The Wedding Cakes

Fruitcake with a Twist

Ingredients;

* 1 pound diced citron and candied orange and lemon peels

* 2 pounds candied cherries, halved, red and green

* 2 pounds candied pineapple

* 1 pound chopped pitted dates

* 1 pound raisins

* 1 can (16 ounces) pitted sour cherries, drained

* 1 pound chopped pecans

* 1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons brandy

* 1 tablespoon vanilla

* 1/2 cup molasses

* 1 cup butter

* 2 cups light brown sugar

* 7 large eggs

* 1 jar (12 ounces) apple jelly

* 5 cups sifted flour

* 1 teaspoon baking powder

* 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

* 3 teaspoons ground cinnamon

* 1 teaspoon allspice

* 1 teaspoon nutmeg

* 1 teaspoon ground cloves

Directions;

Prepare fruit mixture a day in advance. Combine fruits and nuts in a large bowl with brandy, vanilla, and molasses. Cover tightly and let stand overnight or up to 48 hours. Prepare batter. Let butter and eggs come to room temperature. Sift together the dry ingredients and set aside. In a mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, 2 at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in apple jelly; blend well. Add fruit and nut mixture alternately with the sifted dry ingredients, using a heavy wooden spoon and/or hands for stirring.

Stir until well blended. Generously grease 2 tube cake pans (10-inch), then line with waxed paper and grease again. Fill pans about 3/4 full. Bake at 250° for 3 1/2 to 4 hours. After 3 hours, begin testing cakes with toothpick or cake tester. The pick should come out clean when inserted in center of cake. Cool in pans on racks then turn out of pans and carefully peel off paper. Wrap cakes in cheesecloth and sprinkle generously with more of the brandy.

Seal cakes in food storage bags or plastic wrap. Brush cakes once a week with more brandy and reseal. These fruitcakes should be mellowed for at least 4 weeks, and can be frozen after that amount of time.

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Special Lemon Cake

Ingredients;

16 eggs separated

3 cups sugar (sifted)

12 tbsp fresh lemon juice

8 tsp fresh lemon zest

2 tsp real vanilla extract

6 cups whipping cream

12 tbsp sugar (sifted)

Instructions;

Beat whipping cream with electric mixer until it becomes whipped cream. Set aside. Mix together egg yolks, 3 cups of sugar, lemon zest and lemon juice in a medium bowl. Transfer to a double boiler and heat over simmering water. Stir constantly until mixture becomes thick.

Remove from heat and place mixture into the refrigerator for cooling. Once mixture is cool, add vanilla and whipped cream. In a separate bowl, beat egg whites and slowly add remaining sugar. Beat whites until soft peaks form. Fold egg white mixture into cooled lemon mixture and chill until set (about 2 hours.)

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Vanilla Cake

Ingredients;

2 2/3 cups cake flour (sifted)

1 tbsp baking powder

1/3 tsp salt

4 ½ egg whites

1 cup plus 2 tbsp milk

¾ cup unsalted butter cut into tablespoon pieces

1 cup plus 2 tbsp sugar

1 ½ tsp vanilla extract

Instructions;

Preheat oven to 350. Spray cake pans with nonstick spray and line with parchment paper; spray parchment. Sift baking soda, flour and salt; set aside. Whisk the milk and egg white together in a separate bowl; set aside. Beat butter until soft and creamy. Gradually add sugar and cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy (3 minutes.) Add vanilla and beat until mixed.

Alternately add flour mixture and milk mixture in 4 additions. Divide batter evenly between pans and bake for roughly 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out with just a few crumbs sticking to it. Cool on racks for 5 minutes. Remove cakes from pan and parchment and cool on racks until completely cooled.

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White Whip Frosting

Ingredients;

1 1/2 cups cold milk

1 envelope Dream Whip®

1 small box instant pudding, desired flavor

Directions;.

Beat all on low speed until well blended. Increase to high speed and whip until soft peaks form — 4 to 6 minutes.

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Curls Choco

Ingredients;

1 package (8 ounces) chocolate, coarsely chopped

1 tablespoon vegetable shortening

Directions;

Place chocolate and shortening in 2-cup glass measure. Microwave on HIGH about 1-1/2 minutes or until melted, stirring after every 30 seconds.

