Grand Marnier Génoise Cake Recipes

ORANGE UPSIDE-DOWN CAKE RECIPE

Steps:

• cut oranges into thin slices. Place them in a saucepan and add granulated sugar. Bring it over low heat, cover the pan, and cook for 1.5 - to 2 hours. Drain the candied oranges through a fine-mesh sieve to get the orange syrup. Add one tablespoon of Grand Marnier to the syrup and set aside. Cool the orange slices down.
• , preheat oven to 392 F/200 C. Using an electric mixer, whisk eggs and powdered (icing) sugar in a bowl, add the vanilla sugar. Bring the mix on a warm (not hot) bain-marie/ water bath to warm up the preparation and continue to whisk. Once the temperature of the eggs/sugar mixture reaches 113 F/45 C (warm to touch), remove the saucepan from the bain-marie/water bath and beat until the mixture doubles in size and cools down.
• Pour about three tablespoons of the cream-like mixture in a separate bowl with the melted butter in and mix. Add the sifted flour to the main mix and gently mix with a rubber spatula. Add the buttered mixture to the main preparation and combine, using the spatula.
• Butter and flour a cake pan 7 inches/18 cm in diameter. Pour the batter in the pan and bake for 20 minutes. Check the readiness of the biscuit with a knife: if it comes out dry, the biscuit is ready. Let cool on a wire rack.
• , bring milk to a boil. In a separate bowl, whisk egg yolks with granulated sugar until the mixture becomes whitish. Add the sifted flour and mix. Pour the boiling milk into the eggs' mixture and stir. Bring it back in the saucepan and cook for 1 to 2 minutes, continually whisking until the cream thickens. Transfer the ready pastry cream in another bowl and beat with a hand whisk to cool down. Add the liquor Grand Marnier and vanilla extract.
• Butter a round cake pan 8 inches/20 cm in diameter. Sprinkle the bottom and sides of the pan with granulated sugar. Line the pan with orange slices, going in a circle and overlapping them in half. Refrigerate.
• Cut the rest of the candied oranges in small pieces and add them to the cooled pastry cream and mix with the spatula. Cover the cream with a plastic film in contact and refrigerate.
• Whisk whipping cream to get whipped cream. Add whipped cream to the cooled pastry cream and gently mix with the spatula. The diplomat cream is ready.
• fill an 8 inches/20 cm pan layered with the orange slices with half of the diplomat cream. Cut Genoise sponge in half in the direction of the thickness, using a serrated knife. Place a biscuit disk on top of the cream and soak with the orange syrup. Cover with the rest of the diplomat cream. Soak another biscuit disk with the orange syrup and cover the cream with the soaked surface down. Refrigerate the cake for at least two hours.
• To unmold, place the pan with the cake over medium heat for a few minutes. Place a serving plate on top of the cake and flip it over with the fast movement. Serve immediately or enjoy within the next 48 hours.

GOLDEN GRAND MARNIER CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• In a small bowl, toss the chocolate chips and a few spoons of Grand Marnier until chips are moistened and shiny. Add the 1 ½ teaspoon flour and toss until evenly coated.
• In a medium bowl, lightly combine the eggs, ¼ cup sour cream, and vanilla.
• In a large mixing bowl combine the dry ingredients and orange zest and mix on low speed a moment to blend. Add the butter and remaining ¾ cup sour cream. Mix on low speed until the dry ingredients are moistened. Increase to medium high speed for 1 ½ minutes to aerate and develop structure. Scrape down sides. Gradually add egg mixture in 3 batches, beating for 20 seconds after each addition to incorporate the ingredients. Scrape down the sides, and fold in the chocolate chips.
• Scrape the batter into a well buttered bundt pan. Bake 55 to 65 minutes or until the cake tests done with a toothpick.
• Shortly before the cake is done, prepare the syrup: Heat the sugar, orange juice, and Grand Marnier until the sugar is dissolved. DO NOT BOIL. As soon as the cake comes out of the oven, place the pan on a rack, poke the top all over with a wire tester, and brush on ½ the syrup. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then invert onto a serving plate. Brush with the remaining syrup and cool completely before wrapping airtight.
• This cake can be made several days ahead and refrigerated, wrapped well. I like to glaze it with a Chocolate Cream Ganache before serving.

GéNOISE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350°F. Mix the flour and salt together. Butter the bottom and sides of a 9-inch round cake pan; cover the bottom with a circle of wax or parchment paper, butter the paper, and sift a little flour over the whole pan; invert and tap out excess flour.
• Use an electric mixer to beat the eggs until doubled in volume and very thick and light, at least 5 minutes. Add half the sugar and beat for another 5 minutes or so, gradually adding the remaining sugar, until nearly tripled in volume. (When you remove the whisk from the eggs, a ribbon of egg will fall from the beaters and hold its shape on top of the mixture for a few seconds. It's a very satisfying sight.) Beat in the vanilla.
• Use a rubber spatula to fold the flour-salt mixture into this batter, a third at a time, gently but thoroughly. Finally, and very gently, fold in the melted butter. Turn the batter into the cake pan and bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until the cake is just firm and slightly springy.
• Remove the cake from the oven and let it rest for a couple of minutes. Run a knife around the edge, cover the pan with a rack, and invert the rack and pan. Cool, then store, covered with wax paper and at room temperature, for no more than a day, or wrap well in plastic and freeze for up to a week.