DESSERT OF THE MONTH
This cake is simple to assemble and the decorations are easy to make. The result: three show-stopping layers that taste as fantastic as they look.
Our delicious winter forest cake, perfect for any holiday reception.
INGREDIENTS MAKES 16 SERVINGS
1 ½ cups unsalted butter, softened
2 ¼ cups granulated sugar
½ cup liquid egg whites
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 ¼ tsp baking powder
½ tsp each: baking soda and salt
1 ½ cups buttermilk
Assembly
Coconut Meringue Icing (see recipe, right) ½ cup sweetened shredded coconut Edible Birch Bark (see recipe, page 16) Sugared Rosemary (see recipe, page 16)
DIRECTIONS
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease and flour three 8-inch round cake pans; line the bottoms with parchment paper. Set aside.
In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter with the sugar until fluffy. Beat in the egg whites and vanilla. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Beat into the butter mixture, alternating with buttermilk, making 3 additions of flour mixture and 2 of buttermilk. Scrape into prepared pans, smoothing tops.
Bake until a cake tester inserted in the centres comes out clean, 30 to 35 minutes. Cool in the pans for 10 minutes. Invert onto greased racks; peel off the parchment paper. Let cool completely.
Assembly Using serrated knife, trim the tops of the cakes to level, if necessary. Spread 1 tsp of the icing in centre of cake plate; top with 1 cake layer, cut side up.
Spread 1¼ cups of the icing over cut side; cover with second cake layer, cut side down. Spread 1¼ cups of the icing over top. Cover with the final cake layer, cut side down; spread with 1 cup of the icing.
Using an offset palette knife, spread a thin layer of the icing all over the cake. Refrigerate until firm, about 30 minutes.
Using an offset palette knife, spread remaining icing all over the cake, smoothing the side and top. Press the coconut into icing on top of the cake. Gently press the Edible Birch Bark, dark chocolate side facing in, into the side of cake, overlapping pieces slightly. Garnish top of cake with Sugared Rosemary. Store at room temperature for up to 4 hours.