Happy 3rd Bloggy Birthday, Bake No Prisoners!

Ingredients

Cherry Almond Cake:
• 1/12 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 4 ounces {1 stick} unsalted butter, softened
• 2 eggs, plus 2 egg yolks, room temperature
• 1/2 cup {4 ounces} milk, room temperature
• 1 1/2 teaspoons almond extract
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Tart Cherry Preserves {I found mine at Target}
Buttercream frosting:
• 1 cup {2 sticks} unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 lb. confectioner sugar
• 1 tablespoon meringue powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons almond extract
• splash of heavy cream
Chocolate ganache:
• 8 ounces semisweet chocolate
• 3/4 cup heavy cream

Instructions

4-Layer Almond Cake:
1. Preheat oven to 350° and place your oven rack to the middle position.
2. Spray two 8-inch round cake pans with flour spray and line bottom with parchment paper.
3. In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder, and salt; set aside.
4. In your stand mixer bowl, cream butter for 2-3 minutes.
5. Slowly add sugar to your butter and mix until light and fluffy.
6. Add your eggs and yolks, one at a time, until combined.
7. Add your vanilla and almond extracts.
8. Starting with your flour mixture, slowly add half to your butter blend, until combined.
9. Carefully add your milk and then end with your other half of the flour mixture.
10. Scrape the sides of the bowl and mix for another minute.
11. Add a little more than a cup to each 8-in round pan.
12. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean; making sure the pans are at least 3 inches from each other and the sides of the oven.
13. After 5-10 minutes, slide a knife around the sides of the pan. Remove the cakes from pan and transfer to wire rack.
14. Allow cakes to come to room temperature before frosting.
Buttercream frosting:
15. In your stand mixer bowl, cream the butter on medium-high speed for 2-3 minutes making sure to stop to scrape the bowl once or twice.
16. Reduce the speed to low and gradually add the confectioner sugar and meringue powder.
17. Once all of the powdered sugar is incorporated, increase the speed to medium-high and add the vanilla.
18. Add a splash or two of heavy cream until you achieve the desired consistency.
19. Whip at medium-high speed until light and fluffy, 2-3 minutes, scraping the bowl as needed.
20. Any unused frosting can be stored in an airtight container and placed in the refrigerator until future use; let frosting come to room temperature before using.
Chocolate ganache:
21. Pour your heavy cream in a medium saucepan and place on low heat.
22. Chop your semisweet chocolate and place in a oven safe bowl.
23. Once your cream begins to simmer, slowly pour over your chocolate.
24. Let it sit for 2-3 minutes.
25. Using a rubber spatula, slowly incorporate your chocolate into your cream.
26. If it is too thin, let it sit for a few minutes to thicken up.
Assembly:
27. Use a serrated knife to level the top of your cakes {I normally wrap my cakes and put them in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes before I do this}
28. Place the bottom cake layer on a cake plate or 8-inch round cake board.
29. Place about 1/4 to 1/2 cup of tart cherry preserves on the top of the cake layer, and spread evenly with a small offset palette knife.
30. Gently place the second cake layer face down on top; spread the cherry reserves on top and repeat with the following layers.
31. Place a generous scoop of frosting on top, spreading evenly with a small offset palette knife and working your way down the sides until you have a thin layer of frosting over the entire cake.
32. Chill until set, about 30 minutes.
33. Remove from refrigerator and cover cake with a final layer of frosting.
34. Drizzle sides with ganache first, using a pastry bag snipped at the end.
35. Then carefully spread a thin layer on top.

Notes