Chocolate Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting is an adaptation of Red Velvet Cake sans Color with full on flavors, textures and excitement.
A Week from now and we have a very special weekend !! My boys -Father Son Duo celebrate their birthday together and this makes it a bash weekend always. The day after their birthday is Valentine's Day where you see a lot of Red pops, roses, chocolates, special presents commercialised just for that one Day. We have always felt, Valentine's day is a day to cherish with the near ones you hold dear. What counts is how you cherish the little things every day and how much you value them.
For some it's a fun and loving day between just the two of them, making every minute as romantic as possible. A few get overboard with commercial pressures and spend fortunes to portray the merit of true love. Enjoying your singledom, loving oneself is equally important if you are not in any relationship. Bloggers feed their spaces with Valentine's Day Desserts, 'Red' themed food and much more. But is Red the only symbol of Love?
For me Love is treating your family with delicious treats and what better can it get when we have celebration weekend coming up. When it is for a special occasion, it does deserve a little 'special' effort. My original plan was to make Red Velvet Zebra Cake, but the coloring agent didn't do its job at the nth minute. I ended up making all over again and now we have a delicious bundt shaped Chocolate Cake with cream cheese frosting sans Red color.
Amidst all the planning for delicious treats, I also wanted to have a very special decor for the D-Day, that's coming up. Folks at Dunelm were kind enough send me a gift card, so I could set up a decor, making up a perfect meal time. It was happy spending time, handpicking heart shape embossed on the tablewares at their Collierswood Store. Dunelm has got something to provide for all kind of shoppes. The store at Collierswood is spread across two floors, with plenty of choices in kitchenware, tableware & furniture on the top floor whilst the ground floor offers variety in homeware. They have quality products for a bargain !!! I literally wanted to pick something from every range.You can imagine, a food blogger's paradise 🙂 Valentine's Day is more than Red Any day for me! Keeping Valentine's Day Decorum & our favourite color in mind, I went for White, clean & Pure to add the charm.
The last year 2015 Valentine's Day - Eggless Victoria Sponge Cake
2011 Feb - Vanilla Cup Cakes
2010 Feb - Chocolate Indulgence Layer Cake with Chocolate Fudge Frosting
Chocolate Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
Ingredients:
2 Cups Cake Flour
1 tablespoon Cocoa Powder
11/4 Cup of Caster Sugar
¾ teaspoon Baking Soda
¾ teaspoon Distilled White Vinegar
⅔ Cup Buttermilk
⅔ Cup Sunflower Oil
⅓ Cup Melted Butter
1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
2 Large Eggs, separated
A pinch of salt
Icing :
150 g Cream Cheese
½ Cup Unsalted Butter
½ - ⅓rd Cup Icing Sugar
¼ Cup Double Cream/ Milk
1 teaspoon Vanilla Essence
Decorations:
Red Currants
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 180 C, 350 F, Gas Mark 4. Prepare the bundt tin pan by gently coating with a layer of oil.
Mix Cake flour, cocoa powder, salt in a large mixing bowl.Sift them a couple of times and set them aside.
Separate egg white and yellow. Whizz the egg white for about 2 minutes until its get frothy and set aside.
Bring together Baking Soda & Vinegar and give it a good stir. The addition of Vinegar actives baking soda.
Using a handheld mixer with a paddle attachment, cream the melted butter & sugar for one minute. Now add oil, vanilla extract, egg yolk and whisk for a couple of times.
With the mixer on low speed, add the dry ingredients and buttermilk alternatively to the wet mixture until all of them are well incorporated. Now add Vinegar Baking soda concoction and mix well. Finally, fold the egg white into the whole mixture. Stir to combine the mixture well.
Tip the whole mixture into the pan and place them on the middle shelf of the oven. Bake for 35-40 mins or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Leave the cake to cool completely on a wire rack.
To prepare the Icing, Place the cream cheese along with butter into a mixing bowl.Whizz them with a paddle attached whisk in low speed until well combined. Tip in Icing Sugar and beat for another one minute. Now add vanilla essence +double cream, mix well. Check for consistency. If you are looking for a thicker consistency, add in more icing sugar. If you would like to make it slightly runny, carefully add in more cream, little by little as you combine.
Maggie fro Hong Kong says
I like your photos and food. I am a new follower with your blog. I like your blogs the Indian food recipe, food photography and chocolate very much. Thank you for all your sharing. Click in your blog becomes a must do in my every day. You made the days very positive and happy.
Mark Joshua says
This looks nice. It'll be a perfect gift for your love. Thanks for sharing this awesome cake!
Sandhya Hariharan says
That's a very sweet remark. Thank you Mark.
Sreelatha@ Framed Recipes says
Advanced birthday wishes to the men in your life Sandhya. happy Valentine's day too. The photographs are stunning and the cake looks delicious.
Sandhya Hariharan says
Thank you Sreelatha....;)
Richa says
I did read your post, but the pictures are what got me! I think this is really one of your best works so far. You are awesome! I'm pinning these images.
Sandhya Hariharan says
Thanks so much Richa. I try to work in different angles and moods , sometimes they fit in bang on...
Meena Kumar says
Ohhff the white looks so soothing, ddddelicious looking cake and loving the red currant pop up color.
One hectic week it is for u enjoy dear! 🙂
Sandhya Hariharan says
Thank you Meena...
If I tell you a little secret.. that was the only garnish I had in my refrigerator:)
Anupa says
What a coincidence....my husband also shares the bday with ur boys...:)
Awesome pics... I am a fan of your white on white captures
Sandhya Hariharan says
Happy Birthday to your husband too Anupa....
Angie@Angie's Recipes says
It looks so beautiful! And those red currants make the cake even more appealing.
Sandhya Hariharan says
Thanks Angie. You made my day:)
Uma Raghuraman says
I completely agree on the colour part !!! Sometimes find it cliched'. Awesome fuss free cake recipe ! Stunning capture Sandhya!
Sandhya Hariharan says
ISnt it Uma ? Guess I will take it back to the store and tell them that it doesn't work at all.Anyways.. flavors and taste is beyond color.
Dolphia Nandi says
Love the last one! Looks like I am invited to your home and can't wait to grab that plate 🙂
Sandhya Hariharan says
Thanks Dol.. It's a new direction to my white shoot.