Happy Birthday, Dan! Dark Chocolate Cake and Tomato-Goat Cheese Paninis
Dan had two requests for his 28th birthday...chocolate cake with chocolate frosting and tomato-goat cheese paninis! So, I turned to trusty David Lebovitz for the cake and made paninis that I've made a hundred times before. They are based on the ones I ate every other day for lunch on my study abroad trip to Paris in 2005. The devil's food cake with dark chocolate ganache frosting was amazing...you must make it if you love dark chocolate. The cake was moist and dense and the frosting was rich and semi-sweet. I needed a big glass of milk with this one! It was the most decadent and delicious cake I've ever made and it was also the easiest! Even the frosting was...ahem...a piece of cake! The paninis are super simple. How can you go wrong with a combo of tomatoes, basil, bread, mozzarella, and goat cheese? Nope, you can't go wrong. And you probably already have a panini press (aka old George Forman grill!)
Devil’s Food Cake by David Lebovitz
Besides just making half of the following recipe to yield a one-layer cake, I did not alter this recipe. I made some notes next to the ingredients to let you know what I used if there was an option (example: water or cream). Be sure to use a good quality chocolate for the frosting. Chocolate chips or baker's chocolate won't give tasty results. Try some of the premium chocolate bars in the candy section!
one 9-inch (2 layer) cake
For the cake:
9 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1½ cups cake flour (not self-rising) - I just used all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon baking powder
4 ounces (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1½ cups granulated sugar
2 large eggs, at room temperature
½ cup strong coffee (or water) - I used coffee leftover in the pot from the morning
½ cup whole or low-fat milk - I used skim milk here
For the ganache frosting:
10 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped - I used 2 types of dark chocolate: Lindt 50% Cocoa Dark Chocolate Bar and Whole Foods 365 Dark Chocolate Bar
½ cup water (or cream) -used water
¾ cup (1½ sticks) unsalted butter
1. Adjust the oven rack to the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
2. Butter two 9″ x 2″ cake pans and line the bottoms with circles of parchment paper.
3. To make the cake layers, sift together the cocoa powder, cake flour, salt, baking soda, and baking powder in a bowl.
4. In the bowl of a standing electric mixer, or by hand, beat together the butter and sugar about 5 minutes until smooth and creamy. Add the eggs one at a time until fully incorporated. (If using a standing electric mixer, stop the mixer as necessary to scrape down the sides to be sure everything is getting mixed in.)
5. Mix together the coffee and milk. Stir half of the dry ingredients into the butter mixture, the add the coffee and milk. Finally stir in the other half of the dry ingredients.
6. Divide the batter into the two prepared cake pans and bake for 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool completely before frosting.
7. To make the frosting, melt the chopped chocolate with the water (or cream) in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of barely simmering water, stirring occasionally until melted. Remove the bowl from the pan of water.
8. Cut the butter into small pieces and whisk them into the chocolate until completely melted and the ganache is smooth. Cool until spreadable, which may take about 1 hour at room temperature.
To frost the cake:
Run a knife around the inside of each of the cakes which will help release them from the pans. Tilt one cake out of the pan, remove the parchment paper from the bottom and invert it back onto a cake plate. Spread a good-sized layer of icing over the top. Top with the second cake layer and spread the top and sides with the remaining icing as decoratively as you want.
Storage: Cake is best the day it is made, although it’s fine the next day. Store at room temperature under a cake dome. Just be sure to keep cake out of the sun in the meantime.
Tomato-Goat Cheese Paninis
Makes two 6" sandwiches
2 hoagie rolls or a 12" soft baguette, cut in half
1 tomato, sliced
few leaves of chopped/torn fresh basil (or you could use a little pesto as a spread)
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella or italian blend cheese (or slices)
2 oz. goat cheese log
1. Preheat your panini press, George Foreman grill, griddle, or skillet on medium heat.
2. Build your sandwiches: Bread, slices of goat cheese (sometimes crumbly, won't be perfect slices), tomato slices, mozzarella, basil leaves, Bread.
