Brown Sugar Layer Cake With Cranberry Buttercream Food

BROWN SUGAR LAYER CAKE WITH CRANBERRY BUTTERCREAM

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350 degrees. Butter three 8-inch cake pans and line the bottoms with parchment paper. Flour the pans and paper.
• Sift the flour, baking powder and baking soda into a large bowl. Combine the buttermilk and vanilla extract in a small bowl.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the sugar, butter, oil and salt. Beat on medium-high until very light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Stop the mixer occasionally and scrape down the bottom and sides of the bowl. Add egg whites one at a time, mixing for about 20 seconds between each egg.
• Set mixer to low and alternate adding the dry and wet ingredients in three additions. Mix until a few spots of flour remain. Remove the bowl from the mixer. Using a rubber spatula, finish folding in the dry ingredients: Make sure to scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl to ensure the batter is evenly mixed.
• Divide the batter among the prepared pans (about 2 2/3 cups per pan), smooth the tops and tap the pans on a countertop to release any large air bubbles. Bake cakes until golden and puffed, and a tester inserted into the center comes out clean, 25 to 30 minutes.
• Cool the cakes in the pans on a rack for 10 minutes, then use the tip of a knife to loosen the edges and carefully place them parchment-side down onto the rack to cool completely.
• Meanwhile, make the cranberry jam: Combine cranberries, sugar, 1/2 cup water, orange juice and zest, ginger and vanilla in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring the mixture to a boil, stirring occasionally, and cook until the cranberries have burst and juices are thick and jammy, about 5 minutes. Cool mixture to room temperature, then use an immersion blender or food processor to purée the mixture until smooth. Set aside. (You should have about 2 1/2 cups.)
• Make the buttercream: In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the egg whites and sugar. Set the bowl over a pot of simmering water and whisk continuously until the sugar has dissolved and mixture is hot to the touch, 5 to 7 minutes.
• Return the bowl to the stand mixer, and using the whisk attachment, beat the egg white mixture until stiff, glossy peaks form and both mixture and bowl are cool to the touch, about 10 minutes.
• Switch to the paddle attachment, and reduce the speed to medium. With the mixer running, add the butter a couple of tablespoons at a time and beat the buttercream until smooth and fluffy. During this step, the buttercream will likely break and look curdled: Turn up the speed on the mixer for a few seconds, and it will come back together. Continue until all the butter is incorporated, then add the vanilla and salt. Slowly add 1/2 cup cooled cranberry jam, and mix until well combined. If the buttercream is extremely soft or runny, refrigerate for about 10 minutes, then whip until smooth.
• Assemble the cake: If necessary, use a serrated knife to trim the cake layers so they are flat and even. Add a small spoonful of buttercream onto a cardboard cake round or serving plate, and place the first layer of cake, cut side up, on top.
• Spread about 3/4 cup buttercream on top of the cake. Spread about 1/4 cup cranberry jam over the buttercream. Be careful not to spread the jam all of the way to the edge so it doesn't spill out the sides. Place the second cake layer on top, and repeat with buttercream and jam. Place the final layer on top, cut side down, and spread the top and sides of the cake with a thin, even layer of buttercream. (Store leftover jam in an airtight container in the refrigerator.)
• Refrigerate the cake until the buttercream is firm, about 30 minutes. Then spread the remaining buttercream in an even layer over the cake. Serve at room temperature.

CONFETTI CAKE WITH BROWN SUGAR BUTTERCREAM

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°. Line bottoms of 2 greased 9-in. round baking pans with parchment; grease parchment., In a large bowl, whisk flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Beat in butter. Add egg whites, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Gradually beat in milk and extracts. Gently fold in jimmies., Transfer batter to prepared pans. Bake 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans 10 minutes before removing to wire racks; remove paper. Cool completely., For buttercream, in a heatproof bowl of a stand mixer, whisk egg whites, brown sugar and salt until blended. Place over simmering water in a large saucepan over medium heat. Whisking constantly, heat mixture until a thermometer reads 160°, about 2-3 minutes., Remove from heat. With whisk attachment of stand mixer, beat on high speed until stiff glossy peaks form, about 7 minutes., Gradually beat in butter, a few tablespoons at a time, on medium speed until smooth. Beat in vanilla and enough food coloring to achieve desired color., Immediately spread frosting between layers and over top and sides of cake. Decorate with sprinkles. Store in refrigerator.

CRANBERRY LAYER CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°. Line bottoms of two greased 9-in. round baking pans with parchment; grease paper. In a large bowl, combine the first 5 ingredients; beat on low speed 30 seconds. Beat on medium 2 minutes. Stir in cranberries and walnuts. Transfer batter to prepared pans., Bake 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans 10 minutes before removing to wire racks; remove paper. Cool completely., In a large bowl, beat cream cheese, butter and vanilla until blended. Gradually beat in confectioners' sugar and orange zest until smooth. Spread frosting between layers and over top and sides of cake. Sprinkle with walnuts. Refrigerate leftovers. Freeze option: Wrap cooled cake layers, then cover securely in foil; freeze. To use, thaw cakes before unwrapping. Assemble as directed.

