Chriss Ambrosia Cake Recipes

AMBROSIA CAKE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F (325°F for dark or nonstick pans). Make, bake and cool cake as directed on box for two 8-inch or 9-inch round pans.
• To make orange-coconut filling, in small microwavable bowl, mix sugar and cornstarch. Gradually stir in 1/3 cup water. Stir in orange peel and orange juice. Microwave uncovered on High about 1 minute or until mixture thickens and boils; stir. Microwave 30 seconds longer, stirring every 15 seconds. Stir in 2 tablespoons coconut; cool.
• Fill cake layers with orange-coconut filling. Frost side and top of cake with frosting. Sprinkle 1/2 cup coconut over top. Store loosely covered.

AMBROSIA CAKE

Steps:

• CAKE: In a large mixing bowl, blend on low speed for 30 seconds: cake mix, oil, mandarin oranges and eggs.
• Beat on medium speed for 2 minutes.
• Pour into greased and floured 9 x 13 inch pan.
• Bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes.
• TOPPING: Combine pineapple and pudding mix.
• Let stand for 5 minutes.
• Add Cool Whip.
• Mix well by hand.
• Frost cake when cool.
• Refrigerate.

AMBROSIA ICEBOX CAKES

Steps:

• 1. Bring pineapple juice to a simmer in a small saucepan over medium heat. Whisk eggs, yolks, sugar and cornstarch in a small bowl. Slowly pour hot juice into egg mixture, while whisking constantly. Return mixture to pan and cook, stirring constantly, until it boils and coats back of a spoon. Continue cooking about 1 more minute. Remove from heat, stir in butter, lemon juice, and salt. Strain mixture into a small bowl set over ice. Place a piece of plastic wrap directly onto surface of curd and set aside to cool. 2. Finely grate zest from 1 orange and reserve. Trim and discard peel from remaining orange and cut out segments. Chop and toss with zest. Whip cream and confectioners' sugar together until soft peaks form and fold into chopped orange.
• 3. Juice zested orange into a bowl and stir in sherry. Lightly brush ladyfingers with this liquid and press into bottom and along sides of 6 ramekins. Evenly divide pineapple curd among ramekins. Top each with orange-whipped cream and toasted coconut. Refrigerate until set, at least 2 hours or overnight. Release cakes from ramekins to serve.

AMBROSIA CAKE

Steps:

• Cut the cake horizontally into thirds and place the bottom layer on a serving plate. In a small bowl add the yogurt and a 1/2 cup of whipped topping and mix well to blend. Spread on the bottom layer and top with the sliced grapes. Add the middle layer and spread with the preserves and cover with the orange segments. Put the last layer on top and frost entire cake with remaining whipped topping. Toss 1 cup coconut with the toasted coconut and press into sides of cake. Arrange pineapple and cherries on top.
• Refrigerate until ready to serve. Serve at room temperature.

CRAIG CLAIBORNE'S AMBROSIA

Steps:

• Peel the oranges, cutting away all the white pith. Using a sharp stainless steel knife, carefully cut the juicy flesh from the membranes that surround it. Discard the membranes and any seeds. There should be about 5 cups of flesh.
• Put one-fourth of the orange sections in a crystal bowl and add half a cup of the coconut and half a cup of banana slices. Sprinkle with one-fourth of the sugar. Continue making layers until all the ingredients are used. Sprinkle with enough orange juice to moisten well. Chill and serve.

AMBROSIA CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour two 9 inch round cake pans.
• In a large bowl, cream together the shortening and 1 3/4 cups sugar until light and fluffy. Combine the flour, baking powder and salt; stir into the creamed mixture alternately with the milk, beginning and ending with the flour. Stir in vanilla and 1 cup coconut. In a separate glass or metal bowl, whip egg whites to soft peaks. Fold egg whites into the cake batter. Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans.
• Bake for 35 minutes in the preheated oven, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cakes comes out clean. Cool cakes in pans over a wire rack. When cakes are cool enough to handle, tap out of the pan to cool completely. Spread the Citrus Coconut Filling between the layers, and frost the outside with fluffy white frosting.
• To make the Citrus Coconut Filling: Whisk together 1/2 cup sugar and cornstarch in a small saucepan. Add butter, coconut, and egg yolk, and cook over medium heat stirring constantly until the butter is melted, and the mixture has thickened. Remove from heat, and stir in the orange zest, orange juice and lemon juice.
• To make Fluffy White Frosting: Combine 1 cup sugar with corn syrup and water in a small saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally to dissolve sugar. Continue cooking without stirring, until the temperature is between 234 and 240 degrees F (112 to 116 degrees C), or until a small amount of syrup dropped into cold water forms a soft ball that flattens when removed from the water and placed on a flat surface. In a large glass or metal bowl, whip remaining 2 egg whites until soft peaks form. Pour the hot syrup in a thin stream into the egg whites while continuing to whip until thick and glossy. Stir in almond extract.

