Alphabet Cake Recipe - Letter Cake Tutorial (video) (2024)

Author: Veena Azmanov

Prep Time: 30 minutes mins

Cook Time: 20 minutes mins

Decorating time: 30 minutes mins

Total Time: 1 hour hr 20 minutes mins

Cake batter

• ▢ 4 cups (500 g) All-purpose flour
• ▢ 2 tsp Baking powder
• ▢ 1 tsp Baking soda
• ▢ ½ tsp Salt
• ▢ ½ cup (120 ml) Unsalted butter (room temperature)
• ▢ ½ cup (120 ml) Cooking oil (flavorless)
• ▢ 2 cup (440 g) Brown sugar
• ▢ 4 Eggs (large)
• ▢ 2 cups (470 ml) Sour cream
• ▢ 2 tsp Vanilla extract

Caramel whipped cream

• ▢ 1½ cup (300 g) Granulated sugar
• ▢ 2 tbsp Light corn syrup
• ▢ ¼ cup Water
• ▢ ½ cup (113 g) Butter (unsalted, room temperature)
• ▢ 2 cup (470 ml) Heavy cream or Whipping cream ((38% fat))
• ▢ 1 tsp Sea salt
• ▢ 1 tsp Vanilla extract

Whipped cream

• ▢ 1 cup (240 ml) Heavy cream / Whipping cream (for the top layer (38% fat) )

Plus

• ▢ ½ cup (120 ml) Simple syrup
• ▢ 8 Strawberries
• ▢ 20 Blueberries

Cake batter

• Preheat the oven at 325°F / 165°C / Gas mark 3.

• Grease and line three 9 x 11- inch sheet pans with parchment paper. You can also make just two thicker cake layers

  Pro tip – If the layers are too thick they will be heavy on the whipped cream frosting. So, ensure they are no more than 1-inch thick.

• Dry ingredients – In a bowl, combine the all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.

  4 cups All-purpose flour, 2 tsp Baking powder, 1 tsp Baking soda, ½ tsp Salt

• In a bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, cream the butter, oil, and sugar until light and fluffy.

  Pro tip – The oil will create emulsification with the batter so it looks more whipped rather than fluffy.

  See Also

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  ½ cup Unsalted butter, ½ cup Cooking oil, 2 cup Brown sugar

• Then, add the eggs, one at a time, to the batter making sure to combine each well into the batter.

  Pro tip – Ensure each egg is well incorporated before you add the next one to prevent the batter from curdling.

  4 Eggs

• Next, add the flour mixture and sour cream in three batches. Combine well but do not overmix. Add the vanilla extact.

  Pro tip – We do not want to activate the gluten in the flour. So, combine but do not overmix.

  2 cups Sour cream, 2 tsp Vanilla extract

• Pour the batter into the prepared baking pans, spread with an offset spatula towards the edges. Tap on the counter a few times to remove air pockets.

• Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean. When baked, cool in the pan for 10 minutes then transfer to the cooling rack.

Caramel

• In a heavy-bottom deep saucepan, add the sugar, water, and corn syrup.

  Pro tip – Corn syrup prevents crystallization; you can also use 1 tsp lemon juice.

  1½ cup Granulated sugar, 2 tbsp Light corn syrup, ¼ cup Water

• With the heat on medium, bring the sugar to a boil. Shake the pan slowly guiding the distribution of heat. DO NOT STIR.

  Pro tip – We avoid stirring to prevent the crystallization of sugar.

• The sugar should now be a deep amber color. Now, add the sea salt followed by butter, heavy cream, and vanilla extract.

  Pro tip – The caramel will rise at this point, that's normal. Hence, the deep saucepan.

  ½ cup Butter, 2 cup Heavy cream or Whipping cream, 1 tsp Sea salt, 1 tsp Vanilla extract

• Take it off the heat and cool to room temperature. Then, add the remaining whipping cream. Pour into another bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and chill in the fridge for at least 4 hours or overnight.

  Pro tip – It is important that the caramel whipping cream is well chilled. Otherwise, it will not whip to stiff peaks.

• Once cold, transfer to the stand mixer with a whisk attachment and whip to stiff peaks. Transfer to a piping bag with a round piping tip.

Whipping cream

• In a stand mixer with the whisk attachment, whip the whipping cream to stiff peaks. Alternatively, you can use the caramel whipping cream for the top layer too. Transfer to a piping bag with a star piping tip.

  1 cup Heavy cream / Whipping cream

Assemble

• Preparesimple syrup– cool completely before using.

  Pro tip– Simple syrup is just sugar water that has been boiled and cooled. We use it to keep cake layers moist.

  ½ cup Simple syrup

• Using abread knifeor cake leveler cut the domes off the cake layers.

• Peel the parchment paper from the cake. Using the alphabet template cut the cake into the desired shape as shown in the video. Do this will all three sheet cakes.

  Pro tip – Ensure you remove the baking paper from the cake before you carve the desired alphabet. Otherwise, it can break the alphabet later when trying to peel the cake.

• Place the first layer on the cake board or cake stand. Brusheach layer with the cooled simple syrup

• Pipe the caramel whipped cream all over the alphabet as shown in the video. Then, place the second layer on top, brush with simple syrup, and pipe more caramel whipped cream.

• Finally, top with the third layer, and this time, pipe the whipped cream all over. Alternatively, you can continue to pipe with more caramel whipped cream.

• Top the alphabet cake with fresh fruits or other decorations. I used strawberries and blueberries along with a few colored heart candies.

  8 Strawberries, 20 Blueberries

• Enjoy!

• Use room temperature ingredients for the cake and do not skip on creaming the butter and sugar.
• Always add eggs one at a time to prevent the batter from curdling.
• Will this batter you can make 2 thick layers or 3 thinner layers of cake.
• Thinner layers are best when using a light whipped frosting such as this caramel frosting. A buttercream frosting will hold thicker layers of cake better.
• The cake can be prepared a few days in advance.
• The unfrosted cake wrapped well in plastic will keep in the fridge for 3 to 4 days. It can even be frosted for up to a month.
• Print the image you want from the computer and cut around the outline to get the correct shape.
• Make sure the printed image is the same size as the cake.
• Once carved the cake will have exposed sides that can dry easily when exposed to air or the fridge.
• The butter in the caramel will help stabilize the whipped cream as it cool in the fridge. If you want you can also stabilize the whipped cream with gelatin.

Nutrition Facts

Letter Cake Recipe

Amount per Serving

% Daily Value*

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.