First lesson on this triple layer 6″ cake – the size is deceptive. I rarely make a three-layer cake, and I don’t use my 6” pans that much. Since I give most of my baked goods away, I was thinking that this wasn’t going to make all that much to share. Wrong. Because it’s three layers (and the layers really rose nicely), and because it’s rich, each slice can be thin and be plenty for one person. I easily got 8 slices and could have gotten 10 from this dessert.
The recipe called for vanilla bean paste, which I have not yet found in the stores (but currently have on order from Amazon). Instead, I used a vanilla bean, scraped. I’ve started using vanilla beans more, and while expensive, they really do give much more of a vanilla taste than just the extract. So try using one when the taste is key – ie the main focus is vanilla. Btw, I’m also finding quite a difference in the quality of the vanilla beans, and can’t tout Penzey’s Spices enough for their quality and pricing.
Finally, this was my first attempt at an American Meringue Buttercream frosting. (The cookbook I’m using to work through these different types of frostings and fillings is a fantastic one – highly recommend Frosted by Bernice Baran from whence this recipe came as well.) I thought this frosting to be kind of a mix between an Ermine taste and an American Buttercream, although Ms. Baran mentions the similarity to Royal Frosting. It’s super easy to make, made with pasteurized egg whites and no cooking (but lots of beating).
Overall, this cake was definitely very yummy and very well received.
