mercredi 18 octobre 2017

This cake is beautiful. Although I love perfectly frosted cakes

Add Comment
This is the first time I've ever made a naked cake, so I actually had a little bit of a panic attack during the frosting process. Frosting the cake pretty much went against all my perfectionist tendencies. Because how do you actually judge when a naked cake is finished? How much frosting is too much frosting, exactly? Or did I use too little? .
Ingredients:
For the Chocolate Cake:
(makes a double layer 8-inch cake)
1 3/4 cups (8.75 ounces) all-purpose flour
2 cups (14 ounces) granulated sugar
3/4 cup (2.25 ounces) unsweetened cocoa powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup (8 ounces) buttermilk
1/2 cup (4 ounces) vegetable oil
2 large eggs, at room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup (8 ounces) freshly brewed hot coffee

For the Hibiscus Cream Cheese Frosting:
(makes around 2 cups, enough for a scantily-frosted cake)
1/2 cup (4 ounces) water
2 tablespoons dried hibiscus flowers
8 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
1/2 cup (1 stick // 4 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature
3 1/2 cups (14 ounces) confectioner's sugar, sifted (see baker's notes)
a pinch of kosher salt

Recipe:
For the Chocolate Cake:Preheat the oven to 350 (F). Prepare two 8 inch round cake pans by spraying generously with cooking spray and lining the bottom of each pan with parchment paper circles. Spray the top of each parchment circle and set aside.
In the bowl of a freestanding electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, combine 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour, 2 cups granulated sugar, 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, 2 teaspoons baking soda, 1 teaspoon baking powder, and 1 teaspoon kosher salt. Mix on low speed until thoroughly combined.

In a separate medium bowl, combine 1 cup buttermilk, 1/2 cup oil, 2 eggs, and 1 tablespoon vanilla. Whisk together gently until just combined.
With the mixer on its lowest speed, slowly add the wet ingredients (from the 3rd step) to the dry ingredients (from the 2nd step). Add 1 cup hot coffee. Continue stirring on low speed until just combined, before stopping the mixer and using a heatproof rubber spatula to scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl and mix into the batter. The batter will seem really liquidy, but again, this is normal.
Pour the batter into the prepared pans and bake in the preheated oven for 35 to 40 minutes, until a skewer inserted into the center of each cake comes out with a few crumbs and the tops of each cake bounce with a spongelike texture when poked gently with your finger. When the cakes are ready, remove from the oven and let the cakes cool in the pans on a wire rack for 30 minutes, before turning out to cool. Remove parchment paper and allow the cakes to cool completely to room temperature.
Once the cakes are cooled to room temperature, wrap each layer in plastic wrap. Transfer to the refrigerator and chill for at least 2 hours before frosting.
For the Hibiscus Cream Cheese Frosting:First, make the hibiscus tea. Bring 1/2 cup water to a boil in a small pot over high heat. Once the water is boiling, remove from heat and immediately add 2 tablespoons dried hibiscus flowers. Steep for at least 10 minutes — the longer you steep the tea, the darker your frosting will be. Take care not to get any of the tea on your clothes! It stains like crazy. After steeping, strain out the hibiscus flowers and discard.
In the bowl of a freestanding electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat together 8 ounces cream cheese and 1/2 cup unsalted butter on medium speed for around a minute, until fluffy and well combined. Gradually add 3 1/2 cups confectioner's sugar a quarter cup at a time until fully incorporated. Add a pinch of kosher salt, and beat on high speed for at least a minute. Lower the mixer to its lowest setting and slowly drizzle in the hibiscus tea one tablespoon at a time until the mixture is a pale pink. The more tea you add, the more flavorful and colorful the frosting will be.

source here

mardi 17 octobre 2017

The use of cornmeal in the cake base gives the cake a wonderfully gritty and rich texture similar to cornbread that I love

Add Comment
Although strawberries are allegedly in season year-round in California, they only really come into their peak around now. When baked in this cake, the strawberries take on a bold, deep sweetness that pairs wonderfully with the slightly gritty texture of the buttery cake. The use of cornmeal in the cake base gives the cake a wonderfully gritty and rich texture similar to cornbread that I love, love, love.
Ingredients
For the Strawberry Upside Down Cornmeal Shortcake:
(makes one 9-inch cake)
3 tablespoons plus 1 cup (9.5 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature and separated into 3 tablespoons and 1 cup portions
2/3 cup (5 ounces) dark brown sugar, tightly packed
2 teaspoons lemon juice, freshly squeezed
zest from 1 medium lemon
1 pint fresh strawberries, hulled and halved
1 cup (5 ounces) fine-ground cornmeal
1/2 cup (2.5 ounces) all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup (7 ounces) granulated sugar
4 large eggs, at room temperature
1/3 cup (2.65 ounces) sour cream
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

