The first wedding cake : recap, links and advises

A few weeks ago, I teased you about this big project I was working on.
I haven’t told you anything yet, because I just don’t know where to start. Do you remember my new year’s wishes? To the one moving in a new place, becoming a parent, or getting married? Well, I had people in mind for each situation, most of them happening in May / June. And because we were having a surprise party for one of the girl getting married, I decided to bake a “mini” wedding cake for her.

In France, we usually don’t have wedding cakes as in the US. The typical “pièce montée” is a croquembouche. A pile of fluffy choux filled with pastry cream and covered with caramel, on a nougatine base. The whole cake / frosting thing was somehow unfamiliar to the pie lover I am. So, why did I come up with this idea?
I had actually never thought I’d do something like that. When I first read that Deb was baking one, I thought it was crazy. Not that she was crazy, no, she's like incredibly brave, but the whole concept? Oooh, stop right there! Baking a such a huge thing in a tiny kitchen? For a bride? All this responsability? Never gonna happen!
Helen was the next one. She’s a professional pastry chef, and her desserts always look amazing. Her pictures let me speechless, but I don’t imagine achieving as beautiful creations as she does…
They were both really committed to do a perfect cake for their friend; their posts gave my first glimpse of what an American wedding cake was. I discovered that they were actually different cakes, with different flavors or fillings, stacked one on top of the other. The cakes are most often butter cakes (1-2-3-4 cake, white butter cake, chocolate cake...) with a filling (lemon curd, chocolate ganache…) and the frosting. Although I had this first approach, I was far from conceiving baking one myself.

Two weeks before the surprise party (D-12), it all changed.I found some very clear tutorials on Epicurious site. If you’re planning to make a wedding cake, or even if you only want to understand what’s “under” the imposing white assembly that has pride of place on the wedding buffet, go check out these videos. It opened a new world to me. I was now bursting with curiosity. Will I be able to do that for her? Will I remember how to frost a cake with a smooth layer? If I do some effort, will the decoration be ok (instead of really bad)? Will she like having a cake like this, and what type of cake does she like best?

Because I’m really bad with subtle investigation, I had to rely on what I already knew : she loves peanut butter & chocolate, and enjoys the berry pies I sometimes bring. Therefore it was soon (D-6) decided that the cake would be:

- First tier a chocolate cake (in FR) with a chocolate kahlua ganache (in FR)

- Second tier a raspberry cake (in FR) with a lemon curd filling (in FR)

- Third tier a chocolate cake with a peanut butter frosting (in FR)

The next two days were dedicated to researches about the frosting and decoration, but I'll tell you more about it next time..

For now, let's talk about the cakes and the filling, which I made on Monday afternoon (D-3). Luckily for me, it was a holiday, which gave me more time to prepare and to take notes...
Both cakes recipes come from the Smittenkitchen repertoire, and originally from Sky High: Irresistible Triple-Layer Cakes. I followed the chocolate cake recipe à la lettre (by the letter - which means without changing anything), and I've liked it so much that I've already made it twice since. The steps are very easy to follow (just make sure the bowl of the mixer is big enough ; there is a LOT of batter), the cake is moist and very light. You add a cup of coffee in the batter, but you won't really taste it. However, it picks up and extends the toasty notes of the best quality cocoa. You could use it for cupcakes, birthday cakes... or without any reason, just because it is sooo good.
For the white cake, I did tweak the recipe a little in order to reduce the quantities and to flavor the batter with raspberries, but in the end both recipe are similar and very simple (which is what you're looking for when you also have fillings and frosting on your to do list!). The cake was too sweet for my taste, and I tried to offset that by reducing the sugar in the lemon curd. It must have been successful, because this was everyone's favorite. If you're only doing the cake or the curd, keep that in mind and adjust the sugar level...

The chocolate ganache will take only a few minutes to prepare (if you're not goofy like me, who read the wrong page and used milk instead of cream!*). It can surely satisfy any chocolate lover, with its intense flavor and bittersweet notes, and the complexity added by the Kalhua. You could easily replace that with Brandy, Amaretto, or any liquor you like.
As for the lemon curd, it's THE recipe I swear by. It's by Pierre Hermé (could you have guessed that?), and everyone just raves about it. You can use it on a simple sablée dough, with strawberries, on a gingerbread biscuit, on poached blueberries. The tangy, citrusy aromas are sweetly counterbalanced by the buttery taste and by its lightness in the mouth. The secret of its fluffy texture lies in the last step of the process : after adding the butter, do not underestimate the importance of the whipping time...

