Update: Owen's Birthday Cake

While I know this cake looks luscious and dreamy ...  it wasn't quite so - at least in my opinion.  

Everyone else said it was great, but to me, this is actually two cakes in one - and I mean that on two completely different levels. 

Sure, I made two recipes of Barefoot Contessa's "Birthday Sheetcake" for this double-layer cakeroo - plopping one on top of the other, but this cake was more than that - it was a lemon pound cake with chocolate fudge icing. 

Let me explain ...

The cake is dense - and has a full lemon's worth of zest in each layer.  Each layer has 6 extra large eggs, sour cream, etc. etc.  Heavy. 

The icing is that of a thick, rich fudge.  Luxurious, deep and dark - and a bit sticky, like fudge.  Divine, right?  Not on a lemon pound cake, at least in my opinion. 

So, this is where I am - after having promised to give you the recipe - I am not so sure that I can recommend the cake - or making two entire recipes of it like I did. 


Barefood Contessa Birthday Sheet Cake

For the cake: 18 tablespoons (2 1/4 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
3 cups sugar
6 extra-large eggs, at room temperature
8 ounces (about 1 cup) sour cream, at room temperature
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 lemon, zested
3 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup cornstarch
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon baking soda

For the frosting: 24 ounces semisweet chocolate chips
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
2 tablespoons light corn syrup
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter and flour a 12 by 18 by 1 1/2-inch sheet pan.

To make the cake, cream the butter and sugar on medium-high speed in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. On medium speed, add the eggs, 2 at a time, then the sour cream, vanilla, and lemon zest, scraping down the bowl as needed. Mix well. Sift together the flour, cornstarch, salt, and baking soda. With the mixer on low speed, slowly add the flour mixture to the butter mixture and stir just until smooth. Finish mixing by hand to be sure the batter is well mixed.

Pour evenly into the pan ...

Smooth the top with a spatula ...

Bake in the center of the oven for 25 to 30 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool in the pan to room temperature.

For the frosting, place the chocolate chips and heavy cream in a bowl set over a pot of simmering water, stirring occasionally, until the chips are completely melted. Off the heat, add the corn syrup and vanilla and allow the chocolate mixture to cool to room temperature. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whisk the chocolate mixture and softened butter on medium speed for a few minutes, until it's thickened.

Spread the frosting evenly on the cake. Have the birthday boy decorate the cake with chocolate candies.

Don't ask why this child o' mine put his favorite wrestler's initials on the cake ... just let it be...

Now on to clean up the mess...