every day is another opportunity to eat, pray, love

Layers to Heaven

The best thing about birthdays, isn't the presents its the never ending sweets. 

Ethan's birthday was the 16th and his mom made him a cake, seems normal right? Well...Ethan's mom, Renee Holmes, owns a restaurant cafe in Fulton, Illinois called Krumpets and her version of a birthday cake isn't one of the norm. 

Let's rewind...

These were our two birthday cakes last year. Ethan's is on the left (a chocolate cake with hazelnut toffee cream filling with bits of homemade toffee & mine is on the right (a layered sponge cake with chocolate buttercream, hazelnut cream, white chocolate ganache, and more)

So, fast forward.... This year Ethan's parent's came in town post bday, lo and behold his mom came with a cake in hand. 

Beautiful cake using the "naked" method of frosting on the outside of the cake paired with chocolate frosting and chocolate covered strawberries. Of course, that's not it. wait for it...


...let me break it down for you

This gets real before the first layer of cake: 
•chocolate ganache
•chocolate french buttercream

•white chocolate strawberry ganache
Then the cake starts
•chocolate
cake layer
•chocolate French buttercream
•split layer of French sponge cake filled with:
        
•homemade strawberry jam
        
•white chocolate French buttercream
        •fresh strawberries
•layer of chocolate French buttercream
•layer of chocolate cake

The white chocolate french buttercream filled with the strawberries was beyond refreshing and sweet, it just craves to be devoured. Also, the chocolate french buttercream has this thick icing consistency (almost that of an ice cream cake icing). 

For a girl that loves icing, this cake is an absolute dream.