This amazing blood orange thyme cake is one of the recipes in Tessa Huff's new book Layered. A beautiful orange cake is enriches with a blood orange thyme syrup, coated in a raspberry swiss meringue and then crowned with an orange glaze and sprigs of decorative thyme.
Preheat oven to 350F. Butter and flour the three six inch pans.
Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt then set aside.
Use a stand mixer with a paddle attachment at medium speed to beat the butter until smooth. Add the sugars and orange zest and beat on medium high until the mixture is light and fluffy.
Turn the mixer to medium low and add the the vanilla then add the eggs and yolk one at a time. Stop the mixer and scrape down the bowl.
Turn the mixer to low and add the flour mixture alternating with the buttermilk in three batches, beginning and ending with flour.
Evenly divide the batter into the three 6" pans. Bake for 23-25 minutes or until a toothpic inserted in teh center comes out clean. Allow the cakes to cool in their pans for about 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack.
For the Raspberry Buttercream.
Blend the raspberries and sugar together in a food precessor until combined. You can strain the puree through a sieve if you'd like to remove the seeds.
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, mix the buttercream until it is silky smooth. Add 1/4 cup of the raspberry puree and mix until combined. (You could also use an Italian buttercream for this recipe. I have a how to video and recipe for it on preppykitchen.com).
For the Blood Orange Thyme Syrup
Place the blood orange juice and sugar in a saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to maintain a simmer and add the thyme. Simmer for about 8 minutes. Remove from heat and let steep until cool. Strain the syrup before use and discard the thyme.
For the Glaze
Whisk together the confectioners' sugar and blood orange juice.
Assemble the Cake
Brush each layer genereously with the syrup. Place the bottom layer on a cake stand or plate. Spread the buttercream on top then apply the next later and repeat. You can apply a thin coat of buttercream to the top and sides of the cake or leave naked. Pour the glaze on top of the cake an allow to drizzle down the side. You can finish the cake with a crown of fresh thyme.