Orange Buttercream For Hexagonal Wedding Cake Recipes

Steps:

• In a small bowl, cream butter until light and fluffy. Beat in the confectioners' sugar, orange zest and vanilla. Add enough orange juice to achieve frosting consistency.

Steps:

• Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. You will need 2 x 20cm loose-bottomed sandwich tins, greased and bases lined with baking parchment. Measure all the cake ingredients into a large bowl (reserve a little orange zest for decoration) and beat with a wooden spoon or electric hand mixer until combined and smooth.
• Divide evenly between the 2 tins. Bake for 20-25 mins or until well risen, lightly golden and shrinking away from the sides of the tins. After 5 mins, remove from the tins and leave to cool on a wire rack.
• To make the icing, put the butter and icing sugar into a bowl and mix with an electric hand mixer until light and fluffy. Stir in the orange zest.
• Remove the paper from the cakes. Sit 1 cake upside down on a plate. Make the glaze by putting the caster sugar and orange juice into a saucepan, stirring over a low heat until the sugar has dissolved. Boil until reduced by half, then brush half on the upside-down cake, using a pastry brush. Spread half the butter icing over the glazed cake. Sit the other cake on top, brush with the remaining glaze, then spread with the remaining butter icing. Scatter with the reserved orange zest. The cake is best eaten on the day, but will keep for up to 3 days in a cool place. It freezes well un-iced or filled.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter two 8-inch round cake pans and line with parchment paper. Butter parchment and flour cake pans; set aside.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat together 1 cup of sugar and egg yolks until light and fluffy. Add orange zest, juice, and almond extract; mix until well combined. Turn mixer off. Remove the whisk and add the paddle attachment. With the mixer on medium, slowly add ground almonds, followed by flour; mix cake batter until well combined.
• In a large bowl, whisk egg whites until soft peaks form. Add salt and remaining 3 tablespoons sugar; beat until stiff but not dry. Set aside.
• Fold melted butter into cake batter, a little at a time. Gently fold in egg white mixture, taking care not to deflate whites. Divide batter evenly between prepared cake pans. Transfer to oven and bake until a cake tester inserted in the center of each cake comes out clean, about 35 minutes. Transfer cake layers to a wire rack to cool completely.
• Invert cakes to remove from pan and remove parchment paper; reinvert cakes. Using a serrated knife, trim tops of cakes to make level. Place four strips of parchment paper around perimeter of a serving plate or lazy Susan. Place the first layer on the cake plate. Spread frosting over the first layer with a small offset spatula so it extends just beyond edges.
• Place the remaining layer on top, bottom-side up. Gently sweep away any loose crumbs with a pastry brush. Using an offset spatula, cover the top and sides with a thin layer of frosting (also use any of the excess frosting visible between the layers). Refrigerate until set, about 30 minutes.
• Using an offset spatula, cover cake again with remaining frosting.

Steps:

• Blend all ingredients together in a bowl until smooth. To thin, add more juice, to thicken, add more sugar.
• Add a dash of orange zest or fresh grated peel, if desired.

Steps:

• Using a serrated knife, trim tops of 8-inch round cakes to make level. Place four strips of parchment paper around perimeter of a serving plate or lazy Susan. Place first layer on cake plate. Spread frosting over first layer with a small offset spatula so it extends just beyond edges.
• Place remaining layer on top, bottom side up. Gently sweep away any loose crumbs with a pastry brush. Using an offset spatula, cover top and sides with a thin layer of frosting (also use any of the excess frosting visible between the layers). Refrigerate until set, about 30 minutes.
• Using an offset spatula, cover cake again with remaining frosting. Repeat process with 6-inch round cakes. Serve.

Steps:

