posted by High Tech Momma 04-24-99 3:45 PM
FRUIT BASKET CAKE
This will make a very large cake but you can but the amounts down to suit your needs. This came from Sunset magazine.
Prepare the baking pan: Grease just the inside crease around the bottom of a rimmed 10 x 15 baking pan. Cut a piece of eaxed or parment paper to precisely fit the bottom of the pan.
Cut a terry cloth towel into 1 l/2 inch wide strips. Wet strips, wrint out and pin together to fit tightly around the outside of the pan. (This will prevent the edges from drying out). Also cover two 12 x 17 inch pieces of sturdy cardboard with foil.
For each cake layer: Prepare 1 package, (l lb 21/2 oz.)cake mix as package directs, except adding l extra egg. Turn batter into pan and level off. Bake at 25 degrees less than package directions.
Cool in the pan on a wire rack for 10 to 15 minutes, then run a spatula around edges and turn cake out onto the rack. Peel off paper and turn cake right side up onto one of the foil covered board. Let stan 10 to 15 minutes, then gently scape off the thin brown crust.
(You can skip this step but you will have a more pro-fessional looking cake if you do it. Place cake and tray uncovered in the freezer. When frozen wrap well and store up to 2 weeks. (Frozen layers can be stacked.)
To assemble the cake: Prepare 1 recip cuttercream icing. You'll need a secon batch later. Set aside 2 cups of the icing. Spoon the remainder into a pastry bag fitted wit a #30 star tip or other 1/4" diameter tip, set aside.
To the 2 cups icing, tir in 1 teaspoon water. Spread about 1 cup of this icing in a very thin layer over tops of both layers. Return top layer uncovered to freezer, set aside and cover remaining icing.
With the pastry bag, pipe a border around the top edge of bottom layer; pipe a second row 1/8" inside first row and thenpipe a third row on top of the first two rows.
(This forms a "WALL" to hold in the filling so it does not squish out when you add the top layer. I have used this method on many filled cakes since.)
Spread chilled filling (recipes follow) evenly over cake and cover with top layer, coated side down. Press lightly but firmly. With remaining 1 cup thinned icing, spread a ery thin layer over all surfaces.
NOTE: AT THIS POINT THE ORIGINAL DIRECTIONS SAY T MAKE ANOTHER RECIPE OF THE BUTTERCREAM AND FROST THE CAKE. THE THINNED FROSTING WAS TO KEEP THE CAKE FROM DRYING OUT AND TO KEEP THE FILLING FROM SOAKING INTO THE CAKE.
I PREFER TO MAKE THIS SECOND FROSING OUT OF WHIPPED CREAM, WITH AN ADDITIVE TO KEEP IT FROM LOSING ITS SHAPE. WHEN USING WHIPPED CREAM DO THAT AS CLOSE TO THE TIME OF SERVINGAS POSSIBLE. IF YOU USE REGULAR FROSING YOU CAN DO I MORE IN ADVANCE.
BUTTERCREAM ICING: For each recipe, sift l box, (1 lb) powdered sugar and st aside. With an electric mixer on medium, beat 1/2 cup each buter or margarine and solid shortening until blended.
Add the sifted powdered sugar, 3 tablespoons water and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Beat on low speed just to blend. Scape down bowl then beat on high speedfor 3 to 5 minutes or until icing is very fluffy. Cover and keep at room temperature.
RASPBERRY FILLING: Thaw 2 packages (10 0z. each) of frozen sweetened raspberrie Drain berries, saving the juice. In a small pan stir together 1/ cup each cornstarch and sugar. Gradually stir in the respberry juice.
Cook over medium heat, stirring until mixture boils and thickens. Stir in beries and remove from heat. Cool, cover and chill up to 2 days.
LEMON FILLING: In a 2 quart pan stir together 1 package (3 oz.) lemon flavoed pudding and pie filling and 2/3 cup sugar. D0 NOT USE INSTANT. Add 3 slightly beaten egg yolks, the gradually blend in 1 3/4 cups warm water.
Cook, stirring over medium heat until pudding comes to a full boil. Remove
from heat and cool 5 minutes, stirring occasonall. Stir i 1/4 cup lemon
juice and 1 1/2 teaspoons grated lemon peel. Cool
until just barely warm, stirring occasionally.
With an electric mixer on medium speed, beat 1/2 cup butter or margarine until fluffy. Gradually add pudding,beating until blended; scrape bowl often. Cover and chill up to 1 week.
See what I mean about lots of work! By doing it in segments it makes a big difference. There are several optins of how to add fruit.
I love it when I put freshly whipped cream and strawberries as one filling, or whipped cream with bananas for another. The lemon is delicious with any fruit and gives a nice contrast between fruit and creamy.
You could use vanilla type pudding with fruit in it too, but cut back on the liquid in your pudding recipe or it will not slice well. I have cut the layers in half horizontally so I could use more fillings. Then you have a multi-layerd delectable cake.