September 25, 2008

Perfect Party Cake

Post-it notes decorate my Baking book, flagging things I'm dying to make and gorgeous photos. One in particular has been calling my name since I first saw it. The perfect party cake. I finally made it last week for my birthday party. I know you don't normally make your own cake, but honestly, I don't really like cake. I never have. I just like to make them. And my friends like to eat cake. So that was a perfect arrangement. Besides, I'd never justify making this enormous, rich, and lovely cake on a regular night.

With my good excuse in hand, I plopped open the book and had a great morning making it. My cake pans are a little smaller so I made two 8 inch cakes and one 4 inch, that I've tucked away in the freezer for another day. Then I worked on the icing. I've actually never made a buttercream frosting before and loved how it turned out. I was alarmed by all of the butter in the icing but it was so smooth and delicious. I might not love cake, but I do love icing. This was wonderful. I didn't have quite enough to frost the cake so I only made three layers instead of four, since I didn't have time to make another batch and didn't want to run out!

I also layered in frozen black raspberries that I found at Trader Joe's. They were such a beautiful, dark color (but I hate how they kind of smeared the inside of the cake- they were too juicy!). Next time, I'll make a sauce out of the fruit instead of using whole raspberries to avoid that problem. They were so delicious, though, that it was totally worth it. All together, this cake was fun to make, moist and light- just delicious. I loved the delicate flavor with just a hint of lemon and I'm sure I'll make several variations of this great recipe.

Lastly, meet my lovely new apron from icing-loving Auburn. With a pretty like that, I'm more than happy to whip up some icing for her (cake optional)!

Perfect Party Cake
From Baking by Dorie Greenspan

For the Cake
2 ¼ cups cake flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
1 ¼ cups whole milk or buttermilk (I prefer buttermilk with the lemon)
4 large egg whites
1 ½ cups sugar
2 teaspoons grated lemon zest
1 stick (8 tablespoons or 4 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature
½ teaspoon pure lemon extract

For the Buttercream
1 cup sugar
4 large egg whites
3 sticks (12 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature
¼ cup fresh lemon juice (from 2 large lemons)
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

For Finishing
2/3 cup seedless raspberry preserves stirred vigorously or warmed gently until spreadable
About 1 ½ cups sweetened shredded coconut

Getting Ready
Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter two 9 x 2 inch round cake pans and line the bottom of each pan with a round of buttered parchment or wax paper. Put the pans on a baking sheet.

To Make the Cake
Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt. Whisk together the milk and egg whites in a medium bowl. Whisk together the sugar and lemon zest in a mixer bowl or another large bowl and rub them together with your fingers until the sugar is moist and fragrant.

Add the butter and working with the paddle or whisk attachment, or with a hand mixer, beat at medium speed for a full 3 minutes, until the butter and sugar are very light. Beat in the extract, then add one third of the flour mixture, still beating on medium speed.

Beat in half of the milk-egg mixture, then beat in half of the remaining dry ingredients until incorporated. Add the rest of the milk and eggs beating until the batter is homogeneous, then add the last of the dry ingredients. Finally, give the batter a good 2- minute beating to ensure that it is thoroughly mixed and well aerated.

Divide the batter between the two pans and smooth the tops with a rubber spatula.
Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until the cakes are well risen and springy to the touch – a thin knife inserted into the centers should come out clean

Transfer the cakes to cooling racks and cool for about 5 minutes, then run a knife around the sides of the cakes, unfold them and peel off the paper liners. Invert and cool to room temperature, right side up (the cooled cake layers can be wrapped airtight and stored at room temperature overnight or frozen for up to two months).

To Make the Buttercream


Put the sugar and egg whites in a mixer bowl or another large heatproof bowl, fit the bowl over a plan of simmering water and whisk constantly, keeping the mixture over the heat, until it feels hot to the touch, about 3 minutes.

The sugar should be dissolved, and the mixture will look like shiny marshmallow cream. Remove the bowl from the heat.