Recipe:
For the Strawberry Upside Down Cornmeal Shortcake:Center a rack in the oven and preheat to 350 (F).
In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt 3 tablespoons unsalted butter. Add 2/3 cup dark brown sugar, 2 teaspoons lemon juice, and lemon zest stirring until the sugar melts. Scrape the mixture into the bottom of the prepared cake pan, swirling the pan so that the mixture spreads across the cake pan bottom and up its sides. Place the sliced, flat side of the strawberries on the bottom of the pan on top of the mixture. Here's a pro tip — try and cover as much of the bottom of the pan as you can with strawberries for a more attractive cake!
In a medium bowl, whisk together 1 cup fine-ground cornmeal, 1/2 cup all-purpose flour, 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder, and 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt. Set aside.
In the bowl of a freestanding electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, combine 1 cup unsalted butter and 1 cup granulated sugar. Beat on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. When the mixture has doubled in size, reduce the mixer speed and add 4 large eggs, one at a time, only adding the next egg when the one before it is fully incorporated. Once all the eggs have been incorporated, beat in 1/3 cup sour cream and 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract until just incorporated.
Sprinkle the dry ingredients (from the 3rd step) over the mixture and use a rubber spatula to fold the ingredients into the wet ingredients by hand — do not overmix! Just continue mixing until the dry ingredients have just incorporated into the batter.
Scrape the batter into the cake pan over the strawberry slices. Transfer to the oven and bake until the cake is golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean, around 40 to 50 minutes. Cool the cake in its pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes, before running a butter knife or an offset spatula along the cake's edges to loosen it from the pan. Invert the cake onto a platter, and allow to cool completely before serving.

source here

Wow.. just looking at the pictures I can see how dense and moist the cake must be

Add Comment
The cake's denseness was not a bad thing at all — on the contrary, it created the perfect texture for soaking up absorbing a cake soak. I ended up whipping a Grand Marnier cake soak that I poured over the cake before topping it off with powdered sugar and orange zest. The orange flavor complemented the cake's eggy flavor, resulting in one of the most delicious cakes I've had in a long time. I also suggest whipping up a dark chocolate ganache or orange glaze to top the cake off. Or at least, that's what I'll be doing the next time I make this cake. ;-)

Ingredients:
For the Sweetened Condensed Milk Cake:
(makes one 10-inch, 12-cup capacity bundt pan)
1 stick (4 oz.) unsalted butter (plus more for pan)
1 teaspoon orange zest (plus more for garnishing)
8 eggs, at room temperature
2 14-oz. cans sweetened condensed milk
2 cups all-purpose flour (plus more for pan)
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt

For the Grand Marnier Cake Soak:
(enough for one 10-inch cake)
1/2 cup water
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
1/4 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
a pinch of salt
1/2 cup Grand Marnier (or any other orange-flavored alcohol)


 Recipe:
For the Sweetened Condensed Milk Cake:Preheat the oven to 350 (F). Prepare your bundt pan by either generously spraying with cooking spray or brushing with 1 tablespoon melted butter. Dust generously with flour and flip and tap to remove excess flour.
In a small pot, melt 1 stick unsalted butter with 1 teaspoon orange zest over medium heat, continually stirring with a heatproof rubber spatula to prevent the butter from burning and help infuse it with orange flavor. Set aside to cool.
In the bowl of a freestanding electric mixer with a whisk attachment, whisk together 8 eggs until well beaten. Pour in 2 cans of sweetened condensed milk and whisk until well combined. The mixture should be pale yellow and smooth. Add butter and orange zest mixture (from the second step), and continue whisking until well combined. Once the butter has been incorporated into the milk and eggs, turn the mixer off and replace your whisk attachment with a paddle attachment. 

