Burnt Orange Silk Meringue Buttercream

  
Just dropping by to check in with the Heavenly Cake Bakers (HCB), a group of us baking our way through Rose Levy Beranbaum's book Rose's Heavenly Cakes. Oh, I had such a long list of things to make from the book for the next free choice week, because I have been busy planning the launch of Milkglass Baking and have missed some of the ones I was most eager to try. But this week came along, and the occasion (with a chocolate allergy providing a wonderful constraint in which to create) simply demanded I repeat the fabulous Pumpkin Cake, but this time conquering the Burnt Orange Silk Meringue Buttercream. There are a lot of components to this buttercream, including Creme Anglaise and Italian Meringue, which are combined with softened butter and orange. (I used the zest and reduced juice of the wonderful Mandarin Oranges from my CSA, Terra Firma Farm, with a few drops of orange oil.) While this buttercream ranks high for flavor with its notes of caramel and citrus, it is rather labor (and dish) intensive for a buttercream. But I am glad I finally tried it.

 
Inspired by Eat the Love's list of unfinished business, I wanted to post the list of the cakes the HCB have made that I have missed out on, in the hopes that I will come back and cross them off:

• Lemon Meringue Cake - Lemon meringue is my all-time favorite pie, and like Rose, I have often imagined seeing it transformed into a cake. (Monica earned a proposal for this one!)
• The Bostini - Not only because this dessert is a San Francisco classic (pastry chef Kurtis Baguley had it written into his contract with Scala's that the recipe followed him) but because orange chiffon, pastry cream, and ganache glaze sounds like heaven.
• Apple Caramel Charlotte - I can admit it. I just want to do this one because it looks really hard. There are SEVEN pages of instructions.
• Zach's La Bomba - Uncharted territory, beautiful, shiny (HCB has not picked this one yet....)
• Woody's Lemon Luxury Cake - I love lemon.
• Golden Lemon Almond Cake - Rose has said several times that this is her favorite non-chocolate cake in the book. Plus, it's made in a bundt pan.
• Chocolate Apricot roll with Lacquer Glaze

 If you are looking for a recipe to try from the book, a good place to start would be Marie's post rounding up the favorites among the HCB. Actually, knowing the St. Honore trifle got so many votes, I am wondering why I didn't choose it?

 

Comments

[Marie]

You've chosen some outstanding cakes to catch up on--and I'm going to have more Free Choice weeks as we move toward the last part of our project, so you'll have plenty of opportunities to try them!

[Rachelino]

Marie- I am glad to have your endorsement of my catch-up cakes, since you have baked nearly everything in the book!

[Vicki B]

Ahhh, yes, this frosting is indeed lovely! Very pretty cake.

[Jenn]

Congrats on conquering the smbc. It is on my to-do list (I failed the 1st time around).
And yes you've chosen some of my favorites for your to-bake list. I'm looking forward to seeing them!

[evilcakelady]

i have yet to try the silk meringue buttercream--it is on my list of things to bake! love the way you decorated your bundt.

[Serene @ MomFoodProject]

Beautiful! Glad you seem to be happily busy.

[Rachelino]

@Vicki Thanks you so much! We must get together sometime. You are only in Sac! Maybe a Seville orange scavenge?

Jenn- Thanks, you make me feel like a champ for finishing. Isn't it great to have a blog, having people notice your little victories/delights? Your charlotte was BEAUTIFUL

Evilcakelady - Thanks! I just couldn't see covering the entire bundt in frosting - I thought it would look messier.

Serene- Thanks, lady! Happily is right. Sometimes I forget. Hope you are well is our unsually balmy weather. (Sorry non-Californians, it's in the 70s here.)

[ButterYum]

I've heard such yummy things about this buttercream, but I have yet to make it. I love the way you decorated the cake too.

Happy holidays.