Forget-me-not! With Mother’s Day this Sunday, we’re sharing the sweetest vanilla mini cakes that you can make for the special mom in your life. They are easy to bake and decorate with minimal icing and simple floral and blueberry decorative detail. They not only look so pretty displayed on a table or kitchen island, but would also be perfect package up to be delivered as a gift.

If you have any antique bone china kicking around, this is one of those times to bring it on out. I encourage your to pair the specific pattern of your serving plates with the colour of flowers you chose to decorate with. For example I had these beautiful Royal Albert “Memory Lane” bone china serving plates with a delicate Forget-me-not a pattern, the soft blue hues in the design and the delicate blue florals were perfectly paired with fresh blueberries, finishing off these little cakes to English inspired perfection. Serve each one of your miniature cakes on it’s own plate. Place each one at it’s own individual place setting or scatter amongst other desserts on your dessert table or entertaining decor. Your mom and guests will be so impressed!

Makes 4 individual 4-inch cakes
Prep Time: 25 minutes in total
Cook Time: 25-28 minutes

Ingredients Cake

2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
½ cup almond flour
3 tsp baking powder
½ tsp fine salt

¾ cup unsalted butter at room temperature
1 ½ cups granulated sugar
2 large free range eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
¼ tsp almond extract
Zest of one lemon
1 cup whole milk

Icing

1 cup unsalted butter at room temperature
3 ½ cups icing sugar
¼ cup whipping cream

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C)
2. Butter and flour 6 x 4” round cake moulds, place on a baking sheet and set aside.
3. In a medium sized bowl whisk together your dry ingredients, flour, almond flour, baking powder and salt, set aside.
4.  In your stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment cream together the butter and sugar on medium-high speed for 3-4 minutes until light and fluffy.
5. Add in the eggs one at a time, mixing well between each egg, scrape down the sides of the bowl to make sure everything is fully mixed and add in the vanilla and almond extract as well as the lemon zest.
6. With the mixer on low, carefully add in a third of the dry ingredients (flour, almond flour, baking powder and salt). Add in half of the milk, followed by another third of the dry ingredients, again add the rest of the milk, lastly add the remainder of the dry ingredients.
7. Mix until just combined.
8. Divide evenly amongst the 6 prepared cake tins.
9. Bake in the oven for 25-30 minutes until golden brown and the cake springs back to the touch (or a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean).
10. Let the cake cool for 3-4 minutes before running a knife around the edge to loosen the cakes, invert onto a cooling rack and remove the cake tins, cool completely.

Icing

1. 1. Place the butter into your stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream lightly, with the mixer on low speed add in the icing sugar.
   2. Adjust the speed to medium-high and cream until light and fluffy around 3-4 minutes. Add in the cream and mix well on medium-high speed until light and fluffy.

To Finish

1. Cut each cake in half with a serrated knife, and trim any excess from the top of the cake ( if it has a slight dome on it).
2. Place the icing in a pastry bag fitted with a plain piping tip or even in a Ziploc bag with the end trimmed off.
3. Pipe an even layer of frosting on the bottom of 4 cake layers, at this point you could add some fresh fruit or a thin layer of jam.
4. Top with a middle layer and repeat with the icing.
5. Place the last layer of cake on the top of each ensuring the flat bottom of the cake is facing upwards.
6. At this point I like to put them in the freezer for around 20 minutes to firm up, this will make icing the cakes in the next step easier.
7. Using a small offset spatula, ice a very thin layer around the cakes and top of the cake to achieve a “naked” look.
8. Top with florals and blueberries.

These cakes will keep in the fridge covered for up to two days. Alternatively, you can freeze the cakes.