DO NOT TRY THIS AT HOME! Just kidding. But in all seriousness, this incredibly delicious dessert is a pain in the patootie to make. It all started with me asking Mr. C. what he would like for his birthday cake, pie, whatever? He immediately responded that something with either chocolate mousse or ganache would be terrific. OK then, why not both mousse and ganache? Why not indeed! Well, I’ll tell you why not! Because what I found was this wonderful cake recipe on the sugarandsparrow.com site. And because I’m not as talented as Whitney, this cake’s creator, I was totally out of my element. But I persevered and with the help of my guardian angel and the use of words not fit to repeat in polite company, I was able to pull it off. But only by the skin of my teeth!

So, although at some point in the future I will undoubtedly make this cake again, probably for Mr. C., I will not be as intimidated as I was the first time around.  

So, if you too are of the adventuresome ilk, I suggest you make this cake. It is truly one of the best desserts I have ever had the pleasure of eating. And because it is extremely rich (yah think!), it is perfect for a large group. And a wonderful way to show someone how much you love them!

Well, that’s it for today. We spent the last 5 days with good friends at a local RV campground for a “beginning of season RV shake down”. I haven’t laughed so hard in months. We had just the best time. And it made me realize even more than usual the importance of having close friends and spending quality time with them. Especially now when our country is in such a precarious position. I still can’t believe what is happening to our democracy. How just a few greedy people have placed so many in jeopardy. So, surrounding myself with people who display empathy, kindness, respect for others, and a kindship based on love rather than hate, keeps me from falling into a state of despair.

May you too have people who uplift and ground you. These are rough times. We need each other.

And as always, peace and love to all.

For the Chocolate Cake:

1 c. unbleached all-purpose flour, fluffed

¾ c. granulated sugar

⅓ c. good unsweetened cocoa powder

1 tsp. baking soda

½ tsp. baking powder

¼ tsp. kosher salt

¼ tsp. espresso powder

¼ c. vegetable oil

1 lg. egg, room temp.

1 tsp. pure vanilla extract

½ c. full-fat buttermilk, room temp.

½ c. hot water

Prepare a 9-inch springform pan by spraying the sides (the collar) with cooking spray and fitting the bottom with a parchment paper circle. Line the bottom of the pan with aluminum foil to ensure there is no leakage of cake batter.

Whisk the flour, granulated sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and espresso powder together in a large mixing bowl.  Add the vegetable oil, egg, vanilla, and buttermilk and whisk until combined. Add the hot water in a slow stream, then whisk until smooth. The batter will be very thin.

Pour into your prepared springform pan.

Bake in a pre-heated 350-degree oven for 30-33 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean.

Remove from oven and cool completely before proceeding.

For the Chocolate Mousse:

2 c. semi-sweet chocolate chips

2⅓ c. heavy whipping cream, divided

2 T. powdered sugar

2 tsp. pure vanilla extract

1 tsp. espresso powder

Place the semi-sweet chocolate chips into a large glass or metal bowl and set aside.

Place 1 cup of heavy whipping cream into a small saucepan set over medium-low heat. Whisk frequently until the cream begins to simmer around the edges, then pour it over the chocolate chips and whisk until it becomes a smooth ganache.

Set aside until the ganache cools to room temperature, for about 25 minutes. Wait until it is room temperature to move on to the next step.

In the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, add the remaining 1⅓ c. of heavy whipping cream, powdered sugar, vanilla, and espresso powder. Mix at low speed until the ingredients are combined, then turn the mixer to high and beat until stiff peaks form, about 4 minutes.

Add the whipped cream mixture to the cooled ganache and fold gently with a rubber spatula until there are no streaks.

For the first assembly:   

Remove the collar from the springform pan. Using a serrated knife, level the top of the cake to create an even layer. Gently peel off the parchment paper on the bottom of the cake layer. Then clip the collar back on. The next step is very important.

Take a piece of parchment paper and cut it into the height and circumference of your springform pan. In fact, what you are making is a liner for your pan that will keep the cake and mousse from touching the side of the pan. And using scotch tape is just fine to hold the liner together. Who will know? This liner will help keep the mousse in place as it sets. Place the cake back in the pan. Add the chocolate mousse on top of the cake layer and smooth it down with an offset spatula until it reaches the edges of the liner and has an even surface. Refrigerate for 6 hours, or overnight.