In a small bowl, whisk together 2 cups flour, 1 teaspoon baking powder, and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Sprinkle over the liquid mixture (from the third step), and turn on your mixer to the lowest speed, mixing the ingredients together until just incorporated.
Once the dry ingredients have been incorporated into the liquid ingredients, pour into the greased bundt pan and bake for about 60 minutes — a skewer inserted into the center of the cake should come out completely dry. When the cake is finished, let the cake cool in its pan on a cooling rack completely. While the cake is in the oven, make the Grand Marnier cake soak. 
For the Grand Marnier Cake Soak:Combine 1/2 cup water, 1 tablespoon vanilla, 1/4 cup sugar, 2 tablespoons unsalted butter and a pinch of salt in a small pot. Cook over low heat (do not boil!), whisking frequently until the sugar is dissolved and the vanilla is fragrant about 10 minutes.
Once the sugar has dissolved, remove the pot from heat and let the mixture cool to room temperature. Once the mixture has cooled, whisk in 1/2 cup Grand Marnier.
Putting It All Together:Once the cake has cooled in its pan completely, use a wooden skewer to poke holes all over the exposed part of the cake (this will be the bottom of the cake once inserted into a plate).
Pour the Grand Marnier cake soak over the cooled cake and let sit for at least an hour, before inverting onto a plate and garnishing with powdered sugar and orange zest. 


source here

The cake makes a beautiful wreath

Add Comment
In this particular case, this is a classic sour cream pound cake with a seasonal twist: tangerines. I’ve infused the sugar in the cake with generous amounts of tangerine zest, as well as made a cake soak from the tangerine juice. It’s dense but manages to remain oh-so-moist and fluffy from the generous amounts of butter, sour cream and tangerine juice in the recipe. Feel free to substitute tangerines with any winter citrus you might find!

Ingredients:
For the Sour Cream Pound Cake:
(makes one 10-inch bundt cake)
3 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
3 cups granulated sugar
freshly grated tangerine zest from 4 tangerines
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
6 large eggs, at room temperature
1 cup sour cream
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

For the Tangerine Cake Soak:
(makes enough for one 10-inch bundt cake)
1/4 cup fresh tangerine juice
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup granulated sugar

For the Tangerine Icing:
(makes enough for one 10-inch bundt cake)
2 cups confectioner's sugar, sifted
1/4 cup fresh tangerine juice

Recipe:
For the Sour Cream Pound Cake:Center a rack in the oven and preheat to 325 (F). Prepare a 10-inch bundt cake pan or tube pan by generously spraying with cooking spray and lightly coating with flour; set aside.
In a medium bowl, whisk together 3 cups all-purpose flour, 1/2 teaspoon baking soda and 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt until well combined. Set aside.
In the bowl of a freestanding electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, combine 3 cups granulated sugar and the zest from 3 freshly grated tangerines. Use your fingers to rub the zest into the sugar; doing so will release tangerine oil from the zest that will infuse the sugar more powerfully. Once the zest is fully incorporated throughout the sugar, add 1 cup unsalted butter to the sugar and beat on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, at least 7 minutes. 
Once the mixture is light and fluffy, reduce the mixer speed to its lowest setting and add 6 eggs, one at a time, using a rubber spatula to scrape the sides of each bowl after each addition. Only add the next egg when the previous one has been incorporated.
Once the eggs have all been added, scrape down the sides of the bowl one last time and turn the mixer back to its lowest speed. Add the dry ingredients (from the 2nd step) 1 cup at a time, mixing for 30 seconds after each addition. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, and add 1 cup sour cream and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, mixing until the batter is smooth. Be careful not to overmix — it's always best to continue mixing until there are one or two flour streaks left, and finishing the rest by hand with a rubber spatula.
Transfer the batter to the prepared cake pan, using an offset spatula to spread it evenly across the pan. Bake in the preheated oven for 1 hour and 15 minutes, or until a skewer inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean and the top of the cake bounces back when lightly touched. Cool the cake in its pan on a wire rack for 25 minutes, before inverting the cake on to the wire rack. Soak the cake while it is still warm. 
For the Tangerine Cake Soak:Place a baking sheet underneath the wire rack holding the cake to capture any drippings. Use a wooden skewer to poke holes evenly throughout the cake.
In a liquid measuring cup, whisk together 1/4 cup fresh tangerine juice, 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice and 1/4 cup granulated sugar until the sugar is fully dissolved. Pour slowly and evenly over the cake, using an offset spatula or a pastry brush to ease the liquid into the holes across the cake. Allow the cake to cool completely to room temperature before glazing with the icing.
For the Tangerine Icing:In a medium bowl, whisk together 2 cups sifted confectioner's sugar and 1/4 cup tangerine juice until it achieves a paste-like consistency. Immediately pour the glaze over the top of the cake, so it drips down the sides. Leave the cake uncovered until the glaze sets, about 20 minutes.
source here


The Chocolate Glaze And sweetened condensed milk bundt cake

Add Comment
Erlend's in town this week and I am beyond stoked. It's easy to stay in touch and feel connected through all our modern technologies, but really, at the end of the day, nothing beats IRL time. I feel like I've been especially bad about that this year too — because it's so easy to talk over Gchat, iMessage, Snapchat, or whatever, I'll sometimes find that a whole month has gone by without me actually hanging out with anybody. Is that sad to admit?

