Eclair Cake

      For the upcoming Holidays don't forget about this simple, crowd pleasing cake.

      So easy to make, and so delicious!

      I love baking from scratch, but this cake really is a great choice when you

      don't have enough time, but still want to serve something everyone will love.

          Éclair Cake

        2 (3.5 ounce) packages instant vanilla pudding mix

        1 (8 ounce) container frozen whipped topping, thawed

        3 cups milk

        1 (16 ounce) package graham cracker squares

        1 (16 ounce) package prepared chocolate frosting 

       *Instead of chocolate frosting I have used 100g milk chocolate with 2 tbs oil,

         melted slowly on low heat. 

       *If using chocolate instead of chocolate frosting, remember to let the cake sit 15-20 min 

        before serving and cut with a sharp knife which you heat by putting it under running hot water. 

In a medium bowl, thoroughly blend the pudding mix, whipped topping, and milk.
Arrange a single layer of graham cracker squares in the bottom of a 13x9 inch baking pan. Evenly spread half of the pudding mixture over the crackers. Top with another layer of crackers and the remaining pudding mixture. Top with a final layer of graham crackers.
Spread the frosting over the whole cake up to the edges of the pan. Cover, and chill at least 4 hours before serving.

Recipe from Allrecipes.com

Chocolate Cupcakes with Chocolate Cream

Chocolate sour cream cupcake batter

Recipe adapted from Cupcakes! By Elinor Klivans

This batter produces a light, moist dark chocolate cupcake. As all good basic chocolate cupcakes should, these have flat tops, perfect for slathering with creamy fudge frosting They can also be swirled with a mound of marshmallow-like frosting, covered with peppermint icing, or filled with a generous amount of chocolate mousse.

Yield: Makes enough batter for 18 regular cupcakes, 12 big-top cupcakes, 12 extra-large cupcakes, or 60 mini-cupcakes

Prep time: About 10 Minutes

Ingredients

• 3 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped
• 1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
• ½ teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1¼ cups sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ½ cup sour cream
• ½ cup water

Directions

Put the chocolate in a heatproof bowl or the top of a double boiler and place it over, but not touching, a saucepan of barely simmering water (or the bottom of the double boiler). Stir until the chocolate is melted and smooth. Remove from the water and set aside to cool slightly.

Sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt into a medium bowl and set aside.

In a large bowl, using an electric mixer on medium speed, beat the butter and sugar until smoothly blended and creamy, about 2 minutes. Stop the mixer and scrape the sides of the bowl as needed during mixing. On low speed, mix in the melted chocolate. On medium speed, add the eggs one at a time, mixing until each is blended into the batter. Add the vanilla and beat until the mixture looks creamy and the color has lightened slightly, about 1 minute. Mix in the sour cream until no white streaks remain. On low speed, add half of the flour mixture, mixing just to incorporate it. Mix in the water. Mix in the remaining flour mixture until it is incorporated and the batter looks smooth. The batter is ready to bake, or for additions such as nuts, fruit, chocolate chips, or other flavorings.

* Baking temperature and times vary by oven, so make sure you don't over bake.

I baked mine at 375 F for about 20 min. I checked them about 13 min into baking with a toothpick.

For the cream I used one of my favorites, from Paganini cake recipe.

Chocolate Cream:5 egg yolks, and 1 whole egg
50 g/1.75 oz dark chocolate
150g/ 5.25 oz sugar
250g/ about 9 oz butter or margarine, unsalted

Mix egg yolks, egg, and sugar until nicely incorporated, and then cook, with chocolate, in a double boiler. Cool down completely, and then add butter, or margarine cut into thin slices, and mix until smooth. Let it sit in the fridge until needed.

Great with morning coffee too :)

Kate By Gayle

This post is a special thanks to Gayle from Gayle’s Chocolates, a Royal Oak, Michigan chocolate company, who was so kind to send me a sample of her sweet work, and I couldn’t have been more thrilled when I received the package, and got my very own “Kate”! Why Kate? Keep reading…

My 11-year-old daughter’s eyes were as wide as they can get, as she starred at my beautiful chocolate shoe, and I was battling with my mother’s instinct; I just couldn’t say the words “you can have it”, I needed to own it at least until the photo shoot was over, and maybe some time spent in a display for everyone to see : )
No worries, it is now her “Kate”, along with all the bragging rights! I love you baby!