Pour melted chocolate onto back of baking sheet, marble slab, or other heat-resistant flat surface. Quickly spread chocolate into very thin layer with metal spatula. Refrigerate about 10 minutes or until firm, but still pliable.

Using small straight-edge metal spatula or paring knife, held at 45° angle, push spatula firmly along baking sheet, under chocolate, so chocolate curls as it is pushed. (If chocolate is too firm to curl, let stand a few minutes at room temperature.

Refrigerate again if it becomes too soft.) Using small skewer or toothpick, transfer curls to waxed paper. Store in cool, dry place until ready to use.

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Syrup

Ingredients;

1 1/2 cups granulated sugar

2 cups water

Directions;

Place sugar and water in a heavy saucepan and bring to a boil. Boil gently for five minutes or until all sugar is completely dissolved. Transfer to a container to cool.
Can be refrigerated for up to 6 weeks.
Serving Ideas: Brush on Cake layers to really have a moist cake, use in recipes for Blender Lemonade brushed on Broiled Fruits. Add to a number of cocktails.

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Italian Wedding Cake

Ingredients;

• 2 fluid ounces vanilla vodka

• 1 fluid ounce cranberry juice

• 1 fluid ounce pineapple juice

• 1/2 fluid ounce amaretto (almond flavored liqueur)

• 1/2 fluid ounce white creme de cacao

Directions;

Pour the vodka, cranberry juice, pineapple juice, amaretto, and creme de cacao into a cocktail shaker over ice. Cover, and shake until the outside of the shaker has frosted. Strain into a chilled martini glass to serve

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White Berry Chocolate Cake

Ingredients;

White Chocolate Icing

• 2 cups (500 mL) unsalted butter at room temperature

• 16 ounces (450 g) good quality white chocolate, melted and cooled to room temperature

• 2 cups (500 mL) icing sugar, sifted

• 2 teaspoons (10 mL) vanilla extract

• 1/4 teaspoon (1 mL) salt

White Chocolate Berry Wedding Cake

• 2/3 cup (175 mL) unsalted butter at room temperature

• 1 1/3 cups (325 mL) sugar

• 4 large eggs at room temperature

• 2 teaspoons (10 mL) vanilla extract

• 2 1/4 cups (560 mL) all-purpose flour

• 2 teaspoons (10 mL) baking powder

• 1/2 teaspoon (2 mL) salt

• 1 1/4 cups (310 mL) 2% milk at room temperature

• 8 ounces (240 g) white chocolate, chopped

• 3 cups (750 mL) mixed fresh berries

Cake Decorating

• 1 14-inch (35 cm) round cake pan, 3-inches (7.5 cm) tall

• 1 10-inch (25 cm) round cake pan, 3-inches (7.5cm) tall

• 1 8-inch (20 cm) round cake pan, 3-inches (7.5 cm) tall

• 1 6-inch (15 cm) round cake pan, 3-inches (7.5 cm) tall

• 3 cardboard cake bases, 10, 8 and 6-inches (25, 20 and 15 cm) respectively

• 1 cake platter, at least 16-inches (40 cm) across

• untreated wooden doweling

• 1 offset spatula

• piping bags and tips

• small fondant leaf cutters

• green satin ribbon, 1-inch in diameter, about 2 metres of dark green, and 1 metre of light green

• cake wheel or Lazy Suzan

Royal Icing

• 1/2 cup (125 mL) warm water

• 4 1/2 cups (1125 mL) icing sugar, sifted

Directions;

White Chocolate Icing

In a stand-up mixer or in a large bowl with electric beaters, beat butter until fluffy. Beat in cooled melted chocolate on medium speed. Reduce speed and beat in icing sugar, vanilla and salt (icing will be a little soft). Chill for about an hour to set before using.

Icing can be made ahead and chilled for up to a week, or wrapped and frozen up to a month (thaw refrigerated). Once thawed, beat to make fluffy, then use.

