So last week I took a risk and baked a three-layer cake I actually wasn't sure I'd like. I mean, the top of the chocolate cake is sprinkled with SALT. Yep, you read that right.But Oprah loves this cake (she's not my usual standard for value judgments), and the guys at the BAKED bakery said it was their best-seller. So I bought their cookbook, BAKED, and found it delightfully different from most of the usual recipe books.
And then I baked their cake. All three layers, one carmel topping, and one chocolate ganache topping later, I had created a beautiful cake that didn't crack and didn't lean. Best of all, it tasted . . . amazing. So good there wasn't a crumb left.
And to be fair, there's not that much salt. (There's a lot of BUTTER.) Some of the salt goes into the caramel topping that gets painted on between layers, and some of it is sprinkled on the top (I sprinkled it lightly, but I used rough sea salt, which tends to clump, so occasionally I did get a crunchy mouthful.)
But it was still delicious.
So--if you want to try this great cake, you can get the cookbook BAKED (I'm dying to try the Root Beer Bundt next), or you can simply go here. Be forewarned--the online recipe differs slightly from the one in the book, so I can't swear to its accuracy. You might want to read the comments and watch your cake carefully in the oven.
Yes, I know I said I'd be cooking through THE ART AND SOUL OF BAKING, but on days when I don't have TIME to bake, I'll fill in with something else I've tried . . . for better or for worse. ;-)
~~Angie
7 comments:
salt, caramel, chocolate, sold.
You were posting at 4:31 a.m.? Good heavens!
Sounds delicious, So who is eating all this stuff you're baking?!
This blog must be set on Pacific time. Because it is 7:48 Central here.
Hmmm. I must not have the time adjusted to the right time zone. I told it to post at 7 a.m., it didn't, so then I put it through manually . . . so it's on Pacific time.
Who's eating all this stuff? LOL. I'm eating far too much--in fact, I've gained a few pounds and am going to have to get disciplined again.
But my book club ate most of this cake (and took a lot home to their spouses), and then I took what was left across the street to my neighbors, who LOVE book club night. :-)
Usually, though, if I already have a pastry on the country, I FREEZE what I baked. For those days when I don't have a pastry on the counter. ;-)
Angie
You got me with "caramel." I'm a sucker for anything caramel!
Caramel with salt is my newest indulgence. Yummy. Bravo for taking on baking - it's an art! But then so is sculpting butter but I wouldn't trust myself to do that either.
Good thing I'm a diabetic! Sounds yummy, though.
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