I'm teaching myself cake decorating, so my coworkers get to eat the results of my experiments. This Pocky cake was for a coworker who loves Pocky, the yummy Japanese cookie.
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Signing UpStep 1: Make the cake!
The cake was an Italian Cream Cake, but could be any cake you like. I made a 13x9 cake, and torted it (cut it into 3 horizontal layers). I filled between the layers with vanilla Swiss Meringue Buttercream. At this point it's a good idea to refrigerate the cake to prepare for cutting and carving. Wrap the cake in a few layers of plastic wrap to keep the cake from absorbing refrigerator odors and chill for at least an hour.
The diagram shows how the cake was torted and filled.
Recipe for a doctored cake-mix Italian Cream Cake
courtesy cakecentral.com
1/3 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup oil
1 cup sour cream
4 whole eggs
1 box white cake mix
1 small box instant vanilla pudding mix
1 cup sweetend flaked coconut
2/3 cup pecans or walnuts
Combine buttermilk, oil, sour cream and eggs in mixer bowl. Add cake mix and pudding mix and beat on low speed to combine, about 2 minutes. Add coconut and pecans (or walnuts), mix another 2 minutes. Batter will be very thick. Spoon batter into prepared 9 x13" pan. Bake at 325 degrees for 40 to 45 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
Recipe for Swiss Meringue Buttercream
courtesy The Joy of Cooking
4 large egg whites (Whisk together in a large stainless-steel bowl)
3/4 cup sugar
2 tablespoons water
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
1 teaspoon vanilla
3/4 pound (3 sticks) unsalted butter
1 to 2 tablespoons liqueur (optional)
Set the bowl in a wide, deep skillet filled with about 1 inch of simmering water. Make sure the water level is at least as high as the depth of the egg whites in the bowl. Beat the whites on low speed until the mixture reaches 140 degrees F on an instant-read thermometer. Do not stop beating while the bowl is in the skillet, or the egg whites will be overcooked. If you cannot hold the thermometer stem in the egg whites while continuing to beat, remove the bowl from the skillet just to read the thermometer, then return the bowl to the skillet. Beat on high speed just until the mixture reaches 160 degrees, 2 to 4 minutes. Remove the bowl from the skillet and add:
1 teaspoon vanilla
Beat on high speed for 3 to 5 more minutes, to cool. The mixture should hold glossy marshmallowy peaks. In another large bowl, beat until creamy, about 30 seconds:
3/4 pound (3 sticks) unsalted butter
Beat a large dollop of the meringue into the butter until well combined. Continue to beat in about half of the meringue in large dollops. Scrape the remaining meringue into the mixture and beat until smooth and fluffy. Beat in:
1 to 2 tablespoons liqueur (optional)
This keeps, refrigerated, for up to 6 days. Or freeze for up to 6 months.
The diagram shows how the cake was torted and filled.
Recipe for a doctored cake-mix Italian Cream Cake
courtesy cakecentral.com
1/3 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup oil
1 cup sour cream
4 whole eggs
1 box white cake mix
1 small box instant vanilla pudding mix
1 cup sweetend flaked coconut
2/3 cup pecans or walnuts
Combine buttermilk, oil, sour cream and eggs in mixer bowl. Add cake mix and pudding mix and beat on low speed to combine, about 2 minutes. Add coconut and pecans (or walnuts), mix another 2 minutes. Batter will be very thick. Spoon batter into prepared 9 x13" pan. Bake at 325 degrees for 40 to 45 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
Recipe for Swiss Meringue Buttercream
courtesy The Joy of Cooking
4 large egg whites (Whisk together in a large stainless-steel bowl)
3/4 cup sugar
2 tablespoons water
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
1 teaspoon vanilla
3/4 pound (3 sticks) unsalted butter
1 to 2 tablespoons liqueur (optional)
Set the bowl in a wide, deep skillet filled with about 1 inch of simmering water. Make sure the water level is at least as high as the depth of the egg whites in the bowl. Beat the whites on low speed until the mixture reaches 140 degrees F on an instant-read thermometer. Do not stop beating while the bowl is in the skillet, or the egg whites will be overcooked. If you cannot hold the thermometer stem in the egg whites while continuing to beat, remove the bowl from the skillet just to read the thermometer, then return the bowl to the skillet. Beat on high speed just until the mixture reaches 160 degrees, 2 to 4 minutes. Remove the bowl from the skillet and add:
1 teaspoon vanilla
Beat on high speed for 3 to 5 more minutes, to cool. The mixture should hold glossy marshmallowy peaks. In another large bowl, beat until creamy, about 30 seconds:
3/4 pound (3 sticks) unsalted butter
Beat a large dollop of the meringue into the butter until well combined. Continue to beat in about half of the meringue in large dollops. Scrape the remaining meringue into the mixture and beat until smooth and fluffy. Beat in:
1 to 2 tablespoons liqueur (optional)
This keeps, refrigerated, for up to 6 days. Or freeze for up to 6 months.
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im sorry. . . i already gave my vote to another . .
The problem you mention with Dutch process cocoa reminded me of a problem I had, so I looked up why we may have had the same thing occur.
The following is from one of my Cookiing/baking haunts:
Dutch-Process Cocoa or Alkalized Unsweetened Cocoa Powder has been treated with an alkali to neutralize its natural acidity. Because it is neutral and does not react with baking soda, it must be used in recipes calling for baking powder, unless there are other acidic ingredients in sufficient quantities used.
I hope that helps anyone curious about it.
Awesome job - it looks awesome =)
http://toysnjoys.com/pocky.html