cake!!!!
CAKE MAKING EXPEDITION OF AWESOME:
So, last Thursday, Hannah and I made the most delicious cake I have ever eaten in my entire life. If you like peanut butter and chocolate, you must make this cake. It took all day but it was worth every second of it. Really. It's required for your life.
It was a baking day of fun. Hannah made delicious wings and I focused on the cake. The day began with making the cake batter and then baking the cakes. After they came out and cooled, the three layers were wrapped in wax paper and frozen. I had to run and take my brother to art class, but then I returned to her house.
Then, the building of the layers and the initial icing. The icing is a cream cheese peanut butter icing which basically tastes like clouds flavored with peanut butter. It was light and fluffy and just so perfect that I almost just ate the icing alone. God, so delicious.
Sooo after that I stuck the cake back in the freeze until it would be iced for real. Hannah had her therapist meeting so we went to that while the cake froze again. Upon return, I made the final part (the chocolate peanut butter ganache to be drizzled on it) and mmmmmm. SO TASTY!!! Holly showed up for the final bits to help us eat and finish the cake~
IT. WAS. AMAZING. If you never make any other cake, make this one. I cannot stress this enough. It's incredibly rich and delicious and just...I cannot put into words how good this cake was.
So now, PICTURES!!! And then the recipe :3
Measuring the cocoa powder. Oh yeah, no melted chocolate chips or anything, this cake takes straight cocoa powder.
Flour, sugar, cocoa powder, salt, and baking soda, about to be sifted.
Hannah sifting. It took FOREVER so I needed to give my arms a rest.
Cakes in the oven! Notice that they are in pie pans...Hannah and I apparently cannot tell the difference, we are idiots.
The counter top...oh the messes we had to clean up...
Measuring peanut butter for the icing.
Whipping together the cream cheese and powdered sugar. mmmmmm...
The cake may have been lopsided but it was so still SO TASTY!!!
Inside of the cake! :D
And now the recipe, from Smitten Kitchen:
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. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter the bottoms and sides of three 8-inch round cakepans. Line the bottom of each pan with a round of parchment or waxed paper and butter the paper.
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.
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. (Killian's note: FREEZE THE CAKE LAYERS OH MY GOD it helps so much, this cake is so soft and moist it will fall apart. Freezing them makes building the whole thing a billion times easier)
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. (Killian's note: make a crumb layer of frosting. Basically you just lightly frost the cake, covering every bit of crumb, and then freeze it again. This makes putting the main layer of icing on easier AND you don't get little crumbs all over it, making it look nicer!)
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.
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 (Killian's note: recipe suggests a commercial brand, but I only had organic and it worked FINE, so don't stress it)
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 d 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.
So, last Thursday, Hannah and I made the most delicious cake I have ever eaten in my entire life. If you like peanut butter and chocolate, you must make this cake. It took all day but it was worth every second of it. Really. It's required for your life.
It was a baking day of fun. Hannah made delicious wings and I focused on the cake. The day began with making the cake batter and then baking the cakes. After they came out and cooled, the three layers were wrapped in wax paper and frozen. I had to run and take my brother to art class, but then I returned to her house.
Then, the building of the layers and the initial icing. The icing is a cream cheese peanut butter icing which basically tastes like clouds flavored with peanut butter. It was light and fluffy and just so perfect that I almost just ate the icing alone. God, so delicious.
Sooo after that I stuck the cake back in the freeze until it would be iced for real. Hannah had her therapist meeting so we went to that while the cake froze again. Upon return, I made the final part (the chocolate peanut butter ganache to be drizzled on it) and mmmmmm. SO TASTY!!! Holly showed up for the final bits to help us eat and finish the cake~
IT. WAS. AMAZING. If you never make any other cake, make this one. I cannot stress this enough. It's incredibly rich and delicious and just...I cannot put into words how good this cake was.
So now, PICTURES!!! And then the recipe :3
Measuring the cocoa powder. Oh yeah, no melted chocolate chips or anything, this cake takes straight cocoa powder.
Flour, sugar, cocoa powder, salt, and baking soda, about to be sifted.
Hannah sifting. It took FOREVER so I needed to give my arms a rest.
Cakes in the oven! Notice that they are in pie pans...Hannah and I apparently cannot tell the difference, we are idiots.
The counter top...oh the messes we had to clean up...
Measuring peanut butter for the icing.
Whipping together the cream cheese and powdered sugar. mmmmmm...
The cake may have been lopsided but it was so still SO TASTY!!!
Inside of the cake! :D
And now the recipe, from Smitten Kitchen:
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. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter the bottoms and sides of three 8-inch round cakepans. Line the bottom of each pan with a round of parchment or waxed paper and butter the paper.
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.
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. (Killian's note: FREEZE THE CAKE LAYERS OH MY GOD it helps so much, this cake is so soft and moist it will fall apart. Freezing them makes building the whole thing a billion times easier)
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. (Killian's note: make a crumb layer of frosting. Basically you just lightly frost the cake, covering every bit of crumb, and then freeze it again. This makes putting the main layer of icing on easier AND you don't get little crumbs all over it, making it look nicer!)
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.
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 (Killian's note: recipe suggests a commercial brand, but I only had organic and it worked FINE, so don't stress it)
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 d 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.