For the Chocolate Ganache and garnish:

½ c. semi-sweet chocolate chips

½ c. heavy whipping cream

½ c. fresh raspberries

¼ c. roughly chopped chocolate covered espresso beans

When the chocolate mousse cake is set, place the semi-sweet chocolate chips into a medium glass or metal bowl and set aside.

Pour the heavy whipping cream into a small saucepan set over medium heat. Bring it to a simmer, whisking frequently, then pour it over the bowl of chocolate and whisk until uniform and smooth. Allow the chocolate ganache to cool to room temperature, for about 20 minutes.

During those 20 minutes, unclip the springform pan collar and remove it. Then, unwrap the parchment paper liner from the sides of the mousse cake. Move the mousse topped cake to a cake plate.

Pour the cooled chocolate ganache over the top of the cold chocolate mousse cake and spread it with an offset spatula until it runs over the edges.

Garnish with fresh raspberries and chopped chocolate covered espresso beans. Serve immediately or refrigerate until ready to serve.

OK, I’m posting two cake recipes in a row. And I know, some of you out there are not cake lovers. Well, I have a thing or two to say about that! You are missing out! Because a piece of truly good cake is one of the best desserts out there. Especially if you are serving quite a few people, or in the case of this cake, taking dessert to a friend’s home. Which is exactly what happened with this cake.

Our dear friends Paul and Vivianna were hosting a dinner for their oldest daughter who is moving to New York City. So, I offered to bring dessert. But before we drove to Seattle for the dinner party, Mr. C. had a gig in Anacortes. So, whatever dessert I brought had to be in the car, all by itself, for quite some time. Apparently, cake can be very resilient! No signs of trauma. No frosting out of place. Just a happy cake waiting to be loved. And loved it was by one and all.    

Now to be fair, this cake takes a bit of time to prepare. Why? Well, because there are three separate parts to assemble before this incredibly moist and delicious cake can be considered ready for presentation.

I found the original recipe on the grandbaby-cakes.com site (a wonderful site BTW). I did make one tiny change to the ingredient list that I felt was necessary. I added just a bit of espresso powder to the mix because rum and coffee make great partners.

Now, the original recipe only called for two parts; the cake itself and the rum syrup that is poured on the cake while it is still in the pan and still warm. But when it came time for me to ever so gently entice the cake out of the pan, my cake obviously didn’t want to leave its cozy confines. So, I had to frost the cake to cover up the missing bits. (Not the first time I’ve had trouble with bundt pans. But that’s a sad story for another time.) And frankly, I knew better. You leave a cake in the bundt pan and then pour a sweet, sticky syrup all over it, and of course the cake is going to stick to the pan! Duh! But I was prepared for the inevitable. Frosting has many amazing qualities. The first being that it tastes wonderful. The second being that it covers up a multitude of sins.  

So, I decided what this cake really needed was a rum-raison buttercream frosting. And that’s exactly what I prepared to cover my poor battered and bruised cake. No one knew that I had avoided a disaster. They just enjoyed the heck out of the cake. Yeah frosting!

So, when you decide this is the cake for you, prepare to cover the cake with frosting. Unless of course you are better at removing cakes from a bundt pan, but even then, frost the darn cake anyway. The frosting really adds a lot to the final enjoyment of this cake.

Well, that’s it for now. The political circus that is keeping me crazy seems to be getting even worse. But I refuse to cave. I am going to remain happy, find enjoyment in friends and family, music, reading good books, eating good food, and knowing that I am not alone. We are all in this together. And whether the good guys win, or the few who shall remain nameless with only their own interests at heart win, there isn’t really a darn thing I can do about it. But I have chosen to remain civil, to care about others, and to keep working on myself. I will not let the evil one or two win! These few horrid people are not going to take my joy away from me.

May you too stay happy, healthy, and positive. Cook good food. Tell people you love them. Make life as enjoyable for your family and friends as you can. Make a difference in someone’s life. Share your happiness with others. Care about others from the bottom of your heart. Be a civil person.

And as always, peace and love to all.

For the cake:

½ c. (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temp.

½ c. vegetable oil

1 sm. pkg. (3.4 oz.) vanilla instant pudding

¾ c. granulated sugar

¾ c. light brown sugar

2 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. fine sea salt

½ tsp. espresso powder

2¼ c. cake flour, fluffed

4 lg. eggs, room temp.

1 T. pure vanilla extract

½ c. whole milk, room temp.

½ c. dark rum

Prepare a 12-inch Bundt pan by spraying liberally with nonstick baking spray.

