Chocolate Brandy Layer Cake

Posted on April 16, 2011 by cityhippyfarmgirl

The man looked at me.

It’s for cooking with, right?

Ah yes, yes it is.

Now how did he know that the brandy I was attempting to buy, was for cooking and not straight consumption? How did he know that I wasn’t hot footing it home, with The Monkeys in tow. Home to make Brandy Alexanders for cocktail hour for when my dear Mr Chocolate got home from a long days work. Cocktails matched with an assortment of jellied canapes and devilled something or others.

I don’t know how he knew, but he knew. I mustn’t have had the Brandy Alexander cocktail look going on that morning. Instead, I had the wholesome cook look happening… or was it the flustered mama shopping with kids in tow look, I can’t remember now.

I explained that yes, he was right, it was for cooking, I needed it for a cake and some hot cross buns, and I had run out of my brandy stash. He cocked an eyebrow, and looked at me as if I had just started beatboxing I’m a little teapot….

Cooking all that?…Is that because of My Kitchen Rules?*

Um no, no it isn’t…

Chocolate Brandy Layer Cake

150gms softened butter

140gms caster sugar (3/4 cup)

2 tps vanilla

3 egg yolks

40gms cocoa (1/3 cup)

300gms s/r flour (2 cups)

150gms yogurt (3/4 cup)

3 egg whites whipped to peaks

Cream softened butter, sugar and vanilla essence together. Add egg yolks, yogurt, cocoa and flour. (looks quite stiff at this stage.) Add whipped egg whites by folding through the mixture. Pop into a greased, lined springform pan and bake at 180C fpr approx 55 minutes.

Allow cake to cool in tin for 15 minutes and then out on to a plate.

When completely cool, cut cake into thirds, (3 discs).

Mascarpone mixture

vanilla bean mascarpone

150mls cream

1 cup icing sugar

I made my own mascarpone from 450mls cream (details on how to make it are here.) Then whipped 150mls pouring cream to soft peaks, adding the vanilla bean mascarpone, and 1 cup icing sugar. Keep an eye on it, don’t let it over beat. You are looking for soft peaks, holding itself together.

60mls hot brandy needed now

On the first cake layer, drizzle 1/3 of the hot brandy followed by a little less than 1/3 of the mascarpone mixture and then add some grated dark chocolate, (I used 75% cocoa). Second layer of cake on, and the same format. Brandy, mascarpone, grated chocolate. For the last layer, spread a thin layer of the mascarpone first, (this will keep any footloose crumbs at bay.) Then add the remaining mascarpone and grate more dark chocolate over the top.

The cake held together really well. It wasn’t intensely chocolatey or sweet. The yogurt and mascarpone kept it lovely and moist to eat, (even 4 days later being kept in the fridge.) The light was falling fast and so were The Monkeys, (dinner was calling) so the photos didn’t do this little cake any justice, but I’ll definitely be making it again.

* My Kitchen Rules, a cooking competition programme with teams of two competing against each other.

38 thoughts on “Chocolate Brandy Layer Cake”

Babygirl on April 16, 2011 at 2:40 pm said:

I think it was the mom with kids scenario lol. But whatever it was, I can tell you this chocolate brandy layer cake looks absolutely divine. I just love this recipe. Thanks for sharing.

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- cityhippyfarmgirl on April 17, 2011 at 9:57 am said:
  
  Thanks Babygirl 🙂
  
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bagnidilucca on April 16, 2011 at 3:23 pm said:

This looks extremely delicious. I am looking forward to getting home soon so that I can cook some real food. Eating out all the time (especially in Spain) can be a bit tiresome.

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- cityhippyfarmgirl on April 17, 2011 at 9:57 am said:
  
  Enjoy that home cooking again Debra.
  
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Amanda on April 16, 2011 at 4:09 pm said:

This cake is wonderful, Brydie. I’m not a big fan of brandy, so might miss that bit out, but the rest of it is delicious.

