Robin Williams
Gimme a layered cake to make & I’m in 7th heaven!
As you can obviously guess from my blog posts, I love baking cakes. I have Morven @ Food Art & Random Thoughts to thank for posting such a wonderful challenge..Dorie Greenspan’s ‘Perfect Party Cake’. After my first 2 challenges I was pretty much on shaky grounds (what with LMPs & French loaves), I must admit I procrastinated even going to check on March’s challenge! Crumbs…by the time I checked, had already begun work on our anniversary cake (Chocolate Orange Cloud Gateau; nice one) so felt like kicking myself! The next opportunity was grabbed with both hands & I marched into a cake baking frenzy!
As Morven, the large-hearted lady said…put your stamp on it. In her words…”I wanted to pick something that had potential for putting your personal stamp on. Although this is essentially a white cake I know there are some lemon haters among us so feel free to use your imagination. If you inner chef tells you that you need to make a chocolate layer cake then by all means do so.” I did just that. My stamp had to be COFFEE!! So, I flavoured the basic sponge with coffee essence & a medium roast instant coffee blend. The icing was of whipped cream, again mildly flavoured with coffee. Drooooooooooooooolicious!! The edges I finished off with a dripping of thick chocolate ganache; the 2 flavours really compliment each. A few coffee beans completed my stamp!!
The theme was worming its way into my mind. Here’s what I did. I made an Easter basket of sorts with melted chocolate & filled it up with Easter eggs & crystallised flowers from our garden! This is something that gave me a lot of satisfaction & creative pleasure. I also added a few flowers & butterflies that I piped onto parchment & peeled off when they had set. Thank you Morven for giving me such endless joy…this is actually my passion in life, to be able to fill up a ‘cake canvas’ & extempore!!
Courtesy of Dorie Greenspan’s Baking from My Home to Yours (page 250).
Ingredients:
1/4 cups cake flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
1 ¼ cups buttermilk
4 large egg whites
1 ½ cups sugar
1 tablespoon instant coffee granules
1 stick (8 tablespoons or 4 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature
½ teaspoon coffee essence
For the Whipping cream:
Whip about 500 ml of whipping cream with 5-6 tbsps of icing sugar & 1 tbsp of instant coffee till firm.
Getting Ready:
- Centre a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- Butter two 9 x 2 inch round cake pans and line the bottom of each pan with a round of buttered parchment or wax paper. Put the pans on a baking sheet.
To Make the Cake:
- Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt.
- Whisk together the milk and egg whites in a medium bowl.
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Add the butter & with a hand mixer, beat at medium speed for a full 3 minutes, until the butter and sugar are very light. Add coffee & beat for another minute.
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Beat in the extract, then add one third of the flour mixture, still beating on medium speed.
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Beat in half of the milk-egg mixture, then beat in half of the remaining dry ingredients until incorporated.
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Add the rest of the milk and eggs beating until the batter is homogeneous, then add the last of the dry ingredients.
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Finally, give the batter a good 2- minute beating to ensure that it is thoroughly mixed and well aerated.
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Divide the batter between the two pans and smooth the tops with a rubber spatula.
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Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until the cakes are well risen and springy to the touch – a thin knife inserted into the centers should come out clean.
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Transfer the cakes to cooling racks and cool for about 5 minutes, then run a knife around the sides of the cakes, unfold them and peel off the paper liners.Invert and cool to room temperature, right side up (the cooled cake layers can be wrapped airtight and stored at room temperature overnight or frozen for up to two months).
To Assemble the Cake:
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Using a sharp serrated knife and a gentle sawing motion, slice each layer horizontally in half. Put one layer cut side up on a cardboard cake round or a cake plate protected by strips of wax or parchment paper.
- Spread it with one third of the whipped cream.
- Repeat with the next 2 layers.Place the last layer cut side down on top of the cake and use the remaining whipped cream to frost the sides and top.
- Garnish, decorate as desired.
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If you use whipped cream, you’ll have to store the cake the in the refrigerator – let it sit for about 20 minutes at room temperature before serving.
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Notes:
Like Morven said in her notes, my cake didn’t rise much at all and had a slightly coarse texture but was still quite delicate and moist.
It gave me an opportunity to use my 4 egg whites that I had frozen away…saved from 2 batches of banana muffins I had made previously. For those who don’t know this, egg whites freeze beautifully.
Also, since I had just a single 9″ tin, I baked the whole batter in 1 go, & later sliced it into 4 layers, Painstaking, but possible; not quite the perfect solution though.
Finally, the cake was a little sweeter than I thought it would be. The kids lapped it up, so did my old folks; DH & I thought it was a bit sweet…but I put it down to personal taste! Was a nice cake; sliced beautifully & perfectly.
Perfect slices…can you see all 4 layers?
Couldn’t resist a little trivia about Dorie Greenspan that I found online…
…She burned her parents’ kitchen down when she was thirteen. She never even baked a chocolate chip cookie until she was a newly wed nineteen-year-old. Yet today, Dorie Greenspan is one of the most sought-after baking authorities in the country.
