Wedding Cake Recipes

Below are all the recipes my mother and I used to make the four layers of the wedding cake. They are in order from largest layer (14") to smallest (8"). Yes, some of them contain Jello™ products; the wedding was held in the Midwest, after all. They are all excellently tasty and I highly recommend them. Each recipe makes about 2 8" rounds; if you want to make more, you'll have to do the math yourself.

VANILLA-ROSEWATER FROSTING:

We sort of made the frosting up, based on a last-minute request from Himself to make it less sweet than our usual, which is 1 egg, 1 stick butter, and 1 lb sugar, flavored to taste.

Makeshift less-sweet frosting:

~ 4.5 pounds powdered sugar - to desired thickness.
1 large package instant vanilla pudding
1/2 C softened butter
1.5 c milk
4 t pure vanilla or to taste
several capfuls rose water or to taste

Makes enough to coat a LOT of effin' cake. Definitely cut it in fourths (at least!) to make enough for a non-tiered cake.

Note on cake frosting: The fillings should be applied AFTER the first thin layer of frosting (the "crumb coat" goes on. The "crumb coat" should cover the cake where it will touch the filling. That way your filled cake can sit for several days without ever saturating the cake layer; the icing forms a barrier to moisture. To fill the cake, spread filling almost to edges, and then pipe an icing ring around edge to keep the filling in. Once the cake is filled, ice with final layer.

To Keep Cakes From Sticking:
Line bottom of pans with parchment paper.

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CARDAMON PISTACHIO CAKE:

Cardamon Cake:

1 cup milk, at room temperature
3/4 cup egg whites (about 6 large or 5 extra large) at room temperature
2 teaspoons cardamon powder
2 teaspoons rose water
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 1/4 cups plain cake flour
1 3/4 cups sugar
4 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
12 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

Pistachio filling:

7-8 oz roasted, unsalted pistachios. Pistachios can be purchased unshelled at Indian groceries and Trader Joe's.
1 small package instant french vanilla pudding
1 C milk
powdered sugar
butter

Cardamon cake:
1. Set oven rack in middle position. (If oven is too small to cook both layers on a single rack, set racks in upper-middle and lower-middle positions.) Heat oven to 350 degrees. Coat bottom and sides of two 9-inch-by-1 1/2-inch or -2-inch round cake pans with 1 tablespoon shortening each. Sprinkle 1 heaping tablespoon of all-purpose flour into each pan; roll pans in all directions to coat. Invert pans and rap sharply to remove excess flour.

2. Pour milk, egg whites, and extracts into 2-cup glass measure, and mix with fork until blended.

3. Mix cake flour, sugar, baking powder, cardamon, and salt in bowl of electric mixer at slow speed. Add butter; continue beating at slow speed until mixture resembles moist crumbs, with no powdery ingredients remaining.

4. Add all but 1/2 cup of milk mixture to crumbs and beat at medium speed (or high speed if using handheld mixer) for 1 1/2 minutes. Add remaining 1/2 cup of milk mixture and beat 30 seconds more. Stop mixer and scrape sides of bowl. Return mixer to medium (or high) speed and beat 20 seconds longer.

5. Divide batter evenly between two prepared cake pans; using rubber spatula, spread batter to pan walls and smooth tops. Arrange pans at least 3 inches from the oven walls and 3 inches apart. (If oven is small, place pans on separate racks in staggered fashion to allow for air circulation.) Bake until cake needle or toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 23 to 25 minutes.

6. Let cakes rest in pans for 3 minutes. Loosen from sides of pans with a knife, if necessary, and invert onto greased cake racks. Reinvert onto additional greased racks. Let cool completely, about 1 1/2 hours.

Pistachio filling:
1. Blanch pistachios (To blanch, boil water and dump in pistachios. Wait until water reaches a rolling boil again. Remove pistachios.) After blanching, remove the dark husks until all that is left are the green nutmeats.

2. Whirl hulled, blanched pistachios in food processor until nuts are a grainy paste.

3. Add package of pudding, 1 C milk, a handful of powdered sugar, and a pat of butter. Blend until smooth.

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CARROT CAKE (with Cream Cheese icing)

Carrot Cake with Pineapple and Coconut

2 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
2 cups finely grated carrots (about 3 to 4 medium carrots)
1 can (8 ounces) well drained crushed pineapple
1 cup shredded coconut (unsweetened)
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 eggs
1 1/4 cups vegetable oil
1 cup chopped walnuts

Mix flour, baking soda, sugar, cinnamon and salt; set aside. Put carrots, coconut, pineapple, oil, eggs, and vanilla in a blender or food processor and whirl until liquid. Combine with flour mixture; beat. Add nuts. Makes approx. 2 8-inch rounds. Bake at 350 degrees for 50-60 minutes. Cool. A moist cake.


Cream cheese Icing/Filling (use for crumb coat AND filling):

8 ounces cream cheese, softened but still cool
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened but
still cool
1 tablespoon sour cream (I used a little more!)
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups (4_ ounces) confectioners' sugar

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LEMON POPPYSEED CAKE (With Lemon Curd Filling)

Lemon Poppyseed Cake

1 package lemon cake mix
1 package lemon instant pudding mix
1/3 C poppy seeds
1 C lowfat lemon yoghurt
1/2 C vegetable oil
1/2 C buttermilk
4 large eggs
2 T fresh lemon juice
1 t lemon zest

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Farenheit.
Combine ingredients; beat for two minutes in electric mixer on high.
This recipe makes approx. 2 8" rounds.
Cool and frost; fill center with a thin layer of purchased lemon curd.

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DOUBLE CHOCOLATE CAKE (With raspberry filling)

Double Chocolate Cake
1 ox unsweetened chocolate, coarsely chopped.
1/3 C water
1 package devil's food cake mix
1 C buttermilk
1/2 C vegetable oil
3 large eggs
1 t pure almond extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Farenheit.
Heat water; melt chocolate in heated water.
Combine ingredients; beat for two minutes in electric mixer on high.
This recipe makes approx. 2 8" rounds.
Cool and frost; fill center with a layer of raspberry spread (we used the kind that is all-fruit, not raspberry preserve.)

Enjoy!