| ||||||||||||||||
|
Tuesday, November 18th, 2008
When bad things happen to good cakes...
So, I showed you my cute little cake pans I bought. I thought to do a small cake for Debbie (yard-lady) and her son, Jamison, for Thanksgiving. I figured chocolate would be safe. My sister gave me a recipe that is supposedly Grant's favorite (though maybe he has other favorites now!). Very simple. Chocolate cake mix, small package of instant chocolate pudding, eggs, oil, water, some sugar and some mini chocolate chips. I thought it would be a great one to use. When I checked halfway through the baking, everything looked good. The cakes were all puffy and perfect.
Unfortunately the recipe was a little bigger than the pans could manage. The cakes rose too far over the top and cooled down to this:
To most folks that cake would look fine but to me it's imperfect. The top is offside and mars the look. Obviously it doesn't affect the flavor so the cake is good but it wasn't pretty enough to give as a gift. I fell back on some cookies for Debbie and Jamison but what to do with the cakes?
Trifle. An imperfect cake cut up into cubes, layered with custard and whipped cream or whipped topping and fruit or other trifle ingredients turns into a perfect treat.
I need a dessert for a Christmas Eve party. Today I decided to make a chocolate trifle. An easy dessert made up of brownie or chocolate cake pieces, chocolate pudding, whipped topping or cream and toffee bits layered in a bowl. It will satisfy most people--kids and adults alike. So, I cubed up my cake, put it in a storage container and tossed it into the freezer until the night before the party. I'll make the trifle and chill it until party time.
Merrick was happy to hear my cakes were a failure (she knows that usually means a trifle) until I told her I was saving the cake for a dessert for a party. She admitted she felt a little selfish and rethought her disappointment and decided she would happily share with others this time.
If you ever have a good cake go bad--think TRIFLE.
When bad things happen to good cakes...
So, I showed you my cute little cake pans I bought. I thought to do a small cake for Debbie (yard-lady) and her son, Jamison, for Thanksgiving. I figured chocolate would be safe. My sister gave me a recipe that is supposedly Grant's favorite (though maybe he has other favorites now!). Very simple. Chocolate cake mix, small package of instant chocolate pudding, eggs, oil, water, some sugar and some mini chocolate chips. I thought it would be a great one to use. When I checked halfway through the baking, everything looked good. The cakes were all puffy and perfect.
Unfortunately the recipe was a little bigger than the pans could manage. The cakes rose too far over the top and cooled down to this:
To most folks that cake would look fine but to me it's imperfect. The top is offside and mars the look. Obviously it doesn't affect the flavor so the cake is good but it wasn't pretty enough to give as a gift. I fell back on some cookies for Debbie and Jamison but what to do with the cakes?
Trifle. An imperfect cake cut up into cubes, layered with custard and whipped cream or whipped topping and fruit or other trifle ingredients turns into a perfect treat.
I need a dessert for a Christmas Eve party. Today I decided to make a chocolate trifle. An easy dessert made up of brownie or chocolate cake pieces, chocolate pudding, whipped topping or cream and toffee bits layered in a bowl. It will satisfy most people--kids and adults alike. So, I cubed up my cake, put it in a storage container and tossed it into the freezer until the night before the party. I'll make the trifle and chill it until party time.
Merrick was happy to hear my cakes were a failure (she knows that usually means a trifle) until I told her I was saving the cake for a dessert for a party. She admitted she felt a little selfish and rethought her disappointment and decided she would happily share with others this time.
If you ever have a good cake go bad--think TRIFLE.
1 cake mix with pudding in the mix (yellow but chocolate is preferred)
1 small box instant chocolate pudding
1/2 c. sugar (3 1/2 oz)
3/4 c. oil (5 3/4 oz)
3/4 c. water (6 1/4 oz)
4 large eggs
1 8oz. container sour cream
1 cup miniature chocolate chips, semi sweet (6 oz)
Mix cake mix, pudding mix, and sugar together to eliminate lumps in mixing bowl. Add remaining ingredients except chocolate chips. Mix well with electric mixer. Fold in chocolate chips. Bake in greased and floured bundt tube pan. Bake 350 degrees for 1 hour. Test for doneness. May need to bake longer depending on oven. Turn out and dust with sifted powdered sugar.
**Grant's favorite.