The Wedding Cake Project: Part 2

OK.  I will be the first to admit this isn’t the prettiest cake I’ve ever made.  In fact, if a cake looking like this appeared at my wedding, I would be pretty disappointed.  I might even be forced to hide it and make a mad dash for the grocery store.  It is definitely lopsided and the crumb layer didn’t hold all the chocolate crumbs in place, giving it a very messy, haphazard look.  But I’m not going to stress.  That’s the whole point of my experiment, right?  I’m not going to be able to do everything perfectly the first time, so I need to vet all of the issues beforehand.  So much of baking is trial and error; I need to cut myself a little slack and focus on the positive.  Taste-wise, this cake is a winner.  I based it off of the classic Nutella and Strawberry Crepe and am incredibly happy with the flavor profile.  It has the perfect balance of chocolate-y richness and butter-y lightness, topped off with strawberries.  The aesthetics are a minor problem that can be easily corrected.  And, quite honestly, the next time I make this cake I will be in a much more controlled environment, and will have the proper baking gadgets at my disposal.  Saturday was just an impossible day to put together a cake.  It was so hot and humid that the butter cream was separating as I mixed it and was melting as I spread it on the cake.  I tried chilling it in the fridge to make it firmer, but my poor, little refrigerator just couldn’t keep up.  I was fighting a losing battle.  But, in the end, I was able to create something delicious for my friend’s birthday and that makes me happy.  See below for the recipe if you want to give it a try.

Chocolate Sour Cream Cake with

Nutella and Vanilla Butter Cream and Strawberries

Cake Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (not Dutch process)

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

3/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup sour cream

1/3 cup water

2 teaspoons vanilla

2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter, softened

1 1/3 cups firmly packed light brown sugar

3 large eggs

Cake Preparation:

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Grease and flour two 9-inch round cake pans, knocking out excess flour.

Into a bowl sift together flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In a small bowl whisk together sour cream, water, and vanilla.

In a large bowl with an electric mixer beat together butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Add flour mixture to butter mixture in batches alternately with sour cream mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture and beating until batter is blended well.

Divide batter between prepared pans and smooth tops. Bake layers in middle of oven 25 to 30 minutes, or until a tester comes out clean. Cool cake layers in pans on racks 10 minutes before turning out onto racks to cool completely. Cake layers may be made 1 week ahead and frozen, wrapped well in plastic wrap. Thaw layers before proceeding with recipe.

Frosting Ingredients:

5 egg whites

1 1/4 cups extra-fine granulated sugar

1/4 cup cold water

1 pound (4 sticks) unsalted butter

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Nutella

Frosting Preparation:

Separate the egg whites into the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the wire whip attachment. Measure 1 cup sugar and the water into a 1-quart, heavy-bottomed saucepan.

Gently stir with the candy thermometer to combine. Place the remaining 1/4 cup sugar into a small bowl and set aside. Cut the butter into tablespoon sized pieces and set aside in a medium bowl.

To make the sugar syrup, place the candy thermometer in the saucepan and heat the mixture over medium-high heat. Partially cover with a lid to capture the evaporating water.  (This helps to moisten the sides of the saucepan to prevent sugar crystals from forming.)

With the mixer on high speed, begin whipping the egg whites to stiff peaks. When the peaks are stiff you have a meringue. Keep the mixer running and add the remaining 1/4 cup of sugar into the meringue.

Raise the heat under the sugar syrup to bring the syrup to 245° F. When the syrup reaches 245° F, remove the thermometer and slowly pour the syrup into the meringue.

After 1 or 2 minutes reduce the mixer speed to medium for 3 or 4 minutes, or until the meringue is cooled. Add the butter 1 tablespoon at a time. Increase the mixer speed to high for 1 to 2 minutes, or until the butter is fully incorporated. 

Divide the frosting evenly into two separate bowls.  Add the Nutella to one of the bowls, mixing until fully incorporated.

Assemble the Cake:

Horizontally slice both cakes, leaving you with four equal layers.  Place the first layer on the cake plate and frost with the nutella butter cream.  Repeat this with the next two layers.  Once you place the final layer on top, frost it lightly with the vanilla butter cream.  This is the crumb layer.  Place the cake in the fridge so the frosting may firm up.  Once the crumb layer is firm, you can finish frosting the cake with the vanilla butter cream.  Garnish with strawberries.