Crossed the Allegheny River to go to Millvale. After I went to Panza’s to pick up Joan’s painting I had reframed, I went to get some brioche and a loaf of crusty bread from Jean-Marc Chatellier’s French Bakery. 412.821.8533 Everything in the bakery is beyond delicious. There are samples on the counter of the melt-in-your-mouth butter cookies and a French shortbread called Breton Cake. There are little fruit tarts, apricot tarts and flaky croissants, even Key Lime pie slices. As I was about to pay for my order, I saw him frosting a cake in the back. I asked the young woman waiting on me if it would be all right to take a picture. She said,” Just take it!” So I did. Magnificent artistry in cake making. And delicious. I have eaten memorable wedding cakes made by him. Once I bought a cake there for Laura’s graduation from Marquette and drove it to Milwaukee WI.
Memo to self: Drive across river more often to Millvale and buy delicious pastries from Jean-Marc Chatellier.
After I had baked the layers and let them cool, I knew I’d frost them before heading out to the Steelers game at Cj’s. Set a table on the front porch to photograph the effort while I waited for Steve to come home to go to the game. The occasion? Happy Birthday Roberta!
Vanilla cake with vanilla icing. 1-2-3-4 Recipe and Buttercream.
My friend Joanne in Omaha shipped a box of cupcake items to Columbus so I could create a 4th of July/Birthday Cupcake Display Tree and marthastewart.com directions/photo of flag cupcake.
Cupcakes are all the rage around the city these days. You can bake them at home but not today in the heatwave.
1-2-3-4 Cake Recipe from Swans Down Cake Flour Box and Grandmothers who came before- Anna used Red White & Blue Sprinkles and red licorice lace Joanne sent.
1 cup butter+ 2 cups sugar + 3 cups cake flour + 4 eggs +1 cup milk 3 t baking powder and 1/2 t salt and 1 t vanilla I used buttermilk so added a tsp of baking soda (made 36 cupcakes- 1/4 C batter per)
Basic Buttercream Icing- 1 C butter+ 4 C 10X sugar + vanilla +2 T milk
The inventor of the Bundt Pan (Nordic Ware) Mr. David Dalquist, passed away in January 2005. I read his obit in the Times. Having never owned one, that week I bought a Bundt Pan, bid and won a Bundt Cake Cookbook on Ebay. I had plans.
Four years later I finally baked the Tunnel of Fudge cake for Sunday supper guests, a farewell to summer meal on the front porch. I sliced up some pieces and slipped them into wax paper lunch bags for them to eat later- or for breakfast. I followed the recipe to the letter even though I wanted to add vanilla and salt. A side of vanilla ice cream would have been good.
Tunnel of Fudge Bundt Cake on Cake Stand Kitchen Counter, Waits for Guests
Great article in the Washington Post January 11, 2005 by Mr. Hank Stuever but it cost too much to republish. Heartily recommend you “google it” though. and the recipe is all over the web
The Tunnel of Fudge Cake, a second-place Pillsbury Bake-Off winner in 1966, was developed by Ella Rita Helfrich of Houston, Texas, who won $5,000.
1 3/4 c. butter, softened
1 3/4 c. granulated sugar
6 eggs
2 c. powdered sugar
2 1/4 c. all purpose flour
3/4 c. cocoa
2 c. chopped walnuts
GLAZE:
3/4 cup confectioners’ (powdered) sugar
1/4 cup cocoa, like Hershey’s
1 1/2 to 2 tablespoons milk
Heat the oven to 350*F. Grease a 12-cup Bundt pan or 10-inch angel cake pan. Dust with flour and tap out the excess.
In a large bowl, beat the butter and granulated sugar using an electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy, for 1 to 2 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
Gradually add 2 cups confectioners’ sugar, beating until well-blended. By hand, stir in 21/4 cups flour, 3/4 cup cocoa and the nuts; mix until well-blended. Spoon the batter into the prepared pan and spread evenly.
Bake for 58 to 62 minutes. (Because this cake has a soft tunnel of fudge, an ordinary doneness test cannot be used. Accurate oven temperature and baking time are critical.)
Let the cake cool upright in the pan on a rack for 1 hour, then invert onto a serving plate and let cool completely.
To make the glaze: In a small bowl, combine 3/4 cup confectioners’ sugar, 1/4 cup cocoa and 1 1/2 tablespoons milk. Mix until well blended, adding the remaining 1/2 tablespoon milk to make a spooning consistency.
Spoon the glaze over the top of the cooled cake, allowing some to run down sides. Store the cake tightly covered.