Ingredients:
For the Toasted Sesame and Sweetened Condensed Milk Bundt Cake:
(makes one small bundt, or an 8 x 4-inch loaf)
1 cup (5 ounces) all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
a pinch of kosher salt
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks // 6 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/3 cup (2.35 ounces) granulated sugar
1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
5 large egg yolks
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup (4 fluid ounces) sweetened condensed milk

For the Chocolate Glaze:
(enough for 1 cake)
1 tablespoon sesame seeds
3.25 ounces bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
4 teaspoons water
2 teaspoons light corn syrup


Recipe:
For the Toasted Sesame and Sweetened Condensed Milk Bundt Cake:Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 325 (F). Prepare your cake pan by generously spraying with cooking spray.
In a medium bowl, whisk together 1 cup all-purpose flour, 1/2 teaspoon baking powder, and a pinch of salt. Set aside.
In the bowl of a freestanding electric mixer with a paddle attachment, cream together 3/4 cup unsalted butter, 1/3 cup granulated sugar, and 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil on medium-high speed, until light and fluffy.
Once the butter and sugar is light and fluffy, turn the mixer to its lowest speed and slowly add 5 large egg yolks, one at a time, only adding the next egg yolk when the previous one before it has fully incorporated into the batter.
Once the egg yolks have been incorporated, turn off the mixer and whisk together 2 teaspoons vanilla extract and 3/4 cup sweetened condensed milk in a liquid measuring cup.
Turn on the mixer to its slowest speed and add the dry ingredients (from the 2nd step) in 3 parts, alternating with the sweetened condensed milk mixture (from the 5th step) in two parts. DO NOT OVERBEAT — simply beat together until all the ingredients have just been incorporated.
Transfer to your prepared cake pan, using a rubber spatula to spread the batter evenly in the pan. Bake in the preheated oven for about 1 hour, or until the top is a dark, golden brown and a skewer inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean. Cool completely on a wire rack before unmolding.
For the Chocolate Glaze:Toast 1 tablespoon sesame seeds in a medium pan over medium-low heat until the sesame seeds start to brown and emit a nutty aroma — keep your eye on them because once they start to brown, they brown really easily and are quick to burn! Once the seeds are toasted, immediately transfer to a plate to a wire rack to prevent further toasting. 
In a medium, heat-proof glass bowl, combine 3.25 ounces finely chopped bittersweet chocolate, 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, 4 teaspoons water, and 2 teaspoons light corn syrup. Create a double boiler by setting the bowl of ingredients over a saucepan containing an inch of water, ensuring that the water doesn't touch the bottom of the bowl. Cook the ingredients over medium heat, stirring together with a rubber spatula until melted and combined. If the mixture looks like it will seize, use a whisk. Once the ingredients have combined, transfer to a liquid measuring cup and use immediately — if you wait too long, the glaze will set and be difficult to work with!


source here 

Banana-Chocolate! One of my face combinations. Yummy! And that frosting

Add Comment
I sometimes worry that I've lived out west too long and that my sensibilities will never match the ones here. As I get more settled into a routine, I find myself confusing New Yorkers with the weird, crunchy West Coast habits I've mostly acquired while living in Portland. Like bringing my own tote bags for groceries. I literally bewilder almost every cashier I interact with when I decline the plastic bags they seem to hand out so freely (they were 10 cents a bag in San Francisco!) and give them my own.

Ingredients:
Special Equipment:
a food processor

For the Banana Chocolate Chip Cake:
(makes a three-layer, 6-inch cake)
1 1/3 cups (6.65 ounces) all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup (7 ounces) granulated sugar
6 tablespoons (3 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 large egg, at room temperature
1/2 cup (4 fluid ounces) whole buttermilk, at room temperature
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
9 ounces super ripe peeled bananas, mashed (I used 3 medium-small bananas — see baker's notes)
1/2 cup (3 ounces) mini chocolate chip


For the Instant Chocolate Fudge Frosting:
(makes about 2 1/2 cups, enough for one triple layer cake)
3 ounces 100% unsweetened chocolate, melted and cooled to slightly warm
2 1/4 cups (9 ounces) confectioner's sugar
3/4 cup (6 ounces // 1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
3 tablespoons whole milk
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

