It wouldn’t be Easter without hot cross buns, but how about a fresh take on this classic with hot cross bun macarons and buttercream icing?

MAKES 20 // COOKING TIME 1 hour 30 min

INGREDIENTS
For the hot cross bun macarons
125 g icing sugar
125 g ground almonds
2 tsp cinnamo
¼ tsp nutmeg
90 ml egg whites
110 g caster sugar
For the royal icing
1 egg white
25 g icing sugar
For the buttercream icing
200 g butter
400 g icing sugar
Zest of 1 orange
1 tsp cinnamon

METHOD
For the hot cross bun macarons
1. Preheat oven to 170°C and line 2 large baking trays.
2. Sift together icing sugar, ground almonds, cinnamon and nutmeg.
3. Add 40 ml egg whites and mix to form a paste.
4. Place ¼ cup water and the caster sugar in a small pot over a low heat.
5. Allow the sugar to dissolve, then bring to the boil until the syrup reaches 110°C.
6. At this point, start mixing the rest of the egg whites on high speed in a stand mixer.
7. Once the egg whites are stiff and the syrup has reached about 115°C, slowly pour the syrup into the egg whites, while beating.
8. Continue beating until the mixture has cooled, and the whites are stiff and shiny.
9. Fold a third of the meringue into the paste to loosen it.
10. Fold in the rest of the meringue carefully, trying not to beat too much air out.
11. Spoon into a piping bag. Snip a 4 mm opening in the piping bag and, holding the bag vertically, pipe 3 cm rounds on to the baking paper.
12. The mixture should be loose enough that it spreads out a little. Once the macarons are all piped, drop the tray lightly on to the work surface a few times to smooth them out.
13. Leave to stand for about 30 minutes until the macarons form a skin.
14. Bake for 13–15 minutes, until firm to the touch. Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely before icing.
For the royal icing
1. Whisk the egg white until foamy.
2. Slowly add the icing sugar while whisking.
3. When the icing is thick enough to pipe and hold its shape, pipe crosses on to the tops of half of the baked macarons.
For the buttercream icing
1. Beat the butter until pale and fluffy.
2. Slowly add icing sugar while continuously beating. The icing is ready when the mixture is pale and fluffy. Add the orange zest and cinnamon, then beat to combine.
3. Sandwich 2 macaron halves together with a squeeze of icing between them.
4. Refrigerate for up to a week.

Recipe & styling: Diane Heierli
Photography: Christoph Heierli

If you love this Easter-themed treat, you’ll love this hot cross bun milk tart too!

The post Hot cross bun macarons with buttercream icing appeared first on MyKitchen.

We are still loving the watercolour baking trend and we’re throwing it back with one of our favourite recipes, this decadent watercolour vanilla cake with buttercream!

MAKES 1 // COOKING TIME 2 hours 30 min

INGREDIENTS
For the vanilla cake
250 g unsalted butter
400 g sugar
4 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla essence
375 g cake flour
3 tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
250 ml milk
For the buttercream icing
1 kg icing sugar
500 g unsalted butter
2 tbsp milk
Food colouring (optional)
Berries, to decorate
Flowers, to decorate
Macaroons, to decorate

METHOD
For the vanilla cake
1. Preheat oven to 180°C. Grease two 20 cm cake tins and line with baking paper.
2. Beat butter until creamy. Beat in sugar, 1 tbsp at a time, until fully incorporated. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating until light and fluffy. Add vanilla essence.
3. In another bowl, sift cake flour, baking powder and salt.
4. Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture and beat until half-mixed. Add milk and beat until just incorporated.
5. Pour the batter into the tins and bake for 30–35 minutes, or until a skewer comes out clean.
6. Let the cakes cool in the tins for 5 minutes, then turn out on to a rack to cool completely.
For the buttercream icing
1. Beat together icing sugar and butter until light and fluffy.
2. Add the milk and beat for another 3 minutes, to make the icing a little more spreadable. Add the food colouring, if using.
To assemble
1. Once cakes are completely cooled, cut any uneven bits off the tops to create even layers.
2. Spread some icing on to the first layer and place the second layer on top. Ice the sides and top of the cake. Reserve about ½ cup icing.
3. Add a few drops of colouring to the reserved icing. Use a palette knife to smear it on to the sides of the cake at random. Use a scraper or a butter knife to scrape down the sides so the colour looks like it was painted on to the white.
4. Decorate the cake with berries, flowers and macaroons.

Recipe & styling: Diane Heierli
Photography: Christoph Heierli

This lemon flowerfetti cake is another festive favourite!

The post Watercolour vanilla cake with buttercream icing appeared first on MyKitchen.

You don’t need a special occasion to create this stunning pink Champagne cake! Host your own high tea and enjoy this sweet and decadent dessert with your favourite hot beverage.

MAKES 1 // COOKING TIME 1 hour 15 min

INGREDIENTS
For the champagne cake
375 g cake flour
1 tbsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
6 egg whites
250 ml rosé sparkling wine
2 tbsp vegetable oil
2 tsp vanilla essence
400 g caster sugar
225 g unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 tsp pink food colouring
For the buttercream icing
250 g unsalted butter, softened
1 tsp vanilla essence
500 g icing sugar
1 tsp pink food colouring
Edible flowers, to decorate

METHOD
For the champagne cake
1. Preheat oven to 180°C.
2. Grease and line two 22 cm cake tins.
3. In a bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder and salt.
4. In a second bowl, whisk the egg whites, sparkling wine, oil and vanilla.
5. In a third bowl, cream together the sugar and butter with an electric beater until light and fluffy, about 3–5 minutes.
6. Add of the dry ingredients to the butter-sugar mixture; then add ½ of the liquid ingredients. Continue alternating dry and wet ingredients, mixing well. Add the pink colouring.
7. Pour the batter into the tins and bake for 40–45 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean.
8. Allow the cakes to cool in the tins for 10 minutes, then turn out.
For the buttercream icing
1. Beat the butter with an electric beater until smooth; then add the vanilla.
2. Add sugar and colouring. Beat on medium speed until it is a spreadable consistency.
3. When it is completely cool, sandwich the layers together with icing and ice the top and sides.
4. Decorate the cake with edible flowers of your choice.

Recipe & styling: Diane Heierli
Photography: Christoph Heierli

The post The perfect pink Champagne cake with buttercream icing appeared first on MyKitchen.