Claire Ptak’s Three-Layer Spice Cake with Brown Sugar Buttercream and Sugared Fruits - Milk Street

Claire Ptak’s Three-Layer Spice Cake with Brown Sugar Buttercream and Sugared Fruits

Name: Claire Ptak’s Three-Layer Spice Cake with Brown Sugar Buttercream and Sugared Fruits
Yield: 16 to 20 Servings
Ingredients: 488 grams (3¾ cups) all-purpose flour, plus more for the pans; 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon; ½ teaspoon ground ginger; ¼ teaspoon ground cloves; ¼ teaspoon grated nutmeg; 1 tablespoon baking powder; 1½ teaspoons table salt; 5 large eggs, room temperature; 1⅓ cups whole milk, room temperature; 141 grams (10 tablespoons) unsalted butter, room temperature; 499 grams (2⅓ cups) white sugar; ½ cup sunflower oil or vegetable oil; 54 grams (¼ cup) white sugar; 1 to 1½ tablespoons brandy; 2 8-ounce containers mascarpone cheese, cold; 1 cup cold heavy cream; 2 tablespoons orange juice; 62 grams (½ cup) powdered sugar, sifted; 339 grams (24 tablespoons) unsalted butter, cool room temperature; 4 large egg whites; 298 grams (1½ cups) packed dark brown sugar; 1 teaspoon table salt; 1 teaspoon vanilla extract or the seeds scraped from 1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise

Adapted by Rose Hattabaugh

16 to 20 Servings

Free

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This statuesque cake comes from Claire Ptak, cookbook author, food stylist and owner of Violet Cakes in London. Her gorgeous dessert features three layers of tender spice cake sandwiching a silky-smooth orange-mascarpone filling. For subtly boozy notes and extra moisture, Ptak soaks two of the three cake layers with a simple brandy syrup. To finish, a blanket of velvety brown sugar buttercream coats the entire creation. There are several components to this showstopper, but a couple can be made in advance. The cakes can be baked and cooled, then each one wrapped well in plastic and refrigerated for up to two days; bring to room temperature before assembly. The soaking syrup also can be refrigerated for a few days. The mascarpone filling and the buttercream, however, are best made the day you plan to assemble the cake. Note that the butter to make the cake batter should be soft and very spreadable; this allows for proper creaming and emulsification. The butter for the buttercream, however, should be just slightly cooler and firmer in order to produce a perfectly silky-smooth frosting. Before making the buttercream, Ptak premixes the butter to ensure it has the correct consistency; it should yield when stirred, with a little effort, and should not be so soft as to be squishy. For a festive flair and elegant, artful finish, top the cake with sugared fruits, herbs or edible flowers. Leftovers will keep in the refrigerator under a cake dome for a few days, but bring to room temperature before serving.

16 to 20

Servings

488 grams (3¾ cups) all-purpose flour, plus more for the pans

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

½ teaspoon ground ginger

¼ teaspoon ground cloves

¼ teaspoon grated nutmeg

1 tablespoon baking powder

1½ teaspoons table salt

5 large eggs, room temperature

1⅓ cups whole milk, room temperature

141 grams (10 tablespoons) unsalted butter, room temperature

499 grams (2⅓ cups) white sugar

½ cup sunflower oil or vegetable oil

54 grams (¼ cup) white sugar

1 to 1½ tablespoons brandy

2 8-ounce containers mascarpone cheese, cold

1 cup cold heavy cream

2 tablespoons orange juice

62 grams (½ cup) powdered sugar, sifted

339 grams (24 tablespoons) unsalted butter, cool room temperature

4 large egg whites

298 grams (1½ cups) packed dark brown sugar

1 teaspoon table salt

1 teaspoon vanilla extract or the seeds scraped from 1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise

For the cake:

488

grams (3¾ cups) all-purpose flour, plus more for the pans
1

teaspoon ground cinnamon
½

teaspoon ground ginger
¼

teaspoon ground cloves
¼

teaspoon grated nutmeg
1

tablespoon baking powder
1½

teaspoons table salt
5

large eggs, room temperature
1⅓

cups whole milk, room temperature
141

grams (10 tablespoons) unsalted butter, room temperature
499

grams (2⅓ cups) white sugar
½

cup sunflower oil or vegetable oil

For the soaking syrup:

54

grams (¼ cup) white sugar
1 to 1½

tablespoons brandy

For the mascarpone filling:

2

8-ounce containers mascarpone cheese, cold
1

cup cold heavy cream
2

tablespoons orange juice
62

grams (½ cup) powdered sugar, sifted

For the buttercream:

339

grams (24 tablespoons) unsalted butter, cool room temperature
4

large egg whites
298

grams (1½ cups) packed dark brown sugar
1

teaspoon table salt
1

teaspoon vanilla extract or the seeds scraped from 1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise

Recipe

Sugared Fruits

Directions

01

To make the cake, heat the oven to 325°F with a rack in the middle position. (If your oven cannot comfortably fit 3 cake pans on a single rack, position the racks in the upper- and lower-middle positions.) Mist three 9-inch round cake pans with cooking spray. Line the bottoms with rounds of kitchen parchment, then mist the parchment. Dust the pans with flour, then knock out the excess.
02

