Red Ale And Strawberry Stack Cake Recipes

CHOCOLATE-DIPPED STRAWBERRY CAKE

Steps:

• Coat a 1-cup glass measuring cup and two 1 1/2-quart ovenproof bowls with cooking spray. Prepare the cake mixes. Fill the cup two-thirds full with batter; divide the rest between the bowls.
• Bake 15 minutes for the cup and 35 to 40 minutes for the bowls. Let cool. Trim the tops of the bowl cakes with a serrated knife to make them level. Sandwich the cut sides together using a little frosting.
• Trim a 1-inch slice from one side of the sandwiched bowl cakes; turn cut-side down.
• Trim a little from the side of the small cake so it will lie flat, then attach to the bowl cake with frosting as shown. Cover the cake completely with frosting and freeze until firm, 30 minutes.
• Place the cake on your serving platter. Combine the food coloring and vanilla extract in a small bowl. Gently brush on the wider half of the cake.
• Arrange the sunflower seeds in rows on the red part of the cake.
• Microwave the semisweet chocolate with the butter in 30-second intervals, stirring, until melted. Spread the chocolate over the bottom two-thirds of the cake, letting it pool around the cake.
• Arrange the mint leaves around the top of the strawberry and stick a long mint stem into the cake.
• Microwave the white chocolate in 15-second intervals, stirring, until melted. Transfer to a resealable plastic bag. Snip the corner and pipe a zigzag pattern onto the semisweet chocolate. Let set 15 minutes.

STRAWBERRY SPARKLE CAKE

Steps:

• For the cake: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Beat the egg whites until frothy. Add the cream of tartar and beat until stiff. Sift the superfine sugar three times and add slowly to the egg whites.
• Sift the cake flour and salt five times, and then fold slowly into the egg whites. Sprinkle in the vanilla and fold.
• Bake for 35 to 45 minutes in an unbuttered angel food cake pan.
• Set aside to cool completely, inverted on a bottle or jar that fits the cake pan.
• For the filling: Dissolve the gelatin in boiling water and add the strawberries, stirring to break up and mix the berries.
• For the icing: Whip the cream with the powdered sugar until thick.
• To assemble: Place the cake, wide-side down, on a serving plate. Cut a 1-inch layer from the top and set it aside. Cut around the cake 1 inch from the outer edge to 1 inch from the bottom. Cut around the cake 1 inch from the inner edge to 1 inch from the bottom.
• Gently remove the section of cake between the cuts and pour in the strawberry mixture.
• Place the cake layer back on top and spread the icing all over the top and sides of the cake. Decorate with whole strawberries.
• Refrigerate for 1 hour before serving.

STRAWBERRIES-AND-CREAM STACK CAKE

Steps:

• Combine granulated sugar and 3 tablespoons water in a small saucepan. Cover and bring to a boil over medium-high heat; continue boiling, covered, until sugar dissolves, about 1 minute. Uncover and continue boiling, swirling pan gently as color develops at edges of pan, until sugar turns medium amber and fragrant, 3 to 4 minutes more.
• Remove from heat; carefully add lemon zest and juice and 1/4 cup cold water (add water all at once and pull hand away immediately; mixture will splatter and steam). Stir until smooth; if necessary, return pan to low heat to liquefy completely. Transfer to a heatproof bowl; let cool until slightly warm to the touch, about 30 minutes.
• Whisk mascarpone, cream, confectioners' sugar, and salt on medium-high speed to stiff peaks. Working one at a time, dip 10 ladyfingers in caramel, turning to fully coat and allowing excess to drip back into bowl. Spread a very thin layer of cream mixture on bottom of each dipped ladyfinger (to prevent sliding); arrange on a platter in a snug row.
• Dollop one-third of remaining cream mixture on top; spread to edges in an even layer. Top with one-third of strawberries in a single layer. Repeat dipping and layering twice more (skipping the thin layer of cream mixture on bottom of cookies for remaining layers).
• Cover loosely but fully and refrigerate at least 24 hours and up to 2 days. Top with more halved or whole berries. To serve, slice between each row of ladyfingers.