Tuscan Country Chocolate Wedding Cake Food

WEDDING CAKE - RICH DARK CHOCOLATE CAKE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 160C/fan 140C/gas 3. Butter, double-line and wrap the sides of the 30cm deep-round cake tin as before. Put the butter and chocolate into a medium saucepan, then stir over a low heat until melted and smooth. Stir in the coffee and vanilla.
• Sift the flour, baking powder and bicarbonate of soda into the biggest bowl you have. Add the sugar, breaking down any lumps with your fingertips if necessary. Beat the eggs and soured cream together in a jug or bowl and pour into the flour mix. Pour in the melted chocolate mix as well, then stir with a wooden spoon until you have a thick, even chocolaty batter.
• Pour into the prepared tin and bake for 2½ hrs - don't open the oven door before 2 hrs is up, as this will cause the cake to sink. Once cooked, leave in the tin to cool completely. The unfilled cake will keep for up to four days, wrapped as before, or frozen for a month.

ESPRESSO CAKE WITH TUSCAN LIQUOR BUTTERCREAM AND CARAMEL GLASS

Steps:

• For the espresso cake: Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line two 8-inch round cake pans with parchment paper and grease with nonstick cooking spray.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine the cake mix, oil, vanilla liquor, espresso powder, vanilla extract, salt, eggs and 1 cup water. Beat on low speed for 30 seconds, and then on medium speed for 2 minutes, scraping the bowl with a spatula occasionally. Pour the batter evenly into the cake pans and smooth the tops with a spatula.
• Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cakes comes out clean, 28 to 30 minutes. Cool the cakes for 20 minutes in the pans, then turn the cakes out onto a wire rack to cool completely, about 1 hour.
• For the caramel glass: Line a baking sheet with a silicone baking mat. Place the granulated sugar and vanilla liquor in a small saucepan and cook, without stirring, until the mixture is a deep amber color, about 5 minutes. Pour the caramel onto the prepared baking sheet and allow to cool to room temperature. Once cooled, break into shards.
• For the Tuscan buttercream: Place the butter in the bowl of a stand mixer and beat with the paddle attachment until light and smooth, about 1 minute. Add the powdered sugar, vanilla liquor, vanilla extract and salt and beat on low until combined, about 30 seconds; increase the speed to medium and beat until fluffy, about 2 minutes.
• Assembly: Place one of the cakes flat-side up on a cake stand, leveling the top of the cake with a serrated knife if necessary. Using a spatula, spread 1/4 cup of the buttercream evenly over the cake, leaving a 1/2-inch border. Place the other cake layer on top and frost the entire cake with the remaining buttercream, using the tip of the spatula to make decorative swirls in the buttercream. Press the chopped espresso beans around the outside of the cake and garnish the top with caramel glass.

TUSCAN COUNTRY CHOCOLATE WEDDING CAKE

Steps:

