Chocolate Orange Ombre Cake - Happy 64th Birthday to MIL

Ingredient	Method
Cake: 170 grams LP flour 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder 200 grams granulated sugar 3/4 teaspoon salt 160 ml whole milk, at room temperature 4 A egg whites, at room temperature 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 115 grams unsalted butter, at room temperature and cut into chunks  (I used farmcows brand) 1 1/2 teaspoons orange emulco, divided use 1 orange zest few drops of orange food coloring	1. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees C. 2. Grease 4 6-inch pans and line the bottoms with parchment paper. 3. In a large mixing bowl (or the bowl of a stand mixer), combine the flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt. Whisk or beat together for about 30 seconds. 4. In a measuring cup, whisk together the milk, egg whites, and vanilla extract until well blended. 5. Add the butter, one chunk at a time, into the flour mixture (step 3) with the mixer on low speed. Continue mixing until the butter is incorporated and the mixture resembles moist crumbs. 6. Add 2/3 cup of the milk mixture into the crumbs and beat on medium speed for about 90 seconds. 7. Add the rest of the milk and beat for another 30 seconds on medium speed. 8. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula and beat for 20 more seconds. 9. Divide the batter equally between the 4 pans (each apprv 195g): 1st 195g batter as plain batter.  then add the orange zest and 1/2 tsp orange emulco into remaining batter. Pour 195g (2nd batter) into a clean bowl/cake pan. then the remaining batter add another 1 to 1.5 tsp orange emulco and 1-2 drop orange food coloring and scale 195g into a clean bowl/cake pan as 3rd batter. for the remaining batter (last 195g as 4th  batter), add 2-3 drop of orange food coloring. 10. Each bake for 20-23 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. 11. Let the cakes cool in the pans for 15 minutes on wire racks. 12. Turn the cakes out of the pans and cool completely on wire racks before frosting.
Ganache: 150g dark chocolate coins, melted 110g sour cream 1 tsp vanilla extract	1. Mircowave the chocolate for 1-2 minutes at medium heat until chocolate melted. 2. Pour the sour cream and vanilla extract over the chocolate, then whisk until melted and smooth.
Frosting: Swiss buttercream: 2 A egg whites 100 grams granulated sugar 135 grams unsalted butter, cut into cube, at room temperature (I used farmcows brand) 1 teaspoons pure vanilla extract 1/4 teaspoon fine salt flavor: 1 tsp black cocoa powder 2 tsp cocoa powder	Swiss buttercream: 1. Wipe the bowl of an electric mixer with paper towel and lemon juice or vinegar to remove any trace of grease. Make a double boiler by placing the mixer bowl over a saucepan of simmering water, making sure the bowl doesn’t touch the water. 2. Add the egg whites and sugar to the bowl, whisking constantly but gently, until temperature reaches 60°C, or until the sugar has completely dissolved and the egg whites are hot. Remove from heat. 3. Using hand mixer, whisk until the meringue is thick, glossy, and the bottom of the bowl no longer feels warm, about 6 to 8 minutes. 4. With mixer on low speed, add the butter cubes, one at a time, until incorporated. Continue beating until it has reached a silky smooth texture. If the buttercream curdles simply keep mixing and it will come back to smooth. If the buttercream is too thin and runny, refrigerate for about 15 minutes before continuing mixing until it comes together. Add the vanilla and salt, continuing to beat on low speed until well combined. 5. Add additional flavors, purees, or mix-ins as desired. 6. Keep in airtight container in refrigerator for up to one week or in the freezer for up to 2 months. Let come to room temperature and re-whip in the mixer before using. *The frosting recipe makes enough to fill, crumb coat, and frost the cake. If you want to do borders or more elaborate decorations, multiply the recipe by 1.5.
Chocolate Plastic Roses: 90 gr Chocolate Plastic	1. Take the chocolate plastic out of the refrigerator.  It will be hard as a rock. Leave it on a counter for 30 minutes to soften slightly. 2. Knead the plastic with your hands to make it smooth (or for dark chocolate using cocoa powder to lightly dust my hands and work surface) and pliable before you start (it might appear grainy at first, but the kneading will change it). 3. Making Rose: First, made a cone shape for the center of the rose base. Then form another piece into 10 little chocolate balls (about  ½-inch in diameter) rolling it in the palms of your hands. Pat the ball between two layers of parchment paper and flattened it out with my fingers to start to form a thin petals. 4. Refrigerate the petal, still between the plastic wrap, for a minute (to firm the chocolate plastic and make it easier to handle). While one petal is chilling, form another one for the continuous process. Take the chilled petal out of the fridge. Carefully peel the plastic wrap and attach the petal to the cone base. Wearing thin, surgical-type gloves helps significantly. Attach another petal to the base overlapping the petals slightly. Make the closed bud first, then start attaching the open petals around. Curve the petal edges gently outward using a toothpick. Repeat the shaping, chilling, and overlapping the petals until you get the desired size and shape of the flower. 5. Refrigerate the finished chocolate rose until firm, cover loosely with plastic wrap or container and keep in the fridge until needed.
Assembly 1. Place one layer of the cake on a 6-inch cake board. 2. Spread about chocolate ganache evenly over the top. 3. Add the second layer and do the same. 4. Place a generous scoop of frosting on the top of the cake, and spread evenly across the top of the cake with an offset spatula. Work your way around the sides until the entire cake is covered with a thin layer of frosting. A turntable is helpful when frosting a layer cake. Let the crumb coat set in the fridge for about 30 minutes. 5. Once the crumb coat has set, using a small off-set spatula, smooth out the buttercream on top of the cake 6. Place your first color in a piping bag fitted with a plain round tip.  Starting at the bottom, pipe rings of icing around the cake.  Layer in the next color(s) into the piping bag and continue around until you reach the top of the cake.  You may use the same piping bag to help with some of the color transition.  However, if colors are bold and are becoming too "streaky," then feel free to use a clean piping bag in between colors. 7. Try aiming to get an even amount of buttercream on all sides.  You do not need a ton of icing, but enough so that when we smooth it out, there will not be cake poking thru. 8. Once all of the colors are on, begin smoothing out the buttercream.  Start by just using an off-set spatula held perpendicular to your turntable.  Remove any excess frosting, but do not worry about getting things perfect just yet.  Be sure to completely clean of your tools between use. 9. Take your icing smoother and continue to even out the icing.  Place the smoother lightly on the cake, with the bottom touching the turntable, and rotate the cake around.  Remember to clean your tools between "swipes."  If there are any holes, carefully add in a bit of icing in that color. 10. Carefully smooth out the top edge with an off-set spatula, as you would with icing a regular cake. 11. Top with chocolate rose.