merryb wrote:
> On Aug 24, 3:02 am, "DavidW" > wrote:
>> Hello,
>>
>> I'm about to make a chocolate cake and I have a few questions:
>>
>> 1. Should a chocolate cake typically contain salt? Watching cooking
>> shows it seems that just about everything should be seasoned,
>> according to professional chefs, but there's no salt in the
>> ingredients. It's a boiled chocolate cake (some ingredients, inc.
>> water, baking soda boiled and cooled before eggs, flour added). The
>> butter is listed simply as "butter". Commercial butter is normally
>> salted to an unknown degree. If I use unsalted butter should salt be
>> added; if so how much for a standard-sized cake?
>>
>> 2. If I bake and ice the cake on Monday and keep it in the fridge
>> will it still be in good shape on Friday? (i.e., no noticeable
>> degradation).
>>
>> 3. I have a vague recollection of asking this before, but there was
>> no magic solution. The mixture is very wet before the flour is added
>> and you always get bits of flour that will not mix in. My mother
>> solved this by using an electric mixer or blender, but I don't think
>> the cake was as good as when the flour was mixed in gently by hand
>> (and you put up with a few small flour pockets). Is there another
>> technique whereby I can mix in the flour evenly by without any
>> detriment to the cake?
>
> Just follow the recipe- you always want to use unsalted butter when
> baking if available. Use the recommended amount of salt in the recipe.

That's the problem. There is no salt in the recipe, but the cake is normally
made with plain "butter" (most likely salted). I'm sure there's nothing so
special about this cake that it should be unsalted if cakes are usually salted.
It does have sodium from the baking soda though. I wonder if that ends up
seasoning it.

> If you want to bake on Monday for eating on Friday, I would freeze the
> layers unfrosted and frost them on the day needed.

Okay, so really it's best to make it one or two days before. I will do that if
it's best. I'm a little worried that freezing/thawing it will change it a bit.

On Aug 24, 2:54*pm, "DavidW" > wrote:
> merryb wrote:
> > On Aug 24, 3:02 am, "DavidW" > wrote:
> >> Hello,
>
> >> I'm about to make a chocolate cake and I have a few questions:
>
> >> 1. Should a chocolate cake typically contain salt? Watching cooking
> >> shows it seems that just about everything should be seasoned,
> >> according to professional chefs, but there's no salt in the
> >> ingredients. It's a boiled chocolate cake (some ingredients, inc.
> >> water, baking soda boiled and cooled before eggs, flour added). The
> >> butter is listed simply as "butter". Commercial butter is normally
> >> salted to an unknown degree. If I use unsalted butter should salt be
> >> added; if so how much for a standard-sized cake?
>
> >> 2. If I bake and ice the cake on Monday and keep it in the fridge
> >> will it still be in good shape on Friday? (i.e., no noticeable
> >> degradation).
>
> >> 3. I have a vague recollection of asking this before, but there was
> >> no magic solution. The mixture is very wet before the flour is added
> >> and you always get bits of flour that will not mix in. My mother
> >> solved this by using an electric mixer or blender, but I don't think
> >> the cake was as good as when the flour was mixed in gently by hand
> >> (and you put up with a few small flour pockets). Is there another
> >> technique whereby I can mix in the flour evenly by without any
> >> detriment to the cake?
>
> > Just follow the recipe- you always want to use unsalted butter when
> > baking if available. Use the recommended amount of salt in the recipe.
>
> That's the problem. There is no salt in the recipe, but the cake is normally
> made with plain "butter" (most likely salted). I'm sure there's nothing so
> special about this cake that it should be unsalted if cakes are usually salted.
> It does have sodium from the baking soda though. I wonder if that ends up
> seasoning it.
>
> > If you want to bake on Monday for eating on Friday, I would freeze the
> > layers unfrosted and frost them on the day needed.
>
> Okay, so really it's best to make it one or two days before. I will do that if
> it's best. I'm a little worried that freezing/thawing it will change it a bit.

That what bakeries do!

The best seasoning for chocolate cake is vanilla ice cream and mounds
of whipped cream.

