Sunday Night Cake - Baked Explorations

Sunday Night Cake

It's Friday. I need to bring dessert to a dinner party...so I pull open the Baked Explorations cookbook by Matt Lewis and Renato Poliafito.

Sunday Night Cake sounds delicious. A lightly spiced cake with a chocolate pudding-like frosting. And so what if it's Friday night? I'm a rebel like that.

This is a simple cake made with cake flour, sour cream and butter. The recipe calls for 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon, but I added 3/4 teaspoon. See, I am a rebel in the kitchen. :)

The pudding frosting is so easy! It's my new favorite frosting. Sugar, cornstarch, cocoa powder, and unsweetened chocolate are melted with some boiling water and heated until thickened. I only had half the needed unsweetened chocolate so I added dark 72% chocolate and reduced the sugar a bit. After the pudding is thickened, you beat it with a paddle mixture until it gets to room temp, then toss in some butter. Easy peasy!

I'm totally an anti-frosting person. However, because this frosting is lighter than a regular buttercream, I was pretty much all over it. I can't wait to try it on top of a cupcake!

Win a copy of the book as part of my celebration of National Library Week! I hope you enjoy the recipes from this book. Find a copy in your local library on WorldCat!

Recipe:
Sunday Night Cake 

1 3/4 cups cake flour (I used 7 1/2 ounces cake flour)
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon (I used 3/4 teaspoon)
1 1/4 stick or 10 tablespoons or 5 ounces unsalted butter, room temperature
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
3 large eggs
1 cup sour cream

Frosting
3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
3 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch
2 tablespoons dark unsweetened cocoa powder
3 ounces unsweetened chocolate, coarsely chopped (I only had 1 1/2 oz unsweetened chocolate in the house so I used that and 1 1/2 oz dark chocolate 72%. I reduced the sugar to 140 grams)
6 tablespoons (3 ounces) unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces, at room temperature

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Prep a 9" square baking pan. I line mine with parchment paper and spray it with Pam Flour.
2. Sift together flour, baking powder, salt and cinnamon. Set aside.
3. In a stand mixer, beat butter and sugars together until light and fluffy. Scrape down the bowl. Add eggs one at a time and mix until blended. Scrape down the bowl again.
4. Add the flour in three batches, alternating with scoops of the sour cream. The last addition should be flour. Scrape down the bottom and sides of the bowl and mix a few more times to incorporate but don't overmix.
5. Pour batter into pan and bake 35-40 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean. Allow cake to cool at least 20 minutes on a wire rack. Invert and let cool completely before frosting.

Frosting instructions:
1. In a medium saucepan, whisk together the sugar, cornstarch and cocoa powder. Add the chopped chocolate. Pour 1 cup boiling water into the pan, wait 30 seconds, then whisk until mixture is combined and the chocolate is melted.
2. Turn the heat to medium-high and whisk continuously for about 5 minutes, or until the mixture begins to thicken. (Once pudding begins to thicken, it will come together very quickly.)
3. Remove the pan from the heat and pour the mixture into the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat on high until the steam escapes and the mixture is room temperature. Add the butter and mix for an additional 2-3 minutes, until the frosting is light and pudding like. If you prefer a fluffier, more spreadable frosting, continue to mix for a few minutes longer.
4. Frost the top of the cake, allowing a little of the frosting to drip down the edges. (I frosted the edges too). Chill for 5 minutes to set the frosting. Serve immediately.
5. The cake can be stored, tightly covered, in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Bring it back to room temperature before serving.

Baked Explorations 
WorldCat or Amazon