This beautiful chocolate high heel shoe was designed in honor of the British Royal Wedding, and is respectively named "The Kate". It’s made of premium white chocolate, with dark chocolate jewel, and dusted with non-toxic edible pearl and sapphire dust, and it measures 7 inches long and 5-1/2 inches tall. Look how beautifully packaged it is!

I know that in order to provide you with a full review, I should say what it tastes like, but I can’t bring myself to bite into it, it’s to adorable. I can say this though, it’s smells sooooo good, and soooo creamy, I simply know it’s delicious! As soon as I get a replacement for Kate, and I have my eyes set on a few beautiful creations by Gayle, I will update this post, and tell you all about it.

I am so proud to have been invited by a local Michigan company to sample their work, it’s a great honor. Whether you live in Michigan, or not, be sure to visit Gayle’s Chocolates, and surprise your loved one with one of many beautiful creations Gayle makes, or a box of her handmade truffles or chocolates.

Chocolate Charlotte with Bananas

Hello my dear food bloggers, followers, and friends. It’s been a while, and I’m very appreciative that a lot of you still visit, and ask about my whereabouts. I miss blogging, and discovering what you’ve made every day.
Except for working too much, not much is new with me. I’m still holding on to my 20s, which is proving harder every day, esp. first thing in the morning before I apply layers of makeup : )

Like many of you, I’m enjoying the serene winter scenery, minus the morning car troubles, and huge winter heating bills. I have a had a great Holiday season, with December 31st being my busiest work day, and for the first time in my adult life I fell asleep and woke up next year without my share of New Years Champagne.
My family petitioned yesterday that I reclaim my throne in the kitchen and finally make something homemade. Well, I cheated a little, but it’s almost completely home made.

I decided to go though the whole usual works of making them wait for dessert till I snap a few images to share with you. Hope you like it, and hope you are all having a great New Year!

Chocolate Charlotte with Bananas

1 package lady fingers
Some milk to soak the ladyfingers

Filling:
2 packs Dr. Oetker pudding (available at ethnic stores, Italian fruit markets, or Meijer if you have one)
3 1/3 cup milk
9 tbs sugar
1 stick unsalted butter or margarine, room temperature

Set 2,5 cups milk to boil. Use the remainder of milk to mix pudding powder and sugar, the add to boiling milk, reduce heat, and stir quickly for few minutes. Let cool to room temperature. Combine with butter (or margarine).

For the biscuit:
3 eggs
6 tbs sugar
0.5 dcl/ 1.7 oz milk
0.5 dcl/ 1.7 oz oil
7 tbs flour
2 tsp baking powder

Preheat oven to 400 °F. Mix eggs with sugar, add oil, milk, then flour mixed with baking powder. Bake until golden, and toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. I have used the 8” pan.

To assemble:
Line a glass bowl with clear plastic wrap. Dip lady fingers into lukewarm milk, but don’t soak them too much, just quickly, and arrange them around the bowl wall. Add 1/3 filling to the bottom, then add a layer of lady fingers on top of it (not soaked), then 1/3 of filling, then 2 whole bananas bent a little to make a circle, then remainder of the filling, and close it all up with a biscuit. Let cool in the fridge over night, then flip it onto a cake stand. Serve with whipped cream and enjoy.
Note: It is very important to have the pudding and the butter at the same temperature, or it won’t combine nicely. Mine was not so perfect because I was impatient, or shall I say the entire family was : )

Hi Hat Cupcakes

What better to do on a rainy day, but make cupcakes?!

I wanted to make these New York gems for a long time, and finally time has come for me to do so! I am not a big fan of dark chocolate coating, or glaze, so I have used milk chocolate, and also I have added another twist by making the meringue with banana flavor.
Awesome decision, for my taste buds anyway ;) Kids have stuck to frosting their cupcakes with store bought frosting, and tons of sprinkles, and they are now running around on a sugar high :)
I made these cupcakes following a recipe from "Cupcakes", by Elinor Klivans (great book, esp. for novice cupcake bakers), and I have followed it precisely. They don't look as fancy as hers, but for a first time, I think they turned out excellent.
I had just a tiny problem, once I got them out of the oven, they did sink a little bit. Texture was stil fine, very moist, and they taste wonderful, just wondering if that had anything to do with a bit cooler weather, and a draft I have created in the kitchen with two open windows? Probably...