AMBROSIA LAYER CAKE

Steps:

• Make cake:
• Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 350°F. Butter and flour cake pans, knocking out excess flour.
• Sift together flour (2 3/4 cups), baking powder, and salt into a bowl.
• Beat together butter and sugar with an electric mixer (fitted with paddle attachment if using a stand mixer) at medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, 3 to 5 minutes. Beat in eggs 1 at a time, then beat in zest and vanilla and continue beating 5 minutes more. Reduce speed to low, then add flour mixture and milk alternately in 4 batches, beginning with flour mixture and mixing until batter is just smooth. Divide between cake pans, spreading evenly.
• Bake cake layers until they begin to pull away from sides of pans and a wooden pick or skewer comes out clean, 20 to 25 minutes. Cool 5 minutes in pans on racks, then invert cake layers onto racks and cool completely. (Leave oven on for toasting coconut.)
• Make filling while layers bake:
• Whisk together eggs in a heatproof bowl until combined well.
• With clean dry whisk, stir together sugar, cornstarch, and a pinch of salt in a 1 1/2- to 2-quart heavy saucepan, then whisk in water and juices until smooth. Bring to a boil over moderate heat, whisking, then reduce heat and cook at a bare simmer, whisking constantly, 2 minutes (mixture will be thick).
• Add half of hot juice mixture to eggs in a slow stream, whisking, then whisk egg mixture into juices in saucepan and cook over moderately low heat, whisking, just until it reaches a boil. Remove pan from heat, then add butter and zest, whisking until butter is melted. Chill filling, its surface covered with a buttered round of wax paper (buttered side down), until cold, about 30 minutes.
• Make frosting:
• Spread coconut in a shallow baking pan and toast in oven, stirring occasionally, until golden, 12 to 15 minutes.
• Beat together egg whites, sugar, water, corn syrup, and a pinch of salt in a large metal bowl with a handheld electric mixer (clean beaters if necessary) until combined. Set bowl over a saucepan of simmering water and beat mixture at high speed until it holds stiff, glossy peaks, 5 to 7 minutes. (Humid weather may necessitate additional beating time.) Remove bowl from heat, then add vanilla and lemon juice and continue beating until frosting is cooled and very thick, 6 to 10 minutes.
• Assemble cake:
• Halve each cake horizontally with a long serrated knife. Put 1 layer on a cake stand or large plate and spread with about 3/4 cup filling. Stack remaining cake layers using about 3/4 cup filling between each layer. Spread top and side of cake with frosting and coat cake with coconut, gently pressing to help it adhere.

AMBROSIA CAKE

Steps:

