Housewife Memoirs: Winter Treats #6 and a Winner!

So. I've been missing from the blogosphere for a few days and I am sorry to have abandoned you!

While most BYU students are pulling their hair out this week for finals, my week from Hades was last week. And so I'm relatively calm and pretty much only have a few loose ends to tie up towards the end of this week.

So here it goes. I like chocolate cake. Milk, dark or white, you name it I'll eat it.

But while I'll eat any chocolate cake you give me, I am secretly kind of picky.

If I'm going to fill my body with all the calories of a piece of cake, I want to really enjoy it. I want to be able to cut through a cake that's dense and thick, and decadently rich.

And that's where this little number comes in. A tuxedo cake, which means that it's a dark chocolate cake with a light and whipped cream frosting. Covered with melted dark chocolate and we're good to go.

Another plus about this cake, the recipe is relatively simple, and the cakes turned out perfectly.

They rose in the oven and weren't dry even at all. They came out of the pan without a fuss and layered perfectly.

Can you say holiday dinner party dessert?

HOLIDAY DINNER PARTY DESSERT.

that is all.

Chocolate Tuxedo Cake

For the cake:

2 sticks butter

2 cups water

1 cup canola oil

4 cups sugar

1 cup cocoa powder

4 cups flour

4 large eggs

1 cup buttermilk

1 tbsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

1 tbsp. vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees, and butter and flour 2 ten inch round cake pans, or 3 9 inch round cake pans.

In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine the butter, water, and oil until the butter is melted.

In a separate large bowl, combine the sugar, cocoa, and flour. Pour the butter mixture into the flour mixture, whisking to combine well.

One at a time, add the eggs, whisking to combine. Whisk in the buttermilk. Finally, add the baking soda, salt, and vanilla, and whisk until just incorporated.

Divide the batter evenly between your prepared pans and let bake for 35-40 (if you're using 3 pans) or 45-50 (if you're using 2 pans) minutes.

Let the cakes cool in the pans for 15 minutes, then remove from the pans to let cool completely. Then wrap each layer in plastic wrap and freeze for at least two hours, or up to 12.

For the frosting:

4 cups cold heavy whipping cream

1 1/2 cups confectioners sugar

Once the cake is frozen, remove the plastic wrap and cut the rounded tops of the top of the cakes, so that they are flat.

In the bowl of your electric mixer, combine the whipping cream and conf. sugar, and whip on high until stiff peaks form.

To frost the cake, put one layer of your cake on a cake plate, and frost the top. Then add another layer and frost the top. Repeat this step one for time if you are doing three layers. Then frost the sides. Refrigerate for at least two hours.

For the chocolate dripping:

4 oz. good dark chocolate (I used Ghiradelli semi-sweet)

2 tbsp. canola oil.

Chop the dark chocolate into small pieces and add in a bowl with the oil. Heat in the microwave for 30 seconds, stir. Then heat with intervals of 15 seconds, stirring each time, until the chocolate is melted. Let cool for 2-3 minutes, then pour over the refrigerated and frosted cake. Let the chocolate drip down the sides. Add sprinkles if you wish. Refrigerate until chocolate is firm.