Amazing cake recipe for a classy lady...?

Question

My supervisor makes truly fabulous cakes for everyone's birthdays, but now it's her birthday in 2 days and I've been voted in as interim dessert chef - Eep! She always makes a special effort for us (eg she made me orange cake with mascarpone) and I just want to return the thoughtfulness. Something along the lines of the orange cake would be great, though obviously not the same. Any suggestions?

For a little more info she HATES bananas and lives for baking, coffee and shoes. Hope that helps you... help me ;)

Answer 1

How about a coffee and chocolate cake? Delicious and not terribly complicated.

It's up to you whether you use a white or chocolate cake. Whatever you choose, pour it into three thin 8" or 9" layers. Don't overbake them, so they won't be dry. Mix 3 tbsp water with three tbsp sugar; boil until sugar's dissolved. Add 1 tbsp instant coffee granules and 1 tbsp vodka, rum or kahlua. Sprinkle this syrup evenly over all three cooled cake layers.

Make a filling of 1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream, 2 tsp vanilla, 1/3 cup sugar, and 1 tbsp instant coffee dissolved in the vanilla or in 2 tsp of additional booze. Whip this together until stiff peaks, but not grainy. Chill bowl, beaters, sugar and cream first for best results.

Stablize this cream by beating in a package of Oetker Whip It (if you can find it) or by softening 2 tsp gelatin in 2 tbsp water for 5 mins, then microwaving for 20 secs until the gelatin is melted. Let it cool for 3 mins before whisking it into your whipped cream by hand. (If the gelatin gets hard before you whisk it in, re-microwave it).

Put about 40% of the filling between each of the layers, reserving the last 20% for decorating.

Make a glaze of 2/3 c chocolate chips, 1 tbsp butter, 1 tsp vanilla, 1 tbsp light corn syrup (if you have it--optional), and 1/3 cup cream. Microwave cream in 2-cup glass measuring cup until hot; add all other ingredients and stir until smooth. If lumps remain, microwave 10 secs at a time and stir until smooth. Pour this evenly over cake. Chill to set glaze.

Decorate with the remaining 20% cream by making rosettes on top of the cake, typically 1 per slice. You should be able to get 12 to 16 slices from the cake.

Still want to go orange? Make a yellow cake, 3 layers. Fill between layers with pastry cream flavored with orange peel and vanilla (make 3 cups pastry cream). Use an orange-flavored syrup to moisten the layers (use simple syrup + grand marnier or triple sec). Ice this cake with 7-minute frosting flavored with orange, or with white chocolate ganache (1 cup good quality white chocolate chips--6 oz), 1/2 cup cream, 1 tbsp orange liqueur or 1/2 tsp grated orange peel. It is optional to flavor the ganache. Let the ganache cool until somewhat thick before drizzling evenly over cake.

Answer 2

I baked this cake last weekend, it's the best carrot cake I've ever made. I frosted it with a cream cheese frosting which I didn't include because the cake was great, the frosting wasn't. Carrot cake 125 g walnuts; optional 200 g carrots 200 ml sunflower oil 2 whole eggs 200 g brown sugar ½ tablespoon honey 1 tsp vanilla 200 g self raising flour ½ tsp bicarbonate soda ½ tsp baking powder 100 g currants or raisins or sultanas 2 tsp ginger 1 tsp cinnamon ½ tsp nutmeg ½ tsp allspice ½ tsp cloves 9-inch square cake tin 1. Chop the walnuts and wash and grate the carrots. 2. Grease and line the cake tin. 3. In a large bowl mix the oil, eggs, sugar, golden syrup and vanilla. 4. Sieve the flour, bi-carbonate of soda, baking powder and cinnamon into the bowl. 5. Add the raisins, grated carrot and walnuts (optional) and mix with a wooden spoon. 6. Spread the cake mixture into the tin with a spatula and cook in the oven for ¾ to 1 hour 190c/gas mark 5. 7. Reduce the oven to 160c/gas mark 3 after ½ hour – when the cake is done it will spring back when tested. 8. Leave the cake to cool on a wire rack. Yield: 6 servings Prep Time: 60 min

Answer 3

This recipe should indulge her love of chocolate and looks very classy when made. It is also simple enough for anyone to make, it just looks complicated.