Dorie was finishing up her doctoral thesis when she found herself consumed by love of baking. She immersed herself in a complete culinary education and begged her way into famous pastry kitchens to work as an apprentice. Eventually she was hired for her first professional job, where she caught the eye of the owner, who noted approvingly, “How chic! A thin pastry chef.” Always an experimenter, Dorie couldn’t resist tweaking one of the restaurant’s signature cakes. The customers loved the results, but Dorie immediately learned the perils of upstaging a boss. She was promptly fired for “creative insubordination.That insubordination was the beginning of a fabulous career as a cookbook author, culminating in BAKING: FROM MY HOME TO YOURS (Houghton Mifflin Company, November 1, 2006). ”
Dorie was finishing up her doctoral thesis when she found herself consumed by love of baking. She immersed herself in a complete culinary education and begged her way into famous pastry kitchens to work as an apprentice. Eventually she was hired for her first professional job, where she caught the eye of the owner, who noted approvingly, “How chic! A thin pastry chef.” Always an experimenter, Dorie couldn’t resist tweaking one of the restaurant’s signature cakes. The customers loved the results, but Dorie immediately learned the perils of upstaging a boss. She was promptly fired for “creative insubordination.That insubordination was the beginning of a fabulous career as a cookbook author, culminating in BAKING: FROM MY HOME TO YOURS (Houghton Mifflin Company, November 1, 2006). ”
I haven’t got a copy of any of her books, but am now going to keep my eyes open for them whenever they show up here in our part of the globe!
The cake is on it’s way for Easter Cake Bake, Round 2 @ A Slice of Cherry Pie with Julia. She launched her very first food blogging event last March, the ‘Easter Cake Bake’ & asked fellow bloggers to bake themed cakes for Easter. It brought in outstanding cakes with wonderfully creative ideas, & is onto ‘Round 2’ this year!!
Great use of your creativity – I bet coffee was wonderful! Love the pictures as well! 🙂
You really have a creative hand :)Your cake is praiseworthy as always! Beautiful!
wow, that cake is so gorgeous!!
Ohh my gosh… they look so pretty
That looks lovely as always Deeba! Your daughter is so cute for setting up the studio! 🙂
Your cake looks amazing Deeba! I love the chocolate decorations and all the time you spent on your creation!! As an aside, if you are interested in the Adopt a Blogger Program go to :
Kirsten started a second round because she had such a huge response:D
Deeba, am stumped at ur web designs, the layers, piping and decoration all perfect!Loved the whipped cream, the coffee beans, all other aspects of decorating u hv incorporated, plus loved the brown layers, which scream coffee to me!! Mmmmm..n tks for Dorie’s excerpt..loved reading it!
Best Cake!!(Hats off to U under the sun as u hv piped it, without it getting runny!)(Maybe u will see this creation of yours attempted by me in atleast next six month’s time! 😀 )
Deeba!! What a stunning Cake!! Not only does it look so yummy, it looks so professional too! Great job my friend. Now, can you just FedEx some of that cake over here please…. Now!
I had already seen it on the DB blog, but I am still impressed. The decoration is incredible.
That is one impressive cake! I’m so glad you enjoyed the challenge.
Really great job of cake finishing there! And your flavor variations are a classic hit!
Ann at Redacted Recipes
You are an artist, my friend! You paid attention to EVERY detail. I’m so happy I know you – I learn so much from you.
Tanti baci, Amy
This is the first coffee flavored db cake I’ve seen. Great idea and your cake looks so pretty 🙂
Deeba, as usual your cake looks stunningly beautiful. Aren’t you glad you joined the daring bakers? I know I am because it is a lot of fun, we are always challenged and we get to see other member’s great creations.
Nice one 😀
Wow, a very pretty cake with such lovely creative use of flavors. I bet it was delicious.
Your a whiz with cakes. I love your design.Glad you stoped procrastinating and rose to the challenge, Excellent.
Deeba, the cake looks delightful…well done!
should have guessed you would have gone for that espresso flavor. Looks lovely!
Wow this is a flavour that I must try…am still a beginner..loads to pick up from your creations…I’ll send you the bluberry preserves…mail me…
One very stunning cake Deeba! You are very creative just excellent 🙂
Rosie x
Wonderful job! You are a cake baking expert – it’s gorgeous!
you are definitely talented artist..how i wish i could bake like that..but i wont refuse a slice of this cake 🙂 great job for this month’s challenge
Wow, coffee would have been wonderful. Nice personal stamp!
Beautiful cake.
Gorgeous cake! I love the spiderweb of chocolate. So creative! Great job!
Clara @ I♥food4thought
Wow, the layers look soooo good! And the coffee, YUM!
I’m so pleased you’ve included all these pictures – when I saw the initial cake itself on the DB blog, I knew I wanted to see more of it! Very creative and very individual – and very steady hand to have to do that whirl. Mine would have been more of a cake-ruining splodge, I think…
Wow!! Yours is so very pretty. I would say that you definitely went creative with it 🙂
I love the swirl instructional pics that put up. I’d love to do that with a cake decor in the future!
