Almond Cake With Raspberry Buttercream Food

RASPBERRY ALMOND CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Spray 2 8-inch round cake pans with cooking spray. Line the bottoms of the pans with parchment, spray the parchment, and set pans aside.
• Put the butter in a large mixing bowl and beat with an electric mixer on medium for 30 seconds, until very creamy. With mixer still on medium speed, add the sugar 1/4 cup at a time. Continue beating until very well combined.
• Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl and beat in the eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the vanilla and almond extract, baking powder, and salt and beat to combine.
• Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl again. Turn mixer to low and beat in half of the flour, followed by half of the milk. Mix until just incorporated.
• Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl and beat in the remaining flour and remaining milk until just combined.
• Divide batter between the prepared cake pans and bake 30 to 35 minutes, until a cake tester inserted into the center of the cakes comes out clean.
• Cool in pans for 20 minutes then carefully invert onto a wire rack to cool completely. (Run a knife around the edge of the pans a couple times to loosen the cake layers first.)
• Cool cake layers to room temperature before filling and frosting.
• Puree the berries in a blender or food processor. Pour into a small saucepan and set the pan over medium heat. Bring to a boil, stirring frequently.
• Turn heat to low and simmer, stirring often, until puree reduces by about half (8 or 9 minutes). You'll have about a 1/2 cup of puree.
• Remove from heat and transfer a scant 1/4 cup of the puree into a small bowl.
• Pour the rest into a second bowl through a fine mesh sieve to remove the seeds. Use a rubber spatula to press the puree through the sieve, extracting as much of the raspberry juices as possible. (This is what you'll use in the frosting.)
• Set both bowls aside to cool to room temperature.
• Once puree is cool, place the butter in a large mixing bowl and beat with an electric mixer until very smooth.
• Add the seedless puree, 3 1/2 cups powdered sugar, 3 tablespoons milk, and the salt and beat to combine. (Depending on how sweet your berries are, you may want to add a little more salt than this recipe calls for.)
• Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl, then turn mixer to medium and beat until smooth. Add additional powdered sugar if frosting is too thin. If frosting is too thick, add additional milk 1 tablespoon at a time to achieve desired consistency.
• If your cake layers have domed, use a long serrated knife to trim them.
• Set 1 cake layer on a cake stand or cardboard cake circle and spread the puree (with seedon top, without going all the way to the edge of the cake. Top with the second cake layer.
• Frost the top and outside of the cake with the frosting and decorate as desired. Slice and serve.

WHITE ALMOND CAKE WITH RASPBERRY FILLING AND BUTTERCREAM FROSTING

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
• Line three, 8″ round pans with parchment paper. Grease and flour the sides.
• In a stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, mix together water, sour cream, oil, extracts and egg whites.
• In a separate bowl, stir together cake mix, flour, sugar, and salt.
• Turn mixer on low. Gradually pour in cake mix/flour mixture.
• Mix on low for 4 minutes. Some lumps should remain.
• Pour batter into prepared cake pans. Bake 18-20 minutes, or until toothpick inserted into center of cake comes out clean.
• Cool cakes in pans for 4 minutes then remove to racks to finish cooling. Let cool completely before frosting.
• Thaw raspberries and strain juice from berries. For this step I put a large strainer over a bowl and let the berries thaw in the strainer.
• Add enough water to the juice in the bowl so that you have 3/4 cup of liquid.
• Combine juice mixture with sugar, lemon juice, and cornstarch in a small saucepan. Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until mixture thickens. Once mixture thickens, remove from heat and set aside.
• Place the raspberries in a mesh strainer. Place strainer over bowl and press berries with spoon so that pulp falls into a bowl. Strain until you have 1/2 cup of pulp.
• Once the mixture in the saucepan has cooled, add the raspberry pulp and raspberry liqueur. Stir well. Transfer to airtight contained and place in refrigerate for at least 3 hours before using.
• Place butter and shortening in bowl of stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment. Beat on medium high speed until mixture is smooth and has lightened in color.
• Add powdered sugar 1/2 cup at a time. Start on low to mix sugar in, then beat on high speed until well incorporated. I find it best to place a shield over the mixer when working with powdered sugar.
• Add vanilla and sea salt. Mix until well combined.
• Add milk or heavy cream, 1 tablespoon at a time, until desired consistency is achieved.
• Thaw raspberries and strain juice from berries. For this step I put a large strainer over a bowl and let the berries thaw in the strainer. Use a spoon to press berries into strainer so that pulp falls into bowl.
• Place butter and shortening in bowl of stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment. Beat on medium high speed until mixture is smooth and has lightened in color.
• Add powdered sugar 1/2 cup at a time, followed by 1 tbsp of raspberry pulp. Mix well after each addition.
• Mix in pinch of sea salt.
• Level cakes.
• Pipe a border of vanilla vanilla buttercream over the leveled top of two of the layers. Divide the raspberry filling between the two layers and spread to piped border.
• Frost over raspberry filling with vanilla buttercream (I find it easiest to pipe a thin circular layer and spread with an offset spatula).
• Stack two layers with filling. For top layer, place top down.
• Frost outside of cake with vanilla buttercream. I like to first do a light, crumb layer, let the cake sit in the fridge for about 20 minutes, and then finish.
• Decorate with raspberry buttercream.

