Almond Raspberry Layer Cake Food

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.

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.