Beth Branch - Hello, Sugar!: Classic Southern Sweets

Beth Branch was born and raised in Birmingham, Alabama. She began baking and created her first food blog, The Collegiate Baker, in 2011 while she was a student at the University of Alabama. Her early baking adventures mainly focused on creating over-the-top birthday cakes for her friends and family, but also included plenty of forays into old family recipes and her grand-mothers recipe box. After graduating from college, Branch rebranded her blog as bethcakes, the name her friends coined for her over-the-top cakes. In addition to family favorite southern recipes, Branch also plays with modern food trends to create fun recipes for people of all baking experience levels to enjoy.

A cake that tastes like a dream! The stars in this cake are the coconut caramel sauce between the layers and the fluffy cloud-like frosting.

SERVES 10

For the coconut caramel sauce:

1 cup granulated sugar

6 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cubed

cup coconut cream

1 teaspoon coconut extract

1 tablespoon rum (optional)

For the coconut cake:

3 cups all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup unsalted butter, softened

cup coconut oil

2 cups granulated sugar

1 tablespoon coconut extract

1 (5.3-ounce) container coconut Greek yogurt

1 (13.66-ounce) can coconut cream (Thai Kitchen)

1 large egg

4 large egg whites

teaspoon cream of tartar

1 cups unsweetened flaked coconut

For the coconut buttercream:

1 cup butter, softened

1 cup vegetable shortening

2 tablespoons coconut extract

6 cups confectioners sugar

12 tablespoons coconut cream (or regular whole milk)

For the garnishes:

Coconut

Toasted coconut

Any remaining caramel sauce

To make the caramel sauce: Place the sugar in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir occasionally until the sugar begins to clump together. Continue cooking until the clumps begin to melt and turn an amber color. Stir occasionally until completely melted. While stirring, gradually add the cubed butter until melted. Gradually add the coconut cream until incorporated. Reduce the heat to low, and continue cooking for an additional minute. Remove from the heat, and stir in the extract and rum, if using. Let cool completely before using.

To make the cake: Preheat the oven to 350F. Grease three 8-inch cake pans with cooking spray. Line the pans with parchment paper. Whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl. In a large bowl, beat the butter on medium-high speed with an electric mixer until smooth. Add the coconut oil and sugar; mix until fluffy. Add the coconut extract and yogurt, and mix until well blended. Add the coconut cream, 1 whole egg, and the flour mixture. Mix on low speed until mostly combined and then medium speed until completely combined.

Place the egg whites in a medium bowl and beat on medium speed with an electric mixer until foamy. Add the cream of tartar and continue mixing until stiff peaks form. Fold the meringue and flaked coconut into the cake batter until completely incorporated. Divide the batter evenly among the cake pans, and bake 2830 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Let the cakes cool in the pans for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

To make the frosting: In a large bowl, beat the butter on medium speed until smooth. Add the shortening, and mix until creamy. Add the extract, confectioners sugar, and coconut cream. Mix on low speed until mostly combined, then medium-high speed until completely combined.

To assemble cake: Place one cake layer on a cake plate. Pipe a ring of frosting around the top edge of the cake layer to build a barrier. Fill with caramel sauce. Place another layer on top. Repeat the process with frosting and caramel. Place the final layer on top. Spread frosting around the outside of the cake. Press shredded or toasted coconut all over the cake to garnish. Serve with any remaining caramel sauce.

with Honey-Buttermilk Glaze

Baked in a cast-iron skillet, this cornbread cake is the perfect snack with a cup of coffee or a glass of tea. Its full of fresh, springtime flavor and has a sweet buttermilk glaze to top it all off.

SERVES 10

For the lemon-blueberry cornbread cake:

cup unsalted butter, melted

cup granulated sugar

cup packed light brown sugar

1 lemon, zested and juiced

1 teaspoon lemon extract

2 large eggs

cup buttermilk

1 cups all-purpose flour

1 cup yellow cornmeal

2 teaspoons baking powder

Pinch of salt

1 cups fresh blueberries

For the honey-buttermilk glaze:

cup confectioners sugar

2 tablespoons honey

2 tablespoons buttermilk

To make the cake: Preheat the oven to 350F. Grease a 9-inch castiron skillet with oil. Combine the butter, both sugars, lemon zest and juice, and extract in a medium bowl. Mix on medium speed with an electric mixer until well blended. Add the eggs, and mix well. Next, add the buttermilk, flour, cornmeal, baking powder, and salt. Mix until all of the ingredients are incorporated. Fold in the blueberries.

Pour the batter into the prepared skillet. Bake 2325 minutes, or until the cake is golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

To make the glaze: While the cake is cooling, whisk together the confectioners sugar, honey, and buttermilk until smooth. Pour the glaze over the warm cake, which is best served slightly warm.

with CaramelCream Cheese Frosting

This cake is a Southern classic with a fun twist! Because of the cakes light cocoa flavor, caramel is the perfect addition to the silky cream cheese frosting.

SERVES 10

For the red velvet cake:

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder

1 teaspoons baking soda

teaspoon salt

2 cups granulated sugar

1 cup vegetable oil

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 tablespoon white vinegar

3 eggs

1 cups buttermilk

tablespoon red gel food coloring

For the caramel cream cheese frosting:

1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, room temperature

cup butter, room temperature

cup caramel sauce

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

5 cups confectioners sugar

For the garnishes:

Cake crumbs

Cocoa powder

Caramel sauce

To make the cake: Preheat the oven to 350F. Line two 8-inch cake pans with parchment paper, and spray with cooking spray. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt; set aside. Combine the sugar, oil, vanilla, and vinegar in a large bowl. Mix with an electric mixer on medium speed until blended. Add the eggs and mix well.