STRAWBERRY GRAND MARNIER CAKE DESCRIPTION
A moist, strawberry and Grand Marnier laced cake encased in toasted almonds and topped with sweet glazed strawberries and whipped cream. Special to the holidays.
STRAWBERRY GRAND MARNIER CAKE
"Light layers of golden cake [brushed] with gran marnier. Filled with white buttercream and strawberry preserves"
FOR THE GOLDEN CAKE:
2 2/3 cups cake flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 2/3 cups granulated sugar
3/4 cup butter or 3/4 cup margarine, softened
3 eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
1 cup milk
FOR THE GRAN MARNIER BRUSHING SYRUP:
1/2 cup sugar
1/3 cup water
1/4 cup Grand Marnier
FOR THE FILLING:
8 ounces of smucker's strawberry preserves
FOR THE WHITE BUTTERCREAM FROSTING
1 cup vegetable shortening
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 cups confectioners' sugar
2 tablespoons milk or 2 tablespoons water
TO MAKE THE GOLDEN CAKE:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F Generously grease and flour two 9-inch round cake pans. Line bottoms with waxed or parchment paper. Grease paper.
In a small bowl, stir together flour, baking powder and salt.
Beat sugar and butter in large bowl until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add vanilla. Add flour and milk alternately, beginning and ending with flour, mixing on low speed.
Bake in prepared pans for 25-30 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan 10 minutes; invert onto cooling rack. Cool completely.
TO MAKE THE GRAN MARNIER BRUSHING SYRUP:
Stir together sugar and water. Bring to boil. Set aside. Cool. Add Grand Marnier. Using a pastry brush, soak cake thoroughly, at least twice with this syrup.
TO MAKE THE WHITE BUTTERCREAM FROSTING:
Cream butter and shortening with mixer. Add vanilla. Gradually add sugar, one cup at a time, beating on medium speed. Scrape sides and bottom of bowl often. When all sugar has been mixed in, icing will appear dry. Add milk or water and beat at medium speed until ready to use.
FOR ASSEMBLY:
Place one golden cake down.
Spread a layer of Smucker's Strawberry Preserves on cake.
Spread layer of buttercream icing on top of preserves.
Add second cake layer on top.
Frost with remaining buttercream frosting.
Decorate as desired.
Source: Chef #506610 / Food.com
STRAWBERRY SABAYON CAKE
FOR THE SPONGE CAKE:
1/4 cup milk
2 teaspoons plus 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
8 large eggs
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
FOR THE FILLING AND TO FINISH:
3 pints fresh strawberries, rinsed, hulled, and thinly sliced
1 cup Grand Marnier
2 cups sugar
1 pound mascarpone cheese
4 large egg yolks
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted
2 cups heavy (whipping) cream, whipped to stiff peaks
1 pint fresh strawberries, rinsed and hulled
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Make the sponge cake. In a small saucepan, warm the milk and 2 teaspoons of the butter together over medium-low heat.
With an electric mixer fitted with a wire whip, beat the eggs and 1 cup of the sugar on medium-high speed in a large mixing bowl until the mixture is pale yellow, thick, and tripled in volume, about 8 minutes. With the mixer on low speed, beat in the warm milk mixture.
Sift the flour, baking powder, and salt into a small mixing bowl. Add half the flour mixture to the egg mixture and blend thoroughly until smooth. Repeat with the other half. Add the vanilla and mix gently.
Grease a 17 X 12-inch baking pan or jelly-roll pan with the remaining 2 tablespoons butter. Sprinkle evenly with the remaining 2 tablespoons sugar. Pour the cake batter into the pan, spreading it evenly. Bake until the cake springs back when touched, about 15 minutes. Cool for about 2 minutes, then gently flip it out onto a large wire rack or a large sheet of parchment paper. Let cool completely.
Make the filling. In a medium-size mixing bowl, combine the sliced strawberries, Grand Marnier, and 1 cup of the sugar. Stir gently to mix. Cover and let stand for 1 hour.
Combine the mascarpone cheese with 1/2 cup of the sugar in a medium-size mixing bowl and mix well. Set aside.
Combine the egg yolks, the remaining 1/2 cup sugar, and the wine in a medium-size stainless steel mixing bowl and whisk until frothy. Set the bowl over a pot of simmering water and whisk until the mixture thickens, about 5 minutes. Add the melted butter in a steady stream, whisking constantly until it is well blended. Remove from the heat and continue whisking to cool slightly. Set aside and let cool for 10 minutes.
Whisk the mascarpone mixture, a little at a time, into the sabayon. Whisk in half the whipped cream.
Cut the cake vertically in half. Spread the strawberry mixture evenly over both halves.
To assemble, spread 1 cup of the sabayon evenly over the bottom of a deep glass dish (about 10 X 13 inches). Carefully place one piece of the cake on top of the sabayon and gently press down to remove any air pockets.
Spoon half of the remaining sabayon over the cake and spread evenly. Top with the remaining piece of cake and spread the remaining sabayon over the top. Cover and refrigerate for at least 12 hours.
When ready to serve, spread the top with the remaining whipped cream, then arrange the whole strawberries on the whipped cream. Spoon into dessert dishes.
Makes 10 to 12 servings
Source: Emeril Lagasse, Every Day's a Party Cookbook
