Description
A twist on a classic New Orleans Doberge Cake. Six layers or tender yellow cake filled with pudding and topped with buttercream frosting.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Cake Layers:
- 4 1/2 cups (508 grams) bleached cake flour
- 1 tablespoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 1/2 cups (3 sticks, 339 ounces) unsalted butter, softened
- 2 cups (400 grams) granulated sugar
- 5 large eggs, at room temperature
- 3 large egg yolks, at room temperature
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cups (369 grams) whole milk
For the Filling:
- Prepared strawberry pudding*, chilled
- Prepared pistachio pudding, chilled
For the Buttercream Frosting:
- 1 1/2 cups (3 sticks, 339 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature (about 70 degrees or so)
- 3 cups (360 grams) powdered sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste
- 2 tablespoons whole milk, warm
- pinch of salt
- 1/4 cup dehydrated strawberry powder made from dehydrated strawberries in a spice grinder
- 1/3 cup very finely ground roasted salted pistachios
Instructions
- TO BAKE THE CAKE: Place a rack in the center and upper third of the oven and preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly grease three 9-inch round cake pans. I like to use nonstick baking spray that has a bit of flour in it. If you want even more insurance that your cakes will come out of the pans, line each cake pan bottom with a parchment paper round and lightly grease that too.
- In a medium bowl whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer or in a large bowl with electric hand beaters, cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Stop the mixer and scrape down the sides of the bowl occasionally. Add eggs and egg yolks, one at a time, beating for 1 minute after each addition. Stop the mixer to scrape down the sides of the bowl. I know this seems like a lot of tedious mixing but this step really helps create a soft and tender cake crumb. Beat in vanilla.
- Add half of the flour mixture to egg mixture beating on low speed. Stream in the milk with the mixer on low speed until just combined. The batter may look curdled. That’s ok! Add the remaining half of flour mixture and beat on low speed until just combined. Increase the mixer to high speed and beat for 1 minute.
- Divide batter evenly among the prepared cake pans.
- Bake until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean, 23 to 25 minutes. Allow the cake to cool in the pans for 10 minutes before inverting onto wire racks while they’re still warm. I like to wrap my cakes in plastic wrap while they’re still warm. Let them come to room temperature then refrigerate overnight.
- While the cake bakes and cools PREPARE THE PUDDING filling according to the package directions. I opted for instant pudding and chilled it for at least 30 minutes before using it in the cake. Also see notes below.
- TO MAKE THE BUTTERCREAM: In the bowl or a standing mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, mix the butter on low speed just to break it up and soften it around the bowl. Stop the mixer and press all of the butter out of the mixing paddle. Add the powdered sugar, salt, and vanilla and mix on low speed until just combined.
- As soon as the butter and powdered sugar are mixed, add the warm whole milk. Mix using the lowest speed for about 1 minute and increase the speed to high for 10 seconds, scrape down the sides of the bowl, and mix on low for another 10 seconds to complete the buttercream. Use a spatula to see if your frosting is a spreadable consistency, adding a splash more warm milk as you might need.
- Divide the frosting between two bowls. Add strawberry powder and food coloring (if using) to one bowl and pistachio meal and food coloring (if using) to the second bowl. Stir to combine. Cover and leave at room temperature until ready to frost.
- TO ASSEMBLE THE CAKES: When the cakes are thoroughly chilled, gently slice each layer in half horizontally, making 6 thin layers. I find that a serrated knife and rotating cake stand help in slicing even layers but see blog post for more tips. Set aside each cake layer.
- One option is to pipe frosting onto the outside edge of each cake layer to seal in the pudding. This is an optional step but is pictured above. If you’re going to pipe the edges, spoon about 1/2 – 2/3 cup of each frosting into disposable piping bags fitted with Wilton 10 tips (or something similar). Pipe the edge of half of the cake with strawberry frosting and the edge other edge of the cake with pistachio frosting.
- Spoon about 1/4- 1/3 cup of strawberry pudding across half of the layer cake (along the side you might have piped strawberry buttercream) and spoon an equal amount of pistachio pudding across the other half of the cake. See photos above for visuals.
- Place another cake layer atop the pudding and repeat the buttercream border / pudding process until you reach your final top cake layer.
- Use an offset spatula to spread strawberry buttercream across the top and sides of half of the cake, repeating with pistachio buttercream on the other half.
- Top with fresh strawberries and chopped pistachios. Pipe borders if you’d like. Have a blast! Chill the cake for at least two hours before serving. This cake should be stored, wrapped in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Notes
* I’ve used Strawberry Cream Instant Pudding OR I’ve used Vanilla Instant Pudding that I’ve added 1/3 cup of pureed fresh strawberries to along with a few drops of food coloring.
