Raspberry-Filled Layer Cake
- 12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened, plus more for the pans and wire racks
- 3 cups sifted cake flour (not self-rising), plus more for the pans
- 4 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/2 cups sugar
- 1 cup milk
- 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
- 4 large egg whites
- Seven-Minute Frosting (page 658)
- 1 cup raspberry jam
- Preheat the oven to 350F.
- Butter two 8 x 2-inch professional round cake pans, and line the bottom with parchment rounds.
- Butter the parchment; dust the pans with flour, tapping out excess.
- Set aside.
- Sift together the cake flour, baking powder, and salt into a medium bowl, and set aside.
- Beat the butter in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, until it is creamy.
- Add the sugar to the butter in a steady stream, and continue beating until the butter is light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
- Reduce speed to low.
- Add the dry ingredients alternately with the milk and vanilla in 3 additions, starting and finishing with the dry; be careful not to overmix.
- Set the batter aside.
- In a medium metal bowl or clean bowl of an electric mixer, whisk the egg whites just until stiff peaks form.
- Fold one-third of the egg whites into the batter until combined.
- Fold in the remaining whites in 2 batches.
- Divide the batter between the prepared pans, and smooth the tops with a metal spatula.
- Bake until a tester inserted near the center comes out clean and the cake springs back when pressed lightly in the center, about 30 minutes.
- Let the pans cool 15 minutes on a wire rack before unmolding.
- Loosen the sides with a small metal spatula or paring knife, and invert onto the greased wire racks.
- To prevent the layers from splitting, invert again so the tops are up.
- Cool completely before assembling the cake or wrapping airtight to freeze cake for later.
- If the cakes are not level, use a serrated knife to trim the tops off.
- Carefully slice each cake horizontally into 2 equal layers.
- (You will have 4 layers.)
- Place one-third of the frosting in a bowl, and fold in the raspberry jam.
- To assemble, place 1 sliced layer on an 8-inch cardboard cake round.
- Spread the top with 1/4 inch raspberry frosting.
- Repeat with the remaining layers and remaining raspberry frosting, placing the final layer bottom side up.
- Lightly coat the assembled cake with a thin layer of white frosting to protect against crumbs in the frosting.
- Finish with the remaining frosting.
- Serve immediately, or keep refrigerated until ready to serve.
unsalted butter, cake flour, baking powder, salt, sugar, milk, vanilla, egg whites, frosting, raspberry jam
Taken from www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/raspberry-filled-layer-cake-393097 (may not work)