• Preparing The Cake:
• Make cake layers:
• Preheat oven to 350° F. and line 2 buttered 7- by 2-inch round cake pans and 2 buttered 9- by 2-inch round cake pans with rounds of wax paper. Butter paper and dust pans with flour, knocking out excess.
• Put cocoa powder in a bowl and whisk in boiling water in a stream until smooth. Stir in chopped chocolate and let stand 5 minutes. Stir mixture until smooth and chocolate is melted and cool mixture. Whisk in sour cream and vanilla.
• Into a bowl sift together flour, baking soda, and salt. In large bowl of a standing electric mixer beat together butter and sugars until light and fluffy and add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition and scraping down side of bowl. Reduce speed to low and add flour mixture and cocoa mixture alternately in batches, beginning and ending with flour mixture and beating until batter is combined well.
• Pour 2 cups batter into each 7-inch pan and smooth tops. Divide remaining batter between 9-inch pans (about 33/4 cups each) and smooth tops. In middle and lower thirds of oven arrange one 9-inch layer and one 7-inch layer on each rack, putting 7-inch layers in front part of oven. Bake 7-inch layers 25 to 30 minutes and 9-inch layers 35 to 40 minutes, or until a tester comes out with crumbs adhering. Run a thin knife around edges of pans and invert cakes onto racks. Peel off paper and cool cakes completely. Cake layers may be made 2 days ahead and kept at cool room temperature, wrapped well in plastic wrap, or 2 weeks ahead and frozen, wrapped well in plastic wrap and foil. Defrost cake layers (without unwrapping) at room temperature.
• Make ganache:
• In a small saucepan bring cream just to a boil. Remove pan from heat and add chocolate, butter, zest, and liqueur. Let ganache stand 3 minutes and whisk until chocolate is melted. Chill ganache just until cool, about 40 minutes.
• In a bowl with an electric mixer beat ganache just until light and fluffy before using (do not overbeat or it will become grainy).
• Assemble cake:
• Put one 9-inch layer on 8-inch cardboard round and spread evenly with 2 cups ganache. Top with remaining 9-inch layer and gently press layers together to form an even tier. Put one 7-inch layer on 6-inch cardboard round and top with remaining ganache and remaining 7-inch layer in same manner.
• Frost top and sides of 9-inch tier with some buttercream and chill while frosting 7-inch tier. Chill both tiers until buttercream is firm.
• Cut straws in half and insert 1 straw piece all the way into center of 9-inch tier. Trim straw flush with top of tier and insert remaining 5 straw pieces in same manner in a circle about 1 1/2 inches from center straw. Center 7-inch tier (still on cardboard) on top of 9-inch tier. Fill in any gaps between tiers with buttercream and transfer cake to a cake stand or platter. Chill cake at least 6 hours and up to 1 day.
• Arrange fraises des bois and roses decoratively on top and around sides of cake. Let cake stand at cool room temperature (buttercream is sensitive to warm temperatures) 2 to 4 hours before serving. Serves about 30 (including top tier).
• Preparing The Orange Buttercream:
• Make orange curd:
• In a small heavy saucepan whisk together yolks and sugar and whisk in orange juice, butter, and a pinch salt. Cook mixture over moderately low heat, whisking, until it just reaches boiling point, 5 to 7 minutes (do not let boil), and strain through a fine sieve into a bowl. Whisk in lemon juice and cool curd, its surface covered with plastic wrap. Chill orange curd, covered, until cold, at least 4 hours, and up to 2 days.
• Make buttercream:
• In a heavy saucepan bring sugar and water to a boil, stirring until sugar is dissolved. Boil syrup, undisturbed, until it registers 248° F. on a candy thermometer. While syrup is boiling, in large bowl of a standing electric mixer beat whites with a pinch salt until foamy and beat in cream of tartar. Beat whites until they just hold stiff peaks and beat in hot syrup in a stream (try to avoid beaters and side of bowl). Beat mixture at medium speed until completely cool, 15 to 20 minutes. Beat in butter, 1 piece at a time, and beat until thickened and smooth. (Buttercream will at first appear very thin and at some point look like it is breaking but, as more butter is beaten in, it will thicken and become glossy and smooth.) Beat in orange curd, salt, and zest until smooth. Buttercream may be made 4 days ahead and chilled in an airtight container or 2 weeks ahead and frozen in an airtight container. Bring buttercream completely to room temperature (this may take several hours if frozen) and beat before using. (If buttercream is too cold when beaten it will not be glossy and smooth.) Makes about 8 cups.

Steps:

