White Chocolate Wedding Cake Recipes

Steps:

• Melt chocolate over hot, not boiling water.
• Cool slightly and add vanilla.
• Cream butter and 1 cup sugar until light and fluffy.
• Add chocolate.
• Add egg yolks, one at a time, mixing after each addition.
• Sift dry ingredients together and add alternately with buttermilk.
• Stir in pecans and coconut (optional).
• Mix only enough to blend.
• Whip egg whites and second cup of sugar to a soft peak.
• Gently fold whipped egg whites into chocolate mixture.
• Pour into a 9x13 pan or 2 8" round pans.
• Bake at 350~ for 40-45 minutes or until done.
• White Chocolate Icing: In medium saucepan combine melted chocolate and flour (all-purpose).
• Blend in milk, cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until thick.
• Cool completely.
• In large mixing bowl cream butter, sugar and vanilla.
• Beat until light and fluffy.
• Gradually add completely cooled chocolate mixture.
• Beat until well blend.
• Do not over-mix or it will become soupy.
• Spread between layers, on top and on sides of cake.
• Sprinkle cake with coconut or with anything else that you like.

Steps:

• DIRECTIONS:.
• Special Equipment:.
• Wilton 14", 10" & 6" cake pans.
• separator plates & columns.
• base plate or heavy cardboard base.
• 1/4" dowel rods, cut to size.
• pastry bags.
• icing decorator tips in various sizes.
• food paste coloring.
• Bridal cake topper.
• other non-edible decorations as desired.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Sift together the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Set aside. In small saucepan, melt chopped white chocolate and hot water over low heat. Stir until smooth, and allow to cool to room temperature.
• In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beating well with each addition. Stir in flour mixture alternately with buttermilk. Mix in melted white chocolate and vanilla.
• Grease & flour pans. Divide batter into pans according to their volume measurements.
• (either measure volume by pouring water into each cake pan, or it may be marked on bottom of Wilton cake pans).
• Do not fill over 2/3 full.
• Bake 6" cakes for 30 to 35 minutes; bake 10" cakes for 35-40 minutes; bake 14" cakes for 40-45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cakes comes out clean.
• You will have to clean and re-use the pans to make the correct number of layers. Cool the cakes about 7-9 minutes in the pans, then remove them from the pans to wire racks. Allow to cool completely before frosting. Continue baking as above.
• When cool, brush crumbs from surface, frost thinly with a layer of buttercream to seal, then start with the 14" layers, placing them on a large serving platter (or foil wrapped heavy cardboard cut to match shape of your cake).
• Secure 14" layer with 5-7 1/4" dowel rods cut to the depth of the two cake layers. Insert the dowel rods in a circle (or match shape of next layer) 2" in from the edge of cake.
• Place a separator plate on top of dowel rods and place the 10" cake layers, frosted with buttercream on plate. Cut 3-5 dowel rods as before to the depth of the 10" cake layers. Stabilize middle layers with dowel rods placed in 5" circle(or match shape of cake).
• Place the 6" layers on a small separator plate, frost with buttercream and decorate layers as desired. Cover lightly with plastic wrap.
• Cake can be transferred at this point by wedging the two bottom layers into a box just larger than the serving platter and deeper than the layers.
• Place top layer in separate cake carrier (it should fit in a Tupperware or Rubbermaid carrier). Refrigerate cake until ready to serve.
• When setting up for reception, assemble separator plate with columns and place on top of second layer to settle the top layer.
• Have extra icing on hand to repair decorations as needed. Place bridal topper on top of cake, and use fresh or silk flowers or other non-edible decorations as desired.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°-- I bake at 300° for 20 minutes then increase oven temp to 325° or you could use bake even strips.
• Prepare pans with cooking spray and parchment.
• Melt the chocolate in the top of a double boiler, stirring frequently-- remove from heat before chocolate is completely melted; stir until chocolate is melted and smooth-- cool to room temperature.
• Meanwhile, sift together the flour, baking powder, salt and set aside.
• Place the butter in the bowl of your mixer, and with the flat paddle, cream butter.
• Add the sugar gradually and continue to beat until light and fluffy, about 1 to 2 minutes-- scrape down the bowl once or twice and beat in the vanilla.
• Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
• Scrape in the melted chocolate and beat until the batter is smooth.
• Add the dry ingredients alternately with the milk in 3 separate batches.
• Pour into prepared pans.
• Bake about 30-40 minutes, or until a toothpick tests clean or cake just begins to pull away from the sides of the pan-- do not overbake.

