Happy New Year – Chocolate Caramel Cake

// 52 Comments
HAPPY NEW YEAR …Oh was that too loud being late since we are already in the new year? it doesn’t matter isn’t it? Hope you all partied hard, had fun and very warmly embraced new year.Myself and mum had a great new year eve. We were in fun filled Desi party, with enormous amount of food, fire crackers and gallons of fun. I made vindaloo chicken, spicy enough for the cold night and chocolate caramel cake for cake cutting ceremony. It was one of the longest parties (12 hrs) we talked, discussed, laughed, played games….and big hangover after that…:pAfter a day full of sleep I recovered. This year for the first time in my life I took a resolution, that was by hook or by crook I have to complete my PhD…..God are you listening? Fingers crossed.

Another unforeseen surprise was I bagged DMBLGiT’s originality award for my picture. It gave me a great motivation to start the year and brought the feel good atmosphere around me :D. With all goody goody thoughts around me one thing that struck my mind was “reflection”. I reflect the deeds I do, my soul reflect the thoughts I think and my reaction reflects the action I do. I’m going to keep a constant check of all these within myself to get a clear reflection of self and there by put a foot forward for a clear world. Possibly you will see that in my pictures in this post.

With the end of “just my thoughts” I wish you lovely people a blessed, glorious, successful, wealthy, healthy and cheerful happy new year.

I adapted the recipe from here. Made some mild modification. My addition was caramel cream layers to the cake.

Caramel Cream
35gram Castor sugar sifted
25gram Brown sugar
2tbsp Butter
3tbsp Milk
1/2tsp Vanilla extract
Method
In a saucepan, melt the butter, add in milk and brown sugar. When they start to melt take them away from heat. Very slowly whisk in sifted caster sugar until it is uniformly mixed. Let them cool for about 2 to three hours. It will become like a thick creamy texture.
(I made two batch of caramel cream)
Chocolate Ganache
250ml Fresh cream
250gram Dark chocolate chopped (But I used milk chocolate)
30gram Butter
Bring the cream to boil in a sauce pan. Remove from heat and throw in the chocolate and let them rest for 2 minutes then add butter and let aside for about 5 to 10 minutes and very gently mix the chocolate till they become glossy let them rest for about two hours they will gradually thicken up.

Ingredients
Chocolate Cake.
5 eggs
75gram Sugar
70gram All purpose flour
30gram Cocoa Powder ( I used organic)
40gram Cooking Dark Chocolate
50gram Butter
1/2 tsp of Baking powder (due to coldness I preferred to add some baking powder)
1/2 tsp Vanilla extract

Method
Melt the chocolate in a double boiler till they are melted and let them aside to cool down.
Separate yolk and white part of the eggs.
Sieve cocoa powder, all purpose flour and baking powder
Beat butter and sugar until light and airy. Add egg yolk and beat until they become creamy and fluffy. Now add dry ingredients by three parts and very gently fold into the mixture. Now add the melted chocolate and fold in gently. Next beat the white egg until single peak is formed. Now fold in the egg white to the cake batter. Pour the cake batter into the 18cm prepared cake pan. Bake them in to preheated oven at 170C to about 25 to 30 minutes.

(I made two batches so that i could get four layers)

Assemble
I baked the cake the previous day so that they would cool down to room temperature. 
Very carefully halve the cakes. Select one good bottom part of the cake and let them aside to use it as a top layer.
Place one halve of the cake, then pour in one batch of caramel cake and spread uniformly. Then place next half (upper part) of the cake pour in chocolate ganache spread uniformly. Then again place next upper halve of the cake. Pour in next batch of caramel cream spread uniformly. Now place the good bottom part of cake. (Make sure bottom part of the cake is facing upwards this helps to get the uniform spread of ganache.)  Now generously spread the ganache and do any kind of decoration of your choice :)

For caramel basket check this dam good video :)

52 comments

  1. Smitha says:

    just love and love the decoration on the cake…but does it matter noooo cos its caramel…I will caramel anyways….looks so beautiful and yummy!!

