Mother Hen Cake Recipes

APRICOT MUD HEN CAKE BARS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°. In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy, 5-7 minutes. Add egg yolks, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla. In another bowl, whisk flour and salt; beat into creamed mixture. Spread into a greased 13x9-in. baking pan. Bake until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, 12-15 minutes., Meanwhile for meringue, with clean beaters, beat egg whites with cream of tartar on medium speed until foamy. Gradually add sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, beating on high after each addition until sugar is dissolved. Continue beating until stiff glossy peaks form; gently fold in pecans., Spread preserves over hot cake. Spread meringue over preserves, sealing meringue to edges of pan. Bake until meringue is golden brown, 15-20 minutes. Cool completely on a wire rack. Refrigerate leftovers.

SWISS MERINGUE BUTTERCREAM FOR MOTHER-HEN CAKE

Steps:

• Put butter in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Beat until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Transfer to another bowl.
• Whisk together sugar and egg whites in a heatproof mixing bowl set over a pan of simmering water. Whisk gently until sugar is dissolved, about 3 minutes.
• Transfer sugar mixture to the clean bowl of an electric mixer. Beat on medium speed until fluffy and cooled, about 10 minutes. Raise speed to high; beat until stiff peaks form. Reduce speed to medium- low; add butter, 2 to 3 tablespoons at a time. Mix in vanilla. Reduce speed to low; beat 3 minutes more.
• Tint 2 cups buttercream burnt-red-orange using red, orange, and brown food coloring. Tint 1/2 cup buttercream yellow-orange using yellow and orange. Leave remaining buttercream white.

QUEEN MOTHER'S CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375. Butter a 9"x 2-1/2" springform pan and line the bottom of the pan with liner paper. Butter the paper and dust with fine, dry bread crumbs.
• Melt chocolate in top of double boiler over hot water on low heat. Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly.
• With an electric mixer, cream the butter. Add sugar and beat at moderately high speed for 2-3 minutes. Add the yolks one at a time, beating after each addition until yolk is thoroughly incorporated.
• Beat in the chocolate and (on lowest speed) gradually beat in the almonds, scraping the bowl with a rubber spatula as necessary. Transfer to large mixing bowl.
• In large bowl of an electric mixer, beat egg whites with salt until they hold a definite shape, but are not dry. Stir a large spoonful of the whites into the chocolate and then, in three additions, fold in the balance of egg whites. Turn into pan. Level the batter in the pan.
• Bake for 20 minutes at 375. Reduce oven temperature to 350 and bake an additional 50 minutes. Do not overbake.
• Remove cake from oven and place on wet (but wrung out) folded towel. Let stand 20 minutes. Remove sides of pan. Place a rack over cake and invert (carefully!) Remove botto of springform pan and the paper lining. Cover with another rack and invert again to cool right side up. (Cake will be about 1.75" high.).
• When cake is completely cool, transfer to cake plate and ice. Cake must be at room temperature when iced -- if it's too warm, icing will melt; if it's too cold, icing will be dull.
• Prepare icing: Scale cream in medium saucepan over moderate heat, until it begins to form small bubbles around the edge. While still over heat, add instant coffee and stir briskly until dissolved.
• Add chocolate. After one minute, remove from heat and stir with wire whisk until chocolate is melted and mixture is smooth. Transfer to a small bowl, or place bottom of saucepan in bowl of cold water, to stop cooking.
• Let mixture stand at room temp for 15 minutes or more, stirring occasionally until it reaches room temperature. Stir (do not beat) and pour over the top of the cake.