Name: Lemon-Berry Wedding Cake
Yield: Serves 44
Ingredients: 13 large eggs; 5 1/2 cups sugar; 2 2/3 cups vegetable oil; 2 2/3 cups part-skim ricotta cheese (about 21 ounces); 1/4 cup orange juice; 1/4 cup grated lemon peel (from about 8 lemons); 3 tablespoons orange liqueur; 2 1/2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice; 1 tablespoon vanilla extract; 8 3/4 cups all purpose flour; 2 tablespoons baking powder; 1 teaspoon salt; 5 large eggs; 1 1/4 cups unsalted butter, room temperature; 1 1/4 cups sugar; 3/4 cup fresh lemon juice (from about 5 lemons); 1 tablespoon grated lemon peel; 3 cups chilled whipping cream; 6 tablespoons sugar; 1 1/2 cups water; 3/4 cup fresh lemon juice; 3/4 cup sugar; 1 8-inch-diameter cardboard cake round; 3 1/2 cups fresh raspberries, about three 6-ounce baskets; 3 1/2 cups fresh small blackberries or boysenberries, about three 6-ounce baskets; 1 12-inch-diameter cardboard cake round; 11 large egg yolks; 3 1/4 cups plus 7 tablespoons sugar; 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons milk (do not use low-fat or nonfat); 1 1/2 tablespoons grated lemon peel

Many of the cake's components can be made a head, and once the tiers are filled and decorated, they can be refrigerated up to two days or frozen up to two weeks before the wedding.

The rich, lemony cake has a dense texture like that of a pound cake.

To prevent discoloration of the filling, use a saucepan with a nonreactive interior, such as enamel or stainless steel. (The lemon juice acid will adversely affect the filling if it's made in an unlined iron or aluminum saucepan.)

Recipe notes

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