Following my "cakes need to ripen" theory, I made this the night before I was planning on serving it. This was a simple simple cake to make. The only substitution I made was to use some yogurt in place of the sour cream because it's what I had. I made sure I was using the correct size pan - I read about some issues that people were having. I didn't put the loaf pan on top of a sheet pan as Dorie recommends. I never do, and things still seem to bake just fine. After 45 minutes I covered the pan so that it wouldn't over brown. At 60 minutes, it was done. I let it cool in the pan for about 10 minutes and then turned it out to cool completely.
The cake sliced into thirds pretty easily. Not evenly, but that was cutter error. I planned on filling the cake with jam, but I decided against the frosting. It was a good decision. Instead of turning the cake over to make a smoother surface for frosting, I just kept it right side up. The only part of the recipe that didn't work well for me was boiling the jam. I didn't end up seeing the need. The warm jam ended up running off the cake onto the plate. Ah well. I used my home-made mixed berry jam to fill the cake. 1/3 of jam didn't seem like enough for the whole thing. I ended up using 1 cup total to fill the cake. Again, good choice. Better, I think, if I hadn't boiled it.
Very drippy jam.
Once it was assembled, I sprinkled the top with powdered sugar. This cake was not a show stopper. But what it lacked in pretty, it made up for in taste. This is an excellent cake. It was rich and moist with an excellent chocolate flavor. We thought about other ways to serve the cake, and all sounded delicious. It is definitely on our keeper list.
Cleaned up plate and powdered sugar hide a multitude of sins.
I agree - this cake was rich and delicious. Warm with icecream, it is superb!
ReplyDeleteIt was so good! I like your idea of the sugar on top!
ReplyDeleteIm so glad it tasted yummy! Mine looks really plain and borring!
ReplyDeleteLooks like a showstopper to me...it would definitely stop any show the guys were watching here to have a slice! Nothing wrong with jam oozing out the sides, right? Looks great.
ReplyDeleteLove the sugar on the top. It is a versatile cake, can get away without the icing. You prove that.
ReplyDeletetaste is more important than looks any day!
ReplyDeleteI loved this cake too. So rich and moist just as you described!
ReplyDeleteYour cake looks delicious! I'd like to get my fingers into that drippy jam.
ReplyDeleteI used lots more jam than called for too. I think it's perfect with the icing sugar on top--it was very chocolaty with the frosting.
ReplyDeleteHome made jam, huh?? Nice touch! Looks very pretty with the sugar on top, too.
ReplyDeleteUntil you mentioned it, I'd forgotten that I didn't bother to warm the jam, it didn't need to be heated to spread evenly, so I skipped it. This cake was so good, it really didn't even need the frosting.
ReplyDeleteNice idea to put powdered sugar on top!
ReplyDeleteYou know, me too. I kept thinking ice cream cake. Maybe next time, right? I didn't thin mine out either. Just right out of the jar. I used Smuckers seedless raspberry and so it spreads like a dream. Next time I would like to try some apricot something. Like those too. Well, I like making new friends so maybe we can be blog friends. Thank you for baking with me this week. Simply delicious!
ReplyDeleteAmyRuth
I agree - the cake itself was wonderful - but you needed to do "something to it" to dress it up - just as you did. I love powdered sugar - dresses up anything! Glad it was a hit at father's day!
ReplyDeleteI love the jam in the cake, and the powdered sugar on top. I'm glad that everyone enjoyed it.
ReplyDelete