A Piece of Cake

 
My daughter came home from school last week and told me that she had to research an idiom and turn it into a project.  Guess what she chose as her idiom?  - A piece of cake!  (I'm so proud.)  She researched the history and the origins of "a piece of cake" and then we got to work - baking a cake of course. 

My daughter wanted to make a chocolate cake with chocolate frosting.  (Again - so proud)  We used a recipe from my Cuisine At Home magazine and divided it in half to make a 2 layer 6 inch cake.

Chocolate Cake (Makes a 2 layer 8 inch cake)
3 cups flour
2 cups sugar
1/2 cup cocoa
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups hot water
3/4 cup vegetable oil
2 Tablespoons white vinegar
1 Tablespoon instant coffee granules (I didn't use these)
1 Tablespoon vanilla

Cup 2 parchment circles to fit inside cake pans and spray pans and paper with Pam.  Whisk together flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda and salt.

Combine water, oil, vinegar, coffee and vanilla.











Add to dry ingredients and whisk until just combined.  (I love when someone else is cooking and I can take action shots.)

 

Divide batter between pans.   

Bake 30 minutes at 350.

Cool cakes in pan for 15 minutes.  Remove from pans and cool completely.

Chocolate cake is not complete without the chocolate frosting so we made a batch of chocolate icing to finish off our cake.

Chocolate Icing
1 stick butter
1 1/2 cups sugar
pinch of salt
1 1/4 cups cocoa powder
1 1/4 cups whipping cream
1/4 cup sour cream
1 teaspoon instant coffee granules (I didn't use these)
2 teaspoons vanilla







Melt butter in saucepan.














Stir in sugar, cocoa and salt.











Combine heavy cream, sour cream and coffee granules.  Gradually add to chocolate mixture and cook and stir until dissolved.  Do not boil.

Remove from heat and add vanilla.









Cool to room temperature (2-3 hours) and then frost the cake.

 

 

I have a new favorite chocolate cake and icing recipe.  This cake and was sooooo good.

 We cut a piece out of the cake so she could take it to school and we ate the rest. 

Never hurts your grade when you offer your teacher chocolate cake.

Hungry yet?

Ciao!



Chocolate Cake (Makes a 2 layer 8 inch cake)
3 cups flour
2 cups sugar
1/2 cup cocoa
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups hot water
3/4 cup vegetable oil
2 Tablespoons white vinegar
1 Tablespoon instant coffee granules (I didn't use these)
1 Tablespoon vanilla

Cup 2 parchment circles to fit inside cake pans and spray pans and paper with Pam.  Whisk together flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda and salt.  Combine water, oil, vinegar, coffee and vanilla.  Add to dry ingredients and whisk until just combined.  Divide batter between pans and bake 30 minutes.   Cook cakes in pan for 15 minutes.  Remove from pans and cool completely. 

Chocolate Icing
1 stick butter
1 1/2 cups sugar
pinch of salt

1 1/4 cups cocoa powder
1 1/4 cups whipping cream
1/4 cup sour cream
1 teaspoon instant coffee granules (I didn't use these)
2 teaspoons vanilla


Melt butter in saucepan.  Stir in sugar, cocoa and salt.  Combine heavy cream, sour cream and coffee granules.  Gradually add to chocolate mixture and cook and stir until dissolved.  Do not boil.  Remove from heat and add vanilla.  Cool to room temperature (2-3 hours) and then spread on cake.