Wedding Cake

(serves 50-75). Solid shortening 2 pounds sweet butter 10 cups sugar (5 pounds) 2 dozen large eggs 1/2 cup freshly grated orange zest 3 tbs orange extract 3 tbs vanilla extract 13 1/4 cups unleavened sifted cake flour 2 tsp baking soda 1/2 tsp salt 2 cups orange juice concentrate 4 cups sour cream Grease with shortening 9 round cake pans, 3 in each of the following sizes: 12 inch, 8 inch and 5 inch (all 3 inches deep) and set aside. In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter and sugar on low speed until light and pale yellow. Beat in the eggs, orange zest and extracts. Slowly add the flour, baking soda and salt, incorporating fully after each addition. Mix in the concentrate and the sour cream. Scrape the sides of the bowl and mix to smooth out any lumps. Divide the mixture into prepared pans so that each is equally full. Bake in a preheated 325 degree F oven for 35-40 minutes or until cakes pull away from the sides of the pans and cake tester comes out clean. Check cakes after 30 minutes. (Do not let pans touch each other or the sides of the oven. It is important not to overcrowd the oven. Unbaked cake layers can sit at room temperature until oven space is available.) Remove cakes from oven and allow them to cool in their pans on a wire rack. Baked cooled cakes can be wrapped in their pans and refrigerated up to one week, or frozen. Dark Chocolate Filling 3 cups heavy cream 4 tbs sweet butter 3 pounds semisweet chocolate, finely chopped In a large saucepan bring cream and butter to a rolling boil. When the cream mixture rises in the pan, add the chocolate, stirring constantly. Remove the pan from heat and stir for 5 minutes. Cover the filling and store at room temperature for 3 days of refrigerate up to one week. Bring the filling to room temperature when ready to use. It may be necessary to heat the filling in a double boiler to achieve a spreadable consistency. Rolled Fondant 4 pounds confectioners' sugar, plus extra for kneading 1 1/4 cups light corn syrup 2 tsp orange extract 2 tsp vanilla extract 1/2 cup cold water 2 tbs gelatin Yellow food coloring Red food coloring In a large mixing bowl, sift the confectioners' sugar. Make a well in the center of the sugar and add the corn syrup and extracts. Do not mix. In a small saucepan add the water and sprinkle the gelatin over it. Let stand one minute. Heat the gelatin and water over medium heat for 1/2 a minute or until it is hot and the gelatin is fully dissolved. Pour mixture into the well. Quickly stir the mixture with a heavy wooden spoon from the center out to evenly disperse the gelatin. When the mixture becomes too thick to stir, turn it out onto a work surface dusted with confectioners' sugar. Knead the fondant until smooth and doughlike. If the fondant is sticky (this tends to happen in humid weather), knead in more confectioners' sugar. Knead in food coloring until desired color is achieved. Add coloring a few drops at a time, as a little goes a long way. Store fondant in a tightly sealed container in the refrigerator up to one week. Bring to room temperature, then knead well prior to use. If fondant is too dry, add a few drops of water. If fondant is too sticky, add more confectioners's sugar. Cover with plastic wrap and let it rest in an airtight container for several hours before using. Decorative Icing 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar 1/8 tsp cream of tartar 1 egg white Water In a small mixing bowl combine sugar and cream of tartar. Add the egg white with a hand mixer on low speed, mix for 3 minutes, or until the icing is bright white and the consistency of very softly whipped cream. If the icing is too thick, add a few drops of water. If the icing is too thin, add confectioner's sugar. Keep unused icing covered with a damp towel when not in use. Assembling the Cake 2 cups orange marmalade, warmed and strained 1 pound of cornstarch 1 of each: 12 inch, 8 inch and 5 inch round cake cardboard Serrated knife, preferably with a round tip Paring knife Butter knife 10 inch icing spatula Serving platter Rolling pin Pastry wheel Scissors 25 8 inch lollipop sticks or chopsticks Paper towels Pastry bag with coupling to fit decorating tips Round decorating tips, one with a 1/16 inch opening (Ateco #2) and