This cake was quite a production, not least of which was because we had meetings until 4:00 or 4:30, I had to finish some grading because it is just driving me crazy to have so many assignments on my desk, I got home just after 5:00, and we were hosting the Bulgarian Ladies' Book Club (BLBC!) at 7:30. Lindsay was already hard at work on her half of the hosting duties - chopping veggies and fruit, making hummus, guacamole, salsa, and setting out chips, crackers, cheese, bonitsa, and the like. I started cooking right away (well, mixing) and the cake was served at around 9:45. There is a lot of waiting time with this cake, but it definitely spans a good 5 hours to make it depending on your oven space and other issues.
Of course, I got the recipe from SK and this time, I followed it exactly as I have no experience baking cakes and as the process went on (read: when I reached the icing stage), I realized what an endeavor it is to bake a cake.
The first set of ingredients are for the chocolate cake only, which is three 8-inch layers (or not, if you are me and things are never quite that perfect). Following will be the recipes for the peanut butter frosting and chocolate ganache. Oh, this baby is rich!
Chocolate Cake
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 1/2 cups sugar
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, preferably Dutch process
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup neutral vegetable oil, such as canola, soybean or vegetable blend
1 cup sour cream
1 1/2 cups water
2 tablespoons distilled white vinegar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 eggs
1/2 cup coarsely chopped peanut brittle (I skipped this)
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter the bottoms and sides of three 8-inch round cakepans. SK recommends that you line the bottom of each pan with a round of parchment or waxed paper and butter the paper. I didn't do this for my first two and regretted it when they still sort of stuck to the bottom of the pans. On the third one, I put in the paper and it worked like a charm.
2. Sift the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt into a large bowl. Whisk to combine them well. Add the oil and sour cream and whisk to blend. Gradually beat in the water. Blend in the vinegar and vanilla. Whisk in the eggs and beat until well blended. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and be sure the batter is well mixed. Divide among the 3 prepared cake pans. For me, I only had one pan, so I baked one and let it sit, used a different size cake pan for the second, then took the first out and used the same pan for the third. The cake still tastes the same, so even though it doesn't look perfect, I haven't heard any complaints.
3. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until a cake tester or wooden toothpick inserted in the center comes out almost clean. Let cool in the pans for about 20 minutes. Invert onto wire racks, carefully peel off the paper liners, and let cool completely. (SK note: These cakes are very, very soft. I found them a lot easier to work with after firming them up in the freezer for 30 minutes. They’ll defrost quickly once assembled. You’ll be glad you did this, trust me). I don't have wire racks, so I just let them cool for 20 minutes, turned them onto a plate (after scraping the first two off the pans), and then put them in the fridge for another 20 minutes before moving them to the freezer.
4. To frost the cake, place one layer, flat side up, on a cake stand or large serving plate. Spread 2/3 cup cup of the Peanut Butter Frosting evenly over the top. Repeat with the next layer. Place the last layer on top and frost the top and sides of the cake with the remaining frosting. (SK note 1: Making a crumb coat of frosting–a thin layer that binds the dark crumbs to the cake so they don’t show up in the final outer frosting layer–is a great idea for this cake, or any with a dark cake and lighter-colored frosting. Once you “mask” your cake, let it chill for 15 to 30 minutes until firm, then use the remainder of the frosting to create a smooth final coating. SK note 2: Once the cake is fully frosting, it helps to chill it again and let it firm up. The cooler and more set the peanut butter frosting is, the better drip effect you’ll get from the Chocolate-Peanut Butter Glaze). I found the frosting process very frustrating as the frosting was really thick and often grabbed up pieces of the cake. I even did her little thin layer first trick, but couldn't get it thin enough and hard enough that it was too much easier after that. I was able to spread a little bit more frosting a little easier on the bottom, which I am sure is due to her technique.
After the first layer of icing, before going into the fridge.
The second layer of icing before the glaze was a little smoother and well covered.
This was frustrating me a bit and I had to take a few chill-out-and-relax breaks
5. To decorate with the Chocolate–Peanut Butter Glaze, put the cake plate on a large baking sheet to catch any drips. Simply pour the glaze over the top of the cake, and using an offset spatula, spread it evenly over the top just to the edges so that it runs down the sides of the cake in long drips. Refrigerate, uncovered, for at least 30 minutes to allow the glaze and frosting to set completely. Remove about 1 hour before serving. I found that my glaze was pretty liquidy and ran way beyond the cake, but it was still pretty thick and delicious and had the drip effect. I put it in the fridge for about an hour and then served it right away and that was fine.
Peanut Butter Frosting
Makes about 5 cups
10 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
1 stick (4 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature
5 cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted
2/3 cup smooth peanut butter, preferably a commercial brand (because oil doesn’t separate out)
1. In a large bowl with an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese and butter until light and fluffy. Gradually add the confectioners’ sugar 1 cup at a time, mixing thoroughly after each addition and scraping down the sides of the bowl often. Continue to beat on medium speed until light and fluffy, 3 to 4 minutes.
2. Add the peanut butter and beat until thoroughly blended.
Chocolate-Peanut Butter Glaze
Makes about 1 1/2 cups
8 ounces seimsweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
3 tablespoons smooth peanut butter
2 tablespoons light corn syrup
1/2 cup half-and-half
1. In the top of a double boiler or in a bowl set over simmering water, combine the chocolate, peanut butter, and corn syrup. Cook, whisking often, until the chocolate is melted and the mixture is smooth.
2. Remove from the heat and whisk in the half-and-half, beating until smooth. Use while still warm.
A few more pictures because I was really trying to capture what a production this thing was and how deliciously rich it tasted. Also, it makes me feel justified in the amount of time and effort I put into it:
The Ladies of the BLBC liked it, I liked it, and I have leftovers, so at the end of the day, I am a happy lady.
No comments:
Post a Comment