Steps:

• Grease and line the base and sides of 3 deep, round, 20cm cake tins with baking paper.
• Preheat oven to 160°C.
• Combine the chocolate, butter, sugar and milk in a saucepan over medium heat and stir until melted.
• Transfer the melted chocolate mixture in a large bowl and let cool slightly.
• Use a whisk to stir the orange zest, sifted flours, Grand Marnier and eggs into the chocolate mixture until you get a smooth batter.
• Pour batter into one of the tins and bake for 1 hour and 50 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean.
• Cover the cake with foil halfway through baking to prevent over browning.
• Allow cake to cool in tin.
• Repeat the above steps for two more cakes (if cooking two at once you may need to extend the cooking time).
• To make the frosting: Melt the chocolate in a heat proof bowl over simmering water.
• Leave to cool.
• Place half the cream cheese and icing sugar in the small bowl of an electric mixer and beat until just smooth.
• Add the remaining cheese and sugar and beat again until smooth.
• Pour in the melted chocolate and beat until combined.
• Whip the cream until soft peaks form and fold it through cream cheese mixture.
• Cover the mixture and refrigerate for 1-2 hours until firm enough to spread.
• After refrigeration you may need to stir the mixture until smooth before spreading.
• To form wedding cake: Stack the cakes on a serving board or plate, sandwiching them together with about ¼ cup of the frosting each.
• Make sure the last cake is inverted so the base of the cake is on top for a completely flat surface.
• Secure the layers in place by inserting 3 skewers vertically through the cakes.
• Cut skewers down to size so they can be frosted over.
• Cover stacked cakes with remaining frosting.
• To serve: Carefully separate it back into 3 cakes removing the skewers.
• ***This cake can be iced the day before, or on the day, and refrigerated.
• It can be made up to 3 months in advance and frozen. Ice on the day.

Steps:

• For cake: Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Grease bottoms of 12-inch, 9-inch and 4-inch round pans and line them with parchment or wax paper. Sift together flour and baking powder. Set aside. Cream together butter and sugar until fluffy. Set aside. Beat egg whites until stiff, but not dry. Set aside.
• With mixer at low speed, alternately add flour and milk to butter. Beat in vanilla. Gently fold in egg whites and pour into prepared pans. Bake until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean.
• For mousse: Melt white chocolate in double boiler or very carefully in microwave. Cool. Whip cream until soft peaks form. On low speed, pour in cooled, melted white chocolate.
• For buttercream: Cream together shortening and butter. Add vanilla. Gradually add sugar 1 cup at a time, beating well on medium speed. Scrape sides often. Add milk and beat at medium speed.
• To assemble: Spread raspberries over both the 12-inch and 9-inch layers of prepared cake. Top each with raspberries, approximately 1/2-inches apart. Place 9-inch cake layer on top of 12-inch layer. Place 4-inch layer on very top. Decorate with buttercream.
• The recipes for this program, which were provided by contributors and guests who may not be professional chefs, have not been tested in the Food Network's kitchens. Therefore, the Food Network cannot attest to the accuracy of any of the recipes.

Steps:

• For the cake:.
• Position the racks in the upper and lower thirds and preheat oven to 350°F
• Lightly butter the bottom and sides of three 8-inch.
• round cake pans. Line the pans with parchment paper. Dust the bottom and sides with flour; tap out the excess.
• Into a medium bowl, sift the cake flour and the baking soda. Using an electric mixer set at medium.
• speed, cream the butter and the sugar in a large bowl until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Beat in one egg yolk at a time blending well after each addition. Beat in the melted white chocolate mixture and the vanilla. At low speed, blend in the sifted flour mixture alternately with the buttermilk; do not.
• overbeat. Fold in the coconut and pecans.
• Beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form. Blend 1/3 of the egg whites into the cake mixture to lighten it; carefully fold in the remaining egg whites. Spoon the batter into the prepared pans.
• Bake until the cake springs back when touched in the center and a cake tester inserted in the center of the pans comes out clean, about 35 to 40 minutes.
• Transfer the cakes in the pans to wire racks and.
• cool 10 minutes. Invert the cakes onto the wire racks, carefully peel off the parchment paper, and cool completely.
• For the frosting:.
• In a heavy medium saucepan over medium heat, combine the evaporated milk, sugar, butter, and egg yolks. Simmer for 10 minutes, stirring constantly. Do not let mixture boil fast; lower the heat if necessary.
• Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla, pecans, and coconut.
• Place the saucepan into a bowl filled with ice and stir constantly until the frosting is cool and slightly thickened.
• Place a cake layer on a serving platter. Spread 1/4 of the frosting evenly over the cake layer,.
• making sure to spread it all the way to the edges.
• Top with the second layer, and spread with 1/4 of the.
• frosting. Top with the third cake layer. Evenly frost the top and sides of the cake with the remaining frosting.