Brooklyn1 wrote:
> The best seasoning for chocolate cake is vanilla ice cream and mounds
> of whipped cream.

Sounds...different, but for this one I think I'll stick with icing sugar,
cocoa, butter and whatever else standard icing has.

Brooklyn1 wrote:
>
> The best seasoning for chocolate cake is vanilla ice cream and mounds
> of whipped cream.

I prefer a bit of ground rosemary and tons of cracked pepper.

G.

Gary wrote:
> Brooklyn1 wrote:
>>
>> The best seasoning for chocolate cake is vanilla ice cream and mounds
>> of whipped cream.
>
> I prefer a bit of ground rosemary and tons of cracked pepper.

This is getting quite a way from chocolate cakes as I know them!

DavidW wrote:
>
> Gary wrote:
> > Brooklyn1 wrote:
> >>
> >> The best seasoning for chocolate cake is vanilla ice cream and mounds
> >> of whipped cream.
> >
> > I prefer a bit of ground rosemary and tons of cracked pepper.
>
> This is getting quite a way from chocolate cakes as I know them!

That was a total joke told with a straight face. I enjoy freaking people out
occasionally. As for Sheldon's preference, i would use one or the other but
probably not both ice cream and whipped cream.

G.

On Sun, 26 Aug 2012 07:44:14 -0400, Gary > wrote:

>DavidW wrote:
>>
>> Gary wrote:
>> > Brooklyn1 wrote:
>> >>
>> >> The best seasoning for chocolate cake is vanilla ice cream and mounds
>> >> of whipped cream.
>> >
>> > I prefer a bit of ground rosemary and tons of cracked pepper.
>>
>> This is getting quite a way from chocolate cakes as I know them!
>
>That was a total joke told with a straight face. I enjoy freaking people out
>occasionally. As for Sheldon's preference, i would use one or the other but
>probably not both ice cream and whipped cream.

I'd have both, trying to choose would be like choosing Maria's
Molina's right or left bosom.

On Sun, 26 Aug 2012 07:44:14 -0400, Gary > wrote:

>DavidW wrote:
>>
>> Gary wrote:
>> > Brooklyn1 wrote:
>> >>
>> >> The best seasoning for chocolate cake is vanilla ice cream and mounds
>> >> of whipped cream.
>> >
>> > I prefer a bit of ground rosemary and tons of cracked pepper.
>>
>> This is getting quite a way from chocolate cakes as I know them!
>
>That was a total joke told with a straight face. I enjoy freaking people out
>occasionally. As for Sheldon's preference, i would use one or the other but
>probably not both ice cream and whipped cream.

The rosemary raised an eyebrow here, but I've seen lots of chocolate
and black pepper recipes. I've made some killer chocolate and
black pepper ice cream-
http://www.davidlebovitz.com/2008/11...-black-pepper/

and I think it would go good with these-
http://semisweetie.com/cookie-recipe...epper-cookies/

Jim
[oh- and BTW-- this looks good to me-
http://restaurant-hospitality.com/re...usse-cake-0611
]

Gary wrote:

> > The best seasoning for chocolate cake is vanilla ice cream and mounds
> > of whipped cream.
>
> I prefer a bit of ground rosemary and tons of cracked pepper.

What, no bacon or BBQ sauce?

