Caledonian Wedding Cake Recipes

CALEDONIAN WEDDING CAKE

Steps:

• Bake 10 hours in a slow oven.
• One-quarter of this makes a nice large cake; full quantities, 4 stories high.

FRANCES QUINN'S SUMMER'S DAY WEDDING CAKE

Steps:

• To make the cakes. Heat oven to 170C/150C fan/gas 3. For the bottom tier, grease a deep 30cm cake tin with butter, then line the base and sides with a double layer of baking parchment.
• Using an electric whisk, cream 400g of the butter with 400g of caster sugar. Whisk 6 eggs in a jug with ½ tbsp of the vanilla, then gradually add to the creamed butter, beating between additions. Once combined, sift in 400g of the flour, and mix in 60g of ground almonds and add the zest of 6 lemons. Gently stir in 3 tbsp of the lemon juice.
• Scrape into the prepared cake tin and level the top with a spatula. Bake on the middle shelf of the oven for 1 hr. Don't worry if the top looks a little dark, as this will become the base. The cake is ready when the surface feels springy to the touch and a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Set aside to cool in the tin for 30 mins, then turn out on to a large wire rack, or use 2 smaller wire racks pushed together.
• To make a middle tier, line a deep 20cm cake tin as before, and make the cake following the method in step 2, using 4 eggs and 250g each of sugar, flour and butter. Add the zest of 4 lemons, 40g ground almonds, 1 tsp of vanilla extract and 1½ tbsp of lemon juice. Bake for 50 mins, testing as before.
• For the top tier, use a deep 10cm cake tin and make the cake following the method as before, using 1 egg, 75g each of sugar, flour and butter, 10g ground almonds, the zest of 1 lemon, 1 tsp vanilla and ½ tsp lemon juice. Bake for 30 mins.
• Repeat steps 1-4 so you have 2 bottom tiers, 2 middle tiers and 1 top tier. Leave until all the cakes are completely cool. Once cooled, the cakes can be wrapped in a double layer of cling film and kept in a cool place for up to 4 days, or frozen for up to 1 month. To defrost, leave the cakes at room temperature overnight.
• To make the syrup. Put the sugar and lemon juice in a saucepan over a medium-high heat. Simmer for about 10 mins, stirring occasionally, until the sugar has dissolved. Remove from the heat, stir through the mint, then allow to cool and steep for up to 5 hrs. Sieve into a jug or bowl, then cover with cling film and chill until ready to use. The syrup will now keep for up to 1 week.
• To make the mascarpone cream. Empty the mascarpone into a large bowl. Beat with an electric whisk to soften slightly, then fold through 300ml of the cooled Lemon & mint syrup until fully combined (save the remaining syrup for assembling). Chill until ready to use, but leave at room temperature for 20 mins to soften before using. Can be made 1 day ahead of assembling.
• To assemble the cake. Split the two 30cm cakes and the two 20cm cakes in half through the centre, and the 10cm cake into 4 layers. Use the cake paddle or a large chopping board to help move the sponges and flip one of the largest layers onto a serving plate or cake stand, so that the top of the cake now becomes the bottom. Spoon over a little of the reserved syrup, then spread with some of the lemon mascarpone filling using a small offset spatula or knife. Drizzle over some of the lemon curd, then scatter with raspberries. Now top with the remaining layer, so the bottom of the cake now becomes the top, realigning the cocktail sticks to ensure the cake is level. Then layer more syrup, mascarpone, lemon curd and raspberries with the remaining 30cm sponges.
• Push 6 straws into the middle of the cake in a circle formation, no wider than 20cm in diameter - these will support the next tier. Snip the straws where they protrude from the cake, so that they are flush with the top. Repeat the assembly with the two 20cm cakes, placing these onto thin cake boards before sitting on top of the larger cakes, then poke in more straws to support the top tie. Finally, assemble the top layer using the same method. Spread any remaining mascarpone on top, then dust the tiers lightly with icing sugar. Decorate with an assortment of mixed berries, mint sprigs and flowers (see tip, left).

SIMPLE ELEGANCE WEDDING CAKE

Steps:

