Rose's Heavenly Cakes (19 page)
Read Rose's Heavenly Cakes Online
Authors: Rose Levy Beranbaum
The original cake, made by Miss Thompson for many years and served at the Woman's Exchange in New York City, was a yellow cake, filled and frosted with the dark chocolate frosting. To make her version, bake
Woody's Lemon Luxury Layer Cake
and double the chocolate frosting recipe here. Apply the frosting to each layer in the same way as for the top layer.
8 to 10
35 to 45 minutes
Although this is a fun and easy cake to make and decorate, I'd be lying if I said it was quick: Studding the frosting with chocolate chips takes a bit of time. It's a great project for kids to help with, provided they don't eat most of the chocolate chips as they are putting them on the cake! To save time, another attractive option is to use fewer chocolate chips and leave more space between them.
Plan Ahead
Make the ganache several hours before using.
Volume | Ounce | Gram | |
unsweetened (alkalized) cocoa powder | ½ cup plus 1 tablespoon (sifted before measuring) | 1.5 | 42 |
boiling water | ¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons (3 fluid ounces) | 3 | 88 |
1 large ripe banana, peeled and lightly mashed | ½ cup | 4 | 112 |
sour cream | ¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons | 3.2 | 90 |
2 large eggs, at room temperature | ¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons (3 fluid ounces) | 3.5 | 100 |
pure vanilla extract | ¾ teaspoon | . | . |
cake flour (or bleached all-purpose flour) | 1½ cups plus 1 tablespoon (or 1 1/3 cups), sifted into the cup and leveled off | 5.5 | 156 |
superfine sugar | 1 cup | 7 | 200 |
baking soda | 1 teaspoon | . | . |
baking powder | ¾ teaspoon | . | . |
salt | ¼ teaspoon | . | . |
unsalted butter (65° to 75°F/19° to 23°C) | 10 tablespoons (1 stick plus 2 tablespoons) | 5 | 142 |
Special Equipment
One 9 by 2-inch round cake pan, encircled with a cake strip, bottom coated with shortening, topped with a parchment round, then coated with baking spray with flour
Mix the Cocoa and Water
In a medium bowl, whisk the cocoa and boiling water until smooth. Cover with plastic wrap to prevent evaporation and cool to room temperature, about 30 minutes. To speed cooling, place it in the refrigerator. Bring it to room temperature before proceeding.
Preheat the Oven
Twenty minutes or more before baking, set an oven rack in the lower third of the oven and preheat the oven to 375°F/175°C
Mix the Liquid Ingredients
In a food processor, process the banana and sour cream until smooth. Pulse in the cocoa mixture, eggs, and vanilla and process briefly just to blend.
Make the Batter
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the flat beater, mix the flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and salt on low speed for 30 seconds. Add the butter and half the banana-cocoa mixture. Mix on low speed until the dry ingredients are moistened. Raise the speed to medium and beat for 1½ minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
Starting on medium-low speed, gradually add the remaining banana-cocoa mixture in two parts, beating on medium speed for 30 seconds after each addition to incorporate the ingredients and strengthen the structure. The batter will be light but creamy. Using a silicone spatula, scrape the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the surface evenly with a small offset spatula.
Bake the Cake
Bake for 35 to 45 minutes, or until a wire cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean and the cake springs back when pressed lightly in the center. The cake should start to shrink from the sides of the pan only after removal from the oven.
Cool and Unmold the Cake
Let the cake cool in the pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Run a small metal spatula between the sides of the pan and the cake, pressing firmly against the pan, and invert the cake onto a wire rack that has been coated lightly with nonstick cooking spray. To prevent splitting, reinvert the cake so that the top side is up. Cool completely.
1¾ cups/16.5 ounces/466 grams
Volume | Ounce | Gram | |
dark chocolate, 60% to 62% cacao, chopped | . | 8 | 227 |
heavy cream | 1 cup (8 fluid ounces) | 8.2 | 232 |
pure vanilla extract | 2 teaspoons | . | . |
liqueur of your choice or extra cream (optional) | 2 tablespoons | 1 | 28 |
chocolate chips, preferably Guittard bittersweet | 2 cups | 11.5 | 325 |
Make the Ganache
In a food processor, process the dark chocolate until very fine. In a 2-cup or larger microwavable cup with a spout (or in a medium saucepan over medium heat, stirring often), scald the cream (heat it to the boiling point; small bubbles will form around the periphery).
