Marzipan Moose Mousse Cake Recipes

CHOCOLATE MOUSSE CAKE

Steps:

• Grated chocolate, cookie crumbs or chopped nuts for coating the sides of cake, if desired
• Cake:
• Lightly coat the insides of 3 9 by 1 1/2-inch cake pans with melted butter. Line each pan with parchment paper, then lightly coat the parchment paper with more melted butter. Set aside.
• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit.
• Heat 1-inch of water in the bottom half of a double boiler over medium heat. Place remaining butter and 8 ounces semisweet chocolate in the top half of the double boiler. Tightly cover the top with film wrap. Allow to heat for 10 to 12 minutes. remove from the heat, stir until smooth, and hold at room temperature.
• Place the egg yolks and 3/4 cup sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle. Beat on high until slightly thickened and lemon-colored, about 4 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and beat on high for an additional 2 minutes.
• While the egg yolks are beating, whisk 4 egg whites in a large stainless steel bowl until stiff, but not dry, about 3 to 4 minutes.
• Using a rubber spatula, fold the melted chocolate mixture into the beaten egg yolk mixture. Add a quarter of the beaten egg whites and stir to incorporate, then gently fold in the remaining egg whites.
• Divide the batter between the prepared pans, spreading evenly, and bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 25 to 30 minutes. Remove the cakes from the oven and allow to cool in the pans for 15 minutes. (During baking, the surface of the cakes will form a crust; this crust will normally collapse when the cakes are removed from the oven.) Invert the cakes onto cake circles, remove the parchment paper, and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
• Filling:
• To prepare the dark chocolate cream, heat 1-inch of water in the bottom half of a double boiler over medium heat. Place the semisweet chocolate in the top half of the double boiler. Tightly cover the top with film wrap and allow to heat for 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir until smooth. Transfer the melted chocolate to a stainless steel bowl and set aside until needed. Place heavy cream and sugar in the well-chilled bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a well-chilled balloon whip. Whisk on high until stiff peaks form, about 1 1/2 minutes. Remove the bowl from the mixer. Use a hand whisk to combine 1/4 of the whipped cream into the melted chocolate until smooth and completely incorporated. Add the combined whipped cream and chocolate to the remaining whipped cream and use a rubber spatula to fold together.
• Ganache:
• Heat the heavy cream and the butter in a 3-quart saucepan over medium high heat. Bring to a boil. Place the semisweet chocolate in a 3-quart stainless steel bowl. Pour the boiling cream over the chocolate and allow to stand for 5 minutes. Stir until smooth. Chill 1 cup of ganache for at least 1 hour. Remaining ganache should be at room temperature
• To assemble cake:
• Arrange one of the cake layers in a 9-inch springform pan, evenly spread half the filling over the cake and top with the second layer. Add remaining filling and top with the remaining cake layer. Chill 2 hours. Transfer chilled cup of ganache to pastry bag fitted with a star tip. Remove cake from springform pan and coat sides and top with room temperature ganache. Using chilled ganache, decoratively pipe stars on top of cake. If desired, coat sides of cake with grated chocolate, cookie crumbs of chopped nuts.

MARZIPAN CAKE WITH CHOCOLATE GANACHE AND SLICED ALMONDS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
• Grease a 9-inch pie dish with butter. Add 1 tablespoon flour and coat the dish, shaking out any excess flour.
• Mix the almond paste and sugar on low speed in a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Add the butter and mix until well incorporated. Add the eggs, one at a time, making sure each one has been fully incorporated before adding the next. Add the remaining 1/2 cup flour and mix just until combined. Pour into the prepared pie dish and bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 40 to 45 minutes. Invert the cake onto a wire rack and let cool completely.
• Place the chocolate in a heat-proof bowl. Heat the heavy cream in a small saucepan until just until scalding, about 3 minutes. Pour the cream over the chocolate and stir until smooth. Let the ganache cool slightly so it is spreadable. Evenly frost the top of the cake with the ganache. Sprinkle the outer edges with the sliced almonds and decorate with the raspberries. Serve at room temperature.

