I promised you cake.
Not just any cake.
Fudge-y, chocolate-y, mousse-y cake sooooo decadent you must beware the power of The Dark Side………
You get the picture.
As is my custom when the calendar rolls around to that fateful day marking my arrival in this world, I spend weeks – even months — in search of “The” Cake that will grace my table, and ultimately my tongue. Where, oh where does one turn to fulfill such a primal request?
Food blogs, of course. (Thank y’all so much for doing what you do!)
After drooling over many a fine recipe, I clicked on Gourmantine’s Blog and spied what she simply called:
Need I say more?
Okay, you know me by now…
Not being one to leave chocolate well enough alone, I decided to top it with even more chocolate… the darker, the better. Enter The Harried Cook‘s Chocolate Ganache Frosting.
Words cannot describe the wonder…
It was so dark… yet so light… after one taste, I felt like I could quite possibly levitate the serving tray. ;)
Enjoying the chocolate side of The Force,
~ Kim
I need a piece of that cake a to the sap. YUM. It looks amazing so I can only imagine how it taste.
Hmm. Finding the perfect cake for your birthday…I really like that idea!
I am in favor of always being on the chocolate side of the force. (even though I have never seen the movies from which that phrase comes from)
By: Christy on March 19, 2012
at 2:47 pm
Christy, that cake really WAS amazing! I’ve never had a “texture” like it — very intriguing and definitely on my “must make” list, over and over! Thanks for stopping in to comment. :)
By: Kimby on March 19, 2012
at 3:22 pm
Ultimate is the perfect word for this! I am sure if I was there, there would have to be a fork fight for the last piece. Delicious post!
By: Tina@flourtrader on March 19, 2012
at 2:55 pm
Lol, Tina — I could see us fork fighting and enjoying every minute of it — and the smile on the “victor’s” face. I’ll make it easy on ya and just share. :)
By: Kimby on March 19, 2012
at 3:24 pm
Oh my! Now that’s a really chocolaty post… LOVE the cake… it looks amazing.. ultimate is a great word for it! I need to try Gourmantine’s recipe soon! And I am glad the ganache worked out well :) My husband would inhale this cake! Great post, Kimby!
By: Harried Cook on March 19, 2012
at 8:26 pm
Marsha, your ganache was “just right” for this! I made 1/4 batch of it since I only intended to use it as a “garnish.” (It was supposed to have pretty little piped rosettes around the edges, but my pastry bag BLEW UP while I was doing it, lol, and squirted all over the cake…. so… a “frosted middle” it became, ha!) Now you now the rest of the story. :)
By: Kimby on March 20, 2012
at 6:53 am
This is amazing. It looks fudgy and rich. Was it easy to make?
By: filingawaycupcakes on March 19, 2012
at 9:53 pm
Yes it was, and Gourmantine’s original recipe is easy to follow. My hubby gave me a kitchen scale for my birthday, so I was anxious to try it with the “gram” measurements! (Let me know if you’d like the “Americanized” measurements.) Also, I used a combination of semisweet and unsweetened chocolate (the original recipe says “dark chocolate”) — I used 6 squares of semisweet and 4 squares plus 1/2 square unsweetened chocolate. (10+1/2 ounces total.) Folding in the egg whites gradually and gently is what gives this cake it’s unique texture — kind of like mousse crossed with cheesecake? It’s divine!
By: Kimby on March 20, 2012
at 6:49 am
Ooooh … I’m coming with you to the dark side … I’m the one you don’t want to be on your side of the war … I’d leave at the first second if I get this! The force, blame it on the force! Happy arrival day!
By: ping on March 19, 2012
at 11:13 pm
Ping, I love your strategy — grab the cake and run! :) Thanks for the good wishes!
By: Kimby on March 20, 2012
at 6:42 am
Excuse me where is my slice? I demand a slice!!! This is just too good looking… Oh wow :D
Cheers
Choc Chip Uru
By: Choc Chip Uru on March 20, 2012
at 1:02 am
I can relate to your passion for chocolate. :) Wish I could send you a slice — it tasted as good as it looks!
