Makeover Macaroon Cake Recipes

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Place the almond paste and sugar in a large mixing bowl. Beat with an electric mixer on medium-high speed until the almond paste is softened and the sugar well-incorporated, about 5 minutes.
• Add the egg whites a little bit at a time, incorporating fully after each addition. Egg whites are difficult to pour in small amounts, so hold a rubber spatula against the rim of the bowl, and use it to "cut" the egg whites as they are poured. If you add the egg whites all at once, the mixture will be lumpy, because the difference in consistency between the egg whites and the almond paste mixture is too great. Using a rubber spatula, scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed. You may or may not need all of the egg whites depending on the moistness and age of the almond paste. Stop mixing when the mixture reaches a consistency soft enough to pipe (similar to toothpaste).
• Place the batter in a pastry bag fitted with a 1/2-inch plain tip. Pipe 1-inch mounds onto a parchment-lined sheet pan. It will be easier if you hold the pastry bag at a slight angle and allow the tip to touch the parchment as you start to pipe. Once you have formed the mound, stop squeezing and lift the tip straight up, leaving a small tail on the top of each mound. Space the macaroons about 1-inch apart to allow for spreading and pipe carefully. The macaroons will look nicest when sandwiched together if they are all the same size.
• Immediately before placing them in the oven, liberally sprinkle granulated sugar over the macaroons. This will give them a nice crust that will keep the inside moist and chewy. Bake until golden brown, 8 to 10 minutes. The top of each macaroon should be very finely cracked, a characteristic for which they are known. If over-baked, the macaroons will be dry and crunchy.
• Remove the sheet pan from the oven and immediately pour the water onto the sheet pan under the parchment paper. Be careful! If you get any water on the macaroons, they will be soggy. You will need to tilt the baking sheet to spread the water evenly. Let it sit for 2 minutes. The water will loosen the macaroons from the paper. Remove the macaroons from the paper two at a time and stick them together, matching the flat sides. Do not put them back on the hot, wet baking sheet or they will become soggy.
• The macaroons can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to three days or well wrapped in the freezer for up to one week. Unwrap them before bringing back to room temperature, or the condensation will make them soggy.

Steps:

• For the macaron cake layers: Fit a large pastry bag with a large open pastry tip. Line 3 sheet pans with parchment. Using a 9-inch cake pan and a Sharpie, trace around the cake pan to create a 9-inch circle on each piece of parchment. Using a 6-inch cake pan and a Sharpie, trace around the cake pan to create a 6-inch circle next to the 9-inch circle on each piece of parchment; flip the parchment pieces over so the ink is facing down but you can still see the outline of the circles. Set aside.
• Sift together the almond flour and confectioners' sugar in a large mixing bowl. Add the food coloring and 2 tablespoons of the egg whites but do not stir. Set aside.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, add the salt and remaining egg whites and give it a quick stir. Set aside.
• In a saucepan, add the lemon juice and 1/3 cup water, then the granulated sugar. Heat over medium heat, stirring gently and brushing down any sugar granules that are clinging to the side of the pan with a damp pastry brush, until the sugar has completely melted. Continue to heat, without stirring or agitating the mixture, until the syrup reaches 235 degrees F. Then, start the mixer with the egg whites on high. Continue to heat the syrup, without stirring, until it reaches a final temperature of 245 degrees F. At this point, make sure the egg whites are nice and foamy, then carefully pour the sugar syrup down the side of the bowl, being careful not to pour it on the moving whisk (DANGER!). Whisk on high until the whites are bright white and shiny but not yet holding a stiff peak.
• Add the meringue to the bowl with the confectioners' sugar and almond flour and fold together until the batter is smooth, the consistency of ketchup and shiny.
• Transfer the meringue batter to the prepared pastry bag. On one of the 9-inch circles, pipe the batter in a spiral just large enough to fill the circle by starting in the very center and piping tight circles to the edge of the outline. Pipe the batter in the 6-inch circle in the same manner. Repeat with the remaining circles on each sheet pan. If you have additional batter, pipe quarter-size dollops or hearts on the empty spaces on the sheet pans. Gently tap the sheet pans on a work surface a few times to release any air bubbles and allow to sit at room temperature for 20 to 30 minutes to form a "skin."
• Preheat the oven to 275 degrees F.
• Bake the macaron shells, opening the oven door during baking very quickly once or twice if it's very humid to allow moisture to escape, 20 to 25 minutes. Allow the shells to cool completely before filling.
• For the German buttercream: Combine the egg yolks, granulated sugar, cornstarch and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Whisk until smooth.
• In a large saucepan, bring the heavy cream and milk to a simmer.
• With the mixer running on medium speed, slowly add the hot cream/milk mixture to the bowl by pouring it down the side and into the egg yolk mixture, mixing to completely combine. Transfer the mixture back into the saucepan and heat, whisking CONSTANTLY over medium-low heat, until the mixture thickens to the consistency of mayonnaise and starts to bubble, about 5 minutes.
• Transfer the hot pastry cream to the CLEAN bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a CLEAN whisk attachment and mix until the mixture has cooled to room temperature, 10 to 15 minutes.
• Add the butter a few tablespoons at a time, whisking between each addition. Continue adding and whisking until the mixture thickens and has transformed into a spreadable filling. You may not need the entire pound of butter.
• Remove a third of the filling to a small bowl and stir in the lemon extract. In the remaining buttercream in the mixing bowl, add the blackberry jam and mix until smooth and combined. Transfer the fillings to separate large pastry bags fitted with large open star tips.
• On the flat side of one of the large macaron rounds, arrange blackberries around the perimeter, leaving about 1/2 inch of space between each. Evenly space more blackberries in the center. Pipe the blackberry buttercream around the blackberries. Top with a second large macaron round and repeat with the remaining blackberries and buttercream. Top with the third large macaron round. Repeat with the smaller macaron rounds, using the raspberries and lemon buttercream.
• Stack the smaller round on top of the larger one, or use a tiered cake stand to separate the two layers.

