Rose's Heavenly Cakes (18 page)

Special Equipment

Two 9 by 2-inch round cake pans, encircled with cake strips, bottoms coated with shortening, topped with parchment rounds, then coated with baking spray with flour    |    2 cupcake liners set in ramekins or custard cups

Preheat the Oven

Twenty minutes or more before baking, set an oven rack in the lower third of the oven and preheat the oven to 350°F/175°C.

Melt the White Chocolate

Heat the chocolate until almost completely melted. Use a small microwavable bowl, stirring with a silicone spatula every 15 seconds (or use the top of a double boiler set over hot, not simmering, water, stirring often—do not let the bottom of the container touch the water).

Remove the white chocolate from the heat and, with the silicone spatula, stir until fully melted. Allow it to cool until it is no longer warm to the touch but is still fluid.

Mix the Liquid Ingredients

In a medium bowl, whisk the egg whites, 1/3 cup of the milk, and the vanilla just until lightly combined.

Make the Batter

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the flat beater, mix the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt on low speed for 30 seconds. Add the butter and the remaining milk. Mix on low speed until the dry ingredients are moistened. Raise the speed to medium and beat for 1½ minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.

Starting on medium-low speed, gradually add the egg mixture to the batter in three parts, beating on medium speed for 20 seconds after each addition to incorporate the ingredients and strengthen the structure. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add the melted white chocolate and beat to incorporate it, about 10 seconds. Spoon the batter into the cupcake liners, filling them two-thirds full. Using a silicone spatula, divide the remaining batter between the prepared pans and smooth the surface evenly with a small offset spatula. Each pan will be about half full (26 ounces/735 grams).

Bake the Cakes

Bake for 30 to 40 minutes (25 to 30 minutes for the cupcakes), or until golden brown, a wire cake tester inserted in the centers comes out clean, and the cakes spring back when pressed lightly in the centers. The cakes should start to shrink from the sides of the pans only after removal from the oven.

Cool and Unmold the Cakes

Let the cakes cool in the pans on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Run a small metal spatula between the sides of the pans and the cakes, pressing firmly against the pans, and invert the cakes onto wire racks that have been coated lightly with nonstick cooking spray. To prevent splitting, reinvert the cakes so that the top sides are up. Cool completely. Cool the cupcakes in their liners. Freeze the cupcakes for future enjoyment or top them with a little of the strawberry mousseline.

Beat the Butter

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the flat beater, beat the butter on medium-high speed until creamy, about 1 minute. Set aside in a cool place (no higher than 70°F/21°C).

Prepare the Egg Whites

Pour the egg whites into the bowl of a stand mixer, if you have a second mixer bowl, or into a medium bowl and have ready a handheld mixer.

Heat the Sugar Syrup

Have ready a 1-cup or larger heatproof glass measure.

In a small heavy saucepan, preferably nonstick, stir together all but 3 tablespoons of the sugar and the water until all of the sugar is moistened. Heat on medium, stirring constantly, until the sugar dissolves and the mixture is bubbling. Stop stirring and reduce the heat to low. (If using an electric range, remove the pan from the heat.)

Beat the Egg Whites

If using the stand mixer for the egg whites, attach the whisk beater. Beat the egg whites on medium speed until foamy. With the mixer off, add the cream of tartar. Raise the speed to medium-high and beat until soft peaks form when the beater is raised. Gradually beat in the remaining 3 tablespoons of the sugar until stiff peaks form when the beater is raised slowly.

Bring the Sugar Syrup Up to the Proper Temperature

Increase the heat under the sugar syrup and continue to boil the syrup for a few minutes until an instant-read thermometer registers 248° to 250°F/120°C (the firm-ball stage). Immediately transfer the syrup to the glass measure to stop the cooking.

Add the Sugar Syrup to the Egg Whites

If using a stand mixer, with the mixer off to keep it from spinning onto the sides of the bowl, add the syrup to the egg whites. Begin by pouring in a small amount of syrup. Immediately beat on high speed for 5 seconds. Add the remaining syrup the same way in three parts. For the last addition, use a silicone scraper to remove the syrup clinging to the glass measure and scrape it off against the whisk beater. If the syrup has hardened before most of it has been poured, soften it to pouring consistency for a few seconds in the microwave.

