1 1/2 lbs mixed berries
3/4 cups sugar
fresh heavy cream (about 2 cups)
about 1/2 cup sugar (or to taste)
1 tsp vanilla extract
fresh blueberries and raspberries to decorate top of cake (optional)
cake slices (I use leftover rum chocolate and rum yellow cake)
butter for greasing dish
Put fresh fruit in pan and stir in sugar. Heat fruit gently, shaking the pan vigorously so the sugar dissolves but the fruit stays in tact. Grease bowl lightly and line the base of the bowl with the cake. You can use whatever cake you like. Pour the cool berry mixture in bowl and top it with cake pressing it down firmly with a plate that will cover the cake exactly. Weight it down by using can goods and chill overnight.
When ready to serve, whip heavy cream with sugar and vanilla and place aside. Here comes the tricky part....inverting the cake! Carefully take a rubber spatula and go along the sides of the cake to make sure that it will come out in one piece. Remember that the cake is filled with berries and have soaked up a fair amount of liquid from it.
Okay, take a platter and cover bowl and invert. If for whatever reason the cake starts to break up, just gently shape it back together and don't worry about the look because it will be covered with whip cream.
When ready to serve, spoon on plate and indulge!!
I will post a photo of the inside of the cake soon~ posted 01-23-11
1 tsp. salt
3/4 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
2 2/3 cup sugar
1 cup + 1 tbsp cocoa (I used valrhona because of higher quality)
1 cup + 1 tbsp water (room temp)
1 cup + 1 tbsp canola oil
5 large eggs
3/4 cup water (room temp)
1 tsp vanilla
bar of white chocolate (for garnish-optional)
bar of bittersweet chocolate (for garnish-optional)
Frosting #1
1 pound powdered sugar
3/4 cup cocoa
2-3 tbsp grand marnier (you can use any flavored liquid)
1 1/2 cup butter (room temp.)
Frosting #2
1 pound powder sugar
1 8-oz cream cheese
2 sticks butter (room temp)
1 to 2 tsp. vanilla
Frosting #3
combine leftover frosting #1 with #2
Cake:
Preheat oven to 350.
In large bowl, sift flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, sugar and cocoa. Add 1 cup and 1 tbsp water and oil. Mix until combined (about 1 minute).
Add eggs, 3/4 cup water and vanilla. Mix until it all comes together (about 2 to 3 mins. by mixer).
Pour into 11x14 rectangular pan and bake for 25-35 mins. This produces quite a bit of batter.
Cool cake on rack and cut in half to begin frosting cake.
Frosting #1
Place butter in bowl and begin to whip. Sift cocoa powder and powder sugar together and begin to add to bowl (about half of the mixture). Add the flavoring and place the remaining sugar/cocoa ingreds in bowl. Let frosting mix on medium speed until right spreading consistency. You can add more flavoring if you like if the mixture is still too stiff. The key is to mix the frosting on slow to medium speed for a long period of time (about 6 to 8 mins).
Frosting #2
Place all contents in bowl and beat on medium speed until you get a spreadable consistency. You can add more liquid if it is too dry. If the mixture is too sweet, you can add another 1/2 stick of butter.
Assembly
After your cake is split in two, you place the cream cheese frosting first (save some for later) and then add the chocolate frosting on top creating 2 beautiful layers (save some of the chocolate frosting as well). Place top layer of cake and frost the entire cake. Use Frosting #3 to decorate cake (and to have leftovers for those wanting extra frosting) and garnish cake with white chocolate curls and chocolate shavings. posted 01-17-11
Here's the recipe:
2 1/8 cups flour
2 cups sugar
3/4 cups cocoa powder (I use valrhona)
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
3/4 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp. salt
3 eggs
1 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 tbsp. vanilla extract
Filling:
2 (20 oz) cans pitted sour cherries
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup cornstarch
1 tbsp. kirsch
Syrup:
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup cherry juice
1/4 cup kirsch
Frosting:
1 tsp vanilla
3 cups heavy cream
1/3 cup powdered sugar
1 tbsp. cocoa powder (optional)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease 2-9in. pans.
In large bowl, combine flour, 2 cups sugar, cocoa, baking powder and soda and salt. Add eggs, milk, oil and vanilla. Beat until blended. Pour in pans and bake for 35 mins or until toothpick comes out clean and cool on rack.
While cake is baking, drain cherries reserving about 1 cup of juice. Combine, using 1/2 cup juice, cherries, 1 cup sugar and cornstarch in saucepan. Cook over low heat until thickened. Stir in kirsch and cool before using.
For the frosting: combine whipping cream, powdered sugar and cocoa powder and whip until stiff. Set aside to frost in between layers and decorate cake.
Assembly: cut cakes in half. Poke holes in cake and pour syrup over cake. Layer each with whip cream and then cherries. Frost cake all over with whip cream and decorate the way you like it! This is the end result: YUMM!!
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posted 01-16-11