You are so creative and talented! Unfortunately I’m not. 😉
Deeba, this is a work of art, from your presentation, flavor and awesome pictures!!!
Wow, that is incredibly stunning!
An absolute inspiration!!! Way to break the rules in a GOOD way!! 🙂
That is a magnificant cake!
This is beautiful. Absolutely lovely–really like the coffee addition…
j
Deeba I’ve seen a lot of daring bakers today and all did a great job. Yours looks stunning.
Droolicious Deeba, coffee God that should be even. U r really a passionate Baker!
i love that you combine march madness with the daring bakers party cake! and like i said before, your cake is absolutely gorgeous. love the chocolate swirl web.
Coffee…*swoon* What a great idea! I love what you did with the decorations, you go girl!
Stunning! Its a gorgeous cake! We love coffee, so I am totally drooling right now.
Deeba, Oh how I would love a piece of that right now!!!!
Lovely job. I go weak in the knees for chocolate and coffee together. How delicious!
Hey Deeba,
Gr8 looking cake… spring is here..or shall I say Aayah Sawan ;). Love your blogs… never miss them. Thanks for being my inspiration.
Crazy beautiful, bet it was delicious!
Yum, coffee flavored cake!!
Love the anecdotes about Dorie – creative insubordination has to be the best reason to be fired that I have ever heard!
Here’s to more creative insubordination as the Daring Bakers conquer the world!
Your decorating is always one of a kind! I love coffee.
looks beautiful and perfectly done AND so so “springy”!! 🙂 Tell your daughter that I liked her shot very much!
Lovely & awesome!
Cake looks too good and cute..Nice frosting..
Yummo – I love the idea of coffee flavour through this cake. Also love your decorations – it makes the cake look very festive.
A very pretty cake! Great decoration and flavoring! Very well done!
Cheers,
Rosa
I can just imagine that you put this much effort into everything that you do. This is a masterpiece.
wowie!! fabulous as always deeba….i am getting kind of tired of sounding rhetoric ….send me some wont you please?? i tried out something from your blog…will post soon…. 🙂
Your cake looks positively decadent I can imagine the effort that went into it. Stunning results though. 🙂
What a fantastically beautiful cake!!!! You put a lot of work into this and I’m sure it payed off!
Congrats!
This one of my favorite entries. You are very talented! I am in awe…..
you are sweet 😉
Thank you for your kind words. I have linked your blog to the list of blogs I read daily!
Have a great day!
That is one amazing looking cake!!! I am sooo impressed.
What a creative idea and a beautiful cake and COFFEE! I’m a coffee fanatic. Thanks for your comments on my blog!
How pretty! Love the cake studio, lol. You get carried away in the very best way!
What a stamp you put on that! Especially love the butterflies.
I am completely overwhelmed…THANK YOU , you generous folk, for your comments & wonderful words.
I am completely overwhelmed…THANK YOU , you generous folk, for your comments & wonderful words.
Truly, I am in awe! I believe you could sell that cake at Dean & Deluca for about 160 bucks!! I seriously can’t stop staring at it.
And coffee flavor — great idea! I think my mom and sister would really like that.
If I had that cake in my Easter basket I would be more than pleased! That is a lot of fun, and hard work I bet.
Hi there, thx for stopping by my blog,and i’m glad you like it:)
I also would love to have creative hand like your:) must be wonderful
help!!
nice to meet you
zabaione
beautiful as always!! i wish i could take a bite of your wonderful cake!
-kk
Oh my gosh..it is absolutely gorgeous!! I would love to take cake decorating classes, I never knew I could enjoy this so much. your cake and desserts make me want to learn even more! 🙂
Your cake is absolutely BEAUTIFUL!! Congratulations on a challenge amazingly well done!!!
The pictures are just sooo much fun with the flowers and all and the way you decorated that cake.. simply FANTASTIC!!
I am in awe… you are great!!
You did an amazing job! I love coffee flavored cakes and your cake is dream come true. Just lovely!
Yum. Coffee flavoured. It looks so beautiful too! Well done
That cake sounds phenomenal. I wish I could have a piece!!!!!! YUM! 🙂
Awesome decoration! That will be my next variation on this cake, mocha!
JMom
Thank you so much for the lovely DB comment on my blog! 🙂
Your cake is gorgeous! Oh my goodness! Such photos! Your cake is a work of art! I absolutely love your inclusion of coffee… Coffee elevates everything to new heights!
I love how you decorated it. It really makes it look special.
Coffee and chocolate…two of my favorite things! You did a beautiful job on the cake!
Wow. That’s absolutely brilliant! You really have a handle on this baking thing, don’t you? 🙂
Your cake is stunningly gorgeous!
coffee was the logical choice 🙂 I just wish that I had soaked more coffee into the cake so that it was as dark as yours. looks great.
wow. it looks so amazing ..and i love the decoration too…specially the swirls..great job
Your cake is simply fabulous! I love the coffee and the chocolate – scrumptious.
Natalie @ Gluten A Go Go