Food & Wine Favorite Cakes and Cupcakes Recipes
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15 favorite CAKES & CUPCAKES recıpes favorite CAKES & CUPCAKES recipes BROWN-BUTTER LAYER CAKE active: 50 min; total time: 2 hrs 10 min • servings: makes two 9-inch layers Seattle chef Tom Douglas uses brown butter for 4. Remove the bowl from the ice water and scrape an indulgent nutty flavor in this fun twist on a up the hardened butter. Transfer the butter to the classic white cake. bowl of a standing electric mixer fitted with the paddle and beat until creamy. Add the sugar and 3 sticks unsalted butter (12 ounces), vanilla seeds and beat at medium-high speed plus more for greasing the pans until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Beat in the egg yolks 2¼ cups all-purpose flour, plus more followed by the whole eggs. Beat in the dry ingre- for dusting dients and milk in 3 alternating additions, scrap- 2¼ teaspoons baking powder ing down the side and bottom of the bowl as 1 teaspoon salt necessary. 1⅔ cups sugar 5. Pour the cake batter into the prepared pans 1 vanilla bean, split and seeds scraped and bake in the center of the oven for about 40 3 large egg yolks minutes, rotating the pans halfway through bak- 2 large eggs ing, until the cakes are golden and a toothpick 1¼ cups milk, at room temperature inserted in the centers comes out clean. Cool the Mousse filling (p. 6) and Buttercream cakes in the pans for 20 minutes, then invert them frosting (p. 8) onto a rack to let them cool completely. Peel off the parchment paper. 1. Preheat the oven to 325°. Butter two 9-inch 6. Set one cake layer on a platter. Spread the cake pans and line the bottoms of the pans with mousse filling on top and cover with the second parchment paper. Butter the paper and dust the cake layer. Frost the cake all over with a thin layer pans with flour, tapping out the excess. of buttercream and refrigerate until set, about 5 2. In a medium saucepan, melt the 3 sticks of minutes. Frost the cake with the remaining but- butter. Cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, tercream. Refrigerate the cake until the frosting until foamy, about 5 minutes. Continue to cook, is firm, at least 15 minutes, before serving. stirring frequently, until the milk solids turn brown 7. Set one cake layer on a platter. Spread the and the butter smells nutty, about 4 minutes mousse filling on top and cover with the second longer. Scrape the melted butter and browned cake layer. Frost the cake all over with a thin layer bits into a large heatproof bowl. Set the bowl in of buttercream and refrigerate until set, about 5 an ice water bath until the butter begins to set minutes. Frost the cake with the remaining but- around the edge, about 8 minutes. tercream. Refrigerate the cake until the frosting 3. Meanwhile, in a bowl, whisk the 2¼ cups of is firm, at least 15 minutes, before serving. all-purpose flour with the baking powder and salt. —Tom Douglas 2 for more amazing recipes like these, go to foodandwine.com favorite CAKES & CUPCAKES recipes DOUBLE-CHOCOLATE LAYER CAKE active: 40 min; total time: 1 hr 45 min • servings: makes two 9-inch layers 2 cups plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour blended, scraping the side and bottom of the ¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons unsweetened bowl. At low speed, beat in the buttermilk and cocoa powder vanilla. Remove the bowl from the mixer and gen- Unsalted butter, for greasing the pans tly mix in the dry ingredients by hand. 1 cup plus 1 tablespoon granulated sugar 4. Pour the cake batter into the prepared pans ½ teaspoon baking powder and bake in the center of the oven for about 25 ½ teaspoon baking soda minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the centers ½ teaspoon salt of the cakes comes out with a few moist crumbs 2 large eggs, at room temperature attached. Cool the cakes in the pans for 20 min- ⅓ cup dark brown sugar utes, then invert them onto a rack to cool com- 1 cup canola oil pletely. Peel off the parchment paper. 2½ ounces bittersweet chocolate, melted 5. Set one cake layer on a platter. Spread the 1 cup buttermilk mousse filling on top and cover with the second 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract cake layer. Frost the cake all over with a thin layer Mousse filling (p. 6) and Buttercream of buttercream and refrigerate until set, about 5 frosting (p. 8) minutes. Frost the cake with the remaining but- tercream. Refrigerate the cake until the frosting 1. Preheat the oven to 350°. In a small bowl, whisk is firm, at least 15 minutes, before serving. together 2 tablespoons each of the flour and —Tom Douglas cocoa powder. Butter two 9-inch round cake pans and line the bottoms with parchment paper. But- ter the paper and dust the pans with the cocoa- flour mixture, tapping out the excess. 