For 18 regular, 12 big-top, or 12 extra large, or 60 mini cupcakes:
Chocolate sour cream cupcake batter
3 oz unsweetened chocolate, chopped
1 cup unbleached AP flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 1/4 cups sugar
2 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup water

Preheat oven to 350 F.
Melt chocolate in a double boiler, or in microwave if you are experienced to do so.
Sift flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt, incorporate well, and set aside for later.
Beat the sugar and butter on high speed until creamy. Add the melted chocolate on low speed, and beat until combined.
Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing after each addition. Add the vanilla extract and mix until batter lightens in color, about 1 minute. Add the sour cream and mix until there is no more white spots.
Add half of the flour mixture, combine, then add water, mix well, and add the rest of the flour mixtrue, and mix until nicely combined.
Fill your cupcake liners 2/3 full, then bake for about 20 minutes, more or less, depends, or until toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let them cool.

Filling
1 ¾ cups sugar
½ cup water
3 large egg whites
¼ tsp cream of tartar
1 tsp vanilla extract
½ tsp almond extract
(I have used only banana extract)

Coating
2 cups (12 oz0 semisweet chocolate (chips or chopped)
3 tbsp canola or vegetable oil

Mix sugar, egg whites, water, and cream of tartar in a top of a double boiler (or heat proof bowl) with at least 2 quart capacity and beat with a hand held electric mixer (watch that mixer cord next to the heater) on high speed until opaque, white and foamy, about 1 minute. Put the bowl over, but not touching, a saucepan of a barely simmering water. Beat on high speed for about 12 minutes, or until it registers 160°F on a thermometer. Remove the container from water, add vanilla and almond extracts, and beat for 2 more minutes to thicken it some more. It will get thicker as it cools on the cupcakes.

Pipe the spirals of filling into a 2 inch cone on top of the cupcakes, using a freezer bag, or pastry bag fitted with plain pastry tip. Place cupcakes on a platter, and put the in the refrigerator until coating is done.

To make the coating melt the chocolate with oil until melted and smooth, in a double boiler, or microwave (if experienced). Scrape it into a small bowl for easier coating. Cool slightly, about 15 min.

Hold each cupcake by its bottom, and dip the tops into chocolate until all the white is covered, you can also use a small spoon for any missed areas. Let the cupcakes sit ar room temperature until coating slightly firms. Remove paper liners (optional), and return cupcakes to a platter, and refrigerate for about 30 minutes until set, then cover and refrigerate for 2 hours before serving. They can be refrigerated up to 3 days.

Adapted from “Cupcakes, by Elinor Klivans.

Donauwellen ("Danube Waves")

I have made this cake many times, there are so many recipes out there, but now I got the Dr. Oetker German Baking Today cookbook, and decided to try this recipe. It is really great! Very rich cake, interesting, and delicious. I love how the batter turned out, just perfect!

I have used a 9 inch round spring form pan, normally this cake is made in a rectangular shape, and served as slices, or cubes. Because of that I have used less chocolate topping.
Also, I make the chocolate topping by melting chopped chocolate pieces with heavy cream. I just keep adding heavy cream (not whipped) until I am pleased with the texture.
I only had frozen tart cherries, fresh (jarred or canned) would make for much nicer appearance, and create perfect waves between the two batter layers. Google it for better images of what it should look like.

