Fall Fruit Basket Cake
Serves: 4
Santos Walker
1 January 1970
Based on User reviews:
49
Spice
50
Sweetness
49
Sourness
39
mins
Prep time (avg)
4.8
Difficulty
Ingredients:
6 bunches
Concord Grape1 cup
Granulated Sugar1 tsp
Vanilla2 large
Egg (room temperature)1 pinch
Salt1 tsp
Baking Powder1 cup
Milk1
Water4 cups
Sugar (confectioners')110 g
Armagnac5 large
Egg White1 tsp
Pure Vanilla Extract5 tbsps
Meringue PowderDirections:
1
Tap out excess flour
2
Special equipment: 1 (16-inch circle) 3/4-inch-thick Masonite, foam board, or plywood, sides covered with ribbon 3 foam boards, 3/16-inch thick, cut into 14, 10, and 6-inch circles 7 (8-inch) wooden dowels Fun-Tak 5 (7 3/4-inch) wooden dowels Cover 16-inch board with Royal Icing and set aside to dry
3
Each tier needs a sturdy base
4
Trace a 14-inch cake pan onto 3/16-inch foam board
5
Repeat with 10 and 6-inch cakes
6
This will be the base for each tier
7
Carefully cut out the rounds
8
Once cakes have cooled slightly, remove from pans
9
Do not remove parchment
10
When completely cooled, place each cake right side up on foam board round, wrap in plastic and refrigerate for at least 6 hours
11
This makes the layers firm and easy to handle
12
They can also be frozen at this point
13
Begin with the largest tier
14
Remove the 14-inch cakes from the refrigerator
15
If they did not bake level, even the tops with a serrated knife
16
Use a turntable to make it even all around
17
Repeat with the other 4 cakes
18
Split each cake in half horizontally
19
Each tier will not consist of 4 layers
20
On a level work surface, place a 14-inch, 10-inch, and 6-inch tier with a foam board base next to each other
21
Brush the cut surface of the bottom base cake layers with the Armagnac Simple Syrup
22
The syrup will moisten the cake and add a subtle flavor
23
With a #6 plain tip, pipe buttercream around the perimeter of each cake that has been moistened with syrup
24
This "dam" will prevent the jam from seeping out
25
Fill the 14-inch cake layer with 3 cups of jam, the 10-inch cake layer with 1 3/4 cups of jam, and the 6-inch cake layer with 1/2 cup of jam
26
Repeat this process with the remaining 3 cake layers for each tier, stacking the layers on top of each other
27
Using an offset spatula to give each tier a "crumb coat," ice top and sides of cake with a thin coat of buttercream
28
This thin layer of icing will seal the cake
29
Start from the center and work toward and over the edge, making sure to spread the buttercream over the sides of the tier
30
Refrigerate for 1 hour to set the cake and buttercream
31
Give the tiers a final coat of buttercream
32
Be sure to cover all exposed cake
33
The icing should be smooth and uniform
34
Refrigerate the tiers again to chill the final coat of buttercream
35
Place 14-inch tier on 16-inch board covered with Royal Icing
36
Using a 12-inch pastry bag fitted with a large leaf tip (Ateco #115), ice cake in a basket weave pattern
37
Insert 8-inch dowels evenly spaced in the center of cake
38
Add pieces of Fun-Tak to level off each dowel and prevent the tiers from sliding
39
Place the 10-inch tier on top and center
40
Repeat the basket weave on the 10-inch tier
41
Insert the 7 3/4-inch dowels evenly spaced in the center of the 10-inch tier
42
Add more Fun-Tak to level dowels
43
Top with 6-inch tier and center
44
Frost the 6-inch cake with a basket-weave pattern
45
Decorate between each tier with assorted fruits
46
Twelve batches of batter are needed to yield 2 (6-inch) round layers, 2 (10-inch) layers, and 2 (14-inch) layers
47
Fill each 6-inch pan with 1 3/4 cups of batter
48
Fill each 10-inch pan with 5 cups of batter
49
Fill each 14-inch pan with 11 cups of batter
50
Heat oven to 350 degrees F
51
Butter baking pans; line bottom of each baking pan with a round of parchment paper
52
Butter parchment and dust pans with flour, making sure to coat pans evenly
53
In the bowl of an electric mixture fitted with the paddle attachment, cream butter and sugar until light in color and fluffy, about 5 minutes
54
Add vanilla extract, then the eggs, 1 at a time
55
Sift together flour, salt, and baking powder 3 times
56
Add to egg mixture in 3 additions, alternating with milk, starting and ending with flour
57
Measure batter into prepared pans
58
Bake 6-inch rounds for about 35 minutes, 10-inch rounds for about 45 minutes, and the 14-inch round for about 1 hour and 10 minutes
59
Cakes are done when the tops are golden brown and a cake tester inserted into center of cake comes out clean
60
Yield: 3 cups batter In a heavy 4-quart saucepan, bring 4 cups of water and the sugar to a rolling boil
61
Remove from heat and add Armagnac
62
Let stand at room temperature to cool
63
Set aside
64
Can be made several days in advance
65
Yield: 7 cups Combine egg whites, sugar, and vanilla in the heatproof bowl of an electric mixer
66
Set bowl over a pan of simmering water
67
Whisk constantly until sugar has dissolved and whites are hot to the touch, 5 to 7 minutes
68
Transfer bowl to the electric mixer
69
Using whisk attachment, mix on low speed, gradually increasing to high speed, until stiff, glossy peaks form, about 10 minutes
70
In a separate bowl, beat butter until creamy and fluffy
71
At low speed, add the butter to egg whites until smooth
72
Add vanilla, and continue mixing until incorporated
73
Yield: 5 cups In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine confectioners' sugar and meringue powder or egg whites
74
Mixing on low speed, add a scant 1/2 cup water drop by drop
75
For a thinner consistency, usually used for flooding, add more water
76
A thicker consistency is generally used for further embellishing
77
Mix until icing holds a ribbon-like trail on the surface for five seconds when you raise the paddle
78
Note: Raw eggs should not be used in food prepared for pregnant women, babies, young children, or anyone whose health is compromised
79
*RAW EGG WARNING Food Network Kitchens suggest caution in consuming raw and lightly-cooked eggs due to the slight risk of Salmonella or other food-borne illness
80
To reduce this risk, we recommend you use only fresh, properly-refrigerated, clean, grade A or AA eggs with intact shells, and avoid contact between the yolks or whites and the shell
81
Yield: 2 1/3 cups