weeklycake: I essentially started this cake project in early October when I came up with the idea, purchased the URL, told a few friends, and started compiling recipes. I’m happy I took almost 3 months out to build a foundation and mentally prepare. I told a friend I had started posting content in order to work out the kinks of posting and she laughed, suggesting I ought to be tinkering in the kitchen rather than on my laptop. While baking my first cake, I understood what she meant. There are a few things that have already surprised me about this project. Here’s a list (so far)… Original Post: Unexpected Side Effects

weeklycake:

I essentially started this cake project in early October when I came up with the idea, purchased the URL, told a few friends, and started compiling recipes. I’m happy I took almost 3 months out to build a foundation and mentally prepare. I told a friend I had started posting content in order to work out the kinks of posting and she laughed, suggesting I ought to be tinkering in the kitchen rather than on my laptop. While baking my first cake, I understood what she meant. There are a few things that have already surprised me about this project. Here’s a list (so far)…

Original Post: Unexpected Side Effects

3 weeks ago  #food #cake  1 note  View comments 

No-Bake Eclair Cake

[caption id=”attachment_120” align=”alignleft” width=”300” caption=”The Finished Product”]Eclair Cake[/caption]

I used to eat a chocolate eclair almost every day when I lived in Paris. Thankfully New York City doesn’t have as many bakeries as Paris, thereby prohibiting me from the daily indulgence.

A few weeks ago I asked my boyfriend what kind of cake he wanted for his birthday. He pondered on Carrot Cake for a few seconds before requesting a “giant eclair.” Thank goodness, because I’ve never made a carrot cake before and from what I understand, it involves a lot of carrot shredding. I figured eclair cake had to be the next best thing. Best of all, the recipes were all no-bake. Here’s the how to.

Eclair Cake

Ingredients


  • 1 box of graham crackers

  • 2 (3 1/4 oz.) boxes of instant French vanilla pudding

  • 3 1/2 cups cold whole milk

  • 1 (8 oz.) container frozen whipped topping, thawed

  • 1 (12 oz.) can of milk chocolate frosting


Directions

  1. Lightly run a stick of butter on the bottom of a 9x13x2 inch pan.

  2. Line the bottom of the pan with a layer of graham crackers

  3. Mix pudding mix with milk using an electric mixer or a cold whisk and elbow grease. Beat for about 2 minutes

  4. Fold in the entire container of thawed whipped topping.Whipped Topping

  5. Pour half the pudding mixture on top of the layer of graham crackers, smoothing to ensure the layer is even.Layering the Cake

  6. Place another layer of graham crackers on top of pudding mixture.Layering Graham Crackers

  7. Pour the remainder of the pudding mixture on top of the graham crackers, smoothing to ensure an even layer.

  8. Place a final layer of graham crackers on top.

  9. Place can of milk chocolate frosting in the microwave on high for 45 seconds. This will ensure easy spreading. Pour the entire can onto the top layer of graham crackers, smoothing with a spatula.

  10. Cover the pan with foil or plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 24 hours before serving. This allows all the layers to “marinate.”


Note: The possibilities for flavor combos on this recipe are endless. Substitute chocolate graham crackers for plain. Try different flavors of instant pudding (pistachio and butterscotch come to mind) and combos of canned frosting. Yum!
2 years ago  #dessert #Kitchen Adventures #cake #baking   View comments 

Adventures in Holiday Baking

This is how not to make a Buche de Noel. The allure of the Buche de Noel first started when I was 11 or 12 years old. The French bakery next door to the store my dad was a partner in sent over a Buche as a holiday gift to the store. I was a seasonal gift wrapper at the time on weekends. One taste of the cake and I was entranced. As the holidays neared, I asked my dad if he could purchase one to bring home for Christmas Eve. He returned home to say he didn’t get it because it cost $40 and this was when $40 was worth a lot more than it is today. And so began the allure of the Buche de Noel. I never had a taste of one again, not even when I was living as a student in Paris during the holiday season.

I thought this year was a good of a time as any to make one. Knowing the baking and assembly process is not for the novice, I planned to bake a trial run last weekend, baking the cake on Sunday and assembling it on Monday night. The above photo is the result of my attempt, severely hurting my baking pride and any hopes I had of declaring a successful Buche. Oh well. I salvaged the coffee buttercream to ice a basic chocolate cake.

2 years ago  #christmas #Kitchen Adventures #cake #baking   View comments