Rose's Heavenly Cakes by Rose Levy Beranbaum Read Free Book Online Page B

simmering water (don't let the bottom of the bowl touch the water) and heat very briefly, stirring vigorously when the mixture just starts to melt slightly at the edges. To stop the warming, dip the bottom of the bowl into a larger bowl filled with ice water for a few seconds to cool it. Remove the bowl from the ice water and beat the buttercream by hand until smooth. Beat in the CocoRibe, if using, and 2 cups of the coconut.
    Use the buttercream to frost the cake or transfer to an airtight bowl until ready to use.
    Compose the Cake
    When the cakes are completely cool, spread a little buttercream on a 9-inch cardboard round or serving plate and set one layer on top. If using the plate, slide a few wide strips of wax paper or parchment under the cake to keep the rim of the plate clean.
    Evenly spread about 1¼ cups/8.5 ounces/240 grams of buttercream on top before adding the second layer. Frost the top and sides with buttercream. (You will have about 1½ cups left over, which you can freeze to have on hand for frosting cupcakes.)
    Place the remaining coconut in a large bowl. Lift the cake and support it on the palm of one hand. Hold the cake over the bowl, tilting it slightly toward the bowl. Cup your other hand and gently apply coconut to the sides of the cake. Sprinkle the top of the cake with the remaining coconut. If using the paper strips, slowly slide them out from under the cake.
    Highlights for Success
    Use whole (not "light") coconut milk.
    Use "natural" coconut extract available at health food stores.
    If using frozen coconut, defrost it overnight in the refrigerator or for several hours at room temperature. Break it up with your fingers onto a few layers of paper towels and cover and press to remove any excess moisture. Loosen the coconut again with your fingers so that it falls in separate pieces.
    Large flakes of unsweetened coconut, called coconut chips, make a very attractive garnish. They are available at specialty food supply stores, such as Kalustyan's (See Ingredients Sources ).

Whipped Cream Cake
    Serves: 8 to 10
    Baking Time: 25 to 35 minutes
    This unusual old-time recipe was sent to me by chef Anthony Stella, a restaurateur in Delaware, who asked if I could perform a makeover on it. What intrigued both of us about the recipe was that at first glance it seemed to contain no butter or oil. But on closer analysis, I discovered that the butterfat contained in the cream was more than equal to the usual amount of butter added. My makeover involved a nip and tuck, decreasing the sugar and baking powder and increasing the salt to compensate for the saltiness previously provided by a higher amount of baking powder. I also increased the overall yield by one and a half times and baked the cake in a fluted tube pan to give it an attractive appearance and more center support. The result is a perfectly even and exceptionally moist and tender cake.

Batter
Volume
Ounce
Gram
cake flour (or bleached all-purpose flour)
2¼ cups (or 2 cups), sifted into the cup and leveled off
8
225
baking powder
2 teaspoons
.
.
salt
¾ teaspoon
.
.
heavy cream, cold (see Notes )
1½ cups (12 fluid ounces)
12.3
348
3 large eggs, at room temperature
½ cup plus 1½ tablespoons (4.7 fluid ounces)
5.3
150
pure vanilla extract
1 teaspoon
.
.
superfine sugar
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons
8
225
    Special Equipment
    One 10-cup fluted metal tube pan, coated with baking spray with flour
    Preheat the Oven
    Twenty minutes or more before baking, set an oven rack in the lower third of the oven and preheat the oven to 375°F/190°C (350°F/175°C if using a dark pan).
    Mix the Dry Ingredients
    In a medium bowl, whisk together the cake flour, baking powder, and salt and then sift them together to make the mixture easier to incorporate.
    Mix the Liquid Ingredients
    In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk beater, whip the cream, starting on low speed, gradually raising the speed to medium-high as it thickens, until stiff peaks form when the beater is