• Bake the Buttermilk Cakes:
• Place a rack in middle of oven; preheat to 350°F. Lightly coat 10" cake pans with nonstick spray and line bottoms with parchment paper. Whisk 2 cups flour, 1 tsp. baking powder, 1/2 tsp. baking soda, and 1/4 tsp. salt in a medium bowl; set aside.
• Using an electric mixer on medium-high speed, beat 3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) butter and 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar in a large bowl, scraping down sides of bowl as needed, until light and creamy, about 5 minutes. Add 4 egg yolks in 2 additions, scraping down bowl after each. Beat in 1 tsp. vanilla.
• Reduce mixer speed to low, then add dry ingredients in 2 additions alternately with 1 cup buttermilk in 2 additions, scraping down sides of bowl as needed.
• Using electric mixer on medium speed, beat 4 egg whites in another large bowl until soft peaks form, 2-3 minutes. Slowly add 1/4 cup granulated sugar and continue to beat until stiff, glossy peaks form, about 3 minutes more. Fold half of the egg whites into flour mixture, then gently fold in remaining egg whites.
• Scrape batter into prepared pan; smooth top. Bake cake, rotating pan halfway through and covering with foil during the last 15 minutes of baking, until golden brown, firm to the touch, and a tester inserted into the center comes out clean, 45-50 minutes. Transfer pan to a wire rack and let cake cool.
• Meanwhile, repeat steps to make a second 10" cake.
• Lightly coat 6" cake pans with nonstick spray and line bottoms with parchment paper. Repeat steps using remaining 2 cups flour, 1 tsp. baking powder, 1/2 tsp. baking soda, 1/4 tsp. salt, 3/4 cup butter, 1 3/4 cups granulated sugar, 4 eggs, 1 tsp. vanilla, and 1 cup buttermilk. Pour 1 1/2 cups batter into each pan; smooth tops. Discard remaining cake batter.
• Bake cakes, rotating pans halfway through and covering with foil during the last 15 minutes of baking, until golden brown, firm to the touch, and a tester inserted into the center comes out clean, 45-50 minutes. Transfer pans to a wire rack and let cakes cool.
• Make the Vanilla Syrup:
• Combine granulated sugar and 1/2 cup water in a medium saucepan. Scrape in vanilla seeds, add pods, and stir to combine. Bring to a boil, cover, and steep at least 15 minutes. Set aside to cool. Discard pods before using.
• Make the Orange Cream-Cheese Frosting:
• Using electric mixer on medium-high speed, beat 4 packages cream cheese and 1 1/4 cups (2 1/2 sticks) butter in a large bowl until smooth, about 1 minute. Beat in 2 tsp. orange zest, 2 Tbsp. orange juice, and 2 tsp. vanilla. Reduce mixer speed to medium and beat in 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar, scraping down sides of bowl as needed, until light and fluffy, 2-3 minutes. Transfer frosting to a large bowl.
• Repeat frosting steps with remaining 4 packages cream cheese, 1 1/4 cups (2 1/2 sticks) butter, 2 tsp. orange zest, 2 Tbsp. orange juice, and 2 tsp. vanilla. Transfer to bowl with frosting; cover with plastic wrap, pressing directly on surface, and chill until ready to use.
• Assemble the Cake:
• Run a knife around edges of cooled cakes and invert onto wire racks; remove parchment.
• Spread 1 Tbsp. frosting in the center of a 10" cake board or platter. Place 1 (10") cake, top side down, in the center. Using a pastry brush, brush 3 Tbsp. vanilla syrup over top of cake. Using an offset spatula, spread 1 cup frosting evenly over top. Arrange 6 oz. raspberries in a ring around perimeter of cake, pressing to adhere. Fill interior of ring with 6 oz. raspberries. Spread 1 cup frosting over raspberries inside of ring; do not frost raspberries at the perimeter.
• Carefully place second 10" cake, top side down, on frosted raspberries, gently pressing down to secure. Brush 3 Tbsp. syrup over top of cake with pastry brush. Spread 2 1/2 cups frosting evenly over top and sides, carefully covering raspberries. Chill at least 30 minutes to let frosting set.
• Meanwhile, spread 1 Tbsp. frosting in the center of a 6" cake board or removable tart pan bottom. Place 1 (6") cake, top side down, in the center. Brush 2 Tbsp. vanilla syrup over top of cake with pastry brush. Spread 3/4 cup frosting with offset spatula evenly over top. Arrange 3 oz. raspberries in a ring around perimeter of cake, pressing to adhere. Fill interior of ring with 3 oz. raspberries. Spread 3/4 cup frosting over all raspberries with offset spatula to cover.
• Carefully place second 6" cake, top side down, on frosted raspberries, gently pressing down to secure. Brush 2 Tbsp. syrup over top of cake with pastry brush; reserve remaining syrup for another use. Spread 1 1/2 cups frosting evenly over top and sides of cakie, carefully covering raspberries. Chill at least 30 minutes to let frosting set.
• Cakes can now be transported for finishing. To assemble, carefully place 6" layer cake (on the board) in the center of the 10" cake. Spread 2 cups frosting over top and sides, swirling decoratively, making sure to cover seam between 10" cake and bottom cake board; reserve remaining frosting for another use.
• Chill at least 30 minutes or up to overnight to let frosting set. Before serving, top cake with remaining 6 oz. raspberries and edible flowers, if using.
• Do Ahead
• Cake is easier to work with when chilled overnight. Cake can be made 3 days ahead; wrap tightly in plastic and chilled, or frozen up to 2 weeks. Syrup can be made 5 days ahead; store in an airtight container and chill. Frosting can be made 3 days ahead; cover with plastic wrap, pressing directly on surface, and chill. Bring to room temperature before using.