BEST CLASSIC WHITE LAYER CAKE WITH RASPBERRY-ALMOND FILLING

Steps:

• For the Cake: Set oven rack in middle position. (If oven is too small to cook both layers on a single rack, set racks in upper-middle and lower-middle positions.) Heat oven to 350 degrees. Spray two 9-inch round cake pans with nonstick cooking spray; line the bottoms with parchment or waxed paper rounds. Spray the paper rounds, dust the pans with flour, and invert pans and rap sharply to remove excess flour.
• Pour milk, egg whites, and extracts into 2-cup glass measure, and mix with fork until blended.
• Mix cake flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in bowl of electric mixer at slow speed. Add butter; continue beating at slow speed until mixture resembles moist crumbs, with no powdery streaks remaining.
• Add all but 1/2 cup of milk mixture to crumbs and beat at medium speed (or high speed if using handheld mixer) for 1 1/2 minutes. Add remaining 1/2 cup of milk mixture and beat 30 seconds more. Stop mixer and scrape sides of bowl. Return mixer to medium (or high) speed and beat 20 seconds longer.
• Divide batter evenly between two prepared cake pans; using rubber spatula, spread batter to pan walls and smooth tops. Arrange pans at least 3 inches from the oven walls and 3 inches apart. (If oven is small, place pans on separate racks in staggered fashion to allow for air circulation.) Bake until thin skewer or toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 23 to 25 minutes.
• Let cakes rest in pans for 3 minutes. Loosen from sides of pans with a knife, if necessary, and invert onto wire racks. Reinvert onto additional wire racks. Let cool completely, about 1 1/2 hours.
• For the Frosting: Beat butter, confectioners' sugar, vanilla, milk, and salt in bowl of electric mixer at slow speed until sugar is moistened. Increase speed to medium-high (high if using handheld mixer); beat, stopping twice to scrape down bowl, until creamy and fluffy, about 1 1/2 minutes. Avoid overbeating, or frosting will be too soft to pipe.
• For the Filling: Before assembling cake, set aside 3/4 cup of the frosting for decoration. Spread small dab of frosting in center of cake plate to anchor cake, and set down one cake layer. Combine 1/2 cup of remaining frosting with almonds in small bowl and spread over first layer. Carefully spread jam on top, then cover with second cake layer. Spread frosting over top and sides of assembled cake. Pipe reserved frosting around perimeter of cake at the base and the top. Cut the cake into slices and serve.

