Thursday, June 29, 2023

Raspberry Cake With A Raspberry Filling

Photo: Bon Appetit 

Although inspired by a delicate raspberry chiffon cake from Bon Appetit, my recipe is tweaked into a different Raspberry Cake. Here's why: First of all, I never buy cake flour (I'm not against it, but I already buy all-purpose, whole wheat, and sometimes bread flour -- enough already😁); 2nd, I think the small amount of flour in the original recipe will produce a puny 2-layer cake; 3rd, whipped cream is delicious, but what a hassle to chill the ingredients twice as you make it. Plus, I've reduced the sugar and salt in the original recipe, and I bet you won't miss them! Enter raspberry oil and/or freeze-dried raspberries (that you grind into a powder). Either enhances the flavor of the cake, and a squeeze of lemon in the batter and frosting balances the sweetness. What I love about European pastries are their nuanced flavors in lieu of ultra-sweetness. Here's my recipe:

Raspberry Cake With a Raspberry Filling

Batter Ingredients:

3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
2/3 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 eggs, room temperature, and separated
1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar (to keep the egg whites stiff and foamy)
1 cup buttermilk (+ a little more if needed)
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon raspberry oil (or 3/4 cup freeze-dried raspberries, ground)
a squeeze of lemon

Batter Directions:

1) In a mixing bowl, sift together the dry ingredients: flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, ground freeze-dried raspberries if using, and salt.

2) In a 2nd bowl, use a mixer to beat the egg whites and cream of tartar until stiff.

3) Next pour the wet ingredients into the dry and beat with the mixer: vegetable oil, egg yolks, buttermilk, vanilla extract, and raspberry oil if using.

4) Fold in the egg whites -- don't overbeat them. Fold them in.

5) Pour even portions of the batter into 2 - 9 inch buttered and floured baking pans.

6) Bake in a pre-heated 350-degree F oven for 30 minutes or until done in the center. After 5 -10 minutes of cooling, remove the cakes from the pans and let cool completely.

Filling Ingredients:

3 oz cream cheese
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
6 oz seedless raspberry jam or preserves
6 oz fresh raspberries, smashed

Directions for the Filling:

6) Mix the ingredients together and spread in the middle between the 2 - 9 inch cakes. You could carefully slice each 9-inch cake in half to get not one center, but 3 cake centers - spreading the raspberry filling on each center layer. It takes a daring and talented baker to not let the cakes break up into a crumbly mess! A single center layer works fine too and is safer.

Ingredients for the Frosting

5 ounces of cream cheese (+ condensed milk if needed, a little at a time for the right not too thick or thin consistency)
3/4 cup freeze-dried raspberries, ground, (or 1 teaspoon of raspberry oil)
A squeeze of fresh lemon juice
2 cups of confectionary sugar (Add more if needed.)
Save a few whole raspberries for garnish.

Directions for the Frosting

7) Using a mixer incorporate all the ingredients, adding in order.

8) Frost the top and sides of the 2-layer cake.

I like the idea in the original recipe of crushing some of the freeze-dried raspberries to garnish the top of the cake. Also, toss a few fresh raspberries on top. It's pretty!🎂

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