For the Chocolate Drippy Glaze:
(makes around 1/4 cup, enough for one cake)
3 ounces 70% cacao dark chocolate, roughly chopped
2 tablespoons (1 ounce) unsalted butter
1 tablespoon water
2 teaspoons light corn syrup

Recipes:
For the Banana Chocolate Chip Cake:Center a rack in the oven and preheat to 325 (F). Prepare three 6-inch cake pans by spraying generously with cooking spray and lining the bottoms of each with a parchment paper circle; spray the parchment paper circle as well.
In a medium bowl, whisk together 1 1/3 cups (6.65 ounces) all-purpose flour, 3/4 teaspoon baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon baking soda, and 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt until fully incorporated. Set aside.
In the bowl of a freestanding electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, combine 1 cup (7 ounces) granulated sugar and 6 tablespoons (3 ounces) unsalted butter. Cream together on medium-high speed for 5 minutes, until the mixture is light and fluffy and has doubled in volume. Use a rubber spatula to scrape down the sides of the bowl, add 1 large egg, and continue mixing again on medium-high for another 2 to 3 minutes.
Lower the mixer speed to its lowest setting. In a liquid measuring cup, combine 1/2 cup (4 fluid ounces) buttermilk, 2 tablespoons vegetable oil, and 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract, whisking briefly before streaming into the butter and sugar mixture. Once all the mixture has been added, increase the mixer speed to medium-high and paddle for another 5 to 6 minutes, until the mixture is practically white and completely homogeneous. You're basically forcing too much liquid into an already fatty mixture that doesn't want to make room for it, so if it doesn't look homogeneous after 6 minutes, keep mixing. Stop the mixer and scrape the sides of the bowl every few minutes or so.
Once the mixture is homogeneous, reduce the mixer speed back to its lowest setting once more. Add 9 ounces of mashed banana and mix for 45 to 60 seconds to ensure that the bananas are scattered throughout the batter.
Still on low speed, add the flour mixture (from the 2nd step) and mix for 45 to 60 seconds, just until the batter comes together. DO NOT OVERMIX. Mix just until the dry ingredients have disappeared, before stopping the mixer, scraping down the sides of the bowl, and incorporating any remnants of dry ingredients by hand with a rubber spatula. Scatter 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips over the mixture and mix them in by hand until fully incorporated throughout the batter.
Divide the batter evenly between the three prepared cake pans, using an offset spatula to smoothen out the top of each cake.
Bake in the preheated oven for 40 to 45 minutes. The center of each cake should no longer be jiggly, but be careful not to overbake since the cakes will continue to cook after you've taken them out of the oven — it's better to pull them out on the slightly early side than later. Allow cooling completely in the pans on a wire rack before turning out.
For the Instant Fudge Frosting:In the bowl of a food processor, combine 3 ounces melted and cooled 100% unsweetened chocolate, 2 1/4 cups (9 ounces) confectioner's sugar, 3/4 cup (6 ounces) unsalted butter, 3 tablespoons whole milk, and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract. Pulse the ingredients together to incorporate. At first, it will seem like there are too many ingredients in the food processor and that they will never incorporate together, but continue processing until the frosting is smooth and a uniform brown color. It will happen! Use immediately.
For the Chocolate Drippy Glaze:Place the 3 ounces roughly chopped chocolate, 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, 1 tablespoon water, and 2 teaspoons light corn syrup in a medium, microwave-proof bowl. Melt in 20-second increments in the microwave, whisking after each time, until completely melted and smooth. Use immediately.

source here

This is a really beautiful cake. I've never had ermine frosting

Add Comment
However, the cake does have one weak spot: its frosting. Although red velvet cake is traditionally served with cream cheese frosting these days, the perfect cake I had in New York was served with some sort of incredibly light and creamy orange-scented buttercream frosting. I haven't had a buttercream frosting yet that's come close to it. BUT I did find through my research (ehem, Google and reading New York Times cooking articles) that the original red velvet cake from the 1940s was served with something called ermine frosting, or boiled milk frosting. The frosting instructed you to make a pudding from milk and flour, before whipping it up with butter and sugar to create an incredibly light and fluffy frosting. And by light and fluffy, I mean light and fluffy — think of the soapiest bubble bath you've ever taken and imagine that those foamy soap suds are actually edible. That's the texture of ermine frosting. While it was cool to serve the cake with a historically significant recipe, I still think the cake would have been better balanced out with a tangy, citrusy cream cheese frosting. Oh well. For next time!