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- cityhippyfarmgirl on April 17, 2011 at 9:58 am said:
  
  Thanks Amanda. You could use lots of other things in replacement of the brandy. Or just ditch the alcohol all together.
  
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SherryGreens on April 16, 2011 at 4:13 pm said:

Um… gorgeous! It looks so divine, I am not sure if it would have lasted 4 days around here.

That was bold of the man to ask that… what if it WASN’T for cooking, and you just needed your early morning fix, kids in tow… 🙂

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- cityhippyfarmgirl on April 17, 2011 at 10:01 am said:
  
  He must see all sorts of people walk through, and I clearly had cooking brandy labelled on me 😉
  
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Kari @ bite-sized thoughts on April 16, 2011 at 4:31 pm said:

That looks amazing! I’ve never cooked with brandy, so I don’t know what my partner would think if I picked some up – perhaps I’ll try out your recipe and see 😛

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Kate on April 16, 2011 at 7:08 pm said:

Ok, this is just too much. Bored and restless marking exam papers on a Saturday night..seeking some diversion, whats cityhippyfarm girl done today….omg. I want some I want some now. Whats not in the cupboard? Got the 75% chocolate, got Pimms, got Rum for balls, got Creme De Cocoa, no Brandy, got eggs, sugar cocoa, no mascapone or brandy. This is cruel. Only one consolation; hhmm just eat the chocolate. Keep marking Spooks on at 8:30!

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- cityhippyfarmgirl on April 17, 2011 at 10:05 am said:
  
  Eat the chocolate, a little Pimms on the side and settle back to watch Spooks I say. (I was waiting to watch that one too.)
  
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Mrs Bok on April 16, 2011 at 7:47 pm said:

OOOOOOOooooooooooooooooooo yummmmm! And you put brandy in your hot cross buns…? Please share!

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- Anna Johnston on April 16, 2011 at 11:42 pm said:
  
  Owhhh yes, I wanna know that recipe too please ?
  
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  - cityhippyfarmgirl on April 17, 2011 at 10:06 am said:
    
    Patience gals, patience 🙂 Should be up during the week.
    
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thecompletecookbook on April 16, 2011 at 9:00 pm said:

I could really go a slice of this decadent cake with a cup of tea.
🙂 Mandy

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- cityhippyfarmgirl on April 17, 2011 at 10:07 am said:
  
  I could too Mandy, I’ll have to make another.
  
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Anna Johnston on April 16, 2011 at 11:43 pm said:

The cake looks amazing, bet it tastes even better. Think I’m going to go close my eyes and do a little pretending about munching on a slice of this while I sip my tea.

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- cityhippyfarmgirl on April 17, 2011 at 10:09 am said:
  
  Not crazy sweet, still light, and not intensely chocolatey. I think some brandy soaked cherries wouldn’t have gone astray in it either…although, it’s heading down Black Forest Cake road then.
  
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heidi on April 17, 2011 at 12:57 am said:

I have a couple of birthdays coming up in April/May- and this would make a wonderful adult b-day cake!
Thanks Brydie.
And I’d like the recipe for brandy in hot cross buns, as well, if you’re inclined to share! 🙂

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- cityhippyfarmgirl on April 17, 2011 at 10:11 am said:
  
  Hot cross buns should be up during the week Heidi.
  Enjoy those birthdays coming up.
  
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Joanna @ Zeb Bakes on April 17, 2011 at 5:25 am said:

Another stunning confection of chocolately loveliness! My gran used to make meringues sandwiched with brandy cream. I used to eat the cream and leave the meringue…. I think I would eat all this cake though 🙂

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- cityhippyfarmgirl on April 17, 2011 at 10:13 am said:
  
  My grandmother used to make brandy butter at Christmas, so full of brandy your head would get hot. I wonder if your Gran’s brandy cream was like that…
  
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Johanna GGG on April 17, 2011 at 8:27 am said:

It looks very decadent – I can never be bothered with layers but they always look so lovely. How strange that the man thought people only bake because of a tv show!

