Swiss Meringue Buttercream For Meyer Lemon Anniversary Cake Recipes

Steps:

• Combine egg whites, sugar, and salt in the heatproof bowl of a standing mixer set over a pan of simmering water. Whisk constantly by hand until mixture is warm to the touch and sugar has dissolved (the mixture should feel completely smooth when rubbed between your fingertips).
• Attach the bowl to the mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Starting on low and gradually increasing to medium-high speed, whisk until stiff (but not dry) peaks form. Continue mixing until the mixture is fluffy and glossy, and completely cool (test by touching the bottom of the bowl), about 10 minutes.
• With mixer on medium-low speed, add the butter a few tablespoons at a time, mixing well after each addition. Once all butter has been added, whisk in vanilla. Switch to the paddle attachment, and continue beating on low speed until all air bubbles are eliminated, about 2 minutes. Scrape down sides of bowl with a flexible spatula, and continue beating until the frosting is completely smooth. Keep buttercream at room temperature if using the same day. If not, transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate up to 3 days or freeze up to 1 month. Before using, bring to room temperature and beat with paddle attachment on low speed until smooth again, about 5 minutes.
• To tint buttercream, reserve some for toning down the color, if necessary. Add gel-paste food color, a drop at a time (or use the toothpick or skewer to add food color a dab at a time) to the remaining buttercream. You can use a single shade of food color or experiment by mixing two or more. Blend after each addition with the mixer (use a paddle attachment) or a flexible spatula, until desired shade is achieved. Avoid adding too much food color too soon, as the hue will intensify with continued stirring; if necessary, you can tone down the shade by mixing in some reserved untinted buttercream.

Steps:

• Make the filling and crumb coat: Cook egg whites and sugar in a small saucepan over medium heat, whisking constantly until sugar is completely dissolved. Transfer to the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment; mix on high speed until mixture is room temperature. With the mixer on medium-low, add butter, one piece at a time, mixing well after each addition.
• Remove whisk attachment and switch to paddle attachment. Increase speed to high and beat until buttercream comes together, about 5 minutes; beat in lemon extract.
• Make the frosting: In a clean saucepan and bowl of an electric mixer, repeat process in step 1.

Steps:

• Whisk egg whites, sugar, and salt in the heatproof bowl of an electric mixer set over a pan of simmering water until sugar has dissolved and mixture registers 160 degrees, about 4 minutes. Attach bowl to mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Beat on high speed until cool and stiff (but not dry) peaks form, about 6 minutes.
• Fit mixer with the paddle attachment. With mixer on medium-low speed, add butter, several pieces at a time, mixing well after each addition (meringue will deflate slightly as butter is added). Mix until frosting comes together but is still smooth and glossy, 3 to 5 minutes. Tint with food coloring; stir until smooth.

Steps:

• Make lemon curd:
• In a small heavy saucepan whisk together yolks and sugar and whisk in lemon juice, butter, and a pinch of salt. Cook mixture over moderately low heat, whisking, until it reaches boiling point, 5 to 7 minutes (do not let it boil). Strain curd through a fine sieve into a bowl and cool, its surface covered with a plastic wrap. Chill curd, covered at least 4 hours or overnight.
• Make buttercream:
• In a heavy saucepan combine sugar and water and bring to a boil, stirring until sugar is dissolved. Boil syrup, undisturbed, until it reaches 248°F on candy thermometer. While syrup is boiling, in a standing electric mixer beat whites with a pinch salt until foamy and beat in cream of tarter. Beat whites until they just hold stiff peaks and add hot syrup in a stream, beating. Beat mixture at medium speed until completely cool, 15 to 20 minutes. Beat in butter, 1 piece at a time, and beat until it is thick and smooth. (Buttercream will at first appear very thin but as more butter is beaten in, it will thicken.) Beat in lemon curd and salt, beating until smooth, and drizzle in framboise, 1 tablespoon at a time, beating. Buttercream may be made 4 days ahead and chilled in an airtight container or 2 weeks ahead and frozen in anairtight container. Let buttercream come completely to room temperature (this may take several hours if frozen) and beat before using.

Steps:

• Fill medium saucepan one quarter full with water. Set the saucepan over medium heat, and bring water to a simmer.
• Combine egg whites, sugar, and cream of tartar in the heatproof bowl of electric mixer, and place over saucepan. Whisk constantly until sugar is dissolved and whites are warm to the touch, 3 to 3 1/2 minutes. Test by rubbing between your fingers.
• Transfer bowl to electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, and whip, starting on low speed, gradually increasing to high until stiff, glossy peaks form, about 10 minutes. Add vanilla, and mix until combined. Use meringue immediately.

Steps:

• Place egg whites, sugar, and vanilla in a heatproof bowl of an electric mixer. Combine, using a wire whisk; continue whisking with the bowl set over a pot containing about 2 inches of simmering water.
• Whisk constantly until mixture feels hot to the touch. Transfer to mixer and whip, using the whisk attachment, on high speed until whites are glossy and stand in stiff peaks when the whisk is lifted.

Steps:

• Leave meringue in a mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Add butter, 2 tablespoons at a time, on low speed, mixing after each addition. Beat until smooth, about 3 minutes.

Steps:

• Trim tops of cakes level. Cut each cake in half horizontally to create 2 layers.
• Frost layers and assemble tiers: Set one 10-inch cake layer on corresponding-size square foam board. Brush top of cake with a generous amount of lemon syrup, soaking layer. Pipe a buttercream border around top edge using a plain round tip (such as Ateco #11). Spread a 1/4-inch-thick layer of lemon curd over soaked cake. Repeat for second and third cake layers. For final cake layer, brush top with syrup. Spread a thin layer of buttercream over top and sides of tier. Refrigerate until buttercream is set, about 30 minutes. Spread another thin layer of buttercream on top and sides; refrigerate until set, at least 1 hour. Repeat with 6- and 8-inch cake layers.
• Reinforce tiers: Insert a plastic straw vertically through center of 10-inch tier. Mark top of cake on straw; remove, and trim to mark. Trim 4 more straws to this length. With a toothpick, trace a circle, 8 inches in diameter, on top of tier, holding an empty cake pan above cake as a guide. Insert straws into tier, arranging 1 in center and the rest evenly spaced around circle. In the same way, insert 4 straws into 8-inch tier, using a 6-inch cake pan as a guide for the circle.
• Stack tiers: Center 10-inch tier on a cake stand. Center and carefully set 8-inch tier on top of 10-inch tier, and then 6-inch tier on top of 8-inch tier. Use a star tip (such as Ateco #20) to pipe a decorative ruffled border around bottom of each tier. Place lemon toppers on top tier. Serve cake with lemon slices.