Mocha Rum Torte

4 eggs
4 oz Dark Chocolate, roughly chopped
1/3 cup (2 3/4 fl oz) Strong Black Coffee
3/4 cup (3 oz) Self Raising Flour, sifted
2 tbls Dark Rum
1 tbls Hot Water
1 tsp Sugar
1 1/2 cup (12 fl oz) Cream, Whipped
Dark Chocolate for shaving
1/2 cup (1 2/3 oz) walnuts, chopped
Icing sugar, for dusting

Preheat oven to moderate 180oC/350oF/Gas 4.
Brush 2 8 inch shallow round tins with melted butter. Line base and sides with baking paper.
Warm a large bowl by filling with very hot water and standing for 1 minute. Dry bowl thoroughly. Add eggs and suger and beat for 5 minutes, or until thick and pail colour.
Melt chocolate, stir in coffee.
Using metal spoon fold half the flour into egg mix with half the chocolate. Fold in the remaining flour and chocolate. Stir until smooth.
Spoon mixture evenly between the 2 tins. Bake for 30 minutes, or until a skewer inserted comes out clean.
Leave cake in tin for 10 minutes before turning onto wire racks to cool.
Combine rum with hot water and sugar. Brush over warm cakes. Cool completly.
TOO ASSEMBLE
Place 1 cake on serving platter. spread cake with 1/3 whipped cream. Place other cake on top. Spread remaing cream over top and sides of cake. Decorate with shaved chocolate and walnuts. Dust with icing sugar.

This is an Australian recipe so I have converted the grams to ounces, but our tsp and tbls measures are different. our tsp is 5mls and our tbls are 20-25 mls so you might need to adjust for that. Also you could use something different besides the walnuts if you prefer. I am sure the rum could also be replaced with a juice if you didnt want to use alcohol.

Answer 4

Orange-Date Cake Recipe

Ingredients:
1/2 cup orange juice
2 teaspoons shredded orange peel
1/2 cup pitted dates, chopped (can substitute raisins)
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup oil
1 beaten egg
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
2 tablespoons butter or margarine, softened
1 teaspoon cinnamon

Directions:

Combine orange juice, orange peel, and dates or raisins. Let this soak while preparing the rest of the cake batter.

Stir together flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Make a well in the center. Combine milk, oil, and egg; add all at once to the dry ingredients. Stir just until mixed. Add orange juice mixture. Stir just until blended.

Spread evenly in a greased 11x7x1 1/2 inch baking pan. Combine walnuts, brown sugar, butter and cinnamon. Sprinkle over batter. Bake at 375 for about 30 minutes.

http://www.cdkitchen.com/recipes/recs/29/OrangeDate_Cake39621.shtml
(*-*)

Answer 5

Why don't you do a lemon sponge cake with fresh strawberries and whipped cream frosting.

This will be really beautiful and taste wonderful If you know how to make pastry cream, you could use it for the filling and just have the whipped cream on the outside.

If you need recipes, just e-mail me.

Answer 6

Mail Order A cake from the ACE OF CAKES team!!

You forgot to mention what you work in, but Im sure there's a cake that can be creatively done to represent what your boss does; or the 3 things she loves to do the most.

Answer 7

What about a German Chocolate Cake with the coconut pecan frosting or a Red Devils Food cake with cream cheese frosting?

I won't type in my recipes because that takes too long if you're not going to use one of them. If they appeal to you, you can email me and I'll type them in a response email.

Answer 8

Waldorf Red cakes are the really good!!! Here is a recipe along with the frosting that should go with it...unbelieveable frosting too!!!: http://www.recipezaar.com/8972