Free Rose's Heavenly Cakes by Rose Levy Beranbaum

(Longer storage dulls the fresh citrus flavor.)

White Chocolate Lemon Buttercream
    Makes: 4½ cups/30.7 ounces/870 grams

White Chocolate Custard Base
    Makes: 2¼ cups plus 2 tablespoons/22.6 ounces/640 grams
Volume
Ounce
Gram
white chocolate containing cocoa butter and vanilla seeds, preferably Green & Black's, chopped (see Note )
.
10.6
300
unsalted butter (65° to 75°F/19° to 23°C)
10½ tablespoons (1 stick plus 2½ tablespoons)
5.3
150
4 large eggs, at room temperature
¾ cup (6 fluid ounces)
7
200
    Make the White Chocolate Custard Base
    In the top of a double boiler set over barely simmering water, melt the white chocolate and butter, stirring often until smooth and creamy. (Don't let the bottom of the container touch the water.) Whisk the eggs lightly to break them up and then whisk them into the melted white chocolate mixture. Continue whisking and heating until an instant-read thermometer registers 140°F/60°C. The mixture will have thickened slightly. Remove it from the heat, transfer it to a bowl, cover, and refrigerate for about 45 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes until cool to the touch. An instant-read thermometer should register 65° to 70°F/19° to 21°C.

Completed White Chocolate Lemon Buttercream
Volume
Ounce
Gram
unsalted butter (65° to 75°F/19° to 23°C)
10 tablespoons (1 stick plus 2 tablespoons)
5
142
White Chocolate Custard Base
2¼ cups plus 2 tablespoons
22.6
640
Lemon Curd
6 tablespoons
3.5
100
    Complete the Buttercream
    In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk beater, beat the butter on medium-low speed until creamy, about 30 seconds. Gradually beat the white chocolate custard base into the butter, scraping the sides of the bowl as needed, until stiff peaks form when the beater is raised. Cover and set aside for 1½ to 2 hours, or until the mixture is slightly thickened and spongy. It should be no warmer than 70°F/21°C. If necessary, chill it in an ice water bath (see Water Baths ) for a few minutes, stirring constantly. Beat on medium-high speed for 30 seconds until smooth, light, and creamy. Add the lemon curd and beat just until incorporated.
    Compose the Cake
    Cut each layer in half. Spread ½ cup/4.3 ounces/122 grams of the remaining lemon curd on the bottom layer of each of the two sets of layers. Set the upper layers on top of each bottom layer. Spread it almost to the edges as the weight of the upper layer will push it out just to the edge. Reserve the remaining lemon curd to garnish the buttercream.
    Spread a little buttercream on a 9-inch cardboard round or serving plate and place one set of layers on top. If using the plate, slide a few wide strips of wax paper or parchment under the cake to keep the rim of the plate clean. Spread the top of the first set of layers with about ¾ cup/6.5 ounces/183 grams of the buttercream. Set the second set of layers on top of the first. Frost the top and sides with the remaining buttercream. With a small metal spatula, make attractive swirls in the frosting. Refrigerate the cake for about 1 hour to set the buttercream. Swirl dollops of the reserved lemon curd into the buttercream. If using the paper strips, slowly slide them out from under the cake. Serve at room temperature.
    Note
    Green & Black's white chocolate contains vanilla seeds. If using another high-quality white chocolate such as Valrhona, which doesn't contain vanilla seeds, you can add 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract and the seeds of one vanilla bean to the white chocolate mixture.

Apple-Cinnamon Crumb Coffee Cake
    Serves: 8 to 10
    Baking Time: 55 to 65 minutes
    Classic apple cake with crumb topping is an all-time American favorite, but here are two tricks to make it even better. A talented friend and colleague, Dede Wilson, suggested the first: melting the butter for the topping to make it crisper. I discovered the other: letting the cake set before adding the topping so that no crumbs sink into the batter or overbrown on the top due to baking too long. Soft, moist,