Cake Challenge for the Christmas Season

[Chief Longwind Of The North]

We've all had jello cakes, where a cake is baked, and holes made in it with a fork, then warm, flavored gelatin is poured in, then the whole thing is refrigerated until cold. These are moist and cold, and yummy. Similar cakes are made with pudding soaked into the cake.

Where I'm going with this is to challenge the DC community to make the ultimate chocolate cake. What I'm thinking is that your favorite chocolate cake recipe is made, then poked with holes, and then soaked with a thin ganache, and refrigerated. Whether the ganache is made with dark, or milk chocolate is up to you. The chocolate cake recipe is up to you. The topping is up to you. We'll call this the DC Ultimate Chocolate Cake. It has to be the best cake you've ever made.

Submit all recipes, with pictures, to this thread, after you've made it. I'll make one too. Then we can compare our cakes, take some time and make each other's recipes, and decide which of these will earn the title and represent our DC community to the world. I'm expecting world class desert here, made by us.

Who's in?

Seeeeeeya; Chief Longwind of the North

 

[Addie]

Me! Me! Me! See my hand? Me! Me! Me! I'm in!

 

[CraigC]

Not a fan of poke cakes. Now if you want to go Tortuga Rum Cake, you're on to something!

 

[Addie]

Not a fan of poke cakes. Now if you want to go Tortuga Rum Cake, you're on to something!

I am with you Craig on that. I had a poke cake once. Just took one bite and spit it back out. It was disgusting.

 

[LPBeier]

A good recipe for a rich moist chocolate cake, with a ganache of chocolate and heavy crème (you can even add some alcohol to the heated crème and chocolate) would be better than a true "Poke Cake".

Unfortunately I will have to pass as I am in the kitchen very rarely these days and I have an order for 8 gingerbread trees (for which I have recruited help).

But it sounds great Chief!

 

[bbobson]

Me! Me! Me! See my hand? Me! Me! Me! I'm in!

Based upon the pie picture of a couple days ago, I volunteer to do the taste test of Addies cake.

 

[bbobson]

So, I've only made one chocolate cake in my life and cannot recall ever having a 'jello cake', so I don't have much of a frame of reference. But I think I may try to make my take on what you have described.
Oh, I'm still OK with doing a taste test on Addies cake.

 

[GotGarlic]

I am with you Craig on that. I had a poke cake once. Just took one bite and spit it back out. It was disgusting.

You do realize this challenge is to make a chocolate poke cake?

 

[Whiskadoodle]

I recommend using Plastic Drinking Straws from like McDonalds. Makes bigger holes to fill. Yum.

 

[Aunt Bea]

I,m not a big fan of poke type cakes, but a chocolate version of the old Tres Leches cake might be good, chocolate cake with a caramel poke and whipped cream topping!

 

[Addie]

You do realize this challenge is to make a chocolate poke cake?

I do. I will poke my finger in it and then lick it. If I remember Poke Cake had Jello poured into the holes. I can't see pouring nasty Jello in a perfectly beautiful chocolate cake.

 

[Oldvine]

Sign me up for the chocolate cake tasting panel.

 

[taxlady]

I do. I will poke my finger in it and then lick it. If I remember Poke Cake had Jello poured into the holes. I can't see pouring nasty Jello in a perfectly beautiful chocolate cake.

But, it doesn't have to be jello. It could be a pudding or a creamy chocolate sauce or maybe you can think of something even better.

 

[GotGarlic]

But, it doesn't have to be jello. It could be a pudding or a creamy chocolate sauce or maybe you can think of something even better.

+1..

 

[GotGarlic]

I,m not a big fan of poke type cakes, but a chocolate version of the old Tres Leches cake might be good, chocolate cake with a caramel poke and whipped cream topping!

I was thinking the same thing. I love tres leches cake

 

[LPBeier]

Chief, If it is a Christmas cake competition, how about just looking for the best chocolate cake that has seasonal touches to it. For example:

A chocolate layer cake with a filling of peppermint whipped cream and drizzled with chocolate ganache.

A chocolate cake that is in a Christmas shape - holly leaf, bell, etc.

A chocolate cake that is made into a yule log

The possibilities are endless.

 

[bbobson]

I recommend using Plastic Drinking Straws from like McDonalds. Makes bigger holes to fill. Yum.

Whiska, that is exactly what I was thinking.

 

[Chief Longwind Of The North]

With the Jello cake, the liquid gelatin saturates the cake, and as it chills, doesn't turn to Jello, but rather, makes a moist cake with the flavor of the Jello. A classic would be lemon cake with lemon jello.

What I was suggesting was to make the chocolate cake, and use the ganache as you would the jello, to soak in and add moisture and flavor to the cake. Then top with something great. However, all chocolate cake ideas are welcome.

As always, what I'm trying to do is to get us to be creative, and maybe come up with something new, and wonderful.

I think the way I'll attack this is to make my favorite chocolate cake (chocolate-mayonaise cake), poke the holes, and fill with maybe chocolate panacotta, covered in nutella ganache., or maybe fold the ganache into whipped cream. Some shaved chocolate on top shold add a nice finishing touch.

Seeeeeeya; Chief Longwind of the North

 

[Aunt Bea]

This might help with your research.

Chocolate Poke Cake Recipe | Just A Pinch Recipes

I picture this topped with cherry pie filling and whipped cream sort of a black forest cake that got lost in the woods!

 

[GotGarlic]

Now here's an idea: http://i.mobypicture.com/user/rick_bayless/view/16328336

From Rick Bayless.