Rosella Ginger Pecan Torte Wedding Cake Food

DECADENT DIRT CAKE - SIGNATURE GROOM'S CAKE OR SPECIAL OCCASION CAKE

Steps:

• Grease and lightly flour a large Bundt pan or alternatively use a vegetable release spray. Place the rack at the center of the oven and preheat to 300 degrees F. Melt, do not boil, butter, sugar, chocolate, and coffee in a medium-sized saucepan with the hot water, until the sugar is dissolved. Cool completely and pour into a large mixing bowl. Set the mixer on slow to medium speed. Sift together the combined flours and cocoa. In a separate bowl, combine the beaten eggs, vanilla, and coffee-flavored liqueur. Add the flour mixture alternately with egg mixture to the basic chocolate mixture. This is a thin mixture do not over beat. Pour the mixture into the prepared pan and place into the preset oven. Bake for 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 hours at 300 degrees F. Check with a skewer to be sure the cake is cooked through. Cool the cake for 20 minutes before removing it from the pan. Cook's Notes: The recipe can be frozen, triple-wrapped, for up to three months. Adding 1/2 to 1 cup of roughly chopped toasted walnuts or pecans can also add punch and a change of pace to the recipe. Serving suggestions: The cake may be iced with chocolate butter frosting or alternatively simply sift confectioners' sugar 'snow' onto the cake top after cooling or place a slice of cake into a pool of commercial raspberry puree then for decoration add whole fresh raspberries. Top with a dollop of whipped heavy cream.
• Barely melt the chocolate in a double boiler over gentle heat. Remove from the heat source and pour into a large mixing bowl then cool for five minutes. Add the butter, cream, vanilla, coffee-flavored liqueur, and mix on medium speed until the mixture thickens. Finally add the confectioners' sugar in small batches until the mixture holds a medium peak. If the kitchen temperature is warm, and the icing is not of spreading consistency place the bowl in the refrigerator for a few minutes, then recommence mixing. Slather the icing over the cake with an offset palette knife. Enough icing for 1 cake.

GERMAN WEDDING CAKE

Steps:

• For the cake: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter and flour a 9-by-13-inch baking pan.
• Prepare the cake mix according to package instructions.
• In a large bowl, combine the cake batter with the coconut and pecans. Stir until just mixed.
• In a small saucepan, combine the cherries, brandy and simple syrup. Place the mixture over medium-low heat and simmer until the liquid is reduced to a thick syrup. Remove from the heat and let cool.
• Pour half the cake batter into the prepared baking pan. Top with the cherry mixture. Pour the remaining cake batter over top and smooth lightly. Bake the cake according to package instructions, about 35 minutes, adding a few minutes. The cake is ready when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clear of batter. Let the cake cool a few minutes before slicing.
• For the garnish: In a small saucepan, heat the heavy cream and butter over medium-low heat. When the cream is just up to a simmer, remove from the heat and stir in the chocolate. Stir until the chocolate is melted and smooth.
• Slice the cake and drizzle the melted chocolate over each slice. Garnish with a few whole cherries and some chopped chocolate.

BARBARA TROPP'S PECAN-GINGER TORTE

Steps:

• Lightly grease two 8-to-9-inch springform pans or two 9-to-10-inch tart pans with removable bottoms. Line the bottoms with greased paper. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
• Toast the four ounces of pecans for 15 minutes in the oven, rotating the tray once midway. Let cool.
• Mince the pecans with a sharp knife or with an on-off food processor motion, until fine but dry.
• Beat the egg yolks until light. Add the sugar gradually, until the yolks turn very creamy and form ribbons on the beater.
• Add the lemon juice, ginger juice and pepper. Beat to mix.
• Add the minced pecans and matzoh meal. Beat until blended.
• In a large bowl, beat the egg whites until they are blended. Add salt and continue whipping until the egg white forms firm peaks but are not dry.
• Lightly fold the egg whites into the nut mixture, until well blended.
• Divide the mixture between the two prepared pans.
• Sprinkle the crystallized ginger, glaceed apricots or kumquats evenly over the top. Space eight pecan halves around the edges of each tart, putting a ninth in the center.
• Bake in the middle or the bottom third of the oven for 40 to 45 minutes, until a cake tester in the center of the cake comes out dry.
• Let cool completely in pan. The cake tastes best baked a day in advance. Wrap air-tight overnight. Serve with a selection of seasonal berries. Or, if having a vegetarian seder, serve with Chantilly cream or Barbara Tropp's fresh ginger ice cream, the recipe for which is in ''The Modern Art of Chinese Cooking.''

