Show-Stopping Vanilla-Apricot Wedding Cake

A very special day calls for an extraordinary cake. This is it. A light as-air tiered sponge is layered with rich apricot buttercream and decorated with real flowers for a head-turning centre piece.

MAKES: one 3-tiered cake; 50 to 60 servings

PREP TIME: 3 days

COOKING TIME: 40 to 75 minutes

CHILLING TIME: about 8 hours

INGREDIENTS:

CAKE:

• 6 ¾ cups cake-and-pastry flour
• 3 Tbsp plus 2 tsp baking powder
• 1 ½ tsp fine sea salt
• 2 ⅔ cups whole milk
• 7 large eggs
• 2 Tbsp vanilla extract
• 2 Tbsp almond extract
• 1 ¾ cups plus 2 Tbsp unsalted butter, softened
• 3 ¾ cups granulated sugar
• 3 cardboard cake circles (10 inches, 8 inches and 6 inches)
• 1 batch of Apricot-Almond Simple Syrup
• 1 batch of Vanilla Buttercream
• 1 batch of Apricot Buttercream
• 1 jar (8 oz/250 mL) 100% apricot spread

APRICOT-ALMOND SIMPLE SYRUP:

• 1 cup apricot nectar
• ⅔ cup granulated sugar
• ½ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (about 3 lemons)
• ¼ cup almond liqueur or 4 tsp almond extract

VANILLA BUTTERCREAM

• 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 3 to 4 cups icing sugar, sifted
• 1 to 2 Tbsp whipping cream (35%)
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

APRICOT BUTTERCREAM:

• 1 ¼ cups dried apricots, coarsely chopped
• 1 cup apricot nectar
• ⅓ cup granulated sugar
• 1 Tbsp finely grated lemon zest (1 to 2 lemons)
• ¼ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (about 2 lemons)
• ¼ tsp fine sea salt
• 6 cups Vanilla Buttercream

CRYSTALIZED FLOWERS:

• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 large egg white
• 1 tsp vodka or water
• Edible flowers or petals

DECORATION:

• Edible flowers (see sidebar; optional)
• Crystallized flowers
• Marzipan flowers (optional)

INSTRUCTIONS:

CAKE:

1. Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Grease a 6-, an 8-, and a 10-inch round baking pan (all 3 inches deep), then line the bottom of each with parchment paper. Dust the pans with flour, then shake out the excess. Set aside.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
3. In a large measuring cup or medium bowl, whisk together 1 cup of the milk with the eggs and vanilla and almond extracts. Set aside.
4. In a second large bowl and using an electric mixer, beat the butter until creamy. Add the sugar and beat until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
5.  Add half of the flour mixture to the butter mixture. Beat on low speed just until combined.
6.  Add the remaining flour mixture and half of the remaining 1 ⅔ cups of the milk. Beat on low speed until the dry ingredients are moistened. Increase the speed to medium and beat mixture until the ingredients are well combined, about 30 seconds.
7. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, then add the remaining milk. Starting on low speed, then increasing the speed to medium, beat for 1 minute.
8. Turn down the mixer speed to low, then gradually beat in half of the egg mixture. Increase the speed to medium and beat until the ingredients are well combined. Repeat with the remaining egg mixture.
9. Divide the batter evenly among the prepared pans. Bake the cakes until the tops are golden brown and a wooden skewer inserted in the centre of each cake comes out clean: 35 to 40 minutes for the 10-inch cake, 30 to 35 minutes for the 8-inch cake and 25 to 30 minutes for the 6-inch cake. (If your oven won’t accommodate all three pans at once, bake the 10-inch cake first, covering the other pans with plastic wrap and letting them stand at room temperature until the 10-inch cake is baked.)
10. Let the cakes cool in their pans on wire racks: the 10- inch cake for 10 to 15 minutes, the 8-and 6-inch cakes for 5 minutes. Lay the 10-inch cardboard cake circle on top of the 10-inch cake. Holding the circle gently against the cake, invert the pan to unmold the cake. Invert the cake again onto a wire rack, remove the circle and let cool completely. Repeat with the other cakes. Reserve the cake circle. (The cakes can be frozen, double-wrapped in plastic wrap and foil, for up to 2 weeks. Thaw them in the fridge overnight before decorating.)
11. While the cakes are cooling, prepare the apricot-almond simple syrup, vanilla and apricot buttercreams and decorations.
12. To assemble the wedding cake, use a long serrated knife to slice the tops of the three cakes and make them level.
13. To make stacking the cakes easier, make a shallow vertical cut in the side of each cake (this will act as a marker). Place one cake on a cake turntable. Using a ruler and a long serrated knife, cut through the cake horizontally to make three even layers. Set aside. Repeat with the remaining cakes.
14. Put the reserved 10-inch cake circle on the turntable. Spoon a small amount of the vanilla buttercream onto the circle. Centre the levelled top of the 10-inch cake upside-down on the circle.
15. Using a pastry brush, coat the cake layer with the apricot-almond simple syrup, covering the surface completely. Fill a piping bag fitted with a plain, round tip with vanilla buttercream and pipe a ring around the edge of the cake layer. (This will prevent any apricot spread from seeping out.)
16. Using a small offset spatula, spread an ⅛-inch layer of apricot spread within the circle of buttercream.
17. Pipe concentric circles of the apricot buttercream over the spread until the centre of the cake layer is filled. Smooth the apricot buttercream with an offset spatula.
18. Gently place the second 10-inch cake layer on top, using the vertical cut in the cake to line up the layers. Repeat Steps 14 to 17. Top with the third 10-inch cake layer. Remove the 10-inch cake on its cardboard circle from the turntable and set aside.
19. Repeat the stacking and filling process with the remaining cakes and cardboard circles.
20. Next, apply a crumb coat to each cake. (This will seal in any stray crumbs that may mar the final layer of buttercream.) Place the 10-inch cake on the turntable. Using an offset spatula, spread a very thin layer of vanilla buttercream over the top and sides of each cake. Rotate the turntable to check that the 10-inch cake tier is level. If one side looks higher, gently pressing down may fix the problem, or add more buttercream to a lower area to even out the tier. Remove the 10-inch cake tier from the turntable and refrigerate it to set the crumb coat, at least 1 ½ hours. Repeat with the remaining cake tiers.
21. When the crumb coat is set, place the 10-inch cake tier on the turntable. Spoon about 1 ½ cups of vanilla buttercream on the top of the cake. Using a straight or offset spatula, spread the buttercream over the top of the cake, being careful not to scrape off the crumb coat.
22. Without pressing down too hard, draw a straight spatula across the surface of the cake to produce a smooth top.
23. To frost the side of the cake, use a straight or offset spatula to spread 3 ½ cups of vanilla buttercream onto the side of the cake tier then, rotating the turntable and using the cardboard cake circle to guide the spatula, smooth the buttercream as evenly as possible. Return the 10-inch cake tier to the fridge to set, about 2 hours.
24. Repeat with the remaining cake tiers, using about 4 cups of vanilla buttercream for the 8-inch cake and 2 cups for the 6-inch cake.
25. Spread a little vanilla buttercream on the serving base you have chosen for the wedding cake (a platter or wooden board sturdy enough to hold the weight of the finished three-tier cake). Centre the 10-inch cake tier, still on its cardboard cake circle, on the base. Gently press down on the centre of the cake to make sure it adheres to the base (any marks on the cake will be covered by the second tier).
26. Take the 8-inch baking pan and centre it on the 10-inch cake tier, pressing down gently to mark the buttercream and indicate where the second tier will be placed. Remove the pan. Return the 10-inch cake tier, on the serving base, to the fridge to set the “glue” holding the cake to the base, about 30 minutes.
27. Take the 6-inch baking pan and centre it on the 8-inch cake tier, pressing down gently to mark the buttercream and indicate where the third tier will be placed. Remove the pan. Return the 8-inch cake tier to the fridge until you’re ready to assemble the cake.
28. Assemble the cake following the instructions below. Decorate the cake with piped vanilla buttercream, edible flowers, crystallized flowers, marzipan flowers and/or ribbon.

APRICOT-ALMOND SIMPLE SYRUP:

1. In a small saucepan, combine the apricot nectar, sugar and lemon juice. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring until the sugar has dissolved.
2. Remove from the heat, then stir in the almond liqueur. Set aside to cool completely. (The syrup, without the liqueur, can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 1 week. Add the liqueur before using.)

