Daring Bakers Challenge - Dorie's Perfect Party Cake

So this is my very first Daring Bakers Challenge, I was due to start last month but due to a combination of time and a cat who shall remain nameless I didn't manage to complete the chanllenge of Julia Child's French Bread. So here I am a virgin Daring Baker and this month it's all about cake, cake and more cake!!! If you asked the girl I sit near at work one thing about me she'd say "mmmmmmmmmmmmmmm caaaaaaaaaaake", this is a statement I come out with on a regular basis as Friday is treat day and I get myself some super fancy salad from Avoca on Suffolk Street and the most divine piece of bakewell to go with my afternoon tea, every Friday I say the same thing "mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm caaaaaaaaaaaaaaake". I am all about the cake baby!!!

I loved making this recipe, I did it on bank holiday Sunday, the day before Paddy's day and it was a lovely day of relaxation, the sun was shining and it wasn't freezing for once!!! Everything about this cake went well, the making, the baking and the creating. I'm not a big fan of butter cream but decided to stick with the original recipe this being my first challenge and meringue buttercream sounded lovely to me, I'm not normally a buttercream fan and still wasn't but I enjoyed this and even more on the second day as the lemon flavours had taken hold over night and cut through the buttery flavour. I still think if I'm making this again and I'll definitely make the cake part I would would fresh cream and fresh raspberries, but this is just a personal thing.


Here's the recipe with some amendments to allow for the conversion and any changes I made:

For the Cake
1lb 4oz flour (I used tesco organic plain white flour)
1 tablespoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
310ml cups whole milk or buttermilk (I used buttermilk)
4 large egg whites
3/4lb cups sugar
2 teaspoons grated lemon zest (I used 3 as I like a lot of lemon)
4 ounces unsalted butter, at room temperature
½ teaspoon pure lemon extract

For the Buttercream
8 oz sugar
4 large egg whites
3/4lb unsalted butter, at room temperature
¼ cup fresh lemon juice (from 2 large lemons)
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

For Finishing
Raspberry jam warmed gently until spreadable

Getting Ready
Centre a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 350/180/Gas 4. Butter two 9 x 2 inch round cake pans and line the bottom of each pan with a round of buttered parchment or wax paper. Put the pans on a baking sheet.

To Make the Cake
Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt.
Whisk together the milk and egg whites in a medium bowl.
Put the sugar and lemon zest in a mixer bowl or another large bowl and rub them together with your fingers until the sugar is moist and fragrant.
Add the butter and working with the paddle or whisk attachment, or with a hand mixer, beat at medium speed for a full 3 minutes, until the butter and sugar are very light.
Beat in the extract, then add one third of the flour mixture, still beating on medium speed.
Beat in half of the milk-egg mixture, then beat in half of the remaining dry ingredients until incorporated.
Add the rest of the milk and eggs beating until the batter is homogeneous, then add the last of the dry ingredients.
Finally, give the batter a good 2- minute beating to ensure that it is thoroughly mixed and well aerated.
Divide the batter between the two pans and smooth the tops with a rubber spatula.
Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until the cakes are well risen and springy to the touch – a thin knife inserted into the centers should come out clean
Transfer the cakes to cooling racks and cool for about 5 minutes, then run a knife around the sides of the cakes, unfold them and peel off the paper liners.
Invert and cool to room temperature, right side up (the cooled cake layers can be wrapped airtight and stored at room temperature overnight or frozen for up to two months).

To Make the Buttercream
Put the sugar and egg whites in a mixer bowl or another large heatproof bowl, fit the bowl over a plan of simmering water and whisk constantly, keeping the mixture over the heat, until it feels hot to the touch, about 3 minutes.
The sugar should be dissolved, and the mixture will look like shiny marshmallow cream.
Remove the bowl from the heat.
Working with the whisk attachment or with a hand mixer, beat the meringue on medium speed until it is cool, about 5 minutes.
Switch to the paddle attachment if you have one, and add the butter a 1/4lb at a time, beating until smooth.
Once all the butter is in, beat in the buttercream on medium-high speed until it is thick and very smooth, 6-10 minutes.
During this time the buttercream may curdle or separate – just keep beating and it will come together again.
On medium speed, gradually beat in the lemon juice, waiting until each addition is absorbed before adding more, and then the vanilla.
You should have a shiny smooth, velvety, pristine white buttercream. Press a piece of plastic against the surface of the buttercream and set aside briefly.



To Assemble the Cake
Using a sharp serrated knife and a gentle sawing motion, slice each layer horizontally in half.
Put one layer cut side up on a cardboard cake round or a cake plate protected by strips of wax or parchment paper.
Spread it with one third of the preserves.
Cover the jam evenly with about one quarter of the buttercream.
Top with another layer, spread with preserves and buttercream and then do the same with a third layer (you’ll have used all the jam and have buttercream leftover).
Place the last layer cut side down on top of the cake.
You can use the remaining buttercream to frost the sides and top if you want, I didn't as I am not a big fan of iced cakes but you'll have enough left to do this.

Serving
The cake is ready to serve as soon as it is assembled, but I think it’s best to let it sit and set for a couple of hours in a cool room – not the refrigerator. Whether you wait or slice and enjoy it immediately, the cake should be served at room temperature; it loses all its subtlety when it’s cold. Depending on your audience you can serve the cake with just about anything from milk to sweet or bubbly wine.

Storing
The cake is best the day it is made, but you can refrigerate it, well covered, for up to two days. Bring it to room temperature before serving. If you want to freeze the cake, slide it into the freezer to set, then wrap it really well – it will keep for up to 2 months in the freezer; defrost it, still wrapped overnight in the refrigerator.

Many thanks to Morven for picking this lovely cake and to the DB's for the challenge, roll on next month!!!