• MAKING THE CAKES: Make the basic Easy vanilla cake recipe (see 'Goes well with'), following the instructions below for each tier, then cool and drench with the syrup. The cakes can be frozen ahead, without icing. However, if you bake them three days before the wedding, the cake will be fine until the big day.
• For the bottom tier, triple the quantities for the basic cake mix, then spoon into a ready-lined deep round 30cm cake tin. Bake for 2 hrs 15 mins on the middle shelf until risen and cooked through as before. While this cooks, make up a quadruple batch of the syrup - this will be enough for all three cakes. Cool and drench the cake with syrup as before.
• For the middle and top tiers, double the quantities for the basic cake mix, then spoon it into ready-lined 15cm and 23cm cake tins, filling each to about two-thirds full. Bake them together on the middle shelf, taking the small cake out after 1 hr 15 mins, and leaving the larger cake to cook for 1 hr 30 mins in total. If you know that your oven has hot spots, quickly move the cakes around after 50 mins. Cool and drench with syrup as before.
• LAYER AND COVER THE CAKES: Make the buttercream as in the basic recipe. You will need 5 x basic quantity - this is a lot, so split your weighed-out quantities in two before you start mixing. You may have some left over, but better too much than too little. Weigh out the buttercream - you will need approximately 400g for the 15cm cake, 600g for the 23cm cake and 1.3kg for the 30cm cake. Spread a little buttercream over the 15cm cake board. Level the top of the cake if you need to, then upturn the 15cm cake onto it. Split into three using a bread knife. I like to mark the front of the cake on each layer before lifting it off, using toothpicks, so I can reassemble it in exactly the right way. Take the top third off first (what was the bottom of the cake) and set aside. Carefully cut the middle layer and set that aside, too. A flat baking sheet or cake lifter can be very helpful here to slide the cake layers off and then back onto each other.
• Spread a layer of buttercream over the cake on the board. Return the middle layer, lining up the toothpick markings, then spread another layer of buttercream on top. Add a little jam if you like, dotting it over, then spreading evenly. Top with the final piece of cake, then dust off any crumbs on or around the cake. Now brush the whole cake with a thin layer of apricot jam. This should stop you getting too many crumbs in the buttercream. Sit the whole cake on a large sheet of baking parchment.
• Spread the rest of the buttercream over, starting with the top, then smooth and paddle it around the sides and down to the board. Repeat the whole process with the remaining cakes, using the corresponding boards and the different quantities of buttercream. The cakes are now ready to be iced. You can leave them overnight if needed, loosely covered with cling film.
• COVERING THE CAKE WITH ICING: You will need about 500g icing for the 15cm cake, 1kg for the 23cm cake and 1.7kg for the 30cm cake. Dust the work surface with icing sugar, knead the icing until pliable, then use your rolling pin to roll it into a circle large enough to cover the sides and top of the cake, with a little left over. Use string to check the size. Use your rolling pin to help you lift the icing over the cake.
• Smooth the icing around the cake with your hands, easing it over the edges and down to the board. Then trim off the excess with a sharp knife, flush with the bottom of the cake board. Smooth any marks with the flats of your hands, buffing the icing to a slight shine.
• Once you've iced all the cakes, cover the thick base board. Lightly brush with cooled boiled water, then lay the icing over. Trim to the edge of the board with a knife (I tend to do this like I would a pie crust, holding the board in my left hand, and knife in my right), then leave the board and the cakes to dry overnight.
• STACKING THE CAKES: Dowels, which are basically plastic sticks, provide stability and strength to tiered cakes, and polystyrene blocks allow you to add a 'floating' layer of flowers. By measuring and cutting the dowels to the same length as the polystyrene, you'll provide an even platform for the next cake to sit on, even if the cake below is a bit wonky.
• Sit the 15cm dummy centrally on top of the biggest cake. Insert four of the dowels into the cake, around the outside of the dummy, in a square shape. Push them right down until they meet the cake board. Mark with a pen where the top of the dummy comes to.
• Carefully pull out the dowels; then, using scissors, score around each dowel where you marked it. Snap the plastic cleanly. Re-insert the dowels in their original holes, rounded end down. Repeat the process with the 23cm cake and the 12cm dummy.
• Position the biggest cake in the middle of the covered board. Run a thin line of glue around the base board and fix the ribbon around it. Fix the ribbon around each cake, using a spot of the glue on the ribbon to secure it to itself. If you're moving the cake to a venue, put the cakes into their boxes now. Make a little kit to take with you - glue, scissors, etc - just in case you have to re-do anything.
• ON THE DAY - STACKING AND DECORATING THE CAKE WITH FLOWERS: I used hydrangeas - they're beautiful, in season and you can achieve a dramatic effect with relatively few blooms. On the day, save putting the flowers on the cake until as late as you reasonably can. Cut the stems of the hydrangeas to about 2-3cm. Split your least-favourite bloom into smaller pieces - this will help you fill any awkward gaps later. Make sure you save one beautiful bloom for the top.
• Insert a length of floristry wire into each stem (or wind it around the stem), leaving a spike of wire about 3cm long. Push this into the polystyrene dummy. Repeat until the two dummies are surrounded with a halo of flowers. The bottom cake should be in its permanent position now - out of direct light and away from any radiators. Lift the 23cm cake onto the bottom polystrene dummy, taking care not to squash any petals, then repeat with the top cake. Fill any gaps with the broken-up flower head you reserved earlier. Sit the final bloom on top of the cake, and you're done!
• CUTTING THE CAKE: Cut the cake across, in a grid, rather than into wedges. You should be able to get 50 servings from the large cake, 30 from the middle and 12 from the top, when cut into 2.5 x 5cm pieces.

