Bon Appetit Desserts (31 page)

Place 2 cake pans on upper rack of oven and 2 pans on lower rack. Bake cakes until golden and tester inserted into center comes out clean, reversing pans after 15 minutes, about 30 minutes total. Cool cakes in pans on racks 10 minutes. Turn cakes out onto racks; peel off parchment. Cool cakes completely.

Place 3 cake layers on work surface. Spread ⅓ of ginger-lime curd (about ½ cup) over each, leaving ½-inch plain border at edge. Let cake layers stand 10 minutes. Stack cake layers, curd side up, on platter. Top with fourth cake layer. Insert 3 or 4 bamboo skewers from top to bottom into cake to hold stacked layers in place while preparing frosting.

FROSTING:
Whisk sugar, egg whites, ⅓ cup water, corn syrup, and cream of tartar in large metal bowl to blend. Set bowl over saucepan of barely simmering water. Using handheld electric mixer, beat at medium speed until mixture resembles soft marshmallow fluff, about 4 minutes. Increase mixer speed to high and beat until mixture is very thick, about 3 minutes longer. Remove bowl from over water. Add vanilla and continue beating until marshmallow frosting is completely cool, about 5 minutes.

Spread marshmallow frosting thinly over top and sides of cake. Remove bamboo skewers. Press flaked coconut into marshmallow frosting on top and sides of cake.

DO AHEAD:
Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover with cake dome and refrigerate. Let stand at room temperature 2 hours before serving.

Gingerbread Layer Cake with Candied Kumquats

Cola in gingerbread cake? Absolutely—the warm caramel flavors in cola actually complement the molasses and brown sugar in this triple-layer cake. Use a cola made the good old-fashioned way, with cane sugar instead of high-fructose corn syrup. You’ll have some candied kumquats left over; they’re delicious served with vanilla ice cream or creamy Greek-style yogurt.
12 servings

1 cup cola

1½ teaspoons baking soda

1 cup mild-flavored (light) molasses

2 cups unbleached all purpose flour

2 tablespoons ground ginger

1½ teaspoons baking powder

1¼ teaspoons ground cinnamon

¾ teaspoon ground cloves

½ teaspoon ground nutmeg

½ teaspoon salt

1 cup (packed) dark brown sugar

¾ cup vegetable oil

3 large eggs

1 cup water

¾ cup honey

¼ cup sugar

15 whole cloves

2 cinnamon sticks, broken in half

1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise

22 ounces kumquats, cut into ¼-inch-thick rounds, seeded

1⅓ cups (packed) dark brown sugar

½ cup plus 1 tablespoon whipping cream

2 8-ounce packages Philadelphia-brand cream cheese, room temperature

¾ cup (1½ sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

1 cup pecans, toasted, chopped

⅓ cup chopped crystallized ginger

CAKE:
Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter and flour 3 nonstick 9-inch-diameter cake pans with 1½-inch-high sides. Bring cola to boil in heavy medium saucepan. Remove from heat; whisk in baking soda, then molasses. Transfer to large bowl; cool to room temperature. Whisk flour, ginger, baking powder, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, and salt in medium bowl to blend. Whisk sugar, oil, and eggs into molasses mixture. Whisk in flour mixture. Divide batter among prepared pans (about 1⅔ cups batter for each).

Bake cakes until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 18 minutes. Cool cakes in pans on racks 15 minutes. Turn cakes out onto racks; cool completely.

CANDIED KUMQUATS:
Bring 1 cup water, honey, sugar, cloves, and cinnamon to boil in heavy large skillet, stirring to dissolve sugar. Scrape in seeds from vanilla bean; add bean. Add kumquats; reduce heat to medium and simmer until almost tender, stirring often, about 6 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer kumquats to plate. Boil syrup until reduced to ⅔ cup, stirring often, about 8 minutes. Strain syrup and cool.

FROSTING:
Stir sugar and cream in heavy small saucepan over medium heat until sugar dissolves; cool caramel completely. Transfer ¼ cup caramel to small bowl and reserve. Using electric mixer, beat cream cheese, butter, and vanilla in large bowl until smooth. Beat remaining caramel into frosting until well blended.

