Bammie's ?? Birthday Cake

My grandmother loves desserts, the richer the better.  The amount of butter and eggs in her pies would make Paula Deen blush.  So every year for her birthday I push the limits and try to come up with a cake recipe that satisfies her sweet tooth (even if it completely violates her dietary restrictions).  This year, I decided my new chocolate-cinnamon-coffee obsession, topped with 2 different types of cream cheese frosting and toasted pecans and gold sprinkles would do the trick.  Here's how it all came together:

The Cake
This cake itself is actually not all that bad for you.  If you topped it with a low cal topping or some dark chocolate you might actually be able to call it heart healthy.  I have yet to try it this way, but it's a nice thought.

• 1 cup butter
• 2 cups white sugar
• 2 eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 2 1/2 cups cake flour
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup boiling strong coffee

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. If using layers, grease and line the pans with parchment paper. If using a 9 X 13 pan, grease and dust with cocoa powder. Sift together the cocoa, flour, cinnamon, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
2. In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time. Turn mixer to low and alternately beat in the flour mixture and the buttermilk, mixing just until incorporated. Be careful not to over-mix.  Add the boiling coffee and beat for one full minute.
3. Bake in the preheated oven for 30 to 40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Allow to cool.

The Frosting(s)
I decided to top this cake with a cream cheese frosting, then decorate with a chocolate version of the same frosting.   I made a double batch of the recipe below, then added a half cup of cocoa powder to what remained after the cake was frosted.

• 1 cup butter
• 12 ounces cream cheese
• 1 tablespoon vanilla
• 6-8 cups powdered sugar

1. Cream butter, cream cheese and vanilla together. 
2. Add powdered sugar 1/2 cup at a time, mixing thoroughly.  Turn the mixer to high after every other addition to whip frosting.  Add powdered sugar until desired texture (I usually add about 6 cups, but sometimes as many as 8 when I want a sturdier frosting).
3. To convert to chocolate, add 1/2 cup of cocoa powder after completely mixed.  Add milk or cream 1 tablespoon at a time if a thinner texture is desired.  For a deeper chocolate flavor, melt 2 1 ounce squares of unsweetened chocolate, allow to cool, then fold into the frosting.  This is a great foundation for coloring frosting black or brown since you don't have to add as much food coloring.  I added a couple of drops of black food coloring to give this cake some depth.

Toasted Pecans
Toasted pecans have a more complex nutty flavor.   Be careful not to burn.  They only take about 10-15 minutes, but I check after 5, and then again every 2 minutes or so.  I used chopped pecans for this cake.

1. Preheat oven 350.
2. Spread pecans in one layer on a non-stick cookie sheet.  I usually line the cookie sheet with a Silpat liner.
3. Place the pecans in the oven, tossing after 5 minutes.  Toast until they are crisp and aromatic, about 10-15 minutes. 
4. Allow to cool completely on the cookie sheet before handling/eating. 

Assembly
This cake came together pretty easy.  I leveled the cakes and frosted it with the vanilla cream cheese frosting (I used round pans).  Then I sprinkled the top with pecans, and pressed them into the side of the cake.  After that, I generously dusted with gold sanding sugar--it adds a nice complexity with the coloring of the pecans.  And finally, using a pastry bag and a star tip, I piped a border around the top and bottom of the cake using the chocolate cream cheese frosting.  There's enough frosting to also pipe on a message or make other decorations.  Leftovers can also be frozen in an air tight container.