Mocha-Pistachio Wedding Cake

1. 1

   Preheat the oven to 350F, with racks in the upper and lower thirds.

2. 2

   Generously butter two 6-by-3-inch round cake pans, two 10-by-3-inch round cake pans, and two 14-by-3-inch round cake pans; set aside.

3. 3

   Bake the white cakes: Divide about a third of the cake batter among one each of the 6-inch, 10-inch, and 14-inch pans, so that each is filled with about 1 inch of batter.

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   (You will need about 2 cups batter for the 6-inch pan, 5 cups for the 10-inch, and 10 cups for the 14-inch.)

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   Set aside remaining cake batter.

6. 6

   Bake until the cakes are golden and a cake tester inserted in the centers comes out clean, 15 to 20 minutes for the 6-inch layer, 30 minutes for the 10-inch layer, and 40 minutes for the 14-inch layer.Transfer pans to a wire rack to cool completely.

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   Cakes can be refrigerated in their pans, and wrapped in plastic, for up to 1 week.

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   Bake the pistachio cakes: Add the pistachio extract to the remaining two-thirds batter, and fold to combine.

9. 9

   Distribute the pistachio cake batter among the remaining pans so that there is about 1 1/2 inches of batter in each pan (about 3 cups batter for the 6-inch pan, 7 1/2 cups for the 10-inch, and 15 cups for the 14-inch).

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    Bake until the cakes are golden and a cake tester inserted in the centers comes out clean, about 25 minutes for the 6-inch layer, 35 minutes for the 10-inch layer, and 50 minutes for the 14-inch layer.

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    Transfer pans to a wire rack to cool completely.

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    Store cakes as above.

13. 13

    Prepare the cake layers: Working with one layer at a time, remove a cake from the refrigerator and place on a clean work surface.

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    Trim the tops of the white cakes to make level; set aside.

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    Trim the tops of the pistachio cakes to make level.

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    To cut each pistachio cake into two layers, insert toothpicks at 2-inch intervals around the cakes circumference, halfway up the side.

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    Holding the top of the cake steady with one hand, use the serrated knife to slice through the cake just above the toothpicks; carefully cut all the way through the cake with a gentle sawing motion.

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    Set the two layers aside, and repeat with remaining cakes.

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    Assemble the tiers: Place the bottom layer of the 6-inch pistachio cake, cut side up, on a 6-inch cardboard round.

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    Brush the layer with some of the Simple Syrup (about 2 tablespoons).

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    Fit a pastry bag with a 1/2-inch plain round pastry tip (such as an Ateco #806), and fill halfway with Swiss Meringue Buttercream.

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    Pipe buttercream in a circle around the top edge to create a dam.

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    Remove the Mocha Buttercream and Mocha Pastry Cream from the refrigerator, and stir pastry cream until smooth.

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    Using an offset or rubber spatula, spread a 1/2-inch-thick layer of Mocha Buttercream (about 3/4 cup) over the top of the layer, inside the dam.

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    Place the 6-inch white cake layer, cut side up, on the bottom pistachio layer; brush the top with some syrup.

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    Repeat the piping of the Swiss Meringue Buttercream to create a dam, and fill in with a 1/2-inch-thick layer of Mocha Pastry Cream.

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    Place the top layer of the pistachio cake, trimmed side up, on the middle cake layer; brush with syrup.

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    Using a large offset spatula, spread a thin layer of Swiss Meringue Buttercream over the assembled tier, starting from the top center and working toward the edge, and then spreading over the sides.

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    Cover all of the exposed cake; this will help to seal in crumbs and create a flawless finish.

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    Use the spatula to smooth as much as possible, but dont worry about making it look perfect, as it will be covered by more buttercream.

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    Refrigerate (uncovered) for at least 1 hour or overnight.

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    Repeat to assemble remaining tiers, placing the 10-inch bottom layer on a 10-inch cardboard round and the 14-inch bottom layer on a 14-inch cardboard round.

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    You will need about 1/4 cup syrup for each 10-inch cake layer, and 1/2 cup syrup for each 14-inch layer.

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    Allow about 2 1/2 cups each buttercream and pastry cream for the 10-inch tier, and 5 cups for the 14-inch tier.

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    Assemble the cake: Remove the 14-inch tier from the refrigerator.

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    Using the offset spatula, apply another (thicker) layer of Swiss Meringue Buttercream, starting at the top and then frosting the sides.

37. 37

    Smooth the sides with a bench scraper, and the top with the spatula.

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    For the cleanest surface and neatest edge, wipe off the spatula, dip it in a glass of hot water, and dry it with a clean kitchen cloth; use the warm spatula to smooth the top.

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    Insert a wooden dowel vertically through the center of the 14-inch tier; mark the dowel with a sharp knife at the point where it is level with the top of the cake, then remove the dowel.

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    Using garden shears, cut the dowel at the marked point.

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    Using this dowel as a guide, cut five more dowels to this length.With a toothpick, trace a 10-inch circle on top of the 14-inch tier (hold an empty cake pan or pot lid above the cake as a guide).

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    Insert five dowels at regular intervals in a circle, just inside the traced circle; be sure to space the dowels evenly in order to fully support the upper tiers.

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    Insert the final dowel in the hole in the center.

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    Remove the 10-inch tier from the refrigerator.

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    Frost with a second layer of Swiss Meringue Buttercream, as described above.With a wide offset spatula, carefully lift the 10-inch cake from the cardboard round, and center it over the marked circle on the 14-inch tier; gently lower onto the tier, carefully removing the spatula once the cake has settled.

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    Remove the 6-inch tier from the refrigerator.

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    Frost with a second layer of Swiss Meringue Buttercream, as described above.Trace a 6-inch circle on the top of the 10-inch tier; lift the 6-inch tier off the cardboard round, center the cake over the marked circle on the 10-inch tier, and gently lower onto cake.

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    Carefully remove the spatula.

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    Transfer Swiss Meringue Buttercream to a clean pastry bag.

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    Using a medium-size leaf tip (such as an Ateco #69), pipe leaves of buttercream in two layers along the top edge of each tier.

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    Switch to a medium plain round tip (such as an Ateco #10), and pipe a border of beads around the base of each tier.

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    Switch to a small plain round tip (such as an Ateco #6), and pipe three small dots in a triangle formation above the beaded borders at 3/4-inch intervals; pipe identical dot-clusters just below the bottom rows of leaves at the same interval.

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    Decorate the finished cake with fresh garden roses, placing a few on each tier, as well as at the base of the cake.

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    After the pistachio layers are trimmed and leveled, they are marked with toothpicks halfway up the sides, then cut in half.

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    Each layer is lightly brushed with Simple Syrup to moisten the cake and add sweetness.

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    A dam of buttercream is piped around the perimeter of the bottom layer to hold the filling in place.

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    Mocha Buttercream is spread over the bottom layer of the tier within the dam.

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    The middle layer is placed on top and spread with Mocha Pastry Cream.

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    Using an offset spatula, the vanilla frosting is spread over the assembled tier; its best to start in the center and work out.

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    The frosting is smoothed with an offset spatula to make a crumb coat, then the cake is put in the refrigerator to set.

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    Running a bench scraper around the sides of the cake creates a smooth and uniform surface.

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    Wooden dowels inserted vertically into the bottom tier provide support for the top two tiers of the cake (see here).

* Per serving · 4 servings · Values may vary.