Chop enough candied kumquats to measure ⅓ cup; mix in small bowl with 1 tablespoon kumquat syrup. Place 1 cake layer on platter; spread ¾ cup frosting over. Dot with half of chopped kumquat mixture. Drizzle with half of reserved caramel. Top with second cake layer; spread ¾ cup frosting over. Dot with remaining chopped kumquat mixture. Drizzle with remaining reserved caramel. Top with third cake layer; spread remaining frosting over top and sides of cake. Arrange enough sliced kumquats in single layer atop cake just to cover. Mix pecans and ginger in small bowl. Press nut mixture halfway up sides of cake. Chill 1 hour.

DO AHEAD:
Cake can be made 1 day ahead. Cover with cake dome and chill overnight. Cover remaining kumquat syrup; let stand at room temperature.

Drizzle some kumquat syrup over kumquats atop cake. Serve cake cold or at room temperature.

Apple Cake with Maple-Walnut Cream Cheese Frosting

If you can’t find Pippin apples, choose another variety that’s good for cooking. Golden Delicious, Winesap, Pink Lady, Granny Smith, and Jonagold are good options.
8 to 10 servings

1 pound Pippin apples (about 2 medium), peeled, cored, diced

¼ cup water

2½ cups plus 1 tablespoon unbleached all purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking soda

1½ teaspoons ground cinnamon

½ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg

¼ teaspoon ground cloves

1 cup dried currants

1 cup walnuts, toasted, chopped

2 cups sugar

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature

1 tablespoon brandy

1½ teaspoons vanilla extract

4 large eggs

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature

1 cup (packed) dark brown sugar

2 8-ounce packages Philadelphia-brand cream cheese, room temperature

½ cup pure maple syrup

¼ teaspoon maple flavoring

2 cups walnuts, toasted, chopped

CAKE
: Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter and flour three 9-inch-diameter cake pans with 1½-inch-high sides. Combine apples and ¼ cup water in small saucepan. Cover; simmer over medium-low heat until apples are tender, about 20 minutes. Place in processor; puree until smooth. Cool puree.

Sift 2½ cups flour, baking soda, cinnamon, salt, nutmeg, and cloves into medium bowl. Toss currants with remaining 1 tablespoon flour in small bowl to coat; mix in walnuts.

Using electric mixer, beat sugar, butter, brandy, and vanilla in large bowl until blended. Beat in eggs 1 at a time. Beat in half of flour mixture, then 1¼ cups apple puree (reserve any remaining puree for another use). Beat in remaining flour mixture. Stir in currants and walnuts. Divide batter among prepared pans.

Bake cakes until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Cut around pan sides to loosen cakes; turn cakes out onto racks and cool.

FROSTING
: Using electric mixer, beat butter and sugar in large bowl until blended. Beat in cream cheese, then maple syrup and maple flavoring. Chill frosting until beginning to set, about 20 minutes.

Place 1 cake layer on platter. Spread ¾ cup frosting over. Top with second layer; spread ¾ cup frosting over. Top with third layer. Spread 1 cup frosting in thin layer over top and sides of cake. Chill 15 minutes. Spread remaining frosting all over cake. Press walnuts halfway up sides of cake. Chill until frosting is set, at least 30 minutes.

DO AHEAD
:
Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover with cake dome; keep chilled. Let stand at room temperature 1 hour before serving.

Pumpkin Spice Layer Cake with Caramel-Cream Cheese Frosting

This nice autumnal cake features a festive garnish of candied orange peel, which is available seasonally at most supermarkets and year-round at specialty foods stores and from
chefshop.com
. Look for a peel that’s made with high-quality ingredients and no artificial colors, flavors, or preservatives.
12 servings

3 cups unbleached all purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking soda

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

½ teaspoon ground ginger

¼ teaspoon ground cloves

¼ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

¼ teaspoon ground allspice

¼ teaspoon ground cardamom

1 15-ounce can pure pumpkin

1½ cups sugar

1¼ cups vegetable oil

4 large eggs

2 teaspoons finely grated orange peel

1 1-pound box powdered sugar, divided

½ cup plus 1 tablespoon heavy whipping cream

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

¼ teaspoon salt

1 8-ounce package Philadelphia-brand cream cheese, room temperature