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 Posted: Tue Jul 24, 2007 8:55 pm
So, after a weekend of looking through a Japanese cookbook, watching a show about cakes on TV, and coming home to a margarita pie with a frosting that had triple sec mixed in, I have been inspired. I will make a cake flavored with Japanese liquor!
I'd either go with a traditional umeshu (sweet, strong, and heavily fruity liquor given flavor by sitting with sugar and Japanese apricots) or the more recent Midori (a melon-scented liquor that is becoming popular in the US).
Depending on which of the fruits I chose as a theme, I'd add a little of the umeshu or Midori into the cake batter, and add just enough into the frosting to give it flavor. One possibility would be to make a simple syrup with the fruits and a little of the liquor and use that between the cake layers, only putting frosting on the top and sides. Then, of course, sliced fresh fruit on top.
So, CIA, whaddya think? Anybody want to go ahead and give it a try? I don't have either of the liquors right now, so it's not a possibility for me at the moment.
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Posted: Wed Jul 25, 2007 3:37 pm
I'd love to try it, and when a year comes around and I can legally buy it, I'll try......if I remember!
It does sound intreging...but what is triple sec?
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Posted: Sat Jul 28, 2007 11:48 am
Nice idea really. It's sounds like ume+cake blaugh *GLOOMPS FALSTEAD*
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Posted: Wed Aug 01, 2007 7:53 pm
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Posted: Tue Aug 14, 2007 8:15 pm
(In response to question: Triple sec is an orange-flavored liqueur. I think the most well-known is Gran Marnier)
Alright, I went ahead and made the melon-themed cake a little bit after I posted about it. I've gotta say, I was disappointed. However, I now have some grounds for what I need to change. Here's what I used, with accompanying descriptions of what went wrong:
Two 9-inch round simple white layer cakes with a tiny splash (a few drops) of Midori (made no recognizable difference, either use a lot or leave it out completely)
Somewhere between 1/4 to half of a cantaloupe, sliced and arranged in a circular pattern over the top - Midori has more of a honeydew melon flavor to it, hence the green coloring. Also, the melon slices were too long, meaning that there was a slight buildup of melon in the center. Had to go back and cut them a bit shorter. Melons made cutting the cake a bit awkward. Perhaps some small chunks sprinkled over the top would be better
A basic confectioner's sugar and liquid mixture for frosting - (I used the rest of the Midori from the small bottle, more than three times the liquid requested in the frosting recipe. It was still thick and sludgy, and only produced enough frosting to lightly coat between the layers, and didn't even coat the top completely)
So, here's what I think I ought to do next time:
The cake - Add a bit of water to the cake before baking, leading to a somewhat fluffier texture. The recipe I used was a bit dense, but said that a bit of water at the end could help. Also, either use no Midori in the batter, or be prepared to add enough to turn the stuff green (Not recommended if you'll be serving it to kids)
The melon - Go for honeydew melon. It matches the flavor scheme, and would mean that one could successfully pull of grating some lemon or orange zest over the top for a garnish. Make sure that the pieces between the cake layers are cut as thin as you can, and use small chunks sparingly on the top, rather than hazardous strips
The frosting - Definitely go for the original idea of a whipped cream with the liquor folded in. Midori is extremely sweet as it is, so mixing it with confectioner's sugar was almost unpleasantly sweet, not to mention it didn't get the right consistency. Extra heavy cream, no sugar needed. Folding in the Midori afterwards should lend it some color, and it will probably be more aromatic than the sugar mixture
I don't know when I'll be able to try out my cake again. If anyone would like to make it and give me some feedback, I'd love to hear what you have to think. This is my lil' project at the moment. 3nodding
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