cake flour

Classic Scones

cake flour, more as needed

salt

baking powder

sugar

butter,

cream,

The photogenic tart will make you look like a pastry chef, though it's no more difficult than baking a pie. A sweet tart crust is layered with almond cream, fig jam (homemade is nice, but store-bought works well, too) and fresh figs. The key to success is superb figs. They can’t be so jammy that they collapse when you cut them into quarters or sixths. But they should be sweet and ripe. The dough recipe below makes two crusts, one for now and one for later (store extra dough, well-wrapped, in the freezer).

Fresh Fig Tart

unsalted butter

fine sea salt

confectioners’ sugar, sifted

almond flour, sifted

vanilla extract

egg,

all-purpose flour

almond flour

confectioners' sugar

cornstarch

cake flour flour

unsalted

almond extract

dark rum

figs

Powdered sugar,

Prepare the crust: In a stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, cream butter and sea salt on medium speed for about 1 minute. Scrape down sides of bowl and paddle with a rubber spatula and add confectioners’ sugar. Combine with butter at low speed. Once incorporated, scrape down bowl and paddle. Add almond flour and vanilla extract and combine at low speed.

Gradually add egg and a quarter of the flour (scant 1/2 cup or 55 grams). Beat at low speed until just incorporated. Scrape down bowl and paddle. Gradually add remaining flour and mix just until dough comes together, stopping from time to time to scrape in any mixture adhering to sides and bottom of bowl. Do not overbeat. Dough should be soft to the touch.

Separate dough into two equal portions. Gently press each portion into a 1/2-inch-thick rectangle. Double-wrap airtight in plastic wrap. Refrigerate one dough portion for at least 4 hours, preferably overnight; chill or freeze the second portion for another use.

Very lightly butter a 9-inch tart pan with a removable bottom. (You should not be able to see the butter.) On a lightly floured surface, roll out dough to a 10 1/2-inch circle, 1/4 inch thick. Dust work surface and dough often, and work quickly so dough remains cold. Gently roll dough over lightly dusted rolling pin and transfer to pan, gently easing it in and trimming the top edge. Chill uncovered for at least 1 hour, preferably longer.

Prepare the tart: Heat oven to 325 degrees. Sift together almond flour, confectioners’ sugar, cornstarch and flour into a medium bowl.

Place butter, salt and vanilla and almond extracts in a stand mixer fitted with the paddle and beat 1 minute at medium speed. Scrape down bowl and paddle, and add almond flour mixture. Beat at medium speed for 1 minute, until incorporated. Stop, scrape down bowl and paddle, then turn on machine and gradually add egg. Add rum and beat at medium speed until egg and rum are incorporated.

Remove tart shell from refrigerator and place on a baking sheet. Using a fork, pierce rows across surface of crust, about 1 inch apart. Scrape almond cream onto crust and, using a small offset or rubber spatula, spread evenly over crust.

Place in oven and bake 40 minutes, until crust and almond cream are golden brown and the tip of a knife comes out clean when inserted into cream. Remove from oven and let cool for 40 minutes on a rack.

Using a small spatula, spread fig jam over surface of tart in an even layer.

Remove stems from figs. Cut small and medium figs into quarters, large figs into sixths or eights. Arrange in concentric circles, starting with the rim, with the stem end down. Slices should angle upwards. If not serving right away, refrigerate. Dust with powdered sugar just before serving.

This is a layer cake with sophisticated flavors, fit for a grown-up’s birthday celebration but sure to be devoured by party guests of all ages. The cake itself is made with finely ground almonds, sour cream and a touch of lemon zest. The frosting is buttercream with cinnamon for spice and yet more zest. When you’re making the frosting, be sure to let the egg white mixture cool before adding the butter; the butter should not melt when it meets the whites, which would make for a greasy frosting. What you want is for the buttercream to be smooth and fluffy, an invitation to slice into the cake and take that first heavenly bite. 

Almond Birthday Cake With Sherry-Lemon Buttercream

eggs

sour cream

lemon zest

almonds

baking soda

fino (dry) sherry

cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease two 8-inch by 2-inch-deep round cake pans and line bottoms with parchment or waxed paper. In a bowl, beat together the eggs, 1/4 cup sour cream, vanilla and lemon zest.

In bowl of an electric mixer, whisk together the cake flour, ground almonds, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Beat in butter and remaining 3/4 cup sour cream until light and fluffy, 1 to 2 minutes. Slowly beat in the egg mixture until fully combined.

