Monday, February 01, 2010

The best cake ever!

Ds#1 turned 14 today and requested the following cake, which is one of the most delicious cakes we've ever had. The kids request this one a lot for their birthdays.

Walnut Mocha Torte

2 C walnuts or pecans, toasted
2 T AP flour
2.5 t baking powder
4 eggs
3/4 C sugar
1 recipe Mocha Frosting (see below)

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Grease the bottoms of 2 8x1.5" round cake pans. Line pans with waxed paper; grease and lightly flour pans. Set pans aside. In a medium bowl, combine nuts, flour, and baking powder; set aside.

2. In a blender or food processor, combine eggs and sugar. Cover and blend or process until smooth, stopping and scraping sides as necessary. Add nut mixture. Cover and blend/process until smooth. Spread batter evenly in the prepared pans.

3. Bake for 20 to 25 mins or until cakes spring back when lightly touched (centers may dip slightly). Cool cake layers on wire racks for 10 mins. Remove cake layers from pans. Cool thoroughly on wire racks. Spread Mocha Frosting on each layer; stack layers. Loosely cover and chill cake for 2 to 24 hours. If desired, top with chocolate curls.

Mocha Frosting:
In a chilled mixing bowl, dissolve 1 t instant coffee crystals in 1 C whipping cream. Add 1/3 C sugar, 1/4 C unsweetened cocoa powder, and 1/2 t vanilla to cream mixture. Beat with electric mixture on medium speed just until stiff peaks form (tips stand straight).

"I may not have gone where I intended to go, but I think I have ended up where I needed to be." ~ Douglas Adams