Tuesday 7 October 2008

It's a cake, but not as you know it . . .



The rain may be pelting down outside my window but that's ok, coz here inside Oak Cottage it's Tuesday, and we all know what that means . . . that means Tuesdays With Dorie, and that means that there's a delicious baked goodie sitting somewhere in this kitchen of mine, tempting my lips and hips to dig in for just one - more - bite!



Welcome to the October 7th edition of Tuesdays With Dorie, the weekly baking event whereupon several hundred or more Baking Aficionados the world over get together and bake one delicious recipe, the same delicious recipe, from that wonderful baking book, Baking, from my home to yours, by the lovely Dorie Greenspan.



I was really excited about this week's recipe, because it presented me with a huge challenge. This week, Tammy of Wee Treats by Tammy has chosen, Caramel-Peanut-Topped Brownie Cake on pages 264 and 265. You might think, where's the challenge in that? Well . . . I have a husband who HATES chocolate cakes. He absolutely LOATHES chocolate cakes in any way shape or form. We are like Jack Sprat and his wife in an odd sort of way. He loves chocolate milk, candy and ice cream and I hate it, well except for the candy that is. I love chocolate cakes, muffins and brownies, and he hates them. He will force himself to eat a brownie from time to time but they're not his favourite thing. Therein lay my quandary . . . what to do. Bake a chocolate brownie cake that I knew only myself would be eating? Go to the expense of baking a cake that I knew only myself would be tempted to eat partially with the remainder going to waste and ending up in the bin??? As I looked into the mirror at my ever widening hips, and thought about the ever increasing cost of food . . . I knew I could not . . . what to do . . . what to do . . . I so very much wanted to participate . . . and then the light bulb went on!!



I would bake a white chocolate brownie cake! And that's just what I did. I adapted the recipe somewhat and used white chocolate instead of the chocolate chocolate and it turned out just lovely, albeit somewhat more cakey than brownie-ee.



I decided not to use peanuts in my topping either as neither one of us is overly fond of peanuts and I really thought toasted walnuts would go a lot better with the white chocolate cake base and so I banged some walnuts into the oven and toasted them before proceeding with the topping. I have always been hit and miss with making caramel. I either wait too long and it gets burnt or I don't cook it long enough and it's pathetically light. I am happy to say that this time I managed to get it just right and we were rewarded with a lovely rich and creamy caramel topping to dress the top of the cake with a yummy bit leftover to spoon over some ice cream at a later date.



Thanks so much Tammy for picking a recipe that allowed me to stretch my imagination that little bit further. One day I will make the chocolate version, but at a time when I shall have some other bodies around to help me eat it!



Next week's recipe will be Lenox Almond Biscotti on page 141-143, as chosen by Gretchen of Canela & Comino . Oh boy, I love Biscotti! If you would like to see some other creations as baked by the group please stop by the Tuesday's with Dorie Blogroll and check them out! It's always so exciting each week to look at all the different interpretations and see what we each have done with the recipe, oh and, if you want the recipe check out Tammy's page!

In the meantime I shall give you the recipe for the White Chocolate Cake:



*White Chocolate Fudge Cake*
Serves 12 to 16

100g bar of white chocolate, broken into chunks
4 ounces butter, at room temperature
4 ounces white sugar
2 large eggs
2 TBS milk
1/2 tsp vanilla
5 ounces self raising flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
pinch salt

Pre-heat the oven to 350*F/180*F. Place the white chocolate bits into a small bowl and then set it on top of a pan of barely simmering water. Heat until the chocolate melts, stirring from time to time and then set aside.

Lightly grease a 6 inch loose bottomed cake tin and line the bottom with parchment paper. Set aside.

Cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy with an electric whisk. Add the eggs, milk, vanilla and 2 TBS of the flour and whisk again until light. Sieve in the remaining flour and baking powder. Fold this in with a metal spoon. Stir in the melted chocolate.

Spoon the batter into the prepared cake tin. Bake in the pre-heated oven, on a middle oven rack, for about 50 minutes, or until the top springs back when lightly touched with your fingertips or until a toothpick inserted in the centre comes out clean. Allow to cool in the tin before turning out and topping with either the caramel from Dorie's recipe or the following Fudge icing, which is equally as good.

*White Chocolate Fudge Icing*
Enough to top one cake

100g bar of chocolate, broken into chunks
3 1/2 ounces of condensed milk
3 1/2 ounces icing sugar, sifted

Melt the chocolate in a bowl over simmering water as before. When melted mix in the condensed milk and icing sugar until smooth. Spread about 1/4 of this over the warm cake while it is still in the tin. When the cake is completely cool, remove completely from the tin and spread with the remaining icing. If the icing is a bit too firm to spread by that time, just re-warm it for a few seconds on medium heat in the microwave.