Scrape batter into prepared pans. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in center of a cake layer comes out clean. Let cake layers cool in pans on wire racks for 15 minutes, then invert onto racks and peel off paper. Let cool completely on racks.

While cakes cool, make frosting: In a heatproof bowl suspended over a pan of simmering water (or use a double boiler), whisk egg whites, sugar and salt until sugar is completely melted (130 to 140 degrees on a candy thermometer), 3 to 4 minutes. Remove egg whites from heat; beat mixture with an electric mixer on medium-high speed until completely cooled and thickened, 5 to 7 minutes.

Beat in the butter, a little at a time, until frosting is smooth and fluffy. Beat in the sherry, lemon zest and cinnamon.

To frost cake, place 1 layer on a cake plate, rounded side down, trimming if necessary so it lies flat. Spread with a third of the frosting, top with second layer and frost remainder of cake.

Melissa Clark gets help from her daughter Dahlia to make a delicious and fluffy cake topping.

Buttercream Frosting

Japanese soufflé pancakes start with the same ingredients as American varieties — namely, eggs, flour and milk — but they tower above traditional diner versions thanks to the addition of extra egg whites. A meringue mixture is beaten to stiff peaks, then folded into the batter, which cooks directly in metal pastry rings to help the pancakes attain their distinctive height. The key is to cook the batter at a very low temperature. If your stove has a small burner, or an especially low heat setting, use it here to create these custardy pancakes, worthy of breakfast, an afternoon snack or even dessert.

Japanese Soufflé Pancakes

milk,

lemon juice

Unsalted butter,

Maple syrup,

Confectioners’ sugar, whipped cream and fresh berries,

Place egg whites in the bowl of a stand mixer or a medium bowl; set aside. Place egg yolks in a large bowl. Add 1 tablespoon granulated sugar, the vanilla and baking powder to egg yolks and whisk until blended. Add flour and milk; whisk until fully combined.

Add lemon juice and salt to egg whites. Using a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment or a hand mixer, whip mixture on medium speed until foamy, about 1 minute. Continue to whip over medium while gradually sprinkling with remaining 5 tablespoons granulated sugar. Turn speed to high and whip until stiff, glossy peaks form and mixture doubles in size, about 1 minute. Take care not to overbeat meringue.

Heat a lidded nonstick skillet over the lowest heat setting and set the lid aside.

Using a rubber spatula, scoop about 1/3 of meringue into egg yolk mixture and gently fold almost combined. Repeat with half the remaining meringue until almost combined, then fold in the remaining meringue just until no streaks remain.

Carefully grease the warm skillet and the inside of four 3-inch-wide pastry rings (they should be at least 1 1/2 inches tall) using the butter. Check the heat of the pan by sprinkling a bit of water in it: Droplets should steam off the surface, but not dance or sputter. Place the greased pastry rings in the warm pan and ladle a scant 1/2 cup batter into each ring. Place lid on top of skillet and cook pancakes on very low heat until they start to rise and a few small bubbles start to form on top, 3 to 4 minutes.

Remove lid, carefully slide a flat spatula underneath each pancake and position another spatula on top, then gently flip pancakes in their rings. Immediately replace lid and cook until pancakes are cooked through and spring back to the touch, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer cooked pancakes to a platter, grease the skillet and pastry rings and repeat to make 4 additional pancakes.

Top pancakes with a pat of butter and drizzle with maple syrup; serve immediately. Serve with any combination of confectioners’ sugar, whipped cream and berries, if desired.

For 34 years, Otis Lee drew crowds to Mr. Fofo’s Deli, his midtown Detroit restaurant, with sky-high corned beef sandwiches and lemon-glazed poundcake. Mr. Lee, who died in April 2020 from coronavirus complications, passed the poundcake recipe along to his son, Keith Lee, who shared it with The Times. This moist and flavorful recipe, isn’t complicated, but it does requires more equipment and a few more steps than your average poundcake. So save it for a special occasion. It’s worth noting that the cake truly shines when the lemon glaze is poured over the warm, unmolded cake right out of the oven. (Do so on a platter, not on a rack. You want the extra icing to pool at the base of the cake, Keith Lee said.) Double the glaze if desired.

Otis Lee’s Famous Poundcake

cake flour,

cream cheese, softened

granulated sugar

eggs,

lemon extract

unsalted butter, softened

confectioners’ sugar

Lemon juice

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a 10-inch/12-cup Bundt pan.

