Entertaining and lifestyle books are all the rage in the cooking world, but few have the culinary credibility and no-nonsense approach that chef Caprial Pence brings to the subject. The fourth installment in Caprial's cooking show companion series, CAPRIAL COOKS FOR FRIENDS presents the beloved chef's take on casual, robust entertaining
I designed this cake with kids in mind. Its fun dome shape can be transformed into a flower, a ladybug, or a spider, and the filling is sweet and simple. If you prefer, bake it in standard cake pans instead of a bowl, and frost it with a traditional butter cream icing.
SERVES 12
Chocolate Cake
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 eggs
2 cups flour
3/4 cup cocoa powder, sifted
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 1/2 cups sour cream
Cream Filling
1 cup heavy whipping cream 1/4 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Chocolate Glaze
1 cup heavy whipping cream
12 ounces bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
1 cup heavy whipping cream, whipped, as an accompaniment
Fresh edible flowers, such as pansies, lilacs, or nasturtiums, for garnish
Bittersweet chocolate shavings, for garnish.
To prepare the cake:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
In the bowl of a heavy-duty mixer, beat the butter and sugar until creamy and a pale yellow color. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition.
Add 1 cup of the flour, the cocoa powder, baking soda, and baking powder, and beat well.
Add the sour cream and beat well.
Add the remaining flour and beat until smooth.
Pour the batter into a well-greased 4-quart metal bowl and bake until a knife inserted in the cake comes out clean, 35 to 40 minutes. Let cool for 10 minutes, and then flip the bowl over onto a rack to release the cake. Let cool completely.
To prepare the filling and fill the cake:
Whip the cream, sugar, and vanilla until the cream holds soft peaks.
Using a long, serrated knife, split the cake by cutting off a 1/2-inch-thick slice from the cake's flat base. Turn the cake over so the flat side is facing up.
Carefully scoop out the inside of the cake, setting aside 1 cup of cake crumbs, leaving a 1-inch-thick shell of cake all around.
Gently fold the reserved cake crumbs into the whipped cream.
Fill the hollowed-out cake with the whipped cream mixture, set the 1/2-inch-thick base on top, and refrigerate for 1 hour.
To prepare the glaze:
Heat the cream in a saucepan over high heat just until it comes to a boil.
Meanwhile, place the chocolate in the bowl of a food processor and process until finely chopped.
With the machine running, pour the hot cream through the feed tube and process until smooth. Transfer the glaze to a bowl and let cool for 10 minutes.
To glaze the cake: Place the cake, round side up, on a rack set in a baking sheet. Pour the glaze over the cake, letting it run down the sides to cover the cake completely. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or up to 24 hours.
To serve: Transfer the cake to a platter. Garnish with whipped cream, fresh flowers, and chocolate shavings.
