sweet birthday wishes to my hubby...

happy birthday to my loving hubby... he turned... (gasp!) 29 this past may 4th... i spoiled him by making two desserts because he couldn't make up his mind... he originally wanted a peach cobbler... but being stealthy like i am, i quickly changed his mind for him... but i felt bad because he really wanted something fruity...

but you have to have cake on your birthday! you just have to!!

so being so sweet and pleasing i made him something fruity and something cakey!

for the cake i went with twist on dorie greenspans "devils food white out cake" and a kind of deconstructed hostess cupcake... and the result... devilishly delicious...


Devil’s Food White Out Layer Cake:
ingredients:
1 1/3 cups all purpose flour
1/2 cup cocoa powder
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 stick butter, room temperature
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
3 large eggs, room temperature
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 oz. bittersweet/semisweet chocolate, melted and cooled
1/2 cup buttermilk, room temperature
1/2 cup water, warm
2/3 cup chocolate chips (regular or mini)

directions:
1. preheat oven to 350F
2. grease 2 8-inch round cake pans, line the bottoms with circles of parchment paper, and butter the top of the paper
3. in a medium bowl, sift together flour, cocoa powder baking soda, baking powder and salt
In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugars until light, beat in eggs one at a time, waiting until each is incorporated (1 minute per egg) to add the next, then beat in the vanilla and the melted chocolate
4. combine buttermilk and water in a measuring cup. Working in two or three additions, alternate adding buttermilk mixture and flour mixture to the sugar mixture, scrape sides to ensure batter is even... stir in chocolate chips and divide batter into prepared pans
5. bake for 25-30 minutes, or until a tester comes out clean
6. let cakes cool in their pans for 5 minutes, then turn out onto wire racks and peel off parchment paper, cool completely

frosting/filling ingredients:
4 large egg whites, room temperature
1 cup sugar
3/4 tsp cream of tartar
1/2 cup water
1 tbsp vanilla extract

directions:
1. put the egg whites in to bowl of an electric mixer or a large bowl with a hand mixer nearby
2. combine sugar, cream of tartar and water in a small saucepan, bring to a boil and cool until syrup reaches 242F (use a candy thermometer)
3. as syrup nears correct temperature, begin to beat egg whites to soft peaks, slowly stream in the hot sugar syrup, followed by the vanilla extract.

4. beat for about 5 minutes after everything has been incorporated, or until frosting reaches room temperature

mmm... looks tasty doesn't it... yea... it was...

the cake was moist and subtly chocolaty... and the filling was so lite and fluffy that it just melted in your mouth... and the dark chocolate ganache was really the icing on the cake...

now here's the blueberry and strawberry galette... not the peach cobbler he wanted... but once he took a bite, he was in heaven... it was buttery, flaky, had a slight sugary crunch on the outside, and the little blueberries just burst with flavor when you took a bite... it was perfect...
it doesn't look perfect, rather a bit rustic... but looks can be deceiving... and that pool of blueberry goodness thats trying to escape... but don't worry, it didn't escape me... i used that on some vanilla ice cream...
look how cute and wrinkly these blueberries are...


happy birthday baby... and happy baking everyone!!