In a stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, combine butter, oil, pudding mix, sugars, baking powder, salt, and espresso powder and beat on high for 3 minutes, until evenly mixed and fully hydrated.

Reduce speed and add flour in 2 additions and beat until thick and smooth.

Add eggs one at a time, scraping down the bowl between each egg.

Add vanilla, milk, and rum, and mix until smooth. Batter will be thinnish.

Pour batter into prepared pan. Give the pan a firm yet gentle tap on the counter. (This little jiggle helps release any trapped air bubbles, ensuring your cake comes out super smooth.)

Bake in a pre-heated 325-degree oven until golden brown and cake starts pulling away from the edge of the pan, about 50 minutes. Or until the internal temperature reaches 200-degrees.

Remove from oven and let cool in pan for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, make the Rum Butter Syrup.

For the Rum Butter Syrup:

¼ c. (½ stick) unsalted butter

¼ c. water

1 c. granulated sugar

⅓ c. white rum

pinch fine sea salt

Combine all the syrup ingredients in a small saucepan. Heat over medium heat and cook until the mixture thickens and reduces, for about 11 minutes.

After the cake has been out of the oven for 15 minutes, using a skewer, poke holes all over the surface. (The cake is still in the pan.) Slowly drizzle the syrup all over the bottom of the cake, allowing it to soak up all the yummy syrup.

Cover and let sit for at least 2 hours to allow the syrup to fully soak into the cake before turning it out onto a cake plate. (Don’t worry if the cake doesn’t come out of the pan as nicely as you would like. Not to worry. You’re going to frost and cake anyway. And frosting hides a multitude of sins! Or divots!

Store the cake in an airtight container.

For the Rum-Raisin Buttercream Frosting:

⅓ c. golden raisins

2-3 T. spiced rum

½ c. (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temp.

1½ c. powdered sugar

pinch ground cinnamon

pinch sea salt

¼ tsp. vanilla extract

Place the raisins in a very small saucepan. Add 2 tablespoons of the spiced rum. Bring to a low simmer, remove from heat, and allow to cool completely.

Beat the butter until soft and creamy. Add the powdered sugar, cinnamon, salt, and vanilla extract. Beat until creamy. Add more spiced rum if the frosting is too thick.

In May of 2013 I made an Italian Cream Cake (I changed the name to Italian Dream Cake) for a JazzVox concert. It was so very delicious that I decided to make the same cake for our 111^th JazzVox home concert this past Sunday. But when I went to look up my recipe on this site, I realized it started with a cake mix. Now, with all due respect to cake mixes, which I must admit are handy, I have made it my mission to make as much food as possible from scratch. And also, one of the considerations in my change from cake mixes to “from scratch” recipes is the fact that the ounces of cake mixes have significantly decreased over the last 30 years. Most standard cake mixes used to be around 18.25 ounces, but now typically range from 13 to 16 ounces per box, meaning manufacturers have reduced the size of their mixes by several ounces. And this reduction in the amount of flour in the cake mix, as well as the leavening agents, compared to liquid ingredients in the rest of your recipe with a cake mix as the base, might result in less than delightful results. But there is hope even if you plan to use a cake mix and your recipe calls for 1 cake mix and your recipe is over 20-30 years old.

I found this “upsizer” recipe on arkansasonline.com/news/2020/mar/11/upsizer-easy-fix-for-shrinking-boxed-ca/

Please note, this mix cannot be used in place of all the cake mix in a recipe as it doesn’t contain all of the ingredients. But if your original recipe called for a standard cake mix (18.25 oz.), you can still use a cake mix with fewer overall ounces, by adding a bit of cake mix “upsizer”.

Cake mix “upsizer” recipe:  

1½ c. unbleached all-purpose flour (see note)

1 c. granulated sugar

2 tsp. baking powder

¼ tsp. baking soda

Whisk all dry ingredients together and store the mixture in a glass jar or other airtight container. To use, measure 3 ounces or about 6 tablespoons and add to the boxed mix.

This recipe makes enough to extend 6 (15.25-ounce) boxes of cake mix.

Note: For a chocolate cake, reduce the flour to 1 cup PLUS 3 tablespoons and add 5 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder.

I am providing you with this information because some of my favorite cake recipes on this site call for cake mix. And frankly, using a cake mix saves time, and in some cases, like with chocolate cake, it saves money. Chocolate cake mix can be cheaper than using expensive cocoa powder in a scratch cake. Just always add a small bit of espresso powder to the mix and the flavor will be outstanding. But back to the real reason for this post.

