Tuesdays with Dorie BWJ: Glorious Wedding Cake
October 4, 2016 at 4:06 pm | Posted in BWJ, cakes & tortes, groups, layer cakes, sweet things, tuesdays with dorie | 25 CommentsTags: baking, cake, dessert
So folks, we’ve come to the end of TWD Baking with Julia. The last recipe…I can hardly believe it. I admit that I have skipped a handful of them, but still, 107 completed recipes from one cookbook isn’t too shabby. The biggest and the toughest has been saved for last– a Glorious Wedding Cake! This is three tall, stacked tiers of dense almond cake sandwiched with jam and a crisp layer of almond dacquoise, topped off with rum-laced buttercream and decorated with marzipan fruit. I mean, Martha Stewart even gets not one, but two episodes devoted to this thing. Unfortunately though, no one asked me to make them a wedding cake in the past few weeks, so I had to go small instead of big on this one. Instead of a three tier show-stopper, I made a single tier cutie. Maybe it’s not so glorious, and I guess it’s basically the top tier that married couples put into the freezer for their first anniversary (R and I eloped…no cake for us, so I’m unclear on these traditions).
You may notice that there isn’t an interior shot of this cake. That’s because I definitely did something wrong with the almond cake layers. What, I am still not sure, but I was too stingy to waste all the almond paste and eggs that went into making it, so I just ploughed ahead with what I had. I’ll tell you though that there was a lot of patchwork involved and I am too embarrassed to show you what was going on in there. It was still delicious, so whatevs. No one paid me to make it for them after all.
Since my cake was tiny, the rest came together with out too much trouble. The dacquoise (almond meringue) layer was wonderful to crunch through and the egg yolk-based buttercream was super luxe. Rather than the marzipan cherries and raspberries Martha made, I did some strawberries and also some flowers and ivy leaves using the wacky hodgepodge of gum paste flower tools I have in my red pastry toolbox.
A deliciously satisfying ending to BWJ…for the recipe, see Baking with Julia by the wonderful Dorie Greenspan. Don’t forget to check out the rest of the TWD Blogroll as we say farewell to this book!
P.S.: In case you are wondering about my favorite recipes from the book, the Cheese and Tomato Galette has been made several times at home, and the White Chocolate Patty Cake needs to be!
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a whisk and a spoon 
It looks lovely. I wish there is some occasion for me to request a cake from you lol
Comment by chubbysmom— October 4, 2016 #
Congratulations on your accomplishment! 107 recipes from one book is absolutely impressive. Your cake looks gorgeous and I especially love your marzipan decorations. I’ve enjoyed following along, even though my nieces and I only managed about a year of the project. I’m glad we still have Baking Chez Moi, which I participate in when I can. (When did my life become so devoid of dessert lovers? I have to fix that so I can bake more often.)
Comment by Teresa— October 4, 2016 #
Such a lovely looking cake!
Comment by BeaFreitas— October 4, 2016 #
Your cake is gorgeous! I’m trying! All the parts are ready, except for the dacquoise which is still in the oven (7hrs threw me for a loop…). You give me hope. I couldn’t care less what it looks like in the middle. Also I’d like to say thank you for all the time you’ve spent keeping us on track. Even though I haven’t posted much, I’ve been baking along much of the time. Just wanted you to know how much I appreciate it.
Comment by Margaret— October 4, 2016 #
I am SO impressed! Congratulations and GREAT job! I have loved baking alongside of you these past 4-5 years. I was on such a roll with baking all of the recipes from Baking with Julia until we added Baking Chez Moi…just couldn’t do both haha! I just love this group!
Comment by isthisakeeper— October 4, 2016 #
Congrats on this accomplishment! I dropped out when i started Baking Chez Moi because there’s only so much baking I can do that my friends and neighbours will eat (and now I’m writing my own book, my neighbours are eating WAY more of my baked goods!). Your wedding cake is lovely and your enthusiasm for the group is a wonderful incentive for everyone each month 🙂
Comment by Mardi (eat. live. travel. write.)— October 4, 2016 #
Beautiful!! I would hire you to make a wedding cake for me any day! I love the simpleness of your design. Congrats on finishing the book – I have loved all your posts.
Comment by Cathleen | My Culinary Mission— October 4, 2016 #
This is amazing! Just recently started following you but I’ll definitely be tracking back and checking out all the recipes you’ve done – so neat 🙂
Comment by Aub— October 5, 2016 #
This is a masterful piece of work. Congratulations of baking until the very last recipe, With beauty and determination and dedication. Thanks for prodding us along with all the wonderful baking.
Comment by Shirley @ Flourishen Test Kitchen— October 5, 2016 #
Gorgeous cake – the marzipan decorations are just stunning. Congratulations on finishing the book.
Comment by Zosia— October 5, 2016 #
Congratulations on your gorgeous cake. I love your marzipan decorations.
Comment by Margrèt Jóhanna— October 5, 2016 #
Great job. The cake is beautiful. 🙂
Comment by gina@mytinytexaslife— October 5, 2016 #
Such a beautiful cake!! Almond meringue sounds so heavenly! And congrats on the 107 recipes – that’s huge.
Comment by Jasmine S.— October 5, 2016 #
Those strawberries look so sweet! The cake looks terrific, and worthy of any kind of celebration 🙂
Comment by saffronandhoney— October 5, 2016 #
Congratulations on finishing yet another book. It looks perfect.
Comment by Diane Zwang— October 5, 2016 #
Oh I can’t believe it’s over! Thanks for keeping us on task and on track over the last few years. I have been inconsistent the past 2 seasons, and I honestly miss it. I will carve out some time to make this beauty as the layers are so intriguing. Yours looks beautiful as always and am so relieve to hear it tastes delicious. Thanks again.
Comment by sunshine x 2— October 5, 2016 #
Congratulations Steph! This little cake looks gorgeous, and no-one would worry about the patchwork inside as it looks so pretty and I am sure tasted good.
Comment by Cakelaw— October 7, 2016 #
Well it looks beautiful on the outside! Congratulations on tour accomplishment!
Comment by Nicole @ The 2nd 35 Years— October 8, 2016 #
Beautiful. Those strawberries are really lovely and it looks like you did a great job downsizing this monster recipe.
I’ve enjoyed baking along with you and thank you for keeping the group running over the past few years.
I am planning on making mine this weekend and will have finally baked through the whole book (I have a major make up write up to do…)
Comment by Cher— October 11, 2016 #
Congratulations, it’s such a great feeling, isn’t it. That is such a gorgeous cake, very
impressive.
Comment by Chez Nana— October 15, 2016 #
Congratulations! Your cake looks amazing. What an accomplishment.
Comment by Karen— October 18, 2016 #
Wow you did it!! Congrats 🙂
It’s been a while since we last met and hope all is well
Comment by Lauren's Plate— October 20, 2016 #
So good to hear from you Lauren! xoxo
Comment by steph (whisk/spoon)— October 23, 2016 #
Beautiful cake, at least the exterior that you showed us! LOL! I dropped out a long time ago…Congratulations on completing 107 and and doing all that blogging!
Comment by carlenedrake— October 23, 2016 #
Congratulations! Your cake is beautiful. Looking forward to cookies!
Comment by Amy— October 25, 2016 #