Reminiscent of men's fashion in the 70's, this ruffle cake is deceivingly quick and forgiving. Any cake can be used for the base, so I use my favorite chocolate cake recipe. It's filled with fresh strawberries and topped with plump raspberries, comprising a beloved chocolate-and-fruit combination.
Ingredients:
For the cake:
* 2 cups white sugar
* 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
* 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
* 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
* 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
* 1 teaspoon salt
* 2 eggs
* 1 cup milk or water
* 1/2 cup vegetable oil
* 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
* 1 cup boiling water
For the frosting:
* 1 cup butter, softened
* 2 1/2 cups confectioners sugar
* a few drops of red food coloring
For the filling and topping:
* 1/2 cup heavy cream
* 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
* 1/2 tablespoon confectioners' sugar
* 1 lb. strawberries
* raspberries to cover the cake
Directions:
For the cake:
* Preheat oven to 350F. Line the bottom of two 9-in. round pans with parchment paper. Grease and flour the sides of the pan.
* In a large bowl, mix dry ingredients. Add all wet ingredients except boiling water and mix well.
* Add boiling water and mix well. Batter will be thin.
* Pour into cake pans and bake 30-35 min, or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.
* Wait 10 min and invert the cake on a flat surface (cutting board or cookie sheet). Remove paper. Invert the cake on another surface so that it is right-side-up. Allow the cake to cool to room temperature.
For the frosting:
* In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle or whisk attachment, beat butter and sugar together on low speed, gradually increasing to medium-high. Beat until butter is lightened and the frosting is thick and fluffy.
* Add red food coloring, a drop at a time, until the desired shade is attained.
For the filling:
* In a large bowl, whip cream until stiff peaks are just about to form. Beat in vanilla and sugar until peaks form. Make sure not to over-beat, cream will then become lumpy and butter-like.
* Hull and halve the strawberries.
For assembly and decoration:
* Level the tops of the cakes with a long, sharp knife. Evenly place as many strawberries that will fit onto one cake. Stack the strawberries if desired.
* Spread the whipped cream filling on top of the strawberries, trying to have it go into the crevices of the berries without falling off the sides. Discard extra cream.
* Carefully invert the other cake and place it on the filling. Create a crumb layer by spreading a thin layer of frosting over the cake. Place the cake in the refrigerator for 30 min or until appropriately chilled. Leave the rest of the frosting at room temperature.
* Fill a pastry bag with a small petal tip (I used Ateco 104) with remaining frosting. Frost according to the video tutorial from My Sweet and Saucy Shop.
* Arrange the raspberries on top of the cake as shown. Serves 12-16.