Do you ever get an idea in your head and you simply cannot rest until you have tried it? This happens to me often, whether it be a craft project, finding a piece of clothing or decor that I feel like I have to have, or a recipe idea. I will admit that I am terrible at losing interest part way through if I am not succeeding though. If you look through my crafting things, or look in any of my notebooks you are likely to find at least one half finished 'great idea' project. Off the top of my head I can name at least 2 half finished crochet hats, 2 started crochet blankets, 1 recipe and 2 unfinished craft projects.
This week's feast was one of these great ideas. I tossed the idea of a rocky road cake around in my head for several days. I imagined a moist, dense chocolate cake, with rocky road ingredients in between the cake layers, covered in smooth, rich ganache, topped with rocky road pieces. So of course I set out to make this dream a reality. Unfortunately (for you guys!) it has taken me 2 weeks to 'finish' this great idea project and write up the recipe to share. I also apologise for the quality of the photos. I tried a new setting and rushed as I was dying to try the cake, it wasn't until I loaded the photos on the computer, days later, that I realised how terrible they were!
Overall I was really happy with the end result, and it went down a treat with the whole family (which on this particular family dinner was 8 adults, 2 teenagers, and a three year old). There are a few things I learnt or would do differently next time though. So onto the recipe!
This week's tips and hints.
* DO NOT LEAVE OUT THE COFFEE. My mother was very concerned when she saw me adding coffee but I can assure you, as I did her, that it is a key ingredient. I did a lot of reading about chocolate cakes and discovered that the coffee helps to provide the moist texture and full flavour that makes this cake so good. You cannot taste the coffee in the final product.
* As you can probably see in the photos my ganache was not great, it is something I am still trying to master. I have narrowed the cause down to two mistakes. Always use good quality chocolate, I cheated and used cheap cooking chocolate. Big mistake! Also I tried to heat my cream and pour it over my chocolate. This just didn't work. My advice (having practiced since) is to heat the cream and chocolate together.
* I'm sorry I don't have quantities for the rocky road ingredients, if I'm honest I just used my judgement and guessed. You can use any ingredients you want. I used what I enjoy in my rocky road, I know there are lots of different recipes.
* I melted the marshmallows for the middle layer. You only need to place a small amount between the layers, it will spread and if you use too much it will leak out the sides and you will spend ages tidying it up and removing the excess, trust me.
Rocky Road Cake
Prep time: 30 minutes
Cooking time: 40 minutes
Ingredients
Cake
2 cups sugar
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup cocoa
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1 cup buttermilk
1 cup strong black coffee
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Rocky Road
Milk chocolate
Crushed nuts
Glace cherries
Marshmallows
Desiccated coconut
Ganache
Dark Chocolate
Thickened Cream
Method
Heat oven to 180°C. Grease and flour desired pan/s.
Stir together sugar, flour, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder and salt in large bowl.
Add eggs, buttermilk, coffee, oil and vanilla; beat on medium speed of mixer 2 minutes (batter will be thin).
Pour batter evenly into prepared pans.
Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean.
Cool 10 minutes; remove from pans to wire racks. Cool completely.
Meanwhile make a small quantity of rocky road, by melting chocolate and combining all ingredients. Allow to set in fridge.
When set chop into small chunk and reserve for top of cake.
Make ganache using equal parts chocolate and cream. Place in microwave safe dish and heat for 1 minute. Stir. If the chocolate is still not melted, repeat at 10 second intervals.
Place in fridge to cool.
Once cake has cooled and ganache has cooled and set, it is time to assemble.
Spread ganache on the top of the bottom cake and the bottom of the top cake. Spread a small amount of each roacky road filling on the top of the bottom cake (remember that a little of each ingredient will add up to a lot altogether).
Place top cake on top.
Cover the entire cake with ganache and allow to set in the fridge.
When set, place reserved rocky road on top.
Enjoy!
