Picture Perfect Cooking

Yet again, I found this recipe on Pinterest, but the original poster was a blog called The Novice Chef.  This link will take you to her version of this cake.  I don’t make a lot of layer cakes apart from my Italian Cream cake, and after I tasted this one, I think I know why.  This was good, especially the frosting, but the cake seemed a little dry to me.  I think sheet cakes and Bundt cakes stay more moist, but it may be that I was too spoiled after eating that Coca-Cola cake a couple of weeks ago.  Oh, man, was that cake good!

I got good reviews from my family and friends for this, but I don’t think I will be making it again. It was ingredient heavy and time consuming, so the results just weren’t worth the time spent for me. Win some, lose some.

For the cake:
3 cups sifted all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup milk, at room temperature
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
2 cups granulated sugar
4 large eggs, at room temperature
4 ounces semi-sweet chocolate, melted and cooled

For the frosting:
4 oz. egg whites (3-4 large egg whites or about 1/2 cups)
1 1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 lb. unsalted butter, room temperature
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 sleeve Oreos, run through the food processor until finely chopped

For the cake:
Preheat the oven to 350°. Prepare two 9” cake pans with Baker’s Joy and wax paper.  Sift the 3 cups of flour, baking powder, and salt. I like to do this onto a paper plate so it is easier to handle. In a cup with a pour spout, mix the milk with the vanilla.

In a standing mixer fitted with the paddle, beat the butter at medium speed until light and creamy. Add the sugar and beat until fluffy, 4 minutes. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, scraping down the bowl. Beat in the dry ingredients in 3 batches, alternating with the milk mixture and scraping down the bowl.

Mix 2 cups of the batter with the melted and cooled bittersweet chocolate. Scrape the remaining batter into the pans. Dollop the chocolate batter over the batter in the pans and swirl with a knife.

Bake in the lower third of the oven for about 35 minutes, until springy. Let cool for 15 minutes, then run a knife around the edges and invert onto a rack. Peel off the paper, turn the cakes upright and cool completely.

For the icing:
Lightly whisk egg whites and sugar together over simmering water in a double boiler until egg-white mixture is hot to touch or a candy thermometer reads 140°F (60°C).

Pour hot whites into a room-temperature bowl and whip at medium high, with a wire whip, until double in volume and stiff peeks have formed. When the mixer stops, the meringue should not move around in the bowl. Meanwhile cut up butter into 2-inch pieces. (The butter should be slightly moist on the outside but cold inside.)

On your mixer, remove the whip and attach the paddle. Add half the butter into the bowl immediately and pulsate the mixer several times until the meringue has covered the butter completely. To pulsate the mixer, turn it on and off in a jerky motion. This forces the butter on the top to the bottom of the bowl. Add the balance of the butter and pulsate mixer several times. Slowly increase the mixer’s speed, starting with the lowest speed and increase the speed every 10 seconds until you reach a medium high speed.

Continue beating until the mixture begins to look light and fluffy. Stop the mixer and scrape the bowl. Reduce speed to LOW. Add vanilla and Oreo crumbs, continue to beat on LOW speed for 45 seconds. Then beat on MEDIUM-HIGH speed for an additional 45 to 60 seconds.

Place one layer on the cake plate and cover with the buttercream. Place the 2nd layer on top and frost the cake with the remaining buttercream.

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