Steps:

• Lemon Curd
• Make the curd in two separate batches. It's used as a filling between the cake layers and as a component in the mousse.
• Whisk 3 cups sugar and 4 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch in heavy medium saucepan to blend. Gradually whisk in 1 1/2 cups lemon juice, then 18 yolks. Add 1 1/2 cups butter. Cook over medium heat until curd thickens and boils, whisking constantly, about 18 minutes. Transfer curd to medium bowl. Press plastic wrap directly onto surface of curd. Make second batch of curd, using same amount of each ingredient. Refrigerate at least 1 day. (Can be made 7 days ahead. Keep chilled.)
• Frosting
• Make the frosting in two separate batches at least one day ahead. One batch is for the 12-inch cake, one for the other two cakes. Cream replaces butter in this variation of the standard cream cheese frosting, so it's spreadable straight from the fridge. Use heavy whipping cream for the best results.
• Place 8 ounces chocolate in top of double boiler set over barely simmering water. Stir just until chocolate is melted, smooth, and just warm (do not overheat); remove from over water. Using electric mixer, beat 3 packages cream cheese in large bowl until fluffy. Beat in 1 1/4 cups sugar, then warm chocolate. Beat 2 cups cream and 1 1/4 cups sugar in medium bowl until medium-firm peaks form. Fold into cream cheese mixture in 3 additions. Cover; chill. Make second batch of frosting, using same amount of each ingredient. Refrigerate frosting at least 1 day and up to 4 days.
• Lemon-white chocolate mousse:
• Place lemon curd in large bowl and refrigerate. Place white chocolate in top of double boiler set over barely simmering water. Stir just until chocolate is melted, smooth, and just warm (do not overheat); remove from over water. Beat whipping cream in another large bowl until medium-firm peaks form; fold in warm white chocolate. Fold mixture into lemon curd in 3 additions. Cover bowl and chill mousse until cold and set, at least 1 day and up to 4 days.
• Orange buttermilk cake
• Use half of these ingredients to make the 12-inch cake and half to make both the 9- inch and the 6-inch cakes. Sift the flour first, then measure it.
• Position rack just below center of oven and preheat to 350°F. Butter and flour 12-inch-diameter cake pan with removable bottom and 3-inch-high sides. Butter and flour 9-inch-diameter cake pan with removable bottom and 3-inch-high sides. Butter and flour 6-inch-diameter cake pan with removable bottom and 3-inch-high sides. Sift 5 1/2 cups sifted cake flour, 5 1/2 teaspoons baking powder, and 1 1/4 teaspoons salt 3 times into large bowl. Mix 1 1/2 cups buttermilk, 3 tablespoons orange juice concentrate, and 2 1/2 tablespoons vanilla in small bowl.
• Using electric mixer, beat 3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) butter in large bowl until smooth and fluffy. Gradually beat in 1 1/4 cups sugar, then 3/4 cup oil. Beat in 1 more cup sugar. Beat in flour mixture in 4 additions alternately with buttermilk mixture in 3 additions, scraping down sides of bowl often. Using clean dry beaters, beat 1 1/4 cups (about 10) egg whites and 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar in another large bowl until soft peaks form. Gradually add 1 cup sugar, beating until whites fall from beaters in thick, puffy (not stiff) ribbon, about 4 minutes. Fold whites into batter in 4 additions. Transfer batter to prepared 12-inch pan. Bake cake until brown and tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 1 hour 25 minutes. Cool cake in pan on rack 30 minutes. Cut around cake to loosen; remove pan sides. Maintain oven temperature.
• Make second batch of cake batter following same technique as for first cake and using same amount of each ingredient. Transfer 8 1/2 cups batter to prepared 9-inch pan; transfer 4 cups batter to prepared 6-inch pan. Bake cakes until brown and tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 1 hour 10 minutes for 6-inch cake and 1 hour 18 minutes for 9-inch cake. Cool cakes in pans on racks 30 minutes. Cut around cakes to loosen. Remove pan sides. Cool all cakes completely. (Can be made 1 day before filling and frosting the cakes. Return cakes to pans. Cover with foil and store at room temperature.)
• Filling and frosting cakes
• To make filling and frosting the cakes easier, use tart-pan bottoms or buy cardboard rounds from a cake and candy supply store.
• Push 12-inch cake up to release from pan. Using large serrated knife, cut off enough of top crust to make cake 2 1/2 inches high. Cut cake horizontally into 3 layers, each about 3/4 inch thick. Using tart-pan bottom or 11-inch cardboard round, transfer top layer to work surface and cover; transfer middle layer to work surface and cover. Cut bottom layer from pan bottom and place on tart-pan bottom or cardboard round. Spread generous 1 3/4 cups mousse over. Drop 1 3/4 cups curd over by tablespoonfuls and spread to cover mousse in even layer. Refrigerate until mousse and curd are firm, about 1 hour. Using tart-pan bottom, place middle layer on bottom layer. Spread with same amounts of mousse and curd. Using tart-pan bottom, place top layer on cake and press lightly. Refrigerate assembled cake.
