Perfect Party Cake

By stancec44

Double the cake recipe for thicker layers, but only use 1 1/2 of the recipe for the cake. Use the rest for cupcakes.

Ingredients

• Cake (Doubled recipe):
• 4 1/2 c. cake flour
• 2 Tbsp. baking powder
• 1 tsp. salt
• 2 1/2 c. buttermilk
• 8 lg. egg whites
• 3 c. sugar
• 4 tsp. grated lemon zest
• 2 sticks (16 Tbsp.) unsalted butter
• 1 tsp. pure lemon extract
• For the buttercream
• 1 c. sugar
• 4 lg. egg whites
• 3 sticks unsalted butter
• 1/4 c. fresh lemon juice (from about 2 lemons)
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• For finishing:
• 2/3 c. seedless raspberry preserves
• 1 1/2 c. sweetened shredded coconut

Details

Servings 12

Preparation

Step 1

Center the rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees. Butter 2 9" cake pans and line the bottom of each pan with a round of buttered parchment. Put the pans on a baking sheet.

Cake:
Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt.
Whisk the milk and egg whites in a med. bowl.
Put the sugar and zest in a mixer bowl or another large bowl and rub them together with your fingers until the sugar is moist and fragrant. Add the butter and, working with the paddle or whisk attachment, beat at medium speed for a full 3 minutes, until the butter and sugar are very light.

Beat in the extract, then add one third of the flour mixture, still beating on medium speed. Beat in half of the egg-milk, then beat in half of the remaining dry ingredients until incorporated. Add the rest of the milk and eggs, beating until the batter is homogeneous, then add the last of the dry ingredients. Finally, give the batter a good 2-minuted beating to ensure it is thoroughly mixed and well aerated. Divide the batter between the 2 pans and smooth the tops with a rubber spatula.

Bake for 30-35 minutes (a little longer, since you have 1 1/2'd the recipe), or until the cakes are well risen and springy to the touch, a thin knife inserted into the centers should come out clean. Transfer to cooling racks and cool for about 5 minutes, then run a knife around the sides, unmold them and peel off the paper lines. Invert and cool to room temp. right side up. (Cooled can be wrapped airtight overnight.)

Buttercream:
Put the sugar and egg whites in a mixer bowl or other large heatproof bowl, fit the bowl over a pan of simmering water and whisk constantly, keeping the mixture over the heat, until it feels hot to the touch, about 3 minutes. The sugar should be dissolved, and the mixture will look like shiny marshmallow cream. Remove the bowl from the heat.

Working with the whisk attachment, beat the meringue on medium speed until it is cool, about 5 minutes. Switch to the paddle attachment, and add the butter a stick at a time, beating until smooth. Once all the butter is in, beat the buttercream on med-high speed until it is thick and very smooth, about 6 - 10 minutes. During this time, the buttercream may curdle or separate - just keep beating and if will come together again.

On medium speed, gradually beat in the lemon juice, waiting until each addition is absorbed before adding more, and then the vanilla. You should have a shiny, smooth, velvety, pristine white buttercream. Press a piece of plastic against the surface of the buttercream and set aside briefly.

To assemble:
Using a sharp, serrated knife and a gentle sawing motion, slice each layer horizontally in half. Put one layer cut side up on a cardboard cake round or a cake plate protected by strips of waxed paper. Spread it with 1/3 of the preserves. Cover the jam evenly with about 1/4 of the buttercream. Top with another layer, spread with preserves and buttercream, and then do the same with a 3rd layer (you'll have used all the preserves and have buttercream left over). Place the last layer cut side down on top of the cake and use the remaining buttercream to frost the sides and top. Press the coconut into the frosting, patting it gently all over the sides and top.