Swiss Buttercream

The recipe comes from wedding cake genius and my unpaid assistant, Torrie.

For a wedding cake (or most of one, depending on the size)

2 cups of egg whites (approx. 12 large)

3 cups sugar

5 cups butter, softened (2 1/2 pounds, 10 sticks)

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

For a 9-inch cake (plus filling, or some to spare)

1 cup sugar

4 large egg whites

26 tablespoons butter, softened (3 sticks plus 2 tablespoons)

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the tiniest amount, if you’re just practicing (or enough to cover and fill the 4-inch cake pictured)

1/4 cup sugar

1 large egg white

6 tablespoons butter, softened

1/4 teaspoon vanilla

Whisk egg whites and sugar together in a big metal bowl over a pot of simmering water. Whisk occasionally until you can’t feel the sugar granules when you rub the mixture between your fingers.

Transfer mixture into the mixer and whip until it turns white and about doubles in size. (Here’s a tip: when you transfer to the mixer, make sure you wipe the condensation off the bottom of the bowl so that no water gets into the egg whites. This can keep them from whipping up properly.)

Add the vanilla.

Finally, add the butter a stick at a time and whip, whip, whip.

Deb note: Do not have a panic attack when this takes a while to come together (though I did every time). One super-large batch took 15 minutes, but it did and will come together. Patience, young Jedis.

3 3/4 cups cake flour

2 1/2 cups sugar

1 tablespoon plus 2 3/4 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 1/2 sticks (10 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 1/4 cups plus 1/3 cup buttermilk

5 whole eggs

2 egg yolks

2 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1. Preheat the oven to 325°F. Butter three 9-inch round cake pans. Line the bottom of each pan with a round of parchment or waxed paper and butter the paper.

2. Combine the cake flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a large mixer bowl. With the mixer on low speed, blend for 30 seconds. Add the butter and 2 cups of the buttermilk. Mix on low speed briefly to blend; then raise the speed to medium and beat until light and fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes.

3. In a smaller bowl, whisk together the whole eggs, egg yolks, vanilla, and the remaining 3/4 cup buttermilk until well blended. Pour one-third of the egg mixture into the cake batter at a time, folding it in completely after each addition. There will be 9 cups of batter; our 3 cups batter into each pan.

4. Bake for 26 to 28 minutes, or until a cake tester or wooden toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

5. Turn the layers out onto wire racks by placing a rack on top of a pan, inverting it, and lifting off the pan. Peel off the paper liners and let cool completely. When the layers have cooled, place a cardboard cake board on top of a layer, invert again, and lift off the rack. To make th elayers easier to handle, wrap them on their boards completely in plastic, so they don’t dry out, and refrigerate them.

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Grease and flour two 9 inch cake pans.
• Mix ingredients on low until combined and then increase speed to medium and mix for about 2 minutes.
• Pour batter into pans and bake for about 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.

Chocolate Basil Cake

Ganache

This classic recipe is the base of dozens of desserts.  Chilled and rolled, it is the center of a truffle.  Poured hot over cakes, it is a shiny glaze.  Whipped stiff, it makes a pretty frosting.  Allowed to set naturally, it is the perfect filling.

INGREDIENTS

8 oz.(8 squares or 1 [1/2] cup chips) bittersweet chocolate

1 cup heavy cream

METHOD

1.  In a small saucepan over high heat, bring cream to a boil.  Place chocolate in a medium sized bowl.  At the boil, pour cream over chocolate, let stand 3-5 minutes, then whisk until smooth.

VARIATIONS

Glaze: Use immediately

Room Temperature: Let stand at room temperature over night (at least 6 hours) until set.  Ganache should be spreadable, but not at all runny.

Whipped:  Let glaze cool to room temperature, then whip just until soft peaks form.  Be careful not to over whip.

Milk Chocolate:  Use milk chocolate, and adjust recipe to 16oz. milk chocolate and 1 cup heavy cream.

White Chocolate:  Use White Chocolate, and adjust recipe to 1[1/2]lb. (24oz.) white chocolate and 1 cup heavy cream.

cherry cornmeal upside-down cake

Died and Went to Heaven Chocolate Cake

1 3/4 cups all purpose flour

2 cups white sugar

3/4 cup unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder

2 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. salt

1 1/4 cups buttermilk

2 large eggs, lightly beaten

1/4 cup vegetable oil

1 tsp. pure vanilla extract

1 cup hot strong black coffee

Preheat oven to 350F.

Whisk together buttermilk, oil, eggs and vanilla. Let the buttermilk mixture come to room temperature. Sift all dry ingredients together in a very large bowl.

Whisk buttermilk mixture into dry ingredients. When combined, carefully whisk in hot coffee.

Pour into greased pans, either 2 9″ round cake pans or 1 11×13 pan.

Bake until tester comes out clean, 45-55 minutes depending on the pan (the less batter, the more cooking time).

Note: Do not be fooled by the relative thinness of the batter; it really puffs up as it bakes! Do NOT fill any pans more then 2/3 of the way full!

Brown Sugar Pound Cake

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

4 large eggs, separated and at room temperature

1 cup butter, room temperature

1 cup brown sugar, divided

1 tsp vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350F. Grease and flour a 9×5″ loaf pan.

In a small mixing bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder and salt.

In a medium mixing bowl, beat all four egg whites to soft peaks. Beat in 2 tablespoons of the brown sugar, one tablespoon at a time, until sugar is fully incorporated. Egg whites should still be at soft or somewhat stiff peak stage. If in doubt, err on the side of caution and don’t overbeat. Set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, cream together butter and remaining brown sugar (1 cup minus 2 tbsp). When fluffy, beat in egg whites and vanilla extract. With the mixer on low speed, gradually beat in the flour mixture. When all the flour has been incorporated, beat in 1/3 of the egg whites. When smooth and with the mixer still on low, beat in another 1/3. Fold in remaining egg whites with a large spatula, making sure no streaks of egg whites remain visible in the batter. Pour into prepared pan.

Bake for 40-60 minutes, until a tester comes out clean.

Cool in pan for 5-10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely before slicing

Makes 1 loaf. Serves 8-10.