White Chocolate Berry Wedding Cake

Preheat oven to 325 F (160 C). Grease and flour a 10-inch (25 cm) cake pan with 3-inch (8 cm) sides and line bottom with parchment paper. In a stand-up mixer or in a large bowl with electric beaters, beat butter and sugar until fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition, and stir in vanilla. In a separate bowl, sift flour, baking powder and salt. Add flour to butter mixture in 4 additions, alternating with milk, blending well after each addition. Melt chocolate in a bowl over barely simmering water, stirring until almost melted. Remove from heat and continue to stir until melted. Pour warm chocolate into cake batter while blending. Pour into prepared pan and bake until a tester inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean, about 45 minutes. Allow cake to cool 30 minutes, then remove from pan to cool completely. Wrap cake and store frozen or at room temperature until ready to assemble.

To assemble, slice cake horizontally into three layers. Spread about 2/3 cup (150 mL) of icing on bottom layer, and spread 1/3 cup (75 mL) of icing on next layer. Sprinkle mixed berries over iced bottom layer and place next layer on top, with iced-side down, so that icing holds berries in place. Repeat with next layer. Ice outside of cake on top and sides to cover and level. Chill.

Cake Decorating

To prepare rolling fondant To tint fondant, add a little of the colour paste to a small ball (about ½ cup) of fondant and knead well. Add this ball to a larger portion of fondant (about 3 lbs, for the 14-inch, 1 ½ lbs for the 10-inch, 1 lb for the 8-inch and ½ lb for the 6-inch tiers) and knead by hand or in a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (not electric beaters) Adjust colour as needed by adding more colour to intensify the tone, or more fondant to lighten the tone. This cake uses a darker green for the base, gradually working up to a pale green for the 6-inch tier.

Lightly dust your rolling surface with icing sugar and start by rolling the darkest green fondant for the 14-inch tier. Roll out a circle ¼ -inch (5 mm) thick. Keep remaining fondant covered at all times. Use your rolling pin to roll up fondant and lift it gently over the 14-inch (35 cm) tier Unroll fondant over cake and gently use your hands to adhere fondant to icing. Trim fondant from base of cake and rub surface of fondant in a circular direction to create a smooth surface. If any airpockets appear, use a pin to release the air and rub the spot gently with your finger to erase the hole. Repeat this process with the remaining tiers. Take advantage of trimmed excess fondant to cut out small leaf patterns with a small leaf cutter and set aside (it is OK if they dry out).

To stack tiers, they must be stabilized with wooden doweling. Insert a length of doweling into base tier, at least 4-inches (10 cm) from the outside edge. Mark on the doweling where the cake reaches and remove. Cut doweling at that mark and cut 4 more identical in length (this ensures the cake will sit level). Insert the dowelling into cake in a circle and gently place 10-inch (25 cm) tier on top. Repeat this step with the 10-inch (25 cm) and 8-inch (20 cm) tiers.

To transport a cake of this size and weight, it is recommend to take it in two pieces and assemble on-site. Stack the bottom 2 tiers together, and stack the top two tiers. To decorate cake, start with the bottom tier, wrapping with green ribbon. Fill a piping bag fitted with a small plain tip with green royal icing and pipe a stem design sprouting from the ribbon. Use royal icing to adhere leaves onto stem design. Repeat desired patterns and piping on each tier (use your own creativity or follow the photo of this cake for design inspiration).

Royal Icing

For royal icing, stir together all ingredients to blend, then beat with electric beaters on high speed until mixture is stiff, about 7 minutes Tint icing as desired. Cover surface of icing directly with plastic wrap and store at room temperature until ready to use.

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Sweet Syrup

Ingredients;

1 lb. icing sugar

3 tsp. gum tragacanth or gum arabic - warmed to 97° F (optional, see note above)

5 tsp. water

3 tsp. powdered gelatine

Sprinkle gelatine onto water, leave to ’sponge’, gently dissolve over hot water

2 tsp. white fat

2 tsp. liquid glucose

melt with the above

1 egg white

Directions;

Place warmed ingredients into warmed mixer bowl, add liquids and egg white. Using 4 beater, beat until white and stringy. Place into poly bags, then into an airtight container. Store in fridge for at least 12 hours. For Chocolate rolled Fondant knead 24 oz. sugarpaste with 3 oz. melted chocolate (white or dark) until smooth.

