Chocolate sourdough cake with rapsberries

Since I'm on my binge of making everything about chocolate month, but it is also Pink October (breast cancer awareness month), I've combined the two with this chocolate sourdough cake with pink gummy candy buttercream (from strawberry tagada candy).

I've been keen to try sourdough starter on chocolate cake, and mission accomplished, I think now know how to make moist fluffy cakes without using baking powder.  I usually use the starter on breads and brioche, but this will be a fun new chapter.

So let's get started. Some tips : 

• Have some sourdough starter made at least the night or days before (mine is several months old in the re-making).
• If you can take the time to make things ahead of time (day before) that would be ideal.  I like to bake in a two-day process, because there are several steps and/or resting time.  For this cake, I made the gummy candy buttercream the day before, let it rest, then whipped it the next day.  I also made the chocolate ganache beforehand (and froze it).
• Lastly, get the color that you want.  Truth be told, the red gummy candy melted into white cream while simmering, so much for pink buttercream!  So I added a drop of pink gel food coloring and that is how I got that Barbie pink color. But it has kept its candy flavor. Secrets told!

This is the chocolate sourdough recipe I used (thanks to sugarspunrun.com):

1/2 cup (115 g) unsalted butter 
1/2 cup vegetable oil (115 g)
2/3 cup (145 g) sourdough starter at room temperature
2/3 cup (160 ml) buttermilk
1 cup (200 g) sugar
1/2 cup (75 g) light brown sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 cup hot coffee
1 cup all-purpose flour (or gluten free variety with1/2 teaspoon of xanthan gum)
3/4 cup (75 g) cocoa powder
1-1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
+ 3-4 ladyfingers (cut to fit a round disk)
+ 20/25 raspberries for dressing

Preheat oven 350° F or 180° C. Line a 8" panettone cake pan or two 9" cake pans with parchment paper. In one bowl, whisk dry ingredients together. In another bowl, hand whisk the liquid ingredients one at a time : starting with butter, oil, sourdough, buttermilk, eggs, coffee.  Fold in the dry ingredients into liquid ingredients. Use a hand mixer to blend at medium speed about 2-3 minutes. Pour cake batter evenly into pan(s).  Bake for 30-40 minutes or until the middle has risen and is set (test with a toothpick that should come out clean).  Allow to cool on a baking rack or cover and keep overnight in the refrigerator.

For the gummy frosting (you can use strawberry, multi-flavored gummy bears, peach rings, sour strings...)

1 cup (150 g) gummy candy

2-1/2 cups heavy whipping cream

1/2 teaspoon lemon juice

In a small pan, over medium heat on the stove, melt the gummy candy with the cream. Add lemon juice. (Add a drop of gel food coloring if necessary). Once the candy has completely dissolved, allow to cool, then refrigerate 3 hours or overnight with a plastic film touching the top layer (so it doesn't form a crust). When you are ready to dress the cake, take congealed cream out of refrigerator and whip it under medium speed until you get stiff peaks (about 3-5 minutes).

Now for my go-to chocolate espresso buttercream, you may have seen this in another post:  

1 cup salted butter
3 cups confectioners sugar

1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1 tablespoon instant coffee or espresso powder melted in 3 tablespoons

heavy whipping cream (slightly warmed)

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1/4 teaspoon salt

Whisk butter in a bowl until creamy and lightened in color.  Add confectioners sugar, cocoa, vanilla, salt. Beat for about 3 minutes, scraping down bowl. Fold in coffee mixture.  Refrigerate at least an hour. Add another tablespoon of cream to thin frosting for easy piping. 

 

To assemble, remove parchment paper and work with 2 disks of cake. Prepare buttercream in piping bags with two tips if you have this equipment. Otherwise, you can just spoon or swirl cream on top. Place a cake disk on a serving dish. Brush a wash over cake (I use milk). Add a layer of chocolate buttercream (or pipe it on), then line raspberries along the edge. In the middle, place pre-cut ladyfingers side by side, then add a layer of gummy frosting. Pipe chocolate cream to fill in gaps. Top with another disk, brush with milk wash, and decorate the top with more chocolate buttercream and gummy frosting, fruit or flower petals, according to your whim.  That's it. 
Enjoy everyone !