White Almond Cake with Vanilla Mousse, Macerated Raspberries, and Gianduja Buttercream

Happy "insert your reason to celebrate" Day!

Enjoy opening your present :)

White Almond Cake

• 1 cup + 2 tbsp cake flour
• 3/4 cup +2 tbsp sugar, divided
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 + 2 tbsp water
• 1/4 cup neutral flavor oil
• 1/2 tsp lemon zest
• 1/2 tsp almond extract
• 2 1/2 egg yolks
• 4 egg whites
• 1/4 tsp cream of tartar

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and spray 6 inch square pan with baking spray.  Line the bottom of the pan with parchment
2. Combine the flour, 3/4 cup sugar, baking powder, and salt in a bowl and whisk to mix
3. Beat the egg yolks, oil, water, lemon zest and almond zest until smooth in another bowl. Stir the mixture into the dry mixture.
4. In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the egg whites with the cream of tartar until soft peaks, add the remaining sugar, and beat to stiff peaks.
5. Carefully fold the egg whites into the rest of the batter, making sure not to deflate the batter.
6. Pour into the prepared pan and bake for approximately one hour or until a skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean.

While the cake bakes, make the macerated berries, vanilla mousse, and gianjuja buttercream

Macerated Berries

• 6 oz raspberries
• 1 tbsp sugar

Sprinkle sugar on top of raspberries and mix until well combined.  Don't be afraid to mash some of the raspberries a little.  Set aside while the cake bakes. Stir occasionally.  Syrup should start forming at the bottom of the bowl with time.

Vanilla Mousse

• 2 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream
• Small box vanilla instant pudding

Beat the whipping cream and instant pudding together until a mousse consistency achieved

Gianduja Buttercream

• 1/4 cup gianduja chocolate, melted and set aside to cool to room temp
• 1/4  cup sugar
• 3/4 cup whole milk
• 3/4 cup unsalted butter, soft but cool, cut into 1 in cubes
• 1/8 tsp Loranne raspberry oil flavoring
• 2 tbsp +2 tsp  heavy cream
• 2 tbsp + 2 tsp flour

1. Whisk flour, sugar, milk, and cream together in a small saucepan.  
2. Heat over medium heat until boiling and thickened, stirring the whole time -- about 5 minutes
3. Transfer to the bowl of a stand mixer and beat with a paddle attachment on high until the mixture is cool
4. Add the butter little at a time, while still mixing at low, until fluffy
5. Beat in oil flavoring and chocolate.

When the cake is fully cooled, split into two layers.

Brush the bottom layer with the syrup from the macerated berries and top with the berries.

Outline the bottom layer with a dam of vanilla mousse and fill in the dam with more vanilla mousse

Top with a layer of cake

Frost with the gianduja buttercream

Line the cake with raspberries in rows and the fondant ribbon if desired.