Saturday, October 24, 2009

Julia's Chocolate Cake


Well I'm not too thrilled at how my Julia Child chocolate cake turned out, the one that took me TWO DAYS TO MAKE.

Neither layer would unmold properly, even with the buttered wax paper which resolutely stayed stuck to the bottom of the pan while the cake was dislodged by a knife, two spatulas, and moi.

Good thing I'm adept at jigsaw puzzles, because I had plenty of little cake shapes to fit together, tangram-style, to make this square.

I just looked up tangram in the dictionary and realized I could have made a cat.
It had better taste good, is all I'm saying.


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16 Comments:

Blogger Innkeeper Seely said...

Hmm, not the prettiest but how did it taste? Is it worth the effort? Maybe the buttered parchment should be cut like a sling instead of just a bottom.

October 24, 2009 at 6:15 PM  
Blogger Unknown said...

It looks yummy! I had the same thing happen with a chocolate chip pound cake the other night. We ended up dropping the pieces in a bowl and putting ice cream on top! Ha!

Hope it was good!

October 24, 2009 at 6:36 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Hey, it looks delicious. I don't think I could attempt a Julia Child anything.
QMM

October 24, 2009 at 7:16 PM  
Blogger Lynn said...

I gotta say, after all my complaining, the cake was actually delicious. I grumble my way through any Julia recipe I attempt (which isn't many ;)) but so far they have tasted really, really good. Innkeeper Seely, I think you're right, a "sling" of wax paper or parchment may have worked better. And Paige, I think your idea is brilliant, to drop the pieces in a bowl and top with ice cream. Just call it a trifle :)

October 24, 2009 at 9:26 PM  
Blogger Moore Minutes said...

2 days to make it?!! WOW

I just read in the comments that it tasted good! Chocolate usually is a winner. ;)

October 24, 2009 at 11:41 PM  
Blogger DarcyLee said...

In the end, the taste is what matters to me, although I can truly understand your frustration. I'm glad it was good, but chocolate anything is good to me!

October 25, 2009 at 7:26 AM  
Blogger Carpool Queen said...

So, Lynn Sen-Sei and Queen o' all things culinary, should I ask for the Julia Child Mastering the Art of French Cooking cookbook for Christmas?

It's on my list to acquire, but I'm a stickler for delicious recipes and not making things just because they're French and therefore supposedly superior.

Worth it?

October 25, 2009 at 10:42 AM  
Anonymous Faith said...

Looks intensely moist, chocolatey, and delicious...just the way I like my cake! :)

October 25, 2009 at 10:57 AM  
Blogger Sandra said...

Taste is what counts. It's just not something you'll want to take to a church dinner! It looks very good though. But our family loves anything chocolate!

October 25, 2009 at 1:03 PM  
Blogger Lynn said...

Ya know, Carpool Queen, I would never want to diss Julia. But personally, I find those recipes far too time-consuming to be of real practical use, at least for the way I cook. I would suggest either checking out the book from the library first, or at least going to a bookstore and taking a good look before purchasing, to see if it's something you think you'd really use. She has other cookbooks, written later (I think based on what she did on her TV show), that are a bit simpler, so you may want to look at those, too.

If you're wanting a high quality, big ol' cookbook with real usable recipes, I'd suggest you consider The Encyclopedia of Creative Cooking (edited by Charlotte Turgeon) -- which I own and adore -- or another one I've borrowed from my mom that seems really good so far: The Quick Recipe by the editors of Cook's Illustrated Magazine.

Just my two cents. I know Julia is a classic. I'm just not sure most of us really have the hours it takes to make puff pastry, beef stock, mayonnaise, etc. from scratch.

October 25, 2009 at 1:57 PM  
Blogger Ingrid_3Bs said...

Well,dang you haven't tasted it? I hope it does taste good!
~ingrid

October 25, 2009 at 8:19 PM  
Blogger teresa said...

i'm glad that it tasted good, hopefully it was worth it. it looks delicious!

October 26, 2009 at 9:42 AM  
Blogger Libby@CookingWithLibby said...

I'm glad that it tasted delicious! I'm actually reading Julie and Julia right now and I seriously don't think I could attempt to make any of Julia Child's recipes....based on what I have read in the book. To intimidating for me...lol.

October 26, 2009 at 9:54 PM  
Blogger Katy ~ said...

Well, how frustrating to put all that work into a cake that won't leave the pan or the waxed paper! GRRRR Well, I'm glad it tasted good. Great idea on the trifle!

October 27, 2009 at 4:59 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Lynn -- If you ever want to try a reallllly good, dark moist chocolate cake, let me know and I'll send you my fudge cake recipe -- a richer version of the old Texas sheet cake recipe. It is the only chocolate cake I ever make from scratch.

November 3, 2009 at 1:50 PM  
Blogger Lynn said...

Oh Sandra, yes, yes, yes! Please send your recipe for a good, dark, moist chocolate cake immediately! Hurry, girl!

November 3, 2009 at 5:38 PM  

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