Pink Cherry Cake with Fudge Frosting

By vealam

Ingredients

• For the Cake:
• 3 1/4 cups (375 g) cake flour
• 2 1/4 cups (450g) superfine sugar
• 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 3/4 cup (170g) cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces
• 1 1/3 cups (320ml) milk, room temperature
• 2 tablespoons Maraschino cherry juice
• 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 7 large egg whites, room temperature
• 1-2 drops AmeriColor gel paste food coloring in Soft Pink
• 20 About 20 Maraschino cherries, halved
• For the Chocolate Fudge Frosting:
• 1 1/2 cups (340 g) unsalted butter, softened
• 1/2 cup (60 g) confectioners' sugar, sifted
• 1/2 cup (60 g) dark cocoa powder, sifted
• 1/3 cup (80 ml) hot water
• 1/4 cup (60 ml) sour cream
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 10 ounces (290 g) milk chocolate, chopped, melted and cooled slightly
• 5 ounces (150 g) dark chocolate, chopped, melted and cooled slightly
• Sprinkle medley, for decorating (see Sweetapolita's Notes)

Details

Servings 1
Adapted from iambaker.net

Preparation

Step 1

For the Chocolate Fudge Frosting:
In a bowl of stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, beat the butter on medium speed until pale and fluffy, about 6 minutes. Reduce to speed to low, and add the confectioners' sugar, cocoa powder, water, sour cream, vanilla, and salt and beat until incorporated, about 1 minute. Increase the speed to medium and beat for 2 more minutes.
Add the melted chocolate and beat on medium speed until smooth, about 1 minute.

For the cake:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease the bottoms of three 8-inch round cake pans and line with parchment.
In the bowl of stand mixer with paddle attachment, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt on low speed.
Add in the butter one piece at a time. Beat on low speed until all the butter has been incorporated, about 3 minutes. The mixture should have a fine crumbly, cornmeal-like texture.
In a medium measuring glass with a spout, combine half the milk, the cherry juice, lemon juice, and vanilla.
In a separate measuring cup, gently whisk the egg whites and remaining milk.
With stand mixer on low speed, gradually add the cherry juice mixture, followed by gel paste color and beat for five minutes. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula.
Put the mixer back on low speed and add the egg white mixture in three parts, scraping down the sides of the bowl after each addition. Beat for 1 minute.
Toss the cherry bits in a little flour and gently fold them into the batter by hand.
Divide the batter evenly among the prepared pans.
Bake for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center is removed with few crumbs.
Let layers cool in their pans on wire racks for 10 minutes. Using a knife, loosen the sides of the cakes and carefully turn them out onto wire racks. Peel off parchment layers and cool completely.
The cake layers will keep wrapped tightly in plastic wrap at room temperature for up to 2 days.