This cake was a great first cake of the new year to bake. Actually, I baked it a few days before the year ended and took it to a party, but who's counting? Everyone loved it. It is the first recipe I think I've ever made from Southern Living magazine. Usually, that one is not high on my list of mags for inspiration, but this cake for some reason called out to me. It's from the December issue, but I thought it was a perfect cake for a post-Christmas dinner party with friends.
It consists of two white cake layers, alternating with two spice cake layers (great idea) and in between each is a filling made with lemon curd, orange zest, fresh o.j. and flaked coconut. With all that sweetness going on, I wish I would have made a different, less sweet, frosting, but the recipe called for a straight egg-white-based, meringue frosting that tasted like marshmallows. Everyone liked it, but I thought it was over the top sweet. It looked great, though--like peaks of snow.
My friend Jimmy, our host along with his partner, Ross, made a delicious vegetable, kale and bean soup and a shrimp diavolo-inspired dish that were both great. Rachel made the walnut and gorgonzola salad. We drank red wine and then switched to a dry Riesling with the cake. Superb coffees from Jimmy's amazing Rancilio home machine made with local Drew's Brews espresso followed. All around it was a perfect meal with good friends. June even made it to 8:00pm at her first dinner party away from home!
Was it a seven-minute frosting? I made a similar cake from Cook's Illustrated (no spice layers, just white cake and curd). I agree with you that while the white peaks are pretty, I would prefer something less marshmallow-y.
ReplyDeletei meant to tell you yesterday how freaking AMAZING this cake looks!! I want to try it! Wow-- four layers. I've only ever done three.
ReplyDeleteAlso, that pear jam you made us is already history. :)