Birthday Cake & Birthday Lobster

So most food blogs have amazing photos. I, on the other hand, can barely take a non-blurry image on my iPhone. But I figure it's better to have blurry pics than no pics, right?

We made a birthday cake for me on Friday. It was delicious. I also completely made up my own sour cream chocolate frosting recipe - combining two epicurious frosting recipes into one to create a "healthy" dessert, as I called it. We also had a field day at Chelsea Market. I wanted to go on a tour of the Food Network kitchens, but unfortunately they only have those during the week. Instead, we got fresh oysters and live lobster to take home. I love Chelsea market.



Double Chocolate Layer Cake
Adapted from Gourmet, March 1999
Recipe halved to make perfect 8" round layer cake

For cake layers
1 1/2 ounces Callebaut semisweet chocolate
3/4 cups hot brewed coffee
1 cup sugar + a tad
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cups unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoons baking soda
3/8 teaspoon baking powder
5/8 teaspoons salt
2 medium eggs
3/8 cup vegetable oil
3/4 cups well-shaken buttermilk (or yogurt)
3/8 teaspoon vanilla

For sour cream chocolate/ganache frosting
1/2 pound Callebaut semisweet chocolate
2/3 cup low-fat sour cream
1/2 stick (1/4 cup) unsalted butter
2 tablespoons light corn syrup
1/2 cup powdered sugar

Make cake layers:
Preheat oven to 300°F. and grease pans. Line bottoms with rounds of wax paper and grease paper.

Finely chop chocolate and in a bowl combine with hot coffee. Let mixture stand, stirring occasionally, until chocolate is melted and mixture is smooth.

Into a large bowl sift together sugar, flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. In another large bowl with an electric mixer beat eggs until thickened slightly and lemon colored (about 3 minutes with a standing mixer or 5 minutes with a hand-held mixer). Slowly add oil, buttermilk, vanilla, and melted chocolate mixture to eggs, beating until combined well. Add sugar mixture and beat on medium speed until just combined well. Divide batter between pans and bake in middle of oven until a tester inserted in center comes out clean, 1 hour to 1 hour and 10 minutes.

Cool layers completely in pans on racks. Run a thin knife around edges of pans and invert layers onto racks. Carefully remove wax paper and cool layers completely. Cake layers may be made 1 day ahead and kept, wrapped well in plastic wrap, at room temperature.

Make frosting:
Finely chop chocolate. In a 1 1/2- to 2-quart saucepan melt chocolate and butter over moderately low heat, whisking until combined. Whisk in corn syrup. Remove pan from heat and add 1/3 cup of sour cream and 1/2 powdered sugar. Add remaining sour cream and powdered sugar until smooth. Add sugar to taste.

Transfer frosting to a bowl and cool, stirring occasionally, until spreadable (depending on chocolate used, it may be necessary to chill frosting to spreadable consistency).

Spread frosting between cake layers and over top and sides. Cake keeps, covered and chilled, 3 days. Bring cake to room temperature before serving.