• For assembly:
• one 8-inch cardboard round.
• one 6-inch cardboard round
• three 8-inch plastic straws
• Make cake layers:.
• Preheat oven to 350°F and line 2 buttered 7- by 2-inch round cake pans and 2 buttered 9- by 2-inch round cake pans with rounds of wax paper. Butter paper and dust pans with flour, knocking out excess.
• Put cocoa powder in a bowl and whisk in boiling water in a stream until smooth. Stir in chopped chocolate and let stand 5 minutes. Stir mixture until smooth and chocolate is melted and cool mixture. Whisk in sour cream and vanilla.
• Into a bowl sift together flour, baking soda, and salt. In large bowl of a standing electric mixer beat together butter and sugars until light and fluffy and add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition and scraping down side of bowl. Reduce speed to low and add flour mixture and cocoa mixture alternately in batches, beginning and ending with flour mixture and beating until batter is combined well.
• Pour 2 cups batter into each 7-inch pan and smooth tops. Divide remaining batter between 9-inch pans (about 33/4 cups each) and smooth tops. In middle and lower thirds of oven arrange one 9-inch layer and one 7-inch layer on each rack, putting 7-inch layers in front part of oven. Bake 7-inch layers 25 to 30 minutes and 9-inch layers 35 to 40 minutes, or until a tester comes out with crumbs adhering. Run a thin knife around edges of pans and invert cakes onto racks. Peel off paper and cool cakes completely. Cake layers may be made 2 days ahead and kept at cool room temperature, wrapped well in plastic wrap, or 2 weeks ahead and frozen, wrapped well in plastic wrap and foil. Defrost cake layers (without unwrapping) at room temperature.
• Make ganache:.
• In a small saucepan bring cream just to a boil. Remove pan from heat and add chocolate, butter, zest, and liqueur. Let ganache stand 3 minutes and whisk until chocolate is melted. Chill ganache just until cool, about 40 minutes.
• In a bowl with an electric mixer beat ganache just until light and fluffy before using (do not overbeat or it will become grainy).
• Assemble cake:.
• Put one 9-inch layer on 8-inch cardboard round and spread evenly with 2 cups ganache. Top with remaining 9-inch layer and gently press layers together to form an even tier. Put one 7-inch layer on 6-inch cardboard round and top with remaining ganache and remaining 7-inch layer in same manner.
• Frost top and sides of 9-inch tier with some buttercream and chill while frosting 7-inch tier. Chill both tiers until buttercream is firm.
• Cut straws in half and insert 1 straw piece all the way into center of 9-inch tier. Trim straw flush with top of tier and insert remaining 5 straw pieces in same manner in a circle about 1 1/2 inches from center straw. Center 7-inch tier (still on cardboard) on top of 9-inch tier. Fill in any gaps between tiers with buttercream and transfer cake to a cake stand or platter. Chill cake at least 6 hours and up to 1 day.
• Arrange fraises des bois and roses decoratively on top and around sides of cake. Let cake stand at cool room temperature (buttercream is sensitive to warm temperatures) 2 to 4 hours before serving. Serves about 30 (including top tier).
• Make orange curd:.
• In a small heavy saucepan whisk together yolks and sugar and whisk in orange juice, butter, and a pinch salt. Cook mixture over moderately low heat, whisking, until it just reaches boiling point, 5 to 7 minutes (do not let boil), and strain through a fine sieve into a bowl. Whisk in lemon juice and cool curd, its surface covered with plastic wrap. Chill orange curd, covered, until cold, at least 4 hours, and up to 2 days.
• Make buttercream:.
• In a heavy saucepan bring sugar and water to a boil, stirring until sugar is dissolved. Boil syrup, undisturbed, until it registers 248°F on a candy thermometer. While syrup is boiling, in large bowl of a standing electric mixer beat whites with a pinch salt until foamy and beat in cream of tartar. Beat whites until they just hold stiff peaks and beat in hot syrup in a stream (try to avoid beaters and side of bowl). Beat mixture at medium speed until completely cool, 15 to 20 minutes. Beat in butter, 1 piece at a time, and beat until thickened and smooth. (Buttercream will at first appear very thin and at some point look like it is breaking but, as more butter is beaten in, it will thicken and become glossy and smooth.) Beat in orange curd, salt, and zest until smooth. Buttercream may be made 4 days ahead and chilled in an airtight container or 2 weeks ahead and frozen in an airtight container. Bring buttercream completely to room temperature (this may take several hours if frozen) and beat before using. (If buttercream is too cold when beaten it will not be glossy and smooth.) Makes about 8 cups.
• Note: A cake-decorating turntable is extremely helpful for assembling and decorating a wedding cake.
• Decoration: fraises des bois (wild strawberries) and small roses with some leaves attached (both fruit and flowers must be nontoxic and pesticide-free).

CHOCOLATE ITALIAN CREAM CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325*.
• Grease and flour three 8-inch layer pans; set aside.
• Separate eggs.
• Beat egg whites until stiff; set aside.
• Cream butter and shortening.
• Gradually add sugar to creamed butter, beating well.
• Add egg yolks, one at a time, beating until blended after each addition.
• In a separate bowl, combine flour, cocoa, and baking soda; add to butter mixture, alternating with buttermilk, beginning and ending with flour.
• Beat at low speed until blended.
• Mix in vanilla.
• Stir in coconut and pecans.
• Fold in egg whites.
• Pour batter into prepared layer pans.
• Bake in hot oven for 25-30 minutes.
• Cool in pans for 10 minutes, then remove to wire racks and cool completely.
• For frosting, beat cream cheese, butter, vanilla, and cinnamon until blended.
• Sift powdered sugar and cocoa; gradually add to butter mixture alternating with buttermilk, beginning and ending with powdered sugar mixture.
• Beat at low speed for about 2 minutes until well blended and fluffy.
• Stir in pecans.
• Frost cooled layers with frosting, and garnish with whole pecans.

CHOCOLATE ITALIAN CREAM CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Grease and flour three 8-inch round cake pans. Separate the eggs.
• Cream 1/2 cup of the butter, shortening and sugar together. Add egg yolks, one at a time, beating after each addition. Stir in 1 teaspoon of the vanilla.
• Sift soda, flour and 1/4 cup cocoa together. Add alternately with buttermilk to the creamed mixture, beginning and ending with dry ingredients. Stir in the coconut and 1 cup of the chopped pecans.
• Beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form and fold into the batter. Pour batter into the prepared cake pans.
• Bake at 325 degrees F (165 degrees C) for 25 to 30 minutes. Let cakes cool completely before frosting between layers and on sides.
• To Make Frosting: Cream the cream cheese and butter together. Sift confectioner's sugar and 1/4 cup cocoa, beating in a little at a time until well-creamed. Add 1 teaspoon vanilla and 1 cup pecans.