chocolate merlot cake [a work in progress]
I didn't write the recipe down as I went about making this back in February, so now I'm trying to remember everything I did. The Russian suggested I just make another one. First response 'what are you, nuts?' Second response, 'well, that would give me a chance to improve on it.'
So that's a project for a future day. In the meantime, here's what I remember.
Chocolate Wine Cake (12x16 two-layer sheet cake)
Chocolate Wine Cake
- 2 cups sugar
- 6 cups flour
- 4-1/2 tsp baking soda
- 12 tbsp cocoa powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 3 cups red wine (merlot, in this case, mixed with some lemon and honey for sweetness and acidity)
- 4 tsp vanilla
- 3 cups mayonnaise
Sift dry ingredients together. Add mayonnaise. Add wet ingredients. Bake at 350 until done.
(This makes one 12x16 layer. So, you know, do this part twice.)
****
Cherry Mint filling
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh mint leaves
- 1/2 cup hot water
- 3 cups cherries, halved and pitted
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 2 tbsp corn starch
- 1 tsp vanilla
Place mint in heatproof bowl and pour the boiling water over the leaves, then muddle (crush) the leaves with a spoon and let stand until the water is cool. Then pour the water and leaves into a saucepan with the rest of the ingredients and cook until done. (If using frozen cherries, this shouldn't take very long at all.)
****
Dark Chocolate Frosting (filling)
- 1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups sifted confectioner's sugar
- 3 oz dark chocolate, melted
- 2-3 tablespoons almond milk
Cream butter. Add chocolate and vanilla. Then gradually add powdered sugar, and finally add the milk until frosting reaches spreadable consistency.
(I don't actually remember what recipe I used for the frosting. Since I was trying to minimize the use of dairy products, it could even have been a whipped ganache. But I can't help thinking that if I called it a frosting then it was a frosting, so there's one option.)
****
Semisweet Chocolate Ganache (frosting)
- 12 oz chocolate
- 12 oz almond milk
Warm the almond milk. Pour over chopped chocolate. Let it sit for 30 seconds then stir until smooth. Cool to room temp (or a spreadable consistency).
****
So, make the cakes and let 'em rest. Make the fillings. Spread the chocolate filling on the bottom cake, then spread the cherries atop that. Then place the top layer. Then spread ganache over the whole shebang. (Then take a wine cake to a baby shower.) Boom! You're done.
This entry was originally posted at http://stuberyl.dreamwidth.org/305559.html. Feel free to comment here or there (but not everywhere).
So that's a project for a future day. In the meantime, here's what I remember.
Chocolate Wine Cake (12x16 two-layer sheet cake)
Chocolate Wine Cake
- 2 cups sugar
- 6 cups flour
- 4-1/2 tsp baking soda
- 12 tbsp cocoa powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 3 cups red wine (merlot, in this case, mixed with some lemon and honey for sweetness and acidity)
- 4 tsp vanilla
- 3 cups mayonnaise
Sift dry ingredients together. Add mayonnaise. Add wet ingredients. Bake at 350 until done.
(This makes one 12x16 layer. So, you know, do this part twice.)
****
Cherry Mint filling
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh mint leaves
- 1/2 cup hot water
- 3 cups cherries, halved and pitted
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 2 tbsp corn starch
- 1 tsp vanilla
Place mint in heatproof bowl and pour the boiling water over the leaves, then muddle (crush) the leaves with a spoon and let stand until the water is cool. Then pour the water and leaves into a saucepan with the rest of the ingredients and cook until done. (If using frozen cherries, this shouldn't take very long at all.)
****
Dark Chocolate Frosting (filling)
- 1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups sifted confectioner's sugar
- 3 oz dark chocolate, melted
- 2-3 tablespoons almond milk
Cream butter. Add chocolate and vanilla. Then gradually add powdered sugar, and finally add the milk until frosting reaches spreadable consistency.
(I don't actually remember what recipe I used for the frosting. Since I was trying to minimize the use of dairy products, it could even have been a whipped ganache. But I can't help thinking that if I called it a frosting then it was a frosting, so there's one option.)
****
Semisweet Chocolate Ganache (frosting)
- 12 oz chocolate
- 12 oz almond milk
Warm the almond milk. Pour over chopped chocolate. Let it sit for 30 seconds then stir until smooth. Cool to room temp (or a spreadable consistency).
****
So, make the cakes and let 'em rest. Make the fillings. Spread the chocolate filling on the bottom cake, then spread the cherries atop that. Then place the top layer. Then spread ganache over the whole shebang. (Then take a wine cake to a baby shower.) Boom! You're done.
This entry was originally posted at http://stuberyl.dreamwidth.org/305559.html. Feel free to comment here or there (but not everywhere).