filling without smearing it.
The cake is bigger than you might think and it will easily yield 12-16 nice size slices. Oh and I realize that these pictures are not the besgt ever. I am going to do the cake again and try to get some better pictures. I will post when I do. But these will give you an idea of how it looks.
I suggest that for now you use the red velvet cake recipe for the cake part of this and leave the rose flavoring out since you are going to be making a lavender filling. For reference here is a picture of the pan…and then Wilton’s picture of the cake. I am pretty sure you will need to fill this will ice cream and freeze it to get it to look like the cake pictured.
Wilton's Picture
Tunnel of Lavender Love Cake
You will need-
- 1 wilton fanci-fill cake pan
- 2 recipes red velvet cake (leave out the rose flavor)
- 1 recipe Lavender Cheesecake Filling (follows)
- Double recipe cream cheese frosting from the red velvet cake recipe above
- Make the filling and put in the refrigerator to chill.
- Spray the pan and mix and bake cake according to directions.
- Let cake rest for 5 minutes and then remove from pans.
- Allow to cool completely.
- Make the frosting.
- Fill the cake, pressing the filling down in each indentations firmly but gently.
- Place the layers together.
- Do a crumb coating.
- Freeze cake.
- Finish frosting the cake. Return to refrigerator or freezer.
- Allow to stand at room temperature for 20 to 30 minutes before serving (less if the cake is not frozen).
- Cut with a knife dipped in hot water.
Lavender Cheesecake Filling
- 24 ozs cream cheese, room temperature
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 – 3/4 cup sugar (depends on your taste… I like 1/2 a cup)
- 3 tbs culinary grade lavender buds
- 1 tsp vanilla
- juice of 1/2 lemon
- Zest of 1/2 lemon
- Bring the cream to just simmering and remove from heat.
- Add the lavender and stir. Allow to steep for 10 minutes.
- Taste the cream and check for lavender flavor. You may want to steep a few more minutes.
- Strain the lavender out of the cream and set aside to cool to room temperature
- Beat the cream cheese and sugar on high speed until cheese is fluffy and sugar granules disolve.
- Add the cream and whip, stopping once in awhile to scrape sides of bowl.
- Beat in the lemon, zest, and vanilla
Use to fill the cake.
Images-Marye Audet
Wilton Images- via Amazon
