Lemon Raspberry Top Forward Cake
Pictured above: Lemon Raspberry Top Forward Cake shown with an intricate pattern painted on using a stencil and PurColour Brilliant Powder in Fire Red.
Also known as an Arch Cake, this trendy Lemon Raspberry Top Forward Cake is a great way to showcase your personal style! Bright, zesty Lemon Noblesse Chiffon Cake is filled and covered in Raspberry flavored Swiss Meringue Buttercream, then hand decorated and embellished with real fresh flowers. Use stencils to create fun patterns with colored buttercream, or elevate your cake with our naturally vibrant Brilliant Powder - the choice is yours!
Recipe by: Joan Repato
Yield: One Top Forward Cake
Ingredients:
Lemon Noblesse Chiffon Cake:
15oz (425g) Cake Flour
12oz (340g) Granulated Sugar
0.5oz (14g) Salt
0.46 oz (13g) Baking powder
7.5 oz (213g) Vegetable oil
7.5 oz (213g) Egg yolks (yolks from 14 eggs separated)
11 oz (312g) Cold water
1 oz (28g) Lemon Noblesse Paste
15 oz (425g) Egg whites (whites from 14 eggs separated)
7.5 oz (213g) Granulated sugar
155g Lemon Noblesse flavored simple syrup (recipe below)
Fresh whole raspberries
Lemon Simple Syrup
7 oz (200g) Granulated sugar
14 oz (400g) Water
Swiss Meringue Buttercream
2.4oz (68g) Meringue Powder
21oz (600g) Granulated sugar
¼ tsp Salt
5oz (360ml) Boiling water
2 lbs. (900g) Unsalted butter, soft at room temperature
Tools for Assembly:
Pastry brush, spray bottle or squirt bottle (for applying simple syrup to cake layers)
Cardboard round
Fresh flowers (Optional)
PurColour Brilliant Powder in Fire Red (Optional for stenciling)
Small decorating pastry brush (Optional for stenciling)
Stencil of your choice (Optional for stenciling)
Instructions:
Lemon Noblesse Chiffon Cake Batter:
Yield: three 8" cake pans.
1.) Preheat oven to 350°F.
2.) Combine and whisk dry ingredients (cake flour, granulated sugar, salt, and baking powder). Sift to lighten and aerate.
3.) Whisk together wet ingredients (vegetable oil, egg yolks and cold water) and add dry ingredients. Whisk until smooth and fully combined.
4.) In an electric mixer, whisk the egg whites. Gradually add sugar while whisking.
5.) Whisk until stiff shiny peaks form, but ensure that it is not overwhipped.
6.) Fold whipped egg whites into cake batter mixture; be careful not to overmix or deflate fluffy whites.
7.) Prepare the 8" pans by lightly spraying the bottom of the cake pans with oil and place pan liner in the pan. Pour batter into prepared cake pans.
8.) Bake in preheated oven at 350°F for 30-35 minutes.
9.) Cake is ready when it is golden in color and springs back when pressed with your fingers at the center on top of the cake.
10.) Once cool, trim and level the cakes to 1.5" in height.
Lemon Simple Syrup:
1.) Place sugar and water in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Allow to cool.
2.) Combine simple syrup and Lemon Noblesse Paste until fully combined.
Lemon Noblesse and Raspberry Buttercream:
1.) Place meringue powder, granulated sugar and salt in a mixing bowl and mix until well blended.
2.) Pour boiling water into mixer bowl to dissolve sugar granules and whisk mixture on low.
3.) Increase speed to medium and whip until meringue has stiff, glossy peaks. Continue to whip until mixture has cooled completely. (Note: if you are in a hurry, you can put the meringue along with the whip attachment in bowl inside the refrigerator to cool off before adding soft butter).
4.) Add soft butter gradually while whipping meringue on medium high. When all butter has been incorporated, change the speed to high and whip together until buttercream comes together and looks smooth, fluffy and firm. *See recipe notes.
5.) Measure out 100 grams of the plain buttercream and place into a separate mixing bowl. Add the 5g of Lemon Noblesse Paste to the 100g of buttercream.
6.) Whip on high until fully incorporated. The buttercream should be thick, creamy and glossy. Set aside.
6.) Return to the rest of the plain buttercream. Add the 90g of Raspberry Flavor Paste and repeat step 6.
Assembling the Cake:
1.) Brush or spray each cake layer on both sides with the Lemon Noblesse flavored simple syrup. **See recipe notes.
2.) Place first cake layer on top of cardboard round.
3.) On first cake layer, spread raspberry-flavored buttercream and place whole fresh raspberries about a half inch apart.
4.) Repeat on the second layer of cake.
5.) Add the top and final cake layer and set in the freezer for 10 minutes to allow the cake and buttercream to firm up. ***See recipe notes.
6.) Apply a crumb coat finish to lock in the crumbs, then place the cake in the freezer for another 10 minutes.
7.) Remove cake from freezer, and apply raspberry buttercream on the outside of the cake until you achieve a smooth finish. Freeze the cake for 30 more minutes.
8.) When cake is frozen, place a parchment round on top of the cake and place a cardboard round on top of the parchment.
9.) Flip the cake and remove the cardboard round. Apply raspberry buttercream so that all sides of the cake are completely encased in buttercream. Freeze cake for another 30 minutes.
10.) When cake is frozen, cut off a 1.5" slice at one end; apply more raspberry buttercream to seal the cut side.
11.) Using the parchment paper at both ends, lift the cake and place the cake on the cut side on your cake plate.
12.) Decorate your cake as you wish. We've used stencils to apply a thin layer of Lemon flavored buttercream or dust with Brilliant Powder in a unique, decorative pattern. Garnish with fresh flowers if desired.
Pictured above: Top Forward Cake featuring an elegant petal design, created by applying Lemon Noblesse flavored buttercream with a stencil, then finished with fresh flowers.
Recipe Notes:
*There's a point during the whipping stage that your buttercream will look curdled. Don't worry, just continue to whip it until it all comes together; the curdled look will go away.
**Applying a simple syrup on cakes helps keep them moist for longer.
***When applying the buttercream: The freezer steps will help to create a smooth buttercream finish.
Want to recreate the same recipe with another flavor? Swap out the Lemon Noblesse or Raspberry flavorings for one of our other convenient flavor pastes!
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