Print
Save
Pin
Mini Spruce Tip Cakes
Easy to make, no-bake mini spruce tip cakes - full of flavour and a little forest magic.
EQUIPMENT
- 1 muffin tin
- 12 muffin paper liners
INGREDIENTS
- 3.3 oz butter cookies
- 0.53 cups butter
- 1.3 cups spruce tips
- 2.11 cups heavy whipping cream
- 1.33 cups mascarpone cheese
- 0.88 cups cream cheese
- 0.65 cups sugar
- 3-4 gelatine sheets
- 2 eggs
- 1 lemon
INSTRUCTIONS
- Start by soaking your gelatine sheets in cold water. If using powdered gelatine, just follow the instructions on the package.
- Crush the cookies into fine crumbs using a food processor, blender, or by placing them in a zip-top bag and rolling over them with a rolling pin.
- Stir in the melted butter until the mixture feels like damp sand and holds together when pressed.
- Line a muffin tin with paper liners. Add about a tablespoon of crust to each cup and press it down firmly using your fingers or the bottom of a small glass. Pop the tin in the freezer while you make the filling.
- Blend fresh spruce tips with ¾ cup heavy cream (or half-and-half) and ⅓ cup sugar. Blend for at least two minutes until smooth and light green.
- Pour the mixture into a small pot and gently warm it over low heat — don’t let it boil. Add the softened gelatine and stir until fully dissolved, then remove from heat.
- Let the mixture cool to room temperature, then mix in the cream cheese and mascarpone. Use a spatula or hand mixer on low until smooth.
- Take the muffin tin out of the freezer and fill each cup with the spruce tip layer. Smooth the tops and chill in the fridge until set (or use the freezer to speed it up).
- Make a quick lemon curd. Cook ⅓ cup sugar, ⅓ cup lemon juice, 2 eggs, and 2 teaspoons zest over low heat, whisking often until thick (about 5 minutes, or 170°F). Remove from heat and stir in ¼ cup butter. Let it cool.
- Whip cream to stiff peaks, sweeten to taste, and gently fold in the cooled lemon curd. Chill while you prep the cakes.
- Remove cakes from the fridge, lift them from the tin, and peel off the liners.
- Pipe the lemon cream on top of each cake and decorate with a fresh spruce tip or a few soft needles.
- Enjoy!
NOTES
Harvest spruce tips when they’re still soft, bright green. As they mature, the needles get longer and tougher. Be sure to pick from clean areas, away from roads or sprayed spots, and take just a few from each tree so you don’t slow its growth. Avoid picking right after rain.
This recipe makes 12 mini cakes using a standard muffin pan. If you prefer to make one small cake instead, a 6-inch springform pan works great — just adjust the ingredient amounts a bit.
Make sure the cakes are fully chilled before adding the lemon topping. This helps everything stay firm and makes removing the paper liners a lot easier.
They actually taste even better the next day. A night in the fridge lets the layers settle and the flavours come together more deeply.
For a gluten-free crust, use ground nuts and dates. If you’re keeping things low-carb, skip the crust and use your go-to sweetener instead of sugar.
You have extra spruce tips? Freeze them in small zip-top bags and use for desserts, tea or pesto.
Store the finished cakes in a sealed container in the fridge for 3 to 4 days. To freeze, chill the crust and spruce layer first, then freeze on a tray before transferring to a bag or container. Thaw in the fridge and add the lemon topping just before serving. They’ll stay good in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Nutrition
Serving: 7.16oz | Calories: 955kcal | Carbohydrates: 39g | Protein: 12g | Fat: 85g | Saturated Fat: 52g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 16g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 276mg | Sodium: 363mg | Potassium: 174mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 30g | Vitamin A: 3330IU | Vitamin C: 175mg | Calcium: 176mg | Iron: 12mg