HAWAIIAN LEI WEDDING CAKE

Steps:

• For the butter cake: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease three 12-inch round cake pans, three 8-inch round cake pans and three 6-inch round cake pans with butter and line with parchment. Set aside.
• In 2 batches, using half of the ingredients for each batch (see Cook's Note), whisk together the milk, vanilla and egg whites in a bowl and set aside. Mix the cake flour, granulated sugar, baking powder and salt in the bowl of stand mixer. Add the butter cubes and continue beating on low for 1 to 2 minutes. Add about half of the milk mixture and beat at medium speed for 1 1/2 minutes. Add the remaining milk mixture and beat for about 1 minute.
• Pour the batter into the prepared pans and bake until the cakes are light golden brown and bounce back when lightly pressed in the center, 12 to 15 minutes for the 6-inch pans, 15 to 20 minutes for the 8-inch pans and 25 to 30 minutes for the 12-inch pans. Let the cakes cool for about 5 minutes in the pans, then remove to a wire rack to cool completely before assembling, 25 to 30 minutes.
• For the coconut-rum syrup: Combine the cream of coconut and rum in a small saucepan and bring to a simmer. Remove from the heat and let cool to room temperature.
• For the passionfruit buttercream: Cream together the powdered sugar, butter, passionfruit puree and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer. Continue beating until thick and creamy.
• For the American buttercream: Cream together the powdered sugar, butter, cream cheese, heavy cream and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer. Continue beating until thick and creamy.
• For the gum paste flowers: Lightly sprinkle cornstarch on a wood board and roll the gum paste out very thinly. Using a flower cutter, cut out flower shapes. Place the flowers in the cups of a mini muffin tin that has been lightly dusted with cornstarch. Let dry for at least 2 hours or overnight.
• Mix each gel food color with about 1 tablespoon of vodka until the desired color is achieved. Paint the dry flowers with the food-coloring paint, then let dry completely.
• Cake Assembly:
• For the 12-inch tier: Using a pastry brush, lightly brush the top of one 12-inch layer with the coconut-rum syrup. Spread the first layer with enough passionfruit buttercream to achieve a thickness of about 1/2 inch. Top with a second cake layer and repeat with the coconut-rum syrup and passionfruit buttercream. Top with the third layer and brush with the syrup. Stabilize the tier with straws or dowels. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour or longer if possible.
• For the 8-inch tier: Using a pastry brush, lightly brush the top of one 8-inch layer with the coconut-rum syrup. Spread the first layer with enough passionfruit buttercream to achieve a thickness of about 1/2 inch. Top with a second cake layer and repeat with the coconut-rum syrup and passionfruit buttercream. Top with the third layer and brush with the syrup. Stabilize the tier with straws or dowels. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour or longer if possible.
• For the 6-inch tier: Using a pastry brush, lightly brush the top of one 6-inch layer with the coconut-rum syrup. Spread the first layer with enough passionfruit buttercream to achieve a thickness of about 1/2 inch. Top with a second cake layer and repeat with the coconut-rum syrup and passionfruit buttercream. Top with the third layer and brush with the syrup. Stabilize the tier with straws or dowels. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour or longer if possible.
• Once the cakes are chilled, crumb-coat each tier with the American buttercream frosting. Chill each tier for at least 1 hour. After chilling, apply a final coating of the American buttercream frosting using a decorative technique or by completely smoothing the top and sides of the cakes. Chill the completely frosted tiers again.
• Place the 12-inch tier on a 14-inch cake drum. Gently place and center the 8-inch tier on top of the 12-inch tier. Repeat with the 6-inch tier. Using more buttercream placed in a pastry bag with a round number 10 tip, pipe a decorative bead border along the bottom of each tier.
• Once the cake is assembled, use buttercream frosting to affix the gum paste flowers to the cake in a cascading arrangement (or as desired).

MEXICAN WEDDING CAKES

Steps:

• In a food processor, pulse pecans, flour, granulated sugar, cinnamon, and salt until mixture resembles coarse meal.
• Add butter, and pulse until a dough forms. Shape dough into a disk, and wrap tightly in plastic; refrigerate until firm, 30 to 60 minutes. Dough can be frozen, tightly wrapped, up to 3 months.
• Preheat oven to 325°F, with racks in upper and lower thirds. Scoop off level tablespoons of dough, and roll into balls. Space 1 1/2 inches apart on two large baking sheets. Bake, rotating sheets from top to bottom and front to back halfway through, until just lightly golden around edges, 20 to 25 minutes.
• Cool 5 minutes on sheets; transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Place confectioners' sugar in a bowl. Roll cookies in sugar twice to coat thoroughly, tapping off excess each time. Cookies can be stored up to 1 week at room temperature in an airtight container, between layers of waxed or parchment paper.