Rose's Heavenly Cakes (74 page)

Special Equipment

Two 12 by 2-inch cake pans, encircled with cake strips, bottoms coated with shortening, topped with parchment rounds, then coated with baking spray with flour

Preheat the Oven

Twenty minutes or more before baking, set the oven racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven and preheat the oven to 350°F/175°C.

Toast and Grind the Almonds

Spread the almonds evenly on a baking sheet and bake for about 7 minutes, or until pale golden. Stir once or twice to ensure even toasting and avoid overbrowning. Cool completely. In a food processor, process until fairly fine. Add about 2/3 cup of the sugar and process until very fine.

Coat Les Perles

In a medium bowl, toss Les Perles and Grand Marnier until they are moistened and shiny. Add the 4 teaspoons of flour and toss until evenly coated.

Mix the Liquid Ingredients

In a medium bowl, lightly whisk the eggs (and the extra yolk for the 6 and 9-inch batter), the sour cream (½ cup for the 6 and 9-inch batter, 2/3 cup for the 12-inch batter), and the vanilla just until combined.

Make the Batters

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the flat beater, mix the ground almonds, the remaining sugar, the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and orange zest on low speed for 30 seconds. Add the butter and the remaining sour cream. Mix on low speed until the dry ingredients are moistened. Raise the speed to medium and beat for 1½ minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.

Starting on medium-low speed, gradually add the egg mixture in three parts, beating on medium speed for 20 seconds after each addition to incorporate the ingredients and strengthen the structure.

Remove the bowl from the stand. With a large silicone spatula, scrape down the sides and fold in Les Perles. Using the silicone spatula, scrape the batter into the prepared pans and smooth the surfaces with a small offset spatula.

For the 6- and 9-inch layers, begin by spooning the batter into each 6-inch pan to fill half full (14 ounces/400 grams). Scrape the rest into each 9-inch pan, which will be two-thirds full (36.7 ounces/1,043 grams).

For the 12-inch layers, divide the batter evenly between the two pans (62.5 ounces/1,773 grams in each pan). They will be a little more than half full.

Bake the Cakes

Bake for 35 to 45 minutes for the 6-inch layers, 45 to 55 minutes for the 9-inch layers, and 50 to 60 minutes for the 12-inch layers, or until a wooden toothpick inserted in the centers comes out clean and an instant-read thermometer inserted in the centers registers 200° to 205°F (93° to 96°C). The cakes should just begin to come away from the sides of the pans.

While the cakes are baking, prepare the wire racks or clean surfaces for unmolding. You will need a wire rack for each layer. Also, for each set of layers, you will need one cardboard round base of the corresponding size (6, 9, and 12 inches) for the bottom layers and, for inverting and transferring the upper layers, two flat supporting surfaces at least the diameter of the layers, such as additional cardboard rounds, baking sheets with at least one open side, or the loose bottoms of fluted tart pans. In order to prevent sticking and ensure that the upper layer will slide readily off the supporting surface, cover the surface with plastic wrap or aluminum foil that has been coated lightly with nonstick cooking spray.

Shortly before the cakes are finished baking, make the Grand Marnier syrup. If desired, the syrup can be made in one large batch and divided before use.

Make the Grand Marnier Syrup

In a 4-cup microwavable measure (or in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring often), heat the sugar, Grand Marnier, and orange juice until the sugar is dissolved. Do not allow it to boil. Cover it tightly to prevent evaporation. You may want to divide the syrup into separate containers to make it easier to control the amount brushed on each side of each layer. Each 6-inch layer needs a total of ¼ cup plus 1 tablespoon/3 ounces/88 grams; each 9-inch layer, a total of ¾ cup/7.5 ounces/212 grams; and each 12-inch layer, a total of 1¼ cups/12.7 ounces/360 grams.

