Chocolate Cake and Martha Stewart
I met Martha Stewart. Then I made one of her chocolate cake recipes from her new Cakes book. And now I am here to tell you all about all three. Martha, the cake and the Cakes book.
I was invited to attend Martha Stewart's book signing for her new book, Cakes, at the Macy's home store here in Las Vegas last week. Myself along with a few other local bloggers were asked to attend, take photos, meet Martha and get our books signed. It was all very exciting to meet the "Domestic Queen".
Look mom! Its me!!! With THE Martha Stewart!!!
Martha looks fabulous for her age. I think her 85 step daily skin care routine pays off. I need to make a list of what she uses. Because, wow.
I have been a fan of Martha Stewart's for a long time. I have her Cupcakes book and I have always been a fan of her website. When I found out I was going to get an opportunity to meet her I was pretty dang excited. I really didn't know what to expect. I mean she's Martha Stewart!
We all arrived an hour early to get situated. They had the bloggers stand in front with the "media" people. There was a line forming already of customers to meet her and have her sign their book. They limited the book signings to 100 people so it was nice and small. Not crazy crowded at all. When Martha walked out, starbucks coffee in hand, we all started snapping photos. I felt like paparazzi. In fact at one point after Martha was being told " And to your right" " Back to your left" she said " Okay thats enough for now paparazzi, and everyone laughed.
The bloggers got to get their books signed first and I brought my Cupcakes book as well as my Cakes book to have her sign. I told her how her Cupcakes book was a gift from my husband years ago when I first started blogging. She happily signed my books and then it was the next bloggers turn. I had handed over my camera and iphone for photos and when I looked at my phone the person who had taken photos had barely gotten me in the picture!! It didn't help that Martha was sitting for the pics and everyone was awkwardly standing next to her.
I waited until the end and requested for a retake. When I asked Martha for a retake she said " Did you not like how you looked in the first pic?" and laughed. I replied with " Actually, I was barely in it!" and I showed her the photo. She said " oh that is no good! Let's take another" and she even offered to stand up to retake the photo. That is the one I posted above.
I thanked her again and we chatted for another minute and then it was time for her to go. The book signing only lasted an hour. It was fun watching all the customers get to meet her and take photos as well. Everyone really seemed to enjoy the event and I was glad I asked to retake the photo. All in all a really nice time.
Since this event took place at the Macy's home store I wanted to poke around a bit afterwards and look at the Martha Stewart collection. I fell in love with a cake stand and had to have it. I have a thing for cake stands. When I found out it was on sale I was even more excited!! Now I was armed with a signed copy of Martha Stewart's Cakes book and a cake stand, I knew I needed to make a cake for this post. But WHICH cake?? I took the book home and my kids helped me pick out the cake. Chocolate cake. Marshmallow filling. Chocolate frosting. I was sold.
My girls loved the way the cake looked on the front of the book, so this was our attempt at matching it. Except my girls thought our cake needed white sprinkles on top. So they helped with that part of the cake decorating process. I ended up changing the filling because the first attempt at filling a cake with 7 minute frosting was a GIANT mess. It all oozed out and wasn't staying in pretty layers.
So I went with my old standby of vanilla Swiss meringue buttercream. It worked like a charm. I am thinking 7 minute frosting is better for topping cakes and cupcakes with.
And of course with a huge slice of chocolate cake with rich chocolaty frosting you need a cold glass of milk to wash it down. I actually prefer coffee with a slice of cake. My kids loved the chocolate cake especially my 5 year old the self proclaimed chocoholic. She already told me she wants me to make this chocolate cake again for her birthday. In 5 months.
Here is the recipe for the cake and the chocolate frosting from Martha Stewart's Cake book. Reprinted with permission.
Chocolate Cake and Martha Stewart
Ingredients
- 1 cup 2 sticks plus 2 tablespoons unsalted butter at room temp plus extra for pans
- ½ cup plus 1 tablespoon best quality unsweetened cocoa powder plus more for pans
- ¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons boiling water
- ¾ c milk
- 2 ¼ cups sifted cake flour not self rising
- ¾ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 ¾ c sugar
- 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 large eggs lightly beaten
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 Deg F. Butter three 9-by-2-inch round cake pans. Line with parchment rounds and butter the parchment. Dust with cocoa, tapping out excess, set aside.
- Sift the cocoa into a medium bowl. Stir in the boiling water until smooth; gradually whisk in milk. Set aside to cool
- Whisk together flour, baking soda and salt into a bowl. With an electric mixer on low, beat butter until fluffy, 3 to 5 minutes. Gradually beat in sugar, scraping down sides of bowl twice. Beat in vanilla
- Add eggs in 3 batches, beating well after each addition. With mixer on low speed, add flour mixture and reserved cocoa mixture a little at a time in alternate batches, starting and ending with the flour; beat until just combined
- Divide batter evenly among prepared pans; smooth tops with offset spatula. Bake, rotating halfway through, until a cake tester comes out clean, 20 to 25 minutes. Transfer pans to wire racks to cool 15 minutes. Turn out cakes onto wire racks to cool completely.
- Fill and frost with desired filling and frosting.
Rich Chocolate Frosting
Ingredients
- ½ cup plus 1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
- ½ cup plus 1 tablespoon warm water
- 1 ½ cups 3 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature
- ¾ c confectioners sugar
- 2 ¼ teaspoon coarse salt
- 1 ½ pounds semisweet chocolate chopped melted and cooled
Instructions
- Whisk together cocoa and warm water in a bowl until cocoa dissolves. With an electric mixer on medium speed, beat butter, confectioners sugar and salt until pale and fluffy, 3 to 5 minutes. Gradually beat in melted chocolate and then cocoa mixture until combined. Frosting can be refrigerated up to 5 days in an airtight container. Bring to room temperature and beat on low speed before using.
Notes
Pretty cool to have Martha sign my books. She was really nice. A fun experience for sure.
You can buy the Cakes book HERE. I can't wait to try the Pineapple Upside Down Cake!!
I was compensated for this post as well as to attend the book signing. I also received a copy of the Cakes book for free. All opinions are Thank you for your support with the brands and companies I work with that make my blog possible.
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