Seasonal Eggnog Cake
Ingredients
2 C. cake flour; sifted
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. nutmeg; ground
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 pound butter; softened [1 stick]
1 C. sugar
2 large eggs
1/2 C. orange juice
1/2 C. light rum
1 1/2 tsp. grated orange peel
1 tsp. vanilla extract
Eggnog Cream Filling:
1 1/4 C. milk
5 Tbsp. flour
1/2 pound butter
3/4 C. sugar
2 tsp. rum
1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
Chocolate Bittersweet Frosting:
1 ounce unsweetened chocolate
6 Tbsp. butter
2 eggs
3 Tbsp. heavy cream
1 1/2 C. confectioner’s sugar; sifted
3/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/8 tsp. ground nutmeg
Cooking Instructions
Sift flour, with baking powder, nutmeg, baking soda, and salt. Set aside. Preheat oven to 350. In a large bowl, cream butter with 3/4 C. of the sugar until fluffy. Separate eggs and add the yolks to the butter; beat well. Blend orange juice with 1/4 C. of the rum, orange peel and vanilla extract. Add the orange juice mixture to the butter, alternating additions with the reserved flour mixture. Beat the egg whites until soft peaks form; gradually beat in the remaining 1/4 C. of sugar until stiff but not dry. Fold the whipped egg white into the batter. Turn the batter into two buttered 8 inch or 9 inch round cake pans lined on the bottom with wax paper. Bake for 25 minutes or until cake tester inserted into center of cake come out clean. Let cake cool in pan for 5 minutes. Invert onto a wire rack. Peel off paper liner; let cool thoroughly. To assemble cake: With a long slicing knife, split each layer in half horizontally. Sprinkle each of the four layers with 2 Tbls.. of the remaining rum. Spread Eggnog Cream Filling between the layers as you stack them. Frost the top and sides of the cake with Chocolate Bittersweet Frosting. If desired, sprinkle chopped walnuts around the side of the cake. Eggnog Cream Filling: In a small saucepan, combine milk and flour. Cook, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens. Let cool. Meanwhile ,in a small mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Stir in rum and nut meg. Whisk in the cooled flour mixture, one spoonful at a time, beating the 2 mixtures together until light and fluffy. Spread filling between layers, as directed. Chocolate Bittersweet Frosting: Melt chocolate in a bowl or saucepan over hot water. Melt in the butter, blending the two. Meanwhile, in top of double boiler or over very low heat (140 to 150) whisk eggs with cream until mixture begins to thicken. Beat the confectioner’s sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg into the egg mixture. Remove from heat. Blend the melted chocolate into the egg sugar mixture. Let cool. If desired, add a little more confectioner’s sugar to adjust taste and consistency.
My tears have been my food day and night, While they say to me all day long, “Where is your God?” (Psalms 42:3)