Orange Layer Cake With Orange Caramel Cream Cheese Frosting Recipes

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray 3 9-inch cake pans with nonstick baking spray* and line with parchment. Spray parchment with baking spray. *NOTE: I used 2-9-inch cake pans, figuring I'd slice those in half. That was tricky, as the cake was so moist, that it took a miracle that transferring the layers didn't break! In a large bowl sift together flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Add oil, orange juice, eggs and sour cream. Optional: I add 1/4 teaspoon of pure orange oil, for more flavor. Beat at medium speed with a mixer until smooth. Pour into prepared pans and bake for 20 - 25 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Let cool in pans for 10 minutes. Remove from pans and cool completely on wire racks. Frosting: In a large bowl, beat butter and cream cheese at medium speed with a mixer until creamy. Add orange zest and orange juice, beating until combined. Gradually add confectioners sugar beating until smooth. (NOTE: You can add more confectioner's sugar, if you prefer a much thicker frosting.) Assembly: Spread frosting evenly between layers and on top and sides of cake.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter three 9-inch-diameter cake pans. Line bottom of pans with waxed paper. Butter and flour pans; tap out excess flour. Sift first 8 ingredients into medium bowl. Using electric mixer, beat sugar, butter and orange peel in large bowl until fluffy. Beat in eggs 1 at a time. Stir flour mixture into butter mixture alternately with sour cream and milk. Divide batter among prepared pans.
• Bake cakes until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 25 minutes. Transfer pans to racks and cool 10 minutes. Turn cakes out onto racks and cool completely. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Store airtight at room temperature.)
• Place 1 cake layer on platter. Spread 2/3 cup frosting over. Top with second cake layer. Spread 2/3 cup frosting over. Top with third cake layer. Cover top and sides of cake with remaining frosting. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover with cake dome and store at room temperature.)

Steps:

• Beat cream cheese, butter or margarine, orange peel, and orange juice until creamy. Beat in confectioner's sugar until blended and smooth.
• Spread about 1 1/2 teaspoons on each cooled cookie. Sprinkle with walnuts.
• Let icing set 1 to 2 hours. Refrigerate in an airtight container with waxed paper between layers up to 1 week.

Steps:

• In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in orange juice and zest. Add flour to the creamed mixture alternately with milk, beating well after each addition., Pour into two greased and floured 9-in. round baking pans. Bake at 350° for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks to cool completely., In a large bowl, beat butter until light and fluffy. Add the confectioners' sugar, orange juice and zest; beat until smooth. Spread glaze between layers and over the top and sides of cake.

Steps:

