M AND M BIRTHDAY CAKE RECIPES

Steps:

• FOR CAKE: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease 3 9-inch layer cake pans (I use Wilton, they are the best). Cut out circles of wax paper and line bottom of pans. If you have Wilton Bake-Even Cake Strips, use them. If not, you will have to level cakes after they are cooled.
• Combine boiling water and cocoa. Stir until smooth. Set aside in the fridge to cool.
• Cream butter, sugar, eggs, and vanilla at high speed of an electric mixer until light and fluffy (about 5 min is perfect).
• In a separate bowl combine flour, soda, baking powder, and salt.
• Alternately add flour.
• Then cocoa mixture beginning and ending with flour.
• Do not overbeat or cake will be tough!
• Pour batter into prepared pans.
• Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 or until top springs back. Do not overbake!
• Cool in pans 10 minutes.
• Then flip out onto a large plate and put in the freezer. Don't worry, I know what I am doing. This keeps the cakes from falling apart and won't leave crumbs in your icing.
• GANACHE FILLING: Place the chocolate into a medium bowl.
• Heat the cream in a small saucepan over medium heat. Bring just to a boil. Watch very carefully because if it boils for a few seconds, it will boil out of the pot.
• When the cream has come to a boil, pour over the chocolate chips.
• Whisk until smooth.
• Stir in the Grand Marnier and the orange zest.
• Transfer hot chocolate to a relatively deep stainless steel bowl and immerse it into a bowl of ice water. Then whip with a hand mixer until it is thick and fluffy.
• Once it is desired consistency, take out of ice bath or it will continue to harden; set aside.
• SATINY CHOCOLATE FROSTING: Combine chips, milk, and butter in a LARGE saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until melted and smooth.
• Remove from heat; blend in powdered sugar.
• Set the pan (or transfer to a mixing bowl) into an ice bath; beat at medium speed with an electric mixer.
• Stop occassionally to scrape down the sides. Mix until frosting is fluffy and holds its shape.
• It should make a peak with a spoon and hold it. Remove from ice bath or it will continue to harden!
• CAKE ASSEMBLY: Remove frozen layers from the freezer and put on a platter lined with wax paper strips to catch the mess. Place the first cake and spoon about half of the ganache.
• Place the next cake on top of the ganache layer.
• Spoon the rest of the ganache on top.
• Place the last cake on top. Frost the top with the satiny chocolate frosting first. Then start on the sides. Smooth top as much as possible with a flat knife dipped in hot water.
• Take your chocolate jimmies (chocolate sprinkles). Gently take your hand and press them into the sides only. Continue until you have gone all he way around. Gently remove the wax paper strips and discard. Put remaining filling into a piping bag and pipe 12 medium size swirls on top of the cake. I used a #21 tip. Space them out before you start piping to make sure you get 12 and they are even. Top each swirl with a Lindt chocolate truffle and a white chocolate truffle, alternating. If the bottom of your cake is messy where you pulled out the paper, you may use the same tip to pipe a border around the base of the cake.
• Chill in the refrigerator immediately. Before serving, let the cake set out at room temperature 30 minutes so the chocolate will soften back up slightly. Enjoy!
• ALTERNATE GARNISH: Pipe a border around top and bottom lip of cake. Take Pirouette creme filled wafers and line them up around the sides of cake. (They do not have to be all the same height). Add M&M's to the middle of the cake . ***Finished Cake #2 in my photo #2 made in (3) 9-inch pans. Serves at least 14, huge cake.

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter and flour a 12 by 18 by 1 1/2-inch sheet pan.
• To make the cake, cream the butter and sugar on medium-high speed in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. On medium speed, add the eggs, 2 at a time, then the sour cream, vanilla, and lemon zest, scraping down the bowl as needed. Mix well. Sift together the flour, cornstarch, salt, and baking soda. With the mixer on low speed, slowly add the flour mixture to the butter mixture and stir just until smooth. Finish mixing by hand to be sure the batter is well mixed. Pour evenly into the pan, smooth the top with a spatula, and bake in the center of the oven for 25 to 30 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool in the pan to room temperature.
• For the frosting, place the chocolate chips and heavy cream in a bowl set over a pot of simmering water, stirring occasionally, until the chips are completely melted. Off the heat, add the corn syrup and vanilla and allow the chocolate mixture to cool to room temperature. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whisk the chocolate mixture and softened butter on medium speed for a few minutes, until it's thickened.
• Spread the frosting evenly on the cake. Have the children decorate the cake with chocolate candies.