HORSESHOE-LAYER WEDDING CAKE

Steps:

• Line baking pans with waxed paper; grease and flour waxed paper and set aside. Note: Cakes may need to be baked in batches depending on number of pans and oven space available. , In a large bowl, cream 3/4 cup butter, 3/4 cup shortening and 4-1/2 cups sugar. Combine 6 cups flour, 3 tablespoons baking powder and 1-1/2 teaspoons salt; add to creamed mixture alternately with 3 cups milk. Beat on medium speed for 2 minutes. , In another bowl, beat 1-1/2 cups egg whites and 1 tablespoon vanilla until stiff peaks form. Fold into batter. Repeat three times. , Pour into prepared pans, filling each 6-in. pan with 2 cups batter, each 10-in. pan with 6 cups batter and each horseshoe-shaped pan with 4 cups batter. Bake the 6-in., 10-in. and horseshoe cakes at 350° for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Fill each 14-in. pan with 10 cups batter., Bake 14-in. cakes at 325° for 50-55 minutes or until cakes test done. Cool in pans for 10 minutes before removing to wire racks to cool completely. Level tops of cakes. , To Begin Decorating the Cake:, Each frosted layer of the wedding cake consists of two cakes with frosting in between. Place one 6-in. cake base; spread with frosting to within 1/2 in. of edge. Place second cake on top. Frost top and sides with a thin layer of frosting to coat crumbs. With additional frosting, frost top smooth. Place 10-in. cake on the 12-in. separator plate and one 14-in. cake on the 20-in. covered board. Frost and layer following the directions for the 6-in. cake. , Place one horseshoe cake on the 14-in. separator plate and each of the 16-in. covered boards. Frost and layer following the directions for the 6-in. cake. Also frost the sides of the horseshoe cakes, smoothing with an icing knife until surfaces are flat. , For Basket-Weave Design:, Cut a small hole in the corner of pastry of plastic bag; insert basket weave tip. Fill bag with frosting. Pipe one vertical line down the side of the 14-in. cake. Working from the top edge, cover the vertical line with 1-1/2-in. horizontal lines, leaving 1/2 in. space between each. Pipe another vertical line to the right of the first vertical line, overlapping ends of horizontal lines. Starting to the right of the first vertical line, pipe 1-1/2-in. horizontal lines over second vertical line to fill open spaces. Repeat process until entire side of cake is covered with basket-weave design. Repeat procedure for 10-in. and 6-in. layer cakes. , For Rope Border:, Prepare another bag; insert star tip. Fill bag with frosting. Touch tip to top edge of the 14-in. layer cake. Pipe frosting down, up and around to the right forming an "S" curve. Tuck tip under bottom arch of first "S" and repeat procedure. Continue joining "S" curves to from a rope border. Repeat on bottom edge. Pipe a rope border on top and bottom edges of each horseshoe cake. , To Assemble Cake:, Mark pillar placement by centering the separator plate with the horseshoe cake over the 14-in. layer cake; gently press onto cake surface. Lift plate off. Repeat procedure with 12-in. separator plate over the horseshoe cake. Insert 7-in. pillars into marks on 14-in. cake and 9-in. pillars into marks on the horseshoe cake. , Cut dowel into six pieces, about 1/8 in. above the height of 10-in. cake. Insert dowels 1 to 2 in. apart into 10 in. cake center to support 6-in. layer cake. Center and place the 6-in. cake on top of the 10-in. layer cake. To assemble, place separator plate with the horseshoe cake on the 7-in. pillars. Center separator plate with 6-in. and 10-in. tiered cake on the 9-in. pillars. Pipe rope border along top and bottom edges of 6-in. and 10-in. layer cakes. Arrange one horseshoe cake on each side of wedding cake. Decorate cakes with flowers.