Recipe question

[oli]

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/pacificnw...0506/taste.html

Looking at the recipe and then at the photo, it looks like the cake part, if baked in the jelly roll pan would not be as thick as you see in the photo. Am I mistaken? What do you think of this recipe? I am planning on doing this for a going away party this weekend.

Thanks

[CanadianBakin']

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/pacificnw...0506/taste.html

Looking at the recipe and then at the photo, it looks like the cake part,  if baked in the jelly roll pan would not be as thick as you see in the photo.  Am I mistaken?  What do you think of this recipe?  I am planning on doing this for a going away party this weekend.

Thanks

←

That cake looks spectacular! I just checked the ingredient amounts to a cake I make in a sheet pan and it's about the same. I'm pretty sure you'll get the thickness they suggest.

[oli]

Everybody loved it. There was a room set aside just for desserts and some people asked where my cake was amongst all the others, and some said they picked out the cake immediately. Most people know I like the wow factor. It was very easy to make and looked just as the picture demonstrated. The cake part of the recipe was good enough to eat on its own, very moist and not overly sweet, and just the right texture. I did make one change to the recipe when it was in the KA, and that was to add another egg white. I did this because the recipe said to mix until it was light and fluffy. It didn't look light and fluffy and never got there, I was worried that there might be an error. Well I was not satisfied that I never achieved the light and fluffly, nevertheless I just went ahead and baked it and it turned out just fine. So this is going to be keeper.

[toni]

Everybody loved it.  There was a room set aside just for desserts and some people asked where my cake was amongst all the others, and some said they picked out the cake immediately.  Most people know I like the wow factor.  It was very easy to make and looked just as the picture demonstrated.  The cake part of the recipe was good enough to eat on its own, very moist and not overly sweet, and just the right texture.  I did make one change to the recipe when it was in the KA, and that was to add another egg white.  I did this because the recipe said to mix until it was light and fluffy.  It didn't look light and fluffy and never got there, I was worried that there might be an error.  Well I was not satisfied that I never achieved the light and fluffly, nevertheless  I just went ahead and baked it and it turned out just fine.  So this is going to be keeper.

←

[toni]

Oli, I am glad your cake was a success. I would like to duplicate this also but have a couple questions at the outset. I can't picture being able to put strawberries around the first layer. The layer is 8" and the cake ring is 8" so it would seem there would be no room to arrange the strawberries on the outside of the cake but inside the ring. Also, I don't see any mention of spreading an icing around the sides. It looks like an icing above the strawberries. The directions say to top the bottom cake with the remaining layer of cake and spread the reserved filling over the top. Did you just try to ice around the strawberries? And I am not sure what the fluffy part is around the bottom of the cake. Did the cake come out of the ring ("To unmold, run the tip of a paring knife around the top part of the cake") easily? It sounds like you could not have iced much before taking out of the ring or it would mess up the appearance.

I appreciate any answers and additional tips you have. I am a real novice, and I have been wanting to make a cake with strawberry filling, and perhaps this would be one way to get strawberries into a filling. I had been wary of white chocolate before thinking that it was no way as good as a chocolate frosting, but I am excited to try this. Thank you for reporting on your experience.

Toni

[SweetSide]

I've not made this particular cake but...have made many similar.

The fluffy layer at the bottom is the cake.

The 8" cake round will fit snugly inside the 8" cake ring. Then you line the strawberries with the cut side against the ring. "The outside of the cake" means the outer edge so it shows when unmolded.

The "icing" above the strawberries is the white chocolate cream filling. As you fill the mold, you press it along the sides carefully so that it fills in the cracks. Then you fill in the center area. There is no icing on this type of cake.

As you look at the picture from bottom to top it is cake, strawberries, filling, cake, white chocolate petals.

When finished you refrigerate until firm. The berries will provide "slip" so that the ring slides off easily. When running the knife tip around, make sure you press it along the ring and not toward the center of the cake.

Hope that helps!

