Anytime { Chocolate Cake }

There's nothing quite like a layer chocolate cake.  
Especially one with truffle like frosting and cream cheese layers.


This is one of those recipes that the cookbook flops open to and the recipe page is splattered with tantalizing chocolate batter.


This cake is a sure thing.  It's our never fail three layer company cake; it's our last minute birthday cake; our blue day cake, even our mourning cake.  It dresses up nice for something fancy and dresses down for family potluck.  


When the Resident Photographer whipped up one the other day for some friend who had lost a wonderful mother and grandmother, she took these marvelous pictures and we decided it's time to share the recipe.

Truffle Cake

Adapted from Southern Living Homestyle Cooking Cookbook

Cake

1/2 cup shortening

1 1/2 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups flour
2/3 cups cocoa
1 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups buttermilk
vanilla extract
1 (8oz pkg.)cream cheese
2 tablespoon butter, softened
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 (14oz can) sweetened condensed milk
1 egg

Frosting

2/3 cups butter

5 3/4 cup sifted powdered sugar
1 1/3 cup cocoa
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons whipping cream


For the Cake:
Grease 2(9-inch) or 3 (8-inch)round baking pans; line the bottom with wax or parchment paper.  Set aside.


Beat shortening with mixer until fluffy; gradually add 1 1/2 cup sugar.  Beat well.  Add 2 eggs, 1 at a time, beating until blended after each addition.


Combine flour, cocoa, soda and salt.  Mix with shortening mixture alternating between flour mixture and buttermilk; beginning and ending with flour mixture.  Mix at low speed after each addition.  Beat 3 more minutes at high speed, stopping once to scrape down the sides.  Stir in 2 teaspoons vanilla.  Divide batter into prepared pans.


Beat cream cheese, 2 tablespoons butter, and cornstarch at medium speed until creamy; gradually add sweetened condensed milk, beat well.  Add egg, beat well.  Stir in 1 teaspoon vanilla.  Spoon mixture evenly over batter.


Bake at 350 degrees for 9-inch pans 40 minutes.  For 8-inch pans check cakes after 25 minutes (25-35 minutes).  Cool in pans for 10 minutes; remove from pans and cool completely.


For the Frosting:
Beat 2/3 cup butter at medium speed until creamy.  Combine powdered sugar and cocoa; add to butter alternately with whipping cream (you can substitute 3/4 milk for cream if you like), beginning and ending with powdered sugar mixture.  Beat until spreadable.  Stir in 1 teaspoon vanilla.  


This make a generous portion of frosting and we usually don't use it all on the cake but enjoy it by the spoonful out of the fridge.


It's well decided now.  You need to make yourself this chocolate cake.  Whether it's a good day, a blue day, or a windy Wednesday as it is here, it's definitely a chocolate cake day.

bon appetit!

All photos by the Resident Photographer and one of her assistants Maddie.

Chouquettes {Cream Puffs}

We made cream puffs for the Resident Photographer

...

We plotted this since her birthday last year.

I suspected they would be difficult and put it off only to discover how simply you can whip up a batch of these babies!

Live and learn, I suppose.

I used David Lebovitz recipe, found here.

For french recipes I usually check David Lebovitz website.  I find his instructions honest and ingredients usually translated from grams to cups, thank heavens!

Apparently pastries or "chouquettes" - cream puffs, are a common afternoon snack in Paris - although most likely not smothered in whipped cream as ours were.

The pastry was easy to whip up and I didn't try very hard for evenly sized puffs.  I brushed them with egg yolk and milk, sprinkling them with coarse sugar after, as instructed but the sugar cooked faster than the puffs and sort of burnt.  Apart from that they were perfect and the flavor wasn't ruined by the topping - just less attractive. 

Try them!  

You more than likely have the ingredients in your cupboard!

Hibernation {explored}

I know I've been absent for some time.

Instead of going over the all the reasons why I'm just going to say I'm back.

...

That said.  I've taken on a new project.  I've bought a camera.  As you can see I've got a ways to go.  But life is simplified when you have a lovely (tall) younger sister who will (mostly) obligingly pose for you (and consequently let you put up her hair and pick her outfits :).

Now if I can just get the resident photographer to slow down so I can catch up! 

See, isn't she cute.

We took a vacation to the mountains in January.  Idaho was missing snow until our getaway weekend.  We bundled into a cabin to watch movies, eat comfort food and knit,

and take pictures of course!

Have a whimsical week!

Sweet Sixteen (part 2)

Or, how to celebrate a 16th birthday.

Start with: Cinnamon Sugar Baked Doughnuts

These doughnuts are perfect sweet and buttery on the outside and doughy inside.  Best start to any birthday.  And if your dough flops it makes delicious cinnamon rolls :)

Next...  what do you make for dessert that's sophisticated but still fun? 

