Cake for Fourth of July

I was in the mood to bake yesterday afternoon and my husband suggested something that would be festive for the 4th of July. The Tuesdays with Dorie group made a cake recently which is one I've been eyeing in the cookbook for some time. I decided to halve the recipe and give it a try. I'm not normally one who likes home-made cakes as they seem too dry most of the time, but this cake is fantastic! It was dense enough to cut easily in half, but also moist at the same time. I'm thinking it would make great cupcakes as the cake holds up very nicely and lends itself to icing.

Perfect Party Cake (Baking from My Home to Yours by Dorrie Greenspan)

for the cake:

2 1/4 cups cake flour

1 Tbls baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1 1/4 cups whole milk or buttermilk

4 large egg whites

1 1/2 cups sugar

2 tsps grated lemon zest

1 stick unsalted butter, at room temperature

1/2 tsp pure lemon extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter two 9x2-inch round cake pans.

Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt. Whisk together the milk and egg whites in medium bowl. Put the sugar and lemon zest in a mixer bowl or another large bowl and rub them together with your fingers until the sugar is moist and fragrant. Add the butter and, working with the paddle or whisk attachment, or with a hand mixer, beat at medium speed for a full 3 minutes, until the butter and sugar are very light. Beat in the extract, then add one third of the flour mixture, still beating on medium speed. Beat in half of the milk-egg mixture, then beat in half of the remaining dry ingredients until incorporated. Add the rest of the milk and eggs, beating until the batter is homogeneous, then add the last of the dry ingredients. Finally, give the batter a good 2-minute beating to ensure that it is thoroughly mixed and well aerated. Divide the batter between the two pans and smooth the tops with a rubber spatula. Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until the cakes are well risen and springy to the touch. Transfer to cooling racks and cool for about 5 minutes, then unmold cakes onto cooling rack. Finish cooling right side up.

Buttercream Icing

1 cup sugar

4 large egg whites

3 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature

1/4 cup fresh lemon juice (from 2 large lemons)

1 tsp vanilla extract

Put the sugar and egg whites in a mixer bowl or other large heatproof bowl, fit the bowl over a pan of simmering water and whisk constantly; keeping the mixture over the heat, until it feels hot to the touch, about 3 minutes. The sugar should be dissolved, and the mixture will look like shiny marshmallow cream. Remove the bowl from the heat. Working with the whisk attachment or with a hand mixer, beat the meringue on medium speed until it is cooled, about 5 minutes. Switch to the paddle attachment, and add the butter a stick at a time, beating until smooth. Once all the butter is in, beat the buttercream on medium-high speed until it is thick and very smooth, 6-10 minutes. During this time, the buttercream may separate, just keep beating and it will come together again. On medium speed, gradually beat in lemon juice, waiting until each addition is absorbed before adding more, and then add the vanilla. You should have a shiny, smooth, velvety, pristine white buttercream. Press a piece of plastic against the surface of the buttercream and set aside briefly.

Finishing the cake:

2/3 cup seedless raspberry preserves, stirred vigorously or warmed gently until spreadable

about 1 1/2 cups sweetened shredded coconut

Using a sharp serrated knife and a gentle sawing motion, slice each layer horizontally in half. Put one layer cut side up on a cake plate. Spread it with one third of the preserves. Cover the jam evenly with about one quarter of the buttercream. Top with another cake layer, spread with preserves and buttercream and then do the same with a third layer (you'll have used all the jam and will have buttercream left over). Place the last cake layer cut side down on top of the cake and use the remaining buttercream to frost the sides and top. Press the coconut into the frosting, patting it gently all over the sides and top.