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Monday, March 5, 2012

Frosting: The Tunic Top of the Cake World

A tunic top may not be the height of fashionable clothing, but it can serve as camouflage for figure flaws.  Baked goods, unfortunately, don't have the luxury of clothing to hide their flaws.  That's what frosting is for!

Chocolate cake with whipped cream frosting is a popular birthday cake choice at our house.  Our son chose it this year to celebrate leaving his teenage years behind.  Wouldn't you know it, for the first time, the cake stuck to the pan.  It was not a full-blown disaster stuck to the pan, but both layers stuck on the sides a little bit.


My son, bless him, said it didn't matter.  He was right, of course.  I just made extra frosting and filled the damage with whipped cream.  Works for me!



The recipe comes from the May 2005 issue of Country Living magazine.  The issue featured cakes from a reader recipe contest.  I have changed the recipe only slightly.  This moist and delicious cake is not overly sweet, and the whipped cream frosting means you can omit ice cream and not miss it at all.  The recipe for another of our favorite birthday cakes, Praline Turtle Cake, comes from the same issue of Country Living.


Chocolate Whipped Cream Cake
Adapted from Country Living May 2005

Cake:
1 3/4 cups flour
3/4 cup cocoa powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
2 cups sugar
12 cup vegetable oil
1 cup milk
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 cup boiling water

Frosting:
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
1/2 teaspoons confectioners’ sugar
1/4 plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons cocoa powder
1/3 cup mini chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Grease two 9-inch round cake pans.  Line bottoms with parchment paper.  Grease the paper as well and dust with flour.  Set pan of water or kettle on to boil.

Sift together flour, cocoa, baking powder and baking soda in large bowl.  Whisk in sugar.  Beat in oil, milk, eggs and vanilla using a mixer set on medium speed for 2 minutes.  Reduce speed to low and add 1 cup boiling water.  Batter will be very thin.

Pour batter into pans and tap to remove air bubbles.  Bake until pick inserted in each cake comes out clean, about 30-35 minutes.  Cool pans on wire racks for 10 minutes.  Remove from pans and cool completely.

Frosting:
Beat cream and confectioners’ sugar until soft peaks form.  Gently fold in granulated sugar and cocoa (add cocoa through sieve to prevent clumps).  Mix gently until combined.

Place about 1/3 of the frosting and ½ of the mini chocolate chips between the layers.  Frost top and sides of cake and decorate the top with the remaining mini chips.  Store in the refrigerator.


11 comments:

  1. I need to get more baking supplies! I've found that I'm reasonably good at it, and I found a recipe for homemade funfetti cake that I really want to try out. This looks uber tasty :)

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  2. Congrats & happy birthday to your son! I haven't had whipped cream frosting on anything for years! Forgot all about it- will need to remember this:)

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  3. Um, this looks amazing. Totally agree about frosting - such a savior. I recently made a coconut cake with the same issue. thank goodness for the frosting. thanks for sharing,liz

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  4. It looks so yummy! I hope your son had a wonderful birthday!!

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  5. Your cake looks delicious. Happy birthday to your son.

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  6. Sounds delicious and looks very good!

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  7. This cake looks amazing! I love the white frosting and the choc chips. Hope your son had a fantastic birthday!

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  8. Lol, you did a marvelous job with the frosting! You can't even tell that the cake stuck to the pan! Happy birthday to your boy! :)

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  9. I don't know where I'd be with cakes if I couldn't fill in the mistakes with frosting. The result is always beautiful and still just as tasty! I hope that your son had a good birthday.

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  10. Ooh another delicious looking recipe..perhaps I'll try this one for my son's birthday...or maybe for myself;) Maggie xx

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