3. Place sandwich in press and cook until cheese is melted and outside of bread is crusty and slightly golden. If you are using a griddle or skillet, push sandwich down with a plate and then flip after a few minutes.
4. Devour!
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| Dark Chocolate Cake - photo by Dan |
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| Slice of Dark Chocolate Cake - Photo by Malorie |
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| Tomato-Goat Cheese Panini - photo with bad lighting by Malorie |
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| "Panini Press" |
Devil’s Food Cake by David Lebovitz
Besides just making half of the following recipe to yield a one-layer cake, I did not alter this recipe. I made some notes next to the ingredients to let you know what I used if there was an option (example: water or cream). Be sure to use a good quality chocolate for the frosting. Chocolate chips or baker's chocolate won't give tasty results. Try some of the premium chocolate bars in the candy section!
one 9-inch (2 layer) cake
For the cake:
9 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1½ cups cake flour (not self-rising) - I just used all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon baking powder
4 ounces (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1½ cups granulated sugar
2 large eggs, at room temperature
½ cup strong coffee (or water) - I used coffee leftover in the pot from the morning
½ cup whole or low-fat milk - I used skim milk here
For the ganache frosting:
10 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped - I used 2 types of dark chocolate: Lindt 50% Cocoa Dark Chocolate Bar and Whole Foods 365 Dark Chocolate Bar
½ cup water (or cream) -used water
¾ cup (1½ sticks) unsalted butter
1. Adjust the oven rack to the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
2. Butter two 9″ x 2″ cake pans and line the bottoms with circles of parchment paper.
3. To make the cake layers, sift together the cocoa powder, cake flour, salt, baking soda, and baking powder in a bowl.
4. In the bowl of a standing electric mixer, or by hand, beat together the butter and sugar about 5 minutes until smooth and creamy. Add the eggs one at a time until fully incorporated. (If using a standing electric mixer, stop the mixer as necessary to scrape down the sides to be sure everything is getting mixed in.)
5. Mix together the coffee and milk. Stir half of the dry ingredients into the butter mixture, the add the coffee and milk. Finally stir in the other half of the dry ingredients.
6. Divide the batter into the two prepared cake pans and bake for 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool completely before frosting.
7. To make the frosting, melt the chopped chocolate with the water (or cream) in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of barely simmering water, stirring occasionally until melted. Remove the bowl from the pan of water.
8. Cut the butter into small pieces and whisk them into the chocolate until completely melted and the ganache is smooth. Cool until spreadable, which may take about 1 hour at room temperature.
To frost the cake:
Run a knife around the inside of each of the cakes which will help release them from the pans. Tilt one cake out of the pan, remove the parchment paper from the bottom and invert it back onto a cake plate. Spread a good-sized layer of icing over the top. Top with the second cake layer and spread the top and sides with the remaining icing as decoratively as you want.
Storage: Cake is best the day it is made, although it’s fine the next day. Store at room temperature under a cake dome. Just be sure to keep cake out of the sun in the meantime.
Tomato-Goat Cheese Paninis
Makes two 6" sandwiches
2 hoagie rolls or a 12" soft baguette, cut in half
1 tomato, sliced
few leaves of chopped/torn fresh basil (or you could use a little pesto as a spread)
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella or italian blend cheese (or slices)
2 oz. goat cheese log
1. Preheat your panini press, George Foreman grill, griddle, or skillet on medium heat.
2. Build your sandwiches: Bread, slices of goat cheese (sometimes crumbly, won't be perfect slices), tomato slices, mozzarella, basil leaves, Bread.
3. Place sandwich in press and cook until cheese is melted and outside of bread is crusty and slightly golden. If you are using a griddle or skillet, push sandwich down with a plate and then flip after a few minutes.
4. Devour!
Yum. You know what a chocolate fiend I am. I HAVE to make this. Soon!
ReplyDeletei made the panini last night..yummo! thanks! the only thing i tried different was marinate the tomatoes in a little evoo, balsamic vingarette, and salt & pepper..to make it like a caprese salad (jeremy favorite) panini..kristin
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