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Trinidad Dark Cake

Ingredients;

1 lb butter (use margarine for pareve)

1 lb sugar

8 eggs

1 tsp lemon essence

2 tsp lime rind (zested)

2 tsp almond essence

2 tsp vanilla

1 lb all-purpose flour (use 1/2 cassava flour + 1/2 lb rice flour for gluten-free)

4 tsp baking powder

2 tsp mixed spice

1/2 tsp grated nutmeg

1 lb pitted prunes

1 lb raisins

1 lb currants

1 bottle cherry brandy

1 bottle rum and/or Bailey’s

2 tbsp Angostura bitters

1 lb brown sugar

1/2 cup boiling hot water

1 more bottle of rum

Directions;
Up to 5 days before you make the cake, chop up all the fruits for the fruit base. Place in a large bowl, pour in Angostura bitters, cherry brandy and rum. Leave in a cool corner, covered, to soak up the liquor. As I said 3-5 days before is the best option, 24 hours minimum if you must be ‘so last-minute’!

On the Day Of:
Blend Fruit Base:
I pour the soaked fruit and juices into a blender and blend until thick and still a bit chunky (like tomato sauce)

Prepare Browning:
Burn sugar until caramelized, add hot water gradually. Mix well and leave to cool. Please be extra careful at this stage as a ‘browning’ burn is NOT a fun thing Once that is done Preheat oven to 250F (no that’s not a typo) Cream the butter and sugar. Add eggs one at a time, mixing to incorporate Add lemon essence, lemon zest, almond essence and vanilla Mix and sift flour, baking powder, mixed spice and nutmeg. Gradually add sifted ingredients to creamed mixture Mix in fruit base puree and ‘browning’

Pour batter into greased tins that have been doubly lined with brown paper or parchment paper Bake for 3 hours
Once removed from the oven soak the tops with equal portions of the remaining bottle of rum

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Special Tofu Cheese Cake

Ingredients;

4 ounces whole wheet honey graham crackers

3 tablespoons olive oil(preferable) or margarine at room temperature

1 cup pineapple juice

2 tablespoons gelatin or agar-agar

1 pound soft tofu

5 tablespoons honey

6 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

1 tablespoon grated lemon peel

1 teaspoon candied ginger, minced

Directions;

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a 9-inch pie pan plate with margarine. In a food processor, or by hand, crumble the grham crackers, add olive oil and work to a fine crumb. Press the cracker mixture onto the bottom of the pie plate until the surface is smooth and even. Bake for 10 minutes. Cool.

Heat the pineapple juice to a near boil. Stir in the gelatin or agar-agar gradually and simmer until it is dissolved, about 5 minutes. Cool for at least 10 minutes. In a blender or food processor, combine all the other ingredients with pineapple juice mixture and blend for a minutes. Pour into the baked crust. Refrigerate 3 to 4 hours.

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Buttery Sweets

Ingredients;

1/4 cup butter, just softened

1/4 cup shortening

1 cup plus 2 Tablespoons granulated sugar

2 eggs, lightly beaten

2 cups sifted cake flour, sift into a bowl, then lightly spoon into the measure and level off

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup milk

2 teaspoon vanilla

Directions;

Preheat the oven to 350° degrees. Lightly grease the bottom and sides of a 9-inch square baking pan. Set aside. In a medium bowl, sift the flour, baking powder, and salt, stir to combine and set aside.

In your mixing bowl, beat the butter until soft, add the shortening and beat until the fats are smooth. Add the sugar and cream about 1 to 2 minutes until lighter in color and fluffy. Add the eggs in two additions, scrape the bowl and beat until absorbed.

Add the vanilla to the milk and then alternate the milk and flour mixture to the batter. Start with the flour and add ¼ to the batter, mix in, then add 1/3 of the milk, repeat, be sure to end with the flour and scrape the bowl between additions.

Pour the batter into the prepared 9-inch square pan and smooth the top with a spatula. Bake about 30 – 35 minutes until the center springs when touched or a cake tester comes clean when inserted into the center of the cake. Cool in the pan, meanwhile make the buttery frosting and spread evenly over the cake, top with colored sprinkles and serve.

Store the cake at room temperature for a day or two, or refrigerate in hot/humid weather. Keep covered with plastic wrap.

Buttery Frosting

1 cup (2 sticks butter), softened

use salted butter for frosting for flavor

1 pound (4 cups) sifted powdered sugar

1 Tablespoon vanilla

pinch of salt

Heavy cream to adjust consistency of frosting, about 2 to 4 Tablespoons

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