• Bake the cake: Heat oven to 350 degrees and place a rack in the middle. Butter two 9-inch cake pans and line with parchment paper on the bottom.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder and salt. In a separate bowl, whisk together milk, coconut milk, rum and vanilla.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat butter, coconut oil and sugar together until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Beat in egg yolks, one at a time, then beat in zest. Beat in half the flour mixture, followed by half the milk mixture. Repeat, beating just until combined and scraping down bowl as necessary.
• In a separate bowl, use an electric beater to whisk egg whites just until stiff peaks form. Fold into cake batter.
• Divide batter between pans. Bake until lightly golden and toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, about 30 minutes. Transfer pans to a wire rack to cool for 10 minutes, then unmold cakes and cool completely on rack. (Cakes can be made up to 2 days ahead; once cool, wrap in plastic and refrigerate.)
• Meanwhile, make the filling: Bring clementine juice and lemon juice to a boil over medium heat in a medium saucepan. In a medium bowl, whisk together eggs, yolks, sugar and salt. Whisking constantly, slowly pour hot juice into eggs, then return mixture to saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until thickened, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat; whisk in butter and vanilla. Push through a strainer set over a medium bowl, and stir in clementine zest. Cover with plastic wrap directly on surface of curd and refrigerate until cold. (Curd can be made up to 5 days ahead.) Or to speed up cooling, set bowl of curd in a larger bowl filled with ice water and stir curd until very cold, 7 to 10 minutes. Cover and refrigerate until needed.
• Prepare clementines for decorating the cake: Cut the top and bottom off a clementine and set it cut-side down on a cutting board. Use a sharp knife to cut away peel and pith, following the curve of the fruit from top to bottom. Working over a bowl to catch the juices, carefully cut out each segment from the membrane; it should fall into the bowl as you cut. Lay segments out on paper towels to dry slightly while you cut remaining fruit.
• Use a large knife to trim tops of cakes to level them, and cut both cakes in half horizontally to make layers.
• Place a cake layer on a serving dish and spread a third of the curd over it, leaving a 1-inch border around the edge. Layer a third of the clementine segments on top of curd, spacing them evenly so cake will be balanced. Top with another layer, spread another third of curd over it, and layer with 1/2 cup shredded coconut. Top with cake layer, repeat curd and clementines, saving some clementines for top of cake. Place the remaining cake layer on top, and chill while making frosting.
• Make the frosting: Bring a medium pot with 1 inch of water to boil. In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine egg whites, sugar, cream of tartar and salt. Set bowl over simmering water and whisk constantly until eggs reach 160 degrees, or the sugar has melted. Remove from heat, and beat on medium-high speed until stiff peaks form, about 5 minutes.
• Immediately spread frosting on cake and press coconut shreds into tops and sides. Top with clementine wedges and strawberries if using; serve within an hour or two. (Or, keep refrigerated for up to 8 hours and wait until just before serving to top with fresh fruit.)

LUXURIOUS ANGEL FOOD AMBROSIA CAKE

Steps:

• PINEAPPLE CURD: Bring juice from canned pineapple to boil. Whisk together eggs, yolk, and sugar in medium bowl. Add to pineapple juice, whisking continuously over medium heat until it becomes thick (3-4 minutes). Take off heat, stir in butter and salt. Pour in small bowl, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour.
• CAKE: Slice cake horizontally into 3 even layers.
• In a mixing bowl, add vanilla frosting, orange juice and orange zest; stir to combine. Place bottom layer of cake on platter, spread 1/2 of orange frosting on bottom layer, top with mandarin oranges.
• Place another layer of cake on top, spread pineapple curd over this layer and top with 4 slices of pineapple rings cut in 1/2.
• Add third layer of cake, frost all around the sides with rest of orange frosting. Frost top with cream cheese frosting.
• Layer 4 pineapple rings on top, cut into 1/4 and second can of mandarin oranges.Press toasted coconut into sides and on top of cake.

AMBROSIA CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour two 9 inch round cake pans.
• In a large bowl, cream together the shortening and 1 3/4 cups sugar until light and fluffy. Combine the flour, baking powder and salt; stir into the creamed mixture alternately with the milk, beginning and ending with the flour. Stir in vanilla and 1 cup coconut. In a separate glass or metal bowl, whip egg whites to soft peaks. Fold egg whites into the cake batter. Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans.
• Bake for 35 minutes in the preheated oven, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cakes comes out clean. Cool cakes in pans over a wire rack. When cakes are cool enough to handle, tap out of the pan to cool completely. Spread the Citrus Coconut Filling between the layers, and frost the outside with fluffy white frosting.
• To make the Citrus Coconut Filling: Whisk together 1/2 cup sugar and cornstarch in a small saucepan. Add butter, coconut, and egg yolk, and cook over medium heat stirring constantly until the butter is melted, and the mixture has thickened. Remove from heat, and stir in the orange zest, orange juice and lemon juice.
• To make Fluffy White Frosting: Combine 1 cup sugar with corn syrup and water in a small saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally to dissolve sugar. Continue cooking without stirring, until the temperature is between 234 and 240 degrees F (112 to 116 degrees C), or until a small amount of syrup dropped into cold water forms a soft ball that flattens when removed from the water and placed on a flat surface. In a large glass or metal bowl, whip remaining 2 egg whites until soft peaks form. Pour the hot syrup in a thin stream into the egg whites while continuing to whip until thick and glossy. Stir in almond extract.