Meringue Frosting For Raspberry White Cake Food

MERINGUE FROSTING FOR RASPBERRY WHITE CAKE

Steps:

• Bring 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar, the corn syrup, and 3 tablespoons water to a boil, stirring. Wash down side of pan with a wet pastry brush, and cook sugar syrup, without stirring, until a candy thermometer registers 230 degrees.
• Meanwhile, beat egg whites with a mixer until soft peaks form. Gradually beat in remaining 2 tablespoons sugar.
• Add sugar syrup in a slow, steady stream down side of bowl. Beat on high speed until thick, fluffy, and cool, about 7 minutes.

RED, WHITE AND BLUE STRIPE CAKE WITH SWISS MERINGUE BUTTERCREAM

Steps:

• For the cake: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line two 18-by-13-inch baking sheets with parchment.
• Add the egg whites to a CLEAN stand mixer bowl. Using the whisk attachment, whisk on high speed, adding the cream of tartar, salt and 6 to 8 generous drops of blue food coloring. Whisk until combined. Slowly add half the granulated sugar and continue to whisk on high until the meringue achieves medium-stiff peaks. Don't overmix so the meringue becomes "dry." Remove the meringue to a separate bowl; replace the mixing bowl.
• Add the egg yolks and the remaining sugar to the new mixing bowl. Beat with the whisk attachment on high speed until light and doubled in volume. Add the water, oil, vanilla extract and almond extract and mix until well combined. Sift in the cake flour and mix on low until just combined. Increase the speed to high and mix for another 2 minutes. With a rubber spatula, gently fold in the egg whites.
• Divide the batter between the prepared baking sheets and spread evenly using a large offset spatula. Give the baking sheets a gentle tap on the countertop to fill any gaps and remove air pockets. Bake until the cakes spring back when gently poked, 20 to 25 minutes. Ten minutes into the bake, rotate the sheets for even baking.
• When the cakes come out of the oven, gently run a paring knife around their edges to release them from the baking sheets. Sprinkle both with confectioners' sugar and top each with a clean kitchen towel. Place a second baking sheet on top of each cake and then flip the cakes over. Remove the parchment. While the cakes are still warm, roll them up in the towels, starting at the short ends. Let cool about 20 minutes.
• For the filling: Meanwhile, add the cream cheese and confectioners' sugar to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Mix on low to combine until smooth. Add the cream and vanilla extract and mix on low to combine. Increase the speed to high and whisk until stiff.
• Transfer a scant 1/2 cup of the filling to a small bowl. Fold in the strawberries and a drop of red food coloring.
• To assemble: Carefully unroll the cakes. Cut both cake sheets in half lengthwise. Spread the strawberry filling along the short edge of one strip of cake, covering about 2 to 3 inches. Spread the rest of the strip with plain filling. Cover the remaining 3 cake strips with plain filling.
• Start rolling the cake with the strawberry filling like a jellyroll, starting at the end with the strawberry filling. Once it's rolled up, move it over to the next strip of cake, lining it up with the edge. Continue rolling up the cake into an even bigger jellyroll. Continue with the remaining strips of cake. Wrap the cake in plastic wrap and transfer it to the freezer for 30 to 40 minutes to set. In the meantime, make the buttercream.
• For the Swiss meringue buttercream: In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the egg whites, granulated sugar and salt. Place the bowl over a pan of simmering water, making sure the bottom of the bowl doesn't touch the water, and whisk until the sugar is completely melted and the mixture reaches 170 degrees F on an instant-read thermometer.
• Transfer the mixing bowl to the stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment and whisk on high until the meringue holds stiff peaks and the bowl is cool to the touch. Add the vanilla and whisk to combine. Add the butter, a tablespoon at a time, counting to 10 between each addition. When the buttercream comes together, thickening and smoothing out into a spreadable consistency, continue whisking for 2 to 3 minutes more. (Makes 5 cups.)
• Place 1 1/2 cups buttercream in one bowl and add 2 drops blue food coloring; stir to combine. Add another 1 1/2 cups buttercream to a second bowl and add 2 drops of red food coloring; stir to combine. Leave the remaining buttercream plain.
• To finish the cake: Stand the cake vertically on a cake stand and remove the plastic wrap. Using a large offset spatula, spread an even layer of plain buttercream onto the top of the cake. Put the remaining plain buttercream, and the red and blue buttercream into separate pastry bags (or zip-top bags) and snip off about 1/4 inch from the tip.
• Pipe stripes of buttercream around the sides of the cake, alternating between the 3 colors. Use a hot bench scraper to smooth the sides of the cake (see Cook's Note).

