Italian Rum Cake Recipe 435

Steps:

• CAKE: Preheat the oven to 375°F. Butter two 8 or 9-inch round cake pans. Line the bottom of the pans with circles of waxed paper or parchment. Using an electric mixer with a large bowl, begin to beat the eggs at low speed. Gradually add the sugar and then add the vanilla. Increase the speed to high. Beat the eggs until very thick and pale yellow, about 7 minutes. Place the flour in a mesh strainer. Shake about 1/3 of the flour over the egg mixture. Gently fold in the flour with a rubber spatula. Repeat, adding the flour in 2 more additions. Fold the mixture until all the flour is incorporated. Divide the batter between the 2 prepared cake pans; smooth the tops. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes. The cake should spring back when pressed with a finger and the top is lightly browned. Place the cake pans on wire rack to cool for 10 minutes. Invert the cakes onto the racks and remove the pans. Carefully peel off the paper. Let cool completely before adding rum, filling, and icing. PREPARE THE CREAM FILLING: Combine sugar and cornstarch in a saucepan. In a bowl, whisk together milk and egg yolks Whisk milk mixture into sugar mixture. Place the saucepan over medium heat. Bring the mixture to a boil, whisking constantly. Boil for 1 minute; remove from heat. Stir in vanilla. Transfer 2/3 of the pastry cream to a bowl. Add the chopped chocolate to the cream remaining in the saucepan. Stir the mixture until the chocolate is melted and the mixture is smooth. Transfer the chocolate pastry cream to another bowl. Place a piece of plastic wrap directly on the surface of the pastry creams. Allow to cool for 30 minutes and then refrigerate until cold. ASSEMBLE THE CAKE: Cut both cake layers in half horizontally. Place one of the layers on a serving dish, cut side up. Brush some of the rum over the cake (you want to moisten it without soaking it.) Spread half of the vanilla pastry cream evenly over the cake. Top with a second layer of cake, cut side up. Brush some of the rum over the cake. Spread all of the chocolate pastry cream over the cake. Top with the third layer of cake, cut side up. Brush some of the rum over the cake. Spread the remaining vanilla pastry cream evenly over the cake. Top with the final layer of cake, cut side down. Refrigerate the cake while you prepare the icing. To make the icing and garnish the cake: Beat the heavy cream, sugar, and vanilla together until stiff peaks form. Frost sides and top of cake, reserving some of the cream to pipe stars. Put the reserved whipped cream in a pastry bag; set aside. With the palm of your hand, press the almonds onto the side of the cake. Using the pastry bag, pipe stars around the bottom and top edge of the cake. MAKE THE CHOCOLATE GANACHE: Put the chopped chocolate and cream in a small microwave-safe bowl. Heat on high for 25-30 seconds. Stir until smooth. Heat for additional time if the chocolate is not completely melted and smooth. Allow to cool to room temperature. Apply the chocolate ganache in a decorative design to the top of the cake. You may also use the ganache to write a Happy Birthday or other message on the top. Refrigerate the cake until serving. OPTIONAL BUTTERCREAM ICING: If you'd rather have a buttercream frosting instead of a whipped cream frosting, this is the recipe I'd recommend. It gives the finished cake a different flavor. With an electric mixer, beat together the shortening and butter until light and fluffy. Add the confectioners' sugar and beat until well incorporated. Add the salt, vanilla, and cream. Blend on low until the mixture is smooth. Increase the speed to high, and beat until the icing is fluffy, 3 to 4 minutes.

Steps:

