Friday, December 3, 2010

Andy's Buckeye Birthday Cake


Yes, this day has finally come!  I know some of you may not have thought I'd post this, but I promised you I would!  Better late than never, right?

I even thought, at one point, that I had ruined this cake.  I blame it on the short cat nap I took while the cake portion was in the oven.  Thank goodness for internal time clocks, though!

I've convinced myself that I need to do more baking, and I thought you guys could help me out!  Pretty please?  So anyway, once or twice a month, (maybe more if I'm (or Andy) is feeling an extra sweet tooth) I'll have a poll up with ingredients.  You choose the ingredient you'd most like to see in a dessert and I'll surprise you guys with a dessert the following week.  Good deal, eh?  You'll find this upcoming week's poll at the end of this post.

But first, we must talk about buckeye cake!

So who knows what a buckeye is?  (:::Looking around:::)  Okay, some of you.  Well... let's get a little history lesson for those of you who don't know, maybe you do know, but just didn't know it was called a Buckeye?

Source
Okay, well a Buckeye tree is native to Ohio and has these nuts on them, that well... look like a male deer's (also known as a buck) eye.   So that's the nut up above.

Well, some creative dessert geniuses decided to make something even better, that resembled the look of a Buckeye nut.  If you look at the picture above, it looks like peanut butter in the center and chocolate surrounding it, right?  And that's exactly what a Buckeye is!  Chocolate dipped peanut butter balls.  And they're pretty much awesome.

So wouldn't it be even more awesome to turn this into a cake?  Uhh... hell yeah it would!  So thanks to a Nestle Tollhouse recipe, this creation actually exists!

Ingredients:
Adapted from Nestle Tollhouse's Recipe

Cake Layer



2 eggs
1 & 1/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup flour
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

1/2 to 1 cup (depending on how chocolatey you want it!) unsweetened/dark chocolate, melted
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/8 teaspoon salt


Peanut Butter Layer

3/4 cup peanut butter
1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
1/4 teaspoon vanilla
3/4 cup powdered sugar



Chocolate Ganache Layer


1 cup heavy whipping cream
2 cups dark chocolate chips
 

1/3 cup peanut butter chips

Preheat oven to 350º F.

Grease 9-inch-round spring form pan (you could use a cake pan, but unfortunately I don't have one of those).  Line the bottom of pan with parchment paper and grease that, as well.

For the Cake: Combine eggs and sugar in large bowl. Stir in flour, melted butter, melted chocolate, vanilla extract and salt until smooth. Pour into prepared pan.

Bake for 25 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in the middle comes out clean.  I'm pretty sure I just dozed off for a couple minutes after the timer went off, so my cake came out a little more like a cookie, than a cake... but it worked out for the best!  Cool on wire rack for 5 minutes.  Run a knife around edge of cake and cool for an additional 10 minutes.  Invert cake onto serving platter.  Remove pan and carefully peel off parchment.  Cool cake/cookie completely.

For the Peanut Butter Layer: Beat peanut butter, butter and vanilla in a medium bowl until combined.  Gradually beat in powdered sugar.  Spread mixture on cake. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.

For the Ganache: Heat cream in small saucepan to boiling and then remove from heat.  Add dark chocolate morsels and let stand for 5 minutes.  Stir until smooth.  Refrigerate for 30 minutes or until mixture is spreadable.  Spread chocolate on top and sides of cake.

Melt the peanut butter chips in a small heatproof bowl in microwave, about 30 seconds.  Spoon mixture into a piping bag.  Decorate cake as you wish (in my case, some Happy Birthday and star bits)  Not bad for my first cursive cake decorating, eh?  I could definitely use some work (notice the "a" and "y") Store in refrigerator until set.  Let stand for 30 minutes before serving.

And there you have it... the most enjoyable cake Andy has ever put in it mouth.  And I'm not just saying that... he told me so!!

Notice our creeper dog eying that peanut butter!

Oh, and here's the poll guys!  I'll probably post the dessert recipe either on Wednesday or Friday of next week!!