Make the cake: In a large bowl, combine melted butter, cream cheese and sugar. Using a hand mixer, beat on high speed until creamy, 3 to 4 minutes. Rinse the beaters and in a separate large bowl, add eggs and beat until light in color and fluffy, about 5 minutes. (The fluffier the eggs, the fluffier the cake.) Add the beaten eggs, vanilla and lemon extracts to the rest of the butter and cream cheese mixture and beat on low speed until just combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.

In another large bowl, add cake flour, cornstarch, baking powder and salt. Whisk to combine. With the mixer on low speed, gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Increase the speed to high, and beat until fluffy, about 5 minutes. Transfer to the prepared pan.

Bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour, until golden brown and a cake tester comes out clean. (Do not open the oven door before 20 minutes have passed. The temperature shift can flatten the cake.)

While the cake bakes, make the glaze: In a small bowl, using a fork or wooden spoon, combine cream cheese, butter and confectioners’ sugar until smooth. Add lemon juice, to taste, and to reach desired consistency. (Icing should be thin enough to drizzle, but still have some thickness.)

When the cake is done, remove from the oven, and unmold immediately to a plate or serving platter. Pour the glaze over the top. (Doing this when the cake is warm helps the glaze soak in.) Serve warm or at room temperature. To store, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to a week or freeze for several months.

Japanese cheesecakes, sometimes called soufflé or cotton cheesecakes, have a melt-in-the-mouth texture that’s like a classic cheesecake crossed with an ethereal sponge cake. This one, adapted from Joanne Chang of Boston’s Flour Bakery, has bright lemon tanginess and crème fraîche richness as well. It’s best made the day before you plan to serve it, and will keep for up to 4 days in the refrigerator. Serve it plain and minimalist, with a sprinkle of confectioners’ sugar on top, or with fresh berries for added color and juiciness.

Japanese Cheesecake

unsalted butter,

cream cheese

crème fraîche

lemon

plus 1 tablespoon superfine sugar

confectioners’ sugar,

Place rack in the center of the oven and heat to 400 degrees. Line bottom of an 8-by-3-inch round cake pan with parchment paper and butter only the bottom of the pan (so the cheesecake can rise). You can also use a springform pan; just wrap the bottom and sides with a double layer of foil, so the seams are covered.

Separate eggs. Place whites in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment; place yolks in a small bowl.

Place cream cheese in a large metal bowl or double boiler insert and place over a pot filled with 1 inch of simmering water. Stir until cream cheese is melted and smooth. Whisk in crème fraîche and 3 tablespoons butter until well combined and smooth. Remove from heat and whisk in lemon zest, vanilla and salt. Whisk in egg yolks and 3 tablespoons/40 grams superfine sugar. Sprinkle cake flour evenly over the top, then whisk it in.

Beat the egg whites on medium speed until you start to see the wires of the whisk leave a trail in the whites. Slowly add the remaining 6 tablespoons superfine sugar, a tablespoon at a time while beating. Continue to beat until whites are fluffy and hold a soft peak when beaters are lifted. Gently fold about one-quarter of the whites into the yolk mixture to lighten it. Then gently fold in remaining whites, taking care not to deflate batter. Pour into prepared pan.

Place cake pan in a roasting pan or other pan that is at least as deep as the cake pan; transfer to the oven. Fill the larger pan with enough hot tap water to come one-quarter of the way up the sides of the cake pan. (The cake is really light, so if you pour in too much water it may float.)

Bake until top of the cake is golden and doesn’t give when you press it gently in the middle, 35 to 40 minutes.

Turn off oven and crack the oven door so that it cools off. Leave cheesecake in the cooling-off oven for 2 hours so it cools slowly, which keeps the top from cracking.

Lift cheesecake pan out of water and place on a wire rack. Let cool for another 2 hours. Cheesecake will deflate slightly.

Run a knife around the edges of the cheesecake to loosen it from sides of pan. Remove sides of springform pan. If you used a regular cake pan, invert the cake onto a plate, lift off pan, peel off parchment, then invert it right side up on a serving plate.

Chill cake for at least 2 hours before serving. Cake can be stored, well wrapped, for up to 4 days in the refrigerator. Sift confectioners’ sugar over top of cake just before serving.

