MY WIFE AND I GET ALONG GREAT IN THE KITCHEN BECAUSE SHE IS RARELY IN IT. ON THOSE RARE OCCASIONS WHEN SHE IS PREPARING ONE OF HER WORLD-FAMOUS DESSERTS, I STAY OUT OF HER WAY. THIS DIVISION OF LABOR HAS WORKED WELL FOR 49 YEARS. LYNN IS THE UNDISPUTED DESSERT QUEEN AND, AS IN CHESS, EVEN THE KING DOES NOT CHALLENGE THE QUEEN. BUT ON HER BIRTHDAY, THIS TASK FALLS TO ME. AND WE DON'T SHARE THE SAME TASTES. SHE HAS A SWEET TOOTH AND A STRONG PREFERENCE FOR CHOCOLATE. I'M A LEMON GUY, A FRUIT GUY, A COFFEE GUY, A SORBET GUY, WHICH HAS EARNED ME HER PERPETUAL CONTEMPT. SO BE IT. THIS HOT JULY 5th, I SATISFIED MOST OF HER DESIRES: GAZPACHO WITH PESTO, HANGER STEAK WITH TWO SAUCES AND THE WORLD'S CRISPIEST POTATOES. BUT WHEN IT CAME TO THE BIRTHDAY CAKE, I PREPARED AN ORIGINAL CREATION, INSPIRED BY A CAKE WITH A SOUR APRICOT FILLING, WHICH I ATE AT JOËL ROBUCHON'S FIRST RESTAURANT JAMIN, SOME 40 YEARS AGO. FOR THE CAKE ITSELF I USED MELISSA CLARK'S RECIPE FOR VICTORIA SPONGE CAKE. TO OFFSET THE SOUR APRICOTS, I SHOWERED THE CAKE WITH POWDERED SUGAR AND SERVED EACH SLICE WITH A RASPBERRY COULIS AND SLIGHTLY SWEETENED WHIPPED CREAM. EVERYONE LOVED IT. EXCEPT LYNN. YOU BE THE JUDGE.
https://johnpleshettemealoftheweek.com/recipes/birthday-cake/
HEAT OVEN TO 350º. PLACE RACK IN THE CENTER.
TAKE BUTTER FROM THE FRIDGE. CUT INTO PIECES AND ALLOW TO SOFTEN AT ROOM TEMPERATURE.
USING A SCRAP OF WAXED PAPER, GREASE THE INSIDE OF TWO 8" CAKE PANS WITH BUTTER. ADD 2 TBSPS OF FLOUR AND TURN THE PANS TO LIGHTLY COAT THE INSIDE OF THE PANS. DUMP OUT EXCESS FLOUR.
IN A MEDIUM BOWL, WHISK TOGETHER FLOUR, BAKING POWDER AND SALT.
IN THE BOWL OF AN ELECTRIC MIXER, BEAT BUTTER AND SUGAR UNTIL LIGHT AND FLUFFY.
BEAT 3 EGGS TOGETHER WITH 2BSPS OF MILK AND ADD TO THE BUTTER AND SUGAR..
SIFT THE FLOUR MIXTURE ONTO A SHEET OF WAXED PAPER AND ADD TO THE BUTTER/SUGAR UNTIL JUST COMBINED. SCRAPE BATTER INTO THE TWO PANS, GENTLY SMOOTHING THE TOPS.
BAKE CAKES UNTIL GOLDEN BROWN AND SPRINGY (20-25 MINUTES). A TOOTHPICK INSERTED SHOULD COME OUT CLEAN.
LET THE CAKES COOL FOR 10 MINUTES, THEN UNMOLD THEM ONTO WIRE RACKS. (PLACE THE RACK ON TOP. HOLDING BOTH SIDES OF THE PAN AND THE RACK, FLIP IT OVER. THE CAKES SHOULD COME OUT SMOOTHLY.)
CUT THE APRICOTS IN HALF, THEN INTO 1/2" CHUNKS. PLACE IN A SAUCEPAN OVER LOW HEAT. ADD 2 TBSPS OF WATER, 2 TSPS OF SUGAR AND 1 TBSP OF GRAND MARNIER. STIR OVER LOW HEAT FOR ABOUT 5 MINUTES OR UNTIL THE APRICOTS BEGIN TO BREAK DOWN. TASTE. THEY SHOULD BE SOUR/SWEET.
