Chocolate Cake covered in White Fondant

After taking my first fondant class at Michael's the final task was to bake a cake and cover it with fondant. above is the end result of my efforts.

Lessons learned:

-always work on clean surfaces (this is any cooking,baking give)
-cake should have a smooth finish with the butter cream before attempting to cover it in fondant
-be patient when covering fondant to ensure one ends up with a smooth finished cake

Black Forest Cake

Have been working on my baking skills and have decided to document my journey. In the course of time I will be sharing my baking journey and perfecting my skills. To start of this is my all time fav cake Black Forest.

Recipe from Black Forest Cake Recipe

Ingredients

2 1/8 cups all purpose flour                          ½ cup vegetable oil

2 cups sugar                                                   1 tablespoon vanilla extract

¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder               2 cans pitted sour cherries

1 ½ teaspoons baking powder                      1 cup white sugar

¾ teaspoon baking soda                                ¼ cup cornstarch      

¾ teaspoon salt                                              3 cups whipping cream

3 eggs                                                              1/3 cup confectioners’ sugar

1 cup milk      

1.   1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour two 9 inch, round, cake pans; cover bottoms with waxed paper.

2.    2.In a large bowl, combine flour, 2 cups sugar, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add eggs, milk, oil, and 1 tablespoon vanilla; beat until well blended. Pour batter into prepared pans.

3.    3.Bake for 35 minutes, or until wooden toothpick inserted in centers comes out clean. Cool layers in pans on wire racks 10 minutes. Loosen edges, and remove to racks to cool completely.

4.    4.Drain cherries, reserving 1/2 cup juice. Combine reserved juice, cherries, 1 cup sugar and cornstarch in a 2 quart saucepan. Cook over low heat until thickened, stirring constantly. Stir in 1 teaspoon vanilla. Cool before using.

5.    5.Combine whipping cream and confectioner's sugar in a chilled medium bowl. Beat with an electric mixer at high speed until stiff peaks form.

6.    6.With long serrated knife, split each cake layer horizontally in half. Tear one split layer into crumbs; set aside. Reserve 1 1/2 cups Frosting for decorating cake; set aside. Gently brush loose crumbs off top and side of each cake layer with pasty brush or hands. To assemble, place one cake layer on cake plate. Spread with 1 cup frosting; top with 3/4 cup cherry topping. Top with second cake layer; repeat layers of frosting and cherry topping. Top with third cake layer. Frost side of cake. Pat reserved crumbs onto frosting on side of cake. Spoon reserved frosting into pastry bag fitted with star decorator tip. Pipe around top and bottom edges of cake. Spoon remaining cherry topping onto top of cake.