This is an exceptionally velvety and tender cake, reminiscent (in the best possible way) of the frozen pound cake you might buy at the supermarket. Perfected over many years by the expert baker Rose Levy Beranbaum (and published in her book “Rose’s Baking Basics’), its fine texture comes from cake flour and superfine sugar. A caramelized pecan and graham cracker coating lines the pan and provides delicious crunch, but it is optional.

Pecan Crunch Cream Cheese Poundcake

graham crackers (5 by 2 1/4 inches,

pecan halves

egg yolks,

120 grams full-fat sour cream

sifted cake flour (not unbleached)

superfine sugar

Set an oven rack in the middle of the oven and heat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9-by-5-inch loaf pan with butter and line with two pieces of crisscrossed parchment: Lay the first sheet in the pan, butter it lightly, then lay the other sheet across. Both pieces should extend a few inches above the edges of the pan, making a sling that you’ll use to lift the cake out.

Make the pecan crunch, if desired: Break the crackers into a few pieces and add to the bowl of a food processor. Add the nuts and sugar. Process until you have fine crumbs. Add the melted butter and pulse it in until evenly incorporated.

Spoon about half of the crunch mixture into the prepared pan and press it evenly across the bottom. Press the remaining mixture against the sides, stopping about 1 inch from the top of the pan: Begin by tilting the pan to one side and use a bench scraper or the flat side of a metal spatula to lift, spread and press the coating against the side of the pan. Without tilting the pan, repeat with the remaining three sides. Use the back of a small spoon to even the coating on the sides and against the corners of the pan. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, up to 3 days.

Make the batter: In a medium bowl, whisk the egg yolks with 2 tablespoons sour cream and the vanilla, just until lightly combined.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt on low speed for 30 seconds.

Add the butter, cream cheese and the remaining 6 tablespoons sour cream. Mix on low speed until the flour mixture is moistened. Raise the speed to medium and beat for 1 1/2 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.

Starting on medium-low speed, gradually pour the egg mixture to the batter in two parts, beating on medium speed for 30 seconds after each addition. Scrape down the sides of the bowl after each addition.

Gently spoon the batter into the crunch coating-lined pan and smooth the surface. Bake for 50 to 60 minutes, or until a tester inserted into the center comes out clean.

Let the cake cool on a wire rack for 20 minutes. Use a small knife to dislodge the crunch coating at the corners and lift the cake out, using the parchment paper “sling.”

Let cool completely before gently removing the parchment and transferring to a serving plate or cutting board. (Or, wrap well and store at room temperature for 3 days or in the refrigerator for 5 days.) To serve, use a serrated knife to cut into 1/2-inch-thick slices.

For 34 years, Otis Lee drew crowds to Mr. Fofo’s Deli, his Midtown Detroit restaurant, with sky-high corned beef sandwiches and lemon-glazed poundcake. Mr. Lee, who died in April 2020 from coronavirus complications, passed the poundcake recipe along to his son, Keith Lee, who shared it with The Times. This moist and flavorful recipe isn’t complicated, but it does require a few more steps than your average poundcake. It truly shines when the lemon glaze is poured over the warm, unmolded cake right out of the oven. (Do so on a platter, not on a rack. You want the extra icing to pool at the base of the cake, Keith Lee said.) Double the glaze if desired.

Otis Lee’s Detroit Famous Poundcake

Lemon juice,

Make the cake: In a large bowl, combine softened butter, cream cheese and granulated sugar. Using a hand mixer, beat on high speed until creamy, 3 to 4 minutes. Rinse the beaters and in a separate large bowl, add eggs and beat until light in color and fluffy, about 5 minutes. (The fluffier the eggs, the fluffier the cake.) Add the beaten eggs, vanilla and lemon extracts to the butter and cream cheese mixture and beat on low speed until just combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.

In another large bowl, add cake flour, cornstarch, baking powder and salt; whisk to combine. With the mixer on low speed, gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Increase the speed to high and beat until fluffy, about 5 minutes. Transfer to the prepared pan.

Bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour, until golden brown and a cake tester comes out clean. (Do not open the oven door before 20 minutes have passed, as the temperature shift can flatten the cake.)

While the cake bakes, make the glaze: In a small saucepan over low heat, combine cream cheese, butter and confectioners’ sugar and whisk until smooth. Bring to a simmer. Remove from heat, and add lemon juice to taste and to adjust consistency. (Icing should be thin enough to drizzle, but still retain some body.)

