TWD - Chocolate White Out Cake

Stephanie of Confessions of a City Eater chose the Chocolate White Out Cake for us this week. The photo is on the cover of Dorie Greenspan's cookbook Baking From My Home to Yours. Ever since I purchased the book I have wanted to try this cake. I tasted it back in November when my friend Amanda at work made it for my boss's birthday. It was delicious and I couldn't wait to try baking it myself.

Since it was Valentine's Day on Saturday I thought it would be the perfect day to bake the cake and take it to my dance friends on Saturday night. I wanted to make it perfectly. That sentence alone should be a warning that nothing ever goes the way you plan.

I did not have a candy thermometer so it was off to Target for a purchase. They only had one kind and it was big. But it worked. Upon returning home, I realized I did not have the right sized cakepans. Mine are nine inch. I had one eight inch so I decided I would make a tall cake in that and make a flatter cake in the nine inch for the crumbs. I measured all the ingredients precisely. I followed Dorie's instructions precisely.
My cake came out the size of a one-layer cake. I knew I would be able to cut it in half, but not in thirds. So I used the one good layer and cut it in half to make two (using dental floss to cut through the cake - worked great), then I used the nine inch layer and after it fell apart, tryed to put it on top as a third layer. It's under all that meringue so I figured who would know?

Then, I got worried about the egg whites not being cooked. I guess the hot syrup cooks them, but I was afraid of killing all my friends with uncooked egg whites so the cake stayed home while we went to meet our friends. Am I like the only person on earth that worries about stuff like this? My mom always told me that the lemon juice in a lemon icebox pie cooked the raw yolks in it. Now really, can that be true even? Seems bizarre to me that lemon juice would "cook" anything.

The cake was delicious, but I'm not a meringue person so I would have loved it much much better if it had been topped with loads of fresh whipped cream.

And let me just say, it wasn't the prettiest cake I have ever made. I had a lot of trouble getting those crumbs on the sides. I had crumbs all over the countertop, all over the floor, and all over me, but not so many on the cake itself! I can't wait to see your photos and to hear how you got those crumbs to be perfectly placed on the cake like Dorie's was!! I needed help for sure.
Of course my "friend" Simon Baker dropped by and even after assessing the kitchen mess, was very willing to try a piece for himself. In my dreams of course. If you have not gotten hooked on watching the Mentalist on Tuesday nights, you are missing out! He not only is a hottie, but he uses his brain! You gotta LOVE his curls!

I hope you all had a wonderful Valentine's Day filled with lots of love and surprises!

Comments

Marthe said…
Your cake looks delicious!! I enjoy watching The Mentalist: brains and looks combined!

I don't know about the lemon juice in a lemon icebox pie cooking the raw yolks in it, but I do know that when you use lemon juice on salmon or tuna they also 'cook'. It must be some sort of chemical reaction to the acidic lemon juice.. But then again I didn't study science ;)
Shelby said…
lol, you make me giggle!

I am a meringue frosting person...but I grew up with that kind of frosting on my birthday cake every year (almost!)
Cathy said…
Peggy, I had trouble getting the crumbles on the side of the cake, too (okay, so that probably doesn't make you feel any better). Oh, I worry about killing my friends with raw eggs too. Seems like we use them a lot around here! I liked this frosting, but I think the cake would be fabulous with whipped cream or some kind of cream cheese icing. Your cake looks great! Nice call using dental floss to slice, by the way!
Your cake looks absolutely perfect! Sorry you weren't crazy about the frosting. After reading your post I'm kind of glad I didn't attempt the crumbles, we already get cake everywhere with three little ones. Interesting about the lemon pie -- I'd never heard that -- and now I want some lemon pie :)
natalia said…
Ciao ! Aside from the crumbs all over the place (who didn't get them ?) Your cake looks gorgeous ! Baci
Amanda said…
Ooo he looks as yummy as the cake :)
Nancy/n.o.e said…
Peggy, I'm pretty sure the temperature of that syrup is what cooks the egg whites. Or scrambles them, in my case. Your cake is stunning. I had crumbs in every possible inch of my kitchen. I'm impressed with your 8 and 9 inch shenanigans. I just used my one pan and cooked the layers in succession.
Nancy
chocolatechic said…
Your friend Simon Baker should stop by my house. My girl is totally in love with him.

Your cake looks almost as delicious as he does.
Maria said…
The cake turned out perfectly!! Nice job! I am not a frosting girl, just give me the cake:)
Sabrina said…
It looks wonderful! Simon is cute... but not as hot as Sawyer! YUM!
Jennifer said…
Peggy - Your cake looks great!!! I bet it tasted as good as it looks!!! You are quite the master baker!
Anne said…
I don't know what you're talking about, the crumbs look awesome! I have to say, I'd share this cake with Simon, too. I'm sure he's tough enough for egg whites, but they always make me nervous too. Great job!
Unknown said…
My friend Stella loves Simon Baker. I think your cake looks just like the cover cake. Wonderfully delicious.
Matt's Kitchen said…
At 242 degrees (or whatever it was that sugar syrup reached), those egg whites were done for. Your cake looked swirlingly delicious. You should have brought it!

I wish I had that swirly, curly Simon Baker/Patrick Dempsey kind of hair. No such luck. When I went gray, my hair went flat.
The Blonde Duck said…
I actually like the crumbs look. And thanks so much! I appreciate the awards. It was so kind of you to think of me!
AmyRuth said…
Oh, he is soo cute (hot). I wish he liked my cake. Darn! Your icing looks beautiful in your photo. I don't think your dancing girlfriends would have had a thing to worry about, but you are a sweet friend to think of them. If you make it again, I learned from Lauren on P & Q to toast those crumbs for a bit. They are way easier to handle and you can squish them smaller too.
Beautifully done.
AmyRuth
Danielle said…
Your cake looked great. And you are right it tasted so much better with whipped cream frosting!
Teanna DiMicco said…
I totally would have loved this cake with some whipped cream as well! Or cream cheese frosting... yum... But your cake really looks fantastic!
Pamela said…
I love that every week, you have a new eye candy photo posted! That guy is CUTE! The cake looks really great!
Jessica said…
I am always stressed out about the raw eggs accidentally killing someone. Now, here's the awful thing, I still serve it! I'm always waiting for that phone call where someone accuses me of making them really, really sick but I guess it doesn't scare me quite enough to prevent me from doing it.
The cake looks beautiful!
Awesome! Colin Firth and George Clooney came on my V-Day! :) Your cake looks great!
margot said…
Your cake looks great! I got nervous about the egg whites too.
Anonymous said…
Your cake looks gorgeous. YUM!
TeaLady said…
Beautiful cake. I thought the icing was the best part. Different tastes I guess.
Lillian said…
I make a chocolate silk pie every Thanksgiving and Christmas that uses two raw eggs, and I haven't killed anyone yet. I always warn new people about the raw eggs, and they always eat it anyway! You cake looks great!

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