I have been asked to participate in a Unique Sweets Dessert Challenge. This challenge is being run by Julie from White Lights on Wednesday and Sophie from My Happy Place. They want something fancy schmancy that takes some skill to assemble. Ken and I immediately went to Julia’s Gateau in a Cage. We watched Julia go to a Patisserie in France to watch a professional baker make this cake. This is not for the faint of heart. We have tried this cage many times and it is not easy to get it #1 off the bowl and #2 onto the cake in one piece. We had made it back in 2010 for Ken’s cousin Aaron and his lovely wife Cheyenne but that was the only time we had success until yesterday again. If you don’t want to make the cage you still have a very beautiful cake!!!
Yellow cake made from a cake mix and in an 8″ pan
Kirsch Syrup
1/2 cup hot water
1/4 cup sugar
2 Tbsp. Kirsch
1/2 tsp. vanilla
Mix water and sugar together in a small saucepan and over medium low heat stir until sugar is dissolved. Add Kirsch and vanilla. Set aside.
Whipped Cream
2 cups whipped cream
1/2 cup icing sugar
1/2 tsp. vanilla
Whip cream using a cold bowl and whisk on a electric mixer until soft peaks form. Add sugar and vanilla, continue to whip until stiff peaks form. Place into a large piping back with a star tip.
Cake Assembly
1/2 250 ml jar of seedless raspberry jam
1 1/2 lbs. sliced strawberries
Kirsch syrup
Whipped Cream
Slice the cake into 3 slabs. Place bottom slice on serving plate. Brush with Kirsh syrup. Spread on a thin layer of raspberry jam. Pipe on the whipped cream starting in the middle and working your way to the outside. Place the strawberries on the cake by starting in the middle and working your way outwards. Repeat with remaining layers and finish with the strawberries. I save the pretty outside slices for the top. Pipe the rest of the whipped cream in between the strawberries. Refrigerate until ready to serve. Don’t leave the cake for more than 2-3 hours before serving.
Cage
1 cup sugar
1/3 cup hot water
1/4 cup white corn syrup
Prep a large 12″ bowl by spraying it with Pam and set aside. In a saucepan add the ingredients and stir over medium low heat until sugar is dissolved. Increase the heat and boil for about 5 min. (until steam stops coming out of the pot). It should be fairly light in colour still as it will continue to cook. Hold bowl inverted with one hand and drizzle the syrup around the top of the bowl coming down the sides to as large as your cake is. Continue until all the syrup has been used. Let cool for 5 min. Carefully work the candy cage off the bowl by easing it from all sides. Place the bowl onto the cake. When serving crack the candy cage and slice the cake.
Recipe adapted from Julia Child
I remember that ! You guys did an amazing job and it was delicious !!!!
Good luck this time ! I’m sure you will do great
I guess I shouldn’t have read that so fast , looks like you already pulled it again ! Great job !
Thanks Cheyenne!!
This looks amazing! You did a fabulous job!
Thank you so much Amber!!
This cake is outstanding! I can see why it’s a bit tricky to get the cake to cooperate every time. This really is fabulous. I just adore your blog and I’m so happy I found it. Thank you so much for entering the Unique Sweets Dessert Challenge. Good Luck!
PS – I got your post linked up for you so it can be judged.
Thanks for linking me up Julie and for hosting a fun challenge!!
This is so pretty! Beautiful photos and I bet it tasted delicious!
It was pretty darn good. We have made it a few time now. Not every time has the cage worked though.
That looks absolutely gorgeous….you did a fantastic job with the cage:)
Ken did the cage and it is very hard to do at least with the bowls we have. Maybe if you have a completely rounded one it would be easier. It takes many attempts to do let me tell you!!
Just gorgeous! What an amazing thing to be able to serve, shock and awe is always a great reaction!!!
I think the shock and awe comes from us when we actually pull off that sugar cage!!
WOW!! That is breathtakingly beautiful!!! It’s almost too pretty to eat! ALMOST!
Thank you so much, I like how you said almost!!
That ”cage” looks AWESOME!!!
Thanks so much for sharing this at The DIY Dreamer.. From Dream To Reality
You are so welcome and thank you!!
you did an amazing job with this. It is beautiful. I have a Blog Hop, and I would love it if you would link this post. You can find it at
http://www.adornedfromabove.com/2012/07/surf-spray-and-wednesdays-adorned-from.html
It is called Wednesdays Adorned From Above Blog Hop.
I hope to see you there. Have a great Day.
Debi Bolocofsky
Adorned From Above
http://www.adornedfromabove.com
While I really really appreciate the skill of getting the cage to be so perfect, it seems a shame to cover such a pretty cake. Cutting the cake must also be a challenge. But I’m sure eating it is way too easy though!
Very impressive – well done.
It is a pretty cake on it’s own. You can keep the cage separate and present both of them together or not get so fussy with the cake because it is covered with the cage. The cage breaks very easily and then you serve some of the cage with the cake. It is a different cake that is for sure!!!
I just gained 10 pds reading your post. That cake looks amazing!
Thanks Sarah!!
CONGRATS!! You have been featured at The DIY Dreamer.. From Dream To Reality! Come on over and grab your featured button! You deserve it
http://thediydreamer.blogspot.ca/2012/07/from-dream-to-reality-linky-party-26.html
Totally thrilled, thank you!!
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