This version of the classic Southern cake takes all of fruitcake’s best elements — bourbon-soaked dried fruit, toasty pecans and shredded coconut — and weaves them into a rich, custardy filling set between three layers of tender vanilla cake. It’s a special occasion dessert and a nightcap, all rolled into one. Acetate strips (see Tip) are useful for holding the layers in place while assembling, but if finding them is too much of a bother, use parchment or follow the instructions to assemble the cake without the strips. The flavor of this cake improves with time, so allow a few hours — or even a few days — before slicing and enjoying.

Lane Cake

egg whites,

cake flour, sifted

240 milliliters whole milk

unsalted butter (2 sticks)

135 grams finely shredded unsweetened coconut

currants

100 grams pecans, chopped

bourbon

Make the cake: Heat the oven to 325 degrees. Lightly grease the bottom and sides of an 13-by-18-inch baking sheet and line the bottom with a sheet of parchment. Cut 2 strips of acetate, each about 3 inches wide and 26 inches long. Set aside. (These will be used to help assemble the cake in Step 10.)

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, 3 to 4 minutes. In a small bowl, combine the egg whites and vanilla extract. Reduce speed to medium, then pour the egg mixture into the creamed butter in three additions, beating to incorporate after each and scraping the bowl as needed.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the cake flour, baking powder and kosher salt. Add the flour mixture all at once into the creamed butter and stir on low speed until just combined. Add the milk; use a rubber spatula or wooden spoon to fold in the milk.

Pour batter into the prepared pan and bake until cake is a pale golden brown and the surface is springy to the touch, 35 to 40 minutes. Allow the cake to cool completely before using. (The uncut cake can be made up to 1 day ahead, wrapped tightly in plastic or stored frozen for up to 2 weeks.)

Make the filling: In a large saucepan, melt the butter over low heat. Turn off the heat and stir in the sugar, yolks and salt. Whisk together to fully incorporate. Turn the heat back on low and, stirring continuously, cook to 155 degrees or until the mixture thickens and turns a slightly more pale yellow, 6 to 8 minutes.

Remove the pan from the heat. Add the coconut, currants, pecans and bourbon, and fold them in using a rubber spatula. Let the filling cool completely. (Filling can be made ahead and stored refrigerated for up to 2 weeks.) 

Make the bourbon soak: In a small saucepan, combine the sugar with 1/2 cup/120 milliliters water and bring to a boil over medium heat. Stir until sugar dissolves, remove from heat and add the bourbon; set aside to cool.

Assemble the cake: Run an offset spatula along the sides of the cake to loosen the edges. Place a piece of parchment over the top and unmold the cake by flipping it upside-down onto a baking rack or large cutting board. Peel off and discard the parchment layer on top.

Orienting the cake vertically and starting with an 8-inch metal cake ring on the top left corner, punch out a full circle for the top layer. Move the ring to the bottom left corner and punch out the second layer. Move the cake ring to the top right corner of the cake, punch out a half circle and repeat the half circle on the bottom right corner. These half circles will form your bottom layer. (If you don’t have a cake ring, use a closed 8-inch springform pan without the bottom as a guide, and cut out the cake layers with a paring knife.) Reserve the leftover cake to fill in any gaps.

Wipe the cake ring clean. Place a 9-inch cardboard cake circle on a cake stand or plate and place the metal cake ring or a closed springform pan without the bottom on top. Line the inside of the cake ring with one of the acetate strips. Spread a tablespoon of filling around the middle of the cake board. (This will help the cake stick to the surface.) Move the cake half-circles to the inside of the cake ring, pushing them to the outer edges of the ring, and fill any gaps with cake scraps. Press down on any scraps to create a snug, flat layer.

Brush the bottom layer with the bourbon soak. Using a large spoon or an ice cream scoop, add three to four dollops of the filling, about 1 cup total. Spread evenly with the back of an offset spatula. If the entire layer is not covered and spread to the edges, add more filling.

Gently move the second cake layer and slide it into the ring. Press down gently on the cake layer to make sure it sits firmly on top of the filling. Brush the cake with simple syrup and cover with filling, repeating the process above.

Guide a second acetate strip between the cake ring and the top 1/4 inch of the first strip, allowing slight overlap. Together, the rings should be about 5 to 6 inches tall. This will support the top layers of the cake when finished. 

Add the third cake layer and press down into the filling to set. Brush your third layer with simple syrup and top with remaining filling. (If assembling the cake without acetate strips, once all the cake layers are in place, run the flat side of your offset spatula around the outside of the layer above the cake ring to create a smooth finish.) Cover with a sheet of plastic wrap and allow to sit at room temperature until ready to serve. 

