I watch way too many TV shows on TLC and Food Network. This is a fact my family has had to get used to over the past few years. When I choose what we watch, it will always be on TLC or Food Network (with the exception of Desperate Housewives and Glee). For the longest time, I was hooked on Cake Boss. Over time, I stopped watching so much and switched over to Chopped, Iron Chef America, etc. I happened to come across Cake Boss again not too long ago. It was the Valentine's Day episode and I watched Buddy make a special heart-shaped cake for a couple who had come to his bakery for their honeymoon. He started with a red velvet cake and filled the center with chocolate mousse icing, strawberry slices, and chocolate ganache. He then continued to frost the entire cake in buttercream and decorated it appropriately. I was dying to make this cake, so I did. Luckily, I bought a heart-shaped cake mold a few months ago at a church garage sale. That came in handy, but a heart shaped mold isn't necessary for this recipe.
This cake has so many elements to it. There are three different types of icing! The end result is oh so very worth it, though. Although it was yummy, I wish I would have filled the cake with more chocolate mousse icing. I can't get enough of the stuff. It's good enough to eat on its own as a dessert. It's not quite as thick as actual mousse, but it tastes almost exactly like it. My mouth is watering just thinking about it.
For the decorating I just did my own thing. I had never worked with royal icing before, so it was a new experience. The icing was incredibly thick. I had a hard time making the roses without it melting into itself when I thinned it out, so it had to be thick to work with. After it dried, the icing was really crunchy, like a little piece of candy. Now, for the recipe(s)!
Red Velvet Cake
Ingredients:
about 5 strawberries (or more if you want them)
2 1/4 cups sifted cake flour (sifted, then measured)
2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup buttermilk
(or one tbsp butter plus a scant cup of milk)
1 tablespoon red food coloring
1 teaspoon distilled white vinegar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 stick unsalted butter, room temperature
2 large eggs
Directions
Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter and flour two 9-inch-diameter
cake pans.
Sift sifted flour, cocoa powder, baking
powder, baking soda, and salt into a small bowl.
Whisk together buttermilk, food coloring,
vinegar, and vanilla in a small bowl. Cream sugar
and butter in large bowl. Add eggs one at a time, blending well after each addition. Mix in dry ingredients in four additions and the buttermilk mixture in three additions,
alternately. (dry, wet, dry, wet, etc)
Divide batter between pans. Bake until
a toothpick inserted into center comes out clean, about 27 minutes. Cool in pans for 10 minutes. Remove cakes from pans and let cool on a rack.
Cream Cheese Frosting
Ingredients:
2 8-ounce packages cream cheese, room temperature
1 stick butter, room temperature
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups powdered sugar
Directions
Cream the butter and cream cheese together. Add the vanilla and mix well. Add the powdered sugar slowly and mix until smooth.
Chocolate Mousse Frosting
Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
3/4 cup sifted confectioners' sugar
1/4 cup plus 1 1/2 tbsp cocoa powder
small pinch of salt
Directions
Place a mixing bowl in the freezer for a few minutes to chill (this doesn't take long). Add heavy cream to the bowl and slowly stir in the dry ingredients. When most of the dry ingredients have been moistened, whip the mixture until stiff peaks hold.
Chocolate Ganache
Ingredients:
1/2 cup heavy cream
4 1/2 oz dark chocolate
Directions
Chop the chocolate into small pieces and place in a bowl. Heat the heavy cream over medium-low
heat until it just begins to boil. Pour over the chopped chocolate and stir until incorporated.
Royal Icing
Ingredients:
1 cup powdered sugar
3/4 tablespoon meringue powder
1/8 teaspoon vanilla extract
about 1/8 cup water
Directions
Mix dry ingredients in a small bowl. Add the vanilla extract and water and mix with a fork/spoon until combined.
Add water or powdered sugar to get the right consistency.
To Finish...
Spread the chocolate mousse frosting inbetween the two layers of cake. Pour desired amount of chocolate ganache over the top then cover in sliced strawberries. You will probably have extra ganache. Pour it on the extra strawberries...DO IT! Place the other cake on top of the first. Spread a thin layer of cream cheese frosting over the top and press into the gap between the cakes. Then, continue to frost the cake. Once again, you may have extra frosting. Spread it on graham crackers. Put the royal icing in a frosting bag and decorate the cake however you like. Eat and enjoy!
Sources
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