There is just something about these little cakes that remind me of spring! They are the perfect serving, moist, and taste just like wedding cake. Most importantly, they remind me of home! In south Louisiana, white wedding cake flavor is a staple. When I moved to the Houston area over 10 years ago, I realized that there were some things that Louisianians do better! One of those is the Petit Four! A little cake that is jam packed full of flavor and is served at bridal showers, baby showers, tea parties, and readily available at pretty much any little bakery in the state! We love popping into at Keller’s or Pouparts bakery in Lafayette and grabbing a treat on our way back to Houston!
A few years ago, a neighbor showed me how to make these little treats. What better reason to make them than for my best friends 40th birthday and our upcoming Easter celebrations! Here is a pro tip: make these for a large gathering! It makes a TON of little cakes and it also prevents you from over indulging in eating too many!
The first thing to know is that you need to bake your cake at least 48 hours before your event. I promise you that Petit Fours aren’t hard to make, they just require a little planning since you have to wait so long between steps!
To bake the cake you will need:
- 1 box of Duncan Hines White Cake Mix
- 2 TBSP of Vegtable Oil
- 1 1/3 cup of Water
- 1/4 tsp of Almond OR Lemon extract (I love them made both ways!)
- 3 egg whites
- 11×15 pan with sharp edges (not rounded)
Blend all of the ingredients for 2 minutes on medium speed. Pour the batter into an 11×15 pan prepared with baking spray and parchment lined bottom. Beat pan on the counter to get all of the air bubbles out and then bake at 350 for 16 minutes (or until baked through). Take the cake out of the oven and immediately place a sheet of parchment or wax paper on top of the cake. Leave on for about 5 minutes and peel off. This will take off the top layer so that your petit fours will be white. Allow cake to cool completely and turn over onto a cutting board. Remove the parchment from the bottom.
While the cake is baking, you are going to want to prepare your Buttercream Frosting:
- 1 cup of white vegetable shortening (Crisco)
- 1/2 tsp of almond OR lemon extract
- 3 TBSP of water
- 1 lb of Confectioners Sugar
- pinch of salt
Cream shortening, add extract and water. Add dry ingredients and mix on medium speed until all ingredients have been thoroughly mixed. You will need to divide it in half. 1 cup for the cake and 1 cup for decorating.
Ice the cake with a thin coat of buttercream icing. Cover with a sheet of parchment over the icing and wrap in Saran Wrap. Freeze for 12-24 hours. It is so important in the next steps for your cake to be frozen!
After your cake is frozen, peel off the parchment and trim your cakes edges on all 4 squares. Cut the trimmed cake in 1″ squares. DO NOT saw into the cake. You have to cut in a continuous motion so your edges remain smooth. Place your cake back in the freezer while you prepare the fondant.
Fondant:
- 1/8 tsp of salt
- 1 cup of half and half
- 2 lbs confectioners sugar
- 1 tsp of Vanilla Extract (clear)
- 1 tsp of Butter flavoring (clear)
- 1/2 tsp Almond (or Lemon) extract
- 2 1/2 TBSP Crisco
In a double boiler, heat the milk, salt and crisco until melted and combined. Remove from heat and pour in your mixing bowl. Add powdered sugar and flavorings and mix until combined. Be careful when turning your mixer on. It can get messy! I like to throw a clean towel over the mixer to contain as much of the mess as I can!
Now you are going to want to take your cake out of the freezer and use an offset spatula to balance the cake on while you pour the fondant generously over the cake. Place on a wire rack and allow your cakes to set for a few hours! Cakes will be wet and shiny when wet and dull when dry! Take the remainder of your buttercream and your favorite piping tip (I like a #18 star tip). Place your cakes in little muffin cups for easy serving and voila! You have mini desserts that are sure to be the hit of the party!
I’ve linked all of the supplies you will need over in my Amazon Storefront. I do recieve a small commission when you buy from my links.
Do you use a 2″ deep pan or a 3″?
Hi Emily, my pan is a 2″ pan