[shaloop]

Everybody loved it.  There was a room set aside just for desserts and some people asked where my cake was amongst all the others, and some said they picked out the cake immediately.  Most people know I like the wow factor.  It was very easy to make and looked just as the picture demonstrated.  The cake part of the recipe was good enough to eat on its own, very moist and not overly sweet, and just the right texture.  I did make one change to the recipe when it was in the KA, and that was to add another egg white.  I did this because the recipe said to mix until it was light and fluffy.  It didn't look light and fluffy and never got there, I was worried that there might be an error.  Well I was not satisfied that I never achieved the light and fluffly, nevertheless  I just went ahead and baked it and it turned out just fine.  So this is going to be keeper.

←

Did you really use 1 1/2 cups of oil? I thought that was a typo. I couldn't imagine a cake with that much oil being light and fluffy. I'm glad it turned out well for you.

[toni]

I've not made this particular cake but...have made many similar.

The fluffy layer at the bottom is the cake. 

The 8" cake round will fit snugly inside the 8" cake ring.  Then you line the strawberries with the cut side against the ring.  "The outside of the cake" means the outer edge so it shows when unmolded. 

The "icing" above the strawberries is the white chocolate cream filling.  As you fill the mold, you press it along the sides carefully so that it fills in the cracks.  Then you fill in the center area.  There is no icing on this type of cake.

As you look at the picture from bottom to top it is cake, strawberries, filling, cake, white chocolate petals.

When finished you refrigerate until firm.  The berries will provide "slip" so that the ring slides off easily.  When running the knife tip around, make sure you press it along the ring and not toward the center of the cake.

Thank you, SweetSide.  Now I can see the bottom layer "fluff" as the cut cake.  I guess it is hard for me to imagine room to put the strawberries around the outside of the bottom layer if the ring is 8" and the cake is 8".  Oh, wait a second.  Is this a springform type ring, so you leave it in the extended shape when you put the strawberries around the cake and then close the ring? Sorry I am so dense.  Thank you for your help.

←

[SweetSide]

Thank you, SweetSide.  Now I can see the bottom layer "fluff" as the cut cake.  I guess it is hard for me to imagine room to put the strawberries around the outside of the bottom layer if the ring is 8" and the cake is 8".  Oh, wait a second.  Is this a springform type ring, so you leave it in the extended shape when you put the strawberries around the cake and then close the ring? Sorry I am so dense.  Thank you for your help.

←

No, no. I think you are trying to think about it too hard -- the ring is closed. The "outside of the cake" simply means that the cut edge of the strawberry is lined up with the edge of the cake, both of which are touching the ring. The strawberry is simply sitting on the cake.

Bad analogy, but think of the cake as the floor to a room and the cake ring's the walls. When your furniture (strawberries) is "around the edge of the room", it is on the floor, but bumped up against the wall. In the same analogy, you are thinking of hanging the furniture on the outside of the house... Yeah, like I said, bad analogy, but it's early...

[toni]

Wow, you are good! This is the house that Sweetside built...

This is the strawberry that bumped up against

the wall...that lined up with the floor... that

make a great cake!!! LOL

Thank you again.

[oli]

Everybody loved it.  There was a room set aside just for desserts and some people asked where my cake was amongst all the others, and some said they picked out the cake immediately.  Most people know I like the wow factor.  It was very easy to make and looked just as the picture demonstrated.  The cake part of the recipe was good enough to eat on its own, very moist and not overly sweet, and just the right texture.  I did make one change to the recipe when it was in the KA, and that was to add another egg white.  I did this because the recipe said to mix until it was light and fluffy.  It didn't look light and fluffy and never got there, I was worried that there might be an error.  Well I was not satisfied that I never achieved the light and fluffly, nevertheless  I just went ahead and baked it and it turned out just fine.  So this is going to be keeper.

←

Did you really use 1 1/2 cups of oil? I thought that was a typo. I couldn't imagine a cake with that much oil being light and fluffy. I'm glad it turned out well for you.

←

Yes, I did use 1 1/2 C of oil. When in the KA it certainly didn't look light and fluffy, but I went ahead and baked it just to see how it would turn out. As I mentioned I added an egg white to see if that would make it light and fluffly and it didn't, so I baked it. It was just great tasting all by it self.

[oli]

Wow, you are good!  This is the house that Sweetside built...

                              This is the strawberry that bumped up against

                                the wall...that lined up with the floor... that

                                make a great cake!!!  LOL

Thank you again.

←

I enjoyed making it because it was so quick and looked great.

