First, the baking went well... I guess. The measuring and cutting? Well... I got my measuring tape out - got it full of sticky cake crumbs. Ugh. So let's say my halves of the cake were not exactly. In hindsight - I would have covered the top of the sticky cake with powdered sugar and turned over the entire thing on a cookie sheet - I didn't. Somehow I flopped half the cake out into the 9 x 13 pan and it felt out in pieces. Well - it's Ok, it'll be Ok, it's the bottom right? I made the creme filling, my fluff had separated a little so maybe it wasn't as fluffy as it could be? I don't know - it sure did taste delicious! I piped that on top of the layer inside the 9 x 13, then realized somehow that top layer would need to get on there somehow. I used some powdered sugar and rubbed the top of the cake until it was smooth, turned it out onto a rimless pan and it slid perfectly on top of the cake and filling. That's when I started looking at it wondering how on earth people would get this cake OUT of the 9 x 13 pan. It sure wasn't going to be easy. I decided the best course of action would be to turn it out onto a tray. Hindsight - remember that first layer that fell into the pan? That now became the top of the cake. So guess how well that worked and how beautiful it wasn't? Oh man, what an absolute hot mess! But, let's be honest - ganache is amazing and fixes a world of hurts. I only had one small breach of ganache, cake, and filling that decided it needed to flow down the side - a fork and my mouth took care of that misfortune. The cake actually turned out not too bad. If I would have had room in my fridge - that where it should have gone. See... the story isn't over... Later that day I packed up the kids and cake then off to the party we went. The day was 96 degrees and 120 heat index - my car tried so hard to cool off - but it's hard to overcome that kind of heat... Somewhere in the 35-minute ride the party - the top layer of the cake slid right off - not a thing I could do about it. We arrived at the party - I tried to fix it with zero luck - I left it, apologized and just laughed. Thankfully someone else took pity upon my poor sad cake and was able to realign the top layer and honestly - it didn't look too bad when it was served. My dad declared the cake delicious. Well, I knew that having taken one for the team early with the breach of ganache. All in all this cake really didn't frustrate me - I just laughed a lot and did what I could - learned a lot - laughed a lot. Want to make the cake? Here's the recipe but just go to Bakerella's site and follow her directions - you'll likely have a better result. :) https://www.bakerella.com/hostess-with-the-mostess-snack-cake/
HOSTESS WITH THE MOSTESS CHOCOLATE SNACK CAKE
By: Bakerella
INGREDIENTS:
Devil’s Food Cake
¾ cup natural unsweetened cocoa
2/3 cup hot water
1 cup buttermilk
1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
1 ½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon kosher salt
¾ cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
½ cup light brown sugar, firmly packed
3 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
Devil’s Food Cake
¾ cup natural unsweetened cocoa
2/3 cup hot water
1 cup buttermilk
1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
1 ½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon kosher salt
¾ cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
½ cup light brown sugar, firmly packed
3 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
Cream Filling
2 cups confectioners’ sugar
6 Tbsp unsalted butter, room temperature
7 oz jar marshmallow crème
1 tsp vanilla
4 Tbsp heavy cream
Ganache
3 tbsp unsalted butter, softened
10 oz bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
1 Tbsp light corn syrup
1/3 cup heavy cream
Vanilla Icing
1 cup confectioner’s sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 Tbsp milk
2 cups confectioners’ sugar
6 Tbsp unsalted butter, room temperature
7 oz jar marshmallow crème
1 tsp vanilla
4 Tbsp heavy cream
Ganache
3 tbsp unsalted butter, softened
10 oz bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
1 Tbsp light corn syrup
1/3 cup heavy cream
Vanilla Icing
1 cup confectioner’s sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 Tbsp milk
You’ll also need:
9 X 13 baking dish, covered preferred
12 X 18 rimmed baking sheet
Unrimmed cookie sheet larger than 9 X 13
9 X 13 baking dish, covered preferred
12 X 18 rimmed baking sheet
Unrimmed cookie sheet larger than 9 X 13
Offset spatula
Piping bag and Wilton #3 tip
metal ruler (helpful when cutting)
mini offset spatula (very helpful when lifting cake squares)
DIRECTIONS:
Make the CAKE Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease the bottom and sides of a 12 X 18 inch sheet pan and line the bottom with parchment paper allowing a few inches to overlap each end. Grease the top of the paper and dust the pan with cocoa.
In a bowl, whisk cocoa powder into the hot water. Cool to lukewarm and whisk in the buttermilk. In another bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda and salt.
In the bowl of a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugars on medium speed until combined. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add vanilla along with the final egg. Reduce speed to low and add dry ingredients in three additions alternating with the buttermilk mixture in 2 additions. Beat until combined.
Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake for about 15 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cool in the pan. Cut a straight line down the center of the cake so you have two sheets roughly 9 X 12 inches. When cool gently lift cake out of sheet pan holding the parchment paper on either end. Place on counter and with kitchen scissors, cut down the center to separate the two pieces of cake while still keeping them on the parchment paper. This will help in transferring.
Transfer one 9 X 12 cake layer section to a 9 X 13 baking dish with the help of a rimless cookie sheet. Place one of the cake layers, parchment paper side down, on the cookie sheet and place the baking dish on top. Holding the cookie sheet against the baking dish, carefully flip it over and the cake layer will fall into place. Remove the parchment paper.
Make the CRÈME FILLING In the bowl of a mixer, sift the sugar over the butter. Using the paddle attachment, beat on medium speed until lightened. Add marshmallow crème, vanilla and heavy cream and beat until fluffy.
Pipe thick lines of the marshmallow cream filling on top of the cake and then spread evenly with an offset spatula to avoid getting too many cake crumbs mixed in the filling.
To transfer the second layer, you can't flip the baking dish this time, so place the cake layer on the rimless cookie sheet and carefully transfer using the cookie sheet for support and your hands for guidance. Get it right the first time because you really can't readjust it at this point. Remove the parchment paper on the top layer.
Make the GANACHE In a heatproof bowl set over, but not touching barely simmering water in a saucepan, melt the butter and chocolate with the corn syrup and cream, stirring constantly with a wire whisk until smooth. Let cool slightly. Pour prepared chocolate ganache on top of the cake, spread evenly and allow to set. When almost set and still slightly shiny, cut the cake into 24 even cake squares using a sharp unserrated knife. Run the knife under hot water in between each cut for smooth edges.
Make the VANILLA ICING In a small bowl, stir together the confectioners’ sugar, vanilla and milk until smooth. You can add a little more sugar or milk to make the consistency thicker or thinner.
Finally, pipe vanilla icing swirls across each row of squares using a decorating bag fitted with a #3 Wilton tip. Serve squares using a small spatula and enjoy!
Piping bag and Wilton #3 tip
metal ruler (helpful when cutting)
mini offset spatula (very helpful when lifting cake squares)
DIRECTIONS:
Make the CAKE Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease the bottom and sides of a 12 X 18 inch sheet pan and line the bottom with parchment paper allowing a few inches to overlap each end. Grease the top of the paper and dust the pan with cocoa.
In a bowl, whisk cocoa powder into the hot water. Cool to lukewarm and whisk in the buttermilk. In another bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda and salt.
In the bowl of a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugars on medium speed until combined. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add vanilla along with the final egg. Reduce speed to low and add dry ingredients in three additions alternating with the buttermilk mixture in 2 additions. Beat until combined.
Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake for about 15 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cool in the pan. Cut a straight line down the center of the cake so you have two sheets roughly 9 X 12 inches. When cool gently lift cake out of sheet pan holding the parchment paper on either end. Place on counter and with kitchen scissors, cut down the center to separate the two pieces of cake while still keeping them on the parchment paper. This will help in transferring.
Transfer one 9 X 12 cake layer section to a 9 X 13 baking dish with the help of a rimless cookie sheet. Place one of the cake layers, parchment paper side down, on the cookie sheet and place the baking dish on top. Holding the cookie sheet against the baking dish, carefully flip it over and the cake layer will fall into place. Remove the parchment paper.
Make the CRÈME FILLING In the bowl of a mixer, sift the sugar over the butter. Using the paddle attachment, beat on medium speed until lightened. Add marshmallow crème, vanilla and heavy cream and beat until fluffy.
Pipe thick lines of the marshmallow cream filling on top of the cake and then spread evenly with an offset spatula to avoid getting too many cake crumbs mixed in the filling.
To transfer the second layer, you can't flip the baking dish this time, so place the cake layer on the rimless cookie sheet and carefully transfer using the cookie sheet for support and your hands for guidance. Get it right the first time because you really can't readjust it at this point. Remove the parchment paper on the top layer.
Make the GANACHE In a heatproof bowl set over, but not touching barely simmering water in a saucepan, melt the butter and chocolate with the corn syrup and cream, stirring constantly with a wire whisk until smooth. Let cool slightly. Pour prepared chocolate ganache on top of the cake, spread evenly and allow to set. When almost set and still slightly shiny, cut the cake into 24 even cake squares using a sharp unserrated knife. Run the knife under hot water in between each cut for smooth edges.
Make the VANILLA ICING In a small bowl, stir together the confectioners’ sugar, vanilla and milk until smooth. You can add a little more sugar or milk to make the consistency thicker or thinner.
Finally, pipe vanilla icing swirls across each row of squares using a decorating bag fitted with a #3 Wilton tip. Serve squares using a small spatula and enjoy!
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