• Push 9-inch cake up to release from pan. Cut off enough of top crust to make cake 2 1/2 inches high. Cut cake horizontally into 3 layers, each about 3/4 inch thick. Using tart-pan bottom or cardboard round, transfer top layer to work surface and cover; repeat with middle layer. Cut bottom layer from pan bottom and place on 8-inch tart-pan bottom or cardboard round. Spread 1 1/4 cups mousse over. Drop generous 2/3 cup curd over by tablespoonfuls and spread to cover mousse in even layer. Refrigerate until mousse and curd are firm, about 1 hour. Using tart-pan bottom, place middle layer on bottom layer. Spread with same amount of mousse and curd. Using tart-pan bottom, place top layer on cake and press lightly. Refrigerate assembled cake.
• Push 6-inch cake up to release from pan. Cut off enough of top crust to make cake 2 1/2 inches high. Cut cake horizontally into 3 layers, each about 3/4 inch thick. Transfer top layer to work surface and cover; repeat with middle layer. Cut bottom layer from pan bottom and place on 5-inch tart-pan bottom or cardboard round. Spread generous 1/2 cup mousse over. Drop 6 tablespoons curd over by tablespoonfuls and spread to cover mousse in even layer. Refrigerate until mousse and curd are firm, about 1 hour. Using large spatula, place middle layer on bottom layer. Spread with same amount of mousse and curd. Using large spatula, place top layer on cake and press lightly. Refrigerate assembled cake.
• Spread 2 1/4 cups frosting thinly over top and sides of 12-inch assembled cake as first coat. Spread 1 1/2 cups frosting thinly over top and sides of 9-inch assembled cake. Spread 3/4 cup frosting thinly over top and sides of 6-inch assembled cake. Chill all cakes 1 hour.
• Spread 5 cups frosting over 12-inch cake. Spread 3 2/3 cups frosting over 9-inch cake. Spread 2 cups frosting over 6-inch cake. Refrigerate 6-inch cake.
• Place 12-inch cake on platter. Press 1 dowel straight down into center and through to bottom of cake. Mark dowel 1 1/4 inches above level of frosting. Remove dowel and cut with serrated knife at marked point. Cut 7 more dowels to same length. Press 1 dowel back into center of cake. Press remaining 7 dowels into cake, spaced equally apart and 3 to 3 1/4 inches from center dowel. Chill cake with dowels.
• Press 1 dowel straight down into center of 9-inch cake. Mark dowel 1 1/4 inches above level of frosting. Remove dowel and cut with serrated knife at marked point. Cut 5 more dowels to same length. Press 1 dowel back into center of cake. Press remaining dowels into cake, spaced equally apart and 2 inches from center; chill with dowels. (Can be made 2 days ahead. After frosting is firm, cover cakes with cake domes or loosely with foil; keep chilled.)
• Assembly and decoration
• Mix of large and tiny white roses and freesias (about 5 dozen)
• Place 9-inch cake atop dowels in 12-inch cake. Place 6-inch cake atop dowels in 9-inch cake. Place large roses between bottom and middle tiers, fitting in tiny roses and freesias to fill space. Fill space between middle and top tiers with mix of flowers.
• Berry compote
• This fruit compote contributes color and flavor contrast to each serving of the cake.
• Combine all ingredients in large bowl; toss to coat. Cover; chill until juices form, at least 1 hour and up to 6 hours.
• Serving
• Place top and middle cake tiers on work surface. Remove flowers and dowels from cakes. Cut top cake into 8 slices. Cut middle cake into 16 slices. Insert knife straight down into 12-inch cake 3 inches from edge. Continue to cut around cake 3 inches from edge, making 6-inch-diameter circle in center. Cut outer ring into 18 slices. Cut 6-inch center into 8 slices. Place cake slices on plates; spoon compote alongside each.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour 2 - (8 or 9 inch) round pans.
• In a double boiler, over lightly simmering water, melt 3 ounces white chocolate, stirring occasionally, until melted; set aside and cool to lukewarm. In a small bowl, mix flour, sugar, baking powder and salt; set aside. In a large chilled bowl, whip heavy cream until stiff peaks form; set aside.
• In a large bowl, beat eggs or about 5 minutes, or until light and lemon colored. Beat in 1 teaspoon almond flavoring and melted white chocolate. Fold in whipped cream. Fold in flour mixture, about 1/2 cup at a time. Pour batter into prepared pans.
• Bake in the preheated oven for 35 to 40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Let cool in pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack and cool completely.
• To make White Chocolate Frosting: In a large bowl, heat 3 ounces white baking chocolate over low heat, stirring occasionally, until melted; cool to lukewarm. In a medium bowl on medium speed, combine melted white chocolate, confectioners' sugar, butter, water and 1/2 teaspoon almond extract. Beat until smooth and of spreading consistency.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Grease and flour a 9x13 inch pan or a 10 inch Bunt pan.
• In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each. Then stir in the vanilla. Combine the flour, baking soda and baking powder, add to the creamed mixture and mix until all of the flour is absorbed. Finally, stir in the sour cream. Mix for 1 or 2 minutes just to be sure there are no lumps. Pour the batter into the prepared pan.
• Bake in the preheated oven for 45 to 60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of cake comes out clean. For Bunt cakes, allow the cake to cool in the pan for 10 minutes before inverting onto a wire rack.

