"Bake Lovely Cakes this New year"

[harsha]

Chocolate Layer Cake

Cake:

4 ounces (120 grams) unsweetened chocolate, chopped

1/3 cup (28 grams) unsweetened cocoa powder (not Dutch-processed)

1 cup (240 ml) boiling water

2 1/4 cups (315 grams) all purpose flour

2 teasthingys baking powder

1 teasthingy baking soda

1/4 teasthingy salt

1 cup (226 grams) unsalted butter, room temperature

2 1/4 cup (450 grams) granulated white sugar

3 large eggs

1 1/2 teasthingys pure vanilla extract

1 cup (240 ml) milk

Frosting:

8 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, chopped

1/4 cup (20 grams) cocoa powder (can use Dutch-processed or regular unsweetened cocoa powder)

3/4 cup (180 ml) milk

1/2 cup (113 grams) unsalted butter, cut into pieces

3 cups (345 grams) confectioners (powdered or icing) sugar, sifted to remove lumps

1 1/2 teasthingy pure vanilla extract

4 ounces (115 grams) cream cheese



Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (177 degrees C) and place rack in center of oven. Grease and line with parchment paper, and grease again, two 9 by 2 inch deep (23 by 5 cm) baking pans. Set aside.

In a stainless steel bowl place the chopped unsweetened chocolate and cocoa powder. Pour the boiling water over the chocolate and stir until the chocolate is melted. Set aside to cool while you make the batter.

In a separate bowl, whisk to combine, the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.

In bowl of electric mixer, with the paddle attachment, cream the butter. Gradually add the sugar and continue beating until the mixture is fluffy (this will take about 3-5 minutes). Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Add the vanilla extract and melted chocolate mixture and beat to combine.

Add the milk and flour mixtures in three additions, beginning and ending with the flour mixture. Beat only until the ingredients are incorporated.

Divide the batter between the two prepared pans and use an offset spatula to smooth the tops. Bake in the preheated oven for about 40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean and the tops spring back when lightly pressed. Remove from oven and place on a wire rack to cool for about 10 minutes. Lightly spray a wire rack with Pam or grease with butter before inverting the cakes onto the racks to prevent them from sticking.

Frosting: In a stainless steel bowl over a saucepan of simmering water, place the chopped chocolate, cocoa powder, milk, and butter. Stir until the chocolate has melted and the mixture is smooth. Remove from heat and beat in, with a hand mixer or wire whisk, the confectioners sugar and vanilla extract. If the frosting is lumpy, strain through a strainer to remove any lumps. Place the frosting in the refrigerator until it is a spreadable consistency, stirring occasionally.

Remove 1/2 cup of the frosting. Set it aside. With the remaining frosting, spread a layer of frosting on top of one of the cake layers. Place the second layer on top of the first and frost the tops and sides of the cake with the remainder of the frosting.

In a small bowl beat together the remaining 1/2 cup of frosting and the cream cheese. Place in a piping bag with a star tip and decorate the top and sides of the cake.

Serves 10


More about Chochlate cake:
This Chocolate Layer Cake falls into the category of a 'shortened' or 'butter' cake. They are often called American cakes. These cakes are derived from the English pound cake. The name "Pound" comes from the fact that the original recipes contained one pound each of butter, sugar, eggs, and flour. Butter cakes are so named as they have a large amount of butter to eggs. Unlike sponge cakes that are leavened solely by the air whipped into the batter, butter cakes also use a chemical leavener (baking powder/baking soda). The recipe starts with the creaming of the fat and sugar until light and fluffy. Eggs are then added and then the flour and chemical leavener. Butter cakes have a wonderful moist and firm texture with good volume.

[harsha]

Individual Sponge Cakes with Flavored Cream

Sponge Cake:

1/3 cup (33 grams) sifted cake flour

3 tablesthingys (23 grams) unsifted cornstarch

4 large eggs

1 large egg yolk

1/2 cup (100 grams) plus 1 tablesthingy (13 grams) granulated white sugar

1 teasthingy (4 grams) pure vanilla extract

1/4 teasthingy cream of tartar

Cream Frosting:

For chocolate whipping cream:

3/4 cup (175 ml) heavy whipping cream

1 1/2 tablesthingys cocoa powder (I use dutch-processed)

2 tablesthingys (28 grams) granulated white sugar

For raspberry whipping cream:

3/4 cup (175 ml) whipping cream

3/4 tablesthingy (10 grams) granulated white sugar

1/3 cup (80 ml) lightly sweetened raspberry purée, at room temperature

Note: Cornstarch (corn flour) replaces some of the flour in this recipe to produce a cake with a finer texture and crumb. If you do not have cornstarch substitute an equal amount of flour.

