All-New Cake Mix Doctor - Anne Byrn [66]
4. Bake the cake layers until the tops spring back when lightly pressed with a finger, 25 to 30 minutes.
5. Meanwhile, make the frosting: Place a large mixing bowl and a clean set of electric mixer beaters in the refrigerator to chill. Measure ¼ cup of the cream into a glass measuring cup and place it in a microwave oven on high power until hot, 30 seconds. Stir in the 1 tablespoon of instant coffee until the coffee dissolves. Place the coffee and cream mixture in the refrigerator to cool.
6. Transfer the cake pans to wire racks and let the cake layers cool for 5 minutes. Run a sharp knife around the edge of each cake layer and give the pans a good shake to loosen the cakes. Invert each layer onto a wire rack, then invert it again onto another rack so that the cakes are right side up. Let the layers cool completely, 20 minutes longer.
7. Remove the chilled bowl and beaters from the refrigerator. Pour the remaining 1¾ cups of cream into the bowl and add the ¼ cup of granulated sugar, and the cooled coffee and cream mixture and beat with an electric mixer on high speed until stiff peaks form, 2 minutes. Measure out 1½ cups of this coffee whipped cream, place it in a medium-size bowl, and set it aside. Refrigerate the remaining whipped cream mixture for the frosting.
8. Make the filling: Add the mascarpone cheese, marsala or cream sherry, and ¼ cup of granulated sugar to the bowl with the reserved 1½ cups of coffee whipped cream mixture. Mix well with a wire whisk until smooth.
9. To assemble the cake, using a long, serrated knife, carefully slice each cake layer in half horizontally to make 4 layers. Or, don’t slice the layers in half and make a 2-layer cake. Suit yourself (see Note)! Place the bottom half of one layer cut side up on a cake plate and spoon ¾ to 1 cup of the filling on top, spreading it evenly to the edge. Place the top half of this layer, right side up over the filling. Add another ¾ to 1 cup of filling and spread it to the edge. Place the bottom of the remaining cake layer on top and spread it with the remaining ¾ to 1 cup of filling. Place the top half of the second layer, right side up, on top of the filling. Remove the frosting from the refrigerator and spread it on the top and around the side of the cake.
Keep It Fresh! Store this cake, in a cake saver, in the refrigerator for up to four days. Freeze only the layers, wrapped in aluminum foil, for up to six months. Let the layers thaw overnight on the counter before making the frosting and filling and assembling the cake.
Note: If you decide to make this a 2-layer cake, you’ll need less filling. Just divide the measurements in half.
How to Garnish Tiramisu
The traditional topping for tiramisu is unsweetened cocoa powder. Along with a dusting of cocoa—either unsweetened or sweetened—you can also garnish this cake with a little cinnamon or shavings of dark chocolate. Any way you garnish it, it is delicious.
TRIPLE DECKER CHOCOLATE ICEBOX CAKE WITH SHAVED CHOCOLATE FROSTING
serves:
12 to 16
prep:
35 minutes
bake:
18 to 20 minutes
cool:
20 minutes
ATERRIFIC CAKE for busy households, I made this cake a day in advance of my daughter’s June birthday. It seems her birthday rolls around in the middle of so much happy chaos at our home—people coming and going, schools just out, summer in the air. So it helps to bake ahead and place the cake in the refrigerator knowing that it’s going to taste even better a day later. Thus, the beauty of icebox cakes and why they have been popular for so long. And it doesn’t hurt that this cake contains shaved Hershey’s bars in the frosting, either!
For the cake
Vegetable oil spray, for misting the pans
Flour, for dusting the pans
1 package (18.25 ounces) chocolate cake mix with pudding
1 cup reduced-fat sour cream
¾ cup water
½ cup vegetable oil
3 large eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
For the shaved chocolate