Steps:

• COVER THE FRUIT CAKE WITH THE MARZIPAN: How to do it: Boil the apricot jam with 2 tbsp water and sieve into a bowl. Brush the 15cm cake board with a little of the apricot jam. Cut off the rounded top of the cake and turn upside-down onto the board. Measure across the top and sides of the cake with string, cut to length and set the string aside. Brush the cake all over with a thin layer of apricot jam.
• Dust the work surface with icing sugar and roll the marzipan into a circle big enough to cover the cake top and sides, using the cut string as a guide. Lift over the cake and smooth with your hands. Trim the marzipan to the base of the cake (so you can't see the board) and leave to dry for one day if time. If not, the cake can be iced straight away.
• FILL & COVER THE CHOCOLATE & LEMON CAKES WITH BUTTERCREAM: Adding good-quality lemon curd or silky chocolate ganache transforms simplebuttercream into an indulgent filling.
• How you do it: First make the buttercream. Beat the butter until creamy, then gradually beat in the sifted icing sugar. Weigh 600g/1lb 5oz of the mix and stir 5 tbsp of the lemon curd into it.
• In a small pan, bring the cream just to the boil, then pour over the chocolate. Leave to stand for 2 mins, then stir until smooth. Once cool but still liquid, fold into the remaining basic buttercream.
• Once each cake is completely cool, level off the top using a long serrated knife. Spread a little of the corresponding buttercream over the matching thin cake board. Turn cake upside down onto the board and brush all over with a thin layer of the sieved apricot jam - this helps to prevent stray crumbs getting into the buttercream.
• Cut into three layers horizontally - don't worry if you cut the layers unevenly as it won't affect the finished cake. If it's a hot day or warm in your kitchen, refrigerate the cakes for a while - it will firm them up and make cutting and lifting much easier. Lift off each layer as you cut it, and set it aside so that when you re-stack the layers they are in the right order.
• If you've made the buttercream in advance and it has hardened slightly, warm in the microwave on Defrost for 10 secs and beat well. Using a palette knife, spread approx 1/4 of the buttercream over the first layer of the cake. For the lemon cake, swirl another tbsp or so of lemon curd over the icing. Stack the remaining layers this way, spreading all of the remaining icing over the top and sides of the cake, smoothing it down to meet the cardboard cake base. Smooth all over with your palette knife and set aside. The cakes are now ready for covering with ready-to-roll icing. Filled with buttercream and iced, the cakes will keep for up to 3 days.
• COVER ALL THE CAKES WITH READY-TO-ROLL ICING: The next stage is to subtly colour the different tiers with the ivory, dusky pink and cream colouring pastes.
• How to do it: For the marzipanned fruit cake only, first lightly brush with cooled, boiled water to help the icing stick. For all the cakes, dust the work surface with icing sugar and knead the icing until pliable. Add a few specks of the food colouring with a toothpick or the end of a skewer - be very sparing as a little goes a long way. Work the colour in until you have an evenly coloured, smooth paste. Add more and knead again if you want the colour to be more intense.
• Lightly dust the work surface again and roll the icing into a circle large enough to cover the sides and top of the cake, with a little excess. Use string to measure as before. Lift the icing over the cake, using your rolling pin to help you.
• Smooth the icing around the cake with your hands, then trim off the excess with a sharp knife. Leave overnight to dry. Once iced, keep for 3 days.
• Once you've iced the cakes, cover the 35cm base. Lightly brush with cooled, boiled water and cover with ivory-coloured icing. Trim and leave overnight to dry.
• STACK THE CAKES: Dowels give stability and strength to tiered cakes. By measuring and cutting the dowels to the same length, you're providing an even platform for the next cake to sit on, even if your cake is a bit wonky. For this cake, the tiers are stacked like steps, just off centre.
• How you do it: In a large bowl, gradually beat icing sugar into the egg white until thick and smooth. Cover with cling film until ready to use.
• Starting with the chocolate cake, insert three dowelling rods in a triangle, slightly offset to one side and no wider than the base of the lemon cake that's going to sit on top. With a permanent pen, lightly mark where the top of the icing comes to on the dowel.