• 1. **Sponge Cake Directions:** Preheat Oven @ 375 Butter and Flour (2) 8-9" cake pans, set aside. 1. Beat egg yolks and sugar in bowl till Lemon colored. 2. Add Flour Sifted, little at a time, Blend well. 3. Add Vanilla 4. Beat Egg Whites till stiff but not dry, Fold into batter. 5. Pour batter into Prepared Pans. 6. Bake 40 min. or til toothpick inserted comes out clean. 7. remove from oven, invert cake out of the pans, onto rack to cool completely. 8. Note: Cake Can be Tightly wrapped and refrigerated over night or frozen up to 3 weeks.
• 2. **RUM SYRUP DIRECTIONS:** Method #1. Mix together ingredients in small pot, Bring to boil, stirring til sugar dissolves. Remove from heat. Cool before using. When Cool, Brush genouously over cake. METHOD #2. If you prefer, Brush cake with 1/3 Cup Rum diluted with 1/4 Cup water.
• 3. **ITALIAN PASTRY CREAM:** 1. Mix Sugar, egg, flour & Vanilla in a saucepan. 2. in seperate Pan, Scald Milk. 3. "Very Slowly pour milk over egg yolks" in a thin stream as to not Cook the eggs. Beating constantly with mixer. 4. Cooking over low heat, stir with wooden spoon, until mixture reaches boiling point. Cook for 4 min longer, must stir constantly. 5. Remove pan from heat, add butter, and stirr well. Pour into Bowl Cover and Chill . Stir occasionally to prevent film from forming on top of custard cream. 6. chill 3-4 hrs til very thick for use as filling.
• 4. ** WHIPPED CREAM** Stabilized 1. in a large Chilled Bowl. Put bowl in freezer to chill. chill beaters also. 2.Beat cold Cream until it just starts to thicken. 3. add Corn syrup, & vanilla down the Sides of the cold Bowl. 4. Beat to stiff peaks form.
• 5. ** ASSEMBLY OF CAKE** 1. Slice Cake in 1/2 to form two layers. 2. Slice the two layers in 1/2 again making 4 thin layers. 3. Place bottom layer on plate cut side up brush with rum syrup becarful not to get cake too wet, or the layers will be soggy.. allow to soak in for about 5 min. 4. Brush rum on the remaining layers on cut side up evenly with the rum. do not saturate the layers. You only want to flavor the cakes by brushing the rum on the cakes. (Do Not Saturate the layers) 5.Top bottom layer with the vanilla pastry cream, filling. 6. then another layer of rum brushed sponge cake. 7. Next a layer of the Whipped Cream 8. top with another layer of the Sponge layer cake 9. another layer of the pastry cream 10. last layer of the sponge cake 11. top entire cake & sides with whip Cream. reserving Enough whipped cream for making Roseettes on top of the cake. 12 final step cover entire sides of the cake with the Sliced almonds.
• 6. This cake is TOTALLY WORTH every bit of the Effort. TIP: I take one layer and cut the Cake in 1/2. following steps, 1,2,3 and I make (2) cakes out of the recipe. How about that. . . 2 cakes in one. It is just too much cake & 2 many layers for one Cake.

Steps:

