so… does this make me an honorary Hungarian?

Here we are again, my friends… the 27th day of yet another month… and the reveal of another Daring Baker Challenge. Where does the time go? Oh, that’s right… I procrastinated it away… AGAIN! This month’s challenge left me wondering… am I a baker or am I an architect?

The August 2009 Daring Bakers’ challenge was hosted by Angela of A Spoonful of Sugar and Lorraine of Not Quite Nigella. They chose the spectacular Dobos Torte based on a recipe from Rick Rodgers’ cookbook Kaffeehaus: Exquisite Desserts from the Classic Caffés of Vienna, Budapest, and Prague. I must admit… I was intimidated. And my fears were not unfounded!

We won’t talk about how I slung vanilla extract across my kitchen (poor planning on my part). We won’t talk about how I underestimated how quickly the caramel/toffee would set up. And we won’t talk about how, in spite of scoring the cake, and trying to spread the caramel/toffee as quickly as possible, and trying multiple methods to cleanly cut the top layer into wedges… all but one turned into a disasterous, cracked, ugly mess. Yeah, let’s not talk about all that.

Alright, back to the torte. The Dobos Torte is a five-layer sponge cake, filled with a rich chocolate buttercream and topped with thin wedges of caramel. It was invented in 1885 by József C. Dobos, a Hungarian baker, and it rapidly became famous throughout Europe for both its extraordinary taste and its keeping properties. The recipe was a secret until Dobos retired in 1906 and gave the recipe to the Budapest Confectioners’ and Gingerbread Makers’ Chamber of Industry, providing that every member of the chamber can use it freely.

I had zero problems with the sponge cake. The buttercream came together nicely (though was a bit soft for my taste). The caramel/toffee layer? Yeah not my finest moment. But I rallied with the assembly and, in the end, produced a somewhat respectable torte – even if it was missing the “wow” factor of the pinwheel top.

We enjoyed the cake and made pretty short work of it… preferring it just out of the refrigerator to being at room temp. But, considering the five or so hours of effort, the baking of six sponge cakes layer by layer by layer, and the mental turmoil over the caramel/toffee layer… though I’m happy to have had the experience, I don’t see myself making this one again. Not without needing therapy, anyway.

Thanks, Angela and Lorraine, for a great challenge! You can find this recipe on our hosts’ blogs and, if you’d like to see the many wonderful interpretations of this challenge, you can visit the DB Blogroll! See you next month for another challenge!

sensational cream cheese pound cake

Is there any cake that’s more of a summer staple than the classic pound cake? It’s one of those no muss, no fuss, go-to cakes that can be as simple or as complicated as you want it to be. It’s equally wonderful plain, cubed and dipped in chocolate fondue, with layers of jam and buttercream, with freshly whipped cream and berries, glazed, or with a drizzle of coulis. Mmmmm….

I’ve been meaning to try out this pound cake recipe for ages and I finally decided to give it a go while strawberries and blueberries were still in season. Pound cake with freshly whipped cream and berries is one of my favorite things at this time of year because it’s simple and uncomplicated, yet still fresh and summery. And those colors… how can you argue with those colors?

The cream cheese in this recipe not only adds a subtle level of interest and a little extra moistness, but it also adds a beautiful… gorgeous… crackly texture to the top. It’s absolutely irresistible. This recipe makes one healthy loaf, but you might want to consider doubling it to make either two loaves or one bundt cake. If not, be advised that the single loaf will be gone before you know it because it’s impossible to stay away from.

Cream Cheese Pound Cake
(adapted from Smitten Kitchen)
1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature
4 ounces (1/2 block) cream cheese, room temperature
1 1/2 cups sugar
3 large eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt

Preheat the oven to 325°F. Lightly butter and flour one standard loaf pan.

Place butter and cream cheese in a large bowl and beat with a mixer until smooth. Add the sugar and increase the mixer speed to high. Beat for approximately five minutes until light and airy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition, scraping down the sides of the bowl after every other egg. Add the vanilla and almond extract and mix until incorporated. Add flour and salt and mix until just combined.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth out the top. Bake until golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the cake comes out clean, approximately 70 minutes.

Place the pan on a cake rack and cool in the pan for 20 minutes Remove the cake from the pan cool completely. Serve at room temperature. Makes 8 generous servings. Recipe doubles easily to make two loaves or one (12 cup) bundt cake.

the mighty mojito!

Looking for a refreshing summer drink? Give this Frozen Mojito a spin in your blender — and check out all of the other great things going on over at FGG!