When Julian came home last week sneezing and coughing one could witness him falling apart in hourly steps until he got really sick staying home for 3 days and sharing his attractive companions with us all. The sneezing and coughing went on and on and my motherly heart felt so sorry for him, I cannot tell how far motherly love goes in general but in this situation I certainly felt I should take upon me what he freely shared with me ... germs. He soon recovered and I felt miserable. I had the full blown thing and he was ready to go back to school. Fever, cough, aches, the works. The reason why not much was cooked in my kitchen and you saw fewer posts this week, just some heated soups from Suppito, a Viennese organic soup kitchen. My friend Andrea makes the best soups following the Traditional Chinese Medicine with tasty and colorful soups honoring the season and the available produce. Just awesome for any occasion and the healthiest choice for sure.
My sweet Elena called and her first words were: 'Uhoh you sound terrible make sure you are ready on Saturday to come celebrate my birthday, you must come and yes! Please make a chocolate cake, I only have a frozen one and that would be so lovely, chocolate, ok? It must be chocolate!' She said it three times so I thought a Triple Chocolate Truffle cake has to be made.
* Happy Birthday Elena *
Elena invited mostly girls first and then decided to let the husbands in as well, last minute thing so the seating was tight, the atmosphere great and we ate amazingly. If I would have to cook for 20 on my birthday I would probably be exhausted, Elena was bursting with energy!
Preparation time: 45 min
Baking time: 35-40 min
You Need
CHOCOLATE CAKE
75 g butter at room temperature
315 g | 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
180 g | 1 1/4 cups all purpose flour
60 g | 1/2 cup + 2 tbsp. cocoa powder
1 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
2 large eggs, at room temperature
175 ml |3/4 cup milk , at room temperature
175 ml | 3/4 hot water
2 tbsp. cognac
CHOCOLATE BUTTERCREAM
200 g dark chocolate (53%), coarsely chopped
300 g softened butter
3 tbsp. espresso
90 g | 1/2 cup + 2 tbsp powdered sugar
pinch of salt
CHOCOLATE GLAZE
75 g dark chocolate (53%)
45 g | 3 tbsp. Butter
Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Butter and flour two 6-inch (15 cm ! ) cake pans. Put sugar, flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt in a large mixing bowl. Add the soft butter, milk and eggs and beat until just smooth.
Add the hot water and stir until smooth (batter will be very liquid, don't worry, it's supposed to be like that).
Divide the batter between the two cake pans. One can be slightly more , becuase you will need 5 layers in the end. Bake for 35-40 minutes, checking doneness with a tootpick before removing from the oven.
Let cool in pans for 15 minutes then turn on cooling rack to cool completely.
If cakes are rounded on top, even out with a knife. Cut both cake layers in half using a sharp serrated knife (you'll end up with five thinner layers). Put the first layer on a cake board or a cake stand. Spread buttercream 2 tablespoons on the first layer. Add the next layer and repeat until you've used up all five layers.
Spread a thin layer of buttercream all over the cake (this is the crumb coating layer, to hold all the crumbs in place) using an offset spatula. Put the cake in the fridge for about 10 minutes or until the crumb coating layer has firmed up a bit (leave the bowl of frosting in room temperature).
Spread the remaining buttercream all over the cake until cake is smooth. For a totally even and smooth surface, dip an offset spatula in warm water and dry it between every pass. Works like a charm!
Put the cake in the fridge while you make the chocolate glaze (this will make sure that the glaze will firm up quickly when you pour it over the cake.
CHOCOLATE BUTTERCREAM
Melt the choclate with the coffee over low heat in a double boiler. Add the powdered sugar and the softened butter, remove from the heat source and beat with a mixer until fluffy and well combined. Keep aside.
CHOCOLATE GLAZE
Place the dark chocolate and butter in a saucepan and melt on low heat. Set aside until room temperature Test if you can still pour the choclate. As you will pour it over a cold surface, it must be able to still run down in drops over the edge.
Pour the glaze over the cake and quickly spread it over the edges of the cake to make it run down the sides.
I used a merengue and chocolate truffles from Switzerland to decorate. But anything works really, If you like you can use maltesers as well. Don't forget the wimpels and the candle !
Recipe Adapted from Linda Lomelino
A tribute to Linda Lomelino and her new book available in German 'Lomelinos Backen' and in English . What a talented and inspirational pastry chef she is!
