SKILL LEVEL: Master
PREP: 20 minutes
FROSTING: 4 hours to chill
BAKING: 30 minutes
MAKES: 1 cake, at least 8 large servings
PAIRS WELL WITH: Fresh raspberries, sparkling wine
SKILL LEVEL: Master
PREP: 20 minutes
FROSTING: 4 hours to chill
BAKING: 30 minutes
MAKES: 1 cake, at least 8 large servings
PAIRS WELL WITH: Fresh raspberries, sparkling wine
Although it’s a bit tricky to make, there are few desserts as famous throughout Azeroth as this Delicious Chocolate Cake. With a dash of rose water to replace the impossible-to-find mageroyal, and fortified with a splash of port, this recipe is like fireworks of flavor for your mouth.
1 /2 cup hot water
4 ounces white baking chocolate, chopped
1 cup butter, softened
1 1 /2 cups white sugar
3 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 cup buttermilk
2 1 /2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 /2 teaspoon baking powder
1 /2 teaspoon salt
Starfruit and fresh raspberries, for garnish
FILLING
1 cup raspberries, fresh or frozen
1 /4 cup sugar
1 /2 teaspoon rose water
1 tablespoon port
1 /4 cup Whipped Cream Frosting (see below)
FROSTING
8 ounces white baking chocolate
2 cups whipping cream, divided
Green food coloring (optional)
1. Begin by making the frosting, which needs to chill for four hours. Break up the chocolate into a medium bowl. Heat half of the cream in a small saucepan until just starting to steam, but not yet simmering. Remove from heat and pour over the chocolate. Stir until the chocolate has completely melted into the cream. Cover and chill for at least 4 hours.
2. Preheat the oven to 350°F, and prep two 8-inch-round cake pans by greasing them and lining the bottom with a disc of parchment paper.
3. In a small saucepan, melt the white chocolate in the hot water until you have a smooth consistency. Set aside to cool, and in a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar. Mix in the eggs and vanilla, then alternate the dry ingredients with the buttermilk. Finally, fold in the melted white chocolate.
4. Pour the batter into the prepared pans and bake for about 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle of the cake comes out clean. Allow the cake layers to cool in the pans for about 10 minutes, then gently tip out onto a cooling rack. Leave the layers to cool completely while you finish preparing the frosting and filling.
5. After chilling the white chocolate and cream mixture, whip it with an electric mixer for several minutes until it is fluffy. In a separate bowl, whip the other cup of cream until it forms soft peaks. Fold this into the white chocolate mixture, then beat again for a couple of minutes until it holds its shape. Take care not to over-mix! Set aside the 1 /4 cup needed for the filling, then divide the remainder in half. Into one half, gently mix the green food coloring, if using, until you get a shade you like. Leave the other half white.
6. Combine all the ingredients for the filling except the frosting in a small bowl, mashing the berries until you have a somewhat thick paste. Gently fold in the reserved frosting until you have a nice pink mixture.
7. When the filling, frosting, and cake layers are all made and cooled, it’s time to assemble the cake. Begin by placing one cake layer on your serving plate. Place about two thirds of the white frosting onto the single layer, and gently spread a thin coating along the top, then work the frosting down onto the sides, covering the cake. Spread the filling on top of that, then the second cake layer. Carefully spread the remaining white frosting onto the sides of the top layer. Top the cake with the green frosting, and garnish with raspberries and sliced starfruit.