Deep Dark Chocolate (9 page)

“It’s My Party”
Birthday Cake

serves
10 to 12
makes
one 8-inch layer cake

BEHIND EVERY HAPPY BIRTHDAY IS A CELEBRATION CAKE—
the kind that looks grand and tastes great. Here is mine: four layers of moist, tender chocolate cake filled and topped with dark chocolate frosting; a crowning layer of white chocolate and cacao-nib ganache that’s tinted pink; and loads of candles (well, forty max). When it comes to candle holders, have fun. Try delicate, candied rose petals or individual chocolate truffles.

Adding the Dutch-process cocoa powder to the cake batter and the frosting gives both a darker color. None around? It’s fine to leave it out.

Ganache

1 cup heavy (whipping) cream

2 tablespoons premium cacao nibs, chopped into bits

Small pinch of salt

6 ounces premium white chocolate such as Green & Black’s, Valrhona, Callebaut, or El Rey, finely chopped

1 drop of red food coloring, or more if desired

Cake

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cup premium unsweetened cocoa powder

2 tablespoons premium unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder (optional)

1¼ teaspoons baking soda

½ teaspoon salt

¾ cup (1½ sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature, plus more for the pans

1
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cups granulated sugar

3 large eggs, at room temperature

1
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cups water

Frosting

1 pound cream cheese, at room temperature, cut into pieces

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature, cut into pieces

½ cup premium unsweetened cocoa powder

2 tablespoons premium unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder (optional)

TO MAKE THE GANACHE:
At least 8 hours or up to 3 days before assembling the cake, in a small saucepan over medium-high heat, combine the cream, nibs, and salt and bring the mixture to a simmer. Remove from the heat, cover, and steep for 30 minutes. Strain the cream through a fine-mesh sieve and discard the nibs. Place the white chocolate in a small heatproof bowl. Reheat the cream over medium-high heat until tiny bubbles form around the edges, then pour it over the chocolate. Let stand for several minutes, then stir until the chocolate is melted and the mixture is smooth. Stir in the red food coloring (if you need more, use a toothpick’s tip to dip a speck more coloring into the ganache until it reaches the desired color). Cover and refrigerate the mixture for at least 8 hours or up to 3 days. Set aside the red food coloring until you’re ready to assemble the cake.

TO MAKE THE CAKE:
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly butter the bottom and sides of two 8-inch round cake pans. Line the bottom of each pan with a round of parchment or waxed paper. In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, the unsweetened cocoa and the Dutch-process cocoa (if using), the baking soda, and salt until well blended.

In a stand or hand mixer set on medium speed, beat the butter until creamy. Add the sugar and beat until light, fluffy, and nearly white, about 5 minutes. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, until fully blended, scraping down the sides and bottom of the bowl as necessary. Beat in the vanilla until blended. Add the dry ingredients, alternating with the water, in several increments, and beat until just blended and smooth. Scrape down the bowl again.

Divide the batter between the prepared pans and spread evenly. Gently rotate the pans to settle and level the batter. Bake until the cakes are springy to the touch and a tester inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs clinging to it, 35 to 40 minutes. Let the layers cool in their pans on a wire rack for at least 15 minutes. Gently loosen the edges with a thin knife before inverting the layers onto the racks. Let the cakes cool thoroughly, about 2 hours, before carefully peeling off the parchment to frost them.

TO MAKE THE FROSTING:
Make sure the cream cheese and butter are not too warm or the frosting will be too soft. In a medium bowl, gently whisk the powdered sugar, the unsweetened cocoa, and the Dutch-process cocoa (if using), until well blended.

With a stand or hand mixer set on low speed, beat the cream cheese, butter, vanilla, and salt until well blended. Slowly add the powdered-sugar mixture and beat until smooth. Finish by increasing the speed to medium-high for 30 seconds.

TO ASSEMBLE THE CAKE:
Place a dollop of frosting in the middle of a cake stand. To create 4 layers, using a long, serrated knife, carefully slice the 2 cake layers horizontally in half. (To make moving the tender layers easier, slide each onto a disposable plastic plate with the upturned edges of the plate cut off.) Place 1 layer on the stand, top side up, and, using an offset spatula, spread
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cup frosting evenly over the top. Top with another layer, cut side up, and spread with another 1 cup frosting. Repeat with the third cake layer. Place the top (fourth) layer on top, bottom side up, and brush off any large, loose crumbs. Spread a thin layer of frosting over the top and sides of the cake to seal in the remaining crumbs. Refrigerate the cake for 1 hour, leaving the remaining frosting at room temperature. Spread the remaining frosting evenly over the top and sides of the cake. Let set for several hours before applying the ganache. The cake can be frosted 1 day ahead and stored in a cake keeper at cool (60° to 70°F) room temperature.

When you are ready to apply the ganache, whip it until it holds a nice shape. Do not overbeat. Using an offset spatula, spread a thick layer of the ganache over the chocolate frosting. (If the ganache becomes stiff, warm the spatula under warm water and dry completely.) The cake is ready to decorate as desired.

Aunt Trudy’s Irresistible Chocolate Zucchini Cake

serves
8
makes
one 9-inch round cake

WE ALL HAVE AN AUNT TRUDY IN OUR LIVES—THE PERSON
who can’t help but share a garden’s worth of homegrown zucchini. But zucchini bread is a little like fruitcake: You can pass around only so much. Here’s my idea: Use the surplus zucchini to make a moist and delectable dark chocolate cake that even your kids will welcome.

For a quick snack, dust the top of the warm cake with powdered sugar. To elevate it to the status of dinnertime dessert, frost it with a slightly tangy chocolate–cream cheese frosting.

Cake

1½ cups grated zucchini (about 2 medium)

¾ cup peeled and grated carrot (about 2 medium)

1¼ cups all-purpose flour

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cup premium unsweetened cocoa powder

1 tablespoon premium unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder

¾ teaspoon baking soda

¼ teaspoon salt, plus more for sprinkling

6 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature, plus more for the pan

½ cup granulated sugar

½ cup firmly packed light brown sugar

2 large eggs, at room temperature

½ cup buttermilk, at room temperature

¾ cup mini semisweet chocolate chips

½ cup golden raisins

½ teaspoon grated orange zest

Frosting

4 ounces cream cheese, cut into pieces, at room temperature

¼ cup (½ stick) unsalted butter, cut into pieces, at room temperature

Pinch of salt

3 ounces premium unsweetened chocolate, melted and cooled

½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract

½ teaspoon grated orange zest (optional)

About 1¾ cups sifted powdered sugar

About 2 tablespoons cream, half-and-half, or milk