• Make Filling
• Whisk sugar and yolks in heavy large saucepan to blend. Whisk in cornstarch and orange peel. Gradually add orange juice and cream, whisking to blend well. Set pan over medium-high heat and whisk constantly until cream thickens and boils, about 8 minutes. Pour into bowl. Press plastic wrap directly onto surface of pastry cream to prevent skin from forming. Refrigerate until cold, at least 4 hours.
• Beat cream cheese in large bowl until fluffy. Beat in pastry cream, 1 cup at a time, scraping bottom and sides of bowl occasionally. Cover; refrigerate until cold. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Keep refrigerated.)
• Make soaking syrup and frosting
• Stir 2 1/2 cups sugar and 1 cup water in heavy large saucepan over medium-low heat until sugar dissolves. Increase heat; boil without stirring until syrup is deep amber color, brushing down sides of pan with wet pastry brush and swirling pan occasionally, about 20 minutes. Remove pan from heat. Immediately add 1 1/4 cups orange juice and peel (mixture will bubble vigorously). Stir over low heat until any hard bits dissolve and caramel comes to boil. Strain into 2-cup glass measuring cup.
• Pour 1 cup caramel into small bowl; reserve for frosting. Mix remaining 1/2 cup orange juice into remaining caramel in glass measuring cup; reserve as soaking syrup. Cover caramel in small bowl and soaking syrup separately; refrigerate until cold, at least 4 hours and up to 1 day.
• Using electric mixer, beat cream cheese and butter in large bowl until fluffy. Gradually beat in 1 cup caramel reserved for frosting, then powdered sugar and vanilla. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover; chill. If necessary, let stand at room temperature until just spreadable before using.)
• Make cake
• Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter 12-inch-diameter cake pan with 2-inch-high sides; line bottom with parchment paper. Butter paper; dust pan with flour.
• Bring 1/3 cup milk and 1 tablespoon butter to simmer in small saucepan. Remove pan from heat; add 2 teaspoons vanilla extract. Cover pan. Sift 1 1/3 cups flour, 1 teaspoon baking powder and 1/4 teaspoon salt into medium bowl. Using electric mixer at high speed, beat 3 eggs in large bowl until frothy, about 1 minute. Gradually beat in 1 1/3 cups sugar. Continue to beat egg mixture until light colored and thick enough to fall in heavy ribbon when beaters are lifted, about 4 minutes. Pour milk mixture over egg mixture. Using whisk, gently stir until just blended. Add flour mixture. Gently stir with whisk until just blended (do not over mix; batter may deflate). Pour batter into prepared pan.
• Bake cake until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Transfer pan to rack; cool 10 minutes.
• Line cake rack with paper towels. Dust towels generously with powdered sugar. Cut around pan sides; turn cake out onto sugared towels. Peel off parchment. Cool cake completely.
• Repeat 2 more times, using same amount of each ingredient to make 2 more cake layers.
• Assemble and decorate
• Place 1 cake layer on 11-inch tart pan bottom; brush with 1/2 cup soaking syrup. Spread with half of filling (about 3‰ cups). Place in freezer until filling is firm, about 15 minutes. Top with second cake layer; brush with 1/2 cup soaking syrup. Spread with remaining filling. Place in freezer until filling is firm, about 15 minutes. Top with third cake layer; brush with remaining soaking syrup. Spread 2 cups frosting thinly over top and sides of assembled cake to cover completely. Refrigerate until frosting is firm, about 1 hour.
• Spoon 1 cup frosting into pastry bag fitted with small (scant 1/4-inch-diameter) star tip. Spread remaining frosting smoothly over top and sides of cake. Pipe frosting in bag decoratively on top and sides of cake. (Can be prepared ahead. Refrigerate until frosting is firm, at least 5 hours; cover loosely and keep refrigerated up to 1 day. Or freeze until frosting is firm, about 2 hours; cover and keep frozen up to 1 week. Defrost covered cake in refrigerator for 2 days.)
• Place cake on large platter. Arrange fruit decoratively atop cake. To cut cake, start 2 inches inward from edge and insert knife straight down; cut 8-inch-diameter circle in center of cake. Starting 2 inches in from 8-inch-diameter circle and inserting knife straight down, cut 4-inch-diameter circle in center of 8-inch circle. Cut outer portion of cake into 16 slices. Cut middle portion of cake into 8 slices. Cut inner 4-inch portion of cake into 4 wedges. Serve cake.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Butter two 8-by-2-inch round cake pans. Line with parchment paper and butter. Dust pans with flour and tap out any excess. Set aside. Spread pecans in a single layer on an ungreased baking pan and toast in oven until lightly golden, about 7 minutes. Remove from oven and let stand until completely cool. Reduce oven temperature to 300 degrees. Finely chop pecans and set aside.
• Place carrots, eggs, buttermilk, vanilla, sugar, and ginger in a large bowl; mix until well combined.
• Into a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. Using a rubber spatula, fold the flour mixture into the carrot mixture until combined. Fold in the butter and toasted pecans.
• Divide batter between the two cake pans and bake until a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean, about 1 hour. Remove pans from oven and transfer to a wire rack to cool, about 15 minutes. Turn cakes out onto rack; let stand until completely cool.
• Using a serrated knife, trim tops of cakes so surfaces are level. Place a layer on a cake stand or cardboard round and spread 3/4 cup frosting over top. Place the second cake layer on top and spread the remaining frosting over the top and sides of assembled cake. Transfer to refrigerator and chill 3 to 4 hours.
• For the candied carrot strips, set a wire rack over a baking pan. Using fingers, lift one candied carrot strip from the sugar syrup, holding it over the container. With the thumb and forefinger of your other hand, gently squeeze the carrot strip and slide your fingers along its length, removing as much excess syrup as possible; lay the carrot strip on the wire rack. Repeat with remaining carrot strips.
• Decorate cake with candied carrot strips as desired. Cut cake and serve.