Ingredients
Nonstick cooking spray for baking
1 teaspoon salt
¾ cup milk
3 tablespoons canola oil
1 teaspoon almond extract
2 tablespoons red edible glitter
For the Buttercream:
Pinch salt
1 pound unsalted butter, cut up and slightly softened
To assemble:
6 Meringue Trees (optional)
Directions
For the Cake:
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Line a 15x10x1-inch baking
pan with parchment paper. Coat with non-stick baking spray; set aside.
In a large mixing bowl beat the butter and granulated
sugar with an electric mixer on low speed until just combined. Increase speed
to high and continue beating until light and fluffy.
In a medium bowl combine the flour, baking powder, and
salt. Whisk for 30 seconds to distribute the leavening. Set aside.
Into another bowl whisk together the egg whites, milk
oil, and almond extract. Set aside.
Alternately add the flour mixture and egg mixture to the
butter mixture, adding about half of each with each addition. Beat on low speed
until smooth after each addition. Fold in the red edible glitter until
combined.
Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth with an
offset spatula. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until the cake just begins to pull
away from the sides and springs back in center when lightly touched. Remove and
cool completely in pan on a wire rack.
Cut the cake in half lengthwise and then in half again
crosswise to create four 5x7 1/2-inch rectangles.
For the Buttercream:
In a large heatproof bowl whisk the egg whites, sugar,
and salt over a pan of simmering water until the sugar melts completely and the
mixture reaches 160 degrees F, about 8 minutes. Whisk constantly to make sure
the eggs don't begin to cook.
Remove bowl from above simmering water. Beat with a mixer
on high speed until
stiff peaks form.
Add the butter, a small piece at a time, until the mixture thickens and becomes
smooth and spreadable. If the mixture looks as if it's curdling, add another
small piece of butter and continue whisking until the mixture smooths.
To assemble:
Place one layer of cake on a cake stand. Spread an even
layer of buttercream over the cake, about 3/4 cup, and continue adding layers
and spreading the buttercream until all the layers are stacked (There will be
extra frosting). Place the cake in the freezer for 20 to 30 minutes to allow
the buttercream to set. Once the buttercream feels firm, spread the remaining
buttercream over the cake in a smooth layer. Refrigerate until set, about 30
minutes. Decorate with Meringue Trees, if desired. Sprinkle with powdered
sugar.
Meringue Trees
Ingredients
Pinch salt
1 drop red gel food coloring
Preheat oven to 250 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with
parchment paper. Set aside. Fit a large pastry bag with a large star tip. Set
aside.
In a large mixing bowl beat the egg whites, salt, and
food coloring with an electric mixer on high speed until the mixture looks
foamy. Add the sugar slowly, a tablespoon at a time. Continue beating until the
meringue reaches
stiff peaks and
is white and shiny.
Transfer the meringue to the pastry bag fitted with a
1/4-inch star tip and pipe smaller "pine" trees on one baking sheet
that are 2 to 3 inches tall by first gently piping a small, quarter sized star
onto the parchment and then rotating the tip slightly and piping another,
smaller star shape atop the first. Continue until you've reached your desired
height, lifting the tip so that the meringue ends in a peak. Space trees 1-inch
apart. On the second baking sheet, pipe 3- to 4-inch trees. Bake the larger
meringues for 65 to 75 minutes or until the meringues are baked through but
have not browned, adding the sheet with the smaller trees after 10 minutes of
baking.Turn oven off and let meringues dry in the oven with the door closed for
1 hour.
