happy birthday husBen!

I am usually terrible at keeping secrets from Ben; for example, hardly a Christmas has passed in our young relationship wherein I have not already spoiled his surprise by giving him his Christmas present by the beginning of November or telling him about it before he even has a chance to open it. I just get so excited!

This time around, however, I really surprised husBen. For his 25^th birthday (last monday), I had some of our close friends and his coworkers station themselves at a bar, ready for our arrival (I told him I planned a progressive dinner with drinks starting at Anvil). When we arrived and he saw his friends, he still did not seem to catch on and seemed to think it coincidental at first. Surprise!

how can one be so accomplished
at such a young age?
i'm taking notes from this kid....

Callie brought this birthday cake to the bar for me so that he would not see me toting it in (thereby ruining all my efforts at secrecy). We whipped it up super fast that afternoon and I shoved her out the door with it before Ben got home from work. Note: by superfast, I mean this took a few hours of my bossiness and spinning around my tiny kitchen with Callie on her toes interpreting my every need. I seriously could not have pulled this off without my sou chef!

Ben Smith you are my greatest thing and you are worth it.  

BEN's BIRTHDAY CAKE

For cake layers:

3 ounces fine-quality semisweet chocolate such as Callebaut

1 1/2 cups hot brewed coffee

3 cups sugar

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/2 cups unsweetened cocoa powder (not Dutch process)

2 teaspoons baking soda

3/4 teaspoon baking powder

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

3 large eggs

3/4 cup vegetable oil

1 1/2 cups well-shaken buttermilk

1 teaspoon vanilla

Special equipment- three cake pans

Make cake layers: Preheat oven to 300°F. and grease pans with Baker’s Joy (or do the melted butter and sift of flour thing).

Finely chop chocolate and in a bowl combine with hot coffee. Let mixture stand, stirring occasionally, until chocolate is melted and mixture is smooth.

Into a large bowl sift together sugar, flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. In another large bowl with an electric mixer beat eggs until thickened slightly and lemon colored (about 3 minutes with a standing mixer or 5 minutes with a hand-held mixer). Slowly add oil, buttermilk, vanilla, and melted chocolate mixture to eggs, beating until combined well. Add sugar mixture and beat on medium speed until just combined well. Divide batter between pans and bake in middle of oven until a tester inserted in center comes out clean, 1 hour to 1 hour and 10 minutes.

Cool layers completely in pans on racks. Run a thin knife around edges of pans and invert layers onto racks. Carefully remove wax paper and cool layers completely. Cake layers may be made 1 day ahead and kept, wrapped well in plastic wrap, at room temperature.

For ganache frosting

1 pound fine-quality semisweet chocolate such as Callebaut

1 cup heavy cream

2 tablespoons sugar

2 tablespoons light corn syrup

1/2 stick (1/4 cup) unsalted butter

Make ganache frosting: Finely chop chocolate. In a 1 1/2- to 2-quart saucepan bring cream, sugar, and corn syrup to a boil over moderately low heat, whisking until sugar is dissolved. Remove pan from heat and add chocolate, whisking until chocolate is melted. Cut butter into pieces and add to frosting, whisking until smooth.

Transfer frosting to a bowl and cool, stirring occasionally, until spreadable (depending on chocolate used, it may be necessary to chill frosting to spreadable consistency).

For the Salted Caramel Buttercream

2 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature

1 tbsp vanilla extract

1 ½ cups powdered sugar

½ cup caramel

¼ tsp salt

In a large mixing bowl, beat butter and vanilla on high speed until pale and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes.  Turn mixer to low/medium and slowly add 1/2 cup powdered sugar at a time.  Beat until combined.  Add in caramel sauce and salt.  Beat until desired consistency is achieved.

Assembly

3 cake layers

ganache frosting

caramel buttercream frosting

1 bag Heath toffee bits

Build cake a layer at a time. Place 1 cake layer on whatever platter you will be serving the cake on. Generously spread caramel frosting over the first cake layer and top with a layer of toffee bits. Add next cake layer- repeat with caramel frosting and toffee bits. Add top cake layer and place cake in fridge for 15-30 minutes to chill (makes icing the cake with ganache easier). After cake has chilled, ice the entire cake with the chocolate ganache icing and sprinkle toffee bits on top as the final touch! Serve room temperature.

(adapted from Gourmet, March 1999)