37 comments:

  1. Buckeyes rock, and so does your cake! And I doggie photobombs!! :D

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  2. should say I LOVE doggie photobombs! I shouldn't post without drinking coffee first! :)

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  3. LOL on the dog! that cracked me up!

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  4. Ah... ur dog looks sweet...dontcha just wonder what they are thinking while we are posing and taking pictures of our food??? And this cake looks delicious!!! Turning buckeyes into a whole cake is an awesome idea!

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  5. Your dog looks sweet, cake looks delicious. Love Buckeye too.

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  6. So I LOVE the polling idea. I can't wait to see what wins...and what you end up making. I'm so glad that this cake turned out! I have fallen asleep quite a few times while baking with less than positive results. Your cake looks stupendous! Thank you for sharing! I hope you have a wonderful weekend.

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  7. We love Buckeyes over here so this cake would be perfect for us! The cake looks amazing! I actually have Buckeye Bars on the list of things to make before Christmas :) Yummm! Can't wait to see the results of the poll ;)

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  8. Thanks - looks amazingly rich!!!! Will have to give it a go!!

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  9. Holy delicious! There are no words.

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  10. Hmm...I've never heard of the buck eye until now. Interesting stuff you learn through blogging huh? Andy's cake looks delicious. I'm sure he was pretty anxious to dig into that yumminess. Cute picture too. Fun idea with the poll, already voted.

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  11. I lived in Columbus for a long time, so I am VERY familiar with Buckeyes. But I've never seen it in cake form! Sounds great!

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  12. What an amazing looking cake. Your fiance's a lucky man!!

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  13. NOTHING is better than chocolate and peanut butter together! You're fiance is a very lucky man!!

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  14. With such a cake how can you expect not to do like that. I can totally sympathize with him. I would devour it the minute I saw it.

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  15. I went to college in Ohio and soon found that Buckeyes would be my favorite Christmas treat! (Peanut butter balls dipped in chocolate). Even though I don't live in Ohio anymore, I still make them every year for the holidays.

    Your cake looks wonderful!

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  16. Belatd bday wishes!
    Cake looks so yummy..

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  17. Your cake looks incredibly scrumptious! I love your idea for letting us pick your ingredients - fun! I've never had a 'buckeye - wonder where they've been all my life!?

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  18. I never knew about the buckeye tree. I always wondered why Ohio got to claim this wonderful goodness.

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  19. R HUBBY ISLOOKING SMART WHILE EATING CAKE .CAKE IS BEAUTIFULLY DECORATED
    THNKS FOR VISITING .HOPE IN FUTURE ALSO

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  20. Hi! I have an award for you. Please drop by my blog to pick it up. All you have to do is cut and paste the award to your blog. Just follow through with the rules. You most certainly deserve this award. Congratulations!

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  21. That is some handsome buckeye cake :)

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  22. Buckeyes are supposed to bring you luck but it looks like your fiance has the luck having you make him this birthday cake! The doggie photobomb is hilarious too. This cake recipe would be a huge hit at our house. Also, thanks for your kind comment on my blog!

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  23. I have a buckhead that my great grandfather used to carry every day in his pocket!

    hope you are going to post on merry mondays tomorrow- I always love your treats!

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  24. nice clicks..cake looks so delicious.

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  25. What a wonderful cake! So unique and flavorful!

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  26. hi peggy, new to ur blog......wonderful space u have....cute cake....I am ur follower

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  27. Cute post and great cake. I am pretty sure you and Andy are the cutest couple ever, second only to me and Matthew. ;)

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  28. Ohioan here! So of course I know what Buckeyes are :) And of course the Ohio State Buckeyes. Your cake looks so good!

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  29. HAPPY BELATED BIRTHDAY ANDY!!!!!

    He looks like a happy man!!! He should, that cake looks amazing! I want some nomnomnom!

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  30. Wow! I live in Ohio and I actually just posted my Buckeye recipe, lol but now I'll probably have to try this, it looks SO good!

    xx

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  31. oh my goodness! i am from ohio and went to ohio state where buckeye candy is consumed all year round, but i have NEVER seen a buckeye cake!! i love it!

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  32. This looks heavenly... I may try & make it this weekend :)

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  33. aww!! that's so cute! & the cake looks delicious!

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