Comments on: Chocolate, vanilla, chocolate, vanilla… Birthday cake for fence-sitters.

By: taffy

taffy — Tue, 16 Aug 2011 10:30:36 +0000

could u pliz tell me the measurements of the ingredients Sure, Taffy - they're in the recipe, which you click to from the end of the blog. Here's the recipe: Choco-Nilla Cake. Enjoy - PJH

By: sarahepardee

sarahepardee — Sat, 25 Jun 2011 15:25:03 +0000

Thanks for the great tutorial- this cake looks beautiful and easy to make! Also, I’m an in-the-closet frozen coconut cake lover, too. I love the Sara Lee one, but Pepperidge Farm is good, too.

By: Mrs. White

Mrs. White — Sat, 25 Jun 2011 13:23:56 +0000

This looks delicious! I appreciate the step-by-step pictures. It makes it easier to follow.

Mrs. White
The Legacy of Home blog

By: Tiffany

Tiffany — Sat, 12 Feb 2011 22:55:32 +0000

I'm making this cake right now, I was wondering what temperature to bake it at! I couldn't find it anywhere. My vanilla is in at 350 just to be safe but it's been about ten minutes and it hasn't done much.. what should I do?! I think 350 is just fine. Us e a toothpick to double check the doneness. I'll ask the web team to update the recipe. Frank @ KAF. Yes, check the Choco-Nilla Cake recipe - 350°F it is. PJH

By: lalalala

lalalala — Sat, 12 Jun 2010 18:01:41 +0000

this is awsome this delicous i made it came perfect

By: Jackie

Jackie — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 17:55:39 +0000

Hi PJH

I was wondering about the skewers in the cake. How do you cut the cake with the skewers in the cake.

Let the cake set until the ganache goes to the outside and the layers are stable. Remove the skewers and finish with the final “frosting”. Irene @ KAF

By: Nel

Nel — Thu, 18 Sep 2008 10:18:11 +0000

Has anyone tried making this as a checkerboard cake, as one poster (Jane) suggested? That was my first thought, but since I’ve done some research about checkerboard cakes, it seems that the batter has to be rather stiff for the checkerboard design to be distinct. With all the liquid in this recipe – and especially with the oil – this looks like it’s a more light, delicate cake and a more liquid batter, which I don’t think would work for a checkerboard cake.

Any good recipes for chocolate and vanilla cake that would work with checkerboard pans? I only made the cake once, many years ago, and it seemed to me to be somewhat bland and on the dry side.

By: Steve

Steve — Thu, 14 Aug 2008 04:15:21 +0000

I made this today. One tip, and maybe this is obvious for seasoned cake bakers: for the bottom layer, use the domed side of one of the layers, turned upside down. This allows all the flat sides to fit together so the sides can be more easily iced. My chocolate layer ended up with a pretty big dome, and I used that as the top.
Additionally, I don’t like the idea of heating cream in the microwave, so I heated it on the stove, removed from heat, then added the chocolate. This worked out nicely.
Thanks for this.

Steve, good tip, thanks. And certainly heating cream for chocolate ganache the traditional way, on the stovetop, is also a good option. – PJH

By: Ellen

Ellen — Wed, 06 Aug 2008 21:02:16 +0000

Thanks SO much for the chocolate-vanilla cake and the blitz torte recipes! I made the cake for my sons 13th b’day– a huge hit with all who tried it. I also have plans to double each layer and make an all vanilla or all chocolate cake. Both were teriffic. Ganache is always a winner with me. I used half semi-sweet and half bitter-sweet choc though, no added flavors– super dark and perfect.

My husband is making the blitz torte for my b’day next week– lucky me, I know! I’ll let you know how it turns out.

So much cake, so little time…
Ellen

By: Casey

Casey — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 01:49:58 +0000

This is in the oven as I write…….the vanilla layer is out, cooled and split and the chocolate
layer is baking. There seemed to be more choco batter and it rose quite high in the pan.
I’m finding that the 35 minutes was for the vanilla layer and just passed 45 for the choco
layer and it’s still got quite a wet spot in the middle.
It’s a birthday cake for an employee……………walking in tandem with PJ I always take requests, but this 22 yr. old said it was my choice, how’s that for easy?!?
O.K. 48 minutes for the choco layer.
Wish I had a serrated-edge knife 9″ long! The tip about the skewers to hold the layers in
place while the filling sets is a keeper.
Thanks, I’m sure there will be rave reviews, moaning Weight Watchers, and with only 5
employees, leftovers for Wednesday!

Not sure what’s up with the time, but yeah,the chocolate layer does rise right to the top… Weight Watchers, huh? We have them come onsite sometimes. It’s tough to keep the calorie count down around here! Have fun, Casey -PJH