I thought I was being clever when I made this the first time. I decided to whip up Rose's Reverse Marble Cake a few weeks ago for a work meeting, thinking, rather smugly, that I would be ahead of the Alpha Baker schedule...
HOWEVER making this after work during a very busy work week meant that I didn't take enough notice of the cake tin size (too big), plus the instructions for layering the different coloured cake batters nearly drove me to distraction. I honestly couldn't bear to read 'take just under a third of the batter' one more time. In the end I read over the instructions, got the general idea and just fudged it from there. The pattern turned out quite well but the cake was a bit flat as well as dry on the outside, due to the tin being too big. My colleagues were intrigued by the reverse marble pattern and thought the cake was nice, but I was disappointed. I also forgot to take more than two (yellowish) photos due to my post-work weariness and the near-homicidal rage induced by the instructions.
I've seen a couple of the other Alpha Bakers' posts on this cake and none of them have mentioned problems with the instructions (or homicide) so I think we can deduce from that that I'm just not a very calm baker.
So when the cake came up on the schedule this weekend I thought I would try again and see if I could get a better result. The second try - in the photo immediately below - turned out a better height and more moist, since I used a smaller ring tin (unfortunately I don't have a bundt tin in this size). It did dry out a bit on the top where it rose above the tin and the rest I undercooked slightly. I ignored the instructions this time to avoid enraging myself, and the pattern still turned out nicely. So this cake wasn't an unqualified success the second time round and the flavour didn't wow me either. I'm not sure why but this cake is obviously not meant for me
This is my first slightly flat attempt below. It does look nice with the shape from the bundt tin. I drizzled chocolate ganache on it (which pretty much solves all problems) but I made a wrong calculation in combining the white, milk and dark chocolate I had in the fridge, so it turned out very pale. Couldn't take a trick with this cake.
My goodness this cake batter was delicious. I'd like to try it again without the chocolate. I know that sounds like sacrilege but I'd like to work out why the baked cake flavour didn't impress me that much when it showed such a lot of promise in the batter stage.
I still forgot to take photos of the initial layering of the two batters for the second cake. It's not difficult to do, even for someone who's definitely on the slapdash end of the baking method scale. The first layer of vanilla batter is put into a small trench in the first chocolate layer, and the other layers all build on that. It's really a fairly simple but clever idea (so I shouldn't complain too much about the instructions).
Despite not being at all exacting (just under a third!) in dishing out the amount for each layer, somehow it came out all right.
You never quite think the last chocolate layer is going to stretch far enough but it does.
Possibly this tin was a bit too small (hmmph) so the cake rose over the top of the tin. I'm tempted to try this again but there are so many cakes I really love that I might just have to chalk this one up to experience.
I totally understand baking rage! This is one of those recipes that really benefits from a scale. All that layering without a scale would send me into a rage as well. So bummed you didn't like it as it is one of my all time faves. Good on you for trying twice. I do like your stripes!
ReplyDeleteSo pretty your marbling effect of the cake! This recipe is so delicious..make it again is ok isn't it? :) Oh ya..i know what you mean about white cake vs yellow cake. I guess we are all used to the sponge cake and also mud cake? White cake can be so pretty all white though..
ReplyDeleteThe proportions drove me crazy too. I just gave up because I was making such a mess. Even though I measure everything carefully, my total weight is always under what it should be, so when the recipe calls for ⅓ (or the weight) I never seem to have enough batter or dough. Yet, my scale seems very accurate. So I'm stumped. And me too, I was licking the batter out of the bowl--shamelessly. Overall, your cake looks great.
ReplyDelete..."near-homicidal rage induced by the instructions." Hahahha! This described me to a tee when I kept reading through the instructions; I just couldn't grasp it. Wasn't until I saw Marie's picture on the scale that I calmed down. My bundt was too big, too but I didn't realize it until reading your post. I liked the dough especially since I used chocolate with espresso in it. Regardless, your cake looks perfectly marbled.
ReplyDeleteoh yum, chocolate with espresso - great idea! It makes me want to try it again :)
DeleteMy daughter adored this cake. I liked it, but wasn't nearly as impressed as she was. And I totally get your rage. I had to read through the instructions several times. And I made the brioche over the past few days. Had to read those instructions over and over, especially since they span several pages and two recipes!
ReplyDeleteThis really was such a delicious cake Everyone loved it. I like your marbling.
ReplyDelete