The Google review on Andrew Carmellini's Lafayette, which sits at that heavy traffic corner between Lafayette and East 4th, calls it a "sprawling belle epoque-style brasserie and bakery serving classic French fare & cocktails." We'll say that's a pretty accurate description, because every time we pay a visit, we feel like Taylor Swift in her seminal 2012 music video, "Begin Again." You know the one—where she's sitting in a cute Paris cafe, eating a cute strawberry tart, flirting with a cute boy.
So we might not be Tay-Tay, but we'll gladly get fat and happy in Lafayette's bakery. In honor of December 9 being National Pastry Day, we tapped its head pastry chef, Jennifer Yee, to teach us how to make a classic wonderland cake: Souches (pronounced "soosh") de Noël, aka banana and cream cheese goodness. Jennifer's creations are insanely delicious—no surprise there, as she was just honored as Food & Wine's "Best New Pastry Chef." We'd say hats off to the chef, but our mouths are kind of busy right now.
See the how-to below.
Souches de Noël
Yield: one cake
Banana Cake Instructions:
*Use your favorite banana cake (or banana bread) recipe, but instead of baking it in the traditional loaf pan, you will bake it on a sheet tray to give you one flat cake. Take a sheet tray (also called a cookie tray to some) measuring 9 ½” x 13”, or thereabouts, and spray it with nonstick cooking spray. Cut a piece of parchment paper the same size as the interior of the tray and press it into the tray. The spray will keep the paper from moving.
Once you’ve made your batter, pour it into the lined tray and spread evenly out to the edges. Place in a pre-heated 375F oven and bake until done, or when you touch the center lightly, it springs back. You can also insert a toothpick in the center and check. If there are no crumbs sticking to it, it’s done.
Allow to cool completely before cutting out your circles for the souches. You can also make the cake a day in advance. Just leave the cake in the tray and cover the whole thing with plastic wrap. Keep in the fridge until ready to use.
Cream Cheese Ingredients:
1 stick, or 4 oz., soft butter
1 8 oz. pack of cream cheese, softened
1 cup, or about 4.5 oz., powdered sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
Other Little Things:
Green food coloring—to dye a little of your frosting to make mossy squiggles.
Cocoa nibs—to add that dirt look to your cake—found in specialty grocers or cake shops. If you can’t find cocoa nibs, mini chocolate chips/chunks would look cool.
Meringue mushrooms—you can find recipes online on how to make your own. You can also buy these candy mushrooms online here.
Step 1: In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream soft butter with the paddle attachment until smooth. Add softened cream cheese and mix again until smooth. Scrape down the sides of the bowl to ensure even mixing. Now add your powdered sugar, and mix again, starting on low speed to prevent sugar going everywhere! Scrape down
So we might not be Tay-Tay, but we'll gladly get fat and happy in Lafayette's bakery. In honor of December 9 being National Pastry Day, we tapped its head pastry chef, Jennifer Yee, to teach us how to make a classic wonderland cake: Souches (pronounced "soosh") de Noël, aka banana and cream cheese goodness. Jennifer's creations are insanely delicious—no surprise there, as she was just honored as Food & Wine's "Best New Pastry Chef." We'd say hats off to the chef, but our mouths are kind of busy right now.
See the how-to below.
Souches de Noël
Yield: one cake
Banana Cake Instructions:
*Use your favorite banana cake (or banana bread) recipe, but instead of baking it in the traditional loaf pan, you will bake it on a sheet tray to give you one flat cake. Take a sheet tray (also called a cookie tray to some) measuring 9 ½” x 13”, or thereabouts, and spray it with nonstick cooking spray. Cut a piece of parchment paper the same size as the interior of the tray and press it into the tray. The spray will keep the paper from moving.
Once you’ve made your batter, pour it into the lined tray and spread evenly out to the edges. Place in a pre-heated 375F oven and bake until done, or when you touch the center lightly, it springs back. You can also insert a toothpick in the center and check. If there are no crumbs sticking to it, it’s done.
Allow to cool completely before cutting out your circles for the souches. You can also make the cake a day in advance. Just leave the cake in the tray and cover the whole thing with plastic wrap. Keep in the fridge until ready to use.
Cream Cheese Ingredients:
1 stick, or 4 oz., soft butter
1 8 oz. pack of cream cheese, softened
1 cup, or about 4.5 oz., powdered sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
Other Little Things:
Green food coloring—to dye a little of your frosting to make mossy squiggles.
Cocoa nibs—to add that dirt look to your cake—found in specialty grocers or cake shops. If you can’t find cocoa nibs, mini chocolate chips/chunks would look cool.
Meringue mushrooms—you can find recipes online on how to make your own. You can also buy these candy mushrooms online here.
Step 1: In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream soft butter with the paddle attachment until smooth. Add softened cream cheese and mix again until smooth. Scrape down the sides of the bowl to ensure even mixing. Now add your powdered sugar, and mix again, starting on low speed to prevent sugar going everywhere! Scrape down