CAKE

1. Preheat oven to 325° F.
2. Use baking spray with flour to thoroughly spray the interior of 6 dariole moulds and set aside on a baking tray.
3. In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the softened butter on medium/high speed for about 2-3 minutes until light and fluffy. Use a rubber spatula to scrape the bowl.
4. Add the sugar and beat for another minute.
5. Add the eggs and extracts and beat for another 30 seconds until fully incorporated.
6. Combine the flour, baking powder and salt into one bowl and add at one time, using the lowest speed on the mixer until just incorporated. Use a rubber spatula to scrape up any remaining flour on the sides o the bowl and mix gently.
7. To ensure your cakes are all the same size and that you get as many cakes as possible out of this batter, I recommend measuring the batter with a food scale. I measure 65 grams of batter per dariole mould, which yields 6 cakes. You can alternatively fill the cakes about 1/4 of the way, keeping an eye to make sure that you are filling them all at the same level.
8. With the batter-filled moulds on a baking tray, place the cakes in the oven on a middle rack for about 20 minutes, You can check them at about 15 minutes with a cake tester.
9. Once they are cooked through and lightly golden on top, set them aside to cool.
10. Once they are cooled, use a thin knife to trace the edges of the cake around the mould and loosen them. Unmold them upside down on a sheet of parchment. The flat surface tends to flatten the base of cakes so they will sit flat, but if you have a particularly rounded cake bottom, you can trim it slightly to ensure it stands flat and even.

Assembling Cakes

See the detailed photos and tutorial above for step-by-step instructions.

1. Using a corer, twist slightly in the center, angling it as you pull out the cake’s center. Set this core aside, you’ll use it again to cover the cake’s center.  You can use a small spoon to dig a little deeper into the cake’s center.
2. With a squirt bottle or a small spoon, drizzle cake soak (roughly about a tablespoon per cake) into the center and around the edges. It will absorb immediately.
3. Using a pastry bag or small spoon, fill the cake’s well about half way with raspberry pastry cream.
4. Add a small to medium sized fresh raspberry to the center and gently push into the cream.
5. Trim the reserved “cake cap” with a knife so it is flatter and gently tap it into place to seal the filled well of the cake.
6. Place your filled cake on a parchment square to catch the mess and use a pastry brush and/or a small angled palette knife, spread raspberry jam on the top and around the edges of the cakes leaving the bottom plain.
7. Sprinkle coconut anywhere there is jam.
8. With a pastry bag fitted with a star tip, pipe a circle of whipped cream around the top and add a fresh raspberry to the top of the cake.

CAKE SOAK

1. In a small saucepan, add water and granulated sugar at the same time and stir on low to medium heat until it starts to simmer and all sugar is dissolved. Let cool.
2. Transfer it to a squirt bottle or a small bowl until ready to use.

BAKERY STYLE WHIPPED CREAM FROSTING

• In a small ramekin add 4 teaspoons of water and sprinkle entire gelatin packet on top of the water. Let it sit for a few minutes.
• In a standing mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, beat the heavy whipped cream on medium/high speed for until it just starts to look like whipped cream.
• Add powdered sugar and vanilla and beat for another 10 seconds.
• Take the gelatin and put in the microwave for 10 seconds.
• Once it is liquified, drizzle it into the whipped cream and turn on the mixer one last time on medium speed for just about 5 seconds to ensure gelatin is worked into the cream.
• Transfer the whipped cream to a bowl, covered with plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator until ready to use.

RASPBERRY PASTRY CREAM