Saturday, October 8, 2011

Let them eat cake!

We are gathering four to six eggs a day now and I've been baking about once a week.  Sometimes when life is crazy busy you just have to say "let them eat cake!"  Pay attention and I will show you how.
These children, are perfectly greased and floured Wilton cake pans.  Does it make a difference what kind of pan you use?  I think it does.  I used Crisco to grease the pans and lightly floured with flour.

Both layers cracked while baking.  Can anyone tell me why this happens and what to do to avoid it?  Or do we need to be concerned with such issues?  My mama always taught me to lift the pan an inch or so off of the counter top and drop several times before baking.  This does two things- it evens out your batter and it causes air bubbles to rise to the top. 


After allowing the layers to cool in the pan for ten minutes, I ran a butter knife around the edge and then flipped each layer onto a rack to finish cooling.  Doug was like a child asking how soon I could ice the cake so he could have a piece. 
Then I whipped up the icing.
I use a Wilton spatula to ice my cakel.  In another lifetime I dabbled in cake decorating.  I didn't take any lessons, just studied intensely on my own.  I was fairly successful.  I produced some birthday cakes and did the cakes for a niece's graduation and I wasn't too embarrassed with the results.  Doug was impressed with my cake icing skills, but maybe he was just trying to get me to cut a big piece of cake for him. 
Cake with a cup of milk?  It doesn't get much better!
Super-Moist Chocolate Mayo Cake
1 box chocolate cake mix
1 cup mayonnaise
1 cup water
3 eggs
1 tsp ground cinnamon
Preheat oven to 350degrees
Blend all ingredients.
Bake as directed on box.

The recipe says the cinnamon is optional, but to me that is what makes this cake.  And, just for your information, I don't eat mayonnaise in real life, but if it is in a recipe I will make an exception. 

Chocolate Mocha Frosting
3/4 cup Crisco
1 tablespoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa
4 1/2 cups confectioner's sugar
1/2 cup strong brewed coffee
Cream Crisco, vanilla, salt and cocoa.  Add sugar and coffee alternately, beating until smooth.

The coffee in this icing is delicious.  Chocolate, cinnamon and coffee?  YUM.  Do you know that a piece of cake is excellent for breakfast?  YUP. 

I took most of the cake to work to share.  I think it was appreciated.  Or maybe they gobbled it up so I wouldn't feel bad.  Sometimes you just have to say "Let them eat cake!"

11 comments:

farmlady said...

Great minds run in the same thought pattern. I made a cake today too but it looks nothing like your. Yours looks so much better because it's a chocolate layer cake and has frosting. Mine pales in comparison being a one layer white sheet cake with no frosting.
Next week I will make your cake, with frosting, and life will be so much sweeter. I promise to try harder.
Your cake is just beautiful. I aspire to it's greatness.
I will also put some frosting on my cake tomorrow.
Thanks for the recipe and a reminder that a naked cake is not a cake to be admired.
Your frosting job is awesome.

Kris said...

That looks wonderful! Hooray for your eggs. I am thinking mine are rejects! No eggs for my dumb chickens!! Go to Joanns and in the cake decorating section you can buy a product called bake even strips. You circle the outer edges of your pan and the cakes will bake even. Or...do what I did and just cut off the cake hump and eat it.

Karen Whittal said...

MMMMMMMMM it looks good enough to eat, I never have any luck with chocolate cakes will try our recipt

Holly said...

Oh!! That looks so godd! My grandma used to make a mayo cake that was delicious. Have a great time on your trip.

MamaMonki said...

I'm pinning this recipe. Adding it to my hundreds of things I want to try making file. Looks so yummy and so not on the Weight Watcher's approved list I'm sure.

msdebbiea said...

YUMMY! I baked a cake yesterday as well. . .must have been fall in the air! Mine was an apple cake, and I used six different kinds of apples in it. . the "orchard man" told me to always mix several types of apples when baking for excellent results! It was indeed delicious :) I iced half of it with caramel and half with cream cheese, and couldn't decide which to eat, so I ate BOTH!
Love you~~
Your cake looks spectacular!!!!

In the Light of the Moon said...

What about me...your friend here in Florida...I could use a piece..it could fit in a small box...I'm only asking for one slice...a big slice...next time..forget your work friends...your bloggy friends need some of love to.I'm still drooling here.Yum.Hugs,your drooly friend,Cat

Sandy, Sisters of Season said...

Oh my gosh . . . yum yum! Nice job Cheryl . . Blessings, Sandy:O)

Pam said...

Yum! Oh, I could go for a slice of that cake right now. Bet your coworkers were one happy group with this. Your cake may have cracked because the oven was too hot, or the oven door was opened too many times. It looks beautiful any way and that frosting rocks!!!

Brian Miller said...

i will gladly eat cake...haha....looks good to me...

Anonymous said...

This looks delicious!

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