Recipe: Marcel's First Birthday Chocolate Cake with Fluffy Vanilla Frosting

MARCEL'S FIRST BIRTHDAY CHOCOLATE HIGH AND FLUFFY ON TOP CAKE


5 ounces unsalted butter, cut into l/2-ounce pieces; plus 2 teaspoons (melted)
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 l/2 cups granulated sugar
3 large eggs
3 ounces unsweetened baking chocolate, coarsely chopped and melted
1 cup whole milk
1/2 cup hot water
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

FOR THE VERY FLUFFY VANILLA FROSTING:
4 cups confectioners' sugar
1/2 pound (2 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into l/2-ounce pieces
3 tablespoons whole milk
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract

TO MAKE THE CHOCOLATE MMM! MMM! GOOD CAKE:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly coat the inside of a 9 13 2-inch nonstick pan with some of the 2 teaspoons of melted butter. Line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper (or wax paper); then lightly coat the paper with more melted butter. Set aside.

In a sifter combine 2 1/2 cups flour, 1/2 cup cocoa powder, 1 teaspoon baking powder, 1 teaspoon baking soda, and 1 teaspoon salt. Sift onto a large piece of parchment paper (or wax paper). Set aside.

Place 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar and 5 ounces butter in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle. Mix on low speed for 1 minute; then beat on medium for 3 minutes until soft. Use a rubber spatula to scrape down the sides of the bowl and the paddle, and then beat on medium for an additional 2 minutes until very soft. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add 3 eggs, one at a time, beating on medium for 10 seconds after each addition, and scraping down the sides of the bowl once all the eggs have been incorporated. (For the best cake texture, the mixing time when adding the eggs is relatively short; consequently, the mixture will appear curdled at this point, but it will eventually come together.)

Add the melted chocolate and mix on medium for 15 seconds. Operate the mixer on low while gradually adding half the sifted dry ingredients; mix until incorporated, about 30 seconds. Gradually add 1/2 cup of the milk and mix on low to incorporate, about 15 seconds. While continuing to operate the mixer on low, gradually add the remaining sifted dry ingredients and mix for 30 seconds. Gradually add the remaining 1/2 cup of milk and mix on low for 15 seconds.

Slowly add 1/2 cup hot water and mix on low to combine, about 30 seconds. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add 1 teaspoon vanilla extract and mix on medium for ! 5 seconds. Remove the bowl from the mixer and use a rubber spatula to finish mixing the ingredients until thoroughly combined. Transfer the cake batter to the prepared pan, using a rubber spatula to spread it evenly.

Bake on the center rack in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted in the center of each cake comes out clean, about 40 minutes. Remove the cake from the oven and cool in the pan for 15 minutes at room temperature. Invert the cake onto a baking sheet (or onto a large rectangular platter). Carefully peel the paper away from the bottom of the cake. Refrigerate the cake until needed.

TO PREPARE THE FLUFFY VANILLA FROSTING:
Sift 4 cups confectioner's sugar onto a large piece of parchment paper (or wax paper). Set aside.

Place 1/2 pound butter in the bowl of and electric mixer fitted with a paddle. Mix on low speed for 1 minute, then increase the speed to medium-high and beat for 2 minutes until soft. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and the paddle. Beat on medium for 2 more minutes until softer. Add the sifted confectioners' sugar and mix on the lowest speed to combine, about 1 minute. Add 3 tablespoons milk and 1 tablespoon vanilla extract and mix on low speed for 15 seconds, until the mixture appears moist. Now beat the mixture on medium-high for 2 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Beat the frosting on medium-high for 2 additional minutes until a state of "high fluffiness" is achieved.

TO ASSEMBLE AND SERVE:
Remove the cake from the refrigerator. Gently turn the cooled cake out onto a cutting board, baked top facing up. (You may want to se a utility turner or large wide spatula to facilitate this step.) Use a cake spatula to spread the frosting evenly over the top of the cake.

Use a serrated slicer to cut the cake into as many portions as necessary (from 12 to 48).

For a clean cut, heat the blade of the slicer under hot running water and wipe the blade dry before making each cut. Serve as soon as the celebrant has blown the candle out.

ABOUT THE RECIPE:
"My Uncle Gerry, who gave me my first cooking lesson (how to prepare catfish) when I was ten years old, was by trade a baker. He and my Aunt Minnie (my mother's sister) lived upstairs with their four children, and my mother and her six kids lived downstairs in the two-story tenement house that my mother owned. As a young single parent, my mom was happy having caring relatives nearby. That was especially true when any of the kids had a birthday. Uncle Gerry always came through with one of his sheet cakes topped by a fluffy white cloud of frosting. For my first taste of that cake, my mother tells me that I was particularly enamored of dragging my fingers through the frosting.

Although my mom tried to persuade me to say "mmm! mmm! good," like the Campbell Soup kids, I would only utter a longdrawn-out "m -m-m-m -mmmmm !"

I guarantee that whatever exclamation emanates from the birthday kid-of-any-age, it certainly will be a joyful sound."

Makes 1 (13x9-inch) cake, Serves: 12 to 48 - Enough to Call it a Party
Source: Death by Chocolate Cakes by Marcel Desaulniers