Petit Fours Recipe | Easy How to Make Petits

Master the art of making petits with our easy recipe. Discover layers of flavor in these delightful petit fours treats.

Elevate your dessert game with these delightful bite-sized creations. These dainty, delectable small cakes are perfect for Valentine’s Day, a wedding reception, a bridal shower, afternoon tea, special occasions, or any time you want to add a touch of elegance and sophistication to a dessert tray! The next time you are looking for a sweet treat, make these!

Petit Fours Recipe | Easy How to Make Petits

This easy petit fours recipe has extraordinary sweetness! This is a light, fluffy cake with just a hint of vanilla. The raspberry jam helps add a wonderful tartness. The poured fondant is smooth and light and completely satisfies any sweet tooth. These terrific little individual cakes are not very labor intensive, but people will think you slaved all day!

Petit Fours translates from the French small (little) oven. Petit fours were baked with the residual heat of brick ovens used for bread making in 18th and 19th century France. The ovens took a long time to cool down, so bakers took advantage of the residual heat to make delicate little cakes. Petit fours are not actually a specific recipe; they are a variety of small baked goods that are usually elegant or fancy. Any individual dessert you can make, small and elegant, could be considered a petit four.

Types of Petit Fours:

● These petit fours are Glacé (“glazed”) petit fours, which are iced or decorated tiny cakes covered in fondant or icing. As well as small iced cakes, sweet tartlets would also be considered petits. Petits fours frais (fresh petit fours) would be perishable items such as small éclairs and madeleines. These are small items to be eaten that day when kept at room temperature.
● Sec (“dry”) petit fours would be small biscuits such as baked meringues, macarons, ladyfingers, and small puff pastries.
● Salé petit fours (“salted”) would be savory bite-sized appetizers such as those served at cocktail parties or buffets.

This is a yummy vanilla cake with a hint of raspberry jam covered in velvety, creamy fondant. Such a fantastic, easy-to-make petit fours recipe. It is so easy to pour fondant, and these little treats completely brighten up any dessert table.

Tips and variations for making this petit fours recipe:

● These have seedless raspberry jam. Other jam choices that would work well are seedless strawberry, blueberry, or lemon curd.
● While fondant was used, buttercream frosting or royal icing can be used.
● You can use canola or vegetable oil for the cake.
● You can use white chocolate chips or white melting wafers for the fondant.
● You can decorate the top with edible flowers, shaved chocolate, edible glitter, or sprinkles.
● Melt some chocolate wafers and zig-zag some lines across the top of the fondant cake using a piping bag. You can also use melted white chocolate or melted colored chocolates.
● Petit fours are traditionally small, bite-sized, square, or round treats. The heart-shaped idea is perfect for Valentine’s Day, Sweetest Day, or a bridal shower or wedding, but these could be made any time of the year.
● How to make vanilla extract.
● Vanilla extract was used in making these cakes, but almond extract can be substituted if you prefer. It will change the flavor of the cake.
● For my UK and Australian friends: confectioners’ sugar is icing sugar (powdered sugar, 10x).
● Store leftovers in an airtight container or covered in a cool, dry place for two days. The fondant helps keep the cake fresh. The fondant will harden too much if placed in the fridge and become difficult to eat.
● You can freeze these cakes either before or after applying the fondant. If freezing before the fondant, thaw the frozen cakes before pouring the fondant. If freezing after, thaw completely on the counter until the cake reaches room temperature before eating. The fondant color may run a little during the thawing process.
● Ingredients for this recipe are commonly found at your local grocery store.

Other cakes that will make terrific petit fours:

● Sour Cream Pound Cake Recipe
● Lemon Pound Cake Recipe

Petit Fours Recipe | Easy How to Make Petits Ingredient List:

For the Cake:

● 2¼ cups Cake Flour
● 1½ cups Granulated Sugar
● 2 teaspoons Baking Powder
● ½ teaspoon Baking Soda
● ¼ teaspoon Salt
● ¼ cup Unsalted Butter, softened
● 1 cup Whole Milk
● ¼ cup Canola Oil
● 3 large Eggs
● 2 Tablespoons Vanilla Extract
● 1 cup Seedless Raspberry Jam

For the Fondant Icing:

● 1 cup White Chocolate Chips
● 4 cups Confectioners’ Sugar
● ¼ cup light Corn Syrup
● ¼ cup Hot Water
● 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
● Gel Food Coloring, color of your choice

Petit Fours Mise en Place:

● Baking Pans
● Microwave Safe Medium Bowls
● Stand-up Mixer (paddle attachment, whisk attachment, large bowl, etc.) or Hand Mixer (electric mixer)
● Measuring Cup
● Measuring Spoons
● Rubber Spatula
● Parchment Paper
● Microwave Safe Bowl(s)
● Cutting Board
● Knife
● Wire Baking Rack

Petit Fours Recipe | Easy How to Make Petits Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Spray your pan(s) with cooking spray and line the bottom of the pans with parchment paper. Set aside the prepared pan(s).

3. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
4. Using a stand or hand mixer, add the butter to the dry ingredients and beat with your electric mixer on low speed until the mixture has a sand-like quality. Set aside for a minute.

5. In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the milk, oil, eggs, and vanilla extract.

6. Add the milk/egg mixture to the butter/flour mixture and beat on low until combined.

7. Pour the cake batter into the prepared baking pan (s). If using small baking pans, bake in a preheated 350°F oven for 10-12 minutes. If using a large cake pan and cookie cutters, bake in a preheated 350°F oven for 25-30 minutes. The cake should be golden brown around the edges and should bounce back when lightly pressed.