A sponge cake is cut into small rounds and placed in molds topped with whipped cream frosting. These do take a little time to make but are well worth the effort for that special occasion.

Sponge Cake:

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C) and place oven rack in the middle of the oven. Grease, or spray with Pam, a 17 inch (43 cm) x 12 inch (30 cm) jelly roll pan, line with parchment, and then grease and flour the parchment paper (or spray with Baker's Joy). Set aside.

While eggs are still cold separate two of the eggs, placing the yolks in one large mixing bowl and the whites in another bowl. To the two yolks, add the additional yolk, and the two remaining eggs. Cover the two bowls with plastic wrap and allow the eggs to come to room temperature before using (about 30 minutes).

Meanwhile, in a small bowl whisk together the cake flour and cornstarch. Set aside.

In the bowl of your electric mixer, place the eggs and 1/2 cup (100 grams) of granulated white sugar and beat on high speed for five minutes, or until thick and fluffy. When you slowly raise the beaters the batter will fall back into the bowl in slow ribbons. At this point beat in the vanilla extract.

Sift half the flour mixture over the egg yolk mixture and fold in gently with a rubber spatula, just until the flour is incorporated. Sift the remaining flour mixture into the batter and fold in.

In a clean bowl of your electric mixer, with the whisk attachment, beat the egg whites until foamy. Add the cream of tartar and continue beating until soft peaks form. Beat in the remaining one tablesthingy (13 grams) granulated white sugar and beat until stiff peaks form. Gently fold a little of the whites into the batter to lighten it, and then add the rest of the whites folding just until incorporated. Pour the batter into the prepared pan, evenly spreading the cake batter with an angled cake spatula.

Bake for 7 minutes or until golden brown. A toothpick inserted in the center will come out clean and the cake, when lightly pressed, will spring back.

Immediately upon removing the cake from the oven lift the cake by the parchment paper and gently slide the cake from the pan onto a wire rack. Allow to cool flat, covered with a clean dish towel.

When sponge cake has cooled, using a 2 inch (5 cm) mold, cut out 24 individual rounds.

Cream Frosting:

For chocolate whipped cream: In a large mixing bowl place the whipping cream, sugar and cocoa powder and stir to combine. Cover and chill the bowl and beaters in the refrigerator for at least one hour so the cocoa powder has time to dissolve. When chilled, beat the mixture until stiff peaks form.

For raspberry whipped cream: In a large mixing bowl place the whipping cream and sugar and stir to combine. Cover and chill the bowl and beaters in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes. When chilled, beat the mixture until soft peaks form. Then add the sweetened puree, a little at a time, and beat just until stiff peaks form when the beater is raised. Taste and fold in more sugar if required.

To assemble:

Spray the 12 molds (2 inch by 1 1/2 inch (5 cm by 4 cm) with Pam or grease and place on a cookie sheet. Insert one round of sponge cake in each mold, pressing firmly to the bottom of the mold. Spread a layer of chocolate whipping cream over each sponge cake until it reaches halfway up the mold. (For ease of filling each mold, you can place the cream in a pastry bag.) Insert another round of sponge cake on top of the chocolate whipping cream, pressing down lightly. Top this sponge cake with a layer of raspberry whipping cream. Fill each mold to the top with the raspberry whipping cream and then use an offset spatula or straight edge to level off each mold. Cover and chill the molds for 4 hours or overnight. At least an hour before serving remove the molds from the cake by gently lifting the mold. If necessary, to loosen the ring, briefly warm the molds using a hair dryer. Smooth out the sides and then return to the refrigerator to firm up.

Place one or two molds on each plate with raspberry purée or chocolate sauce, if desired.

Makes 12-2 inch by 1 1/2 inch (5 cm by 4 cm) molds