ALMOND CAKE WITH RASPBERRY BUTTERCREAM

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350F. Grease pans with butter or cooking spray at set aside.
• In the bowl of a standing mixer, cream the butter and sugar on medium-high for about 3 minutes until light and fluffy. Add sour cream and almond extract. Mix until fully incorporated. Add half of the egg whites, them mix until combined. Add the other half and mix until combined. Use a silicone spatula to scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl to make sure everything is evenly mixed.
• In a separate medium-sized bowl whisk together flour, baking powder and salt. In a liquid measuring cup, combine the milk and water. Add half of the dry ingredients to the batter and mix on low to combine. Add liquid and mix until combined. Add remaining flour mixture and mix until fully incorporated.
• Divide batter evenly into the 5 pans and bake for about 20 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean. Remove from oven and let cool in the pans for a few minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
• In the bowl of a standing mixer, beat the butter on medium speed for about 2 minutes until creamy. Gradually add 2 cups of powdered sugar, mixing on low. Add heavy cream, raspberry extract and remaining powdered sugar. Mix on low until the sugar is mostly mixed in so that it won't fly out of the bowl. Increase speed to high and beat for 3 minutes. Add more powdered sugar if consistency is too thin or add more cream if it's too thick. Sprinkle in some salt to taste and add the food coloring. Mix until color is evenly distributed.
• Once the cakes are cool, place one layer on a plate or cake stand. If the cakes puffed up a lot, use a knife to cut off the dome shape so that the top is flat. Evenly spread about 3/4 cup frosting then add the next layer and repeat.
• Fill in any gaps on the sides with additional frosting, then use an icing knife to smooth the edges. You could completely cover the sides or create more of a naked look like I did here. Add your favorite cake topper and enjoy!

ALMOND CAKE WITH KEY LIME BUTTERCREAM AND RASPBERRY COMPOTE

Steps:

• For the almond cake: Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Grease two 8-inch round cake pans with butter and line with parchment.
• In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy, 8 to 10 minutes. Add the egg yolks, one at a time, fully combining before each addition. Keep mixing until light and pale. Add the almond meal and mix to combine.
• In another bowl, sift together the flour and baking powder to combine. Set aside.
• Combine the evaporated milk and almond liqueur. Set aside.
• With the mixer on low speed, alternate adding one-third of the flour mixture and one-half of the evaporated milk mixture to the creamed butter. Start and end with the flour, and do not overmix.
• With a hand mixer or stand mixer, whisk the egg whites in a clean bowl until stiff. Gently fold into the batter.
• Divide the batter between the prepared cake pans. Bake until the tops are golden and spring back when touched, 30 to 35 minutes.
• Let cool for about 5 minutes, then run a paring knife or mini offset spatula around the pans and unmold the cakes onto a rack. Let cool completely, 15 to 20 minutes.
• For the almond liqueur simple syrup: Whisk the water and sugar together in a small saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat. Boil for 2 to 3 minutes, then turn off the burner and let cool for about 20 minutes
• Once cooled, stir in almond liqueur. Reserve.
• For the key lime buttercream: In a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and cream cheese together until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Mix in the powdered sugar, one cup at a time, and then add the lime juice and zest. Scrape down the bowl and mix for another 5 minutes, until satiny and fluffy. Reserve.
• For the raspberry compote: In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine the raspberries, blackberries, sugar, water and lime juice. Cook until you can start to crush the berries with the back of a spoon, 5 to 10 minutes. Cook for another 5 minutes to thicken a bit. Remove from the heat and set aside.
• To assemble: Slice each cake horizontally into two equal layers. Place the first layer, cut-side up, on a cake board. Using a pastry brush, brush the surface with about 3 tablespoons of the almond syrup.
• Transfer the buttercream to a pastry bag fitted with a 1/4-inch round tip and pipe a border around the edge of the cake.
• With a mini offset spatula, spread a thin layer of buttercream in the center of the cake layer. Then, staying inside the piped border, spread a thin layer of the raspberry compote on top of the buttercream.
• Place another cake layer, cut-side up, on top. Repeat with the rest of the layers.
• To decorate the top of the cake: Pipe a border of buttercream beads around the edge and then spread with a thin layer of buttercream. Top with blackberries, raspberries, and white chocolate decorations if using. Sprinkle with powdered sugar, and enjoy.

RASPBERRY CAKE WITH BUTTERCREAM ICING

Steps:

• Cream butter, add suger and beat.
• Beat in egg and vanilla.
• Add dry ingredients alternately with milk, beginning and ending with dry ingredients and do not overmix.
• Pour into a 9 x 9 pan.
• Sprinkle raspberries over batter.
• Bake 350F for 45 minutes or until cake tests done.
• Icing.
• Cream butter and shortening.
• Add vanilla and salt.
• Beat in sugar, 1 cup at a time, blending well after each addition.
• Add milk and beat at hight speed until light and fluffy.
• Makes 3 cups.