My friend Thet turned 17 over the weekend and after pestering him to no avail about what type of cake he wanted, I finally decided on this. My two main ideas were to include either Oreos or M&Ms; I'm not even sure why, but it just seemed like the thing to do. Besides, who doesn't love them some M&Ms and Oreos!? (Lord help you if you are aware of someone who fits that category).
Besides from a few types of cheesecake, I had been eyeing the Chocolate and PX Brownie Cake recipe from Spicy Icecream for a while, and after raspberri cupcakes re-adapted the recipe to make a new cake, I decided it was reason enough to stick with it.
This was actually my first time making brownies, so I wasn't too sure on how the batter should look and other such details. I was also completely blown away by the amount of butter I would need - almost half a kilo! Inspecting the contents on the stove, my sister uneasily asked me if I was sure that the recipe actually was supposed to have that much butter. I froze for a second, wondering if I had in fact just read the recipe wrong. Turns out I hadn't and as I combined the dry ingredients with the melted mixture, the brownie noob in me came out as I found myself frantically grabbing the cocoa powder from the cupboard to add to the mixture; why wasn't it turning brown!!?? Needless to say, all it took was a tad more mixing and the mixture was a luscious, chocolately brown.
While baking the main cakes, I poured a little of the batter into some cupcake cases, resulting in a deep and meaningful silence during which my sister and I mutually thanked the God of household appliances for inventing the oven. There really is nothing quite like fresh, fudgy brownies.
So back to reality:
I was incredibly happy with the taste of the brownies (nonetheless mourning the fact they wouldn't taste anywhere close to their fresh state by Monday), and must not have been thinking straight because in the process of moving the bottom brownie layer, dropped the cake on the countertop. A crack completely separating two halves of the brownie, I managed to salvage them; still a little warm, it was possible to smoosh the cake back together. (Thanks for that one, baking Gods).
I baked the other layer and prepared the chocolate lace, leaving the ganache and the assembly for the next day.
I knew the cake did not need any extra richness, but two oversized brownies hardly incur the excitement associated with a birthday cake. I substituted the original ganache recipe for the one used in the Old Fashioned Chocolate Cake recipe, thinking the sour cream would cut the sweetness a little. Nevertheless, the cake was incredibly rich, but I was still satisfied and I think all those who ate it were too, so I was happy. :)
I may be responsible for a mass diagnosis of diabetes within my school, but hey, at least it was a tasty way to go, no?
Besides from a few types of cheesecake, I had been eyeing the Chocolate and PX Brownie Cake recipe from Spicy Icecream for a while, and after raspberri cupcakes re-adapted the recipe to make a new cake, I decided it was reason enough to stick with it.
This was actually my first time making brownies, so I wasn't too sure on how the batter should look and other such details. I was also completely blown away by the amount of butter I would need - almost half a kilo! Inspecting the contents on the stove, my sister uneasily asked me if I was sure that the recipe actually was supposed to have that much butter. I froze for a second, wondering if I had in fact just read the recipe wrong. Turns out I hadn't and as I combined the dry ingredients with the melted mixture, the brownie noob in me came out as I found myself frantically grabbing the cocoa powder from the cupboard to add to the mixture; why wasn't it turning brown!!?? Needless to say, all it took was a tad more mixing and the mixture was a luscious, chocolately brown.
While baking the main cakes, I poured a little of the batter into some cupcake cases, resulting in a deep and meaningful silence during which my sister and I mutually thanked the God of household appliances for inventing the oven. There really is nothing quite like fresh, fudgy brownies.
So back to reality:
I was incredibly happy with the taste of the brownies (nonetheless mourning the fact they wouldn't taste anywhere close to their fresh state by Monday), and must not have been thinking straight because in the process of moving the bottom brownie layer, dropped the cake on the countertop. A crack completely separating two halves of the brownie, I managed to salvage them; still a little warm, it was possible to smoosh the cake back together. (Thanks for that one, baking Gods).
I baked the other layer and prepared the chocolate lace, leaving the ganache and the assembly for the next day.
I knew the cake did not need any extra richness, but two oversized brownies hardly incur the excitement associated with a birthday cake. I substituted the original ganache recipe for the one used in the Old Fashioned Chocolate Cake recipe, thinking the sour cream would cut the sweetness a little. Nevertheless, the cake was incredibly rich, but I was still satisfied and I think all those who ate it were too, so I was happy. :)
I may be responsible for a mass diagnosis of diabetes within my school, but hey, at least it was a tasty way to go, no?
(Adapted from the raspberri cupcakes Rolo Chocolate Brownie Cake recipe)
Chocolate Brownie Cake
For the cake:
- 400g unsalted butter, cut into cubes
- 200g dark chocolate,broken into pieces
- 4 large eggs
- 200g (approx. 1 cup) caster sugar
- 200g (approx. 1 2/3 cups) plain flour
For the ganache:
- 75g unsalted butter
- 175g dark chocolate, broken into pieces
- 300g icing sugar
- 125mL sour cream
- 1 tsp vanilla essence
- Preheat oven to 180 degrees and grease two 20cm cake tins (I only have one so I had to do them one after another).
- Melt the chocolate and butter together by placing them in a bowl over a pot of barely simmering water, stirring occasionally.
- Beat eggs and caster sugar with an electric mixer until thick and pale (about 3-5 minutes).
- Fold through chocolate mixture then fold in flour until just combined.
- Divide the butter evenly among each tin, or alternatively, fill one tin with half the mixture and cover the other half with cling wrap and put aside.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.
- Allow cake to cool for five minutes in its tin before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
- (If using one tin, put other half of mixture into tin after removing the cooked cake and repeat)
- When cakes are completely cool, prepare the ganache. Melt the chocolate and butter together by placing them in a bowl over a pot of barely simmering water, stirring occasionally.
- When the mixture has finished melting, sift the icing sugar into a small bowl while the chocolate mixture cools. Add the sour cream and vanilla and then the icing sugar into the chocolate mixture, whisking while the icing sugar is added to prouduce a silky smooth concoction.
- Sandwich the two cakes together with the ganache and cover completely with more ganache. Cover and place in a cool, dry place until ready to serve.
If you wish to cover the sides in chocolate lace as I have done, simply fill a piping bag with melted chocolate, pipe swirly patterns all over baking paper and put in the fridge to set. Once solid, break into appropriate-sized pieces and stick onto the sides of the cake.
And as for the M&Ms: 1. Go to shops 2. Buy M&Ms 3. Place on top of cake 4. Profit $$$
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