Easter is just around the corner and it is difficult to fully celebrate the day while we are all being quarantined. Though as we all stay home, we should celebrate Easter with the ones we have around us. I hope you try and make this cake below for Easter and I can assure you that you won't be disappointed, it is truly delicious.
This cake recipe below is done by using a store bought cake-box mix and that is something that we all might have on hand during these times.
First I make the cake as instructed on the cake box. I use a Betty Crocker Super Moist Chocolate Fudge cake mix. You can also use a yellow cake mix here too. (And a quick tip for you: save the eggs shells you use to make the cake and let them dry and later crushed them and place them in your garden, roses absolutely love the extra calcium).
I then place the batter on parchment paper lined cake pans. I use (3) 8"cake pans and line them with the parchment paper. I like to use smaller cake pans like these instead of the ones I find at the stores that are usually 9". You would think and inch wouldn't make a difference but I feel like it does, mostly on the presentation.
Fill your cake pans as evenly as you can as you will cook them at the same time. If you only have one cake pan, just bake the cake in (3) separate batches.
I place in the 350* oven and I check on them at about 25 minutes. Sometimes they are done by then, sometimes is 30 minutes, so keep on eye on them.
Once out of the oven, wait 10 minutes and then invert them onto a rack to cool completely. Once cooled, I like to wrap them with clear wrap and place in the refrigerator overnight. If you don't want to leave them overnight, just let them cool in refrigerator for about 30 minutes.
Now, it s the fun part, making the layers. First, start by making a simple syrup, equal parts water and sugar, I used 1/4 cup of each and set it on the stove until it boils, then turn it off and let it cool. Start your mixer with a pint of heavy cream and 1 teaspoon of Almond Extract and run it until it becomes whipped cream and peaks form. Then, you need to remove the top bumps of two of the chocolate cakes as you see below as to even them out.
Place the whipped cream on a different container and clean the mixer bowl. Add the 8oz room temperature Cream Cheese and 8oz room temperature Mascarpone Cheese and (2) Cups of Powdered Sugar to the clean mixer bowl and mix together until combined.
Now combine the whipped cream and the cheese mixture together by hand and don't over mix it. This will be your filling between the cakes. (And another tip, if you have any of this cream mixture left, do not toss it, it goes very well with cooked pasta as a sauce and also it goes well on a bagel).
Also, prepare your fruit. I cut up the strawberries only and the rest were used whole. I used strawberries, raspberries and blueberries.
Now is time to add the simple syrup to the top of each cake as you do the layers. I use this brush to add the syrup to the cakes. Make sure you start with the cakes that the tops have been removed. Add the cheese/cream mixture on top of the simple syrup and spread it using a cake spatula; do this for each cake layer.
Then add a layer of fruit, as much or as little as you want....more is better.
Continue doing the layers until you add the last layer. The top layer is the cake that you did not remove the bump from. The reason for not removing the top layer on the top cake is because it is easier to frost the cake.
Now with the leftover cream/cheese mixture frost the cake with a cake spatula then use a cake smoothing scraper if you have one, to smooth out the frosting and make it look like a "naked cake”. If you don't have a scraper, then use your spatula to smooth it out.
Now, decorate the cake with the same fruit to make it look beautiful. Here I added some plastic greens that I removed from my faux greenery, but you can add fresh mint, rosemary or basil for decoration.
Remember that I made this with a chocolate cake mix but a yellow cake mix is also very delicious.
The recipe is listed below for easy access. I hope you do make it and let me know if you liked it, no wait, if you love it.
Enjoy it and Happy Easter to all of you.
Alicia
Chocolate Chantilly Cake
Oven 350*
Betty Crocker Super Moist Chocolate Fudge Cake Mix (and ingredients to make the cake)
2 Cups Heavy Cream
1 Teaspoon Almond Extract
8 Ounces Cream Cheese at room temperature
8 Ounces Mascarpone at room temperature
2 Cups Powdered Sugar
Simple Syrup
1/4 Cup sugar
1/4 cup water
To make syrup:
Boil sugar and water until all sugar has dissolved and thickened a little and let it cool.
Instructions
Mix the cake ingredients and divide them into 3 equal parts. Place in (3) 8"cake pans and bake about 25 minutes.
Mix the Heavy Cream and Almond Extract until peaks form.
Mix the cream cheese and mascarpone and powdered sugar together until well blended.
Combine the whipped cream and cheese mixture manually until combined. Don't over mix.
Place cakes on a cooling rack and let them cool completely then refrigerate overnight, wrapped in clear wrap or for 1/2 hour. Once cooled, remove the top bump out of (2) of the cakes as if to even them out.
Create cake layers by adding the simple syrup with a brush to the top of each cake layer, then using a cake spatula add the cheese/cream mixture and then fruit.
Use leftover cream/cheese mixture to frost the cake and smoothing out the sides with a cake scraper to create a naked cake look. Decorate with fruit.
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