Ingredients:
For the Red Velvet Cake:
(makes four 6-inch cakes, enough for one 4-layer cake)
2 cups granulated sugar
fresh zest from 1 medium orange
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup plus 3 tablespoons natural unsweetened cocoa powder
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
3/4 cup buttermilk
2 large eggs
2 large egg yolks
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon pure orange extract
1 tablespoon red food coloring gel
3/4 cup boiling coffee

For the Ermine Frosting and Marzipan Filling and Topping:
(makes around 3 cups, enough for one 4-layer cake)
1 cup granulated sugar
fresh zest from 1 medium orange
5 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup milk
1 teaspoon pure orange extract
pinch of salt
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
4 ounces marzipan, divided into two 2-ounce portions
red food coloring


Recipe:
For the Red Velvet Cake:Center a rack in the oven and preheat to 350 (F). Prepare four 6-inch round cake pans by spraying generously with cooking spray and lining the bottoms with parchment paper circles; spray the parchment paper with cooking spray.
In a small bowl, combine 2 cups granulated sugar with fresh zest from 1 medium orange. Use your fingers to incorporate the zest throughout the sugar, rubbing the zest into the sugar. This will help release oils from the zest that will infuse your sugar with more flavor. Set aside.
In the bowl of a freestanding electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, combine sugar (from the 2nd step), 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, 1/2 cup plus 3 tablespoons natural unsweetened cocoa powder, 3/4 teaspoon baking powder, 3/4 teaspoon baking soda and 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt. Beat on low speed for around 30 seconds to blend the ingredients together until fully combined.
In a large bowl, whisk together 1 cup melted unsalted butter, 3/4 cup buttermilk, 2 large eggs, 2 large egg yolks, 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract, 1/2 teaspoon pure orange extract and 1 tablespoon red food coloring gel until just blended. 
Add the liquid mixture (from the 4th step) to the flour mixture in 2 batches, beating on low speed until blended. Once the liquid mixture has been added, increase the mixer speed to high and beat until smooth, no more than 30 seconds. Reduce the mixer speed back to its lowest setting and slowly pour in 3/4 cup boiling coffee. Be careful not to overmix! Beat until the coffee has just been blended, and the mixture turns into a dark maroon, almost brown color. The batter will be thin.
Divide the batter equally among the prepared pans and bake in the preheated oven for 30 to 35 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the center of each cake comes out clean and the tops of each cake bounce back when gently touched. Transfer the cakes to a wire rack to cool for 15 minutes, before turning them out to cool completely. Remove the parchment paper and prepare the frosting only when the cakes have completely cooled and you're ready to start frosting the cake.
For the Ermine Frosting and Marzipan Filling and Topping:In a small bowl, combine 1 cup granulated sugar and the fresh zest from 1 medium orange. Use your fingers to incorporate the zest throughout the sugar, rubbing the zest into the sugar. Set aside.
Combine 5 tablespoons all-purpose flour and 1 cup whole milk in a medium, heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat. Continue heating until the mixture simmers, whisking frequently until the mixture thickens and becomes almost pudding-like. The end result should be a thick, white paste. 
Once the mixture achieves this texture, remove from heat and whisk in 1 teaspoon pure orange extract and a pinch of salt. Use a rubber spatula to transfer the mixture to a bowl to allow it to cool completely. Put plastic wrap on the surface of the pudding to prevent a skin from forming.
Once the mixture has cooled completely, combine 1 cup unsalted butter and 1 cup orange-scented granulated sugar (from the 1st step) in the bowl of a freestanding electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Cream the butter and sugar together on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, scraping the sides of the bowl occasionally, creaming for at least 5 minutes.
To assemble and frost the cakes, level each cake with a serrated knife. Place 1 cake layer, bottom-side down, on a cake plate. Use an offset spatula to spread 1/3 cup of ermine frosting on top. Take one 2-ounce portion of marzipan and grate over the ermine frosting until evenly distributed. Add the second cake layer, top-side down, and repeat the process until all layers have been used up. Frost the top and sides of the cake with the remaining frosting.
Use your hands to knead a couple drops of red food coloring gel into the remaining 2 ounces of marzipan until fully incorporated. Roll out the marzipan to a 1/8- to 1/4-inch thick rectangle in between 2 sheets of wax paper. Use cookie cutters to stamp out shapes, and gently press each shape onto the cake.

source here 
Inscription à : Articles (Atom)