*Btw, if this happens to you, just start over again. You will never obtain the right consistency for a cake, no matter how long it stays in the fridge... You can use it as a chocolate sauce though!

Ok, so after all this talk, maybe you'd like the recipes, right?

Chocolate Cake layers
From Smittenkitchen.com

3 cups cake flour
3 cups sugar
1 1/2 cups unsweetened cocoa powder (not Dutch process)
3 teaspoons baking soda
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3/4 teaspoon salt
3 sticks (12 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 1/2 cups buttermilk
3 eggs
1 1/2 cups freshly brewed coffee, cooled to room temperature

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
Butter two 10-inch and two 3.5-inch round cake pans, and dust with flour.

In a large mixer bowl, combine the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. With the electric mixer on low speed, blend for about 30 seconds.
Add the butter and buttermilk and blend on low until moistened. Raise the speed to medium and beat until light and fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes.
Whisk the eggs and coffee together, and add to the batter in 3 additions, scraping down the sides of the bowl and beating only until blended after each addition. Divide the batter among the prepared pans.

Bake the large cakes for about 40 minutes, the smaller ones for about 20 minutes, or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Let the cake cool in its pan on a rack for 20 minutes; then carefully turn the cake out of the pan and revert it. Allow to cool completely. The cake will deflate slightly as it cools.


Raspberry cake layers
Adapted from Smittenkitchen.com

1 3/4 cups cake flour
1 1/4 cups sugar
1 tablespoon teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature
2/3 cup plus 2 Tbsp buttermilk
3 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup pureed raspberries

Preheat oven to 325°F.
Butter two 7-inch round cake pans and dust with flour.

Combine the cake flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a large mixer bowl. With the mixer on low speed, blend for 30 seconds. Add the butter and the buttermilk. Mix on low speed briefly to blend; then raise the speed to medium and beat until light and fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes.
Add the eggs one at a time to the cake batter, whisking after each addition. Add vanilla extract and raspberry puree, and whisk well. Use a rubber spatula to scrape down the sides of the bowl if needed.

Bake for about 30 minutes, or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Let the cake cool in its pan on a rack for 20 minutes; then carefully turn the cake out of the pan and revert it. Allow to cool completely on a rack.


Chocolate Kalhua Ganache
Adapted from Pierre Hermé

Soon

Lemon Curd
From Pierre Hermé

3 eggs
3/4 cup sugar
Zest from 3 lemons
1/2 cup lemon juice (from about 4 lemons)
1 3/4 sticks butter

In a big bowl, combine with your fingers the sugar with the lemon zest, until the sugar is fragrant. Add the eggs and the lemon juice, and whisk until homogeneous.
Place the bowl over a bain marie (a pan of boiling water). Continue to whisk until the mixture thickens and has the consistency of a cream (about 10 minutes). Be careful that it doesn’t boil.
As soon as the cream is ready, change it to a cold bowl, to stop the cooking. Wait for the cream to slightly cool down before adding the butter cut in small pieces.
Whisk with the mixer during 10 minutes to obtain a light consistency.
Keep in refrigerator for up to 3 days.


Peanut Butter Frosting

1.5 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
1/8 stick unsalted butter, at room temperature
3/8 cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted
3 Tbsp smooth peanut butter, preferably a commercial brand (because oil doesn’t separate out)

In a bowl with an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese and butter until light and fluffy. Gradually add the confectioners’ sugar. Continue to beat on medium speed until light and fluffy, 3 to 4 minutes.
Add the peanut butter and beat until thoroughly blended.
Keep in refrigerator for up to 3 days.


Biscuit au cacao
Du site Smittenkitchen.com et du livre Sky High: Irresistible Triple-Layer Cakes

420g de farine
600g de sucre
125g de cacao
1 cuillère à soupe (15g) de levure
1 cuillère à café (2g) de cannelle
1 cuillère à café (2g) de sel
300g de beurre ramolli
37,5 cl de lait fermenté**
3 œufs
37,5cl de café à température ambiante

** Si vous n'avez pas de lait fermenté, pour 25cl de lait il faut ajouter 1 cuillère de jus de citron et laisser reposer 10 minutes.