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, nutmeg, baking powder and salt. In a medium bowl or 4-cup liquid measuring cup, whisk together the eggs and milk.
03

In a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, beat the butter, white sugar and oil on medium until combined, about 2 minutes. Increase to high and beat, scraping the bowl as needed, until light and fluffy, about 4 to 5 minutes. With the mixer running on low, add half of the egg mixture and mix for about 30 seconds. Add about half of the flour mixture and mix on low until almost fully incorporated, about 30 seconds. Add the remaining egg mixture, then the remaining flour mixture, beating for about 30 seconds after each addition and scraping the bowl as needed. After the final addition, increase to medium and beat until well combined, about 1 minute. Fold the batter with the spatula, scraping along the bottom and sides of the bowl to ensure no pockets of flour remain.
04

Divide the batter evenly among the prepared pans. Rap each pan against the counter to remove any air bubbles. Place the pans in the oven, spacing them evenly on the rack. (If baking on 2 racks, place 2 pans on the upper rack and 1 on the lower. Fifteen minutes into baking, quickly move the 2 pans on the upper rack to the lower rack and the pan on the lower rack to the upper rack, then continue to bake). Bake until golden brown and a toothpick inserted at the center of the cakes comes out clean, 25 to 28 minutes. Cool in the pans on wire racks for about 15 minutes.
05

While the cakes are baking, make the soaking syrup. In a small saucepan over medium, combine the white sugar and ½ cup water. Bring to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until the sugar is dissolved, 4 to 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the brandy. Cool to room temperature, then transfer to a plastic squeeze bottle or small bowl. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use or for up to 3 days.
06

After the cakes have cooled for about 15 minutes, run a paring knife around the inside edge of each pan to loosen. One at a time, invert the cakes onto the racks, lift off the pans and peel off and discard the parchment. Carefully turn the cakes upright and cool to room temperature. (If making ahead, wrap each cooled cake tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 2 days; bring to room temperature before assembly.)
07

While the cakes cool, make the mascarpone filling. In the mixer bowl, combine the mascarpone, cream, orange juice and powdered sugar. Using the whisk attachment, beat on medium, scraping the bowl as needed, until the mixture is smooth, well combined and has the consistency of softly whipped cream, about 1½ minutes; do not overbeat. Transfer to a small bowl, cover and refrigerate until ready to use.
08

To make the buttercream, in a medium bowl, stir the butter with a wooden spoon until smooth and creamy; set aside. In a medium saucepan, bring about 1 inch of water to a bare simmer. In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the egg whites, brown sugar and salt. Set the bowl over the saucepan; make sure the bottom does not touch the water. Whisk constantly until the sugar is dissolved and the mixture is frothy and reaches 160°F, 5 to 6 minutes.
09

Remove the bowl from the pan and attach it to the stand mixer along with the whisk attachment. Begin beating on low, then gradually increase to medium-high, whipping until the bowl is cool to the touch and the mixture holds stiff peaks, about 8 minutes. Add the vanilla and mix until fully incorporated. With the mixer running on medium, spoon in the butter a few tablespoons at a time; scrape the bowl as needed. Once all of the butter is added, switch to the paddle attachment. Beat on low for about 2 minutes to ensure the buttercream is well combined but without incorporating additional air.
10

To assemble the cake, transfer about 1½ cups buttercream to a large pastry bag fitted with a plain pastry tip (about ½ inch). Line the bottom and sides of a 9-inch springform pan with two 20-inch lengths of plastic wrap, laid perpendicular to each other; allow the excess to overhang the sides. Place one cake layer in the prepared pan. Pipe a ring of buttercream around the perimeter of the cake, then drizzle about half of the syrup onto the cake, or if the syrup is in a bowl, brush it on. Spoon half the mascarpone mixture into the center and spread it in an even layer.
11

Place another cake layer on top. Pipe buttercream around the perimeter, soak the cake with the remaining syrup and fill with the remaining mascarpone mixture. Place the final cake layer on top (the assembled cake will be taller than the springform pan); the final cake layer is not soaked with syrup, as it will become the bottom layer when the cake is inverted out of the pan. Cover the cake with the overhanging the plastic wrap. Refrigerate for about 2 hours; this will make the cake easier to frost. Return any buttercream left in the pastry bag to the remaining buttercream in the mixer bowl; cover the bowl and set in a cool spot but do not refrigerate.
12

Remove the cake from the refrigerator. Peel back the plastic wrap, then invert a cardboard cake round or cake plate onto the cake still in the pan. While holding the cake round or plate against the cake, carefully invert the two together. Unfasten the sides of the springform pan, then remove the outer ring and lift off the pan bottom. Remove and discard the plastic wrap. Using an icing spatula, frost the top and sides of the cake with the remaining buttercream. If desired, use the pastry bag and tip to pipe decorative edges. Refrigerate, uncovered, for 30 minutes before serving.