Well Julia's book is on sale so I have decided to buy it. It has so many good recipes in it. I have to say that in the past year since I started this food blog I've gotten way more confident in my cooking and baking and more knowledgeable. There are still tons of things I have never cooked before but I am not nearly as intimidated by certain recipes as I would have been before this blog. A year ago I would have opened Julia's book and immediately shut it and thought "No way can I make that." Now I'll at least try. Hopefully, if I'm having a hard time with a recipe or get frustrated that something is not going right, I don't just slam the food in the trash like I would have in the past.....we'll see. But I will try.
The following recipe is a perfect example of a recipe gone wrong - the cake was wonderful and the frosting was great UNTIL I added the salt. I don't ever remember adding salt to a frosting recipe but this one called for it and sure enough, ruined it. I would definitely recommend both the cake and frosting because they are tasty and quite simple to make, but don't use salt in the frosting. I won't even include it in the recipe below. These were found at Allrecipes. The cake is very similar to the original Hershey's Chocolate Cake. It's great since it's an easy clean up too!
Anyhow, the frosting on the cake in the picture is "stand by" canned frosting since the chocolate one was horrible with the salt!!! It never, ever hurts to have a "stand by" of any product already made for emergencies!!!
Chocolate Cake
2 cups white sugar
1 3/4 cups all purpose flour
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1 cup milk
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup boiling water
Preheat over to 350F. Grease and flour two nine inch round pans.
In a large bowl, stir together eggs, milk, oil and vanilla. Mix for 2 minutes on medium speed of mixer. Stir in the boiling water last. Batter will be thin. Pour evenly into the prepared pans.
Bake 30 to 35 minutes in the preheated oven, until the cake tests done with a toothpick. Cool in the pans for 10 minutes, then remove to a wire rack to cool completely.
Sour Cream Chocolate Frosting
1 cup semi sweet chocolate chips
4 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup sour cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 3/4 cups confectioners' sugar
Melt chocolate and the butter together. Let cool and blend in the sour cream and vanilla. Gradually add the confectioners' sugar until the frosting is of spreading consistency, beat well.
Comments
I've added salt to frosting recipes before but not usuallly the amount they recommend. If it's really sweet, I add a tiny bit to tone it down. SOrry this ruined the cake for you. It looks scrumptious regardless.
Joyce
I'm with you, blogging has improved my self confidence, too. I am much more likely to give a recipe a try now though I still shy away from yeast.
~ingrid