If using a handheld mixer, beat the syrup into the egg whites in a steady stream. Don't allow the syrup to fall on the beaters or they will spin it onto the sides of the bowl. Lower the speed to medium and continue beating for up to 2 minutes. Refrigerate the meringue for 5 to 10 minutes, or until the temperature registers 70°F/21°C. Whisk after the first 5 minutes to test and equalize the temperature.

Beat the Meringue into the Butter

Set the mixer bowl containing the butter in the stand mixer and attach the whisk beater (no need to wash it). Beat on medium-high speed for about 3 minutes, or until the butter lightens in color and is no warmer than 70°F/21°C.

Scrape the meringue into the butter and beat on medium speed until smooth and creamy. Beat for about 2 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary. At first the mixture will look slightly curdled. If it starts watering out, check the temperature. The mixture should feel cool and be no lower than 65°F/19°C, no higher than 70°F/21°C. If it is too warm, set the bowl in a larger bowl of ice water and stir gently to chill it down before continuing to whisk. If it is too cool, suspend the bowl over a pan of simmering water (don't let the bottom of the bowl touch the water) and heat very briefly, stirring vigorously when the mixture just starts to melt slightly at the edges. To stop the warming, dip the bottom of the bowl in a larger bowl of ice water for a few seconds to cool it. Remove the bowl from the ice water and beat the mousseline by hand until smooth. Beat in the 2/3 cup of strawberry butter, vanilla, and red food color, if using, until uniformly mixed. The mousseline becomes spongy and fluffy on standing. If you don't use it right away, whisk it lightly by hand to maintain a silky texture before applying it to the cake. However, do not rebeat chilled mousseline until it has reached 70°F/21°C; this will prevent it from breaking down.

Compose the Cake

With a long serrated knife, split each layer in half and cut off the rounded tops so that the layers are level (see
Leveling a Cake
). Reserve one layer that has a bottom crust to use for the top of the cake, which will prevent any crumbs from getting in the glaze. Spread a small dab of mousseline on a 9-inch cardboard round or serving plate. Set the first bottom cake layer bottom side up on top. If using the plate, slide a few wide strips of wax paper or parchment under the cake to keep the rim of the plate clean.

Sandwich each layer with about 1 cup of strawberry mousseline. Use the remaining ½ cup of the strawberry butter to spread evenly over each layer of mousseline. Use the extra mousseline for the cupcakes.

Cover the cake with plastic wrap or a cake dome while preparing the frosting.

Make Miss Irene's Dark Chocolate Frosting

In the top of a double boiler set over hot, not simmering, water, heat the chocolates and butter. (Don't let the bottom of the container touch the water.) Stir often with a silicone spatula until almost completely melted.

Remove the chocolate mixture from the heat and, with the silicone spatula, stir until completely melted. Stir in the syrup until fully incorporated. Stir in the vanilla. The frosting keeps for 3 days at room temperature, for 3 weeks refrigerated, and for 6 months frozen.

Complete the Cake

The first coat of frosting is easiest to apply when very fluid. Begin by pouring the frosting evenly over the top of the cake, allowing it to cascade over the sides. Immediately, before it starts to set, run a long metal spatula or straightedged knife smoothly over the top so that the frosting isn't thicker in the middle. It will be very glossy and beautiful, so if it is slightly uneven, avoid smoothing it further. If you mar the surface, don't worry. You can do a second coat of swirls instead of the smooth topping.

Immediately use a small metal spatula to smooth the frosting that has dripped onto the sides. Now you can relax and work as slowly as you need to. Apply more frosting, a little at a time, to seal the sides completely with a thin coat. Start at the top sides of the cake because the frosting will drift down. If it starts to stiffen, remove about ½ cup and give it a 5-second burst in the microwave to soften it. If necessary, dip the spatula into hot water, dry it, and smooth the frosting against the sides of the cake. Don't be concerned if crumbs get in the coating as it will be covered by a second, thicker one.

Allow the remaining frosting to cool covered at room temperature for 30 minutes or until thick enough to spread easily and hold its shape in swirls of frosting. If desired, soften a little of the remaining frosting with few-second bursts in the microwave; using a teaspoon, drizzle the frosting decoratively over the top. Alternatively, a sprinkling of edible gold dust (see
Ingredients Sources
) magically creates the illusion of a starry night. Slowly slide paper strips out from under the cake.