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- cityhippyfarmgirl on April 17, 2011 at 10:17 am said:
  
  I usually couldn’t be bothered either, bake it and slap something on the top. Seeing as though it was a birthday though, I thought I would do a bit more effort…plus more excuse to add more mascarpone mixture!
  
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Christine on April 17, 2011 at 8:44 am said:

Ahh, how indulgent, dear Brydie! This would be gone in a flash in our house. Divine 🙂

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- cityhippyfarmgirl on April 17, 2011 at 10:18 am said:
  
  I did have to slink away from the fridge a few times, muttering no…no…
  
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Celia on April 17, 2011 at 12:19 pm said:

Looks luscious, Brydie! Be happy the guy in the shop didn’t think you looked like an alco who needed a drink first thing in the morning! 🙂

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- cityhippyfarmgirl on April 18, 2011 at 7:54 am said:
  
  Duh! I hadn’t thought of it that way. The cook look is fine 🙂
  
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Wendy on April 17, 2011 at 12:22 pm said:

I’m so disappointed that I missed that little beauty by a day, I expect full forewarning next time please! I’m sure it was as it looks; moist, wonderfully textured and flavoursome.

I’ve gone a bit off road today and in the oven is a vegan and gluten free pear and berry cake. It’s only a momentary blip though, she says eating wholemeal sourdough slathered with crunchy peanut butter and your vanilla and plum jam…

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- cityhippyfarmgirl on April 18, 2011 at 7:55 am said:
  
  You have to be quick round here Wendy…you know that.
  
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Mariana on April 17, 2011 at 7:02 pm said:

Ah you answered my question – did the yoghurt keep it moist; sounds like yes. Was the texture of the cake a little more dense because of the yoghurt? I find it harder to achieve an ‘airy’ texture when I use either yoghurt or sour cream.
For a minute then I thought you left out the brandy measurement and it was splodge to your heart’s content – but no, there it is.
Your pic still looks gorgeous; I know the light, the light – it’s all too familiar. Work with what you got is the bottom line.
Oh, and your own mascarpone – amazing – congrats on a wonderful recipe.
Hope you have a wonderful Easter cityhippyfarmgirl and I hope the Monkeys don’t overdose in chocolate! mariana xx

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- cityhippyfarmgirl on April 18, 2011 at 7:59 am said:
  
  The cake was really light. I was actually surprised it was so light. That’s why I whipped the egg whites seperately, hoping it would keep the cake lighter, but I also wasn’t sure whether the egg whites would be counteracted with the yogurt. Either way it worked, so I was happy!
  Mascarpone, very much addicted. A butter icing may never darken our doorstep again.
  
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MultipleMum on April 17, 2011 at 8:50 pm said:

Don’t tell me you went to the bottle-o with your apron on again? I reckon some Brandy Alexanders would go very well with this scrumptious cake!

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- cityhippyfarmgirl on April 18, 2011 at 8:00 am said:
  
  No apron, but there could easily have been a 1/4 cup of flour splattered on my shoulder!
  
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Choclette on April 19, 2011 at 2:59 am said:

The photo did enough justice to make me want to a) have a large slice right now and b) make it myself. It looks amazing. I’ve never been adventurous enough to have more than one layer and I still haven’t made your mascarpone icing.

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- cityhippyfarmgirl on April 20, 2011 at 2:27 pm said:
  
  It’s probably a safer thing Choclette. Once you start making the mascarpone icing it’s all over. Push the kids out of the way to lick the beaters, contemplate slapping it on your sourdough toast, it’s a slippery slope… like I said much safer.
  
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Rita on April 19, 2011 at 3:13 am said:

This cake is glorious and I’d put mascarpone everywhere… Magnificent!!! 🙂

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- cityhippyfarmgirl on April 20, 2011 at 2:28 pm said:
  
  sigh… see my above comment to Choclette, Rita.
  
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