To serve, slide the cake ring upward and remove it. Peel off the acetate layers and discard. (To remove the cake ring without acetate strips, remove the plastic film and run a warm knife or spatula between the ring and the cake. Slide the metal ring upward to remove.) Using a clean knife, cut the cake into desired number of slices and serve. 

In 1994, Lofthouse Cookies hit American grocery store shelves like a frosted meteorite. If you grew up in the suburbs, then you may have had one: soft, cakey, melt-in-your-mouth. Unlike their clamshell counterparts, which contain margarine, these homemade versions are made with butter and cream cheese, both of which add wonderful flavor that margarine alone does not. Be sure to freeze your dough for the full 15 to 20 minutes: Not only does this chill the fat, helping the cookies maintain their shape in the oven later, but it also allows the flour to hydrate and the flavors to concentrate. A relic of childhood shored into the present, these cookies are not unlike the tops of vanilla cupcakes, devoid at last of their dry, frosting-less bottoms. Freeze-dried raspberries lend a welcome tartness to the buttercream, not to mention a plush, candy-pink hue. (<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vDC0fbY3JJo">Watch Eric Kim make his Soft Sugar Cookies With Raspberry Frosting here</a>.)

Soft Sugar Cookies With Raspberry Frosting

unsalted butter (1 stick), at room temperature

cream cheese,

Sprinkles,

freeze-dried raspberries, finely ground in a food processor or spice grinder

unsalted butter (2 sticks), at room temperature

kosher salt

Make the cookies: In a large bowl, using a spoon, cream the butter, cream cheese, sugar and salt until smooth and fluffy. Add the eggs and vanilla extract, and whisk to incorporate some air and to dissolve the sugar crystals, about 1 minute. Stir in the flour and baking powder until just incorporated.

Heat oven to 350 degrees and line two rimmed sheet pans with parchment paper. Using two spoons or a cookie scooper, plop out 2-tablespoon/50-gram rounds spaced a couple of inches apart. (You should get about 7 to 8 cookies per sheet pan.) Place the sheet pans in the freezer for 15 to 20 minutes until the dough is no longer sticky and easier to handle.

While the dough chills, make the frosting: In a fine-mesh sieve set over a medium bowl, sift the ground raspberries, using a spoon to help pass them through, until most of the ruby-red powder is in the bowl and most of the seeds are left behind in the sieve. (Discard the seeds.)

To the bowl, add the 1 cup butter, confectioners’ sugar, vanilla extract and salt and, with an electric hand mixer, mix on low speed until the butter absorbs the sugar. Then, turn the speed up to high and beat until the frosting doubles in size, about 2 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula to ensure all the ingredients are incorporated. Transfer the frosting to a small container, cover tightly, and set aside. (You should have about 2 cups of frosting.)

Remove the sheet pans from the freezer. Roll the chilled dough into even balls and flatten them slightly with your fingers so they’re about 2 inches wide and 1 inch high. Bake the cookies for 13 to 15 minutes, rotating the pans and switching racks halfway through, or until they no longer look wet on top, are still light in color and spring back to the touch. They will puff up and crack slightly. Let cool completely on the sheet pan. (They will continue to cook as they sit.)

Using a butter knife or offset spatula, frost each cooled cookie with the raspberry frosting and adorn with the sprinkles.

Strawberry in two forms infuses this layer cake with beautiful color and natural flavor.

Double-Strawberry Cake Recipe

flour

sugar (about 2 1/4 cups; 445 grams)

five-spice powder

To Serve:

freeze-dried

To Prepare: Combine cake flour and freeze-dried strawberries in a food processor and grind to form a powdery, pale pink flour with no visible pieces of fruit. Purée fresh strawberries with an immersion blender, food processor, or countertop blender until perfectly smooth; bring to about 70°F (21°C) before using.

Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and preheat to 350°F (180°C). Lightly grease 3 eight-inch anodized-aluminum cake pans and line with parchment. If you don’t have 3 pans, it’s okay to bake the cakes in stages, as the batter will keep at room temperature until needed.

To Make the Cake: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine butter, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and Chinese five-spice powder. Mix on low speed to roughly incorporate, then increase to medium and beat until fluffy and light, about 5 minutes. About halfway through, pause to scrape bowl and beater with a flexible spatula.