By: Kimby on March 20, 2012
at 6:41 am
I have no problem with walking on the dark side of this one. It’s chocolate and creamy, which is good with me.
By: Dawn on March 20, 2012
at 4:41 am
Me too, Dawn! ;)
By: Kimby on March 20, 2012
at 6:40 am
Thank You Kim!!
By: Dawn on March 20, 2012
at 7:30 am
I love how you spend the time leading up to your b-day fantasizing about the perfect cake. =) Anticipation makes the final results all the sweeter, I’m sure. And that cake . . . oh that cake. It makes me wish I loved baking, because the eating part would be no problem.
By: Jenna on March 20, 2012
at 8:51 am
Jenna, I have a “potential birthday cakes” file! :) Anticipating is half the fun… but so is sharing. (Which is why I waited to make it until my sister was here!) Twice the fun, half the calories, lol!
By: Kimby on March 20, 2012
at 9:04 pm
When I was a kid there was a rule. If you didn’t have enough for everyone to share you couldn’t bring it to school. Does the same thing apply to a blog because I’d love a piece of this cake! :)
By: Maureen (@OrgasmicChef) on March 20, 2012
at 9:40 am
Maureen, I remember that rule, too! :) I wonder how long it takes to ship to Australia…?
By: Kimby on March 20, 2012
at 8:58 pm
My hubby usually buys a delicious fudgy chocolate cake from a local bakery for my birthday. But… it closed. :(
I haven’t baked my own birthday cake before (does that make my sound spoiled?), but this looks so perfect that I think this year I might. Yum!
By: Shary Hover on March 20, 2012
at 11:49 am
Shary, the only reason I make my own cake is because I have no one else to make one for me, unless I want a “Twinkie” with a candle in it from The Man Of Few Words. ;) You don’t sound spoiled at all — just surrounded by family — or bakers — or former bakeries! :)
By: Kimby on March 20, 2012
at 8:57 pm
Wow, just a sliver for me, Kimby! Oh, yes, may I please have a scoop of vanilla ice cream?? Sinfully deeeelish! xoxo Ally :)
By: Alice D'Antoni Phillips on March 20, 2012
at 9:24 pm
Ally, I didn’t realize my reply to you hadn’t posted. (I’ve been having “issues” with my comment section… hello… WordPress… can you hear me now…?) Anyway… to answer your question… Yes ma’am, absolutely! :)
By: Kimby on March 28, 2012
at 7:07 am
Yum! I’m sure the party has already ended……. I’m too late & the feeling sucks! But wait, the chocolaty aroma still lingers. Hahaha!
By: Shirley Tay on March 21, 2012
at 8:11 am
Shirley, the party may be over for another year, but I can make that chocolate cake over and over ALL year. :) Thanks for coming by!
By: Kimby on March 22, 2012
at 11:30 am
I’m so happy the recipe turned out well and you’ve like it!!! Makes me very very very happy to hear it. Now to top it with even more chocolate… is so so good (naughty, but good :) ), I have to try this with Marsha’s ganache next time! :)
By: Gourmantine on March 21, 2012
at 4:57 pm
Gourmantine, when you described it as “the ultimate” I just KNEW I had to try it! I’m sooooo glad I did. :)
By: Kimby on March 22, 2012
at 11:29 am
I love the very intense flavor
By: Loveforfood on March 23, 2012
at 10:56 am
I have awarded you the Versatile Blogger Award because I found your blog to be simply awesome and delicious – come check it out here: http://gobakeyourself.wordpress.com/2012/03/23/a-monstrous-post/
Congrats :D
Cheers
Choc Chip Uru
By: Choc Chip Uru on March 23, 2012
at 4:15 pm
Needless to say I’m loving that cake! But even more than the generosity that oozes from you is the magic you create with your camera. The spring green backdrop on those plates illuminating the rich dark chocolate is simply stunning.
By: Sue Ann Gleason on March 28, 2012
at 6:03 am