Did you attend a wedding recently in which the couple opted for a cake with little or no frosting on its sides? Then, you know what to call a naked cake. Not just only on wedding ceremonies, people love to relish this kind of cake on special occasions like on bridal showers, baby showers and other such celebratory milestones of one’s life. The cakes in which there is full exposure as to the layers and garnishes are minimal are called naked cakes which have become a bakery staple around the world. A naked cake can be easily decorated with some berries and some vanilla buttercream.
To talk about this cake, it has got two kinds – first semi-naked or half-dressed cake and second, a true naked cake. While the semi-naked cake is the crumb-coated cake wherein a minimal amount of frosting is smeared on its sides, whereas in a true naked cake no such layering of the frosting is done. It is simple and beautiful, just the way it is!
Here’s how you need to bake a naked cake!
Ingredients:
- 3 and 3/4 cups sifted all-purpose flour* (spoon & levelled)
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 and 1/2 cups unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 5 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1 Tablespoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 and 3/4 cups buttermilk, at room temperature*
- optional: 1-2 cups fresh raspberries or other berries
Ingredients For Vanilla Buttercream:
- 1 and 1/2 cups unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 5–6 cups confectioners’ sugar
- 5–6 Tablespoons heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Let’s Start Baking!
- Start by preheating the oven to 350°F (177°C).
- Grease and sprinkle flour in three 9-inch cake pans.
- Take flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together and whisk it all together in a bowl. Then set it aside.
- Pour butter and sugar in the mixer whisk attachment and beat it together on high speed for about 3 minutes until the mixture turns smooth and creamy.
- On medium-high speed, add 1 egg at a time and further vanilla extracts to it.
- Put the mixer on low speed, add the dry ingredients in three instalments along with buttermilk. Do not overmix the batter. The batter will turn out to be smooth, velvety, and slightly thick.
- Add 2–3 cups of batter to the already prepared pans. Pour the batter evenly and bake it for around 25-26 minutes. Check the doneness by pricking a toothpick or knife. If the toothpick comes out clean then your cake is done.
- Allow it to cool by placing it on a wire rack. The cake needs to have fully cooled down before we start with frosting and assembling.
- To make the frosting whip the butter until creamy on n medium speed for about 2 minutes. Further add 5 and 1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar, 5 Tablespoons heavy cream, the vanilla extract, and salt.
- Increase the speed to high for 3 minutes and add 1/2 cup more confectioners’ sugar if the batter seems too thin.
- Take a large serrated knife to place the thin layer of the cake on a flat surface. Spread 1 and 1/2 cups of frosting evenly on top of it. Then place the second layer of the cake on top of it and smear the cake, just like the same way. Add all the layers and smear the frosting just the same way.
- For the top level of the cake layer, add frosting on the sides and try to smoothen out by using a bench scraper.
- Decorate the cake with berries and other garnishes.
- Refrigerate the cake for 2-3hours before slicing and serving. Your cake is ready to be relished.
So, this was an easy recipe of a lip-smacking naked cake that you can try to impress your loved ones with. If you think baking is not your forte you can absolutely order cake online in Pune, Mumbai or some XYZ city to celebrate some of the most precious moments of your and your loved one’s life. The cake is the highlight of any celebratory occasion and when it is a naked cake, it becomes the heart of the occasion.
Bon Appetit!
