07 Cakes And Tortes Recipes

Steps:

• While some Bake-Off® prize-winning cakes, like 1950's Orange Kiss-Me Cake and 1953's "My Inspiration" Cake, were simple cakes to round out a meal, most Bake-Off® cakes have been lavish creations, the product of a homemaker's expansive love and a bit of time. The 1951 contest's Starlight Double- Delight Cake and 1959's Mardi Gras Party Cake are both beautifully frosted, elaborate cakes. The Tunnel of Fudge Cake, from the 1966 contest, may have been the ultimate home-grown extravagance, packed full of nuts and fudgy chocolate.The 1970s marked a real change in cake baking, with more homey cakes gaining in popularity, featuring whole-food ingredients like molasses, bananas and oats, as in 1973's Banana Crunch Cake or 1978's Nutty Graham Picnic Cake. In the 1980s, cooks returned to decadence and looked to Europe for inspiration. With 1984's Dark Chocolate Sacher Torte or 1988's Almond Mocha Cake, American families were treated like European royalty.Recently, American cooks have been displaying their increased sophistication by combining the best of European and American traditions. The Chocolate Mousse Fantasy Torte, from the 1990s contest, combined an American original--brownies--with a European classic--chocolate mousse. In 1994 Glazed Sweet Potato Mini-Cakes revealed an haute cuisine treatment of indigenous American ingredients: sweet potatoes, maple syrup and pecans.While ingredients, manners of preparation and tastes have changed over the years, the reasons for presenting a special cake haven't. Celebrations find cake bakers and cake eaters in perfect agreement: cakes are the perfect food for sharing.From "Pillsbury Best of the Bake-Off® Cookbook." Copyright 2004 General Mills. Used with permission of the publisher, Wiley Publishing, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°. Combine apricots and amaretto; let stand 15 minutes. In another bowl, combine cake mix, eggs, water, oil and apricot mixture. Beat on low speed 30 seconds; beat on medium 2 minutes. , Pour into 2 greased and floured 9-in. round baking pans. Bake until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, 22-27 minutes. Cool in pans 10 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely., For filling, heat apricot preserves and amaretto on low in a small saucepan, stirring occasionally, until preserves are melted; set aside. , For glaze, combine cream and corn syrup in a small saucepan. Bring just to a boil. Pour over chocolate; whisk until smooth. Stir in vanilla., Using a long serrated knife, cut each cake horizontally in half. Place 1 layer on a serving plate; spread with half of the filling. Top with another layer; spread with a third of the glaze. Cover with third layer and remaining filling. Top with remaining layer; spread top and sides of torte with remaining glaze. If desired, spread toasted almonds on edges or sides of torte. Refrigerate several hours before slicing.

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour two 9- or 8-inch round cake pans. In large bowl, combine all cake ingredients at low speed until moistened beat 2 minutes at high speed. Pour batter into greased and floured pans.Bake at 350°F. Bake 9-inch pans 30 to 40 minutes, bake 8-inch pans 35 to 45 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 15 minutes remove from pans. Cool completely.In small bowl, combine sweetened condensed milk and 1/2 cup lime juice mix well. In large bowl, beat whipping cream until stiff peaks form. Reserve 1 cup of whipped cream. Fold condensed milk mixture into remaining whipped cream just until blended.To assemble cake, slice each cake layer in half horizontally to make 4 layers. Place 1 cake layer cut side up on serving plate spread with 1/3 of whipped cream filling. Repeat with second and third cake layers. Top with remaining cake layer. Pipe in decorative pattern or spread reserved whipped cream over top of torte. Refrigerate 2 to 3 hours before serving. Garnish with lime slices. Store in refrigerator.HIGH ALTITUDE - Above 3,500 feet: Add 1/3 cup flour to dry cake mix. Bake at 350°F. for 25 to 35 minutes.Nutrition Per Serving: Calories 510 Protein 7g Carbohydrate 56g Fat 29g Sodium 430mgFrom "Pillsbury Best of the Bake-Off® Cookbook." Copyright 2004 General Mills. Used with permission of the publisher, Wiley Publishing, Inc. All Rights Reserved.