PSSST!!! If you want to buy the book and join the baking group, don't forget that you only have until the 31st of October to do so, after which the group will be capped and future members will have to wait until someone dies or leaves the group in order to join!

51 comments:

  1. Dear Marie,
    It has been a long hard day. John started having chest pains this morning. I was busy getting Austin fed and dressed. We were going to go to Knotts and Austin was all excited. For that reason John didn't mention the chest pains to me for a while. He clled his doctor to get an apt. but the Dr. told him to go directly to the urgent care at the hospital. That is when he told me. I got Austin in the car and we went to the hospital.

    They took him right in and did an EKG which looked ok which meant he was not having a heart attack. We both thought he would be sent home any time so I didn't call Mindy to come and get Austin. One hour turned into six and then they decided to keep John in the hospital. His blood pressure is up and his oxygen level is down and he is still having chest pains.

    They are keeping him to do more tests and observe him. Under the circumstance I am glad that he is there but at the same time I hate not having him home.

    We both kept thinking that he would be released any minute so I kept telling Mindy that I was ok with Austin. He was a sweetheart all day...he couldn't have been better but you can imagine how worn out we both are. I am letting him sleep in our bed tonight. He is worried because Grampy isn't home and did not want to leave him in the hospital.

    Actually having Austin is a blessing because caring for him helps fill the hours without John.

    Please remember us in your prayers.
    Thank you dear. Love, Lura

    by the way the cake looks wonderful....I wish I had a piece right now...I need comfort food tonight

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  2. Marie - That is one nice looking cake/brownie!!

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  3. That sounds like a fabulous way to compromise! It looks wonderful, and I love the idea of toasted walnuts on top.

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  4. Golly, that looks extremely good. And I like all your adaptations - turns it into a more interesting cake altogether, I think.

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  5. What a GREAT idea to go with white chocolate. If I had thought of that, Grumpy probably would have liked it! I will definitely remember this one!

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  6. All these wonderful cakes every Tuesday are making me gain weight just by looking!

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  7. I love that you used white chocolate for this cake. I still have to make it: this past weekend was terribly busy and yesterday I came home after midnight from school. So tonight is the night!!

    I will also be using a different nut than peanuts: I still had some pecans laying around in the house. Also I'll be using milk chocolate instead of bittersweet, bittersweet always causes migraines with me.

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  8. That looks so good! I love how you can just whip up masterpieces in no time!

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  9. Your cake looks yummee and you were so clever to be able to adapt it for your hubby but oh it's way toooooo sweet for me but hubby that would be up his street. Love Joan.

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  10. What a fabulous and generous idea! It's no fun to eat alone. I think even dark chocolate lovers would be pleased with your variation.

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  11. This will be my first week with TWD so wish me luck :) Your white cake looks so incredible! Thank you for sharing the recipe, I have it saved :)

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  12. It looks lovely! I bet I would like your cake better than the one I made. :) Good work!

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  13. Good for you for adapting! I would have just made it and eaten it all! Bad me!

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  14. White chocolate--what a super idea, Marie! Like a cake & brownie in one...mmm...who could resist?! I like the thought of different nuts too...pecans. I'll be keeping this recipe to try! Happy Day, sweet friend ((HUGS)) P.S. LOVE the illustrations in your Etsy shop!!

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  15. Oh, Marie, that looks wonderful. You are so resourceful and I am sure Todd appreciates that! Much love, Raquel XO

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  16. Hubbie doesn't like chocolate?!?!?!?

    Gasp...

    Swoon....


    I'll take his.

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  17. Rares les personnes qui n'aiment pas le chocolat, mais j'aime beaucoup ta version, ça a l'air hyper moelleux :)

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  18. Great adaptation, especially since it made it so you did not have to eat the entire thing yourself :) I love the changes you made. It looks and sounds delicious!

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  19. I am amazed at you for having the know how to change up the dessert challenge. I am a recipe follower, and you are a creative baker! I love seeing your workings as they come out as you hope...well, probably know they will.

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  20. you are just so creative! what a great idea to do the white chocolate(and with toasted walnuts too-YUM!) i love cake of any kind:chocolate, white chocolate, strawberry,vanilla, as long as its sweet. i'm easy to please! joey doesn't like anything with mint and i love mint chocolate anything, so thats our dilemma over here:) but i just eat it all:)

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  21. that cake looks like heaven! yummmmmm

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  22. Hi Marie,

    I just wanted to thank you for your prayers and your sweet comments. After getting away for a bit we feel peace in our hearts. Life is crazy and sometimes the twists and turns hurt a bit, but if we let them- they will always make us stronger in the end. When we put our life in our Makers hands we can be confident that we are on the right path.

