Currently baking from The Art & Soul of Baking by Cindy Mushet.
I was excited to make these recipes. I’m always on the lookout for a good, basic chocolate cake recipe and the idea of turning it into homemade Ding Dongs (I’ve actually never heard them called ringers) sounded fun. The result was . . . so so.
First, the cake. It was quick and easy to mix. I found, though, that the cake didn’t taste particularly chocolatey. It was mostly just sweet. I usually prefer to use natural cocoa powder, but went with the recipe which called for dutch-processed cocoa powder. The cake was tender and moist with a pretty sturdy crumb. Cutting the cake into the rounds was pretty easy and the cake held together remarkably well (in other words, I didn’t mangle them too badly).
Making the ringers was easy, if messy. I found the glaze to be a bit thin. Mushet recommends that if using a chocolate that is over 60 percent cacoa (mine was about 64 percent), one should increase the amount of cream by 1/4 cup. Next time, I think I’ll stick with the original 1 cup of cream and see if I get better coverage.
Again, the finished product was mostly just sweet. I think this is a good recipe to play with by adding flavors to both the cake and filling. I think the cake would benefit from a shot of espresso powder and the flavor possibilities with the cream are endless – Irish Cream, coffee and orange all jump to mind. I love the idea of an individual filled cake, but as it stands, it just needs something more.
All of your recipes look and sound delicious, especially this one (and I don’t even like chocolate cake!)
By the way, I have a blog now, too. It just seemed like the thing to do…
http://chosephine.blogspot.com/
Can you pass me a napkin please? I’m drooling all over myself here. This looks so yummy. Please ask your mister to taste test this twice for the 2nds in line. If God ever blesses me with a chance to try these first hand, please don’t ruin them with that coffee flavoring.
I’m not sure if you have read my blog lately, but I have to assume you haven’t. Otherwise you would know that I have to get this body whipped into shape so I can proudly flaunt my rhinestone bikini while on my VIP cruise with the New Kids on the Block, and you would not be posting all of these dreamy, non-diet approved recipes!. (It’s okay if you want disown me for openly loving NKOTB. Cho has already.) Oh and welcome to the blogging world!!
Well they look like they were delicious to me. But the idea of a shot of espresso powder did sound wonderful. Remember me when you get it perfected.