MARZIPAN PRINCESS CAKE

Steps:

• Fit heavy-duty stand mixer with flat beater attachment. Crumble almond paste into large mixer bowl; add 3 cups powdered sugar. Beat on low speed until mixture is crumbly and resembles cornmeal. Add corn syrup and 1 tablespoon water. Mix on low speed, adding additional water, 1 teaspoon at a time, until mixture starts to form a dough. Remove about 1/8 of marzipan for daisies; wrap in plastic wrap and set aside. Add green food color and water, 1 teaspoon at a time, to remaining marzipan; beat on low speed until pale green and consistency of modeling clay. Sprinkle work surface generously with powdered sugar. Knead green marzipan until smooth and color is even, sprinkling with additional powdered sugar as needed to reduce stickiness. Flatten into round disc, about 6 inches in diameter. Double wrap disc in plastic wrap. Refrigerate marzipan at least 24 hours or up to 1 week.
• Heat oven to 350°F (325°F for dark or nonstick pans). Grease 2 (9-inch) round pans with shortening; lightly flour. Line pan bottoms with waxed paper or cooking parchment paper; grease again and lightly flour. In large bowl, beat egg whites with electric mixer on high speed, gradually adding 1/4 cup of the granulated sugar until stiff peaks form. Set aside. In medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder and salt; set aside.
• In another large bowl, beat egg yolks with remaining 3/4 cup granulated sugar at high speed until thick and pale yellow, about 1 minute. Reduce speed to low. Gradually beat in melted butter and vanilla until smooth. Fold 1 cup of the egg whites into egg yolk mixture until well blended. Fold in remaining egg whites until blended. Sift 1/3 of flour mixture over batter; fold in. Sift remaining flour, half at a time, over batter; fold in. Spread 1/3 of batter (about 1 1/4 cups) into one pan. Spread the remaining batter (about 2 1/2 cups) in second pan. Place both pans in oven.
• Bake smaller cake 10 to 15 minutes; larger cake 17 to 22 minutes or until top springs back when touched lightly in center. Cool in pans 10 minutes. Remove from pans to cooling racks. Cool completely, about 40 minutes. Refrigerate larger cake 20 minutes before assembling cake.
• Meanwhile, in 1 1/2-quart saucepan, mix pudding mix and half-and-half. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. Pour into bowl; place plastic wrap directly on top of pudding. Cool 15 minutes; refrigerate until completely chilled, at least 2 hours. Just before assembling cake, beat pudding with electric mixer on medium speed until smooth. In small bowl, beat whipping cream, 1 tablespoon powdered sugar and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla on high speed until stiff peaks form. Stir whipped cream into pudding until blended.
• To assemble cake, using long, thin serrated knife, cut large cake horizontally into 2 layers. Place smaller cake on cake plate; spread top with 1/4 cup of the preserves. Spread 1/2 of the pudding mixture (about 1 1/4 cups) over preserves, mounding slightly in center and tapering at edge. Place second layer (half of larger cake), cut side up over filling. Spread with remaining preserves. Spoon and spread remaining pudding mixture over preserves. Top with remaining cake layer, top side up. With serrated knife, trim top edge of cake so edge is slightly rounded. Refrigerate cake until ready to frost.
• In large bowl, beat 1/2 cup butter, 2 cups powdered sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla and 2 tablespoons of the milk with electric mixer on low speed until mixed. Beat on medium speed until smooth and creamy, adding milk, 1 teaspoon at a time, until spreading consistency. Place1/4 cup of frosting in small bowl; cover and set aside. Spread thin layer of remaining frosting over top and side of cake. Cover and refrigerate.
• For marzipan covering for cake, generously sprinkle work surface with powdered sugar. With rolling pin, roll green marzipan to 14- to 15-inch circle, adding powdered sugar and rotating disc every few rolls to prevent sticking. Remove cake from refrigerator. Roll marzipan onto rolling pin and gently unroll over cake. Press marzipan gently against top and side of cake to mold to cake and create a smooth surface. With sharp knife or pizza cutter, trim off extra marzipan at bottom edge of cake. Roll green trimmings until 1/4-inch thick and cut into 1/2-inch wide strip with pastry wheel or sharp knife. Attach to bottom of cake.
• For marzipan daisies, generously sprinkle work surface with powdered sugar; roll marzipan to 1/4-inch thickness. With sharp knife or daisy cutter, make several daisy shapes. Place daisies on top of cake, overlapping petals as desired. Place yellow confetti sprinkle in center of each daisy. Store in refrigerator.