Vanilla, Strawberry and Nutella Buttercream Cake

Vanilla, Strawberry and Nutella Buttercream Cake

Calling all Nutella lovers!! We are absolutely obsessed with Nutella, and we love anything with it. This vanilla, strawberries and Nutella buttercream cake is soooo good and beautiful. It’s perfect for Mother’s Day!

Vanilla box cake: choose your favorite box cake, and prepare the batter according to the instructions. Split the batter into two round 8″ cake pans, and follow the instructions to bake them.  

Strawberries: put them in a strainer and rinse with cold water. Remove the green stems and slice them in half (vertically). 

Nutella buttercream recipe: the original recipe is from Sugar & Sparrow.

Jump to Recipe

Assemble the cake: 

Once you have finished the Nutella buttercream, it’s time to assemble the cake. Level the vanilla cake, and add the butternut cream and strawberries. 

Follow with another layer of the cake, butternut cream, and strawberries 

Garnish with chocolate on top. 

Nutella Buttercream

Ingredients

  • 1 Cup 226g unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 3 1/2 Cups 420g powdered sugar
  • 1/2 Cup 150g Nutella
  • 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
  • 1 1/2 Tbsp whole milk room temperature
  • 1/4 tsp salt or to taste

Instructions

  • Cream the butter on medium-high until it’s creamy and light in color, about 5 minutes.
  • Add the powdered sugar a few cups at a time, scraping down after each addition and making sure each cup is fully incorporated before adding the next one.
  • Add the Nutella and beat on med-high for a full minute.
  • Turn the mixer to low and add the vanilla, milk, and salt.
  • Mix for another 1-2 minutes, scraping down the bowl and paddle as needed, until smooth and fully incorporated

Brownie and Chocolate Ganache

Brownie and Chocolate Ganache

Looking for a last-minute dessert for your Valentine’s Day gathering!? Or just a cute and yummy one to make it to your kids!? Look no further; it doesn’t get easier than this one.
Brownie paired with chocolate ganache, it’s decadent, delicious, and a super-easy dessert. After all, Valentine’s day is not complete without chocolate!! Top it off with strawberries and serve on an adorable heart bowl. Voile, you got yourself a Valentine-inspired dessert.

I used Ghiradelli’s Double Chocolate Brownie mix, but feel to use your favorite brand. There is nothing like a warm brownie fresh out of the oven. However, you can even skip this step and use store-bought brownies.

Homemade chocolate ganache it’s super easy and quick, requiring only two ingredients. It’s also incredible versatile with endless uses. You will need semi-sweet chocolate bars and heavy whipping cream for this recipe. Make sure to use high-quality chocolate bars and avoid chocolate chips as they will not melt into a good consistency. It’s important to note that if you let the ganache cool, it’s not pourable anymore but spreadable; therefore, don’t let it cool too much for this recipe.

In a heart-shaped bowl, place pieces of the brownies on the bottom, pour the chocolate ganache (recipe below), top it off with strawberries and garnish with mint.

Watch the video below for tutorial

Chocolate Ganache

Ingredients

  • 2 4 ounce semi-sweet chocolate bars use high-quality chocolate
  • 1 cup heavy whipping cream

Instructions

  • Heat the cream in a small saucepan over medium heat until it begins to simmer
  • Pour the chopped chocolate over the cream
  • Let it sit for a minute or two to soften the chocolate
  • Use a spatula to slowly stir the mixture until well combined

Valentine’s Tablescape

Valentine’s Tablescape

Do you celebrate Valentine’s Day? If you plan to set the table for the occasion, here is a simple but adorable inspiration for V-day. I’ve linked most of the things I have used on this table and similar ones. Check the end of the post for info.

When I went into Citarella, these hot pink flowers spoke to me, and I couldn’t get my eyes off them. I was in love with this shade of pink, and I knew they were the ones. I then decided to go with the blue-pink color combination for my valentine’s day tablescape.