BROWN-SUGAR LAYER CAKE WITH CARAMEL BUTTERCREAM FROSTING

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Butter two 8-inch round cake pans. Line with parchment. Butter paper, and flour pans. Beat together butter and sugars with a mixer until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Beat in eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla. Whisk together flour and salt. In another bowl, combine sour cream and baking soda. Gradually add flour mixture to butter mixture in 3 additions, alternating with sour cream mixture and starting and ending with flour mixture.
• Divide batter between pans. Bake until golden and a toothpick inserted into centers comes out clean, about 50 minutes. Let cakes cool in pans, about 30 minutes. Invert cakes, remove pans and parchment, and let cool completely on a wire rack.
• Trim tops of cakes with a serrated knife to make level, then cut each cake in half horizontally. Reserve 1 bottom layer for another use. Place remaining bottom layer on a cake stand, and spread evenly with 1 1/4 cups frosting. Repeat with a second layer and another 1 1/4 cups frosting. Place third layer on top. Spread entire cake top and sides with 1 1/4 cups frosting. Refrigerate cake until firm, about 30 minutes. Spread with 1 1/2 cups frosting, smoothing top and sides. Serve immediately with marzipan animals, or refrigerate up to 2 days; if refrigerated, let cake come to room temperature before serving.

CRANBERRY-LEMON STRIPE CAKE

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 400 degrees, with a baking rack in the middle of the oven. Line a half baking pan (18 by 13 inches) or slightly smaller jellyroll pan (15 by 12 inches) with parchment paper. Grease, and set aside.
• Place the egg whites in the bowl of a stand mixer with the whisk attachment, and whisk on medium-high speed until soft peaks form, then pour in the 1 1/2 tablespoons sugar. Continue to whisk until stiff peaks form, then scrape into a mixing bowl, and set aside.
• Place the egg yolks, remaining sugar, lemon juice and zest in the stand-mixer bowl (no need to wash it out), and beat on medium-high speed for about 3 minutes or until pale and thick. Remove bowl from the mixer, and sift the flour and salt directly into the bowl in 2 batches, folding through with a rubber spatula after each addition and scraping the bottom and sides of the bowl until no flour is visible.
• Gently fold about 1/3 of the egg-white mixture into the egg-yolk mixture, and fold with a rubber spatula until combined. Add the rest, and fold until incorporated. Scrape batter into the lined baking pan, and even out the surface with the spatula. Bake for 13-15 minutes, or until cake is a light golden brown and a toothpick comes out clean from the center.
• Place on a wire rack to cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then dust the top with confectioners' sugar. Place a clean dish towel on top of the cake, then carefully, quickly, flip it over, so it's lying on the dish towel. Gently peel away the paper, then hold onto one of the shorter ends of the cake, and roll it up into a jellyroll. Set it aside for 20 minutes, or until it's room temperature and no longer warm at all, then unroll the cake and cut it lengthwise into three 4-inch-wide strips. Cover with a clean dish towel, and set aside.
• Place the cranberries and sugar in a medium saucepan over medium heat with 1 tablespoon water, and simmer for 10-15 minutes, or until the sugar has dissolved and the fruit has softened. Transfer to a food processor, purée and set aside.
• Place the corn syrup and sugar in a medium saucepan. Place over low heat, and stir with a wooden spoon, just until the sugar dissolves.
• While the sugar is dissolving, place the egg yolks in the bowl of an electric mixer with the whisk attachment, and whip on medium-high speed until thick and pale in color.
• Increase the heat under the sugar syrup, and simmer until there are large bubbles all over the surface of the syrup, and the temperature, when taken with a digital thermometer, reads between 235 and 240 degrees, about 5 minutes. With the machine running, carefully pour the hot sugar syrup into the yolk mixture in a slow, steady trickle down the edge of the bowl, avoiding the spinning whisk. When all the syrup is in the bowl, increase the mixer speed to high, and beat for 10 minutes, or until the outside of the bowl no longer feels warm to the touch.
• Add the butter, one piece at a time, allowing it to incorporate before adding any more. When all the butter is added, stop the machine, and scrape down the sides of the bowl. Whip for another minute or 2, until the buttercream is very smooth and light. Add 1/2 cup of cranberry purée (reserving what remains) and vanilla extract, and mix on medium speed until uniform in color. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, and mix one more time. Set aside.
• Spread each of the long strips of cake evenly with about 3 ounces of buttercream each. Starting with the narrow end of a strip, roll it up. Once the roll is finished, position the exposed end (of the rolled cake) at the beginning of the next strip of frosted cake, and continue rolling. Do the same with the third strip, creating one continuousroll of cake. Carefully turn the cylinder upright, so it's sitting on a flat end, onto a serving dish. Cover cake with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 30 minutes before proceeding, leaving the remaining buttercream out at room temperature.
• Spread remaining buttercream all over the top and sides of the cake. Whisk the remaining cranberry purée with cold water until it's runny, then drizzle 2 tablespoons or so around the top of the cake, and use a palette knife to spread it evenly, allowing a little to dribble down the sides. Set aside for at least 1 hour in the fridge, and set out at room temperature about 30 minutes before serving.