PRETTY PINK PARTY CAKE 

Twenty years ago, while Grant Achatz was blazing trails with maximalist modernist cuisine at the newly opened Alinea in Chicago, the North Shore dining scene was entering an exciting era of its own. Chef Michael Lachowicz, of Le Français and Les Deux Gros fame, earned rave reviews for his elegant French country cuisine at Restaurant Michael. Sarah Stegner and George Bumbaris emerged as leaders in the local food movement at Prairie Grass Cafe, long before “farm-to-table” became a buzzword. And celebrity chefs Rick Tramonto and Gale Gand brought their chef-driven approach to suburbia with four concepts at the Westin Chicago North Shore. These ventures proved that sophisticated, ingredient-focused dining no longer required a trip downtown.

And it has only gotten better. In the two decades since Sheridan Road’s inaugural issue, even more epicurean delights have blossomed across the North Shore. To celebrate, why not make this Pretty Pink Party Cake? With three lush layers of tender cake, berry filling, and rich raspberry buttercream, it’s the perfect anniversary dessert.

The batter includes sour cream, which contributes to the cake’s fine, soft crumb, while a touch of cream cheese in the buttercream gives the frosting a silky texture, easy spreadability, and a subtle tang. The recipe for the berry filling makes extra to enjoy on toast or with your morning yogurt. If you’re short on time, a good-quality raspberry jam may be substituted for the filling.

Serves 8 to 10
Makes one 6-inch, three-layer cake

INGREDIENTS

For the sour cream cake:
• 2 cups cake flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter at room temperature
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 4 eggs at room temperature
• 1 teaspoon vanilla paste
• 1/2 cup sour cream

For the berry filling:
• 24 ounces frozen raspberries, thawed
• 1/2 stick unsalted butter
• Juice from 1/2 fresh lemon
• Pinch salt
• 2 large eggs plus 4 large egg yolks
• 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
• 3/4 teaspoon cornstarch

For the raspberry buttercream:
• 2 ounces full-fat cream cheese, at room temperature
• 1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1/4 teaspoon lemon extract
• Pinch of salt
• 2 1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar
• 1 teaspoon raspberry liqueur
• 1 tablespoon raspberry juice
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

Make sour cream cake: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat three 6-inch baking tins with butter OR spray with nonstick cooking spray. Line each pan with parchment paper. Set aside. Stir flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda together in a medium bowl. Set aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the softened butter until fluffy. Add sugar, beating at low speed until mixture is light. Add eggs one at a time, beating until smooth with each addition. Add vanilla. Alternate adding flour mixture and sour cream, beating just until incorporated. Do not overbeat.

Pour batter into the three prepared pans and bake for 40 minutes until tops spring back when touched and a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Transfer cake layers to a cooling rack.

Make berry filling: Place thawed raspberries in a deep bowl and pulse just a bit with an immersion blender to release juice. Place the mixture in a fine mesh strainer over a bowl. Press and stir the mixture repeatedly to release juice and puree into the bowl, leaving the seeds in the strainer. This will take a bit of time. Discard seeds. Set aside 1 to 2 tablespoons of the raspberry juice/puree for the buttercream recipe.

Place the remaining raspberry juice/puree (at least 1 1/4 cups) in a saucepan with the butter, lemon juice, and salt. Set aside. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whip eggs, egg yolks, sugar, and cornstarch until fluffy. Using a spatula, scoop the egg mixture into the pan with the raspberry juice.

Stir over medium heat until thickened and slightly deepened in color. Remove from heat and scoop into a bowl. Press plastic wrap into the surface of the filling to keep a skin from forming. Chill completely. Note: You will have extra raspberry filling left over after decorating the cake; it tastes great on toast or yogurt.

Make raspberry buttercream: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the softened cream cheese and butter together. Add the lemon extract and salt, continuing to beat and scraping the bowl as necessary. Gradually add the confectioners’ sugar, liqueur, and enough raspberry and lemon juices to create a smooth and fluffy frosting with a light pink color.

Assemble cake: Slice and remove the domed tops from two of the cake layers. (Reserve this trim as a snack or use in a trifle.) Place one trimmed cake layer on a serving plate. Spread with cooled raspberry filling. Top with the second cake layer. Add more raspberry filling. Top with the third cake layer—the one with the dome intact. Decorate the cake with raspberry buttercream. Serve immediately, or chill and serve later. Buttercream will set up slightly as the cake chills.