June 16, 2011

Weekend Treat

Here is a delicious recipe for Blueberry Lime Curd Cake.  Now don't faint when you read this--it's really quite easy, and you can make it in stages and then assemble it.  Trust me; it's worth it.  The sharp lime flavor contrasts perfectly with the creamy frosting for a surprisingly light and refreshing dessert.  Perhaps a good Father's Day treat?  Hope everyone has a great weekend!

Cake:
2 Cups sifted cake flour
1 1/4 Cups sugar, divided
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
7 Tablespoons canola or light olive oil
1/3 Cup fresh lime juice (about 3)
3 Tablespoons water finely grated rind of 2 limes
3 egg yolks
8 egg whites
1 teaspoon cream of tartar
Lime Curd:
8 large egg yolks
1/4 Cup freshly squeezed lime juice (3-4 limes)
1/4 Cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (1 -2 lemons)
1 Cup sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 stick (113 g) unsalted butter, cold, cut into pieces
Frosting:
2 Cups heavy cream 
2 Tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons gelatin
1/4 Cup water
2 pints blueberries for garnish

To prepare cake, line bottoms of the 3 (8-inch) cake pans with parchment paper, coat with cooking spray.

Combine 2 cups cake flour, 1 cup sugar, baking powder and salt in a large bowl, stirring with a whisk, until well combined. Combine oil, 1/3 cup juice, 3 Tablespoons water, rind and egg yolks in a medium bowl, stirring with a whisk. Add oil mixture to flour mixture, beat with a mixer at medium speed just until smooth.

Place egg whites in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at high speed until foamy. Add cream of tartar, beat until soft peaks form. Gradually add remaining 1/4 cup sugar, beating until stiff peaks form. Gently stir one-fourth of egg mixture into flour mixture, gently fold in remaining egg white mixture.
Divide cake batter equally among prepared pans. Bake at 325F for 20 minutes. Cool in pans for 10 minutes, remove from pans. Remove wax paper from cake layers. Cool completely on wire rack.

Lime curd:
Beat egg yolks and sugar until light in color and sugar almost dissolves. Add lime juice and lemon juice, half of the zest, and salt to the egg yolk mixture. Cook in a heavy-bottom saucepan over medium heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon (be sure to scrape the sides of the pan) until mixture is thick enough to coat back of the spoon 8-10 minutes. Remove saucepan from the heat. Add butter, stirring until smooth and the remaining zest. Refrigerate until chilled and set, at least 1 hour.

For stabilized whipped cream, combine gelatin and water, allow to soften for 5 minutes, then dissolve gelatin over low heat. Gelatin must be liquid, but not warm.

In the chilled bowl beat the cream and sugar just until traces of beater marks begin to show distinctly. Add the gelatin mixture in a steady stream, beating constantly and beat just until stiff peaks form when beater is raised.

To assemble cake, place 1 cake layer on a plate, spread 1/3 of lime curd over cake layer, scatter blueberries. Top with second layer, 1/3 of lime curd, and blueberries and third layer. Combine the remaining lime curd with whipped cream and spread frosting over top and sides of cake.

Garnish with blueberries.

You're going to love this, promise! 


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