Chelsea's Gluten-Free Wedding Cake
Chelsea's Gluten-Free Wedding Cake
"I am not much for celebrity happenings, but I certainly would not have minded an invite to Chelsea Clinton's wedding last week just to taste her gluten-free wedding cake.
I was curious to find out more about the cake so I called Fran Steenman the co-owner of La Tulipe Bakery, the folks who made the cake. I told her the big question on everyone's mind: "Is Chelsea celiac?" Fran had no answer. She said she never saw Chelsea or the Clinton family; she worked directly with Boston Wedding Planner Bryan Rafanelli. Keep in mind she had to sign a confidentiality agreement, so it's anyone's guess as to whether she and Chelsea had a face-to-face. What she could tell me was that the cake was made of organic brown rice and local dairy products and eggs. The center was chocolate mousse and the outside was white fondant with subtle silver decorations and edible flowers.
If you are planning a wedding for 500 (or even 50), you might want to put Fran and Maarten Steenman at La Tulipe Bakery (Mt. Kisco, NY) on speed dial. If you need a simpler solution, a festive, tasty cake for an occasion, try the version I've created here. It starts with a gluten-free cake mix, and, thanks to the folks at glutenfree.com, these mixes are on special right now.
Here's how I made my quick version of Chelsea's Wedding Cake.
I used two Gluten Free Pantry Old Fashioned Cake Mixes, cooled them and cut each layer in half through the center. I put chocolate mousse in between the layers and frosted it with white butter cream. The "real" cake was made with a fondant frosting so it would hold up in steamy weather, but that also requires so much more work. Just be sure to keep your cake in a cool place until you are ready to serve.
This can be made with vanilla or chocolate cake mix."
Chelsea's Gluten-Free Wedding Cake
Beth Hillson, glutenfree.com
Ingredients
- 2 layers of 9-inch round gluten-free cake such as Gluten Free Pantry Old Fashioned Cake Mix
http://www.glutenfree.com/index.cfm/manufacturer/Gluten-Free-Pantry/126029M-___-Old-Fashioned-Cake---Cookie-Mix.html
1 recipe of Chocolate Mousse Filling
- 1 recipe Buttercream Frosting
- 1 pastry bag and tips
- Chocolate Mousse Filling:
16 ounces semi sweet chocolate chips
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 ½ cups heavy cream, divided
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups confectioners' sugar
- Buttercream Frosting:
2 sticks unsalted butter
3 - 4 cups confectioners' sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 to 2 tablespoons half and half cream
Directions
Chocolate Mousse Directions:
In a medium saucepan, melt semi sweet chocolate with the butter and ½ cup cream* over low heat. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla. Scrape into a mixing bowl. Add the confectioners' sugar and beat until fluffy. Beat 2 cups of cold cream until stiff. Fold into mixture. Chill while preparing butter cream below. *or use an equal amount of orange liqueur
Buttercream frosting directions:
Cream the butter until soft and fluffy. Add 3 ½ cups of sugar and beat until fluffy, 1-2 minutes. Add vanilla and cream and increase speed to medium. Check consistency and add more sugar if necessary. Beat for 3 minutes. Add more cream or sugar if needed for spreading consistency. Set aside ¾ cup of frosting for decorating.
To Assemble:
Cut cake layers in half through the center. Set a bottom layer on a cake plate.* Spread with an even layer of chocolate mousse filling (no more than ¼ inch or layers might shift). Repeat with remaining layers of cake, leaving top of last layer plain. Frost top and sides with a generous layer of buttercream. Do not worry about crumbs. Refrigerate cake for 1 hour. Even out frosting and cover crumbs with another layer of buttercream.
Spoon reserved frosting into a pastry bag that has been fitted with a decorative tip of your choice. Pipe frosting around edges and decorate center with flowers. Add edible flowers if desired.
*Use two large spatulas to handle the layers and prevent them from breaking. However, broken pieces can be glued back together with mousse and will not show when frosted.
Information
- Category
- Desserts, Cake
