Name: Cranberry-Pear Stack Cake
Total time: 7 h
Ingredients: 10 ounces (283 grams/2½ cups) fresh or frozen cranberries; ½ cup (3½ ounces/99 grams sugar; ¼ cup water; 2 pounds (907 grams) ripe but firm Bosc or Bartlett pears , peeled, halved, cored, and cut into 1-inch pieces; 2 teaspoons grated orange zest; 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon; ⅛ teaspoon table salt; 3 cups (15 ounces/425 grams) all-purpose flour; 1 teaspoon salt; 1 teaspoon baking powder; ½ teaspoon baking soda; ¾ cup buttermilk; 1 tablespoon vanilla extract; 1 tablespoon lemon juice; 18 tablespoons (2¼ sticks) unsalted butter , cut into 18 pieces and softened; 2 cups (14 ounces/397 grams) sugar; 3 large eggs , plus 1 large yolk, room temperature; 1½ cups heavy cream , chilled; 1½ tablespoons confectioners' sugar; ¾ teaspoon vanilla extract

Cranberry-Pear Stack Cake

By America's Test Kitchen

Published on November 21, 2016

Time

3 hours, plus 4 hours cooling

Yield

Serves 8 to 12

Ingredients

Filling

10 ounces (283 grams/2½ cups) fresh or frozen cranberries ½ cup (3½ ounces/99 grams sugar ¼ cup water 2 pounds (907 grams) ripe but firm Bosc or Bartlett pears, peeled, halved, cored, and cut into 1-inch pieces2 teaspoons grated orange zest 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon ⅛ teaspoon table salt

Cake

3 cups (15 ounces/425 grams) all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon baking powder ½ teaspoon baking soda ¾ cup buttermilk 1 tablespoon vanilla extract 1 tablespoon lemon juice 18 tablespoons (2¼ sticks) unsalted butter, cut into 18 pieces and softened2 cups (14 ounces/397 grams) sugar 3 large eggs, plus 1 large yolk, room temperature

Topping

1½ cups heavy cream, chilled1½ tablespoons confectioners' sugar ¾ teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

for the filling

Combine cranberries, sugar, and water in large saucepan and cook over medium heat until cranberries are just starting to burst, about 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Remove 2 tablespoons cranberries and set aside in refrigerator. Add pears, orange zest, cinnamon, and salt to remaining cranberries in saucepan and cook over medium heat until pears are very soft and almost all liquid has evaporated, about 45 minutes, stirring frequently and reducing heat as needed if bottom begins to scorch. Transfer fruit mixture to food processor and process until smooth, 30 to 45 seconds (you should have 2 1/2 cups puree). Transfer to bowl, press parchment paper on top, and refrigerate until completely cool, about 4 hours.

for the cake

Meanwhile, adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour 12-cup nonstick Bundt pan. Combine flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda in medium bowl. In small bowl, whisk buttermilk, vanilla, and lemon juice together.

Using stand mixer fitted with paddle, beat butter and sugar on medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add eggs and egg yolk, one at a time, and beat until combined. Reduce speed to low and add flour mixture in 3 additions, alternating with 2 additions of buttermilk mixture, scraping down bowl as needed.

Spray two 8-inch round cake pans with baking spray with flour and line with parchment. Pour 8 ounces (227 grams; about 1 cup) batter into each pan and spread into even layer. Bake until tops are set and edges are just starting to brown, 12 to 14 minutes. Let cakes cool in pans for 10 minutes, then remove cakes from pans and let cool completely on wire rack (leaving parchment on cakes). Wipe pans clean and repeat process twice more, for a total of 6 cake layers.

for the topping

Using stand mixer fitted with whisk, whip cream, sugar, and vanilla on medium-low speed until foamy, about 1 minute. Increase speed to high and whip until stiff peaks form, 1 to 3 minutes.

Gently remove parchment and place 1 cake round on cake plate or pedestal. Spread 1/2 cup puree in even layer over cake. Repeat with remaining cake layers and remaining puree, leaving top of cake plain. Spread whipped cream in even layer over top of cake. Garnish center with reserved cranberries. Serve.