Pretty, no?
The recipe is called WASC (white almond sour cream cake) and I've seen it all over these cake boards I frequent, so I had to give it a try. It's good and sturdy for stacking and holding up fondant, but yet still moist. And it bakes lovely - not very crumbly, very even. Taste is pretty basic, maybe a touch on the sweet side. Hans says I used too much almond. Could be. I filled with a basic buttercream but I think it would have tasted even better with raspberry or lemon curd filling.
What you need:
2 boxes white cake mix (I think I used Betty Crocker, but I've heard Duncan Hines is good)
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups granulated sugar
1 1/2 tsp salt
6 whole eggs
2 2/3 cups water
4 T. vegetable oil
2 cups sour cream
1 T. vanilla flavor
1 T. almond extract
In a stand mixer (or large bowl if you're hand mixing), combine the eggs, water, oil, sour cream, vanilla and almond. In a separate bowl, mix together the cake mix, flour, sugar and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the wet in two additions, blending well in between. Beat on medium speed for two minutes.
Decide how many layers you want. I wanted five. I ended up scrapping one of the layers cuz it was just too tall. So let's say four. Divide the batter evenly between four bowls. Add the same color food coloring to each of the bowls, but increase the amount for the bowls. I left one undyed, used one drop, two and four (I think - it was late!).
In buttered and floured (or parchment-lined) pans, bake at 300 for about 20 minutes, then rotate once and increase temp. to 325 for another 20 minutes (based on 6" pans). Try not to open the oven too soon or the middle will cave in.
This recipe made a LOT of cake for me - nine 6" layers (that were really thick!) I've heard that it makes four 8" rounds or two 9"x13", but I haven't tested those amounts. I think it was about 14-15 cups of batter.
This recipe also keeps really well when wrapped in the freezer (two layers of plastic, one of foil). I made the cake more than a week before the shower. I used four layers for a test cake and froze the other four for a week before thawing and frosting as normal. I couldn't taste a difference :) But make sure you thaw completely so you don't encounter any cold cake issues...
Now if only the person cutting the cake had better cake cutting skills. I wish I'd whacked out a larger slice so you could see the pretty ombre better. I was focused more on portion size, and didn't realize that the inside would be as pretty as the outside! On further reflection, I remembered that you'd hinted you were making such a pretty cake.
ReplyDeleteAs for the almond, I disagree. It was perfectly delicious. Though I do look at the recipe and think, "Huh, that's a lot of almond."
Hahaha, I like almond, so I thought it was fine, but will probably cut it back a bit next time.
ReplyDeleteAnd I think you did a great job cutting ;) I was just glad someone finally cut into it and ate it - it seemed like everyone was avoiding cutting it!
I love this. I'll have to try it out sometime. It looks fabulous.
ReplyDeleteit looks so good!!! What do you mean it's ugly!! Oh my gosh i want some!!!! haha i'm salavating over these pictures i will have you know,.
ReplyDeleteHahaha, the funny thing is, Karina, that the test version of this cake is the one I wanted to bring you and couldn't figure out how to transport! When you come visit, let's make it together ;)
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