3rd birthday!

My little one turned 3!
We had a small party out in the garden and of course we ate cake!

This year I wanted to make a chocolate cake filled with something. Well, there was a bottle of maple syrup in the fridge waiting for me... So it was settled!

Chocolate cake with maple whipped cream filling and maple buttercream frosting
recipe adapted from Sweetapolita

for the chocolate cake
230gr butter
600gr brown sugar
15ml vanilla extract
4 eggs
290gr all purpose flour
120gr cocoa powder
8gr baking powder
15gr salt
360ml warm buttermilk
120ml warm filtered coffee
90ml full fat mayonnaise
200gr dark chocolate chopped
2tsp baking soda
20ml vinegar

for the maple filling
60ml cold water
15gr unflavoured gelatin
840ml creme fraiche full fat
150gr icing sugar
4tbsp maple syrup or more or less (depending on your taste)
1/2tsp salt
15gr instant vanilla pudding

for the maple buttercream
250gr butter
500gr icing sugar + more for desired consistency
3tbsp maple syrup

* Preheat the oven to 180oC. Butter 5 round pans (diameter about 20cm) and line the bottom with parchment paper. Butter the paper as well and dust with flour.
* Beat butter, brown sugar and vanilla for 5 min. Then add the eggs, one at a time, incorporating them fully before adding the next one.
* Sift flour, cocoa, baking powder in a bowl and add the salt.
* Combine coffee and buttermilk. Add the dry and the wet ingredients to the butter alternating them.
* Add mayo and whisk until just incorporated. Add the chocolate next.
* Combine vinegar and baking soda and quickly add it to the batter. Mix until just combined.
* Divide the batter evenly into the pans (I weigh them) and bake for 25min.
* Let the pans cool on a wire rack for 20min, than invert the cakes, remove the parchment paper and let them cool completely. They can be made the day before.

* In a bowl place the cold water and the gelatin. Let it sit until the gelatin is very soft.
* Bring 200ml of the cream to a simmer, not boil, then stir in the gelatin and make sure it melts well. Refrigerate stirring, until it is cool but not set.
* Chill every tool you will use. Bowl, beaters, spatula. Beat the cream, icing sugar, salt, instant vanilla pudding and maple syrup until it is thick. Gradually add the gelatin mixture and continue beating. It should be thick enough to pipe.
* Chill it.

* For the buttercream beat everything together and adjust for consistency. Thin with maple syrup, thicken with icing sugar. I used gel food colour, which does not affect the consistency.

Assemble the cake and the filling and chill it.
Then crumb coat and chill again.
Frost with buttercream and chill.
Remove from the fridge 30min before you cut it and let it sit on the counter.

I had a left over cake layer, which I crumbled on top.

(Excuse the pics, I was rushing to get the cake out to our hungry guests!)

The cake is so moist, I couldn't believe it! The left over cake layer I had was sitting on a plate uncovered and it was so moist and tasty the next day! This is a recipe I will keep for chocolate layer cakes.

Also I loved the pairing of tastes. Chocolate and maple do match!

It was a success! Our guests took left over cake with them.


Happy Birthday to my sweetie!

Louise