With the motor of the food processor running, pour the cream through the feed tube in a steady stream. Process for a few seconds until smooth. Pulse in the vanilla and liqueur or cream, if using. Scrape the ganache into a glass bowl and let it sit for 1 hour. Cover it with plastic wrap and allow it to cool at room temperature for several hours, until the mixture reaches frosting consistency. The ganache keeps for 3 days at room temperature, for 3 weeks refrigerated, and for 6 months frozen.
Compose the Cake
When the cake is completely cool, spread a little ganache onto a 9-inch cardboard round or serving plate and set it on top. If using the plate, slide a few wide strips of wax paper or parchment under the cake to keep the rim of the plate clean. Frost the top and sides of the cake with the ganache.
Stud the cake all over with chocolate chips, pointed ends in. It will take about 45 minutes to place the chips close together. Fewer chips more widely spaced also are very attractive. Or, if desired, form a design with a combination of dark and milk chocolate or peanut butter chips. If using the paper strips, slowly slide them out from under the cake before serving.
16 to 20
30 to 40 minutes
One day I became tired of chocolate cake, but my encounter with this one at Flour Bakery marked my return to chocolate cake appreciation. Chef-owner Joanna Chang got this recipe from her baking teacher, who had adapted the devil's food cake and my innovative mixing technique from
The Cake Bible.
This cake deserves a devilishly delicious frosting, so I created the ultimate ganache for the chocolate lover who always longs for deeper and darker flavor and the ultimate in voluptuous texture. The secrets are caramelizing the sugar to a deep brown and adding cocoa, bringing the cacao solids to a little more than double that of
Caramel Ganache
. Also, adding boiling water to the cocoa releases its full flavor. Using water instead of the usual amount of heavy cream keeps the ganache very dark.
Plan Ahead
Make the ganache at least 6 hours before using. Make the cherries at least 8 hours ahead.
Volume | Ounce | Gram | |
fine-quality unsweetened or 99% cacao chocolate, chopped | . | 1 | 30 |
unsweetened (alkalized) cocoa powder | ¾ cup plus 1½ tablespoons (sifted before measuring) | 2.2 | 63 |
boiling water | 1 cup (8 fluid ounces) | 8.3 | 236 |
2 large eggs, at room temperature | ¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons (3 fluid ounces) | 3.5 | 100 |
about 2 large egg yolks, at room temperature | 2 tablespoons (1 fluid ounce) | 1.3 | 37 |
crème fraîche (or sour cream) | ¼ cup | 2 | 58 (60) |
pure vanilla extract | 1 teaspoon | . | . |
cake flour (or bleached all-purpose flour) | 2¼ cups (or 2 cups), sifted into the cup and leveled off | 8 | 225 |
light brown sugar, preferably Muscovado | 1½ cups, firmly packed | 11.5 | 326 |
baking soda | 1 teaspoon | . | . |
salt | ½ teaspoon | . | . |
unsalted butter (65° to 75°F/19° to 23°C) | 16 tablespoons (2 sticks) | 8 | 227 |
Special Equipment
Two 9 by 2-inch round cake pans, encircled with cake strips, bottoms coated with shortening, topped with parchment rounds, then coated with baking spray with flour
Preheat the Oven
Twenty minutes or more before baking, set an oven rack in the lower third of the oven and preheat the oven to 350°F/175°C.
Mix the Chocolates and Water
In a medium bowl, whisk the chocolate, cocoa, and boiling water until smooth. Cover with plastic wrap to prevent evaporation and cool to room temperature, about 1 hour. To speed cooling, place it in the refrigerator. Bring it to room temperature before proceeding.
Mix the Liquid Ingredients
In another bowl, whisk the eggs, yolks, crème fraîche, half the cooled chocolate mixture and vanilla just until lightly combined.
Make the Batter
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the flat beater, mix the flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt on low speed for 30 seconds. Add the butter and the remaining chocolate mixture. Mix on low speed until the dry ingredients are moistened. Raise the speed to medium and beat for 30 seconds. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
Starting on medium-low speed, with the mixer off between additions, add the egg mixture in two parts. Beat on medium speed for 45 seconds after each addition to incorporate the ingredients and strengthen the structure. The batter will be slightly fluffy. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Using a silicone spatula, scrape the batter into the prepared pans and smooth the surface evenly with a small offset spatula. Each will be almost half full (23 ounces/650 grams).
Bake the Cakes
Bake for 30 to 40 minutes, or until a wire cake tester inserted in the centers comes out clean and the cakes spring back when pressed lightly in the centers. The cakes should start to shrink from the sides of the pans only after removal from the oven.