Sunday, March 30, 2008

Party Cake- a Daring Baker Challenge





This months DBC was hosted by Morven of Food Art and Random Thoughts. What a great choice! With all of the Dorie obsession going on, what a better way to get one more of the recipes in.


This cake recipe came together quickly and easily. My husband said that it reminded him of sponge cake and it was delicious. The next step was the buttercream. You are to cook egg whites with sugar, and then whip it, and then you add all of the butter. This made me a little nervous, but it came out great.


All in all, I loved this cake. I will definitely be making it again. Thanks Morven for choosing a great recipe! As always, go and check out the other Daring Bakers, there are over 600 members now!!


For the Cake


2 1/4 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


Centre 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.Put 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 the 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. 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. 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.

28 comments:

L Vanel said...

Beautiful beautiful cake, April. It looks a little like mine but better.

~Amber~ said...

Your cake is beautiful, great job. To the next challenge we go!

Anonymous said...

Beautiful cake. This was a fun challenge.

slush said...

Looks perfect April!

Deborah said...

Beautiful job on this challenge!!

Engineer Baker said...

Ooo, so pretty! Nice work!

Megan said...

I felt like a TWD gal there for a second. Your layers look great!

CB said...

The layers look fab! Great job!
Clara @ I♥food4thought

Anonymous said...

I was reminded of spongecake with it too. Your seems quite pretty. What wonderful work.

Karen Baking Soda said...

Nice cake April, well done!

Anonymous said...

Your cake looks delicious and has perfect layers too!

Unknown said...

Great job! I'm glad you enjoyed it.

Gabi said...

Beautiful cake April!
Perfect job!!!
xoxo
Gabi

Chris said...

well done!

Anonymous said...

Your cake looks so pretty! Great job!

Anonymous said...

Looks great, I loved it too!

Miss Ifi said...

I am glad your cake turned out well!! Congratulations on your challenge!

Anonymous said...

Beautiful! Great job!

Morven said...

Glad you participated in the challenge. Your cake turned out pretty

Sheltie Girl said...

You did a simply lovely job on your cake. Well done!

Natalie @ Gluten A Go Go

Mother Bliss said...

Great looking cake! Great job!

Anne said...

Your cake looks beautiful!

Jennifer said...

Yum yum! Looks great! I wish I still had some leftover... ;)

Marie Rayner said...

Your cake looks fabulous April! I chose to fill mine with lemon curd and marmalade, plus I toasted the coconut, but looking at yours I wish now I had stuck with the raspberry jam, coz your picture sure has me craving it!

Lunch Buckets said...

Nice cake :) I really should stop looking at these things while I'm hungry!

Dolores said...

Great job with the March challenge April!

Antonio Tahhan said...

haha, the butter made me a bit nervous too; but i'd say that in the end, it was totally worth it!

Jaime said...

great job! i loved the texture of this cake too :)

Sunday, March 30, 2008

Party Cake- a Daring Baker Challenge





This months DBC was hosted by Morven of Food Art and Random Thoughts. What a great choice! With all of the Dorie obsession going on, what a better way to get one more of the recipes in.


This cake recipe came together quickly and easily. My husband said that it reminded him of sponge cake and it was delicious. The next step was the buttercream. You are to cook egg whites with sugar, and then whip it, and then you add all of the butter. This made me a little nervous, but it came out great.


All in all, I loved this cake. I will definitely be making it again. Thanks Morven for choosing a great recipe! As always, go and check out the other Daring Bakers, there are over 600 members now!!


For the Cake


2 1/4 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


Centre 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.Put 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 the 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. 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. 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.

28 comments:

L Vanel said...

Beautiful beautiful cake, April. It looks a little like mine but better.

~Amber~ said...

Your cake is beautiful, great job. To the next challenge we go!

Anonymous said...

Beautiful cake. This was a fun challenge.

slush said...

Looks perfect April!

Deborah said...

Beautiful job on this challenge!!

Engineer Baker said...

Ooo, so pretty! Nice work!

Megan said...

I felt like a TWD gal there for a second. Your layers look great!

CB said...

The layers look fab! Great job!
Clara @ I♥food4thought

Anonymous said...

I was reminded of spongecake with it too. Your seems quite pretty. What wonderful work.

Karen Baking Soda said...

Nice cake April, well done!

Anonymous said...

Your cake looks delicious and has perfect layers too!

Unknown said...

Great job! I'm glad you enjoyed it.

Gabi said...

Beautiful cake April!
Perfect job!!!
xoxo
Gabi

Chris said...

well done!

Anonymous said...

Your cake looks so pretty! Great job!

Anonymous said...

Looks great, I loved it too!

Miss Ifi said...

I am glad your cake turned out well!! Congratulations on your challenge!

Anonymous said...

Beautiful! Great job!

Morven said...

Glad you participated in the challenge. Your cake turned out pretty

Sheltie Girl said...

You did a simply lovely job on your cake. Well done!

Natalie @ Gluten A Go Go

Mother Bliss said...

Great looking cake! Great job!

Anne said...

Your cake looks beautiful!

Jennifer said...

Yum yum! Looks great! I wish I still had some leftover... ;)

Marie Rayner said...

Your cake looks fabulous April! I chose to fill mine with lemon curd and marmalade, plus I toasted the coconut, but looking at yours I wish now I had stuck with the raspberry jam, coz your picture sure has me craving it!

Lunch Buckets said...

Nice cake :) I really should stop looking at these things while I'm hungry!

Dolores said...

Great job with the March challenge April!

Antonio Tahhan said...

haha, the butter made me a bit nervous too; but i'd say that in the end, it was totally worth it!

Jaime said...

great job! i loved the texture of this cake too :)