My family was very pleased, the only critique they had was that perhaps more butter cream would make it even better : )

Donauwellen (“Danube waves”)

Makes about 20 pieces

For a baking sheet (40 x 30 cm) which is about 16 x12 inches:
some fat
aluminum foil (if using a baking sheet, not pan)

Batter:
2 jars or cans of sour cherries (drained weight approx. 350 g each), or fresh, pitted
250 g/9 oz soft margarine or butter
200 g/7 oz sugar
3 drops vanilla extract in 1 tbsp sugar
1 pinch salt
5 medium eggs
375 g/13/½ oz AP flour
3 level tsp baking powder
20 g / ¾ oz cocoa
2 tsp milk

Butter Cream:
40g/ 1 ½ oz custard powder 9or 1 packet Dr. Oetker vanilla pudding)
100 g/ 3 ½ oz sugar
500 ml/ 17 fl oz milk
250 g/ 9 oz soft butter

Topping:
200 g/ 7 oz plain chocolate
4 tsp oil (cooking)

Preheat oven to about 180° C/ 350 °F. Grease the baking sheet. Thoroughly drain the cherries. To make the cake mixture, stir the softened margarine or butter with a hand mixer with a whisk, until it becomes smooth and homogenous. Gradually add the sugar, vanilla sugar, and salt, stir until mixture thickens. Add 1 egg at a time, whisking each one for about ½ minute at the highest setting.

Mix together the flour and baking powder, sift and add to margarine or butter mixture in two stages, briefly stirring with a mixer at the medium setting. Spread 2/3 of the mixture on the greased baking sheet. Sift the cocoa powder and add with the milk to the rest of the batter, and spread it on top of the light batter. Place a strip of aluminum foil along the open end of the baking sheet to form and edge (no need for this if you are using a pan). Dry the sour cherries quickly on kitchen paper, then arrange them on the dark colored cake mixture, pressing them lightly into place. Bake for about 40 minutes.

Take the cake of the baking sheet and place on a cooling rack, or if using a pan, just cool it in a pan.
Make the butter cream filling, make the custard with the custard powder, sugar and milk, following the instructions on a packet. Leave the custard to cool down (don’t refrigerate), and stir occasionally.
Stir the softened butter with a hand mixer with whisk until it becomes smooth and homogenous. Stir in the cooled custard, by the spoonful, making sure that the butter and the custard are both at room temperature because the butter cream could curdle otherwise. Spread the butter cream on the cooled cake, and smooth out the surface. Refrigerate for about an hour.

To make the chocolate topping, coarsely chop the plain chocolate and melt it with the oil in a double boiler, or however you usually do so ( I did it in microwave). Pour the chocolate coating over the set butter cream, and decorate with a baking comb or a fork, creating waves. Enjoy!

Torte Reform

I couldn’t find anything on this fabulous cake, it’s history, and where it gets it’s name from, but that didn’t stop me from trying to make this delicious cake loaded with walnuts, and chocolate cream.

Torte Reform

For the layers:
10 egg whites
300g (10.14oz) fine sugar
300g (10.14oz)ground walnuts
2 tbsp flour

For the cream:
10 egg yolks
200g (6.76oz) sugar
100g (3.38oz) baking or dark chocolate,
(Chocolate can be increased/decreased to one’s own liking)
250g (8.45oz) unsalted butter or margarine,
3 tbsp very strong coffee (optional)

Beat egg whites, and sugar until firm, and then gradually add walnuts and flour. Divide this batter into 4-5 parts, and bake each in an 8 inch spring form pan in the preheated oven @ 355° F (180° C) for about 20 minutes.

To make the cream mix egg yolks with sugar and cook in a double boiler, mixing constantly. Add chocolate, and cook and mix some more until it starts to thicken.
Remove form the heat, and add the coffee. Let cool completely, and then mix in butter.

I recommend first making the cream, and set it in fridge to cool until you’re done with the layers. The cream is quite stiff, so to spread it over the layers, divide it in how ever many sections you’ll need to spread over each layer, and put the entire amount needed for one layer in the middle, then spread towards the edges.
This is a really delicious, rich, and satisfying torte!

Recipe adapted from Coolinarika.

Happy Halloween!!!

Just popping by to say Happy Halloween to all my food lovers! Boo!

Inside this Witch’s cauldron is a chocolate hazelnut cake with chocolate filling. I am not a big fan of food colors, so I used just a bit for the fire effect, and a tint of green for the whipped cream stew. Gummy eyes were a perfect addition.

