Daddys Birthday Cake Aka Frannys Sunshine Cake Food

DADDY'S BIRTHDAY CAKE (AKA FRANNY'S SUNSHINE CAKE)

Steps:

• 1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
• 2. In a standing electric mixer, use the whisk attachment to whip the egg whites with the cream of tartar. When they start to double in size, slowly add in 2/3 cup of the sugar. Whip until you have stiff peaks. Set aside.
• 3. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, salt, and the remaining 2/3 cup sugar. Gradually add the orange juice and continue to beat until light and fluffy.
• 4. Combine the two mixtures: Spoon a little whipped egg whites into the yolks and stir. Then fold the rest of the whites into the mixture in two additions.
• 5. Deftly fold in the flour, vanilla extract, and almond extract.
• 6. Pour the batter into an ungreased 9-inch angel food cake pan and bake for 35 to 40 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean.
• 7. Remove the pan from the oven and place it upside down. Leave it like that until the cake is cool.
• 8. Once it has cooled, run a sharp knife around the edge of the cake to separate it from the pan. Invert the pan over a serving plate, and let gravity do its thing.
• 9. Carefully cut the cake in half horizontally with a large serrated knife.
• 10. Frost the top of the bottom half with some of the orange filling (see below), and then layer some of the mandarin orange slices and berries on top of the frosting.
• 11. Place the top half over the bottom half, and then frost the top and sides of the cake with the remaining orange filling. Place the remaining mandarin oranges and berries on top of the cake.
• 12. Sprinkle the topping (see below) over the cake and enjoy.
• To Make the Orange Filling
• 1. Combine the sugar, egg, flour, orange juice, and orange zest in a double boiler and cook over simmering water until thick, about 5 to 8 minutes. Cool to room temperature.
• 2. Whip the cream till almost stiff. Fold in the cooled orange mixture. Whisk until you have stiff peaks.
• To Make the Topping
• 1. Butter a piece of aluminum foil.
• 2. In a heavy skillet over high heat, cook the sugar until it is caramelized (turns a medium brown color). Swirl the pan carefully to get all of the sugar to caramelize evenly.
• 3. Pour the sliced almonds over the caramelized sugar and stir with a wooden spoon to coat the almonds. Spread the almonds out on the piece of buttered foil, and let them cool.
• 4. When they are cool, crush or chop the nuts.

CALIFORNIA SUNSHINE CAKE

Steps:

• Juice the oranges, reserving juice for topping.
• Put the orange rind, the raisins and the nuts through the medium blade of a meat grinder (or process with steel blade in food processor until a coarse grind is achieved).
• Combine butter and sugar in mixer bowl and beat together until fluffy.
• Add eggs one at a time and continue beating until completely incorporated.
• Combine salt, flour and baking soda and sift together.
• Add flour and buttermilk alternately in 3 portions, mixing on low after each addition.
• Fold in orange, raisin, nut mixture until completely combined.
• Preheat oven to 350F and grease a 9" X 13" pan or a bundt pan.
• Bake for 45 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in cake comes out clean.
• While cake is still hot, pierce all over with a fork.
• Mix orange juice, sugar and cinnamon and carefully pour mixture over cake. (This is harder on the bundt cake -- be patient).
• When cake has cooled, remove from pan.
• Refrigerate leftover cake.

STRAWBERRY SUNSHINE CAKE

Steps:

• In a large mixing bowl, beat egg whites, cream of tartar and salt until soft peaks form.
• Gradually add 1 cup sugar, a tablespoon at a time, beating until stiff peaks form; set aside.
• In another bowl, beat egg yolks until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes.
• Gradually add remaining sugar, beating until thick and lemon-colored.
• Blend in water and extracts.
• Sift flour over batter; beat until smooth.
• Fold in egg whites just until blended.
• Spoon into an ungreased 10-inch tube pan.
• Cut through batter with a knife to removed air pockets; smooth the top.
• Bake at 325 degrees for 50-55 minutes or until cake springs back when lightly touched.
• Immediately invert pan; cool completely.
• In a large bowl; dissolve gelatin in bowling water. Add ice water and stir.
• Place bowl in ice water for about 5 minutes or until slightly thickened.
• Fold in strawberries and 1/2 cup of the whipped topping.
• Run a knife around the edges of pan to loosen cake.
• Split the cake horizontally into three layers (I use dental floss); place bottom layer on a serving plate.
• Spread with half of the gelatin mixture. Repeat with a layer of cake and then the remaining gelatin mixture. Top with remaining cake layer.
• Frost top and sides with remaining whipped topping. Garnish with strawberries.
• Store in refrigerator until ready to serve. Refrigerate leftovers.

DADDY'S BIRTHDAY CAKE - GERMAN CHOCOLATE CAKE

Steps:

• TO MAKE CAKE: Preheat oven to 325. Spray 3 8" round cake pans or 2 9" rounds with cooking spray and dust with cocoa. Shake excess out of pans.
• Chop the Germans chocolate into 1" pieces. Place in a microwave-safe bowl and cook on high for 1 to 1 1/2 minutes stopping and stirring every 30 seconds until chocolate is melted.
• Beat egg whites until stiff peaks form and set aside.
• Place sour cream and oil in a large mixing bowl. Mix till incorporated. Add pudding mix and melted chocolate and mix until all comes together. Then add cake mix and hot water. Mix together. Then add egg yolks one at a time. Beat on low until all ingredients are combined for about 30 seconds. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and increase mixer speed to medium and beat 1 1/2 minutes longer. The batter should look smooth and thickened.
• Fold in whipped egg whites.
• Divide batter between pans and smooth tops.
• Place pans side by side on the oven's middle rack. Bake 29 to 33 min or until done.
• Transfer cakes in the pan to a wire rack. Let cool 5 minutes. Then turn out cakes right side up on the rack and let cool completely 20 minutes or longer.
• TO MAKE FILLING: Spread coconut on one sheet pan and the chopped pecans on another. Toast in a 350 degree oven for 4 to 5 min just until light brown. Stir around coconut and pecans after about 2 to 2 1/2 minutes.
• Place evaporated milk, sugar, butter, and egg yolks in a large saucepan over medium heat. Cook stirring constantly with a wooden spoon until thickened and golden brown in color 9this will take at least 15 minutes). Remove from heat and stir in vanilla. Let the filling cool 5 minutes.
• After 5 minutes, fold in toasted pecans and coconut. Let cool for another 15 minutes or till room temperature.
• TO MAKE CHOCOLATE GANACHE FROSTING: Place chopped semi-sweet chocolate in a large mixing bowl.
• Pour cream into a small heavy saucepan and place over medium-high heat and bring to boil stirring constantly. Remove the cream from the heat and pour over chocolate pieces. Using a wooden spoon stir until chocolate is melted.
• Stir in vanilla and let cool at room temperature 45 minutes to 1 hour.
• Once the ganache is cool, whip with mixer for 1 to 2 minutes.
• TO ASSEMBLE CAKE: If you baked 2 9" layers slice each layer in 1/2 to make 4 layers or if using 3 8" layers no need to slice.
• Place bottom layer cut side up on cake plate spread 1 cup of filling over layer to edges. Place next layer cut side down, spread another cup of filling over layer repeat with final 2 layers. On the final layer on 8 or 9" cakes use the rest of the filling on the top spread to the edges of the cake.
• Ice sides of with whipped ganache. Place ganache in a piping bag with a large star tip. Pipe a border around the bottom of the cake. Pipe rosettes around the top of the cake and one in the center. Place reserved pecan halves in rosettes.