Préchauffez le four à 175°.
Beurrez et farinez 2 moules ronds de 26 cm de diamètre et 2 moules de 9 cm de diamètres.

Dans le bol de votre mixeur, combinez la farine, le sucre, le cacao, la levure, la cannelle et le sel. Mélangez doucement 30 secondes. Ajoutez le beurre en morceaux et le lait fermenté et mélangez pour les incorporer à la farine, environ 2 à 3 minutes.

Dans un saladier, mélangez les œufs et le café, et ajoutez-les au mélange précédent en trois fois, en mélangeant bien à chaque fois. Utilisez une spatule pour racler les bords et le fond du bol et bien tout incorporer.

Versez l'appareil dans les moules et faites cuire environ 40 minutes pour les gros gateaux, 20 minutes pour les petits (en plantant la pointe d’un couteau au centre du gâteau, celle-ci doit ressortir sèche).
Attendez 20 minutes avant de démouler et laisser refroidir totalement les biscuits sur une grille.


Biscuit aux framboises
Adapté à partir du site Smittenkitchen.com et du livre Sky High: Irresistible Triple-Layer Cakes

Note : Ce biscuit est très sucré, ce qui était compensé par l'acidité de la crème au citron. En revanche, si vous pensez le garnir avec une autre crème, n'hésitez pas à réduire la quantité de sucre (je dirais 200g).

260g de farine
250g de sucre
1 sachet de levure
1 pincée de sel
125g de beurre ramolli
20cl de lait fermenté (cf note dans le biscuit au chocolat)
3 œufs
1 cuillère à café d'extrait de vanille
50g de framboises réduites en purée au hachoir

Préchauffez le four à 175°.
Beurrez et farinez 2 moules ronds de 18 cm de diamètre.

Dans le bol de votre mixeur, combinez la farine, le sucre, la levure et le sel. Mélangez doucement 30 secondes. Ajoutez le beurre en morceaux et le lait fermenté et mélangez pour les incorporer à la farine, environ 2 à 3 minutes.
Ajoutez ensuite les œufs un à un, en mélangeant bien après chaque addition. Utilisez une spatule pour racler les bords et le fond du bol et bien tout incorporer. Finissez avec la purée de framboises et la vanille.

Versez l'appareil dans les deux moules et faites cuire environ 30 minutes (en plantant la pointe d’un couteau au centre du gâteau, celle-ci doit ressortir sèche).
Attendez 20 minutes avant de démouler et laisser refroidir totalement les deux biscuits sur une grille.


Ganache Chocolat Kalhua

Bientôt...


Crème au citron
Adapté de Mes Desserts préférés, Pierre Hermé

3 œufs
150g de sucre
les zestes de 3 citrons
120g de jus de citron (environ 4 citrons)
175g de beurre

Dans un grand bol, frottez avec vos doigts le sucre avec les zestes de citron, jusqu'à ce qu'il soit humide. Battez ensemble les œufs, le jus de citron, le sucre et les zestes.
Posez ce bol dans un bain marie (une casserole d'eau bouillante). Continuez de remuer jusqu'à ce que le mélange épaississe et prenne la consistance d'une crème (environ 10 minutes). Attention, elle ne doit pas bouillir.
Dès que la crème est assez épaisse, versez-la dans un bol froid, pour stopper la cuisson. Attendez que cette crème refroidisse un peu (si vous avez un thermomètre, elle doit atteindre 60°) avant d'ajoutez le beurre coupé en petits morceaux.
Fouettez avec le batteur électrique pendant 10 minutes pour obtenir une consistance homogène. Ne sous-estimez pas cette étape, c'est elle qui donnera la légèreté à la crème.
Vous pouvez conserver cette crème au réfrigérateur jusqu'à 3 jours.

Crème au beurre de cacahouète

45g de fromage à tartiner (type St Moret)
15g de beurre ramolli
50g de sucre glace
3 cuillères à soupe de beurre de cacahouète

Dans un saladier, à l'aide d'un batteur électrique, fouettez le fromage frais et le beurre jusqu'à ce que le mélange soit crémeux. Ajoutez doucement le sucre glace, en remuant d'abord avec une cuillère (pour ne pas mettre du sucre dans toute la cuisine). Ajoutez finalement le beurre de cacahouète, et battez cette crème au moins 3 minutes.
Vous pouvez conserver cette crème au réfrigérateur jusqu'à 3 jours.