Tuesday, February 15, 2011

RACHAEL RAY VALENTINES COCOA CAKE W/ ICING



RACHAEL RAY VALENTINES COCOA CAKE W/ICING

Ingredients
For the cake:
1/2 cup natural unsweetened cocoa powder
1 cup lukewarm water, divided
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 1/2 cups cake flour
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon cayenne
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
2 large eggs at room temperature, beaten


For the frosting:
10 tablespoons (1 1/4 sticks) unsalted butter
1 1/3 cups light brown sugar
1 cup natural unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tablespoon instant espresso powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup heavy whipping cream
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Preparation
Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter 24 muffin tins.

For the cake, whisk cocoa and 1/2 cup lukewarm water in a small bowl. Whisk the remaining 1/2 cup water with the buttermilk in another small bowl. Sift flour, baking soda and salt into a medium bowl and add cinnamon, cloves and cayenne. Stir to combine.


Using electric mixer, beat both sugars and butter in a large bowl until pale yellow and fluffy (mixture will appear granular), about 5 minutes. With mixer running, gradually add beaten eggs; beat until smooth and fluffy, about 15 seconds. Add cocoa mixture; beat to blend. Add flour mixture and buttermilk mixture alternating in 3 additions, beating to blend after each addition. Divide batter among the muffin tins. Bake for10 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

For the frosting, melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir in sugar, cocoa, espresso powder and salt. Gradually stir in cream. Stir until mixture is very hot and just begins to simmer at the edges. Reduce heat to low; stir 1 minute to let flavors blend. Transfer to medium bowl; stir in vanilla (frosting will resemble chocolate sauce) Chill until just thickened, stirring occasionally, about 1 1/2 hours, or in a bowl set in an ice bath.


To frost the cakes, bring frosting to room temperature. Run a knife around cake sides and invert mini cakes out of the muffin tins. Spread about 1 tablespoon of frosting on the first layer of cake and repeat for the remaining 2 layers of cake.


*I watched the Valentines Rachael Ray show and she made these little mini chocolate layer cakes with this frosting. She said she isn't a baker but this is one thing she will make. If you don't make the cake you have to make the icing. She was absolutely right, "you will want to eat it off your arm it's so good!" After pouring the icing into a bowl to cool I stood over the pan and scrapped every last drop out and ate it. I was thinking that strawberries would be so good freshly dipped into it.





*I used a store bought chocolate fudge cake and added 2 tbs of instant coffee and the chocolate flavor intensified and got so deep. While making the icing I was afraid it was going to be gritty with all the sugar but once you add the heavy cream it thins out and melts together beautifully. Definitely a winner. Can't wait for the cake to bake and cool.

**I just made this icing for the second time and I kept thinking this just isn't right. I followed the recipe to a t and kept tasting it thinking wow this has a super dark chocolate flavor that just isn't as appealing as last time. I kept going over what I did different and finally remembered. The first time I made the icing I didn't have any light brown sugar and only had like cup dark brown sugar. I put in 1/3 cup regular sugar along with the dark sugar. That was the difference. The combo of the sugar last time made the icing twice as sweet as just using the light brown sugar. I definitely recommended using a combo of white sugar and brown sugar tasting along the way for your desired sweetness.


Ammended Recipe For the frosting:
10 tablespoons (1 1/4 sticks) unsalted butter
1 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup white/regular sugar
1 cup natural unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tablespoon instant espresso powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup heavy whipping cream
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

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