It’s been at least 6 months since I have baked something, and since I had a time to, and the kids wanted something spooky for the occasion. Haven’t tried it yet, but cake baked excellent, and just as soon as I can, I will share the recipe.
Thank you again for visiting, and all your wonderful comments! :)

Chocolate hazelnut cake

For the batter:
5 eggs
100g (3.5 oz) baking chocolate, melted
2 tbsp all purpose flour
1 tbsp baking powder
100g (3.5 oz) butter, unsalted
100g (3.5 oz) sugar
100g (3.5 oz) finely ground hazelnuts
2 tbsp vanilla sugar

Separate yolks from whites. Mix yolks with sugar, and vanilla sugar un till nice and creamy. Add hazelnuts, melted chocolate, and flour mixed with baking powder. Mix butter until creamy, and add it to the batter.
Mix egg whites until nice and stiff, and fold those in, and incorporate well, but don’t over mix.
Separate batter into 3 portions, and bake 3 separate layers in a 8 inch spring form pan. I haven’t separated it at all, but baked one cake, and then cut it into three layers.

I have used a recipe for cake layers from Podravka, and their very popular cooking site (in Croatian), Coolinarika. I didn’t make the filling from the recipe because it asks for some things not available to me. You can use pretty much any filling you like.

I have used this one:
2 packages of Chocolate pudding mix
(Like Dr.Oetker, or if not available use 6 Tbsp of corn starch , 1 tsp vanilla extract)
0.7l (about 23 oz) of milk
6 Tbsp of sugar
2 ticks, 16 tbsp of unsalted butter or margarine
100g (3.5 oz) baking chocolate, melted (or half of that if you have chocolate pudding)

Take some milk from the 0.7 l, a bit less than half a cup, and mix in pudding mixes with sugar (or corn starch, and vanilla extract). Put the remainder of milk to boil over medium heat, and then add pudding mix, reduce heat a bit, and mix well and fast, so not to get lumps.
Cool down completely, I usually put it in a fridge a bit, and then freezer, to speed up the process. Do cover the bowl, so you don’t get the “skin” on your pudding. When cold it will be very firm, don’t get alarmed, it should be.
Now cream the butter sticks and mix it with the pudding, mixing on high speed. Add melted chocolate, and mix in well. Spread evenly over cake layers, and a little bit all over the outside of the cake. Now you can top it with some nice chocolate glaze, or decorate any way you like.

Homemade Kinder Surprise

Kinder surprise egg was definitely my favorite treat when I was growing up, and I sometimes manage to buy them for my kids here in the USA, at my local ethnic food stores! There are other versions too. You can read more about it here, and here is the Canadian website for Kinder egg Surprise.

It’s a chocolate egg with shell made out of two thin layers of chocolate. One with regular milk chocolate, and another with white chocolate. Inside is a little plastic container, containing a toy.

I couldn’t take the picture of the making process (will add those for Easter), but it’s not so complicated. To make them, I bought some plastic eggs which can open, washed them, separated them in half, aligned each half with foil inside, and placed them onto an empty egg cartoon. I am sure there are special molds for this, but didn’t even want to go there, I live far from such stores :)

Then I coated the inside (of course) with chocolate. First with regular, the I put it in the freezer for about 20 minutes, then I carefully added a layer of white chocolate over the first layer. Back in the freezer, then simply got it out of the plastic shell, peeled the foil, and voila, I got chocolate egg halves. Sure, it’s not as smooth as store bought, but good enough for me, until I get hold of some molds.

Then I just placed the corresponding halves over a heated stove top for few seconds so I can seal the halves into a whole egg. Inside I placed my kids’ favorite little toys, The Littlest Pet Shop animals. Whatever fits, and it depends on what plastic egg you get. Back in the freezer for seal to harden.

After that I wrapped them with foil, and decorated with stickers. That is the beauty of making these, you get to use whatever chocolate you, or shall I say, your kids like, and you and them can decorate together, personalize with their names, or names of their friends and family.

I think it’s a great idea for Easter. It’s making a treat, and crafts all in one! Possibilities are endless. You can use just one kind of chocolate, and also you can fill it with whatever you want.
So, all you need is some plastic eggs, chocolate, and proper tempering, and for tempering the chocolate I have followed these directions.

This is my contribution to Sugar High Friday #52, a monthly food blogging event created by Jennifer, The Domestic Goddess, and hosted this month by lovely Marija @ Palachinka blog. She chose a theme copycat, and what a great idea that is!

