Behind my screen I have a pinwall filling up with Christmas cards from our friends form near and far. The kids become adults. It is quite in the house and some peace settels in. I think about the word I chose for this cake and this is exactly how I feel. Expectant. Simply joy ! Warm joy. Filling joy. Amazing peace, amazing grace.
I need not to add to this, I need not be and perform I am able just to rest and know this joy. What am I so joyous about? Simply because of Christmas and what it means. One card reads from a Haitian Christmas carol that whenever we love, whenever we care and help whenver we are happy and content God comes to bring His light. This reminds me of a sweet story perfect for reading at Christmas a phantasie short story by J. B. Phillips
English
You might not have the time to make a cake like this for Christmas but the recipe is great and the dough just perfectly moist and tasty, maybe you will just enjoy the photos and if you make the cake please, let me know how it turned out! The story is for you to print out, maybe you will have a storytime this year and read it out loud to your family.
Baking time 35 min
Oven temperature 175°C
Assembly 20 min
You Need
75 g butter melted and cooled
2 medium eggs
270 g flour
240g sugar
1 ½ tsp natron
1 ½ tsp baking powder
pinch of salt
125 ml milk
150 ml boiling water
2 tbsp amaretto
Butter Meringue Cream
4 egg whites (160g)
180 g sugar
250 g butter, room temperature
½ tsp lemon juice
1 tbsp passion fruit juice
3 tbsp raspberry jam
some amaretto
Preheat the oven to 175°C and lower the rack to the first level.
You can either make a round 15cm cake that looks more like a tower cake but for this Christmas I want to make a cake that looks like a beautiful present.
First sift all dry ingredients in a large enough bowl. Add the eggs and the butter mix well with the milk and the amaretto and add the boiling hot water. The dough will be quite liquid, that is intended. Pour the dough into two square forms, buttered and floured beforehand and bake for 35 min or until the inserted toothpick returns dry.
Butter Meringue Cream:
This may sound a bit tricky but if you follow the steps you will succeed:
On medium heat dissolve the sugar with the egg whites until the crystals are all gone, beat with the help of your hand held mixer on the stove until the thermometer rises to 65°C. That may take some time. You don’t want eh meringue to burn so keep stirring and let the heat rise slowly. Take from the stove once the meringue has reached temperature and let cool while stirring, this will take approximately 10 min. Add the soft butter spoon by spoon and incorporate with your mixer on low slowly. This works well if the butter is warm enough. Keep mixing another 3-5 min and add the lemon juice and the passion fruit as well. Now the texture should be creamy and easy to spread.
Assembly:
Cut each cake in two slices, horizontal and in case your cake has arisen center remove it to make each layer even. Place the first layer on your serving plate, sprinkle some amaretto over it spread one spoon of jam first then 2 spoons of butter meringue and repeat until your all four layers are done. The last layer only gets the cream though. Spread the butter cream all around your cake staring from the top. Use the side of a flat spatula does get best results, a knife is not ideal. Leave in the fridge to let the cream harden, then do your final touch ups. I painted the word joy with edible gold paint on top but you could as well heap fresh raspberries on it.
