Rose's Heavenly Cakes (76 page)

Strain the glaze into a 1½-quart or larger glass bowl. (Do not store in metal because it will impart an undesirable flavor.) Cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for a minimum of 8 hours or up to 1 week, or freeze for up to 6 months.

Glaze the Cake

Lay a long double layer of wide heavy-duty aluminum foil on a work surface to catch the glaze. Turn up the edges about 1 inch to keep the glaze contained. On top, set a wire rack or cake pan one size smaller than the layer being glazed.

Set the 12-inch frosted layers on the wire rack or an inverted smaller cake pan. Make sure the cake is level and, if necessary, put a wedge or spatula underneath to level it. Note: When glazing, it helps to use a ladle to catch the excess glaze for reapplying it. (This works only when the cake is elevated onto an inverted cake pan.)

Reheat the glaze in a double boiler set over hot, not simmering, water, or very carefully in a microwave with 3-second bursts, stirring gently to ensure that it doesn't overheat or incorporate any air. The glaze coats best for this cake at 82° to 85°F/27° to 29°C.

Pour the glaze in a circular motion evenly on top, allowing it to cascade over the sides to coat them completely. Start pouring in the middle, and as the glaze starts going down the sides, pour it about 1 inch from the edge to help cover the sides evenly. Any tiny bubbles, should they appear, can be pierced with a sharp needle. If any spots on the side don't get coated, it's easy to touch them up using the glaze on the aluminum foil and a small metal spatula. Allow the cake to sit for about 30 minutes until the glaze stops dripping, and then move the cake to another part of the work surface that has been lined with another piece of aluminum foil to catch any falling glaze. Use the original large foil as a funnel to pour the glaze back into the cup. Reposition the foil flat on the work surface.

Set the 9-inch frosted cake on a wire rack on top of the aluminum foil. Reheat the glaze to 82° to 85°F/27° to 29°C. Glaze the cake as you glazed the 12-inch cake. Proceed with the 6-inch cake, again reheating the glaze. You will have about 1 1/3 cups glaze left over. If you are making a sheet cake to have extra servings, use any remaining glaze to pipe or drizzle onto the serving plates. Or, freeze it in an airtight container for up to 6 months. Thawed and reheated, it pours perfectly.

Allow the cakes to sit for a minimum of 4 hours or up to 24 hours before tiering the layers one on top of the other. Use a small metal spatula to remove any chocolate glaze "legs" at the base. When set, the glaze remains soft but can be touched gently with a fingertip without leaving a mark. You can also refrigerate the glazed layers, but the glaze will dull slightly. Be sure that the refrigerator is free of odors. To revive the shine, brush lightly with a soft brush (see
Brushes
), or you can briefly wave a hair dryer set on low heat about 6 inches away from the cake's surface.

Special Equipment

One 8-inch square baking pan, wrapped with a cake strip, coated with shortening, lined with two pieces of crisscrossed parchment (bottom and sides), attached to each other by a thin coating of shortening, then coated lightly with baking spray with flour

Preheat the Oven

Twenty minutes or more before baking, set an oven rack in the middle of the oven and preheat the oven to 325°F/160°C (300°F/150°C if using a Pyrex or dark pan).

Toast and Chop the Nuts

Spread the nuts evenly on a baking sheet and bake for about 10 minutes, to enhance their flavor. Stir once or twice to ensure even toasting and avoid overbrowning. If using walnuts, turn them out onto a clean dish towel and rub them in the towel to remove as much skin as possible. Using a chef's knife, chop the walnuts or pecans in four batches so that they are no larger than ¼ inch. Discard any skin. Note: To avoid creating excess nut dust (aka nut flour), do not use the food processor.

Melt the Butter and Chocolates

In a double boiler over hot, not simmering, water, melt the butter, unsweetened chocolate, white chocolate, and cocoa, stirring often. Scrape the melted chocolate mixture into a large mixing bowl.

Make the Batter

Whisk the sugar into the melted chocolate mixture until incorporated. Whisk in the eggs and vanilla until the mixture becomes thick and glossy. Add the flour and salt and stir only until the flour is moistened fully. Stir in the nuts. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the surface evenly with an offset spatula.

Bake the Brownie

Bake for 30 to 40 minutes, or until the batter has set up to 1 inch from the edge and a toothpick inserted 1 inch from the edge comes out almost clean. An instant-read thermometer inserted in the center will register 190°F/88°C.

Cool and Unmold the Brownie

Let the brownie cool in the pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Run a small metal spatula between the pan and the parchment to ensure that no batter has leaked through and stuck to the sides. Invert the brownie onto a wire rack lined with plastic wrap and lift off the pan. Carefully peel off the parchment and reinvert the brownie onto another rack. Cool completely. Wrap well in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour before cutting the brownie into ¼- to ½-inch pieces. (You can make the brownie up to 3 days ahead and refrigerate or freeze it.)

Special Equipment

Nordic Ware Stadium Pan, or any 10- to 12-cup tube pan, coated with baking spray with flour

Preheat the Oven

Twenty minutes or more before baking, set an oven rack in the middle of the oven and preheat the oven to 350°F/175°C.

Mix the Cocoa and Liquid Ingredients

In a medium bowl, whisk the cocoa, sour cream, eggs, and vanilla just until the consistency of slightly lumpy muffin batter.

Mix the Dry Ingredients

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the flat beater, mix the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt on low speed for 30 seconds.

Make the Batter

Add the butter and half the cocoa mixture to the dry ingredients. Mix on low speed until the dry ingredients are moistened. Raise the speed to medium and beat for 1½ minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. With the mixer off between additions, add the remaining cocoa mixture in two parts, starting on medium-low speed and gradually raising the speed to medium. Beat for 30 seconds after each addition.

With a silicone spatula, fold in the brownie pieces until evenly mixed. Scrape enough of the batter into the prepared pan to cover the bottom and, with the spatula, press it down so that it fills all the depressions in the pan. Add the remaining batter just about to the top of the 10-cup pan and smooth the surface evenly with a small offset spatula.

Bake the Cake

Bake for 40 to 50 minutes, or until the cake springs back when pressed lightly.

Cool and Unmold the Cake

Let the pan cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Brush with half the bourbon, if desired. Invert the cake onto a serving plate and brush with the remaining bourbon. Cool completely. If desired, shortly before serving, pour some bourbon into an atomizer and spritz the cake.