Hazelnut Torte - Paganini

Hello, my dear foodies! Thank you for all your kind words, and support in my time of absence. I am very busy, but will be dropping by more, hopefully! Today is my daughter's B-Day, and I wanted to share with you this wonderful cake I made for her. Happy Birthday baby!

Hazelnut Torte (Paganini)

First make the two fillings.
Chocolate filling:
5 egg yolks, and 1 whole egg
50 g/1.75 oz dark chocolate
150g/ 5.25 oz sugar
250g/ about 9 oz butter or margarine, unsalted

Mix egg yolks, egg, and sugar until nicely incorporated, and then cook, with chocolate, in a double boiler. Cool down completely, and then add butter, or margarine cut into thin slices, and mix until smooth. Let it sit in the fridge until needed.

Vanilla filling:
4 egg yolks
5 Tbs corn starch
1 vanilla sugar (9g/0.32 oz)
6 Tbs sugar
0.7 l/ 3 cups milk
0.5l/2 cups whipped cream, whipped + 1 stabilizer
(I use the whipped cream powder, 3 x (40g/1.41oz) with about 1 ½ cups milk)

Mix egg yolks, vanilla sugar, sugar, and corn starch with about half cup milk (taken from the 3 cups). Let the remainder of milk boil, and when it comes to boil, pour in the mixture, and stir constantly until nice and thick. Cool down completely, and then gradually add the whipped cream, whipped with stabilizer. Vanilla cream, when cooled may be very tough to mix, and blending the whipped cream in can be a bit challenging, so add the whipped cream, mix a little, then cool again, and mix some more until smooth. If you mix it in one round, you will find that it can heat up, and become runny! Thanks to Jenn, I am making these corrections.

For the base:
10 egg whites
280g/ about 10 oz sugar
280g/ about 10 oz roasted, finely ground hazelnuts
2 Tbsp baking cocoa powder

Preheat oven to 395 F. Mix egg whites until stiff, slowly adding sugar, then hazelnuts with cocoa powder. Bake in a large spring form pan (8"), or a square 9”x13” baking pan. Either use parchment paper, or grease the dish before baking. Baking time depends on your oven, check often. As usual, it is done when the toothpick comes out clean.

Cool down the cake, then poke it all over, and soak (but not to much) with milk. Put the cake on a stand of your choice, then put the spring form ring part back on (or around it, you know), and then put the fillings, that’s how you get perfect layers, and everything is kept in place, and evenly spread. When ready to serve, or giveaway (yeah, right), you just do the finishing touch. Fist top it with the chocolate filling, then vanilla, then decorate as you wish; whipped cream on the top works the best, but you can also sprinkle the top with coarse ground hazelnuts.

This cake is a true bite of heaven, prepare it to compliment a simple dinner! Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from Coolinarika.

Walnut chocolate torte

There is no story with this one, it is simply delicious!!! Walnuts, chocolate buttercream, what else do you need? Just ask my neighbor. This one is for you my friend! :)

Walnut chocolate torte
(Adapted from coolinarika.com)

For the butter cream:
4 eggs
1 cup sugar
3 oz of baking chocolate
2 sticks, plus 2tbs of unsalted butter, or margarine (250 g)
juice of one lemon

Mix eggs and sugar until creamy, and sugar has dissolved. Cook in a pot over another pot with boiling water in it, or double boiler. Mix constantly, and cook until it starts thickening; add chocolate, and mix well. Transfer to a mixing bowl, and let it cool down completely. Then add butter (or margarine), juice of one lemon, and mix to get silky, nice buttercream.

For the cake:
6 eggs
1 cup sugar
2 Tbsp plain bread crumbs
250 g (3 cups ground walnuts)

Preheat oven to 390 F. In one bowl mix egg whites until stiff. In a separate bowl mix egg yolks with sugar for few minutes, until creamy. Add ground walnuts, and bread crumbs. It will be quite dry, then fold in egg whites. Mix until all is blended nicely, but don’t over mix.
Bake in preheated oven for about 40 minutes.

Let it cool, and then cut into two and sprinkle with a little milk, just couple of tablespoons each.
Now fill the cake layers with buttercream inside, and spread all around the outside. Sprinkle generously with ground walnuts, and decorate if you wish. Enjoy!