WHILE STILL WARM, SPOON THE APRICOTS ONTO THE BOTTOM LAYER OF THE CAKE. PLACE THE OTHER LAYER ON TOP, PRESSING DOWN LIGHTLY SO BOTH LAYERS ABSORB SOME OF THE JUICE FROM THE APRICOTS.
JUST BEFORE SERVING, GENEROUSLY DUST THE TOP OF THE CAKE WITH GRANULATED SUGAR, USING A SMALL STRAINER TO EVENLY COAT THE TOP.
IN AN ELECTRIC MIXER, WHIP TOGETHER THE CREAM, CRÉME FRAÎCHE AND SUGAR.
SERVE THE CAKE WITH THE WHIPPED CREAM AND RASPBERRY COULIS ON THE SIDE.
SERVES 8-10
NOTE: EXCEPT FOR THE WHIPPED CREAM, THE CAKE AND COULIS CAN BE MADE A DAY AHEAD OF TIME. THAT'S WHAT I DID.
PURÉE RASPBERRIES, SUGAR AND LIQUEUR IN A FOOD PROCESSOR.
STRAIN OUT THE SEEDS.
Ingredients
Directions
HEAT OVEN TO 350º. PLACE RACK IN THE CENTER.
TAKE BUTTER FROM THE FRIDGE. CUT INTO PIECES AND ALLOW TO SOFTEN AT ROOM TEMPERATURE.
USING A SCRAP OF WAXED PAPER, GREASE THE INSIDE OF TWO 8" CAKE PANS WITH BUTTER. ADD 2 TBSPS OF FLOUR AND TURN THE PANS TO LIGHTLY COAT THE INSIDE OF THE PANS. DUMP OUT EXCESS FLOUR.
IN A MEDIUM BOWL, WHISK TOGETHER FLOUR, BAKING POWDER AND SALT.
IN THE BOWL OF AN ELECTRIC MIXER, BEAT BUTTER AND SUGAR UNTIL LIGHT AND FLUFFY.
BEAT 3 EGGS TOGETHER WITH 2BSPS OF MILK AND ADD TO THE BUTTER AND SUGAR..
SIFT THE FLOUR MIXTURE ONTO A SHEET OF WAXED PAPER AND ADD TO THE BUTTER/SUGAR UNTIL JUST COMBINED. SCRAPE BATTER INTO THE TWO PANS, GENTLY SMOOTHING THE TOPS.
BAKE CAKES UNTIL GOLDEN BROWN AND SPRINGY (20-25 MINUTES). A TOOTHPICK INSERTED SHOULD COME OUT CLEAN.
LET THE CAKES COOL FOR 10 MINUTES, THEN UNMOLD THEM ONTO WIRE RACKS. (PLACE THE RACK ON TOP. HOLDING BOTH SIDES OF THE PAN AND THE RACK, FLIP IT OVER. THE CAKES SHOULD COME OUT SMOOTHLY.)
CUT THE APRICOTS IN HALF, THEN INTO 1/2" CHUNKS. PLACE IN A SAUCEPAN OVER LOW HEAT. ADD 2 TBSPS OF WATER, 2 TSPS OF SUGAR AND 1 TBSP OF GRAND MARNIER. STIR OVER LOW HEAT FOR ABOUT 5 MINUTES OR UNTIL THE APRICOTS BEGIN TO BREAK DOWN. TASTE. THEY SHOULD BE SOUR/SWEET.
WHILE STILL WARM, SPOON THE APRICOTS ONTO THE BOTTOM LAYER OF THE CAKE. PLACE THE OTHER LAYER ON TOP, PRESSING DOWN LIGHTLY SO BOTH LAYERS ABSORB SOME OF THE JUICE FROM THE APRICOTS.
JUST BEFORE SERVING, GENEROUSLY DUST THE TOP OF THE CAKE WITH GRANULATED SUGAR, USING A SMALL STRAINER TO EVENLY COAT THE TOP.
IN AN ELECTRIC MIXER, WHIP TOGETHER THE CREAM, CRÉME FRAÎCHE AND SUGAR.
SERVE THE CAKE WITH THE WHIPPED CREAM AND RASPBERRY COULIS ON THE SIDE.
SERVES 8-10
NOTE: EXCEPT FOR THE WHIPPED CREAM, THE CAKE AND COULIS CAN BE MADE A DAY AHEAD OF TIME. THAT'S WHAT I DID.
PURÉE RASPBERRIES, SUGAR AND LIQUEUR IN A FOOD PROCESSOR.
STRAIN OUT THE SEEDS.
