This past week (or two…) has been a blurry mix of good things. REALLY GOOD things. Not only did my strawberry ice cream sandwiches get featured on
Saveur magazine’s instagram page
(!!! I KNOW RIGHT) and on
Teen Vogue’s article about summer dessert
, but I ALSO finally got acceptance letters from grad schools!! Did I do a happy dance? I did a happy skip (i never skip) to the kitchen to make celebratory waffles for breakfast - and that means something, because normally I’m up too late for breakfast and I scarf down a masala omelette and iced coffee. Waffles only make it on days when there’s something to celebrate.
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So yeah. Waffles with homemade leftover salted caramel ice cream and pretzels. That’s celebration enough right? WRONG.
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I also made this absolutely incredible chocolate chip yellow butter cake with chocolate frosting and pretzels. It is possibly the best cake I’ve ever had because a) the frosting and pretzels and make it taste a bit like Mcvities chocolate digestive biscuits and b) it has chocolate chips in it !
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Here’s the recipe:
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For the cake:
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245 g flour + 3 tbsp cornflour + 2 tsp baking powder + 1/2 tsp salt
270 g sugar
150 g unsalted butter, softened
5 egg yolks
250 ml buttermilk
2 tsp vanilla
2/3 cup dark chocolate chips
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In a large bowl, mix the flour, cornflour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
Beat butter and sugar together in the bowl of a stand mixer. Add egg yolks one at a time and then add vanilla. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and beat again.
Gradually add in the flour and buttermilk in alternate turns. continue beating the mixture until it comes together, but be careful not to overbeat.
When batter is formed, fold in chocolate chips with a wooden spoon
Divide the batter equally into two 8-inch cake tins
Bake in the centre of your oven for about 30 minutes or until a cake tester inserted into the centre comes out clean.
When done, take the cakes out of the oven, allow them to cool, then take out of the tin. These cakes are super tender and soft - so be careful!
Wrap the cakes in plastic cling wrap and refrigerate while you make the frosting. This will make it easier to spread the frosting neatly.
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For the frosting :
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100 g unsalted butter
40 g unsweetened cocoa powder
400 g icing sugar, sifted
120 ml cream
1/2 tsp vanilla essence
1/2 tsp salt
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Beat the butter, cocoa, vanilla and salt using an electric hand mixer or stand mixer
Add the cream and beat again.
Gradually add the icing sugar one spoon at a time
When done, taste to test.
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Unwrap the cakes from the cling wrap and place the first layer on a cake stand / plate.
spread chocolate frosting on the first layer - be generous
Place the 2nd layer on top and frost the top and sides.
When the cake is fully frosted, add pretzels along the side (the sweet frosting and salty pretzel taste awesome together)
Serve !
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Notes:
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- If you don’t have store bought buttermilk, just use 250 ml regular milk and add 2 tbsp of white vinegar in it. Let it stand for about 5 minutes, and then use as buttermilk.
- I recommend using good quality chocolate chips such as Nestle, Hersheys or Choko La