    I hope you have a great day today! ((((Hugs)))

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  23. Hi Marie
    i hope you got my mail..! and thank you once again for choosing me it is an Honour.. to be mentioned on your blog in such a colourful manner..!
    lots of love
    Fariah

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  24. that looks delicious! I'm allergic to white chocolate however, so I can't possibly have a bite of it, :) but the photos are wonderful! Very creative.

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  25. LOVE that white chocolate fudge cake!!! Seriously! Gorgeous! And the photo of Jack Sprat and his wife is hysterical!

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  26. I forgot to tell you that I totally understand your pain. I like to bake tasty desserts, but it's too expensive to do for just the two of us. Plus, Ben will eat anything chocolate but I'm allergic, and he doesn't touch much that is non-chocolate. So I'll whip up something he may have a smidgen of and I'll either have to eat all of it and spend my life on the treadmill or throw/ give it away. Considering what used to cost us $70 a week for groceries is up to $100 for bare neccessities (we've cut back a lot), I may just have to dream.

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  27. I love the white chocolate brownie cake. I used half white chocolate in mine, next time I'll have to use it for the whole thing.

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  28. First at all dear Grammy I really hope John will be better soon I pray for you and him.
    Dear Thanks`s God he is at the hopital to the tests and all. Take care, huggs!!

    Dear Marie this look absolutely wonderful and yummy how all recipes you make, xxxGloria

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  29. What a great idea to make it white chocolate! Looks delicious, I may have to make one for myself.

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  30. Oh my goodness - that looks wonderful. I'm interested to see how we make our TWD recipes work with tighter food budgets, and your cake is a delicious-looking example.

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  31. Yum! the white cake looks delicious. It's hard making desserts that satisfy everyone...

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  32. What a sweet wife you are to your man..making that white cake for him! I love your recipe and the way it turned out. YOur photos are lovely and I especially love the little old people at the kitchen table..did you draw that?

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  33. OMG, your version looks so amazing! My mouth is watering!

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  34. Hi Marie.The cake looks delicious as usual but I cannot eat nuts.They will just not go down my throat at all.Never have been able to.I bet Todd was pleased LOL!!I hope Grmmy's hubby soon gets well tell her from me prayers being said.I have been very peeved today not being able to get into my new blog to do my post.Isn't it just so awful fancy thinkingI of all people like that.It has realy upset many here today who got th esame message splashed accross there new blog.Grrr .So much for blogger ?Take Care Marie.Have a lovely evening.God Bless Kath

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  35. what a great idea!!! that looks fab! thanks for making my pick!

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  36. I love how everyone is able to put their own spin on these recipes! I think I would have liked it better the way you made it. Hubs LOVES chocolate cake and I am more a fan of white. Maybe next time. Your photos are lovely!

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  37. Wow! White chocolate brownie cake sounds delicous. I might just have to try your version, it looks just as good :)

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  38. Mercy! I just gained 20 lbs! Boy that cake looks good!

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  39. Wow , thats the yummiest thing I have saw in a long time.I can feel MY hips getting wider just looking at it.Here in ontario (canada ) we are preparing for Thanksgiving,, I would love to try that.MMMMMMM

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  40. I have always wondered if the photo at the top of the blog is your home.I will continue to think it is.You honestly live a wonderful tasty life.

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  41. Marie, this cake looks so moistyou did a great job switching out the chocolates!

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  42. doesn't like chocolate cake--what?!?! i have never heard of such a thing! well, you came up with a wonderful alternative. looks delicious and has a beautiful crumb!

    ps: hope that john and grammy are both doing alright.

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  43. What a wonderful idea, Marie! My husband does not eat chocolate (it's not that he doesn't like it, or that he's allergic to it . . . he just doesn't eat it. Strange). Anyway, I had the same issue with this cake -- while I COULD eat it alone, I really SHOULDN'T! Your idea solved the problem, and it sounds like you got a nicer cake in the process (I thought the chocolate version ended up a little dry). Your caramel looks perfect as well!

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  44. Wonderful. Wonderful. Isn't it nice to have a rainy day -- it makes everything cozier. Your cake looks scrumptious!

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  45. That looks so good! I am really craving a nice and thick caramel sauce right now.

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  46. toasted walnuts, caramel and white chocolate cake... can't really go wrong with that! awesome job and thanks for the adapted recipe :)

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  47. This looks great! I love the white chocolate version.

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  48. Ok Joe no more excuses get my oven fixed now. Decadent yummalicious. You are one great cook. Can we be in your audience when you become famous promise not to embarass you. love ya, cyndi

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  49. What a great adaptation! I looks delicious!

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  50. Nice job, Marie! Your cake is lovely, and it's all about balancing the needs at home with the recipes, right? The chocolate version wasn't very dense either.
    Nancy

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