TestCase.php

<?php
class TestCase extends Illuminate\Foundation\Testing\TestCase
{
    /**
     * Creates the application.
     *
     * @return \Illuminate\Foundation\Application
     */
    public function createApplication()
    {
        $app = require __DIR__.'/../bootstrap/app.php';

        $app->make('Illuminate\Contracts\Console\Kernel')->bootstrap();

        $app['cache']->setDefaultDriver('array');
        $app->setLocale('en');

        return $app;
    }

    //
    // Helpers
    //

    protected static function callProtectedMethod($object, $name, $params = [])
    {
        $className = get_class($object);
        $class = new ReflectionClass($className);
        $method = $class->getMethod($name);
        $method->setAccessible(true);
        return $method->invokeArgs($object, $params);
    }

    public static function getProtectedProperty($object, $name)
    {
        $className = get_class($object);
        $class = new ReflectionClass($className);
        $property = $class->getProperty($name);
        $property->setAccessible(true);
        return $property->getValue($object);
    }

    public static function setProtectedProperty($object, $name, $value)
    {
        $className = get_class($object);
        $class = new ReflectionClass($className);
        $property = $class->getProperty($name);
        $property->setAccessible(true);
        return $property->setValue($object, $value);
    }
}