Spiced Layer Cake With Orange Cream Cheese Frosting Recipes

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter three 9-inch-diameter cake pans. Line bottom of pans with waxed paper. Butter and flour pans; tap out excess flour. Sift first 8 ingredients into medium bowl. Using electric mixer, beat sugar, butter and orange peel in large bowl until fluffy. Beat in eggs 1 at a time. Stir flour mixture into butter mixture alternately with sour cream and milk. Divide batter among prepared pans.
• Bake cakes until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 25 minutes. Transfer pans to racks and cool 10 minutes. Turn cakes out onto racks and cool completely. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Store airtight at room temperature.)
• Place 1 cake layer on platter. Spread 2/3 cup frosting over. Top with second cake layer. Spread 2/3 cup frosting over. Top with third cake layer. Cover top and sides of cake with remaining frosting. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover with cake dome and store at room temperature.)

Steps:

• Beat cream cheese, butter or margarine, orange peel, and orange juice until creamy. Beat in confectioner's sugar until blended and smooth.
• Spread about 1 1/2 teaspoons on each cooled cookie. Sprinkle with walnuts.
• Let icing set 1 to 2 hours. Refrigerate in an airtight container with waxed paper between layers up to 1 week.

Steps:

• Blend the cream cheese, butter, orange juice, orange zest, and vanilla in a large bowl, using an electric mixer set at medium speed, until smooth.
• Add the sugar and continue to beat until light and creamy -- about 3 more minutes.
• Add the food coloring and gently stir until the color is uniform.
• Chill the frosting until ready to ice the cupcakes or cake.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°.
• Grease 3 (9-inch) round cake pans with shortening; line pans with wax paper, and grease paper.
• Dust with flour and shake out excess.
• Drain and press pineapple between paper towels to remove excess moisture; set pineapple aside.
• Beat butter and sugars at medium speed with an electric mixer until fluffy; add eggs, 1 at a time, beating just until yellow disappears.
• Combine flour and next 4 ingredients; add to butter mixture alternately with buttermilk, beginning and ending with flour mixture.
• Beat at low speed until blended after each addition, stopping to scrape bowl as needed.
• Stir in reserved pineapple, sweet potatoes, and next 3 ingredients until blended.
• Pour batter into prepared pans.
• Bake for 25-30 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean.
• Cool in pans on wire racks 10 minutes; remove from pans to wire racks, and cool completely (about 1 hour).
• Make frosting-.
• Peel orange sections, removing any bitter white pith.
• Process cream cheese and butter in a food processor just until smooth.
• Add 3 orange sections; process 20 seconds or until mixture is smooth (reserve remaining orange section for another use).
• Transfer cream cheese mixture to a mixing bowl; gradually add powdered sugar, beating at low speed until blended; stir in vanilla.
• Spread frosting between layers and on top and sides of cake; garnish with candied pecans and orange zest, if desired.

Steps:

• For cake:
• Position rack in bottom third of oven; preheat to 350°F. Spray two 9-inch cake pans with 1 1/2-inch sides with nonstick spray. Line bottoms with parchment; spray parchment.
• Whisk flour and next 4 ingredients in large bowl. Using electric mixer, beat butter in another large bowl until smooth. Beat in brown sugar. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating to blend between additions. Beat in pumpkin. Add dry ingredients to butter mixture in 3 additions alternately with milk in 2 additions, beating to blend between additions. Divide batter between pans.
• Bake cakes until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 40 minutes. Cool in pans on rack 15 minutes. Run knife around cakes to loosen. Invert cakes onto racks. Remove parchment. Using tart pan bottom as aid, turn cakes over onto racks, top sides up, and cool completely. DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Wrap cakes in plastic and store at room temperature.
• For frosting:
• Using electric mixer, beat butter in large bowl until smooth. Add cream cheese and orange peel; beat until smooth. Add powdered sugar and beat on low speed until smooth.
• Trim rounded tops from cakes. Using long serrated knife, cut each cake horizontally in half. Place 1 cake layer, cut side up, on large platter. Spoon 2/3 cup frosting atop cake in dollops; spread to edges. Repeat 2 more times with cake and frosting; top with remaining cake layer, cut side down. Spread remaining frosting over top and sides of cake (layer will be thin). DO AHEAD: Can be made 2 days ahead. Cover with cake dome; chill. Let stand at room temperature 1 hour before serving.
• Decorate cake with walnuts and serve.
• A spice blend that usually contains ground fennel seeds, Szechuan peppercorns, cinnamon, star anise, and cloves; available in the spice section of most supermarkets.