Frosty Forest Cake Food

FROSTY FOREST CAKE | ASDA GOOD LIVING

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 180C/ 160C Fan/Gas 4. Line the bases of 4 x 18cm round sandwich tins with baking paper (do not grease).
• Sift the flour, baking powder and bicarb into a large bowl and stir in 275g of the caster sugar.
• In a separate bowl, beat the butter with an electric whisk until smooth. Add ½ the soured cream and the vanilla extract, then beat again until smooth. Stir through the remaining soured cream. Set aside.
• Clean and dry the beaters thoroughly. Then, in a third bowl, whisk the egg whites to soft peaks. Turn the whisk to low. Add the remaining caster sugar a little at a time while continuing to whisk. Beat to firm peaks.
• Add the soured cream mixture to the bowl with the dry ingredients then mix together. Gently fold through the egg whites, a few tbsp at a time, until no streaks of white remain.
• Divide the mixture evenly between the 4 tins, then smooth and level the tops.
• Bake for 20-25 mins, until the cakes spring back when lightly pressed in the centre. Cool for 20 mins in the tins before turning out to cool completely on wire racks.
• To decorate, put the icing sugar and butter into a large bowl. Beat together into a smooth buttercream.
• Put ⅓ of the buttercream in a separate bowl. Stir in the peppermint extract and food colour until you get a uniform green shade.
• Stir the vanilla extract into the white buttercream.
• Put about ½ of the green buttercream and about ⅓ of the white buttercream into separate piping bags (no nozzles required). Cut 1cm off the tip of each bag.
• Put the bottom cake on the cake stand. Pipe a large ring of white buttercream on top, near to the edge of the cake. Next, pipe a ring of the green buttercream directly inside the white one. Continue to pipe, alternating white and green, until the top of the cake is completely covered.
• Pipe more buttercream rings on a second cake, this time starting with green on the outside. Carefully lift it onto the first cake. Repeat with the third cake, starting with white buttercream. Add it to the stack then top with the fourth cake.
• Cover the top and sides of the cake with the rest of the white buttercream, smoothing with a scraper or palette knife. Chill the cake in the fridge for 15 mins.
• For the Christmas trees, trim 2-3cm from the base of a few of the waffle cones with a sharp breadknife, so they vary in height.
• Slice 2 different-sized cones in half lengthways. Position the halves against the side of the cake, with the wider ends sitting on the cake stand. Push the cut sides into the buttercream to secure in place.
• Fit a piping bag with the star nozzle; fill with the rest of the green buttercream.
• Starting with the halved cones on the side of the cake, pipe on 'kisses' of the green buttercream. Work your way up from the wide base to the tip. Arrange a cluster of 3 different-sized cones on top of the cake and pipe as before to cover.
• Shortly before serving, dust the cake and trees lightly with icing sugar to create a snowy effect.

BLACK FOREST CAKE

Steps:

• Make the cake: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter the bottoms and sides of two 9-inch round cake pans; line the bottoms with parchment paper. Butter the parchment and dust the bottoms and sides of the pans with cocoa powder, tapping out the excess.
• Put the eggs (in their shells) in a medium bowl and cover with hot tap water; let stand 5 minutes (warming the eggs will help them whip better). Sift the cocoa powder, cake flour and salt into a medium bowl, then whisk in the almond flour; set aside.
• Remove the eggs from the water and crack into a large bowl. Add the granulated sugar and beat with a mixer on low speed to combine. Increase the speed to medium high and beat until pale, fluffy and thick, about 10 minutes. The mixture should fall off the beaters in a ribbon when lifted.
• Sprinkle one-third of the flour mixture over the egg mixture and gently fold with a whisk until combined. Repeat with the remaining flour mixture in two batches, adding the vanilla with the final addition. Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans. Bake until the cakes pull away from the sides of the pans and a toothpick inserted into the centers comes out clean, about 25 minutes. Immediately run a small offset spatula around the edges to loosen. Let the cakes cool 5 minutes in the pans, then remove to a rack, parchment-side down, and let cool completely.
• Meanwhile, make the whipped cream: Whisk the confectioners' sugar and cornstarch in a small saucepan (the cornstarch will help stabilize the whipped cream). Slowly add 3/4 cup heavy cream, whisking, until a paste forms. Bring to a boil over high heat, stirring, until thick and bubbling, about 1 minute. Transfer to a bowl, place a piece of plastic wrap directly onto the surface and refrigerate until completely cooled, about 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile, make the filling: Bring the cherries, cherry syrup, kirsch and granulated sugar to a simmer in a small saucepan, stirring, until the sugar dissolves, 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in the almond extract and transfer to a bowl. Refrigerate 30 minutes.
• Finish the whipped cream: Beat the remaining 2 1/4 cups cold heavy cream and vanilla in a large bowl with a mixer on medium-high speed until soft peaks form, about 1 minute. With the mixer running, add the cooked cream mixture and beat until stiff peaks form, 1 to 2 minutes.
• Drain the cherries and reserve the syrup. Discard the parchment from the cakes. Trim a thin layer off the top of each cake with a long serrated knife. Put one cake cut-side up on a cake stand or serving plate and brush with half of the reserved syrup. Spread about 1 cup whipped cream over the top in a thin layer, then top with all but 1/4 cup cherries. Spread 1 cup whipped cream over the cherries in a thin layer. Top with the remaining cake and brush with the remaining syrup. Spread 1 1/2 cups whipped cream over the top and sides of the cake in a thin layer (some crumbs are OK). Refrigerate 30 minutes.
• Spread the remaining whipped cream over the top and sides of the cake. Refrigerate 30 minutes. Sprinkle the shaved chocolate around the top of the cake and press into the sides; top with the reserved cherries. Refrigerate overnight; the cake will soak up the syrup.

BLACK FOREST CAKE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350ºF. Grease and flour 2 9-inch round cake pans.
• In large bowl, combine all cake ingredients at low speed until moistened. Beat 2 minutes at highest speed. Pour into prepared pans.
• Bake 25 to 35 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
• Cool 15 minutes. Invert onto cooling racks to cool completely.
• In medium bowl, beat whipping cream at highest speed until slightly thickened. Add powdered sugar gradually; continue beating until stiff peaks form. Fold in brandy.
• In small bowl, combine cherry filling and almond extract. Place second layer on top of filling. Frost top and sides with whipped cream. Spoon filling on top. Garnish with almonds. Chill.

BLACK FOREST CAKE

Steps:

• Drain cherries, reserving 1/2 cup juice.
• Combine reserved cherry juice,cherries,granulated sugar and cornstarch in a saucepan.
• Cook and stir over low heat until thickened.
• Add vanille and stir.
• Split each cake layer in half horizontally.
• Crumble one half layer; set asideBeat cold whipping cream and confectioner's sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer on high speed until stiff peaks form.
• Reserve 1 and 1/2 cups whipped cream for decorative piping Place one cake layer on serving plate.
• Spread with 1 cup whipped cream; top with 3/4 cup cherry topping.
• Top with second layer, 1 cup whipped cream and 3/4 cup cherry topping; top with third cake layer.
• Frost cake sides with remaining whipped cream; pat gently with reserved cake crumbs.
• Spoon reserved 1 and 1/2 cups whipped cream into pastry bag fitted with star tip; pipe around top and bottom edges of cake.
• Spoon remaining cherry topping over top of cake.