• Italian Sponge Cake (Pan di Spagna):.
• Place egg yolks and sugar in a mixing bowl and beat until very thick and lemon colored (mixture should be at least doubled in volume, and thick like frosting - it can take up to 15 minutes (or longer with a hand mixer) of beating to reach the proper volume/texture) .
• Add flour, a little at a time, gently folding it in until well blended.
• Gently fold in vanilla and lemon rind (if using it).
• Beat egg whites until stiff but not dry and fold into cake mixture.
• Butter and flour an 18-inch square (or a 9 x 13 x 3, or a 11 x 17 x 2-inch half-sheet) cake pan, (make sure pan size will fit your oven; you could also use three 8 or 9-inch layer pans).
• Pour cake batter into prepared pan(s) and bake at 375°F for 15 to 35 minutes (depending on your oven and the volume of your pans.), or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
• Remove cake from oven and turn out (of pan) onto a cake rack to cool completely.
• Cake can be tightly wrapped and refrigerated overnight, or frozen (up to 3 weeks) for future use.
• Italian Pastry Cream (Pasticciera Cream): Place sugar, egg yolks, flour, lemon rind (if using it), and vanilla in a sauce pan and mix together well.
• In a separate sauce pan, scald milk.
• Very slowly pour milk over egg yolk mixture, in a thin stream, beating constantly with rotary beater.
• Continue cooking on low heat, stirring with a wooden spoon, until mixture reaches the boiling point.
• Cook 4 minutes longer, stirring constantly.
• Remove pan from heat, add butter and mix well.
• Pour into bowl and let cool, stir occasionally to prevent skin from forming over the top.
• If using as a filling, chill (with plastic wrap pressed onto the surface to prevent a skin from forming) until very thick (about 3-4 hours).
• Chocolate Pasticciera Cream: Place sugar, egg yolks flour, and vanilla in a sauce pan and mix together well.
• In a separate sauce pan, scald milk.
• Very slowly pour milk over egg yolk mixture, in a thin stream, beating constantly with rotary beater.
• Continue cooking on low heat, stirring with a wooden spoon, until mixture reaches the boiling point.
• Cook 4 minutes longer, stirring constantly.
• Add chocolate and while stirring, cook 1 minute longer.
• Remove pan from heat, add butter and mix well.
• Pour into bowl and let cool, stir occasionally to prevent skin from forming over the top.
• If using as a filling, chill (with plastic wrap pressed onto the surface to prevent a skin from forming) until very thick (about 3-4 hours).
• Rum Syrup*: Mix together the water, sugar, and rum in a small pot.
• Bring to a boil, and stir until the sugar is dissolved.
• Remove from the heat and cool before using.
• *NOTE:If you prefer not to use rum syrup, you may sprinkle/brush cake layers with 1/3 cup rum which has been diluted with 1/4 cup water.
• Stabilized Whipped Cream - Corn Syrup Method: In a large chilled bowl, with chilled beaters, beat cold cream until it just starts to thicken.
• Add corn syrup and vanilla from the side of the bowl, and beat until stiff peaks form.
• Stabilized Whipped Cream - Gelatin Method: Prepare gelatin- Soak plain gelatin in cold water for 5 minutes.
• Dissolve by placing it in a container over a small pot of simmering water, stir until dissolved.
• Set aside to cool before using.
• In a large well-chilled bowl, with well chilled beaters, beat cream with electric mixer.
• Just before it becomes soft and billowy, slowly add the sugar and vanilla to the whipped cream at the sides of the bowl, continue to whip as you do.
• Whip the cream until barely stiff.
• Add melted and cooled gelatin all at once to cream during whipping.
• Stop whipping when cream forms soft peaks.
• Finish beating with whisk to adjust consistency to stiff peaks.
• Use/serve immediately or cover and refrigerate until needed.
• If peaks have softened during refrigeration, rewhip by hand using a whisk.
• Rum Cake Assembly Instructions: Slice sponge cake in half to form two 9 x 18-inch layers Using a long, thin bladed knife, cut/split each layer in half lengthwise making four thin 9 x 18-inch layers.
• Place bottom sponge layer on platter cut side up, sprinkle/brush with about 1/4 of the rum, be careful not to get the cake too wet, or layers will become soggy.
• Allow sprinkled/brushed rum to soak into the cake for about 5 minutes.
• Sprinkle/brush remaining sponge layers (on the cut side) evenly with remaining rum.
• Spread a layer of vanilla pasticciera cream on the first sponge layer.
• Top the vanilla cream layer with another layer of rum sprinkled sponge cake.
• Spread a layer of stabilized whipped cream on the second sponge layer.
• Top the whipped cream layer with another layer of rum sprinkled sponge cake.
• Spread a layer of chocolate pasticciera cream on the third sponge layer.
• Top the chocolate layer with the last layer of sponge cake.
• Frost the top sponge cake layer (and sides of cake, optional) with remaining stabilized whipped cream.
• Cover and refrigerate 1 hour before serving.
• Refrigerate any leftovers.

Steps:

• For the pastry cream: Pour the milk into a medium saucepan set over low heat. Whisk in 1/2 cup sugar, the cornstarch, and pinch of salt, and bring the milk to a simmer, just to dissolve the sugar.
• Whisk eggs in a medium bowl. While whisking, slowly pour the hot milk into the eggs to temper them, then pour the mixture back into the saucepan. Return the saucepan to medium-low heat, and cook, stirring and whisking, until the mixture just simmers and thickens. Immediately remove from the heat and scrape into a bowl to cool. Mix in the chocolate and orange peel. Refrigerate until chilled and thickened, at least 1 hour.
• For the sugar syrup: Bring 3 cups water and 1 cup of the sugar to a boil in a saucepan. Boil until reduced by about a quarter. Remove from heat, stir in the rum, and let cool completely.
• When you are ready to assemble the zuppa, whip the cream and remaining 1/4 cup sugar to form soft peaks. Fold half of the whipped cream, along with the cinnamon, into the chilled pastry cream.
• Make a flat layer with half of the savoiardi in a 9-by-13-inch Pyrex or ceramic dish. Brush with half of the sugar syrup to moisten, then spread half of the pastry cream on top. Top with another layer of savoiardi, and brush on the remaining syrup. Spread the rest of the pastry cream over top in an even layer, then spread with the whipped cream. If you have any savoiardi left, crumble them over the top. Chill several hours, or overnight, to let the flavors blend before serving.

Steps:

• 1. Make frosting: Cook flour and milk slowly in saucepan, stirring constantly. When thickened, remove from heat and cool. Add shortening, butter and sugar. Beat thoroughly until fluffy. Add vanilla. Set aside.
• 2. Put cake together. First layer, sprinkle with some rum and then spread vanilla pudding on top. Spread strawberries on top of that.
• 3. Add second layer of cake. Sprinkle again with rum. Spread with chocolate pudding.
• 4. Add third layer of cake, sprinkle yet again with rum and frost with frosting and sprinkle almonds on the sides.