Orange Blossom Layer Cake

Description

Source: The Unofficial Strawberry Shortcake Cookbook - A.K. Whitney

Orange Blossom first befriends Strawberry Shortcake during Strawberry's trip to Big Apple City (Strawberry Shortcake in Big Apple City, 1981). She is a talented artist with a great zest for life. This orange layer cake, tangy marmalade filling, and orange buttercream frosting.

Serves 8

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 4 large eggs
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 3/4 cups 2% milk
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 3 1/2 cups cake flour
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 3 3/4 cups confectioners' sugar
• 2 tablespoons pulp-free orange juice
• Zest of 1 large orange
• 3 drops orange food coloring
• 3/4 cup orange marmalade
• 1 (4.4-ounce) package white vanilla fondant
• 4 drops orange food coloring

Directions

1. To make Cakes: Preheat oven to 325°F.
2. Grease two round 8" cake pans with butter and dust each pan with 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour.
3. Cream together butter and sugar in a large bowl until fluffy.
4. Add eggs one at a time, mixing well to combine, scraping down sides of bowl as needed.
5. Stir in baking powder and salt.
6. Mix milk and vanilla.
7. Alternate adding cake flour and milk to bowl while mixing, finishing with flour.
8. Mix until batter is smooth.
9. Divide batter among prepared pans.
10. Bake 35-50 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
11. Cool Cakes in pans 10 minutes before removing from pans and transferring to a wire rack.
12. To make Frosting: Beat butter in a medium bowl until fluffy.
13. Gradually beat in sugar until well combined.
14. Add orange juice and zest.
15. Stir in food coloring.
16. Cover top of 1 cake with marmalade.
17. Top with second Cake, pressing down gently.
18. Frost top and sides.
19. To make Fondant Blossoms: Pinch off 1 tablespoon fondant and combine with food coloring.
20. Knead until color is evenly distributed.
21. Set aside.
22. Roll out white fondant on a surface dusted with confectioners' sugar to 1/8" thickness.
23. Cut out forty 1/2" petals and eight 1/4" circles.
24. Arrange five petals in a star shape near edge of top of Cake (or around sides if preferred), then press a circle in middle of petals.
25. Roll orange fondant into tiny balls (about the size of a chia seed), and press four balls onto each white blossom circle.
26. Repeat with some remaining fondant to create a larger flower.
27. Arrange large flower on center of cake and remaining flowers along the top edge.