• Carefully pull out the dowels and line up on the work surface. Using a ruler, re-mark each rod to the highest point. Score the dowels with scissors around the new marks and snap the plastic cleanly.
• Re-insert the rods in their original holes, rounded end down. Cut the thin ivory ribbon to fit around the thick base board, securing at the back with glue or double-sided tape. To stack the cakes, spoon a little royal icing over each of the dowel holes. Carefully lift the chocolate cake onto the covered board, then stack cakes on top of one another, positioning each cake and gently lowering one side of it onto the base or cake below. Slide your palette knife under it at this point and gently lower the cake down. Slide the knife out at the last minute. (If you're moving the cake to the venue, put the cakes into their boxes and take the icing with you.)
• THE TIME PLAN: UP TO A MONTH AHEAD: 1. Make the fruit cake and cover with marzipan. 2. Make the chocolate and lemon cakes if freezing - they will freeze for up to 1 month (although they are best made fresh if you can).
• UP TO 4 DAYS AHEAD: 1. Make the chocolate and lemon cakes if making fresh - keep well rapped in baking parchment and cling film in a cool place. 2. Make the chocolate and lemon buttercream and keep in the fridge. 3. Make the chocolate and lemon cakes if making fresh - keep well wrapped in baking parchment and cling film in a cool place. 4. Make the chocolate and lemon buttercream and keep in the fridge.
• UP TO 3 DAYS AHEAD: 1. Fill and cover the chocolate and lemon cakes with buttercream and cover all of the cakes and the board with icing. 2. Insert the dowelling rods.
• UP TO 2 DAYS AHEAD: 1. Frost the rose petals.
• ON THE DAY: 1. Stack the cakes and decorate with petals once the cakes are in place.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Sift together the 2 1/2 cups flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
• In small saucepan, melt 6 ounces white chocolate and hot water over low heat. Stir until smooth, and allow to cool to room temperature.
• In a large bowl, cream 1 cup butter and 1 1/2 cup sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beating well with each addition. Stir in flour mixture alternately with buttermilk. Mix in melted white chocolate.
• Pour batter into two 9 inch round cake pans. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes in the preheated oven, until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
• To make Frosting: In a medium bowl, combine 6 ounces white chocolate, 2 1/2 tablespoons flour and 1 cup milk. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture is very thick. Cool completely.
• In large bowl, cream 1 cup butter, 1 cup sugar and 1 teaspoon vanilla; beat until light and fluffy. Gradually add cooled white chocolate mixture. Beat at high speed until it is the consistency of whipped cream. Spread between layers, on top and sides of cake.

Steps:

• Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Grease and line the base and sides of deep, round 20cm and 15cm cake tins with baking parchment - making sure the paper comes a few cms above the sides.
• Boil the kettle. Put half the butter and chocolate in a pan and gently melt, stirring. Mix together half of the flour, sugar, cocoa and bicarb with a pinch of salt. Whisk 2 of the eggs and 200ml buttermilk together. Scrape the melted chocolate mixture and egg mixture into the dry ingredients. Add 150ml boiling water and whizz everything together with an electric whisk until lump-free. Divide between the tins and bake for 40-45 mins, swapping round after 30 mins if they're on different shelves (the 15cm one should be done after 40 mins). To test they're cooked, push in a skewer and check it comes out clean. Cool the cakes in their tins.
• Repeat steps 1 and 2 again, so you end up with 2 x 20cm cakes and 2 x 15cm cakes.
• Melt the white chocolate in a bowl over a pan of barely simmering water. Beat together the butter and icing sugar, then beat in the white chocolate. When the cakes are cool, split each one in half. Use the icing to sandwich back together so you end up with 2 x four-layered cakes. Sit the 20cm cake on your serving plate and spread some more icing over the top. Sit the smaller cake on top of that, and completely cover with icing. Decorate with the chocolate buttons.
• If you want to add some flowers choose something edible, like roses. Make a posy, wrapping the stems in a little damp kitchen paper then some cling film, add a ribbon and add to the cake on the day of the wedding.

