You can find: Almond-Scented White Cake – Part 1

While you are waiting for the cake to cool, it’s time to turn your attention to the frosting.

Frosting:

• 1 cup mascarpone
• 1/4 cups confectioners’ sugar
• 1 1/4 cup heavy cream

You will need 1 1/4 cup heavy cream.

Pour heavy cream into a bowl.

Add 1/4 cups confectioners’ sugar.

Whip together using an electric mixer set on medium-high speed.

Fold in 1 cup Mascarpone.

How the frosting should look.

Both cakes will need to be cut in half.
Use a long serrated knife, cut each cake in half horizontally.

We elected to use Raspberry preserve.

Place half a cake on a plate and spread with Raspberry preserve.

Spread some of the frosting on top.

Place second half of cake on top.

Repeat for all layers.

Spread the remaining frosting over the top and sides.

Press the toasted almonds onto the sides and sprinkle on top.
Clean edges of cake plate.

Time for taste test…
Cut a piece and enjoy!

Serve immediately, or cover with a cake dome and refrigerate for up to 1 day. Bring to room temperature before serving.
Makes one 9-inch cake; serves 10 to 12.

You can find: Almond-Scented White Cake – Part 1

Let’s create something!

You can find the original recipe from Williams-Sonoma:
http://www.williams-sonoma.com/recipe/almond-scented-white-cake.html
In this case we changes it up and choose to use different frosting

Picture from Williams-Sonoma

Ingredients:

• 2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1 Tbs. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 12 Tbs. (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 2 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1 tsp. almond extract
• 1 cup milk
• 5 egg whites, at room temperature
• 3/4 cup raspberry preserves, melted
• Raspberries (optional)
• 1 1/4 cups sliced almonds, lightly toasted and cooled

Preheat oven to 350ºF.
Start of with two 9 inches and 1 1/2 inches deep cake pans.
Butter and flour the cake pans.

In a medium bowl, sift 2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour .

Add 1 Tbs. baking powder .

Add 1/2 tsp. salt.
Mix all together.

Put 12 Tbs. (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature to a large bowl.

Use an electric mixer set on medium-high speed, beat the butter until light.
Gradually add 1 1/2 cups sugar.

Beat until well blended.

Beat in 1 tsp. almond extract

As well as, 2 tsp. vanilla extract.

Once you get a nice consistent blend, Reduce the speed to low.

Alternate adding from 1 cup milk.

And the flour mixture into the butter mixture

Work it until combined.

In a large bowl, use an electric mixer set on high speed, on 5 egg whites, at room temperature.

Beat egg whites until stiff peaks form.

Use a rubber spatula, gently fold the beaten egg whites into the batter.

Continue until it’s incorporated.

Divide the batter between the prepared pans; smooth top with the spatula.

Bake in oven for about 30 minutes at 350ºF.
Cakes are ready once a toothpick inserted into the centers comes out clean.

Transfer to racks and let cool in the pans for 10 minutes.
Use a sharp knife around the pan sides to loosen the cakes.
Invert onto racks and let cool completely.

You can find: Almond-Scented White Cake – Part 2

Enjoy!

 

 You can find: How to: Almond Joy Layer Cake – Part 1

Place parchment paper around your cake stand.
It will keep your surface clean.
After you’re done decorating the cake just pull out.

Use the time until the cake cools down to spread the almonds on a baking sheet and let it toast for 12 minutes.
Once done, let cool.

In a saucepan, combine 3/4 cup cream.

Add 1/4 cup granulated sugar.

Add a pinch of salt, let simmer, stirring, over medium heat until the sugar is dissolved.
Should take approximately 3 minutes.

Remove from heat and stir in 2 tsp. vanilla and 3 packed cups coconut.

Fold until get a consistent mix.

When cool, fold in 1 1/2 cups almonds.

Keep folding until you get a consistent mix.

We deviated from the recipe here by making the weeped cream at this point.
Use 2 1/4 cups cream.

Put in a bowl or a mixer bowl.

Add 1/3 cup confectioners’ sugar.

Whip until stiff.

Place you cake on a flat surface.

Remove parchment paper.

Split the cake layers to make 4 layers.
Cut each cake to 2.
We used Rachel Ray’s tip on how to cut and it worked like a charm:
“Use a long serrated knife to slice about 1 inch into the layer, turning as you cut, until you’ve gone all the way around.
Repeat, cutting deeper into the layer until it’s evenly sliced in half.
(Rookie mistake: trying to slice straight through— crooked city!)”

Place 1 layer cut side up on a cake stand and spread with 1 cup of the coconut-almond mixture.

We deviated from the recipe by adding some of the whipped cream on top of the coconut-almond mixture between each layer.

Place the second layer cut side down and spread with 1 cup more of the mixture and whipped cream.

Repeat with the remaining cake layers and filling.
Cover the cake with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 4 hours to firm up.

Sprinkle the top with remaining almonds.

Remove parchment paper from around your cake stand and wipe any access cake.

Finally the cake is done and looking beautiful, like a work of art.

Time for taste test…

This is one of the best cakes we’ve ever tasted.
The birthday girl thought the same 🙂

Enjoy!

 You can find: How to: Almond Joy Layer Cake – Part 1

Let’s create something!

My friend saw this cake in the magazine and we thought we’d give it a go.
This is a test run before her cute little daughter’s birthday.
With Valentine’s Day fast approaching you may want to make this amazing cake for your sweetheart!

To see the article online on Rachael Ray magazine:
http://www.rachaelraymag.com/Recipes/almond-joy-layer-cake

Ingredients

• 2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 stick (4 oz.) unsalted butter, cut into 8 pieces
• 3 oz. semisweet chocolate, chopped (about 1/2 cup)
• 2 1/4 cups granulated sugar
• 4 tsp. pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp. salt plus a big pinch
• 3 eggs
• 1 1/2 cups flour
• 1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1 bag (14 oz.) sweetened shredded coconut (4 packed cups)
• 2 cups sliced almonds
• 3 cups heavy cream
• 1/3 cup confectioners’ sugar

Start off by Preheating your oven to 325°.
Use two 8-inch-by-2-inch round cake pans.

Place your cake pan over the parchment paper and mark.
(bottom of the cake pan)

Cut and place parchment paper inside both cake pans.
Butter the parchment paper.

Bring 2/3 cup water to a boil, in a medium saucepan.
Whisk in the 2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder until smooth.

Whisk in the butter 1 stick (4 oz.) unsalted cut into 8 pieces

We forgot to cut the butter, but that’s ok it’ll be just fine.

Whisk in the 3 oz. semisweet chocolate over low heat until melted.

Should take, about 2 minutes but since we forgot to cut the butter it was more like 4-5 minutes.

Almost there…

Remove from the heat.

Whisk in 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar

We chose to use a separate bowl instead of the saucepan.

Add 2 tsp. vanilla and 1/2 tsp. salt.

Add 3 eggs.
Whisk in 1 egg at a time.
Beat it well after each egg addition.

Mixture should look like this.

In a large bowl, stir together the 1 1/2 cups of flour.

Add 1 1/2 tsp. baking powder.

Add 1 tsp. baking soda

Pour in the chocolate mixture until smooth.

Stir in 1 packed cup sweetened shredded coconut.

Mix it together.

Mixture should look like this.

Divide the batter between the two cake pans.

Bake on 325° in the lower third of the oven for 35 minutes or until firm in the center.

Let cool in the pans on racks for 10 minutes, then invert onto racks to cool completely.

You can find:How To: Almond Joy Layer Cake – Part 2

Let’s create something!