Alisa Huntsman - Sky High: Irresistible Triple-Layer Cakes

DEDICATION

In memory of Gramps and Don, our two favorite cake eaters.

Text copyright 2007 by King Hill Productions.
Photographs copyright 2007 by Tina Rupp.
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced
in any form without written permission from the publisher.

A King Hill Productions Book

ISBN: 978-1-4521-3401-7

The Library of Congress has previously cataloged this title
under ISBN: 978-0-8118-5448-1

Designed by Chen Design Associates, San Francisco
Food styling by Alison Attenborough
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Prop styling by Deborah Williams

Chronicle Books LLC
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San Francisco, California 94107

www.chroniclebooks.com

I would like to acknowledge all of the women in the culinary field, both past and present, who blazed the trail that the rest of us follow. There are too many to name, and each one deserves a sincere thank-you for making it possible for women like me to succeed in our chosen profession.

Thank you to everyone who willingly sampled cakes: My neighbors, Don and Elna Nichols, who accepted each one I offered and were appreciative of them all. My coworkers at the Loveless Cafe, who gave me the chance to work on this project and sampled along the way. And a special thanks to Tony Marchesi for the lesson on making sugared pecans: Your input was invaluable.

My sincerest appreciation goes to everyone at Chronicle Books, especially to Bill LeBlond, who made Sky High possible, and to Amy Treadwell, for shepherding this project through every stage.

Thanks to our excellent agent, Jane Dystel. And deepest gratitude to Susan Wyler, whose guidance and support led me through my first book from start to finish.

Last but not least, thanks go to my family: My mother, Carol, who let me walk before I could crawl. My father, Joe Truglio, for believing in me. My mother-in-law, Linda Rubio, for listening to me along this journey. Many thanks to my Aunt Sharon for sharing her guest room and so much more. To Peter for asking me to join him in this project.

And finally, to my husband, Darry, and my daughters, Alix and Devon, who never seemed to tire of eating cake. I couldnt have done this without your support. I love you!

ALISA HUNTSMAN

Nashville, Tennessee

Over the years, a writer realizes that behind every project is a list of contributors about as long as the article or book that bears his byline. Included are family members and friends, teachers and mentors, bosses and colleagues, admirers and critics. In their different ways, all contribute to a project like this, and all are here acknowledged.

PETER WYNNE

Starrucca, Pennsylvania

It can be argued that baking is an art. Certainly, for many it provides an immense pleasure. This book is dedicated to those who love to spend their daysor at least a couple of hoursin a kitchen, measuring, mixing, baking, filling, frosting, and, most of all, delighting in that astonishing transformation that takes place when ordinary ingredients like sugar, flour, butter, and eggs are magically transformed into a glorious dessert. Baking may be more exacting than ordinary cooking, but in some ways its more alchemical.

Cakes, especially, amuse us with their brilliant rise from batter to rich but light confections, with a delicate and delicious perfect crumb. And if a simple layer cake is one of the loveliest, most enticing desserts to set before a loved one or guest, how much more entertaining the drama of one that is three stories high.

Here is a collection of original triple-layer cakes dedicated to the proposition not so much that bigger is better as that you cannot have too much of a good thing. It also celebrates the drama and delight that a fabulous dessert triggers when presented at a dinner or party. And if an ordinary lushly frosted layer cake causes heads to turn, imagine the reaction to one of these gorgeous sky-high creations.

Theres just something so indulgent about three layers of moist, tender cake, given extra height by the silky, sweet frosting that both fills each layer and artfully crowns the top. Keep in mind that the third layer leaves room not only for more frosting, but also often for an extra flavor or filling.

More than any other baked dessert, a layer cake evokes warm memories in almost everyone. Perhaps thats because so many of us grew up with a slice of rich chocolate cake accompanied by a glass of milk as a sweet reward. Or because it reminds us of those days when bakeries all across the country proudly displayed enticingly iced layer cakes, tempting both the youngest and the oldest customers alike. A gorgeous home-baked cake is a powerful reminder of childhood parties, weddings, anniversaries, and other family celebrations. More than any other confection you can name, people associate layer cakes with family, friends, and, yes, with love. For what birthday is ever complete without a cake?

Americans prefer their layer cakes tall. The introduction of baking soda in the 1840s, followed by baking powder soon after, had a huge impact on the height of cakes. While Europe is the epicenter for the low, sleek torte, these wondrous leavening agents inspired bakers on American shores to create cakes that rose higher and higher.

If the high, light layer cake is a distinctly American form of dessert, the traditions that surround it and the flavors that inform it come from all over the world. Thats why a collection like this is so much fun. If you enjoy baking as a hobby, youll find many of these recipes both interesting and satisfying to make.

Creating one of these dazzling skyscrapers of the cake world offers entertainment for the ardent, experienced baker and an accessible challenge to the average home cook. Fully dressedthat is, frosted, filled, and decorateda triple-layer cake is the perfect showpiece to mark a special event. Its not a dessert you can overlook. The mere sight of one guarantees a standing ovation at the end of the meal.

These statuesque confections possess extra height and triple the flavor of ordinary layer cakes. And they are dramatic. There is no way to present either the entire cake or a mile-high slice without eliciting wide grins and a chorus of applause. These are great party cakes that cannot go unnoticed.

Keep in mind, a triple-layer cake is not just a pumped-up version of a double-layer cake. You cant simply up the amount of ingredients and divide the batter among three pans. Such a dessert is far more than three layers of cake. There is the important issue of balancethat is, the relation of height to diameter and cake to filling, frosting, and glaze. Depending upon the recipe and the occasion for which it is destined, and the number of people it is intended to serve, a layer cake might be as small as six inches or as large as ten inches or more in diameter. The height of each layer must be calculated accordingly, or the proportions will be off, and the cake will look ungainly when cut.

Three layers also means much more in the way of creative fillings. Many of these stunning cakes double the pleasure not only with classic additions such as nuts and spices, fruit preserves, marzipan, buttercream, and chocolate, but with contemporary flavors like chai, cappuccino, lime, mango, and ginger. The combinations can be endless and limited only by the imagination of the baker.

Sky High features both new flavor combinations and updated versions of popular classics. Scotch Whisky Cake .