five-spice cake with orange cream cheese filling and orange swiss buttercream frosting recipe
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Recipe type: dessert
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
 
Ingredients
  • THE CAKE: 7 ounces (1 ¾ cups or 200g) all-purpose flour
  • 2 ounces (6 tablespoons or 55g) cornstarch
  • 1½ teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 tablespoon mixed spices (such as cinnamon, ginger, allspice, clove)
  • 1 cup half-and-half
  • 2 tablespoons dark rum
  • 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
  • 6 ounces (1 ½ sticks or 170g) unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 14 ounces (397g) granulated sugar
  • 4 large eggs, room temperature
  • THE ORANGE CREAM CHEESE FILLING: 8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
  • ¼ cup (4 tablespoons or 113g) unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 2 ½ ounces (¾ cup or 71g) powdered sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1 teaspoon orange oil extract
  • 1 tablespoon orange zest
  • THE ORANGE BUTTERCREAM FROSTING (Yield 2½ cups -- I ran out of frosting, just barely. You might consider making 1½ batches to have enough):
  • 3 large egg whites (one large egg white = 30 g = 1.05 ounce so you’ll need 90 g egg whites)
  • ¾ cup granulated sugar
  • 10 ounces unsalted butter, softened, cut into 1- to 2-inch pieces
  • ½ teaspoon orange extract (or flavor of your choosing)
  • A drop of orange food coloring, if desired
Instructions
  1. PREPARE THE CAKE: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Place an oven rack in the middle position. Lightly butter the bottom of 2 8-inch cake pans with baking spray then line with parchment rounds. Set aside.
  2. Whisk together the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, salt and spices in a medium bowl.
  3. In a separate small bowl, combine the half-and-half, alcohol, and vanilla extract.
  4. In a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar together on medium high speed until pale and fluffy.
  5. On low speed, add the eggs, one at a time, incorporating each before adding the next. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Continue on low speed, then alternate between adding the dry and liquid ingredients, ending with the dry.
  6. Distribute the batter evenly between the prepared cake pans, using a spatula to spread evenly.
  7. Bake until a cake tester comes out clean from the center of each cake, approximately 25 minutes. Allow the cakes to cool completely in the pan before removing. Put the cakes in the fridge overnight, if possible, as it is easier to frost a cold cake.
  8. NEXT, MAKE THE FILLING: Beat the cream cheese and butter on medium-high speed until light and fluffy. Gradually add the sugar and beat until smooth, about 3 minutes. Add the vanilla and orange oil and zest and mix until combined. Use right away or refrigerate. If refrigerating, you may need to rewhip before using.
  9. NOW, MAKE THE BUTTERCREAM TO FROST THE CAKE: Lightly whisk egg whites and sugar together over simmering water (double boiler) until the sugar dissolves and the egg white mixture is too hot to touch or an instant read thermometer reads 140 degrees F. It should look and feel as smooth as silk.
  10. Using a stand mixer with a whisk attachment, pour hot whites into the room temperature mixer bowl and whip on low speed, gradually increasing to high speed until egg whites double in volume. The meringue should appear to have stiff, glossy peaks. This should take about 10 minutes.
  11. Remove the whisk attachment and replace with paddle. On low speed, add butter, 2 pieces at a time, mixing with a spatula after each new addition. Continue to beat until the mixture is smooth in appearance, about 3 minutes. On a low speed, whisk in vanilla.
  12. Use immediately, store in fridge for a couple of days, or freeze well wrapped for up to 3 months.
  13. ASSEMBLY: Spread the orange cream cheese frosting in between the two layers. Use the orange buttercream to create a crumb coat over the filled cake. Place the coated cake in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes to set.
  14. Prepare your open star tip (I used 2D) and piping bag. Place the rest of the orange buttercream in the piping bag and pipe roses over the cake.
Recipe by story of a kitchen at https://www.storyofakitchen.com/dessert-recipes/spice-cake-with-orange-cream-cheese-filling-and-orange-swiss-buttercream-frosting-recipe/