Italian Cream Cake isn’t Italian in the least. In fact, Italian Cream Cake is a classic Southern dessert that’s rich, moist, and irresistibly decadent. Despite its name, this cake isn’t from Italy! It features a tender coconut and pecan cake, frosted with a creamy cream cheese frosting with just a hint of almond flavoring.

So, if you want a cake that will knock the socks off whoever is lucky enough to be offered a piece, then this is the cake for you. And believe it or not, it’s very easy to make. So, do yourself and your family and friends a favor and make this for your next get-together. It is truly one of the best cakes I have ever tasted.

Well, that’s it for today. I am in recovery mode from having hosted a fantastic concert in our home last Sunday. It just doesn’t get any better than Janis Siegel (from Manhattan Transfer fame) on vocals and Jeremy Siskind (an American pianist, composer, and educator known for his innovative blending of jazz and classical music) on our Bösendorfer piano. The concert was truly fantastic. But this old gal was pretty burned out and in bed by 8:30 pm that evening. Mr. C., bless his heart, did 99% of the cleanup. When I got up the next morning, the kitchen was clean, and the last load of dishes was happily burbling away in the dishwasher.

I’ve said it before, but I’ll say it again. I am one truly lucky lady.

Peace and love to all.  

2 c. unbleached all-purpose flour, fluffed

1 tsp. baking soda

¼ tsp. fine sea salt

1 c. (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temp.

2 c. granulated sugar

5 lg. eggs, separated

2 tsp. vanilla extract

1 c. buttermilk

1 c. sweetened shredded coconut, plus more for garnish

1 c. lightly toasted chopped pecans, plus more for garnish

For the cake:

Lightly butter a 9×13-inch baking pan. Set aside.

In a medium bowl, whisk the all-purpose flour, baking soda, and salt together.

In the bowl of your stand mixer, cream the butter and granulated sugar together. Beat until light and fluffy.

Add the egg yolks one at a time, making sure each yolk is fully incorporated before adding the next.

Stir in the vanilla extract.

Gradually add the dry ingredients to the creamed butter mixture, alternating with the buttermilk. Always begin and end with the dry ingredients to ensure the batter mixes evenly.

Once combined, fold in the shredded coconut and chopped pecans.

In a clean mixing bowl, beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form. Gently fold the whipped egg whites into the batter.

Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan, spreading it evenly to ensure an even bake.

Bake in a pre-heated 350-degree oven for 25–30 minutes. The cake is ready when a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

Remove from oven and allow it to cool completely on a wire rack before frosting.  

For the Cream Cheese Frosting:

½ c. (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temp.

1 pkg. (8 oz.) full fat cream cheese, room temp.

2 c. powdered sugar, or more as needed

1 tsp. vanilla extract

¼ tsp. almond extract

In the bowl of your stand mixer, beat the room temperature butter and cream cheese together until the mixture is smooth and creamy.  

Gradually add the powdered sugar beating well after each addition.  

Addthe vanilla extract and almond extract.

Continue beating until the frosting is light and fluffy. If it’s too thick, you can add a splash of milk to adjust the consistency. If it’s too thin, add a bit more powdered sugar.

Frost the cooled cake and decorate with coconut and pecans.

before the whipped cream is added

after the bourbon whipped cream slathered on top

So, when I heard that it was our good friends Tim and Phyllis’s 20^th wedding anniversary the day before they were coming here for dinner along with our other dear friends Jim and Margo, I decided a special dessert was in order. I mean really, an anniversary or celebration of any kind requires cake. And I know, some of you are not cake lovers. To that I say “hurray”, more for me!

Because in my estimation, a truly great cake is a taste treat that few actually experience. And yes, there are bakeries out there that turn out fabulous cakes. But you pay through your teeth for the privilege. That’s why I have always preached -BAKE CAKES AT HOME AND SPARE NO EXPENSE. Use quality ingredients and the cake will still cost you a fourth the price of one that comes from a bakery! And it will make your whole kitchen smell wonderful as it bakes. (OK, I am now stepping down from my high horse!)

Among the purchased cakes that are ridiculously expensive, ice cream cakes come in right at the top. And why I previously never thought to make an ice cream cake is right up there with why I wore a girdle in college when I weighed 128 pounds? (What was that all about?) Apparently, some things take longer than others to garner attention in the critical thinking area of my brain. Or at least that’s how I interpret my “aha moments”. But once a good idea resonates, it’s usually full steam ahead for me. (I did figure out a former politician the first time he appeared in my consciousness. So, I must give myself a pat on the back for intuiting that odious person correctly!) But, back to this recipe.