VANILLA BUTTERCREAM:

1. Prepare nine batches of the recipe for Quick Buttercream, increasing the vanilla extract to 2 ½ teaspoons per batch and adding ¼ teaspoonful of fine sea salt per batch.
2. Set aside 6 cups of the vanilla buttercream for the apricot buttercream (recipe follows). Spoon some of the remaining buttercream into a large piping bag fitted with a medium plain, round tip. Refrigerate the remaining buttercream, tightly covered, until needed. (The buttercream can be frozen in an airtight container for up to 1 month. Thaw it in the fridge before using.)

APRICOT BUTTERCREAM:

1. 1. In a small saucepan, combine the apricots, apricot nectar, sugar, lemon zest and juice and salt. Bring to a simmer over medium heat.
2. Turn down the heat to low, simmer, uncovered and stirring occasionally, until the apricots are almost tender, about 10 minutes. Remove from the heat, cover and let stand at room temperature until the apricots are tender and have absorbed most of the liquid, about 15 minutes.
3. Using a hand-held blender in the saucepan (or in a food processor fitted with the steel blade), purée the apricot mixture until smooth. Let cool completely.
4. Scrape the apricot mixture into a large bowl. Fold in 1 cup of the vanilla buttercream.
5. Fold in the remaining 5 cups of buttercream until well combined. Spoon half of the apricot buttercream into a large piping bag fitted with a large plain, round tip. Refrigerate the remaining buttercream, tightly covered, until needed. (The buttercream can be frozen in an airtight container for up to 1 month. Thaw it in the fridge before using.)

CRYSTALIZED FLOWERS:

1. Set a wire rack over a large baking sheet.
2. In a food processor fitted with the steel blade or a blender, process the sugar until finely ground. Pour the processed sugar into a shallow dish.
3. In a small bowl, whisk the egg white and vodka until frothy.
4. Use tweezers to hold each flower, if necessary. Using a clean paintbrush, gently brush both sides of a flower with the egg white mixture.
5. Holding the flower over the dish of sugar, use a spoon to sprinkle sugar over the flower to coat it completely. Gently shake off any excess. Place the flower on the wire rack. Repeat with the remaining flowers.
6. Let the flowers stand at room temperature until they feel dry and are almost brittle, 12 to 36 hours (in humid weather, the flowers will take longer to dry).

HOW TO ASSEMBLE VANILLA-APRICOT WEDDING CAKE:

1. For a three-tier wedding cake, you’ll need nine wedding cake dowels (¼ inch in diameter) from a cake decorating store.
2. On the 10-inch cake tier, use one dowel to mark the places where five of the dowels will go. Space the dowel marks 1 to 2 inches apart and about 1 inch inside the perimeter of the baking pan mark.
3. Press the dowel into one of the marks until it reaches the cardboard cake circle. Using a pencil, mark on the dowel where the top of the cake is.
4. Remove the dowel and line it up with four other dowels, marking them all at the same place. Cut all five dowels the same length.
5. Insert the dowels in the cake, ensuring that they’re level with the cake’s surface or slightly below.
6. Repeat with the remaining four dowels and the 8-inch cake tier. (No dowels are needed for the top tier.)
7. Spoon 2 tablespoonfuls of vanilla buttercream in the centre of the 10-inch cake tier.
8. Using a large offset spatula and the palm of your hand to support the base, align and place the 8-inch cake tier on top of the 10-inch tier, sliding your hand and then the spatula out from under the cake. Repeat the process with the 6-inch cake tier.
9. If you need to transport the finished cake to the wedding venue, either delay putting the 6-inch cake tier in place until you reach the venue or hammer a long dowel with a sharpened end through all three cake tiers and cardboard cake circles right to the serving base to secure the cake. Leave this long dowel uncut so you can remove it when the cake arrives at the wedding venue. Take along some extra vanilla buttercream to patch the hole left by the dowel, or any damage that might have occurred en route to the venue.

WEDDING CAKE TO-DO LIST

• Many of the components of our wedding cake can be prepared in advance (see the individual recipes for storage instructions).
  However, if you’re a last-minute kind of person, here’s what you need to prep and when.
• At least 3 days before the wedding: make the crystallized flowers or petals.
• At least 2 days before the wedding: bake the cakes. While cakes are baking: prep the Apricot-Almond Simple Syrup and Vanilla and Apricot Buttercreams.
• One day before the wedding: assemble the cake (minus the top tier) and add any decorations.
• The day of the wedding: add the top tier (if necessary) and any additional decorations.