Apply Half the Syrup

As soon as the cakes come out of the oven, place each pan on a wire rack, poke the cakes all over with a thin skewer, and brush the cakes with half the appropriate amount of syrup. Apply more toward the edges and less toward the centers. Allow the 6- and 9-inch layers to cool for 10 minutes and the 12-inch layers for 20 minutes before unmolding and brushing them with the remaining half of the syrup.

Unmold the Cakes and Apply the Remaining Syrup

Run a small metal spatula between the sides of the pans and the cakes, pressing firmly against the pans. Working with one layer of each size at a time (these will be the top layers), set the prepared supporting surface on top of the cake and invert the cake onto it. Remove the pan and poke the bottom of the cake all over with the skewer. Brush the bottom of the cake with the appropriate amount of syrup, again applying more toward the edges and less toward the center. Cool completely. If the cake had a slight dome, it will have flattened on cooling, but if necessary, reinvert the cake onto the second prepared supporting surface. Trim the cake to make it level and reinvert it so that the firm bottom crust is up, which will make it easier to frost.

Brush and trim each remaining layer, if necessary, and invert directly onto a cardboard round base of the corresponding size (6, 9, and 12 inches). Wrap the layers well with plastic wrap that has been coated lightly with nonstick cooking spray and let them sit at room temperature for at least 1 day. If desired, after this preliminary 24 hours at room temperature, the layers can be stored for 3 to 5 days at room temperature, for 1 week refrigerated, and up to 3 months frozen.

Make 2 batches

Make the Grand Marnier Ganache

Have ready a fine-mesh strainer suspended over a large glass bowl. In a food processor, process the chocolate until very fine.

In a 4-cup microwavable measure (or in a medium saucepan over medium heat, stirring often), scald the cream (heat it to the boiling point; small bubbles will form around the periphery).

With the motor of the food processor running, pour the cream through the feed tube in a steady stream. Process for a few seconds until smooth. Pulse in the butter. With the motor running, add the Grand Marnier. Press the ganache through the strainer and let it sit for 1 hour. Cover with plastic wrap and allow the mixture to cool for several hours, until it reaches frosting consistency. (There is no need to wash the food processor between batches; just wipe it out with a paper towel.)

Use the ganache to fill and frost the cake. Use one batch for the 6- and 9-inch layers and one batch for the 12-inch layers. If not using the ganache the same day, store it between 70° and 80°F/21° and 26°C so that it remains spreadable. If it becomes colder and too stiff, reheat it with a few-second bursts in the microwave or in a double boiler. Be sure to stir gently with a silicone spatula so as not to incorporate air and lighten the color. The ganache keeps for 3 days at room temperature, for 3 weeks refrigerated, and for 6 months frozen.

Compose the Cake

See the introduction beginning with
Preparing the Layers for Frosting
for filling, frosting, and composing a wedding cake. Place Les Perles around the base of each tier and on the sides as well. (You will need about 2/3 cup/4 ounces/113 grams of Les Perles.) Alternatively, pipe small beads of the ganache (see
Decorative Piping
) around the base to hide the cardboard round.

Plan Ahead

Start the cake at least 2 days before the event. Make the ganache undercoat several hours ahead. Bake the cakes, and apply the syrup and the ganache undercoat, at least 1 day before glazing and composing the cake. This gives the syrup a chance to moisten the cake evenly and the crumb to become firm enough to make moving the layers easier. If desired, after this preliminary sitting at room temperature, they can be frozen for up to three months. Make the lacquer glaze 8 hours or up to 1 week ahead. Let the glaze set on the cakes for a minimum of 4 hours before tiering.

Special Equipment

A 6-quart stand mixer*    |    An instant-read thermometer for the glaze    |    Cake pans and cake strips    |    Wire racks for cooling    |    Cardboard rounds    |    A cake presentation base, at least 15 inches    |    Plastic drinking straws for support

*If using a 5-quart mixer, the batter for the two 6-inch and two 9-inch layers can be made as one batch, but the batter for the two 12-inch layers will need to be divided in half and made in two batches.

For two 6 by 2-inch pans and two 9 by 2-inch pans