Ahh summer… I love you.
Sunshine filled days, warm evenings out under the stars and get togethers with friends and family.
Which always means lots of laughter and memory making- and desserts.
Yes, I said the ‘Dessert’ word.
And today I am sharing a simple and sweet rustic cake that is nothing but layers of white cake, creamy buttercream frosting and decadent yet simple topping. And the best part?
Easy easy easy to make- because I have a little secret.
I walked into a local Safeway store the other day to find a cake or dessert that would be suitable for a last minute photo shoot request.
One that was tall and layered with goodness and that wasn’t covered in gobs of buttercream flowers and balloons.
And I found nothing simple or plain available.
So sharing a trick….
I asked the bakery if by chance they had plain old cake rounds that were ready and waiting to be frosted that I could buy.
It is a last minute custom dessert trick that makes entertaining so much easier.
Especially before a party when you are running around getting things ready.
And they did have them ready and they handed me a stack of three white cakes with gobs of buttercream in between and I am was on my merry way.
(I should note- they do charge the same for an undecorated cake as they do for a decorated one- so just an fyi. )
At home, you can leave your cake ‘rustic’ without any frosting on the top and sides, a little less rustic with barely there mostly scraped off frosting on the top and sides, or frost as you normally would if you would like to do that.
I chose a simple barely there rustic frosting.
Just take a knife and pull that frosting around the cake and then go back over it to
scrape off most of it.
It makes no sense, I know.
Frost the cake- then un-frost the cake to get the look.
haha.
The things we do…
Naked rustic cake and un-frosting aside…
I want to talk about something important that you need to know if you are
creating and serving a flower topped cake.
Know your flowers
Not all flowers are suitable for eating- and they should not touch the cake
where they could seep into frosting, etc.
So if you are using fresh flowers-
do your research and make sure they are safe.
There are lots of favorites that people use on cakes all the time-
but they are not all okay to do that with.
And one of the favorites? As pretty as they are.. ranunculus are not considered safe.
Kind of crazy right?
Because they are everywhere on wedding cakes on pinterest and google and even shown on gorgeous tiered cakes on The Knot, etc.
But they are not edible flowers.
I have only used them on cakes that are for a styling job and will not be eaten.
If using real flowers on cakes that you will serve- take precautions.
Use a plastic layer in between the frosting and flowers and wrap the stems well before setting them down just to be safe.
Or better yet- use favorites:
wafer or sugar ranunculus (special order) and don’t stress about it.
(And yes, in case you are wondering – they look like the real thing)
Good news for this cake though…
Lavender is an herb and is considered safe (and delicious) and used in many dishes.
You can read more in this Sunset magazine guide
And since lavender is also such a pretty bloom – why not use it to decorate a cake as well?
For this simple dessert
I clipped fresh lavender from our herb garden and used both the stems and the buds to lightly.
I love the look of greenery wrapped around a cake plate and used long lavender stems on the serving dish and then a couple buds on top for a pretty touch.
Then just a few fresh blueberries to add a simple berry touch before serving.
Simple and summer sweet – and easy.
And something fun- since I am a bit of nut about these naked and rustic cakes
topped with berries and goodness- I am starting up a new summer entertaining series.
Farm to Table to Dessert
A farm to table series that is all about gathering and enjoying food from the garden-
from decorating your tables to decorated desserts.
Since I am a bit of a nut about setting beautiful tables
and naked rustic cakes-
I am kind of excited about this one and hope you will enjoy it too.
Happy Friday everyone.
Oh so pretty and that cake looks delicious! Even if its frosting, un-frosting and rustic. If you use little frosting that makes it healthier right? Always love seeing your table & cake creation posts.
Love the rustic cake……I make the same but add a bit of jam or preserves between the layers. And decorate the top with flowers or more fruit. Love your site!!
Great idea for a last minute dessert. The whole setting is so beautiful!
I love your rustic cakes! I thought about whipping one up just because yours are so pretty. A lovely, simple and elegant idea!
Barb ????????
Lovely cake. And, love your blog. It is always a treat to enjoy your beautiful photos and read your posts.
You have the prettiest rustic cakes of any I have seen. Thanks for tips on flowers for the cake.