Birthday from Far Away

Covid has made it really difficult to navigate celebrations and occasions that I used to take for granted. I was very sad that for my youngest’s 21st birthday I would not be allowed to go up to visit him and take he and his buddies out for the usual dinner before the real party - I believe this is the first time ever that I haven’t gotten to spend time with my “little guy” on this Birthday. (He’s now six foot two but still my baby!). I do know that his plan didn’t revolve around my being there - far from it. It’s just sad to me that I couldn’t go up.

When I learned that a few of his friends were going to visit (after taking covid tests!) I realized I could still send him his Birthday cake. Over the years my kids have designed their own style and flavor of cake. The one that both my boys have had for the past few years has been Chocolate Layers with Marshmallow filling and Peanut Butter Frosting outside that I decorate with small Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups. It’s pretty amazing (if I do say so myself). Realizing the travel might be harder this year, I switched out the inside filling and just made it with a bittersweet chocolate filling / frosting and only frosted the top of the cake (instead of frosting the whole cake). I then put it in a box with some bags of cookies and the remaining Reese’s and sent it up.

The cake recipe came from an old Gourmet magazine (December 1987) that a friend of mine had tweaked and written hand notes on the side of. I still have not found a better chocolate cake layer cake and this remains my family’s favorite Birthday cake. The marshmallow filling and frosting recipes have come from a lot of trial and error. I’m not even sure where I found them as they are all kept in my recipe binder in their sheet protectors. I know the Peanut Butter one is from combining a few recipes I found on the internet. I have no idea about the marshmallow filling / frosting but I’m pretty sure the Chocolate one is adapted from Barefoot Contessa.

J & Z’s Chocolate Cake

adapted from Gourmet 12/87. They called it Super Chocolate “Chiffon” Cake Layers

Ingredients

6 ounces fine-quality bittersweet chocolate, chopped coarse (the original recipe says you can use semisweet but I think that makes it too sweet

2 1/2 cups sifted cake flour (not self-rising) . If you don’t have cake flour, use the proportions on the back of Argo Cornstarch - 3/4 cup plus 2 Tablespoons of regular flour plus 2 Tablespoons of Cornstarch. Z likes to use weight when things are sifted - if you do it should weigh about 8 3/4 oz)

2 Teaspoons Baking Soda

1 Teaspoon Kosher Salt

2 sticks (1 cup) of unsalted butter, softened (I either leave it out overnight or I throw in the microwave for about 10 - 15 seconds)

2 cups Sugar

4 large eggs at room temperature (again, I usually take out the night before and leave out with the butter)

2 Teaspoons Vanilla (I use my vanilla)

1 1/2 cups of Sour Cream (also at room temperature)

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Line the bottoms of two 9 by 2-inch round cake pans or three 9 by 1 1 /4-inch round cake pans with rounds of parchment paper. Do not grease the paper or pans.

In the top of a double boiler, melt the chocolate with 3/4 cup water, stirring occasionally. (I don’t have a double boiler so I just use a mixing bowl on top of a small pan). When melted, remove from heat.

Sift together the flour, baking soda and salt.

In a large bowl with an electric mixer cream the butter and add the sugar gradually, beating until it is light and fluffy.

Add the eggs one at a time, beating with each addition.

Stir in the vanilla.

Eyeball the flour mixture, the sour cream and the chocolate mixture and, roughly figure out what a third would be. Add them to the batter alternatively and mix after each addition (meaning you add the flour, stir, add the sour cream, stir, add the chocolate, stir. Then go back to the flour, until they have all been incorporated and the batter is smooth.

Divide the batter between the prepared pans and smooth the top. Rap each pan on a hard surface twice to expel any air bubbles and bake the layers in the middle of the oven for 30 - 45 minutes or until a tester inserted in the centers comes out clean.

Let the layers cool in the pans on racks for 8 - 10 minutes. Run a thin knife around the edge of each pan and invert the layers onto the racks. Remove the parchment paper and let them cool completely.

Frosting & Fillings

Chocolate Buttercream Frosting

I believe this recipe is from Barefoot Contessa

Ingredients

8 ounces unsweetened chocolate, roughly chopped

1 cup unsalted butter, room temp

3 1/2 - 4 cups confectioner’s sugar, sifted if it looks lumpy (I actually use less than this recipe but it depends how sweet you like your frosting)

1/2 Teaspoon kosher salt

1 Tablespoon vanilla

3 Tablespoons Milk

Directions

Melt the chocolate in a double boiler or microwave. Set aside to cool

In an electric mixer, combine softened butter, vanilla and salt. beat on medium-low speed for about 2 minutes. Reduce the speed to low and slowly add the confectioner’s sugar. Pause and scrape down the sides of the bowl.

Add the milk and increase the mixer to medium speed and beat for another 2 minutes. Reduce the speed, add the melted chocolate and increase the speed to medium and beat for another minute. If it seems to dry add a bit more milk, 1 Teaspoon at a time, until it is creamy and holds its peak.

Note: I ended up adding some Hershey’s Unsweetened Cocoa to my frosting to give it he bittersweet flavor I was looking for.

Peanut Butter Frosting

Ingredients

2 cups Creamy Peanut Butter (I use Skippy Brand)

3/4 cups butter, room temperature

2 cups confectioners’ sugar

1/4 Teaspoon Kosher Salt

1 Teaspoon vanilla

3 - 4 Tablespoons Milk

Instructions

With an electric mixer, beat the butter and peanut butter at medium to high speed in a large mixing bowl until smooth, about a minute or less.

Add the salt and then the sugar slowly and beat until incorporated. Don’t add all the sugar until you’ve tasted the mix. I tend to like my frosting with a little less sugar.

Add the vanilla and the milk and mix for about 4 - 5 minutes until it becomes light and fluffy.

NOTE: I like to have a mug of boiling water next to me when I am frosting the outside of the cake. I dip an offset spatula into the hot water and then smooth the surface.

Marshmallow Frosting / Filling

Typically this is the middle filling for my cake. I usually put a ring of Reese’s around the outside circle of the cake to hold the cake up and to keep the layers steady.

Ingredients

8 large egg whites at room temperature

2 cups of granulated sugar

1/2 Teaspoon Cream of Tartar

1/4 Teaspoon fine salt

2 Teaspoons Vanilla Extract

If you have Vanilla Pods, I take 2 of them and squeeze the beans into the mix as well. Not necessary but it amplifies the flavor

Directions

Fill a medium saucepan with 1 inch of water and bring it to a simmer over medium heat.

Place the egg whites, sugar, cream of tartar and salt in the clean bowl of either a stand mixer or a stainless steel bowl and next the bowl over the saucepan. Make sure the bottom of the bowl is not touching the water.

Heat the egg white mixture, whisking constantly with an electric mixer or by hand (you will need strong muscles to do this) until the sugar has dissolved and the mixture is hot to the touch. (about 120 degrees F ) This should take 6 - 10 minutes. (You’ve now pasteurized the eggs).

Transfer the bowl to a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Turn the mixer to medium and whisk for 1 minute. Increase the speed to high and whisk until stiff, glossy peaks form, about 5 minutes or more. Add the vanilla and whisk until just incorporated, about 1 minute. Use immediately or store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 hours. This frosting lasts longer than that but this is what the directions say!

Note: If you have extra filing you can make meringues,

Note: If you are traveling it’s easier if you can assemble the cake there.

Note: I decorate the cake with small Reese’s