With mixer still running, add egg whites a little at a time, letting each addition fully incorporate before proceeding to the next. Scrape bowl and beater with flexible spatula, then resume mixing on low. Sprinkle in about one-third of strawberry flour, then drizzle in one-third of strawberry purée. Repeat with remaining flour and fruit, working in thirds as before.

Scrape bowl and beater with flexible spatula and resume mixing on medium speed for about 3 seconds to ensure everything is well combined. The batter should look creamy and thick, registering between 65 and 68°F (18 and 20°C) on a digital thermometer. (Significant deviation indicates ingredients were too warm or too cold, which can lead to textural problems with the cake.)

Fold batter once or twice from the bottom up, using a flexible spatula, until the color is completely homogeneous, then divide evenly between prepared cake pans (about 23 ounces/655g each if you have a scale). Stagger pans together on oven rack and bake until puffed and firm, about 30 minutes or to an internal temperature of 200°F (93°C). If your oven has very uneven heat, pause to rotate pans after about 20 minutes. Alternatively, bake 2 layers at once and finish the third when they’re done.

Cool cakes directly in their pans for 1 hour, then run a butter knife around the edges to loosen. Invert onto a wire rack, peel off parchment, and return cakes right side up. (Covered in plastic, the cakes can be left at room temperature for a few hours.) Meanwhile, prepare your frosting of choice.

For the Crumb Coat: Level cakes with a serrated knife (full instructions here) and set the scraps aside for snacking. Place 1 layer on a heavy cast iron turntable. If you like, a waxed cardboard cake round can first be placed underneath, secured to the turntable with a scrap of damp paper towel. Top with exactly 1 cup frosting, using an offset spatula to spread it evenly from edge to edge. Repeat with the second and third layers, then cover sides of cake with another cup of frosting, spreading it as smoothly as you can (tutorial here). Refrigerate cake until frosting is firm, about 30 minutes.

To Finish: Decorate chilled cake with remaining frosting (excess can be paired with scraps for a snack), then let cake stand at room temperature until about 70°F to serve. Immediately before slicing, garnish with crushed freeze-dried strawberries. Cut into wedges with a chef’s knife to serve. Cover exposed cake with extra frosting to keep leftovers moist. The cake will keep about 24 hours at room temperature. Wrapped in plastic, it can be refrigerated up to 5 days; return to room temperature to serve.

Layer cakes are always festive, particularly when they are four-layered, fluffy and cloudlike. This one, based on the flavors of an Indian dessert called ras malai, combines rose water, ricotta cheese and cardamom. Egg whites in the batter and mascarpone in the buttercream give the cake an especially ethereal texture, while a cardamom-infused milk syrup keeps it moist. Make sure to use cold, straight-from-the fridge mascarpone and yogurt for the frosting; it can curdle if you try to beat it when the ingredients are too warm.

Cardamom Cream Cake

fresh whole-milk ricotta (2 1/2 cups)

heavy cream

confectioners’ sugar (see tip)

rose water,

475 milliliters whole milk

cardamom pods

rose water

cardamom

unsalted butter, softened (1 1/2 sticks)

mascarpone

60 milliliters cold Greek yogurt

pistachios, toasted and chopped

rose petals, for garnish (optional)

Drain the ricotta in a fine mesh sieve placed in a large bowl for 1 to 2 hours until very thick. If you’ve bought very thick, very freshly made ricotta from a specialty shop (not the kind from the supermarket), you can skip this step.

Meanwhile, make the milk syrup: In a small saucepan, combine the milk and cardamom pods. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer the milk until it reduces by half, 30 to 45 minutes. Stir in the sugar until it dissolves, then continue to simmer until the mixture thickens to the texture of half and half, about 10 minutes longer. Let cool, strain the mixture to get rid of the cardamom and any coagulated milk, then stir in the rose water. (Syrup can be prepared up to 3 days ahead and refrigerated.)

Make the cake: Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease two 9-inch cake pans, line the bottoms with parchment paper, then grease the parchment. Flour the entire pan and parchment, tapping out any excess.

In a medium bowl, lightly whisk together the egg whites, milk, vanilla and rose water.

Using an electric mixer, combine the cake flour, sugar, baking powder, cardamom and salt, and mix on low speed for 30 seconds to blend. Add the butter and about a third of the milk-egg white mixture. Mix on low speed until the dry ingredients are moistened. Increase to medium speed and beat for a minute or so until everything is very smooth. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl.

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