Copying a Chocolate Cake
Chocolate Cake
I am not a fan of chocolate cake. I’m actually not a fan of chocolate in general. I know, I know. . .it seems impossible to be a foodie-chef and not like chocolate. But, I like it sometimes, it’s just not my favourite!
The cake pictured above is a beauty. I offered to make a cake for a family member for their birthday and, when I asked her what she’d like, she gave me a cookbook with the recipe and picture. Now that’s someone who knows what they want! I loved it as it narrowed the very vast choices for cakes and gave me a challenge.
I followed the recipe in part but for anyone who knows me, I am not a recipe follower as much as an innovater. Anyway, when it came to decorating the cake, I copied the picture as best as I could. (Even better than the picture, if you ask me!)
What the picture doesn’t show is the ‘gong’ show that went with delivering the cake. Suffice it to say, it tipped on transport when my husband jerked the wheel and I was left running home, shaving more chocolate and reassembling the 2 layers in the back of my car. What a nightmare! Gladly, when the clock struck time, everyone ate cake and no one knew the disaster that had occured.
Here is the recipe for the cake. The cookbook pictured is: The Canadian Living Cookbook published in 1987. It has become a classic in most Canadian kitchens and the recipe pictured is found on page 241.
Recipe: Chocolate Cake with Chocolate Filling and Chocolate Glaze
Ingredients
- CAKE:
- 4 oz. of unsweetened chocolate
- 1/3 cup of butter
- 2 cups of flour
- 1 1/2 cups of sugar
- 1 1/2 tsp. of baking soda
- 1 tsp. of salt
- 1 1/2 cups of sour cream
- 2 eggs
- 1 tsp. of vanilla
- FILLING:
- 2 oz. of unsweetened chocolate
- 1/2 cup of butter
- 4 cups of icing sugar
- 1/3 cup of half and half cream
- 1 tsp. of vanilla
- GLAZE:
- 1 cup of semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 3 tbsp. of hot, strong coffee
- 1 tbsp. of brandy
- 3 tbsp. of butter, softened
Instructions
For the cake: In a small bowl, microwave or melt the chocolate and butter in a double boiler until smooth. In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, soda, salt, sour cream, eggs and vanilla. Add the melted chocolate, beating for 3 minutes until smooth. Pour the batter between 2 greased an floured 8 inch baking pans and bake at 350 degrees for 35 minutes. Cool layers before filling and glazing. For the filling: In a small bowl, microwave or melt the chocolate in a double boiler until smooth. In a separate bowl, beat the butter until fluffy and add sugar and cream in alternating shifts until all incorporated and smooth. Beat in the vanilla and cooled chocolate. (The filling should be spreading consistency so you can add more icing sugar or cream to make it just right!) Place 1 layer of the cake on a plate and spread the top with a layer of the filling. Top with the 2nd cake layer and spread the top with the filling. Use the remaining filling to cover the sides of the cake until smooth. For the glaze: In a small bowl, microwave or melt the chocolate and coffee in a double boiler until smooth. Add the brandy and butter and stir until smooth and pourable. Gently pour the warm glaze over the top of the cake, allowing it to cascade down around the sides.
Microformatting by hRecipe.
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