Looking to make a masterful creation to help celebrate that special birthday for someone you love? If you’re planning someone’s big day, why not try these frosted fantasies that are a piece of cake to make. Cake queen Anna Von Marburg, author of the book “Happy Birthday”, shows how to make them. Check out the recipe below.
ICE CREAM FEAST Anna Von Marburg
Serves 12
YOU NEED A dense cake, such as our Chocolate Fudge Cake, to hold up all the ice cream — in a pinch you can substitute a cake mix. Don’t use waffle cones; they’ll crumble during slicing. If your market doesn’t carry four-inch-high cones, buy them at an ice cream shop.
Stack cakes on top of each other. Fill between layers with Chocolate Butter. Set cones on a work surface with pointed ends up. Starting at the tip, use a thin serrated knife to slice in half with a gentle sawing motion. Ice entire cake with Topcoat Frosting. While frosting is still soft, attach halved cones to cake, keeping flat end of cone flush with top of cake.
Tie a ribbon around cake, pulling it snugly around cones, then tie a bow. Insert a toothpick just under bow to help hold ribbon in place. (Remember to remove toothpick before serving.) Scoop approximately 20 balls of ice cream; place on baking sheet in freezer for at least 1 hour. Just before serving, arrange them on top of the cake.
9123717604912693560699cake 3 Chocolate Fudge Cakesbutter1 batch Chocolate Butterice cream cones5 traditional ice cream cones (4 inches high)frosting1 1/2 batches Topcoat Frostingice cream2.5quart2 1/2 quarts assorted ice cream
CHOCOLATE FUDGE CAKE Anna Von Marburg
This rich, dense cake resembles baked fudge. For the Ice Cream Feast, you’ll need three 6-inch cakes.
Preheat oven to 350F. Butter and flour cake pans. Line pan with wax or parchment paper. Place butter and chocolate in a heatproof bowl over (not in) simmering water until melted, stirring often. (Or microwave at medium power until almost melted, stirring every 30 seconds. Remove from microwave and stir until completely melted.) In large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed, combine cocoa and boiling water. Add hot butter mixture, then sugar; beat until combined. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating after each addition.
Add flour and salt; beat until blended. Pour into prepared pan; smooth top with a spatula to make it even. Bake 30 to 35 minutes, or until 1 or 2 big cracks appear on top of cake and it barely wobbles when you shake the pan. Do not overbake. (Don’t bother inserting a toothpick; it will never come out clean!) Cool cake in pan on wire rack for 20 minutes. If top of cake is uneven, level it by pressing down with your fingers. Loosen sides of cake by running spatula around edges. Invert cake onto rack; cool completely, preferably overnight, before decorating.
9123717604912693527770unsalted butter12ounce12 oz (3 sticks) unsalted butterchocolate0.3333333333333333cup2 oz semisweet chocolate, chopped (1/3 cup)dutch-processed unsweetened cocoa10tablespoon10 Tbsp Dutch-processed unsweetened cocoawater0.25cup1/4 cup boiling watersugar2cup2 cups granulated sugareggs3 large eggsflour1.75cup1 3/4 cups all-purpose floursalt0.5teaspoon1/2 tsp salt
Excerpted from “Happy Birthday” by Anna von Marburg. Copyright © 2000 Allen & Unwin.Published by Allen & Unwin.