If you are having a bad day, eat this cake!

Happy Labor Day friends!  I hope you are enjoying your weekend!

This weekend there was a birthday celebrated around here.  It was requested for me to make a chocolate layer cake with a whipped cream frosting.  Its funny because I saw this cake awhile ago and said this is a birthday cake I am going to make.  We picked out a whipped cream frosting that was thicker than traditional whipped cream and I got to baking.

Rough exterior, delicious interior

First I made the frosting.  Its no secret around here, frosting and I do not play nice.  I dont know what it is.  Maybe I declared my dislike for powdered sugar a little too much?  I dont know.  Frosting NEVER works for me.

I was happy we found a whipped cream based frosting on Allrecipes to make instead.  I love cream cheese

Ingredients

• 1 (8 ounce) package reduced-fat cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (I used a vanilla bean paste and I used about a tsp and a 1/2)
• 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
• 2 cups heavy cream (I used 3)
• 2 egg whites added last minute because peaks were not forming

Directions

1. Combine the cream cheese, sugar, vanilla extract and almond extract in a large mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer. Fit the mixer with the whisk attachment and mix on medium speed until smooth. While the mixture is still whipping, slowly pour in the heavy cream. Stop and scrape the bottom of the bowl a couple of times while you continue whipping until the cream can hold a stiff peak.  

Simple recipe right?  I guess not for me.  It turned into soup!  Delicious soup though.  I threw it in the fridge to firm back up.  Nope.  We threw in egg whites and that ended up helping a little. 

I followed the chocolate cake recipe I have used before, only I made some tweaks to change the flavor a little.  For this particular cake, you need to double this recipe. 

• 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for pans 
• 2 cups sugar 
• 3/4 cups good cocoa powder (1/2 unsweetened Hersheys cocoa and topped off with Toll House cocoa)
• 2 teaspoons baking soda  
• 1 teaspoon baking powder 
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt  
• 1 cup buttermilk, shaken
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil 
• 2 extra-large eggs, at room temperature 
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract (I used a vanilla bean paste)
• 1 cup freshly brewed hot coffee (1/8 cup of coffee)

  You can find how to make the cake here.  I was excited to try out my new flavor: vanilla bean paste. 

I found this at Home Goods and knew it was time to graduate from the Kroger brand vanilla extract.  Its not cheap though.

So how to make a 10 layer cake.  The first thing is to head to the Dollar Store and buy 12 aluminum pans.  Using these saves you from washing pans in between each round.  You are welcome!

Then take parchment paper and cut circles to line the bottom of your pans.  I took one circle and used it as a template for the rest. 

Line your pan, butter like butter is going out of style, and then flour your pan.  That wax paper is tricky to take off if you dont butter/flour it enough.

When your batter is ready to go, fill the pans with 2/3 cup of batter.  Spread evenly and place into your 350 preheated oven. 

I baked two pans at a time for 12 minutes each round.  They came out looking a little deflated and almost like a pancake.  Then I started to layer.  Please note the frosting was still soup. 

Still looks tasty though dont you think?  After layer 10 little cakes on top of each other, we poured the frosting soup on top and spread it.  Since it was so runny and we enjoy coconut, we threw it on the exterior.  Functional and delicious. 

I know this cake wouldnt win awards in presentation (because it was rough), but it was a diamond in the rough and it was REALLY good!!  The changes I made to the recipe made this a killer chocolate cake.  I had to stop myself from eating more than I did.  It was moister than you would ever imagine.  The chocolate flavor was perfect.  Every bite I MAY have done a little dance.  I am so pleased with this cake.

Next time I am sticking to regular frosting!!!  In all seriousness though, you must try this cake (mine not your own!!) because it will turn your day around!