This fall has been full of changes for us, some great, some a little less than great. We watched the leaves change and fall with stuffy noses and fevers and have unfortunately spent most of our days inside nursing never-ending colds. In the midst of that I saw so many of my self-imposed deadlines blowing past me.
I have a history of 6 month hobbies, you wouldn’t believe the long list of ‘really great ideas’ my gracious and extremely tolerant husband has supported me through. All that to say, I’ve tried to be really intentional about this space; about consistently building and growing and creating; but am realizing that at some point I have to give myself grace to slow down. The 5,000 holiday recipes I didn’t get to try will be there next year…or in July…and who doesn’t want cranberry everything in July, anyway?
On a happier note, we now have 4 lovely little chickies that will soon be graduating to a big-chicken coop in the backyard and getting their adorable smelly selves out of my garage. Fingers crossed we’ll have fresh eggs and no roosters come spring. Now to get my husband to let me have a goat…I figure if I keep bringing home farm animals we’ll eventually be forced to live on one then all my dreams will come true. Or something like that.
On to cake. This is a lovely dark, boozy chocolate cake. I paired it with a creamy spiced cookie buttercream and topped it with lightly toasted meringue and dark chocolate ganache. The flavors are a little reminiscent of a s’more, just the grown-up spiked version and it’s definitely one of my favorite cakes I’ve made. If you don’t have a kitchen torch you could also broil marshmallows in the oven and layer them inside the cake.
The cake recipe is adapted from Sweetapolita.
- 1½ c stout beer
- 1½ c (3 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into cubes
- 1 c (115 g) dutch process cocoa, sifted
- 3 c (360 g) all purpose flour
- 3 c (600 grams) granulated sugar
- 2¼ tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp salt
- 3 large eggs at room temperature
- ⅔ cup sour cream, at room temperature
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter three 6 inch round cake pans, line the bottoms with parchment paper then dust with cocoa powder and tap out excess.
- Place the beer and butter in a saucepan and heat on medium heat until the butter melts, stirring occasionally. Remove the pan from heat and whisk in the sifted cocoa powder until smooth. Pour into a large heatproof bowl and let cool.
- In a medium bowl sift together dry ingredients and set aside.
- In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment mix the eggs and sour cream on medium speed until well combined, or about 3 minutes.
- Add the cocoa mixture and mix on medium speed until combined, about 1 minute.
- Add the dry ingredients slowly and combine on low speed until blended, scrape down the sides and bottom of bowl then mix for another minute.
- Fill prepared pans ¾ full with batter, weighing if possible. If you use 6 inch pans you will have some batter left over. Place cake pans on middle oven rack abut about 2″ apart and bake for 20 minutes. Rotate the pans, then bake until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean, about an additional 15 minutes.
- Let cakes cool on wire racks for about 10 minutes then run a knife around the edges to loosen and turn out onto the rack to cool completely.
- Assembly // level cakes if desired, then place one layer face up on a cake board or your serving plate/stand. Spread a layer of buttercream on the cake, then place the next layer on face down and press down gently to seal. Repeat, and place the remaining layer face down. Put the cake in the fridge for a few minutes for the buttercream to firm up, if necessary. Thinly ice the outside of the cake, scraping the excess buttercream off the edges with an offset palate knife or bench scraper. Smooth a layer of buttercream over the top of the cake, then put the cake in the fridge for another 15 minutes or so. Pour the ganache around the edge of the top layer. Pipe merengue on the top and toast with a kitchen torch.
- 5 egg whites
- 1 c (198 g) superfine sugar
- 1½ c (3 sticks) butter, cool but not cold and cut into cubes
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 c speculoos cookie butter
- pinch of salt
- pinch of cinnamon
- Wipe the metal bowl of an electric stand mixer, whisk attachment and a whisk with vinegar or lemon juice and a paper towel to remove any trace of grease.
- Fill a large pot with 1 inch of water and bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Place a metal mixing bowl over the pot of simmering water (bowl should fit snugly but should not touch the water) and add egg whites and sugar. Stir constantly with a whisk until the temperature reaches 140 degrees or until all the sugar has dissolved. Remove from heat.
- Beat egg whites and sugar on high speed until the bottom of the bowl is completely neutral, about 10 minutes. Switch to the paddle attachment and turn mixer on low speed.
- Begin slowly adding the butter pieces and mix until texture is smooth. If the buttercream curdles, keep mixing, it'll come back together.
- Add salt and vanilla extract, then add the cookie butter and mix until combined.
- You can store buttercream in the fridge in an airtight container for 3 days, or in the freezer for up to 6 weeks.
- 4 oz dark chocolate
- ½ c heavy whipping cream
- Place the chocolate in a medium heat-proof bowl. Scald the cream in a heavy saucepan over medium heat, then, while whisking, slowly pour the cream into the chocolate. Mix until smooth and set aside to cool.
- 4 large egg whites
- ¾ c (148 g) sugar
- ⅛ tsp cream of tartar
- Wipe the metal bowl of an electric stand mixer, whisk attachment and a whisk with vinegar or lemon juice and a paper towel to remove any trace of grease.
- Fill a large pot with 1 inch of water and bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Place a metal mixing bowl over the pot of simmering water (bowl should fit snugly but should not touch the water) and add egg whites and sugar. Stir constantly with a whisk until the temperature reaches 140 degrees or until all the sugar has dissolved. Remove from heat.
- Add the cream of tartar and beat the egg white mixture on high speed until the bottom of the bowl is completely neutral, about 10 minutes.
- Prep a pastry bag with icing tip of your choice and fill with merengue. Pipe and gently toast with a kitchen torch.
I’m so happy to have discovered your blog! Your photos are absolutely stunning and your beautiful creations sound so delicious. Love love love your work. <3
Thank you so, so much Sophie! So kind of you to say!