Steps:

• In a small bowl, beat egg white on medium speed until soft peaks form. Gradually beat in sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, on high until stiff glossy peaks form and sugar is dissolved. Fold in coconut and flour; set aside., In a large bowl, beat the egg whites on medium until soft peaks form. gradually beat in 1/2 cup sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, on high until stiff glossy peaks form and sugar is dissolved; set aside. , In another large bowl, cream shortening and remaining sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg yolks, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in sour cream and vanilla. Combine coffee and buttermilk. Combine the flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt; add to creamed mixture alternately with coffee mixture, beating well after each addition. Fold in beaten egg whites., Pour half of the batter into an ungreased 10-in. tube pan with removable bottom. Drop coconut filling by spoonfuls over batter. Top with remaining batter. , Bake at 350° for 55-60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Immediately invert cake onto a wire rack; cool completely, about 1 hour. Run a knife around side of pan and remove., In a small bowl, beat frosting ingredients until smooth and creamy. Spread over the top and sides of cake.

Steps:

• Heat oven to 325°F. Generously grease and lightly flour shaped (12-cup) Bundt® pan and bottom of Bundt® Tunnel Insert, or spray with baking spray with flour.
• In large bowl, beat cake mix, water, oil and eggs with electric mixer on low speed 30 seconds, then on medium speed 2 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally. Stir in 1/2 cup coconut. Pour batter into pan. Place tunnel insert on center of Bundt pan.
• Bake 38 to 44 minutes or until toothpick inserted toward center comes out clean. Using sharp or serrated knife, immediately cut off excess cake across top of Bundt and tunnel insert pans. Carefully loosen tunnel insert; remove. Cool cake in pan 10 minutes; remove from pan to cooling rack, placing cake tunnel side down. Cool completely, about 1 hour.
• While cake is cooling, in medium bowl, mix filling ingredients; set aside.
• When cake is cool, turn cake over and spoon macaroon filling into tunnel. Place cake filled side down on serving plate. Refrigerate about 10 minutes or until filling is set. Sprinkle with powdered sugar if desired. Store covered in refrigerator.

Steps:

• Let egg whites stand at room temperature for 30 minutes. In a large bowl, beat the egg yolks, sugar, applesauce and oil until well blended; beat in milk and extract. Combine the flours, coconut, baking powder and salt; gradually beat into egg yolk mixture until blended.
• In another bowl, beat egg whites and cream of tartar until stiff peaks form; fold into batter.
• Gently spoon into an ungreased 10-in. tube pan. Cut through batter with a knife to remove air pockets. Bake on the lowest oven rack at 325° for 65-75 minutes or until cake springs back when lightly touched. Immediately invert pan; cool completely, about 1 hour.
• Run a knife around side and center tube of pan. Remove cake to a serving plate. Sprinkle with confectioners' sugar.

Steps:

• Sift dry ingredients together.
• In large bowl, with electric mixer, beat butter until creamy.
• Gradually add sugar, beating until light and fluffy.
• With mixer on "cream", add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
• Add almond extract.
• Stir in coconut.
• Turn into greased 10" tube pan or bundt pan.
• Bake one hour at 325.
• Cool 30 min before removing from pan.
• This cake can be frozen.