Oh Christmas tree – or rather Oh chocolate dream? A beautiful birthday candy cake. Christmas time is approaching and for many baking enthusiasts that means it is baking season. In addition to cookies, gingerbread and Christmas stollen, this candy cake is an unusual candy theme cake for everyone. Many of you probably know that I love French patisserie and like to incorporate it into my recipes or cakes for special occasions.
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Birthday Candy Cake
What’s candy cake? This cake birthday cake has large candy decorations and is inspired by the birthday Croquembouche tower. The best croquembouche recipe for special occasions such as birthdays, weddings or other milestones that you would like to celebrate with something sweet.
This candy theme cake with sweets is definitely an eye-catcher and makes quite a statement. It doesn’t just look good, this cake also tastes great. For this Candy Cake Kinder I used Happy Hippo, it definitely brings back my childhood memories. This Happy Hippo cake recipe consists of vanille and chocolate sponge cake layers, with a milk and cocoa frosting like the original Kinder Happy Hippo.
Candy Theme Cake
What is a candy cake? Making the best croquembouche Christmas cake yourself may not seem as easy, but I’ll give you step-by-step instructions here, so you can do it yourself. Croquembouche how to make? You will learn how to bake the vanilla and chocolate sponge cake layers in order to make the perfect base for this crockenbush cake, how to prepare the milk and cocoa frostings to make it an outstanding and delicious cake.
I will also explain how this chocolate croquembouche is layered to create the unusual cone shape, which is then decorated with various sweets and treats. A true work of art made from sweets and with an eye for the detail. This candy cake made from sweets has the perfect balance of creaminess and variety of flavors, neither too sweet nor too greasy, but similar in taste to Kinder Happy Hippo.
Christmas Croquembouche Tower
Vanille Sponge Cake: Whip the eggs at high speed until light and fluffy. Mix together sugar and salt and add to whipped eggs on low speed. Continue whipping for 5 minutes until light and fluffy. Mix together flour, cornstarch and baking powder, sieve half of it into the egg mixture and carefully mix together with a whisk until it becomes a smooth batter. Repeat the process with the second half and add the vanilla. Make sure that no flour pockets remain at the bottom of the bowl. Line the bottom of the 17 cm / 6.5 inches baking pans with parchment paper. Bake at 180°C/356°F top/bottom heat for 25-30 minutes.
Check whether the cakes are done baking with a toothpick. Leave to cool on a rack for 30 minutes, then gently take out the sponge cakes from the baking pans and let completely cool down on the rack. Wrap in cling film and place in the fridge, the next day cut horizontally into four equal cake layers. Then cut the four cake layers into these four different diameters: 1x17cm/6.5inches, 1x13cm/5inches, 1x8cm/3inches, 1x4cm/1.5inches. Repeat the same process for the chocolate sponge cake, but with cocoa powder, following the recipe.
Milk Frosting: Place all the ingredients, except the Kinder Happy Hippo, in a fat-free bowl. Whip up on low speed until everything is combined, then beat on a high speed until stiff. It is best to chill the milk frosting for 2-3 hours before use, in order for the frosting to become firmer. Chop up the Kinder Happy Hippo and put aside.
Chocolate Frosting: Place mascarpone, heavy cream and cream stiffener in a fat-free bowl. Whip up on low speed until everything is combined, then beat on a high speed until stiff. Add the Nutella and unsweetened dark cocoa powder and fold in by hand using a whisk. It is best to chill the milk frosting for 2-3 hours before use, in order for the frosting to become firmer.
Chocolate Buttercream: Finely chop the dark chocolate and place in a bowl. Heat up the heavy cream in a pan and bring to a boil. Pour the hot heavy cream over the chopped chocolate and leave for 1-2 minutes. Then stir with a whisk until the chocolate is completely melted and the mixture is homogeneous and turned into a ganache. Set the ganache aside to cool. Whip up the softened butter with the pinch of salt on high speed until light and fluffy, scraping off the bottom of the bowl at least once so that all the butter is whipped up. The butter should turn from a yellowish color to white. Add the ganache spoon by spoon, whipping on high speed in between.
Best Croquembouche Recipe
Assembly & Decoration: First, place the 17cm/6.5inches chocolate sponge cake layer on the turning cake table. Pipe a rim of chocolate buttercream around the edge. Pipe a thin layer of the milk frosting on the cake layer, place some of the chopped Kinder Happy Hippo in it and pipe a thin layer of the hazelnut frosting on top. Repeat this process again and again, alternating between vanilla and chocolate sponge cake layers to create a cone-shaped cake. Chill the cake for 2-3 hours and then cover the cake with the remaining chocolate buttercream. Chill for another 2-3 hours. Chop up both white and dark chocolate and melt separately. Use the chocolates to attach the sweets to the chilled cake. Use the golden food coloring and a brush to create some beautiful details on the cake.
