Adorable Mini Lunchbox Cream Cake
Adorable Mini Lunchbox Cream Cake
Strawberry Cream Lunchbox Cake Made Without a Mini Pan: An Easy Recipe for Beginners
Create a cute, mini-sized lunchbox cake easily at home without a special mini pan! Bake a cake sheet in a larger square pan, then cut out round shapes for a perfect finish. Instead of cream cheese or buttercream, we’re using luscious animal-based heavy cream for a lighter, fresher taste. This recipe is inspired by Daram Table’s idea of baking in a square pan, with detailed instructions based on Setori’s recipe.
Cake Sheet Ingredients- 8g unsalted butter
- 11g milk
- 2 large eggs (room temperature)
- 50g granulated sugar
- 5g honey
- 1g vanilla extract (approx. 1/4 tsp)
- 50g cake flour
Heavy Cream Frosting- 200g cold heavy whipping cream (dairy)
- 20g granulated sugar
Decoration Ingredients- 7-8 fresh strawberries (set aside 3 for decoration)
Syrup Ingredients (Optional)- 20g water
- 10g granulated sugar
- 200g cold heavy whipping cream (dairy)
- 20g granulated sugar
Decoration Ingredients- 7-8 fresh strawberries (set aside 3 for decoration)
Syrup Ingredients (Optional)- 20g water
- 10g granulated sugar
- 20g water
- 10g granulated sugar
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
First, melt 8g of butter and 11g of milk in a small bowl. You can use a double boiler or a microwave. Melt just until smooth and set aside.
Step 2
Crack 2 eggs into a bowl. Add 50g of sugar, 5g of honey, and 1g of vanilla extract. Whisk them together until well combined. Place the bowl over a double boiler (a bowl set over simmering water) and warm the mixture to about 40°C (104°F). This step helps the sugar dissolve better and creates a richer egg foam.
Step 3
Once the mixture reaches 40°C and the sugar is fully dissolved, remove the bowl from the heat. Using a whisk or an electric mixer, whip the mixture until it becomes pale and thick. It should reach the ‘ribbon stage,’ where the batter falls from the whisk in a ribbon-like trail that slowly disappears. Whip for about 3-4 minutes. After reaching this stage, switch to low speed for about 1 minute to remove any large air bubbles, ensuring a smoother cake texture.
Step 4
Sift 50g of cake flour over the batter. Gently fold in the flour using a spatula with a ‘J’ motion until just combined and no dry streaks remain. Be careful not to overmix, as this can result in a tough cake.
Step 5
Gently warm the melted butter and milk mixture from Step 1 until it reaches about 55-60°C (131-140°F). Take about a ladleful of the cake batter and mix it into the warm butter-milk mixture. This is called a ‘sacrificial batter’ and helps the butter and milk incorporate smoothly into the main batter. Mix this sacrificial batter well until it’s smooth.
Step 6
Pour the prepared sacrificial batter back into the main cake batter. Using your spatula, gently fold it in from the bottom upwards until everything is evenly combined. Mix quickly but carefully to prevent the butter from separating.
Step 7
Pour the combined batter into a parchment-lined 20x20cm (8×8 inch) square baking pan. Pouring from a height can help release trapped air bubbles for a smoother top surface. Bake in a preheated oven at 180°C (350°F) for 12 minutes.
Step 8
To check if the cake is done, gently press the top with your finger. If it springs back resiliently, it’s ready. Remove the cake from the oven and let it cool completely on a wire rack.
Step 9
Once the cake sheet is completely cool, carefully remove it from the pan and peel off the parchment paper. Use a 10cm (4-inch) round cookie cutter to cut out cake circles. This recipe yields 4 circles, but you’ll need 3 for the lunchbox cake.
Step 10
For the frosting, whip 200g of cold heavy whipping cream with 20g of sugar until stiff peaks form. The cream should hold its shape firmly. (Note: The original recipe called for 220ml, but 200g is usually sufficient, especially if you apply the cream thinly and don’t use excessive amounts for decoration.)
Step 11
Slice the strawberries, keeping aside 3 whole strawberries for decoration. Slice the remaining strawberries into even thicknesses for layering inside the cake.
Step 12
To make the syrup, combine 20g of water and 10g of sugar in a small saucepan. Heat gently until the sugar dissolves. Let the syrup cool completely. Lightly brush the syrup onto the surface of each cake circle to make them moist.
Step 13
Spread a thin layer of whipped cream onto one syrup-brushed cake circle. Arrange the sliced strawberries evenly over the cream. Then, spread another layer of cream on top of the strawberries. Repeat this layering process: cake circle, syrup, cream, strawberries, cream. Continue for all layers.
Step 14
After assembling the final layer, apply whipped cream to the sides of the cake. Use an offset spatula to smooth the sides for a clean finish.
Step 15
Decorate the top center of the cake with the reserved whole strawberries. You can also use a piping bag with a decorative tip to pipe swirls of cream around the edges for an extra touch of elegance.