In all honesty, the ice cream cake I made the other evening was really tasty, but the brownie part was hard as a rock. I had tried a new brownie recipe (that sounded marvelous), but the reality was somewhere between tasty shoe leather and chocolate flavored drywall. (Not that I know anything about how shoe leather or drywall taste. But I have an excellent imagination.) So, I repurposed one of my cake-like brownie recipes to make this ice cream cake 100% fabulous.

So, the next time you need a special dessert, may I recommend this recipe. It does require a few steps, but the result is well worth the effort. And it must be prepared ahead, which is always great, especially when you are entertaining guests.

And you know what – even if you start with a brownie mix and store-bought caramel sauce, the ice cream cake will still be tastier and less expensive than if you bought one from an ice cream shop. Just please consider not using a ready-made whipped topping. One of the most widely used whipped topping is made of water, hydrogenated vegetable oil (including coconut and palm kernel oils), high fructose corn syrup, corn syrup, skimmed milk, light cream (less than 2%), sodium caseinate, natural and artificial flavor, xanthan and guar gums, polysorbate 60, sorbitan monostearate, sodium polyphosphate, and beta carotene (as a coloring). (Yikes. Now, if that doesn’t scare you, I don’t know what would?)  

So, I’ll leave you now to think about the difference between fresh from a cow heavy cream and a product that only resembles real whipped cream in that it is almost the same color.

On that sobering note, peace and love to all. (And I hope you enjoy this recipe.)

BOURBON CHOCOLATE BROWNIES  

1¼ c. granulated sugar   

¾ c.  (1½ sticks) unsalted butter

½ c. cocoa powder

¼ c. bourbon

2 lg. eggs

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1½ c. unbleached all-purpose flour

1 tsp. baking powder

½ tsp. baking soda

½ tsp. fine sea salt

1/8 tsp. espresso powder, opt.

¾ c. whole milk

Grease and line a 9×13-inch baking pan with cooking spray and enough parchment paper left on both ends of the pan to lift the baked brownie out of the pan.  

In a large glass mixing bowl, heat the sugar, butter, and cocoa powder in your microwave just until the butter melts.

Remove from microwave and whisk in the bourbon, eggs, and vanilla extract.   

Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and espresso powder together.   Add a small amount of the flour mixture to the butter mixture, stir to combine, then add a small amount of the milk. Repeat until all the ingredients are well incorporated. Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan.

Bake in a pre-heated 350-degree oven for 25-35 minutes or just until a wooden pick comes out clean in the center. Do not overbake.

Remove from the oven and cool for 20 minutes before lifting the brownie out of the pan to a wire rack. (don’t wash the pan.) Let the one big brownie cool completely before slicing it in half lengthwise. (Not easy but if it comes apart, no problem. You can “glue” it back together with ice cream.)

BOURBON CARAMEL SAUCE

1 c. packed brown sugar

½ c. (1 stick) unsalted butter

pinch sea salt

½ c. heavy cream

¼ c. bourbon

Whisk butter, brown sugar, and salt together over medium heat in a small heavy saucepan until brown sugar has dissolved completely. (This happens after the mixture comes to a boil and is allowed to burble for a couple of minutes or until it turns kind of shiny. Continue whisking the whole time the mixture is on the heat.) Remove from heat and gently whisk in the heavy cream and bourbon. Allow it to cool completely and store covered in your fridge.  

Can be made ahead and refrigerated.  

BOURBAN WHIPPED CREAM

1 c. heavy cream

1/3^rd of the Bourbon Caramel Sauce

Beat cream until stiff peaks form. Add the BCS and whip until well blended. Cover. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

PUT THE ICE CREAM CAKE TOGETHER

2-3 pints ice cream (I used Häagen-Dazs Bourbon Vanilla Bean Truffle ice cream)

Place one of the brownie halves back in the pan.  

Remove the ice cream from the freezer and let sit for a few minutes to soften a bit. Then spread as much or as little of the ice cream over the brownie in the pan as desired. Then spread evenly with 2/3rds of the cold Bourbon Caramel Sauce. Then top with the other brownie. Push down gently to “seat” the brownie.

Cover the pan and place in your freezer.

TO SERVE THE ICE CREAM CAKE

Remove the ice cream cake from the freezer. Slather on the Bourbon Whipped Cream and cut into reasonable sized pieces. (This ice cream cake is very rich. Cut accordingly.)