There's something about layer cakes that always brings me great comfort--from both making them and eating them. To me, layer cakes are baked bliss, truly. Don't get me wrong, cupcakes are wonderful; cupcakes are sweet; cupcakes are darling (and perky), but they just aren't layer cakes.
Perhaps part of the glory of layer cakes is the intrigue of what's beneath all of that swirled frosting, or the wonder of what fills the stacked layers under a perfectly composed exterior. Ever notice how layer cakes will offer one or two little hints as to what's inside, without giving too much away?
Think about a beautifully frosted pink cake with a few white sprinkles and a single strawberry on top: one could imagine that there are layers of vanilla cake inside with possible alternating layers of sweet pink strawberry cake, or maybe even layer up on layer of strawberry cake with fresh strawberry jam in between. Or, perhaps, there are layers of vanilla cake with homemade custard and fresh cut strawberries stacked inside.
Truth is, we never can tell, but as far as I'm concerned, I'm always ready to find out. True, it's likely that my love and adoration for layer cakes is slightly unnatural, but, in my heart, I know that some of you agree.
So, please, brace yourself: this cake is possibly the most delicious cake I've ever made. No jokes, no trying to be cute and sassy, but the honest truth. 6 layers of dark, moist chocolate cake sandwiching alternating rich and fluffy frosting: satiny Belgian chocolate malted frosting and creamy toasted-marshmallow vanilla frosting with bits of actual crispy marshmallow in every bite. Strangely, the finished cake is not really super sweet —it's more rich, light, and creamy sweet...
Here's a little peek at the marshmallows after being lightly toasted in the oven. They taste amazing in the cake, and are also pretty incredible taken right from the parchment paper: ooey and gooey in all the right places.
Now, I know it's not exactly summer yet, and there aren't a lot of campfires happening quite yet (at least not here in Canada), but the taste of toasted marshmallows seems to bring a sense of nostalgia, no matter what the season. This addition to the recipe really makes (and takes) the cake.
Here it is standing tall and proud, flaunting an ever-important "S" cake adjective for every one of its layers: sky-high, simple, sweet, satiny, special, and, most importantly, sinful.
I think one of the simplest ways to create a wow-factor, is to split your layers. You've already baked them, so if you get really comfortable splitting them in two, you can create a sky-high cake in moments, and just think of how many fun fillings and frostings you can add into the mix. It really is one of the best techniques to learn (I'll list a few tips and tricks on that subject below).
A world without cake, well, please don't even make me think about it.
Did you know that you and I had a cake-for-two today? Yum.
Good luck & let's bake the world happy!