Steps:

• First make the cakes. Heat the oven to 160C/140C fan/gas 3. Make the 18cm and 23cm cakes first. Butter then line the base and sides of both a 23cm and an 18cm round, deep cake tin. Have two large bowls ready, then put 250g flour, ¾ tsp each baking powder and bicarbonate of soda, and ¼ tsp salt into both bowls. Add the muscovado to one, the caster sugar to the other, then stir. Break up any muscovado lumps with your fingers.
• Put the butter, chocolate, vanilla and coffee in a saucepan and heat very gently until melted and smooth. In another pan, do the same with the white chocolate ingredients. This white chocolate mix will look buttery and separated, but that's fine. While you wait, put a large jug onto your scales, crack in the eggs and add the soured cream. Make a note of the weight (it should be about 800g in total). Beat to combine.
• When the chocolates are melted, tip the dark mix into the bowl that has the muscovado in it. Tip the white chocolate mixture into the other. Pour half of the egg and soured cream mix into each bowl (do this on scales to be sure).
• Beat each bowl with a spatula or balloon whisk to make a smooth, runny batter. Leave it to sit for a few moments to thicken a little, then spoon alternate blobs of the batters into the tins, until they are filled to two-thirds full and all of the mix has been used. I find an old-fashioned ice cream scoop really useful for this. Using a skewer, swirl the two mixes together just a few times, to marble the mixtures.
• Bake the cakes together on the same shelf, in the middle of the oven, for 1 hr 30 mins or until risen and crusty-looking on top, and a skewer inserted comes out clean. Leave to cool in the tins for 30 mins, then turn onto a wire rack and cool completely.
• To make the 30cm cake, butter then line a 30cm round cake tin with baking parchment, then wrap the outside with a couple of layers of newspaper, securing with string (as you might a Christmas cake). Repeat the recipe as above, dividing the quantities for the 30cm cake in half between two bowls, as before. Bake the cake for 1 hr 45 mins and test as before.
• Make the buttercreams. Follow this method for both buttercreams and keep them separate. Heat the cream and coffee liqueur in a small pan until steam rises. Put the chocolate in a smallish bowl and pour over the hot cream. Leave to melt for a few mins, stirring until smooth. Leave to cool completely.
• In a large bowl, beat the butter with a pinch of salt with an electric whisk until pale and smooth. Gradually beat in the icing sugar to make fluffy buttercream. When all the sugar is in, gradually add the cooled ganache and beat together well. The white chocolate mixture will be whipped and very pale, while the dark chocolate mixture will be a milk chocolate colour when finished.
• Split and layer the cakes. Once each cake is completely cool, level off its slightly chewy, brownie-ish top using a long serrated knife. Spread a little dark chocolate buttercream over the thin cake board that matches the cake you're working on. Turn the cake upside-down onto the board, then sit this on a sheet of baking parchment, so you can spin the cake around.
• Split cake into three layers using a length of cotton or, as this is a fairly sturdy cake, simply cut using a long serrated knife, if you prefer.
• Now you can start to fill the cake. If you've made the buttercreams in advance and they have hardened slightly, warm in the microwave on defrost for 10 seconds and beat well. Half-fill a piping bag with the dark chocolate buttercream, either with a wide nozzle or just the end snipped off. Pipe a ring of buttercream around the inside edge of the bottom cake layer. This is going to keep the white and dark frostings separated and neat.
• Spoon some of the white chocolate frosting into the middle of the cake and spread it out to meet the dark frosting at about the same thickness. Stack the middle layer of the cake back on top and repeat until the cake is rebuilt. Chill for 10 mins. Ensure any crumbs are cleaned away, then cover the top and sides of the cake with an even coating of dark chocolate buttercream, paddling it out over the top and down the sides using a palette knife. Smooth the top as best you can. Repeat with all three cakes.
• Chill the cakes for at least 30 mins to allow the buttercream to firm up before covering in sugarpaste. Can be done up to three days ahead.
• Cover the cakes in sugarpaste. Starting with the small cake, transfer the cakes to new sheets of baking parchment, as any blobs of buttercream could get into the sugarpaste.
• Knead the sugarpaste until pliable, then shape into a smooth ball. Lightly dust the work surface and the top of the icing with icing sugar, then use a large rolling pin to roll a circle large enough to cover the entire cake and for the icing to be about 5mm thick. If you're not sure, roughly measure the cake with a piece of string from one side to the other (don't get it chocolatey). Using your rolling pin to help, or just lifting it with your hands, lift the sugarpaste over the cake.
