MangiaMore: GINGERBREAD layer cake

RER 12.25.15

Christmas Eve ended up being a flurry of baking— a follow-up to an earlier Christmas cookie bake-a-thon. Cookies are never enough, even that double batch of sugar cookies and those oh-too-delicious walnut bites. There were tins of cookies, but it didn’t feel like enough. Santa would be pleased, but we were having company. So I made cakes…

RER 12.24.15

RER 12.24.15

RER 12.25.15

Not just one layer cake, but two. To take the pressure off, I made a cake I have made what feels like a million times and has been requested on twice as many occasions.  My chocolate cake is a crowd-pleaser and just chocolate enough to be sexy.

RER 12.24.15

RER 12.24.15

RER 12.24.15

But what is a holiday without trying something new and season-sensitive? Chocolate is good all year round, but gingerbread, gingerbread is a funny festive thing. Gingerbread only feels appropriate from the fall of October to the rise of January. Martha helped me out with the dense gingerbread layers for the tall cake, while Smitten Kitchen inspired the creamy whipped filling.

RER 12.24.15

RER 12.24.15

My gingerbread cake amalgamation stood super tall and bare on the sides—naked cakes are a thing. Each layer was substantial and dense, spicy, but not too intense. A fresh whipped cream, laced with thick mascarpone cheese, cooled the warm brown layers. The cream filling was wet and airy, but not too sweet. The dichotomy left the cake lovely and light, just enough to tickle, but not enough to overwhelm.

Apparently, ‘tis the season for baking.  

RER

12.25.15

MangiaMore: CARAMEL cake

RER 6.8.14

Sometimes, even when it’s super hot, I get the baking itch. In warm weather, spending time in the even warmer kitchen is not ideal, but the delicious end result outweighs the sweat and tears—well at least I think so. I spent much of two days searching for a recipe and when I shouted “caramel or almond orange cake (or whatever it was, I can’t even remember), I received a resounding chorus “Caramel!!” So I set out to use Dr. Maya Angelou’s Caramel Cake recipe found on Martha Stewart’s website.

RER 6.6.14

RER 6.5.14

RER 6.8.14

RER 6.5.14

Making caramel always intimidates me, despite previous efforts (here, here and here), but this time melting the white sugar with water to create the caramel syrup only took longer than I expected, but was just as sweet.

RER 6.5.14

RER 6.5.14

RER 6.8.14

I have never made a batter quite like this before, and the baked cake spoke volumes of deliciousness. The technique of whipping the eggs separately might come in handy with future cakes.

RER 6.5.14

RER 6.5.14

RER 6.5.14

RER 6.6.14

Not only did I use the frosting that was linked to the recipe, I tried out this richer caramel flavored frosting. The caramel made with brown sugar and butter, milk and time, was a deeper stronger flavor, that intense brown and taste we are used to. I used this variety in the middle. The frosting that was suggested with the cake relied more on browned butter than caramel for its depth.

 

RER 6.5.14

RER 6.8.14

RER 6.5.14

Overall, this cake was an impromptu sweet mess, worth it all the way through. The cake middle was white and fluffy, and just sweet enough. While the frosting, both the dark caramel buttercream and the lighter browned butter frosting on the exterior, were sweet and commanding. The balance, however, was a little off, and erred to saccharine delight. Just a little slice of this cake was just enough, perfect to watch our figure in the smoldering heat.

RER

6.5.14

RER 6.8.14