I used a blue patterned tablecloth from Julia Amory; she has a beautiful selection of table linens. When using an impactful tablecloth, I keep all other elements clean and simple; there is no need for too many flowers or decor. A patterned tablecloth can be very impactful and transform any table decor.

For the plates, I selected Juliska’s Berry & Thread French Panel Collection dinner and salad plates. I love this design and the off-white color; they are versatile and can be used on many occasions.

I picked napkins that were clean and simple, these blush linen ones from Pottery Barn coordinated nicely with the blue patterned tablecloth.
Candles!! They make any setting cozier and more intimate. I love them! These candlesticks are from Crate and Barrel and are always a show stopper. Small blue bud vases as a final touch decor.
Valentine’s Day is not complete without chocolate!! I added Godiva heart-shaped dark chocolate to every setting. A little something sweet to make V-Day more special.


Savory and Sweet Valentine’s Day Board

Savory and Sweet Valentine’s Day Board

Valentine’s Day is coming up in a few weeks! Whether you are celebrating with your significant other, kids, family, girlfriends, or by yourself, here is a cheese board inspiration. Perfect for a gathering or a night in!!

Start with the board! We love a white cheeseboard for the occasion; they look more feminine and make the strawberries and macarons pop. This one is a pottery charcuterie platter from Dresden & Company and is about 14″ wide. You can find a similar one here and more on the bottom of the page under “Shop The Post.”

Next comes the cheeses!! For this board, we selected Manchego, Brie, St. Agur Blue Cheese, and heart-shaped Swiss Cheese (this one was mainly for decoration purposes). However, feel free to choose your and your guests’ favorites -the sky is the limit!! For most people, due to the wide variety, selecting cheese can be a little overwhelming. We sliced the manchego to give more dimension to the board and kept the brie and blue cheese in their original form. For the heart-shaped swiss, use a mini cookie cutter (1.5″) to cut through it (we used the regular sliced swiss cheese).

Crackers!! We love the original crisps from 34 Crisps. They are so thin yet so crunchy and pair so well with so many different types of cheese. Plus, as a bonus, they are lower in calories than most crackers. The other must-have crackers that we always have on our boards are the Lesley Stowe ones. They are so savory and look beautiful! They have a variety of flavors, and they are all so delicious. Both brands you can find at most grocery stores.

Condiment! We kept this board simple and only added honey. Is there anything better than a small bite of brie on a cracker and topped with honey? It’s so simple but so tasty! One of my favorite combinations.

Fruits! Strawberries are the most “Valentiney” fruit; don’t you agree!? We couldn’t leave them out. They pair so well with the brie and honey.

Nuts! We are absolutely obsessed with truffled almond nuts. They are divine and one of those foods that you can’t stop eating. We also love how their color complements the board’s color scheme.

Sweets! After all, it is a savory and sweet board, and it is a valentine-inspired cheeseboard. To me, macaroons are a good idea, anytime, anywhere, and at any season. They are one of my favorite desserts. I also love their shape and the different colors available. Valentines is not complete without chocolate!! These Godiva heart-shaped ones are the perfect addition to the board.

Lastly, garnish with rosemary for a little pop of green!! So easy and super quick to put together! Happy Valentine’s Day! Lots of love!!!


SHOP THE POST

Macy’s Black Friday Deals

We have selected some of the best Black Friday deals at Macy’s. We will update this page as we see more exciting items. Most of these items we own!

This post contains affiliated links which means that we may receive a small commission, if you buy through the link. This does not result in additional charges for you, but it helps us a lot to keep our business up and running. 

5 Essentials for a Fall Tablescape

Fall is upon us; it’s probably the most desired season! The temperature starts to drop, the air becomes crisp, and people are slowly drawn into hibernation mode. Hosting at home can be cozy this time of year; we are sharing 5 essentials for a fall tablecape that we hope help spark your inner hostess and most of all creativity.

 

1- Color Scheme: When planning your table decor, bring on the warm hues of red, orange, brown, green, and purple. Plaid, copper, and brass are also seasonable.