BABY VANILLA BEAN CAKE

Baby Vanilla Bean Cake image

Need an impressive dessert for a spring or summer celebration? You'll fall for our moist cake with a rich vanilla custard and cream cheese frosting.-Taste of Home Test Kitchen

Provided by Taste of Home

Categories Desserts

Time 1h25m

Yield 10 servings.

Number Of Ingredients 30

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Ingredients

FLOWERS:
1 teaspoon meringue powder
1 tablespoon water
Edible flowers of your choice
1/2 cup superfine sugar
CAKE:
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup shortening
2 cups sugar
5 eggs
1 vanilla bean
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup buttermilk
PASTRY CREAM:
1/4 cup sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup milk
1 vanilla bean
2 egg yolks, beaten
1 tablespoon butter
FROSTING & ASSEMBLY:
1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup butter, softened
4-1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cardboard cake circle (5 inches)
4 wooden dowels (2 inches x 1/4 inch)

Steps:

In a small bowl, dissolve meringue powder in water. Lightly brush over all sides of flowers to coat completely; sprinkle with sugar. Allow to dry on a waxed paper-lined tray for 4 hours or until firm and dry., For cake: In a large bowl, cream the butter, shortening and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Split vanilla bean in half lengthwise. With a sharp knife scrape the beans to remove the seeds; stir seeds into creamed mixture. Combine the flour, baking soda and salt; add to the creamed mixture alternately with buttermilk, beating well after each addition., Pour into a greased and floured 15x10x1-in. baking pan. Bake at 350° for 22-26 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool for 15 minutes before removing from pan to a wire rack to cool completely., For pastry cream: In a small saucepan, combine the sugar, cornstarch and salt. Stir in milk until smooth., Split vanilla bean and scrape seeds; add bean and seeds to milk mixture. Cook and stir over medium-high heat until thickened and bubbly. Reduce heat to low; cook and stir 2 minutes longer., Stir a small amount of hot mixture into egg yolks; return all to the pan, stirring constantly. Bring to a gentle boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes. Transfer to a small bowl; discard vanilla bean. Stir in butter. Cool for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Refrigerate until chilled., To frost and assemble: For frosting, in a small bowl, beat cream cheese and butter until fluffy. Add confectioners' sugar and vanilla; beat until smooth., Cut cake into two 6-in. squares, two 4-in. squares and one 2-inch square. Place a 6-in. cake on a cake plate; top with 2/3 cup pastry cream and remaining 6-in. cake. Cut cardboard circle into a 3-1/2-in. square; top with one 4-in. cake. Layer with remaining pastry cream and 4-in. cake., Frost tops and sides of 6-in. layer cake; insert dowels 1 to 2 in. apart into center of cake to support the next layers. Top with 4-in. layer cake; frost top and sides. Top with the 2-in. cake; frost top and sides. Decorate with candied flowers as desired.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 930 calories, Fat 41g fat (21g saturated fat), Cholesterol 226mg cholesterol, Sodium 583mg sodium, Carbohydrate 133g carbohydrate (108g sugars, Fiber 1g fiber), Protein 10g protein.