one with a 1/8 inch opening (Ateco #6) Florist oasis 4 inch shallow plastic plate Fresh edible flowers Remove cake layers from pans by place each cake pan over medium heat, rotating pan until its bottom feels warm, about 5- 10 seconds. Flip layers out onto counter, make sure all cakes end up right-side up. Using a long serrated knife, level and trim off the top of each cake layer. All cake layers should be of equal height. Make any needed adjustments. Uneven layers result in an uneven cake. Place a cake layer on each of the appropriate size cardboard rounds. Spread these bottom layers with the chocolate filling not quite to the edge. Place the second layers on top and spread with filling. Top with the third layers. If necessary, trim cake cardboards with a scissors so that they are exactly the size of each tier. With a spatula, thinly coat sides and top of each tier with strained marmalade. Set tiers aside to dry until they feel tacky before applying fondant. Begin with the 12 inch tier. Knead the fondant icing until its is smooth and elastic. Dust the work surface with cornstarch and roll out about 2/3 of the fondant into a 25 inch diameter circle that is 1/4 inch thick. If it is too thin it will tear. Wrap unused fondant in plastic wrap and set aside. Rotate fondant every second roll so it doesn't stick. Use additional cornstarch as needed to prevent the fondant from sticking to the work surface or rolling pin. Dust the top of the fondant round with cornstarch. Roll the fondant around the rolling pin and drape it over the 12 inch tier. With the palm of your hand, smooth the top surface and then gently bring in sides of the fondant to attach to the cake. With the palms of your hands, rub slightly up on sides to form an even top edge. If fondant pleats at the bottom, gently unpleat and smooth out with the palms of your hands. Place the 12 inch tier on a serving platter. Smooth the fondant at the bottom edge to meet the platter and trim off excess fondant at the bottom with a pastry wheel. Knead all clean scraps into remaining fondant, rewrap and set aside. To support the 8 inch tier, cut 12 lollipop sticks or chopsticks to the exact height of the 12 inch tier. Trim and insert them in a 7 inch circle straight through the 12 inch tier until they reach the cardboard bottom. Dab a little water in the center of the 7 inch circle to act as glue. Roll out about half of the remaining fondant into a circle 16 inches in diameter and cover the 8 inch tier. Place it on the 12 inch tier. Cut 8 lollipop sticks to the exact height of the 8 inch tier and insert them straight through, arranging them in a 4 inch circle. Dab the center with water. Roll out the remaining fondant and cover the 5 inch tier. Place it on the 8 inch tier. Allow fondant to harden at least 12 hours before moving cake or putting on the decorative icing. Fit the larger decorating tip into the pastry bag. Fill the bag with decorative icing. Test the icing consistency by making a few pearl dots on a plate. If the pearls have points, thin the icing with a little water. If the icing is runny and does not hold the pearl shape, mix in confectioners' sugar. Pipe all over the borders with pearl dots. Switch to the smaller decorating tip. Test consistency again. Pipe side design. Lily of the Valley, paper white narcissus and Rosa "Vanilla" with the palest golden blush may be nestled on top (secured in a presoaked oasis set in a plastic saucer), with a single bloom on the second tier and frill of sweet peas circling the base. The flowers must be arranged the day of the wedding. They will stay fresh for seven hours if they have a long drink before they are cut for placing on the cake. Completed cake should NOT be refrigerated and will keep up to four days. To serve the cake, slip a butter knife between the tiers and separate the cakes. The top tier is traditionally reserved for the bride and groom's first anniversary. Wrap it in layers of alternating plastic wrap and foil and freeze. Using a serrated knife, cut the second tier into slices. The third tier should first be cut eight inches from the edge in a concentric circle. Slice the perimeter of the circle first, then the inner circle. Slices of the cake can be served with fresh berries and vanilla ice cream.