On 8/24/2012 5:54 PM, DavidW wrote:
> merryb wrote:
>> On Aug 24, 3:02 am, "DavidW" > wrote:
>>> Hello,
>>>
>>> I'm about to make a chocolate cake and I have a few questions:
>>>
>>> 1. Should a chocolate cake typically contain salt? Watching cooking
>>> shows it seems that just about everything should be seasoned,
>>> according to professional chefs, but there's no salt in the
>>> ingredients. It's a boiled chocolate cake (some ingredients, inc.
>>> water, baking soda boiled and cooled before eggs, flour added). The
>>> butter is listed simply as "butter". Commercial butter is normally
>>> salted to an unknown degree. If I use unsalted butter should salt be
>>> added; if so how much for a standard-sized cake?
>>>
>>> 2. If I bake and ice the cake on Monday and keep it in the fridge
>>> will it still be in good shape on Friday? (i.e., no noticeable
>>> degradation).
>>>
>>> 3. I have a vague recollection of asking this before, but there was
>>> no magic solution. The mixture is very wet before the flour is added
>>> and you always get bits of flour that will not mix in. My mother
>>> solved this by using an electric mixer or blender, but I don't think
>>> the cake was as good as when the flour was mixed in gently by hand
>>> (and you put up with a few small flour pockets). Is there another
>>> technique whereby I can mix in the flour evenly by without any
>>> detriment to the cake?
>>
>> Just follow the recipe- you always want to use unsalted butter when
>> baking if available. Use the recommended amount of salt in the recipe.
>
> That's the problem. There is no salt in the recipe, but the cake is normally
> made with plain "butter" (most likely salted). I'm sure there's nothing so
> special about this cake that it should be unsalted if cakes are usually salted.
> It does have sodium from the baking soda though. I wonder if that ends up
> seasoning it.
>
>> If you want to bake on Monday for eating on Friday, I would freeze the
>> layers unfrosted and frost them on the day needed.
>
> Okay, so really it's best to make it one or two days before. I will do that if
> it's best. I'm a little worried that freezing/thawing it will change it a bit.
>
>
>
I know I'm late to the party here, but freezing the layers and frosting
later is actually better. You can even frost the layers if they are
still frozen and the cake will be very moist. BTDT many times. In fact
that's how I used to do wedding cakes.

On Aug 31, 10:06*pm, Cheryl > wrote:
> On 8/24/2012 5:54 PM, DavidW wrote:
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> > merryb wrote:
> >> On Aug 24, 3:02 am, "DavidW" > wrote:
> >>> Hello,
>
> >>> I'm about to make a chocolate cake and I have a few questions:
>
> >>> 1. Should a chocolate cake typically contain salt? Watching cooking
> >>> shows it seems that just about everything should be seasoned,
> >>> according to professional chefs, but there's no salt in the
> >>> ingredients. It's a boiled chocolate cake (some ingredients, inc.
> >>> water, baking soda boiled and cooled before eggs, flour added). The
> >>> butter is listed simply as "butter". Commercial butter is normally
> >>> salted to an unknown degree. If I use unsalted butter should salt be
> >>> added; if so how much for a standard-sized cake?
>
> >>> 2. If I bake and ice the cake on Monday and keep it in the fridge
> >>> will it still be in good shape on Friday? (i.e., no noticeable
> >>> degradation).
>
> >>> 3. I have a vague recollection of asking this before, but there was
> >>> no magic solution. The mixture is very wet before the flour is added
> >>> and you always get bits of flour that will not mix in. My mother
> >>> solved this by using an electric mixer or blender, but I don't think
> >>> the cake was as good as when the flour was mixed in gently by hand
> >>> (and you put up with a few small flour pockets). Is there another
> >>> technique whereby I can mix in the flour evenly by without any
> >>> detriment to the cake?
>
> >> Just follow the recipe- you always want to use unsalted butter when
> >> baking if available. Use the recommended amount of salt in the recipe.
>
> > That's the problem. There is no salt in the recipe, but the cake is normally
> > made with plain "butter" (most likely salted). I'm sure there's nothing so
> > special about this cake that it should be unsalted if cakes are usually salted.
> > It does have sodium from the baking soda though. I wonder if that ends up
> > seasoning it.
>
> >> If you want to bake on Monday for eating on Friday, I would freeze the
> >> layers unfrosted and frost them on the day needed.
>
> > Okay, so really it's best to make it one or two days before. I will do that if
> > it's best. I'm a little worried that freezing/thawing it will change it a bit.
>
> I know I'm late to the party here, but freezing the layers and frosting
> later is actually better. *You can even frost the layers if they are
> still frozen and the cake will be very moist. *BTDT many times. *In fact
> that's how I used to do wedding cakes.

That's how all bakeries do it also!