President Woodrow Wilson certainly knew what he was doing in 1914 when he finally got congress to designate the second Sunday every May as Mother's Day. A special day set aside to honor mothers certainly calls for desserts worthy of that honor.
I have selected six cakes that can be made in part or completely ahead. As I am not a proponent of naked cakes, each is easy to finish so you won't be tied up fussing with frosting it.
A quick note about freezing the cake layers. Freeze them first, then wrap them completely in foil. This will keep from smooshing the sides or tops of the tender cakes.
I am posting this early to give you a chance to get one of these special Mother's Days cakes underway to honor your mother, grandmother or yourself.
Coconut Cream Cake
This old fashioned cake is made special by using a white chiffon cake filled with coconut pastry cream, finished with whipped cream and covered with coconut. I used this cake when I had the bakery to start training employees on cake finishing. No matter how bad it looked, after they applied the whipping cream, it was covered up with the coconut. If you love coconut, this is the cake for you. The cake layers can be made ahead several weeks and frozen. The pastry cream can be made ahead several days or it can be made ahead several weeks and frozen. Defrost several days in the refrigerator before finishing the cake the day before.
Fruit Basket Cake
The combination of a light banana cake filled with pineapple pastry cream and strawberries is also finished with whipping cream. The banana cake can be made several weeks ahead and frozen. The pastry cream can be made several days ahead or it can be frozen several weeks ahead and thawed in the refrigerator for several days before finishing the cake the day before.
Spirited Marble Cake
Marble Cakes were all the rage at one point and I still love the looks (and taste of them). This one is made special with the most unbelievable light chocolate frosting. Both the cake and frosting are enhanced with creme de cocoa. This entire cake can be made, frosted and frozen a couple of weeks ahead if desired. It is best to thaw it in the refrigerator if possible as it won't condense as much. Alternately, make the layers weeks ahead, freeze them and finish the cake the day before.
Ultimate Chocolate Fudge Cake
This really cake would be special on Mother's Day for anyone with a gluten intolerance. Not a spoon of flour in this really creamy version of the best flourless chocolate cake around. It can be made weeks ahead and frozen, then finished with the chocolate glaze a day or two ahead.
Lemon Blueberry Cake
Fresh blueberries and lemon curd are the perfect start for a special Mother's Day Cake. The cake layers can be made several weeks ahead as well as they are well wrapped and frozen. The lemon curd can be made a week and refrigerated. The entire cake should be finished the day before.
Chocolate Strawberry Mousse Torte
A fudgey chocolate base which is literally covered with strawberries then inundated with a light but intense chocolate mousse then topped with a chocolate glaze is the perfect Mother's Day dessert for the chocolate lover....especially a strawberry chocolate lover. The base may be made several weeks ahead and frozen. The entire dessert can be finished the day ahead.
Chitra says
Ms. Fletcher, what can I say? This is a hidden gem I just discovered. Your website looks more like a pastry chef's encyclopedia. WOW! Thank you, from the bottom of my heart, for sharing all your knowledge for pastry school students like me!!
hfletcher says
I am so happy you found the site. I taught baking and pastry and I love helping students. We are in a profession that takes a lot of patience, work, precision and love of food, but it is so worth making people happy. Good luck to you in the future.
Linda C. says
I really want to try the marble cake, it looks delicious. I was wondering if it would bake well as a marble loaf or would it be too tender?
hfletcher says
Hi Linda - It is a tender cake and not a pound cake. Loaf cakes are usually more substantial. I would suggest keeping it as cake. If you do decide on the loaf idea, it would probably make two 8x4 loafs.
Ingrid says
Hi Helen,
Thank you for the great recipes.
I have made the Chocolate Strawberry Mousse Cake previously. It was delicious; took it to morning tea for my daugther's teacher colleagues. It was a hit - visually and tastewise. It really makes a statement, doesn't it?
Thank you again for an easy and wonderfully tasty recipe.
Cheers,
Ingrid
hfletcher says
Hi Ingrid - Happy to hear the Chocolate Strawberry Mousse was a big hit. And you are right - so much easier than it looks.
Ingrid says
Hi Helen,
On another issue - do you use metric cup measurements? You list 1/3 cup equals 70g of water in your (Coconut) White Ciffon Cake. Sorry, I'm a bit confused...
Cheers,
Ingrid
hfletcher says
Hi Ingrid - No I don't use metric cup measurement. 1/3 cup equals 72 grams and I rounded down to 70. At the bakery we used weights including liquids. The 2/3 cup should read 140 grams and I corrected that but 5 grams more or less will not alter the outcome.
Ingrid says
Thank you, Helen. That clears it up.
Marisa @ All Our Way says
Oh! Boy! Do they ever look delicious! I really like making different cakes. For Easter I made a cannoli cake -- I tried making cannoli and was a total failure. So, I wanted the taste and a cake was born. I love your chocolate torte. My mouth is watering!! Have a great day.
hfletcher says
Hi Marisa - I was so proud of myself. I actually got this article up in plenty of time for the holiday. Glad you enjoy it.
May says
Hi Helen - comments are closed on some of the recipes, so I thought I could share here how much I appreciate your blog. You write very clearly, in such helpful and practical detail, no gushing or "fluff" as is all too common in many food blogs, and your words - combined with your talented (and patient!?) husband's perfect photography - make preparing any of your delightful recipes a breeze.
Case in point: I recently made your tri-chocolate pave, and we were thrilled with the results. Not only did was it a breeze to make as I followed your clear instructions, it also looked impressive, and the smooth texture and rich flavours were perfect. I served it with thick slices of roasted blood orange to complement the richness.
So, thank you, Helen, and have a wonderful mothers' day!
hfletcher says
Dear May - what a wonderful way to start my day. Thank you so much for your kind words. I love the idea of the blood oranges with the Tri Chocolate. Great contrast with the chocolate. I wish you a very happy Mother's Day also.