Blackberry and Mascarpone Buttercream Filled Cake

Let me begin by saying I've cooked for 50-plus people a number of times; I've baked every one of my daughter's and son's birthday cakes for the past four years (6 cakes total and probably hundreds of cupcakes); I've made a cake and numerous cupcakes for the birthdays of my niece and a few of our friends' children; but I was never so nervous about any of those tasks as I was about this three-tiered cake I made for a friend's bridal shower this past Sunday.

With 53 eggs, 34 sticks of butter and I don't even know how much sugar, this cake was quite a feat. I just wish I would have approached it a bit calmer ... I was so anxious for it to turn out well it was insane. But I'm happy to say, it was ultimately enjoyed by all and I'm glad I got to contribute to someone's special day in this small way.

Inside each tier were four layers of buttercake with sherry-soaked blackberries and creamy mascarpone buttercream frosting sandwiched between. The buttercake though substantial enough to hold the weight of all the tiers and decorations, remained moist (I also brushed each buttercake layer with a simple sugar syrup to be sure of that). And the sherry-soaked blackberries went really well with the mascarpone buttercream (for which I followed my usual recipe for frosting, but just added the mascarpone twist).

The cake was covered in fondant (which I made with marshmallows; a surprisingly simple recipe that tastes so, so, so much better than the store-bought fondant) and decorated with fondant ribbons and gumpaste bows and flowers.

I, of course, keep focusing on the imperfections but am trying hard to remind myself that this is a cake ... meant to be eaten and thoroughly enjoyed, not placed in an art museum!

Biscotti

Biscotti are my favorite sweet to bake during the winter holidays. They are flavorful, so very versatile and they last quite a few days. Of course, they’re such a good treat and my husband and kids love them so, that I don’t limit them to just the holidays. I make them year round, except on horribly humid New York summer days when turning on an oven is not an option.

But today's dry, lower 80s forecast afforded me the perfect opportunity to make this batch for the Great Cooks Community September 2008 – Biscotti Bake Off. I used a basic biscotti recipe that I've been making for the past five years, and which can endure endless variations. This time I added sherry, which I had on hand, and after reading up on the subject, find this is actually a slight variation of a traditional Tuscan biscotti where some vin santo is added to the dough. The combination of toasted almonds with the sweet wine, I find, really works.

Sherry Almond Biscotti

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 large eggs
1 cup blanched almonds, toasted and coarsely chopped
3 tablespoons sherry or other sweet wine

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Combine the flour, baking powder and salt in a small bowl. In a separate bowl, beat the butter and sugar until light. Add the eggs one at a time, beating each well. Add the wine and then stir in the chopped almonds.
Form the dough into a log directly on the parchment lined baking sheet (the dough will be slightly sticky). Bake for about 45 minutes or until golden. Remove from oven, let cool. Place the log on a cutting board and slice on the diagonal with a serrated knife, making ½ inch pieces of biscotti. Place the slices cut side down on the baking sheet and bake again until golden, about 15 minutes.