Teahouse's Fruit Loops layer cake

Fruit loops layer cake with buttercream and mirror glaze topped with meringues by pastry chef Noel Singh

Image for Teahouse Fruit Loops layer cake

This colourful cake from Vancouver's Teahouse is beautiful and delicious on any day, but especially fitting for Pride. Whip one up and bring it to any event. 

Note: make the glaze just before using it.

Cake

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 1/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 cup butter, room temperature
1/4 cup vegetable oil
4 whole eggs, room temperature
1 tbsp vanilla extract, or 1 vanilla bean
1 cup milk, room temperature
1 cup Froot Loops cereal, lightly crushed

Preheat oven to 350 and line a sheet pan with parchment paper.

Add flour, baking powder and salt into a bowl and whisk together to distribute all the ingredients evenly and set aside.

In another bowl, add in the soft butter, sugar and vegetable oil and beat until it is light and fluffy.  Don't forget to scrape down the sides using a rubber spatula to make sure all the ingredients are mixing in.

After the butter and sugar mixture is incorporated together, beat in one egg at a time, scraping the sides again after each egg.

Add in vanilla and about half of the dry ingredients, mix until it is just combined and scrape the sides of the bowl down. Next add in half of the milk and mix again to incorporate. 

Add in the remaining dry ingredients and mix again, scraping the sides down and add in the rest of the milk.  Do not over mix the batter.  

Fold in the cereal by hand to prevent colour from bleeding, additional breakage, or overworking the batter.

Pour the batter into the prepared sheet tray and bake for 10 to 15 minutes, or until the toothpick comes out clean.

Cool completely before icing with butter cream. 

Buttercream

1 cup granulated sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 cup plus 1 tbsp water
4 egg whites, room temperature
1 lb butter, room temperature, but into 1/2" pieces

Add granulated sugar, vanilla, salt and water in a small saucepan.

Put the egg whites into a stand mixer bowl and beat using the whisk attachment on low.

Using a candy thermometer heat the sugar and water mixture to 80 C. Start to whisk the egg whites on medium high until they reach soft peaks.

Continue to heat the syrup on the stove to 110C.  Remove from heat slowly and carefully start to pour the syrup into the mixer into the egg whites until all of it has been added.

Continue to whisk until the eggs have become thick, glossy and stiff.

Switch the whisk attachment for the paddle attachment and start to add the soft butter in.

After all the butter has been add in, scrape the sides down with a rubber spatula and keep mixing until the buttercream is light and fluffy.

Mirror glaze

6 sheets gelatin, or 1 1/2 tbsp gelatin powder
1/2 cup water
2/3 cup condensed milk
1 1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 1/4 cup white chocolate
gel food colouring of your choice

Bloom your gelatin in cold water, set aside.

Add the water, condensed milk, with granulated sugar and bring to a simmer.

While you are waiting for the mixture to come up to a simmer, add white chocolate into a medium size bowl.

Once the condensed milk mixture has started to simmer, remove from heat and add in the now bloomed gelatin and stir in to incorporate.

Pour the mixture into the bowl with the white chocolate, and let it sit for a minute or two so it melts the white chocolate.

Use an immersion blender and blend together until mixture is homogenous.

Add in the food color of your choice and blend again to mix in. 

Assembly

Cut the sheet cake into 4 equal pieces from top to bottom.

Spread an even layer of buttercream on the bottom layer of cake and place another layer of cake on top, gently pressing down to make sure the layers are even and there are no gaps. Continue until all the layer have been stacked.

Apply a thin layer of buttercream on the sides and top for the crumb coat. Place the cake in the fridge for 30 to 60 minutes to firm the buttercream before the final layer.

Once the buttercream has firmed up, apply the next layer of buttercream and place it back in the freezer for 60 minutes. 

Start to prepare the mirror glaze while the cake is in the freezer.

Place the cake on a cooling rack with a tray underneath so the excess glaze will drip off into the tray. Carefully pour the mirror glaze over the chilled cake making sure to cover all the sides as well.  Use a straight metal spatula to push the excess off the top. Remove from the cooling rack and place on in the fridge to set.

Once the glaze is set, cut the cake to the desire portions and enjoy.