amazing cake

Just like his very specific ideas about fashion, Obi-2 has distinct culinary tastes.  How he comes up with these ideas is really beyond me, but his creativity makes me eager to watch him grow old enough to experiment in the kitchen.  I think we'll be in for a treat.

With his birthday approaching, I asked Obi-2 what kind of cake he'd like.  He's seen his brother's "dinosaur" cake and "drum" cake, so I expected to hear some sort of theme.  Not this boy.  He thought a moment, and then said, "Chocolate cake.  With peanut butter inside and outside."  Really?  Chocolate and peanut butter?  YUM!  

So, I set out to make his cake, which ended up requiring 3 different recipes and various alterations to each.  One of the interesting parts was choosing ingredients; the frosting specifically says "don't use natural or old fashioned peanut butter."  However, we live in a hydrogenated-free zone here.  So, what's a girl to do? A few brands of organic creamy PB do not use hydrogenated oil, so at $4 a jar, that's what we used.  The PB chips faced a similar quandary with sweetener - I looked in our natural foods store for chips that use cane juice (sugar) rather than high-fructose corn syrup.

The other challenge was proper timing.  Don't rush things with this - it needs a really solid nap-time or other block of uninterrupted time to accomplish everything.  The key is to cool everything before proceeding.  A warm cake melts mousse, as I found when I was taking it apart to re-mousse. (Remousse?  I'm inventing words to describe this process!)

Cheap, this cake is not.  Low-fat, no way. Quick & easy?  Ha ha ha... It tasted yummy and brought a smile to the birthday boy, though.

Anyway, I just had to share the process & recipe.  Find a reason (and large group - it easily will feed 15 people) to try this one at home.  Perhaps you'd like a celebration of crashing off your diet?

Chocolate Cake with Peanut Butter Inside & Out

by Obi-2, with help from MamaToo, myrecipes.com, Joy of Cooking, and America's Test Kitchen

Chocolate Cake part:

2 C all-purpose flour

1/4 C cocoa powder

1/2 C dark cocoa powder (or use all regular - don't use all dark chocolate, as it's truly too rich)

2 tsp instant espresso or instant coffee

1 1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

12 Tblsp unsalted butter, softened (room temp)

1 3/4 C sugar

4 large eggs, at room temp 

2 tsp vanilla extract

1 1/2 C whole milk, at room temp

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Lightly coat two 8 or 9-inch round cake pans with cooking spray, then line the bottom(s)  with parchment paper.  Whisk flour, cocoa, espresso, soda, and salt together in a large bowl and set aside.

2. Beat butter and sugar together with a mixer until light and fluffy (about 5 minutes).  Beat in eggs, one at a time, until fully incorporated.  Beat in vanilla.

3. Reduce to low speed and mix in 1/3 of the flour mixture.  Then, mix in 1/2 the milk (3/4 C).  Repeat with half of the remaining flour, then the rest of the milk, then finish with the flour.  Make sure it's well mixed.

4. Pour the batter into prepared pans (it's key to have even amounts; I use a soup ladel to get them equal).  Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until toothpick comes out with only a few crumbs attached.   While they bake, make the frosting...

5.  Cool the cakes in the pans on racks for 10 minutes, then carefully flip them out on the racks to cool thoroughly.   While they cool, make the mousse.

Frosting "Outsides": (this will make plenty for the cake + tasting)

4 sticks unsalted butter, softened (room temp)

3 C powdered sugar

2 C (small jar) creamy peanut butter * (see notes above)

1/4 C heavy cream

2 tsp vanilla

pinch salt

Stir cream, vanilla, and salt together to dissolve salt.  Beat the butter until smooth, then reduce speed to med-low and add the powdered sugar (slowly, unless you want a cloud), and beat until smooth (about 5 minutes).  Beat in the peanut butter until smooth.  Beat in the cream mixture, then increase speed to med-high and beat until light and fluffy (nearly 10 minutes).  The frosting can keep several days (who are we kidding - like you won't eat it by then) in the refrigerator.

Mousse "Insides" (this will make plenty, but I if you have to re-do things like I did, you'll be grateful for the extras.)

2 Cups heavy cream, divided

1 10-oz package peanut butter morsels * (see notes above)

1. In a small saucepan on low heat, combine 2/3 C cream and PB chips.  Stir constantly until completely smooth, then remove from heat and cool 20-30 minutes in a bowl.

2. Whip 1 1/3 C cream until soft peaks form.  Carefully stir a third of the whipped cream into the cooled peanut butter morsel mixture until well combined.  Gently fold in the remaining portion of the whipped cream.  Cool it well (I learned - the first time the cake wasn't totally cooled, so I had quite the mess when I assembled.  After cleaning it up, I popped the mousse in the freezer for a few minutes, and that did the trick.)

Assembling the Beast:

1. Brush crumbs from the surface of the cake, and flip 1 cake onto your plate.  Generously spoon the mousse over the top - all the way to the edges.  Carefully flip the second cake on top.  Refrigerate before proceeding.

2. Frost the cake by generously scooping 1-2 Cups of frosting on the middle of the top.  Spread it out from the center, and continue to add more.  Use a cup of warmish water to dip your spatula or knife in between sections, which will keep the frosting from moving around.  This cake is best frosted with big "fluffs," rather than a smooth finish, but do what you like.

3. ENJOY.  This is a good one to keep in a cool spot until nearly ready to serve, but room temperature is fine.  Don't let it get warmed again, or you'll have a mess. :)

Honestly, it's a process and enough fat & sugar to last a year (good).  I'm not sure I'd ever make it again, but I'm glad I tried it, because I like being that "impressive" mama once in a while.  Hee hee.   

The one thing I can predict about my kids is their unpredictability.  Next year, I'm sure he'll want something new and interesting, and I'll get to head into another adventure in baking to make his birthday wishes come true. :)