RASPBERRY FILLING FOR WEDDING CAKE RECIPES

Steps:

• Heat oven to 325°F. Generously grease bottoms and sides of each square cake pan with solid shortening. Sprinkle with flour to coat pans; tap to remove excess flour.
• To make batter for 6- and 8-inch pans, in large bowl, beat 2 boxes cake mix, 2 1/2 cups water, 2/3 cup oil and 6 egg whites with electric mixer on low speed 30 seconds, then on medium speed 2 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally. Spread 2 1/4 cups batter in 6-inch pan and 4 1/4 cups batter in 8-inch pan. Cover remaining batter with plastic wrap; refrigerate.
• Place both pans about 3 inches apart on middle oven rack in oven. Bake 6-inch cake 40 to 45 minutes and 8-inch cake 45 to 50 minutes. Cake is done when toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans on cooling racks 15 minutes. Remove cakes from pans; place top sides up on cooling racks. Cool completely, about 1 hour.
• To make batter for 12-inch pan, in large bowl, beat 2 boxes cake mix, 2 1/2 cups water, 2/3 cup oil and 6 egg whites with electric mixer on low speed 30 seconds, then on medium speed 2 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally. Add batter to batter set aside in refrigerator; stir to combine. Spread 9 cups batter evenly in pan.
• Bake 12-inch cake 50 to 60 minutes. Cake is done when toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan on cooling rack 25 minutes. Remove cake from pan; place top side up on cooling rack. Cool completely, about 1 hour.
• Each tier is made up of 2 layers of cake. To make another 6- and 8-inch layer, wash and dry both pans. Prepare pans again as directed in Step 1. Fill pans as directed in Step 2. Bake and cool as directed in Step 3.
• Wash and dry 12-inch cake pan. Prepare pan again as directed in Step 1. For second layer, make batter, fill pan, bake and cool as directed in Steps 4 and 5.
• To make frosting, in large bowl, stir together 8 cups powdered sugar and 1 tablespoon meringue powder. With electric mixer on low speed, beat in 1 cup shortening, 1/2 cup milk, 2 teaspoons vanilla and 1 teaspoon almond extract; beat on medium speed until smooth. Add additional milk, 1 tablespoon at a time, to make frosting spreadable consistency. Transfer frosting to another large bowl; cover with plastic wrap. Make frosting as directed 3 more times.
• To assemble cake, with serrated knife, cut off domed top crust of each cake layer to form a flat surface. Carefully brush off crumbs from cakes.
• Place about 1 tablespoon frosting on serving tray where first cake layer will be placed to keep cake from sliding on tray. Place 1 (12-inch) layer, cut side up, on tray. Place large round decorating tip in decorating bag; fill with frosting. Pipe around top inside edge of cake layer, forming a thick frosting border about 3/4 inch high. Spread 1 cup raspberry filling over top of cake inside frosting border. Top with second 12-inch cake layer, cut side down.
• For 6- and 8-inch layers, make cardboard square to place cake tiers on by placing bottom of cake pans on cardboard; trace around pan edge. Cut out with scissors. For 6-inch tier, place small amount of frosting on center of cardboard square to hold cake in place. Place 6-inch cake layer, cut side up, on cardboard. Pipe a frosting border around top inside edge of cake. Spread 1/4 cup raspberry filling over top of cake inside border. Top with remaining 6-inch cake layer, cut side down. Repeat for 8-inch tier, using 8-inch cardboard square, both 8-inch cake layers and 1/2 cup raspberry filling.
• To frost 6- and 8-inch tier, stir frosting. Using large spatula, carefully spread thin layer of frosting over sides of cakes, then over tops. Use spatula to push frosting, never allowing spatula to touch cake. (The purpose of this technique is to seal the crumbs to make frosting the cake easier.) Apply second thicker layer of frosting to sides and tops of cakes, spreading until smooth.
• For a stacked cake where tiers are placed directly on top of one another, each tier will need to be supported by several dowel rods. To mark where to place 8-inch tier on top of 12-inch tier, center 8-inch cake pan, turned upside down, on top of 12-inch tier and gently press to make imprint; remove pan. Insert 1 dowel rod into center of 12-inch tier, straight down to tray. Mark rod with exact height of tier; remove rod. Cut 7 more rods to marked length. Insert rods into 12-inch cake, spacing evenly 1 1/2 inches apart within imprinted outline on 12-inch tier. Place 8-inch tier on top of 12-inch tier.
• Mark 8-inch tier with imprint of 6-inch cake pan; remove pan. Cut and insert 8 dowel rods for 8-inch tier as directed in Step 13. Top 8-inch tier with 6-inch tier.
• Use remaining frosting to decorate cake as desired. Add royal icing flowers.

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F. Lightly spray bottoms of2 (10-inch) round and2 (8-inch) round cake pans with no-stick cooking spray; set aside.
• Beat egg whites at high speed in bowl, scraping bowl often, until soft peaks form. Continue beating, gradually adding 1 1/3 cups sugar, until stiff peaks form. Set aside.
• Combine remaining 2 cups sugar, cake flour, baking powder and salt in another bowl; mix well. Stir in 3 cups water and all remaining cake ingredients. Beat at low speed, scraping bowl often, until smooth. Pour batter into 8-quart bowl; gently stir in egg whites. Gradually and gently, stir in remaining 1 cup water.
• Pour about 6 cups batter into each 10-inch prepared pan and about 4 cups batter into each 8-inch prepared pan. Tap pans on counter top 2 to 3 times to remove air bubbles from batter. Bake 25-30 minutes or until cake pulls away from sides of pan. (If necessary, rotate pans in oven for even browning.)
• Let cakes stand 10 minutes; remove from pans. Brush all browned crumbs from surfaces of cake with fingertips. Cool completely on cooling racks. Decorate or wrap tightly in plastic food wrap; freeze up to 5 days.
• Soften gelatin in bowl in 3 tablespoons water. Stir together softened gelatin and all remaining glaze ingredients in 1-quart saucepan. Cook over medium-high heat 3-4 minutes or until gelatin is dissolved. Refrigerate, stirring occasionally, 30-60 minutes or until gelatin mounds with a spoon.
• Beat shortening and butter in bowl at low speed, scraping bowl often, until well mixed. Continue beating, gradually adding powdered sugar alternately with lemon juice and 2 tablespoons lemon zest, until fluffy. Add 1 to 2 tablespoons milk, if necessary, to reach desired spreading consistency.
• Place1 (10-inch) layer on 10-inch cake cardboard round, bottom-side up. Spread with thin, smooth layer of frosting; top with thin layer of raspberry glaze to within 1/2-inch of edge of cake. Refrigerate 30 minutes or until slightly set.
• Place1 (8-inch) layer on 8-inch cake cardboard round, bottom-side up. Spread with thin, smooth layer of frosting; top with thin layer of raspberry glaze. Refrigerate 30 minutes or until set.
• Place remaining cake layers, top-side up, on matching bottom layer. Frost sides and top of each cake. Spread so frosting is smooth. (If necessary, dip metal spatula into water, spread over cake to smooth frosting.)
• Spoon frosting into pastry bag with ribbon decorating tip; pipe 1/2-inch ribbons around outer edge of 8-inch cake and across top of cake to form decorative lines. Change decorating tip; pipe tiny dots or “V” design on decorative ribbons.
• Place 10-inch cake onto large platter or tiered cake stand. Center 8-inch cake on top of 10-inch cake. Decorate with frosting, as desired. Place fresh cut flowers on top and around cake, if desired.