Cake for my mother-in-law! Everyone loves cake!

September 30, 2004 12:55 PM

Cake! I'm looking for a fabulous, over-the-top cake recipe for my Mother-In-Law's birthday.

In past years I have made her Banana Cheesecake with Macadamia Nut Crust, 16 Layer cake, and 6 Layer Cake with 5 Different Creme Fillings. So she is really expecting something rich and surprising.

Unfortunately, she doesn't like alcohol and can taste it in the smallest amount.

posted by Secret Life of Gravy to Food & Drink (20 answers total)

There are more chocolate mousse cake recipes out there than you can shake a stick at, all of which will be sinfully filling and fattening. This one looks particularly good, since it involves crème anglaise as well.

On preview, chocolate isn't particularly surprising, I guess... Ah well, I tried.
posted by Johnny Assay at 1:05 PM on September 30, 2004

For a completely over-the-top cake recipe I'd recommend "Elvis' wedding cake". Unfortunately I couldn't find the recipe online, but it serves 500 or so.

Would you consider a Red Velvet Cake ?
posted by FreezBoy at 1:09 PM on September 30, 2004

My family has a recipe called the whip o' gold cake -- tremendous crumb and a very tricky icing that has to set, almost like candy. It is indecently rich. Unfortunately, zero Google results.
posted by blueshammer at 1:19 PM on September 30, 2004

ack, FreezBoy! I was just coming to recommend a red velvet cake! This is my Mom's traditional birthday cake for us, and the only cake that has ever really captured my attention at all. I'm not a big fan of sweets, but I do love the red velvet cake..
posted by taz at 1:27 PM on September 30, 2004

This is the cake that I've always wanted someone to make for me



Coconut Layer Cake a la Martha Stewart.
This recipe yields a six-layer cake. However, if you prefer the look of five layers, the extra cake layer makes a delicious snack.
posted by Juicylicious at 1:31 PM on September 30, 2004

I have never made a cake from this book, but the pictures in it make for some damn good dessert porn.
posted by kenko at 1:59 PM on September 30, 2004

Can I ask what flavour Red Velvet cake is supposed to be? I've had it and even though I know there's a wee bit of cocoa in it, it's not enough to be chocolate. Is it "red" flavour?

And here: Double Chocolate Layer Cake. Mmmm.
posted by biscotti at 2:12 PM on September 30, 2004

Trust me, this is MUCH better than the name suggests: Pig Pickin' Cake. Oh, my mouth is watering just thinking of it... It's more sweet than rich, but man oh man is it good. And easy to make, so you could have one over-the-top decadently rich and cocoa-y cake alongside this sweet one.
posted by arco at 2:38 PM on September 30, 2004

biscotti - I think technically it's a chocolate cake, but the flavor is rather indistinct. To me it's about the smooth velvet-y texture, mixed with the deliciousness of the cream cheese frosting. That flash of red when you first cut into the cake, is the icing on the cake. hahaha! icing. cake. !
posted by FreezBoy at 2:51 PM on September 30, 2004

This is my favourite birthday cake. It looks spectacular. If your mum doesn't like booze, the recipe says you can use water instead of rum or Frangelico.

Torta Alla Gianduia
from Nigella Lawson's 'How To Be A Domestic Goddess'

for the cake

6 large eggs, separated
1 pinch salt
1/2 cup soft unsalted butter
14 ounces nutella (chocolate hazelnut spread)
1 tablespoon Frangelico or rum or water
1/2 cup ground hazelnuts, scant
4 ounces good quality bittersweet chocolate, melted

for the icing

4 ounces hazelnuts
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 tablespoon Frangelico or rum or water
4 ounces good quality bittersweet chocolate

1. Preheat oven to 350-degrees.
2. Prepare a 9-inch springform pan: grease and line with parchment or wax paper.
3. In a large bowl, whisk the eggs whites and salt until stiff but not dry (this means that they will hold their peaks, yet still appear glossy and smooth).
4. In a separate bowl, beat the butter and Nutella together, then add Frangelico (or what you have chosen to use), egg yolks, and ground hazelnuts.
5. Fold in the cooled, melted chocolate, then lighten the mixture with a dollop of egg white, which you can beat in as roughly as you want, before gently folding the rest of them in a third at a time.
6. Pour into the prepared pan and cook for 40 minutes or until the cake's beginning to come away at the sides, then let cool on rack.
7. Toast the hazelnuts in a dry frying pan until the aroma wafts upward and the nuts are golden brown in parts: keep shaking the pan so they don't burn on one side and stay too pallid on others.
8. Transfer to a plate and let cool.
9. This is imperative: if they go on the ganache while hot, it'll turn oily (believe me I speak from experience).
10. In a heavy-bottomed sauce pan, add the cream, liquer or water, and chopped chocolate and heat gently.
11. Once the chocolate's melted, take the pan off the heat and whisk until it reaches the right consistency to ice just the top of the cake.
12. Unmold the cooled cake carefully, leaving it on the base as it will be too difficult to get such a damp cake off in one piece.
13. Ice the top with the chocolate icing, and dot thickly with the whole, toasted hazelnuts.
14. If you have used Frangelico, put shot glasses on the table and serve it with the cake.
posted by obiwanwasabi at 5:12 PM on September 30, 2004

Juicylicious : I made that very cake for my mum's birthday. It was really good too, but it took a whole day to make. No joke, one whole day. I love baking, but man...
posted by nprigoda at 5:29 PM on September 30, 2004

I can't believe that nobody has mentioned the twinkie cake yet.
posted by orelius at 5:44 PM on September 30, 2004

This Texas sheet cake from five fresh fish is amazing.
posted by whatzit at 6:17 PM on September 30, 2004

When you care enough to make the very best, make her a kitty litter box cake. I cannot emphasize the Tootsie rolls enough. She won't forget it.
posted by Frank Grimes at 6:45 PM on September 30, 2004

This Texas sheet cake from JDROTH is amazing.
posted by five fresh fish at 7:29 PM on September 30, 2004

The Classic Brooklyn
All Chocolate Blackout Cake. Back in the day, folks would line for hours for this cake. I always thought this place was the inspiration for Seinfeld's babka episode.
posted by Duck_Lips at 8:46 PM on September 30, 2004

This cake would be...surprising. (I really like the idea of the different fillings)

Also - Zombie cake or game console cake.
posted by jb at 11:05 PM on September 30, 2004

Guh. my bad on the attribution of the cake link. But it was still an excellent cake.
posted by whatzit at 6:50 AM on October 1, 2004

obiwan - that looks absolutely sinful and I'll be making it first chance I get. Nutella, Frangelico and rum? My saliva glands are exploding just thinking about it.
posted by widdershins at 8:56 AM on October 1, 2004

Response by poster: Thank you for all the recipes. While JB's Thoracic Cavity Cake would be surprising..I think I'll try the Nutella Thingy posted by obiwanwasabi.

And by the way, I make the cream part of Martha Stewert's Coconut Cream Cake regularly. That's what I use in my Christmas Trifle (talk about an all day affair!)
posted by Secret Life of Gravy at 4:20 PM on October 1, 2004