2. In a medium bowl, whisk the 2 cups of flour and ¼ cup of cocoa powder with ½ cup of the granulated sugar, and the baking powder, baking soda and salt. 3. In the bowl of a standing electric mixer fitted with the whisk, beat the eggs with the brown sugar and the remaining ½ cup plus 1 tablespoon of granulated sugar at medium-high speed until thickened, about 5 minutes. At medium speed, gradually add ½ cup of the oil and beat for 3 minutes. Beat in the melted chocolate, then add the remaining oil in a thin stream, until thoroughly 4 for more amazing recipes like these, go to foodandwine.com favorite CAKES & CUPCAKES recipes DARK CHOCOLATE MOUSSE FILLING total: 30 min plus 4 hr chilling • makes 1½ cups, enough for one 9-inch, 2-layer cake “Using a filling different from the frosting means 1. In a small bowl, sprinkle the gelatin over the less buttercream in the cake,” Tom Douglas says. water and let stand until softened. “Otherwise, there’s just too much of it.” 2. Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, using a hand - held electric mixer, beat the cream until softly » teaspoon unflavored gelatin whipped. Refrigerate until chilled, about 10 min- » tablespoon water utes. » cup chilled heavy cream 3. In a small, microwave-safe bowl, heat the 2 tablespoons coffee liqueur coffee liqueur at high power until hot, about 45 2 large egg yolks seconds. Stir in the softened gelatin until 2 tablespoons sugar dissolved. Pinch of salt 4. In another medium bowl, beat the egg yolks 4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, melted with the sugar and salt at high speed until pale and cooled and thickened, about 5 minutes. While beating the yolks, beat in the coffee-gelatin liquid; scrape the side and bottom of the bowl. Beat in the melted chocolate. Using a rubber spatula, fold in the whipped cream in 2 additions. Scrape the mousse into a bowl, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm, at least 4 hours or overnight. —Tom Douglas milk chocolate mousse Substitute milk chocolate for the bittersweet chocolate. white chocolate mousse Substitute white chocolate for the bittersweet chocolate, and sub- stitute orange liqueur for the coffee liqueur. 6 for more amazing recipes like these, go to foodandwine.com dark chocolate mousse milk chocolate mousse white chocolate mousse favorite CAKES & CUPCAKES recipes BUTTERCREAM FROSTING total: 30 min • makes 3 cups, enough for one 9-inch, 2-layer cake rich chocolate buttercream These classic 1. In a blender or food processor, pulse the sugar buttercream frostings are rich and luxurious. Tom until powdery. Transfer the sugar to a medium Douglas sometimes folds in whipped cream for heatproof bowl and whisk in the egg whites and a lighter touch. salt. Set the bowl over a saucepan of simmering water and whisk gently until the sugar is com- 1 cup sugar pletely dissolved, 5 minutes. 3 large egg whites 2. Transfer the warm egg-white mixture to the ¼ teaspoon salt bowl of a standing electric mixer fitted with the » teaspoon pure vanilla extract whisk. Add the vanilla and beat at medium-high 2 sticks plus 2 tablespoons unsalted speed until stiff and glossy, about 8 minutes. butter (9 ounces), cut into tablespoons, Beat in the butter a few pieces at a time, making at room temperature sure it is fully incorporated before adding more. 4 ounces extra-bittersweet chocolate, The buttercream should be light and fluffy; if it melted and cooled appears runny at any time, transfer the bowl to the freezer for 5 to 10 minutes, then return it to the mixer and continue. 3. Beat in the melted chocolate until fully incor- porated, scraping down the side and bottom of the bowl. Remove the bowl from the mixer and beat with a wooden spoon to remove any air bubbles. —Tom Douglas hazelnut buttercream Substitute 2 table- spoons hazelnut-praline paste (available online at kingarthurflour.com) for the extra-bittersweet chocolate. white chocolate buttercream Substitute 4 ounces white chocolate for the extra-bitter- sweet chocolate. 8 for more amazing recipes like these, go to foodandwine.com rich chocolate buttercream hazelnut buttercream white chocolate buttercream favorite CAKES & CUPCAKES recipes RED VELVET SPIDER WEB CUPCAKES active: 1 hr; total time: 2 hrs• servings: makes 2 dozen cupcakes cupcakes 2. Pour the batter into the prepared cups, filling 2½ cups cake flour them two-thirds full. Bake in the upper and lower 2 tablespoons unsweetened thirds of the oven for about 30 minutes, until the Dutch process cocoa powder cupcakes are risen and a skewer inserted in the 1½ teaspoons baking soda centers comes out clean; shift the pans from top 1 teaspoon salt to bottom and front to back halfway through bak- 1 cup buttermilk ing.