Three-Tiered Lemon Pound Cake
Ingredients:
8 cup sifted cake flour
2 tsp salt
2 1/2 tbl baking powder
1 1/2 lb unsalted butter room temperature
3 1/2 cup sugar
16 x eggs room temperature
2 cup milk
1 tbl vanilla extract plus
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 tsp grated lemon zest
----------------- MERINGUE BUTTERCREAM ----------------
1 1/4 cup sugar
5 lrg egg whites
1 pch cream of tartar
2 cup unsalted butter cut up
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
Method:
Heat oven to 325 degrees. Butter and flour two 8- by 2-inch square
cake pans and line with parchment paper. Cream together the butter
and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle
attachment until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time,
beating well after each addition.
Sift together flour, salt, and baking powder twice. Add to egg
mixture, alternating with milk, starting and ending with flour. Add
vanilla and stir just until thoroughly blended. Gently fold in the
zest.
Pour the batter into prepared pans and bake for 90 minutes; cakes
are done when a tester inserted into the center of cakes comes out
clean. Let cool in pans for about 10 minutes. Turn out onto a wire
rack, remove parchment, and cool completely.
Meanwhile, prepare Meringue Buttercream: In a small saucepan over
medium heat, bring sugar and 1/3 cup water to a boil. Boil until
syrup reaches soft-ball stage (238 degrees on a candy thermometer).
Meanwhile, beat egg whites on low until foamy. Add cream of tartar;
beat on medium-high until stiff but not dry. With mixer running,
pour syrup into egg whites in a steady stream, and beat on high
speed until completely cool, about 15 to 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, cream butter in a separate bowl to soften. Beat in butter
gradually. Add vanilla, beat 2 to 3 minutes, until frosting is
smooth and spreadable. If it looks curdled during the beating
process, continue beating until smooth.
Once the cakes have cooled, trim each so that they are level and
even. Each trimmed cake should be about 2 inches high. Brush the top
and sides of each cake with a pastry brush to remove crumbs. The
bottom tier will need a sturdy base. Trace a 6-inch square onto a
piece of foam board 3/16-inch thick (available from art supply
stores). Cut out the square with a utility knife. Cut one cake into
a 6- by 6-inch square. Set aside, reserving the leftover cake for
another use. Place cake on foam board. Cut the second cake into 2
smaller squares, one 3 3/4- by 3 3/4-inches and the second into a
square 2 1/4- by 2 1/4-inches. Once again, reserve the leftover cake
for another use.
Brush the top and sides of each cake to remove crumbs. Using an
offset spatula, ice top of the 6-inch-square cake with buttercream
to give the tier a "crumb coat," a thin layer of icing that seals
the cake. Start from the center and work out, making sure to push
the buttercream over the sides of the cake. Smooth the icing, and
chill in the refrigerator to set until smooth to the touch, about 30
minutes to one hour, until it doesn't stick when you touch it.
Repeat with the remaining cakes.
Assemble the cake by placing the tiers on top of one another in
descending order of size. Once assembled, give the tiers a final
coat of buttercream. Use an offset spatula to smooth the icing.
(Dipping the offset spatula in warm water, then wiping it off again,
will make a clean finished edge.) Reserve extra buttercream for
decorating. Chill in the refrigerator to set the icing, about 30
minutes to 1 hour.
Once the final coat sets, fill a pastry bag with the reserved
buttercream; fit with a round #3 pastry tip and pipe a decorative
border along the edges of each tier.
Makes 1 three-tiered cake.
Yield: 1 three-tiered cake
------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor --------------------~-->
Help save the life of a child. Support St. Jude Children's Research Hospital's
'Thanks & Giving.'
http://us.click.yahoo.com/mGEjbB/5WnJAA/E2hLAA/QXMplB/TM
--------------------------------------------------------------------~->
Yahoo! Groups Links
<*> To visit your group on the web, go to:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/CAKE-RECIPE/
<*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
<*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to:
http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