LEMON CAKE WITH RASPBERRY SWISS MERINGUE BUTTERCREAM

Steps:

• For the cake: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease two 8-by-3-inch round cake pans with butter.
• In a bowl, whisk the egg whites, 1/4 cup of the buttermilk, lemon zest, lemon juice and vanilla until combined. Set aside.
• Combine the flour, granulated sugar, baking powder and salt in a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Mix on low speed for 1 minute. Add the butter and the remaining 1 cup buttermilk. Mix on low speed until the dry ingredients are moistened, then beat on medium speed for 2 minutes. Add one-third of the egg white mixture, beat on low speed until blended and then on medium speed for 20 seconds. Scrape down the bowl and repeat two more times with the remaining egg white mixture.
• Divide the batter between the prepared cake pans. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes, until an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Cool the cake in the pans on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Invert the cakes onto the rack and let cool completely.
• For the buttercream: Combine the egg whites and powdered sugar in a clean mixer bowl. Using the paddle attachment, mix on medium speed for 10 minutes. Reduce the speed to low and start adding the butter, 1 tablespoon at a time. Once all of the butter is incorporated, beat on medium speed for 10 minutes, until the buttercream comes together.
• Puree the raspberries with the granulated sugar until liquid. Press through a fine-mesh sieve. Mix the raspberry juice into the buttercream on low speed until incorporated, then beat for another 2 minutes until smooth.
• To assemble the cake: Add buttercream to each cake layer, then stack the layers. Ice the top and sides of the stacked cake with the remaining buttercream.

RASPBERRY WHITE CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Coat three 8-inch round cake pans with cooking spray, line bottoms with parchment, and coat again. Whisk together flour, salt, and 1/2 cup sugar. In a separate bowl, combine cream, milk, baking powder, and egg whites. Whisk in vanilla, almond extract, and remaining 1/2 cup sugar.
• Fold in flour mixture. Fold in raspberries, then divide among pans. Bake until golden and top springs back when touched, about 25 minutes. (Each cake layer will be approximately 1/2 inch in height.) Let cool in pans 30 minutes. Remove; let cool completely on a wire rack.
• Spread half the jam over top of 1 cake layer, and sandwich with another layer. Repeat with remaining jam and layer. Swirl frosting over top and sides of cake. Sprinkle top with coconut.

RASPBERRY MIRROR CAKE (SHINY RED FROSTING)

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350.
• Grease and flour two 9 or 8" round cake pans.
• In bowl combine cake mix, water, oil, and egg whites and beat on low speed until moistened.
• Beat 2 minutes at medium speed and pour into greased and floured pans.
• Bake at 350 for 25-40 minutes or until cake springs back when touched lightly in center.
• Cool in pans on wire racks 15 minutes.
• Remove from pans and cool 30 minutes or until all the way cooled.
• Stir raspberry preserves until smooth; cover and set aside.
• Meanwhile in large bowl, combine shortening and butter; beat on medium speed until creamy.
• Add powdered sugar and beat until smooth.
• Beat in 2 tablespoons.
• Kirsch, and additional Kirsch if necessary for soft spreading consistency.
• To assembles the cake, trim cake layers to even off and place 1 cake layer trimmed side down on serving plate.
• Spread with 1/2 cup frosting.
• Spread evenly with raspberry preserves.
• Top with remaining cake layer, trimmed side down.
• Spread top with 1/2 cup frosting smoothing top to form flat surface.
• Reserve another 1/2 cup frosting for piping.
• Spread sides with remaining frosting.
• Place reserved frosting in small decorating bag fitted with small star tip.
• Pipe decorative edge around top and bottom edge of the cake.
• In a small saucepan combine juice concentrate and cornstarch.
• Over medium to low heat bring to a boil, stirring constantly until thickened.
• Remove from heat.
• Cool 10 minutes or until thickened mixture is room temperature.
• Spoon on top of the cake and spread to piped edges of frosting.
• Before serving arrange some raspberries around top edge of the cake and garnish with mit sprigs.