My beautiful mother's birthday was last Thursday. She chose an authentic Mexican restaurant for her birthday dinner. We started the meal off with guacamole and chips and salsa, of course. My sister and I gave in to the half-price house margaritas, while dad ordered a good ol' Corona with lime. My mom and I ordered the mushroom tacos, marinated and topped off with a jalapeno pico de gallo and Chihuahua cheese. They were unbelievable. The margarita balanced the spicy pico exceptionally. After dinner we went for a walk through the neighborhood, ate large pieces of cake (pictured above) and opened gifts. It was a lovely night and celebration.
I am continuously in shock at how quickly this year has been going by. Each month flies by with the blink of an eye, leaving me to focus on enjoying each and every moment for what it is. Although this month has been incredibly busy, it has been busy with memorable moments and events to be proud of. My sister has officially graduated Grad school and I could not be more proud. We had a delicious meal and cake to celebrate her accomplishments. I owe her a pie, a pie of her choice, which will be a post soon to come. I know with Summer approaching fast, this year will provide so many more captivating and memorable experiences to come. If one thing is for sure, I know that this year will be about taking risks and embracing life with an expansive open mind.
The cake that I decided to make for my mother was a chocolate cake made with water, instead of milk or sour cream. She is lactose and tolerant, however, she can handle butter. I made a vibrant raspberry buttercream and paired that with just a very small amount of ganache, again to make sure there was a minuscule amount of dairy involved within this cake. I topped it off with a couple of pink lilies, for garnish, that I had made earlier this week.The flowers added to the Spring emphasis of the birthday cake. I wanted to make sure this cake was rustically simple, while still making sure it was as special as possible. She adored the cake and it went over very well with my family, as you can see in the picture above. The ganache can easily be omitted and the raspberry buttercream formula doubled, if desired. Top this cake off with fresh raspberries and a sprinkle of powdered sugar and you will have yourself a Spring time winner and a cake that turns any moment into a special occasion.
Chocolate Cake
1 cup butter, softened
21/2 cups granulated sugar
5 whole eggs
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup baking cocoa
2 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups water
1) In a mixer bowl fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla extract. Combine the flour, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder and salt; add to the creamed mixture alternately with water, beating well after each addition.
2) Pour into three greased 9-in baking pans. Bake at 350 for 24 to 28 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool for ten minutes; remove cakes from pans and allow to cool completely
Recipe source: Taste of Home.
Raspberry Buttercream
2/3 cup of butter, softened
4 cups confectioners sugar, sifted
2 tbsp water or milk
1 tbsp vanilla extract
1/4 cup of frozen raspberries
Place softened butter in the bowl of a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. With speed on low, add one cup of sugar followed by one tbsp of water or milk. Repeat this step alternating sugar and liquid, finishing with the vanilla. Add the 1/4 cup raspberries, mixing until incorporated, scraping as needed.
Chocolate Ganache
4 oz heavy whipping cream
4 1/2 oz dark chocolate, chopped.
Place heavy cream into a saucepan and bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Once boiling, carefully pour over chocolate pieces in a heat safe bowl. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and let sit for 3-5 min. Carefully whisk until combined. Allow to cool to room temperature. Place ganache into mixer bowl fitted with whisk attachment and whisk on high until ganache is thickened and reaches a spreadable consistency.
Assembly
Place first layer of cake on cake board. Carefully scoop half of the raspberry frosting onto first cake layer. Spread evenly over layer. Place fresh raspberries on top of frosting, using as many as desired. Repeat process with next cake layer. Place top layer on top of first two layers. Spread whipped ganache over layer and garnish as desired.
Enjoy!
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