When preparing a celebration cake (be it birthdays, promotion, seasonal celebration) you can up the grade a level or two by making this cake.
You need a cookie cutter for whatever you wish (apple, heart, tree). You will have to make two cakes. Each one has a different consistency and everyone will want to know just how you did this. You need colour contrast (if for a little princess, make the one cake pink and the other one chocolate) You just need to use your imagination.
Here we go….
Vanilla Cake
- 1 1/2 cups flour
- pinch of salt
- 1/4 tsp. baking powder
- 1/4 tsp. baking soda
- 1/2 cup butter
- 1 1/2 cups sugar
- 1/4 cup Crisco oil
- 2 eggs
- 1/2 cup buttermilk
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 13 x 9 baking pan and then line with parchment paper. Grease the paper and flour the pan. Set aside.
In a medium bowl sift together the flour, salt, baking powder and baking soda. Set aside. In a large bowl beat the butter and sugar in your electric mixer on high speed for about 3 minutes so that it becomes light and fluffy. Add the oil and beat until well incorporated. Add the eggs and beat well.
Alternate the flour and buttermilk, beating well after each addition on a low speed. Pour the batter into prepared pan. Level it evenly and bake for 25-30 minutes until it springs back when lightly touched. Transfer to a wire rack and cool completely. Wrap with plastic wrap and freeze for 30 minutes.
Chocolate Cake
- 8 oz. bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
- 1 cup extremely hot coffee
- 1/2 cup buttermilk
- 1 tsp. vanilla
- 4 cups flour
- 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa
- pinch of salt
- 3/4 tsp. baking powder
- 1/2 tsp. baking soda
- 1 1/2 cups unsalted butter, softened
- 3 cups sugar
- 3/4 cups Crisco oil
- 6 eggs
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 10 inch tube pan with Pam and set aside. Place the chocolate in a metal, heatproof bowl and pour the hot coffee over it, Do not stir. Let stand for about 2 minutes and then whisk together the coffee and chocolate until smooth. Now let this cool down. Stir in the butter and vanilla, set aside.
In the bowl of your electric mixer, beat the butter and sugar for about 3 minutes until light and fluffy. Add the oil and beat a further 2 minutes. Add the eggs and beat well. Alternate the flour and chocolate on a low speed until incorporated and then on high for about 20 seconds and set aside.
To Assemble
Using a 3 inch cutter of your choice, cut out 12-14 pieces of the one you have chosen. Pour one half of the batter into the round pan. Place the cutouts ‘standing up’ upside down, about 1/2 inch apart. Spoon the batter around and between each of the cutouts. Then spoon the balance of the cake mixture over the top and carefully spread this out to completely cover. Transfer to a foiled lined baking sheet.
Bake for 1 hour and 20 minutes. During the final 15 minutes, loosely cover the cake so that it doesn’t burn. Remove the cake from the oven and let cool on a wire rack for about 15-20 minutes. Run a table knife around the edge to loosen the cake and invert onto the rack and remove the pan. Cool completely.
Marshmallow Icing
- 6 egg whites
- 1 1/2 cups sugar
- 2 tbsp. clear corn syrup
- pinch of salt
In a stainless steel bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water, combine the ingredients and beat until light and fluffy and an instant-read thermometer reads 160 degrees. (About 10 minutes). Remove the bowl from the saucepan and continue beating until flight and fluffy and stiff peaks form. Let cool. You can add any food colouring you wish and the ice the cake, using an offset spatula.
This will serve 24 people and it will definitely be a hit.