• When the icing is in the right position, drop it onto the cake. Smooth it over the cake with your palms, working from the top down, until there are no wrinkles or folds. Push the excess in towards where the cake meets the board.
• Using a small sharp knife, trim the excess sugarpaste away from the cake. Keep the cake on the work surface for this, don't be tempted to lift it up as if you're trimming a pie, as the sugarpaste can rip.
• Using your palms or a plastic cake smoother, polish the sugarpaste to make a smooth, silky surface. Slide the cake somewhere it won't be disturbed and leave to dry overnight, if possible. Repeat for all of the cakes. Brush a little cooled boiled water over the 35cm drum and cover that in sugarpaste, too.
• Dowel the cake and decorate each tier. Now you need to insert dowels into the cake, which act like internal scaffolding. Starting with the 30cm cake, push three dowelling rods in a triangle into the middle of the cake - they should be set apart no wider than the base of the 23cm cake. Lightly mark where the top of the icing comes to on the dowel.
• Carefully pull out the dowels and line up on the work surface. Then, using a ruler, re-mark each rod to the highest point. Score the dowels with scissors around the marks and snap the plastic.
• Re-insert the rods in their original holes, rounded-end down.
• Make the royal icing, following pack instructions, to a fairly thick icing. Put a no.2 nozzle into a piping bag, then fill with some of the icing; cover the rest with cling film. Pipe random dots over the 18cm cake, from pea-sized to pinhead-sized. To make a large blob, squeeze continuously, rather than trying to draw a circle and fill it in. As you near the base, make the dots more sparse, eventually fading to nothing where the ribbon is going to sit). Leave to dry. The icing needs to be the right consistency, so that it pipes but doesn't drip.
• For the chevrons, knead a little of the colouring into the sugarpaste until evenly pink. Split into two; keep one half covered with cling film. Using a little icing sugar, roll the other half to about £1 coin thickness, and in a rectangle just bigger than A4 size. Starting from one of the short edges, cut into ribbons 2.5-3cm wide. Carefully lift the strips onto a piece of parchment on a board and take them outside, out of the wind. Spray with pink spray, then take back indoors and leave to dry for couple of mins. Repeat with the second piece of paste.
• Positioning the pink strips. Brush a little cooled boiled water in a diagonal stripe up the side of the 23cm cake, then position one of the pink chevrons up against it, letting it overlap at the bottom and curve around to meet the middle of the cake at the top. Press into position, cut away the excess flush to the cake and leave to dry. Do this with each of the chevrons, spacing them evenly. Go easy with the water and try to keep your hands clean and dry.
• For the gold cake, take it outside as well, then spray liberally to create a shimmery gold effect. Don't waste the spray on the middle of the cake where the next cake will sit. Leave to dry.
• Stack and complete the cake. To stack the cakes, spoon a little of the leftover royal icing over each of the dowel holes on the 30cm cake (bottom layer). Carefully lift the 30cm cake onto the covered board, then stack the remaining cakes on top of one another, positioning each cake and gently lowering the back edge of the cake onto the cake below. Make sure it's central, then slide a palette knife under the cake and gently lower the cake down. Slide the knife out at the last minute.
• Run a thin line of royal icing around the edge of the base board and attach 110cm pale blue ribbon. Fasten ribbon around the base of the gold cake and the white dotty cake, then finish with fresh flowers (wrap stems in flower tape or foil first).

Steps:

• Heat oven to 160C/fan 140C/gas 3. Butter, double-line and wrap the sides of the 30cm deep-round cake tin as before. Put the butter and chocolate into a medium saucepan, then stir over a low heat until melted and smooth. Stir in the coffee and vanilla.
• Sift the flour, baking powder and bicarbonate of soda into the biggest bowl you have. Add the sugar, breaking down any lumps with your fingertips if necessary. Beat the eggs and soured cream together in a jug or bowl and pour into the flour mix. Pour in the melted chocolate mix as well, then stir with a wooden spoon until you have a thick, even chocolaty batter.
• Pour into the prepared tin and bake for 2½ hrs - don't open the oven door before 2 hrs is up, as this will cause the cake to sink. Once cooked, leave in the tin to cool completely. The unfilled cake will keep for up to four days, wrapped as before, or frozen for a month.