EASIEST EVER WEDDING CAKE

Steps:

• Line the cake tins with baking parchment and butter the bases and sides well. Heat oven to 190C/170C fan/gas 5. Combine all the cake ingredients in a freestanding mixer until smooth and pale, starting at a low speed as the bowl will be very full; or use an electric handwhisk and a large bowl, if you prefer.
• Set the 25cm cake tin on scales and pour in 1.5kg batter. Do the same with the 20cm tin and pour in the rest (it should be about 1kg).
• Bake the cakes in the oven for 1 hr or until risen, golden and a skewer inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean (see tip). Cool the cakes in their tins for 10 mins, then turn out onto wire racks to cool completely. Can be made ahead and frozen.
• To make the buttercream, cut the butter into pieces, add about 1/3 of the icing sugar and beat well with an electric handwhisk. Once fully combined, add the next 1/3 and beat again. Repeat once more with the remaining sugar, the milk and lemon zest, and keep beating until pale. For the filling, stir the lemon juice and curd together in another bowl and set aside until needed.
• To assemble the cake, trim the tops and cut both cooled sponges in half horizontally using a serrated knife. Spread just over half the filling on top of one of the larger sponges and the rest over a smaller one. Leave for 5 mins. Spread 250g buttercream over the filling on the larger sponge and sandwich the other larger sponge on top. Do the same with the smaller sponges, using 150g buttercream.
• Stick your cakes onto cake boards using a small blob of buttercream under each. Spread some of the remaining buttercream all over the tops and sides of both cakes in a really thin layer - this will bind with loose crumbs to create an undercoat for your chosen decoration. Put both cakes in the fridge for 1 hr to firm up.
• To stack the cakes, push a straw down into the centre of the larger cake. Snip the top off with scissors so that it's flush with the buttercream layer. Add five more straws around the central one, equally spaced apart. Carefully place the smaller cake on top, then spread the rest of the buttercream all over the surface to cover it or fill in any gaps. Design 1: Floral (keeps for 2-3 days)❤ Dye 200g of your buttercream the colour of your choice using a few drops of food colouring.❤ Fill and cover the cake with the remaining buttercream.❤ Add a few daubs of the coloured buttercream on one side and blend it with the base colour using a cake scraper.❤ Go round the cake a few times with the cake scraper to create a rustic but smooth finish.❤ Decorate with edible flowers such as organic roses, and fresh herbs like rosemary, bay and thyme. Design 2: Ruffles(keeps for 3-4 days)❤ Roll 700g white fondant icing out on a surface dusted with icing sugar. Drape over the largest cake after the buttercream has chilled, but before stacking. Smooth it over, then trim off the excess.❤ Do the same with 400g white fondant icing for the top layer, then stack the cakes.❤ Take a block of 600g white fondant icing and pinch off pieces each about the size of a large strawberry. Roll into thin, wide strips (it's preferable to end up with a mixture of lengths), then use a sharp knife to cut them lengthways to create two pieces.❤ Make a thin paste using icing sugar and water, then spread a little along the flat edges of the strips.❤ Stick them to the sides of the cake, starting at the bottom and working up. Bend the fondant to create pleats and waves. Overlap from the bottom up until all the sides are covered.❤ Decorate with a cake topper if you like. Design 3: Polka dot (keeps for 3-4 days)❤ Roll 700g pink sugar paste out on a surface dusted with icing sugar. Drape over the largest cake after the buttercream has chilled, but before stacking. Smooth it over, then trim off the excess.❤ Do the same with 450g of white fondant icing for the top layer.❤ Make a thick paste using icing sugar and water, and use it to stick on white chocolate buttons and white chocolate jazzies onto the larger cake to create a polka dot effect.❤ Push 2-3 tbsp edible silver balls into the smaller layer's icing, then stack the cakes.❤ Add a cake topper and a ribbon, if you like.

MARGARET TRUDEAU'S WEDDING CAKE

Steps:

• Prepare fruit and nuts before you make the cake.
• Put in a large bowl and pour brandy over.
• Mix well.
• Let stand at room temperature for at least 8 hours.
• Put 1/4 c sugar in a heavy skillet.
• Heat over moderate heat stirring constantly until melted and brown.
• Remove from heat and stir in boiling water gradually (be careful of steam).
• Return to low heat and stir just until any lumps of sugar are melted.
• (do not boil) Remove from stove and immediately pour into a cup or bowl so cooking ceases.
• Cool.
• Generously grease a set of pans (1 ea- 8" sq, 6" sq, 4" sq) and line with heavy greased brown paper.
• Sift together flour, salt, and spices, and sift one cup of mixture over fruit/nut mixture.
• Toss together so fruit is coated.
• Cream together butter and sugar thoroughly.
• Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition (most of the mixing can be done with an electric mixer- but batter must be transferred to a very large bowl).
• Blend in dry ingredients alternately with the mixture of grape juice and cooled caramel mixture.
• Add fruit/nut mixture and blend thoroughly (Hands are the easiest) Preheat oven to 300F.
• Place a pan of hot water in the bottom of the oven.
• Put batter in prepared pans using following amounts: 8"- 10 cups, 6"- 5 cups, 4"- 2 cups (or 2/3 full).
• Cooking times- 8" in 4 hours, 6"- 3 1/2 hours, 4"- 2 1/2 hours.
• Test for doneness with a tooth pick.
• Remove cakes from pans, cool thoroughly.
• Strip off paper, wrap in cheesecloth.
• Wet with brandy (or dark rum).
• Wrap in heavy duty aluminum foil.
• Store for at least 2 weeks in a cool place (Longer is better).