Tuesday, March 3, 2009

TWD - Chocolate Brandy Cake


This week, Tuesday with Dorie is hosted by Lyb of And then I do the dishes. She has chosen a reicpe that I have wanted to make for a long time - Dorie's Chocolate Armagnac Cake or The Cake That Got Me Fired!

This cake is a rich, dark chocolate sensation, and is very grown-up tasting - it would be perfect for any dinner party. I made my cake with prunes flamed in brandy (in place of armagnac), and almond meal instead of pecan nut meal.

OMG - this cake is soooooooooooo good. I was a little scared of flaming the fruit, but I need not have worried - the alcohol only managed a low blue flame which was not anywhere near as exciting as I was afraid it would be, and it did not even show up in my photo:



There is a lot of chocolate in this cake, which is responsible with the alcohol for the dark, smoky flavour:


Here is my uniced cake:


And the finished product, decorated with chocolate glaze and piped treble clefs left over from another project:




This cake is a decadent sensation, and I would gladly make it again. To see how the other TWD members interpreted this recipe, check out the
Tuesdays with Dorie blogroll.

30 comments:

natalia said...

Your cake is so beautiful ! I love the keys (?) I still haven't baked mine !!

Tammy said...

I loved this cake too. Your trble clefs are very cute!

jesse said...

That looks so rich and amazing!! And I love how you've decorated it... that is SO adorable!

Cathy said...

"A decadent sensation" -- that about sums it up perfectly! I thought this was a really special cake -- no wonder it caused such a brouhaha when Dorie made it! Yours is gorgeous -- love those treble clefs! Oh, and I didn't get much of a pyrotechnic show, either.

Anonymous said...

Your cake looks gorgeous. I love the way you decorated it.

Jules Someone said...

Looks lovely! Ours was a bit boozy. I decided not to frost. I thought it was rich without it.

Anonymous said...

Love the decoarations - and I agree. This is ONE dense and wonderful cake! Glad you had fun making it - I sure did. It looks fantastic - nice job!

Anonymous said...

Cakelaw! I want this cake! ;)

Anonymous said...

That sounds really good!

Finla said...

I want a huge slice, they looks so yummy yummy delicous.

Cakelaw said...

Thanks Natalia. This cake is very yummy - I recommend it.

Thanks Tammy - the treble clefs are refugees from the DB Opera Cake from yonks ago.

Thanks Jesse - a big slice for you!

Hi Cathy, I was almost disappointed at the lack of flames - I had geared myself up with heaps of adrenalin, and was thinking how to put out the flames. Dorie did a great job - yay for Dorie!


Thanks Pinkstripes :)


Hi Jules, agree this is very rich - one small slice is quite enough. Boozy sounds good!

Thanks Mike - it was fun to make. Glad you enjoyed it too.

Hi Maryann, a virtual slice winging your way!!

Hi Duckie, it is amazing! (Very chocolatey.)

Thanks Happy Cook - a big slice for you ;)

Amanda said...

Oh I love the treble clefs, what a great touch!

♥Rosie♥ said...

This sounds really good and I love those clefs very clever! Oh I would love a slice right now *drool*

Rosie x

Jennifer said...

WOW! Beautiful job!!! I love the decorations!!!!

Pamela said...

It looks delicious! I loved this cake and I almost skipped it. I'm so glad I didn't. :o)

Maria said...

The cake looks wonderful. I will have to give the prunes a chance!

Anonymous said...

It looks so good with that frosting! I skipped that step, and it was STILL really good!

chocolatechic said...

I was so bummed when my French Brandy didn't catch fire.

But the cake was fabulous.

Anonymous said...

That looks delicious Cakelaw and I absolutle love the musical notes! So gorgeous, I must take note of the idea for a music loving friend :D

Sihan said...

treble clef! haha. how very innovative. and I'm glad you enjoyed the cake. I did too. the flavor was awesome wasn't it?

Valerie Harrison (bellini) said...

I had wondered why Dorie was fired when she made it...

Peggy said...

Love love love your treble clefs!! What a beautiful cake. It was so delicious too.

Ivy said...

The cake looks amazing. Do you have any leftover?

Cakelaw said...

Thanks Amanda - this was "I had it there and thought why not" decorating technique.

Hi Rosie, you'd love this cake - Lyb has the recipe.

Thanks Jennifer - I loved this cake!

Pamela, it's a good job you didn't - this cake is gorgeous.

Hi Maria, do give the prunes a chance - you honestly can't taste them separately form the cake here.

Hi Madamae Chow, I'd agree with you there - it was a melt-in-the-mouth indulgence all by itself.

Hi Tanya, I have to confess to feeling a little underwhelmed about the flames - but I am a fraidy cat, so ultimately this was good.

Hi Lorraine, I nabbed the notes as leftoevrs from an Opera Cake I made yonks ago.

Hi Sihan, I so agree - this cake was marvellous.

Hi Val, I think she should have got a promotion!

Thanks Peggy - it was a truly awesome cake.

LOL Ivy - I took it to work today to make sure I couldn't decide that the whole thing was my helping.

A_and_N said...

That is one decadent cake! It looks sinfully tempting :)

♥Rosie♥ said...

Hi Cakelaw, please pass by my blog and collect some awards ;o)

Rosie x

Anonymous said...

Those treble clefs are impressive! Great job!!!

Ivy said...

I came over to check if you had some leftovers (lol).

Engineer Baker said...

Beautiful job - I love the iced and uniced pics. I didn't ice mine, because I was afraid it would be too chocolatey!

Cakelaw said...

Believe me A&N, it is - hide your eyes!

Thanks Rosie!

Thanks Teanna - borrowed from an opera cake.

LOL Ivy - sure ;)

Hi Caitlin, it certainly doesn't need the icing - but boy oh boy, is it good!