Lemon Raspberry Cake For Two Recipes

Steps:

• For the cake: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter two 9-inch cake pans, then line the bottoms with parchment paper and butter the paper.
• Combine the butter, granulated sugar, oil, lemon zest and vanilla together in a large bowl. Beat with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Beat the eggs in, one at a time. Beat in the lemon juice.
• Whisk the flour, baking powder and salt together in a bowl.
• Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture in 3 batches, alternating with the milk and beginning and ending with the flour.
• Divide the batter evenly between the two prepared cake pans. Bake in the center of the oven until a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean, 20 to 25 minutes. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then run a thin knife around the edges of the pans and invert onto racks to cool completely.
• For the frosting and filling: Beat the butter, cream cheese, lemon zest and juice and vanilla together in a large bowl with an electric mixer until very smooth. Add the confectioners' sugar and beat until incorporated and smooth. Separate 1 cup of the frosting to a bowl. Mix the jam into the cup of frosting.
• Spread the raspberry frosting on top of one cake layer. Arrange most of the raspberries on top (reserve 7 or 8 for the top of the cake). Carefully put the second cake layer on top. Take about 1 cup of the remaining plain frosting and use it to cover the entire cake in a thin, even layer (it is okay if it looks messy). Refrigerate the cake until the frosting is firm, about 20 minutes. Use the remaining frosting to evenly cover the cake. Mound the remaining raspberries in the center and serve.

Steps:

• For the cakes: Grease 18 mini Bundt pan cavities with the baking spray.
• Prepare the cake mix with the vegetable oil, eggs and 1 cup water according to the package instructions. Divide the batter among the cavities of the mini Bundt pans. Bake until cooked through, 20 to 22 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool for about 30 minutes, then flip them out of the pans.
• Make the icing: Whisk together the powdered sugar and milk in a bowl until very thick but still pourable. Fold in the raspberry preserves.
• Pour a tablespoon of icing over each of the cakes, letting it drip down the sides. Zest the lemons over the cakes.

Steps:

• Cake Preparation: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray each cake pan with non-stick cooking spray, line with parchment paper and spray again. Follow directions on cake mix boxes to create 3 cakes of each size, but substitute grape juice for water in cake recipes. Bake each cake as per directions on box or until toothpick inserted into center of cake comes out clean. Cool cakes in pans on cooling racks and cool completely. After removing cakes from pans and parchment paper, cut each cake in half horizontally and level off tops of each section by slicing thin layer off top.
• Filling and Frosting Preparations: In a large bowl, combine frosting with a few drops of Champagne extract, stirring well. For each size cake, place bottom layer atop cardboard round of matching diameter. Pipe a ring of lemon frosting around top edges of bottom layer. Fill in center with raspberry jam. Stack next layer of cake atop this and repeat ring of frosting. Fill in center with lemon curd. Stack top layer of cake atop this with smooth edges facing upward. Spread icing over entirety of cake. Repeat this process to create a 14-inch cake, a 10-inch cake, and a 6-inch cake, which will make up finished wedding cake. Stack layered cakes atop one another from largest to smallest.
• To Assemble: Without removing the cardboard rounds from underneath the cakes, place the 14 inch cake onto serving platter. Cut dowel rods into 5 sections the height of the 14 inch cake, and 5 sections the height of the 10 inch cake. Carefully insert 4 dowel rods around the middle perimeter of the 14-inch cake and 1 in the middle. Stack the 10-inch cake atop the 14-inch cake. Repeat dowel insertion process for the10-inch cake. Stack the 6-inch cake atop the 10-inch cake. Cover up cardboard by piping icing around perimeter base of each cake. Dust mini green grapes liberally with powdered sugar and adorn cakes with them. Further adorn cake with white ribbon. Find mate, wed, serve.
• *Champagne extract is available at most specialty baking and cake decorating stores. .

Steps:

• For lemon curd, in a heavy saucepan, beat eggs and sugar. Stir in the lemon juice, butter and lemon zest. Cook and stir over medium-low heat for 15 minutes or until mixture is thickened and reaches 160°. Cool for 10 minutes. Cover and chill for 1-1/2 hours or until thickened., For cake, preheat oven to 350°. In a small bowl, dissolve gelatin in boiling water; set aside to cool., In a large bowl, cream beat butter, oil and 1-1/2 cups sugar until blended, about 5 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in gelatin mixture, lemon juice, lemon zest and extracts. Combine flour, baking powder and salt; add to the butter mixture alternately with milk, beating well after each addition., Pour into three greased and floured 9-in. round baking pans. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 20-25 minutes., In a microwave-safe bowl, combine lemonade concentrate and remaining sugar. Microwave, uncovered, on high for 2 minutes or until sugar is dissolved, stirring occasionally. Poke holes in warm cakes with a fork; pour lemonade mixture over cakes. Cool 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks to cool completely., For frosting, in a large bowl, beat cream cheese and butter until fluffy. Add confectioners' sugar, lemon juice, lemon zest and vanilla; beat until blended., To assemble, place one cake layer on a serving plate; spread with 6 tablespoons raspberry jam. Repeat. Top with remaining cake layer. Spread about 1/2 cup lemon curd over top of cake (save remaining curd for another use)., Spread frosting over sides of cake and pipe a shell border along the top and bottom edges. Garnish with raspberries if desired. Chill 1 hour.