  7. Tanvi@Sinfully Spicy says:

    Happy New Year Ananada..and congrats for the prestigious food porn award :) I love the neat caramel work you have done..and it has coffee..one of my favorite flavors..on the whole I m trying to say I can eat all of it! Have a nice time with your mom!

  8. Roshan says:

    my dear Ananda…what can I say after seeing such a beautiful and perfect cake..the photographs are breathtaking….

    Wish you a Happy & Prosperous New Year!!

    May you complete your Ph.D. this year.

    cheers

    roshan

  16. ? says:

    Ananda a very happy new year to you and your mom and family!
    Best Wishes for the successful compeltion of your phd too.
    Congratulations for the award.
    Love the sugar work on the cake.

  20. EliFla says:

    I wish you and your family a wonderful happy 2011…. your cake is a beautyful way to start the new year with positive thoughts!!!!Hugs, Flavia

  22. Swathi says:

    Chocolate caramel cake looks awesome. I am glad that you had a wonderful time. congrats on Dmblgit win. Good luck with your PhD.

  23. Sharon says:

    Your cake looks fabulous! Love the decorations, especially the caramel in the center. I tried making those caramel web type things once and it was far from successful because they all broke. But yours is amazing!

    Have a fantastic New Year! Your photos are great as always!

  24. Anna Johnston says:

    What fabulous pictures you take Ananda, I just love the way you’ve made that already mouthwateringly wonderful tempting cake look like it wants to jump right out of the screen at me.
    Good luck with your resolutions, may the PhD gods shine on you this year too :)
    Happy New Year :)

  27. Kulsum@JourneyKitchen says:

    Oh lady! this is so pretty! I would probably never eat the cake if I could dress it up like this. Looks so special and I can only imagine the time and patience with which u made it. I made a chocolate cake on new year eve, with just a quick sexy frosting and sprinkling of walnut. So bad right?!

  29. MaryMoh says:

    Lovely post, lovely flowers and lovely cake! It brings such a feeling of love and beauty right at the start of the year. Congrats on the award! Really happy for you. I always love your pictures. I’m confident that you will complete your PhD this year…more cooking and baking will help 😀

  30. Santosh Bangar says:

    amazing marvellous fantastic decoration. i am speechless there are not words to describe its beauti’
    how u will do it give some tip to me
    happy and prosperous new year

  36. Indie.Tea says:

    Sounds like a very nice New Years. And congratulations on the food photography award!
    O, and happy New Year. The cake looks like a marvelous way to ring in 2011!

  37. Pavithra says:

    Wow Ananda Gorgeous cake and the spun sugar decor on the top of the cake is absolutely marvellous.. I love making spun sugar designs its fun right :) but we have to be very careful.. Hope ur mom is enjoying ur lovely cakes.. How is she ??? Regds to her.

  38. Devaki says:

    You are some kind of cake Queen, girl! I mean look at you, you make any cake look like a million bucks. Not that I am saying this isn’t worth a million bucks, now :) Seriously, you rocked New years! Fab cake, fab pics!

    And on the subject a very happy New Year to you! :)

    Chow! Devaki @ weavethousandflavors

  44. Couscous & Consciousness says:

    OMG Ananda – that cake looks absolutely incredible – I wish I could be at your place right now so that I could get a slice of this cake :-)

    Congratulations on your award – you have such an amazing talent – it is very well deserved.

    Sue xo

  47. Catherine says:

    Sounds like you had a fabulous Hogmanay 😀 as always, your pictures are beautiful and you fully deserve your award! Good Luck completing your PHD, I have every confidence in you.

  50. Choclette says:

    What an absolutely fantastic cake – now wonder you won an award for it. I do so admire your decorative skills.

    Good Luck with the PhD. I’m hoping CT will finish his this year too – cross fingers!

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