S’Mores Cake for a Birthday Girl

Tags

birthday cakes, chocolate cake, chocolate ganache, s'mores, s'mores cake

This past weekend, my eldest daughter turned 14 years old. 14! Oh, how time flies. I can still remember the first time she was handed to me, a tiny little bundle in my arms. And the tears of joy that flowed down my face. And as she turned 14, I still had tears running down my cheeks. A different set of tears with a different meaning. Proud tears. Proud at what a lovely young lady she is turning into. And a feeling of overwhelming happiness at how much joy she has brought into my life. Happy Birthday my sweet Charlotte!

We were at the cottage celebrating her birthday. Instead of a birthday cake, she just wanted to make S’mores over a campfire down by the beach. Because of high winds and high water levels, our beach was pretty much non-existent. A campfire wasn’t going to happen. I needed a quick fix and this S’mores cake couldn’t be any easier. You could bake your favourite chocolate cake from scratch, make your own marshmallow fluff, even your own graham crackers. But if you can get it all from a box, ready in no time, why not?

S’Mores Cake

1 2-layer chocolate cake

Marshmallow Fluff

Graham crackers, crushed into bits with your hands

Dark chocolate ganache (recipe follows)

Dark Chocolate Ganache

4 oz. of dark chocolate

½ cup of 35% cream

1 teaspoon of pure vanilla extract

Pinch of salt

Add all of the ganache ingredients into a heat-proof bowl. Using a bain-marie style to melt the chocolate, place the bowl over a pan of simmering water. Melt, stirring occasionally, until the chocolate is melted. Allow the bowl to sit on the counter and cool for about an hour.

Cut each cake layer in two so you end up with 4 chocolate cake layers. Beginning with a bottom cake layer, spread some marshmallow fluff over it and sprinkle with graham cracker bits. Add a second layer and repeat the process. Do the same with the third layer. Add the last layer and pour the dark chocolate ganache over the top, sprinkling with graham cracker bits. And voila! A gorgeous and oh-so-yummy S’Mores Birthday Cake!

 

Chocolate Egg Nest Cake

Tags

chocolate cake, chocolate egg nest cake, Easter egg chocolate cake, egg nest cake

We had a wonderful Easter and I hope you did too. We gathered at my brother’s home, Zio Carmine. He prepared some delicious lamb, a tradition in our family, which he grilled on the BBQ. Our first this year! Yay!

My sister, Zia Franca, prepared some scrumptious potatoes, succulent rapini, delicious roasted red peppers and a beautiful green salad.

I made dessert. As per my lovely daughters, it just wouldn’t be Easter without this Chocolate Egg Nest Cake from Nigella Lawson’s book, “Feast”. So rich and full of chocolatey goodness. Ultra moist and decadent. You’ve got to try this!

CHOCOLATE EGG NEST CAKE

for the cake:

250 grams of dark chocolate, chopped

125 grams of unsalted butter

6 eggs, 2 whole and 4 separated into yolks and whites

175 grams of sugar, 75 g for the yolks, 100 g for the whites

1 teaspoon of pure vanilla extract

Melt the 250 g of chocolate with the butter, using the double boiler (bain marie) method. Set aside to cool as you proceed with the next steps.

Whisk the 4 egg whites until firm. Gradually add the 100 g of sugar and whisk until they hold their shape and have a little shine to them. You can use a stand mixer or a hand-held one.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the 2 whole eggs with the 4 yolks, the 75 g of sugar and the vanilla extract. Gently fold in the chocolate mixture.

Add a dollop of the egg white mixture and stir briskly. Gently fold in the remaining egg white mixture, in three goes.

Butter the bottom only of a 23 cm springform pan. You can also just add parchment paper on the bottom if you prefer. Pour into tin. Bake in a 350 degree F/180 C oven for about 35 to 40 minutes. I baked mine for 35. It should no longer be wobbly on the surface. Remove from oven and allow to cool on a wire rack. The cake will sink in the middle as it cools and the sides will crack and splinter. No need to panic. That’s the look we’re going for.  

As the cake cools, whip up the scrumptious frosting.

for the frosting:

125 grams of dark chocolate, chopped

250 ml of 35% cream

1 teaspoon of pure vanilla extract

1 small package of mini chocolate Easter eggs for decorating, optional

Melt the chocolate using the same method as above and allow to cool. Whip the cream until firm. Add the vanilla and fold in the melted chocolate. Fill the crater of the cake with the cream, easing it out gently towards the edges of the cake with a rubber spatula. Arrange the little Easter eggs on top. Cute, no?