61 days left...

[wiseheart]

... and I've finally crossed the magical two-month-border. To celebrate this, I've decided to bake an Opéra cake for my upcoming birthday. This is the first time ever that I'll try it, so let's hope I won't tank it completely.

I'll use a slightly different recipe than the one linked (it's somewhat easier, plus in German, meaning that the measures are given in the decimal system, making it easier for me to bake). There'll be pictures, no matter what; let's just hope that they'll be worth viewing.

I was also busy crafting, having finished the first three needle books (well, almost; they need to be filled up, at least partially), and started another 6 Christmas-themed pocket letters, hoping to finish them with the help of my 6th-term students.

So, today's topic will be cakes! Virtual ones, so everybody can enjoy them without a bad conscience. *g*

Comments

[wiseheart.livejournal.com]

What is your favourite cake? Would you mind sharing a picture?

Mine is the famous Hungarian Dobos Cake. This is what mine looked like last year:

(https://i.pinimg.com/originals/ca/52/42/ca5242dbf297b7c3b0be71eb032abfdf.jpg) (https://i.pinimg.com/originals/7f/05/dc/7f05dc1c95430fb4514f708857a8709a.jpg)

Admittedly, there are better-looking ones, but it tasted heavenly, and I made it all alone!

[artemis10002000]

That looks very tasty!

My favorite is Russischer Zupfkuchen

[wiseheart.livejournal.com]

Oh, that is an excellent one, too! I've been so grateful to you for pointing out the recipe to me. One day I'll have to bake one again, it was absolutely delicious the last time.

[artemis10002000]

Thank you! It's one which actually turns out looking quite nicely when I make it, too, unfortunately I don't have pics of my own cake

[spikesgirl58.livejournal.com]

They call it a Boston Cream Pie, but it's a cake. Vanilla cake, vanilla pudding cream filling and chocolate ganache

[wiseheart.livejournal.com]

Looks very tempting... and is probably a lot easier to make than mine.

[spikesgirl58.livejournal.com]

The hardest part is slicing apart the cake into two layers. Yeah, it's pretty easy.

[wiseheart.livejournal.com]

Would you consider sharing the cake recipe? I know how to make vanilla pudding creme and chocolate ganache but never made a vanilla cake.

[spikesgirl58.livejournal.com]

Of course -

VANILLA CAKE
INGREDIENTS
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter softened to room temperature (113g)
• ½ cup oil (120ml)
• 1 1/2 cup sugar (300g)
• 4 eggs room temperature preferred
• 1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
• 3 cups all-purpose flour (390g)
• 1 Tablespoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

INSTRUCTIONS
Preheat oven to 350F (177C) and prepare two deep 8" round cake pans** by lining the bottoms with parchment paper and lightly greasing the sides. Set aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer (or in a large bowl using an electric mixer) cream together the butter, oil and sugar until creamy and well-combined.

Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.

Stir in vanilla extract.

In a separate, medium-sized bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt.

Using a spatula and gently hand-mixing, alternate adding flour mixture and buttermilk to the butter mixture, starting and ending with flour mixture and mixing until just combined after each addition. The batter should be smooth and completely combined, but avoid over-mixing.

Evenly divide batter into your prepared cake pans, and bake on 350F (175C) for 30-35 minutes. When the cake is done, the surface should spring back to the touch and a toothpick inserted in the center should come out mostly clean with few moist crumbs (no wet batter).

Allow cakes to cool in their cake pans for 10-15 minutes before inverting onto cooling rack to cool completely before frosting.

[wiseheart.livejournal.com]

Sounds like a nice, moist cake. Thanks for the recipe. I'll give it a try eventually - perhaps next year when I've recovered from the Red Velvet and Opera cakes. *g* I'm determined only to make Granny's sponge cake (the one that insists egg, sugar and flour only) for the next six months.

[spikesgirl58.livejournal.com]

It is and I like that it makes two cakes. It's so much easier than trying to split one. Goodluck!

[wiseheart.livejournal.com]

Thanks, I'll give it a try... somewhen next year or so. *g*

[spikesgirl58.livejournal.com]

Looks plenty yummy to me! :D

[wiseheart.livejournal.com]

It does doesn't it? Let's see how mine turns out.

[jenn-calaelen.livejournal.com]

Looks delicious! Hope the baking went well!

[wiseheart.livejournal.com]

Well, the poor thing turned out very ugly. You can take a look in my next entry, assuming your nerves are strong enough. *g*

[meathiel]

It looks pretty complicated to me - but I can't do sponge cake for my life. They always fail! :-(

[wiseheart.livejournal.com]

Actually, the sponge cake was the easiest part - and the only one I did right. Joconde sponge is really complicated. I usually make Granny's recipe: 6 eggs, 120 gr flour and 200 gr sugar. Works every time like a charm.