Lady Fingers & Strawberry Ice Cream

I can't even remember now where I got the recipe.  I do remember a bit of a fiasco with measurements though :)  We had to double the recipe part way through and wound up with a lot of lady fingers in the freezer.

Piping consistently was our biggest challenge but they tasted good whether they were shaped right or not.

We made our strawberry ice cream of course!

Happy Birthday!

Pictures by the Resident Photographer

Sweet Sixteen (part 1)

Maddie turned 16 in June!

I gave her a sketch :)

Look familiar :)

She's darling and I can't believe she's so grown up!

Happy Late Birthday Post!

Of course pictures by The Resident Photographer.

Finally summer... maybe

Hi

I know it's been some time.  Do I still have any readers out there?

While the weather hasn't been very cooperative as "summer" weather (more like playing hide-and-seek) last weekend ended my primary commitments for this year - very fun but very time consuming - & sprung me into feelings of summer whatever the forecast may be.

It feels like summer vacation for real.

Maddie has been saving recipes from pile of old Martha Stewart Magazines.  Lately we've been craving Frozen Mango-Cream Cakes. 

We've been hoarding our mangoes until we've had time to use them, I'm afraid to say they were a little wrinkly :)  

We peeled them nonetheless and whipped together this mango summer magic on Sunday.  

Uhm... yum.  

We've learned a neat trick: when using heavy whipping cream in recipes you can substitute some greek yogurt.  We decided to go this route with the mango cream and I couldn't tell a difference.  I'll post our adaptation here.

Frozen Mango-Cream Cake

adapted from Martha Stewart Magazine

serves 8

You can either make this in one large 8-inch spring form pan or shape 8 individual cakes in 2-inch round ring molds.

For the Crust:

Vegetable Cooking Spray

1 oz. salted dry-roasted  macadamia nuts (app. 1/4 c.)

3 T. granulated sugar

1/4 c. all-purpose flour

1 T. unsalted butter, melted

For the Mousse:

1/4 c. fresh orange juice

1 envelope (1 scant T.) gelatin

2 firm but ripe mangoes, peeled 

(ours definitely weren't firm!)

1/2 c. granulated sugar

3 T. lemon juice

1/2 c. heavy cream

1 c. honey Greek yogurt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Lightly coat inside of ring molds or spring form pan with cooking spray. 

For crust: pulse macadamia nuts & granulated sugar in a food processor until finely ground.  In a bowl, combine nuts, flour & butter with fork until mixture resembles coarse meal.  Press mixture in to the bottom of desired pan & bake until golden brown.  (The recipe says about 12 minutes but ours burned so just check it regularly!)

For the mousse: Pour orange juice into small saucepan & sprinkle with gelatin.  Let stand until softened, about 5 minutes.  Heat over low heat, stirring, until dissolved.  Remove from heat.

Slice mango to puree, setting aside some slices for garnish.  In a blender, puree chopped mangoes, granulated sugar & lemon juice until smooth.  With machine running, add gelatin mixture in a slow, steady stream, and blend until combined.  Transfer to a bowl.

With a whisk or an electric mixer on medium speed, beat cream until soft peaks form.  With spatula gently fold together whipped cream, greek yogurt & mango puree.

Divide mixture into molds or pour into prepared pan.  cover with plastic wrap & freeze until firm (at least 4 hours).

When ready to serve let cake stand at room temp to soften.  Serve garnished with mango slices.

Maddie said this tastes just like summer.  The 

Resident Photographer & Maddie drizzled chocolate sauce over their mango cake.  I tried it and was pleasantly surprised but preferred the fresh taste.

Now didn't we make that look effortless?  

:)

Actually it's been a while since we cooked together.  We made a big mess, everyone was tired & I was rushing to finish so we could watch a family movie.

But the end result was just right for a Sunday evening.

The Letter B

Today (err- Saturday was) is brought to you by the letter B.

Birthdays

Buttery Croissants

Bunting

And Babies!

Happy Birthday to the Resident Photographer!

Saturday Bethany turned 19.  

We started the morning channeling our inner French, with warm buttery croissants and cafe au lait - might I add very sophisticated.

We decorated the dining room with our bunting and the cupcakes with pennants - which perhaps isn't so sophisticated, but definitely fun.

  We had a lazy day at home, just the way she likes it. To be honest we did a lot of decorating considering how small scale the party was - but I think that's part of what makes it special.

I get a lot of inspiration for things from blogs.  But lately, I've been trying to find simple fun ways to decorate.  The bunting was a good start but I know there are so many other ideas out there!

  If you're looking for some fun party inspiration you can check out Jordan Ferney's blog.