Here's what it looked like

http://www.bytephoto.com/photopost/data/500/2921sarahs.jpg

Edited June 13, 2006 by oli (log)

[kitwilliams]

Beautiful! We made something very similar in pastry class a few years ago, although our cake base was a very thin layered white chocolate/almond cake which made a nice contrast to the creamy mousse. And yes, people love the wow factor!

I once made this cake for a small wedding party (8 of us) who went to a restaurant in Santa Barbara after the wedding. I'd taken the cake to the restaraunt ahead of time, the box taped open so as not to smash the white chocolate curls. Someone at the restaurant decided to close the box completely so all the curls were smashed to smithereens.

[SweetSide]

Wow, you are good!  This is the house that Sweetside built...

                              This is the strawberry that bumped up against

                                the wall...that lined up with the floor... that

                                make a great cake!!!  LOL

Thank you again.

←

Glad my analogy wasn't so bad after all!

[Patrick S]

Wow, you are good!  This is the house that Sweetside built...

                               This is the strawberry that bumped up against

                                the wall...that lined up with the floor... that

                                 make a great cake!!!  LOL

Thank you again.

←

I enjoyed making it because it was so quick and looked great.

Here's what it looked like

http://www.bytephoto.com/photopost/data/500/2921sarahs.jpg

←

Looks good, oli! You nailed it.

[Maison Rustique]

Great job, Oli!! I intend to make this and hope that (as a non-baker) I can do even half as well!

And waving "HI" to Kit who is much too scarce around here these days! When are getting together again?

[oli]

Great job, Oli!! I intend to make this and hope that (as a non-baker) I can do even half as well!

And waving "HI" to Kit who is much too scarce around here these days! When are getting together again?

←

You'll do well and you'll see how easy it was.

[toni]

Oli, your cake looks beautiful. I am going to make it for Father's Day...I hope. I always have good intentions, and then with watching 2 grandchildren under the age of 2 1/2 yrs., my plans often change.

I only have a 9" springform pan. Should I buy an 8"? I guess it would look better to be higher, and who knows, maybe two 9" rings will be too big for the jelly roll pan configuration. Anyway, congratulations.

Does anyone know which is the best tasting white chocolate?

[sanrensho]

Does anyone know which is the best tasting white chocolate?

Here's a good thread on the topic of favorite white chocolate. Of the widely available brands, I would say Lindt.

[oli]

Oli, your cake looks beautiful.  I am going to make it for Father's Day...I hope.  I always have good intentions, and then with watching 2 grandchildren under the age of 2 1/2 yrs., my plans often change.

I only have a 9" springform pan.  Should I buy an 8"?  I guess it would look better to be higher, and who knows, maybe two 9" rings will be too big for the jelly roll pan configuration.  Anyway, congratulations.

Does anyone know which is the best tasting white chocolate?

←

8" rings are what I used to cut and to form my cake. As far as white chocolate, I used Trader Joes block white chocolate which I think is Ghiradeli.

Edited June 14, 2006 by oli (log)

[toni]

Thank you Oli, and Sanrensho, that recent thread on white chocolate was so helpful. I bought Ghiradeli this morning, but I think I will look for one of the others recommended tomorrow. I spend so much time on baking something, that I want to use the best possible ingredients to insure the best possible outcome.

I can't say enough about how I love reading on this forum. What great people!!!

[digigirl]

Hey, y'all. I made this cake for Father's day yesterday and it came out great! I wasn't quite up to the task of the fancy white chocolate top (although I'm gonna get it next time, I will!), so I just put some strawberries on top and some white chocolate curls in the middle, but otherwise, it looked almost exactly like the picture (don't have a camera right now, so couldn't take a pic).

I was amazed how incredibly simple this cake was! And it tasted darned good, too. My boyfriend, for whom I made it, was raving.

The other great thing about this cake is it would be so easy to vary! You could use any kind of berries instead of strawberries, or bananas, or mandarin oranges, or..... Or, you could use milk chocolate instead of white chocolate, chocolate cake instead of vanilla cake. Etc.!

I highly recommend this one for anyone who's looking for an easy cake with a big WOW factor! Just have to make it a day ahead so it can chill, otherwise, easy as.... well, cake!

Valerie