Tuesday, January 4, 2011

chocolate and orange layered cake

our Christmas cake.....it tastes like an orange stick....
cakeorange

You've now had four days of depriving yourself because of the resolutions you made for the new year....right? You're craving chocolate like crazy. right? Digging through the cupboards contemplating eating expired chocolate sprinkles?

I've said it before, and I'll say it a million times more.....everything in moderation.

note: haha! don't use my posts over the last few weeks as a good definition of moderation....becauase  I think every other post has been some kind of dessert. But in all fairness, 1) it was the holiday season, which is all about sweets to me, and 2) most of it was being shared. most of it.

So how about you add a little footnote to that resolution, and promise yourself to exercise more--get out and move! Run, walk, ride your bike with your kids, join a gym--you can't beat an awesome group fitness class, or go check out your local yoga studio. Just do something. I'm trying to figure out a way to get myself into one of these races....which I'm pretty sure will earn me a piece of cake.

Then promise yourself to add more whole grains, fruits and veggies to you diet, start limiting the amount processed foods that you eat, and cut the fast food altogether (I'm 100% sure you don't need it), and allow yourself a treat once in a while....so you don't feel deprived.

And then promise to make yourself a layer cake every few months, just because it makes you feel fancy.

Chocolate and Orange Layered Cake

2 cups sugar
4 eggs
3/4 cup milk
1/2 c freshly squeezed orange juice
3/4 cup browned butter*
2 tsp pure orange extract
1 TBS orange zest
2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2-1/4 tsp baking powder

*To brown butter:
Heat pan on medium heat.
Cut butter in to pieces and melt in pan.
Stir continuously. Butter will foam up.
After foam subsides, small brown flecks will start to appear in bottom of pan.
Continue stirring, until butter has reached a nice brown color, and nutty aroma.
When you want to lick the spoon, you know it's ready.
Turn the heat all the way down.

Preheat oven to 350°
Grease 2 round cake pans, and place a round of parchment on the bottom.
Beat sugar and eggs together until slightly thickened, about a minute.
Add milk, browned butter, orange juice, orange extract, and orange zest, stirring just until combined.
Add flour and baking powder, beating until well mixed--about a minute. Don't over mix.

Bake in preheated oven for 20-25 minutes, until tops are springy to the touch or a toothpick poked into the center comes out clean.
Allow to cool for a few minutes on cooling rack, and then remove from pans and let cool completely on rack.

Chocolate Buttercream
5oz good quality semisweet or bittersweet chocolate
8 TBS butter, at room temperature
3 cups powdered sugar
2TBS baking cocoa
1/2 tsp vanilla
4-8 TBS milk

Melt chocolate in a double boiler and allow to cool to room temperature.
Beat in butter until creamy.
Add powdered sugar and baking cocoa.
Slowly beat in milk 1TBS at a time until you reach desired consistency.

top with orange zest.

enjoy!

15 comments:

Jenny Lynn said...

That looks so yummy, could tempt me to break my diet just to try it.

Anonymous said...

Sounds like a good way to live. Lovely cake!

Amy said...

Ooh, lovely! Everything in moderation is the way I live too. My first recipe post of the new year on my blog was also a chocolate dish! : www.nbluckyduck.blogspot.com

Amy xx

Unknown said...

i need a cake stand so bad! that looks beautiful.

p.s. i made your peanut butter choc chip biscotti with browned butter (i always made 3-4 kinds of biscotti every christmas!) and LOVED it! thanks for the recipe! xoxo

Unknown said...

Lovely advice to go along with a lovely cake!

Rachael said...

There's nothing better than homemade treats! And that cake looks yum!
Eating better, and exercising more is a great way to start the new year! I agree with you on the fast food. Although, have you ever tried Chick Fil A'? Maybe you haven't where you live. But that food there, was good. And it didn't taste that bad for you. Better than McDonald's for sure. But still, you're right. Fast food...evil. It would be better I think if there weren't so many fast food places around. Then people wouldn't be as tempted.

melissa said...

mmmmm. that looks awesome. not even 15 pounds of baby weight can convince me to "diet"! but in this case even your tempting photos can't convince me to make a cake either (me + cakes = DISASTERS every time). phew, close call.

gram said...

Sheena.. looks delish! ... I haven't made a layer cake for a long time! ... gramps would love it!

Kari said...

Oh my goodness...I wish you could send me one of these cakes in the mail...RIGHT NOW...it looks so good. Xoxo

Lula. said...

I love the part about chocolate sprinkles. Its just so true.

Anonymous said...

I love chocolate and orange cake! Thanks for sharing; this sounds fantastic.

Anonymous said...

my new years resolution just went OUT the window. CAKE--you.are.mine.

Jackie said...

Hi

What size cake pans did you use for this recipe.

Anonymous said...

should the browned butter be cooled ?

Hannah said...

I loved this cake recipe!!! I made it as cupcakes for a little cutie themed baby shower. The cupcakes turned out best for me when I strained the brown butter through cheesecloth (to remove the brown chunks at the bottom of the pan) and cooled it really well before adding it to the batter. I topped the cupcakes with this orange cream cheese frosting: http://www.dulcedough.com/2011/07/orange-cake-with-orange-cream-cheese.html

I found this cake recipe from this blog post: http://www.diamondsfordessert.com/2012/01/tangerine-cake-balls.html