8. Let the cake cool in the pan for 10-15 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack to cool completely.

9. Once the cake has cooled, trim the top of the cakes with a knife on a cutting board to ensure that they are flat and even. If using a large cake and cookie cutters, cut out the shapes of your cake.

10. Add a thin layer of raspberry jam to half of the cakes.
11. Place the naked cakes over the jammed ones to create a layer cake with the jam in between. Pop the cakes in the fridge to chill while you make the fondant.

12. In a small, microwave-safe mixing bowl, place the white chocolate chips. Microwave them at 50% power in 30-second intervals until melted. Stir between each interval. This will take 2-4 minutes. Set aside to cool.

13. In a medium, microwave-safe bowl, mix together the confectioners’ sugar, light corn syrup, and hot water. It will be very thick and may require hand kneading.

14. Add the melted chocolate to the confectioners’ sugar mixture and knead in.

15. Add the vanilla and the colored food gel to the fondant mixture and mix in well.
16. Pop the bowl in the microwave and heat it at 50% power in 30-second intervals until melted, stirring between each interval. If you have a candy or digital thermometer, the ideal temperature is 100-105 degrees Fahrenheit.

17. Place the cakes on a wire rack and place the cooling rack over some parchment paper or a shallow cookie sheet to catch the drips.
18. Spoon the melted fondant over the middle of the cake. Allow it to drip off the sides. You want every side of the cake, except the bottom of the cake, to be covered in an even layer of fondant. Use the back of a spoon to push the fondant to the edges. If the fondant starts to harden in the bowl, just microwave it for 30 seconds and stir it up again.

19. Add a little bit of sprinkles, edible glitter, or chocolate decoration to the top of the cake to make the petit fours fancy.

20. Allow the petit fours cakes to sit for 15-20 minutes to set and harden before serving.

Yield: 1

Petit Fours Recipe | Easy How to Make Petits

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Petit Fours Recipe | Easy How to Make PetitsMaster the art of making petits with our easy recipe. Discover layers of flavor in these delightful petit fours treats.

Prep Time 45 minutes

Cook Time 22 minutes

Additional Time 1 hour

Total Time 2 hours 7 minutes

Ingredients

For the Cake:

• 2¼ cups Cake Flour
• 1½ cups Granulated Sugar
• 2 teaspoons Baking Powder
• ½ teaspoon Baking Soda
• ¼ teaspoon Salt
• ¼ cup Unsalted Butter, softened
• 1 cup Whole Milk
• ¼ cup Canola Oil
• 3 large Eggs
• 2 Tablespoons Vanilla Extract
• 1 cup Seedless Raspberry Jam

For the Fondant Icing:

• 1 cup White Chocolate Chips
• 4 cups Confectioners' Sugar
• ¼ cup light Corn Syrup
• ¼ cup Hot Water
• 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
• Gel Food Coloring, color of your choice

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Spray your pan(s) with cooking spray and line the bottom of the pans with parchment paper. Set aside the prepared pan (s).
3. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
4. Using a stand or hand mixer, add the butter to the dry ingredients and beat with your electric mixer on low speed until the mixture has a sand-like quality. Set aside for a minute.
5. In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the milk, oil, eggs, and vanilla extract.
6. Add the milk/egg mixture to the butter/flour mixture and beat on low until combined.
7. Pour the cake batter into the prepared baking pan (s). If using small baking pans, bake in a preheated 350°F oven for 10-12 minutes. If using a large cake pan and cookie cutters, bake in a preheated 350°F oven for 25-30 minutes. The cake should be golden brown around the edges and should bounce back when lightly pressed.
8. Let the cake cool in the pan for 10-15 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack to cool completely.
9. Once the cake has cooled, trim the top of the cakes with a knife on a cutting board to ensure that they are flat and even. If using a large cake and cookie cutters, cut out the shapes of your cake.
10. Add a thin layer of raspberry jam to half of the cakes.
11. Place the naked cakes over the jammed ones to create a layer cake with the jam in between. Pop the cakes in the fridge to chill while you make the fondant.
12. In a small, microwave-safe mixing bowl, place the white chocolate chips. Microwave them at 50% power in 30-second intervals until melted. Stir between each interval. This will take 2-4 minutes. Set aside to cool.
13. In a medium, microwave-safe bowl, mix together the confectioners' sugar, light corn syrup, and hot water. It will be very thick and may require hand kneading.
14. Add the melted chocolate to the confectioners' sugar mixture and knead in.
15. Add the vanilla and the colored food gel to the fondant mixture and mix in well.
16. Pop the bowl in the microwave and heat it at 50% power in 30-second intervals until melted, stirring between each interval. If you have a candy or digital thermometer, the ideal temperature is 100-105 degrees Fahrenheit.
17. Place the cakes on a wire rack and place the cooling rack over some parchment paper or a shallow cookie sheet to catch the drips.
18. Spoon the melted fondant over the middle of the cake. Allow it to drip off the sides. You want every side of the cake, except the bottom of the cake, to be covered in an even layer of fondant. Use the back of a spoon to push the fondant to the edges. If the fondant starts to harden in the bowl, just microwave it for 30 seconds and stir it up again.
19. Add a little bit of sprinkles, edible glitter, or chocolate decoration to the top of the cake to make the petit fours fancy.
20. Allow the petit fours cakes to sit for 15-20 minutes to set and harden before serving.

Notes

This recipe makes (8) 3" cakes. If you vary from that sizing, watch your bake time, as the times listed may change for you.

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Nutrition Information:

Yield:

8

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 921Total Fat: 22gSaturated Fat: 9gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 12gCholesterol: 92mgSodium: 348mgCarbohydrates: 173gFiber: 1gSugar: 133gProtein: 8g

Note: for exact nutritional information, consult your dietitian. All nutritional information provided is simply a guideline.

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