I would be curious to see a statistical analysis of the Tuesdays with Dorie recipes chosen so far. I figure we’ve made our way through about a third of the book, maybe a little less. But we’ve made 12 out of 18 of the celebration cakes (and that’s not including the Perfect Party Cake, which a good portion of the members made for the Daring Bakers). I also wouldn’t be surprised if a higher proportion of recipes with pictures have been chosen compared to those without.
The problem with celebration cakes is that I generally don’t have a celebration for them. Without people to share with, I have to get creative with fractions and pan sizes. This time, I made half of the recipe into two 4-inch round layer cakes.
I took some shortcuts here and there. I skipped the chocolate, mostly out of laziness. I used half mascarpone and half cream cheese, because I had bits of both leftover from other things. I know cream cheese isn’t authentic in this, but I honestly just really like cream cheese. Then I added all of the espresso extract to the syrup mixture instead of saving some for the topping because I didn’t read the recipe carefully. And, I didn’t use all of the syrup to soak the cake layers.
None of those tweaks, save maybe the cream cheese, improved the dessert. That being said, the only one that I really regretted was using less of the coffee mixture than Dorie intended. I was concerned about soggy cake, plus the smooth untrimmed tops of my layers weren’t soaking up much liquid.
But a little less coffee flavor couldn’t ruin a dessert like this. The cake was light, but sturdy enough to soak up plenty of espresso syrup. The filling was creamy and light and just sweet enough. Everything was accented by bitter coffee and boozy brandy. You shouldn’t wait for a celebration to enjoy cake like this.
Megan has the recipe posted.
One year ago: Double/Triple Chocolate Cookies
I love your tiny layer cake! I thought about reducing this recipe, but at the last minute decided to make the whole thing. My husband’s office is left to deal with leftovers : ) Great photos, as usual.
Oh wow. Those look so pretty!!! I honestly thought that the cake was awfully dry until it was well soaked with the syrup. In fact, next time I make this, I’ll probably double the syrup recipe. Even so, this got rave reviews at my place.
These look delicious! I understand completely the dilemma of having a challenge and no one to consume the entire thing! Besides, I adore little things – little individual cakes and pastries and tarts 🙂 Yours look beautiful.
Wow! Those simple little cakes are simply stunning!
Your pictures look so beautiful! I had to invite all of my friends to the park to eat up the cake. Between this and my cake decorating class I have had an abundance of cake on my hands, and then next week…just when I need a cake for my brother’s bday, I have no other need for a cake!
Your cake looks delicious! Very pretty!
I love the mini cakes! What a fun idea! Might have to try that!
Beautiful job! Looks great!
You skipped. the chocolate. ?!?!?!?!!
sigh….that was the best part of the cake!
Yours looks lovely.
Your mini-cakes look fabulous. YUM!
Love your mini cake and your photos! Sometimes I scale recipes down, but usually I just send these TWD desserts to work with my husband or other family members.
I love that you turned this cook into small round ones. That is so creative.
i would also like to see the recipe stats, but am too lazy to do the counting…we should get together and prep some excel charts and graphs! these little baby cakes are adorable..a celebration in themselves!
Your mini cakes are so cute! Nah, I just make the entire recipe and we usually end up eating it. At least this week I had a birthday at work so I could share! I didn’t end up using all of the espresso syrup either.
Oh heck yeah. I think it’s great.
I think your smaller version is beautiful, great job!
These look amazing
Cute little cakes! 🙂 I would bet more recipes with photos have been chosen than those without.
Wow, looks gorgeous. I am always too nervous about making smaller cakes.
Your cakes came out so pretty. I really need to get some of these smaller cake pans.
What a beautiful, light and delicious mini cake!
So cute! I usually find that when I stray from the recipe in numerous ways that the result suffers, but that wasn’t the case for you. It looks amazing!
Maybe we’re like kids in a candy store, going right for the sweetest sweets – the celebration cakes. Your variation looks delicious!
Four inches? That’s so cuuuute! (NOT something a guy wants to hear, if ya catch my drift!) Ahem, anyway, I quite like the idea of making the recipes without photographs. Because I don’t feel like I’m competing with the pro, and also it feels like I’m “providing” them with a pic 🙂
I agree – all those celebration cakes, and no celebrations to bring them to! I’d love for someone to pick muffins. Or scones. Anything but cakes and tarts and pies… Your mini cake looks wonderful though!
Your little cake is just beautiful.
I too am waiting for something not celebratory. So much sugar, so few people to bake for.