Working with the whisk attachment or with a hand mixer, beat the meringue on medium speed until it is cool, about 5 minutes. Switch to the paddle attachment if you have one, and add the butter a stick at a time, beating until smooth.

Once all the butter is in, beat in the buttercream on medium-high speed until it is thick and very smooth, 6-10 minutes. During this time the buttercream may curdle or separate – just keep beating and it will come together again.

On medium speed, gradually beat in more lemon juice, waiting until each addition is absorbed before adding more, and then the vanilla. You should have a shiny smooth, velvety, pristine white buttercream. Press a piece of plastic against the surface of the buttercream and set aside briefly.

To Assemble the Cake
Using a sharp serrated knife and a gentle sawing motion, slice each layer horizontally in half. Put one layer cut side up on a cardboard cake round or a cake plate protected by strips of wax or parchment paper.

Spread it with one third of the preserves. Cover the jam evenly with about one quarter of the buttercream. Top with another layer, spread with preserves and buttercream and then do the same with a third layer (you’ll have used all the jam and have buttercream leftover). Place the last layer cut side down on top of the cake and use the remaining buttercream to frost the sides and top.

Press the coconut into the frosting, patting it gently all over the sides and top. (I omitted this and topped the cake with more raspberries)

Serving
The cake is ready to serve as soon as it is assembled, but I think it’s best to let it sit and set for a couple of hours in a cool room – not the refrigerator. Whether you wait or slice and enjoy it immediately, the cake should be served at room temperature; it loses all its subtlety when it’s cold. Depending on your audience you can serve the cake with just about anything from milk to sweet or bubbly wine.

Storing
The cake is best the day it is made, but you can refrigerate it, well covered, for up to two days. Bring it to room temperature before serving. If you want to freeze the cake, slide it into the freezer to set, then wrap it really well – it will keep for up to 2 months in the freezer; defrost it, still wrapped overnight in the refrigerator.

17 comments:

  1. Look at that cake! Amazing job! I wish I could have a slice or two. And I love your new apron. You are styling in the kitchen for sure!

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  2. This looks spectacular, Anne! I tried to make this a month or so ago, and it was an unmitigated disaster. I have since purchased new baking powder, so I am trying to work up the courage to try again. Your pictures make me want to try again NOW!!

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  3. Happy Birthday and that is one pretty little apron. I always make my own birthday treat since I want it to be good!

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  4. Great job on the birthday cake! I love making my own cake too. I made this last month for my brothers birthday and everyone was crazy about it. You did such a great decorating job. It looks really beautiful!

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  5. Your cake is gorgeous and that apron - OMG so adorable! I haven't made a layer cake in a while and seeing yours makes me want to. Like today.

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  6. Pretty cake Anne! It looks perfect and I am so loving your new apron! Have a great day!

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  7. seriously gorgeous job on the cake! loving your new apron! :)

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  8. Oh, that looks so good. I love the flavor of berries but can't handle the seeds. I like your idea... perhaps I will steal it!
    ~Cat

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  9. Looks gorgeous!! Great job and Happy Birthday! Love the apron too!

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  10. That cake looks even better than Dorie's pic, and I ain'tkidding! You have to teach me how to do that. The new apron is truly fab!

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  11. Lovely! Happy birthday and congratulations on a great cake!

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  12. I've been wanting to make that cake too! Amazing job! (I've made my own birthday cake too, but I love cake. Happy belated birthday!!) Love the apron.

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  13. Gorgeous! I wish my family liked to eat cake more!

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  14. what a lovely apron.. now i'm just slightly jealous. haha.

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  15. Happy birthday! Lovely job on the cake. Blackberry sounds delicious.

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  16. What a beautiful cake! Yum!

    I love that apron! I'm going to check out her site...

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  17. What a pretty cake! (If I wore aprons, by the way, I would be afraid to wear anything that nice. I would probably have it stained within the first hour!)

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