After what seemed like a long, long wait, it was finally time to host our very first At the table workshop. It’s been exactly one month since me, Made by Mary, Cashew Kitchen and Rania Maria met up on that sunny Friday in September at Dala-Floda värdshus. We immediately started preparing everything for our ten guests who were arriving in just a few short hours. I was filled with anticipation, but it was also pretty nerve-racking to say the least. I have never taught styling before and knew that it was going to be a challenge to put words on why, and how I do things without just stating the obvious “uhmm, because it looks good”. I knew that I had this chocolate cake up my sleeve though, to sway the guests just in case I would forget everything I was supposed to say (which is something I tend to do when I’m nervous). I didn’t get to see Maria’s styling session but I know she’s a natural teacher and really awesome at explaning her creative process. I did get to see Agnes’ session though and she was just fantastic.
I brought my favorite chocolate chip cookies for the guests styling session. It was so much fun to see them all at work, they were all so creative, talented and kind. I wish we had a couple more days to spend together!
TRIPLE CHOCOLATE CAKE
Makes one delicious 6-inch (15 cm) cake
Adapted from one of my own recipes, from my book Sweet food & photography
This cake is known as my favorite chocolate cake ever, the one I bring to almost all events and the cake that converts all the chocolate haters out there to chocolate lovers. Everyone who tries this frosting ask me exactly how I made it, and if it’s actually a mousse. Try it, it’s the best!
INGREDIENTS
CHOCOLATE CAKE
75 g butter (I use salted)
barely 1 1/2 cups (315 g) granulated sugar
1 1/4 cups (180 g) all purpose flour
1/2 cup + 2 tbsp (60 g) cocoa powder
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
2 large eggs, at room temperature
3/4 cup milk (175 ml), at room temperature
3/4 cup hot water (175 ml)
CHOCOLATE BUTTERCREAM
100 g milk chocolate, coarsely chopped
100 g dark chocolate (70%), coarsely chopped
2 3/4 sticks (about 300 g) softened butter (I use salted)
1/2 cup + 2 tbsp (90 g) powdered sugar
pinch of salt
1/4 tsp vanilla powder
CHOCOLATE GLAZE
75 g dark chocolate (70%), coarsely chopped
3 tbsp (45 g) butter
TOPPING
Chopped/crushed maltesers
INSTRUCTIONS
CHOCOLATE CAKE
1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Butter and flour two 6-inch (15 cm) cake pans.
2. Melt the butter and set aside.
3. Put sugar, flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a large mixing bowl. Add melted butter, milk and eggs and beat until just smooth.
4. Add the hot water and stir until smooth (batter will be very liquid, don’t worry, it’s supposed to be like that).
5. Divide the batter between the two cake pans. Bake for 35-40 minutes, checking doneness with a tootpick before removing from the oven.
6. Let cool in pans for 15 minutes, the invert onto a cooling rack to cool completely.
CHOCOLATE BUTTERCREAM
1. Melt all the chocolate in the microwave or in a double boiler. Set aside to cool to room temperature.
2. Beat the butter until very pale and fluffy. Add the powdered sugar, salt and vanilla and beat for 1 minute.
3. Add the melted chocolate and beat for another 2 minutes or until very fluffy.
ASSEMBLY (check out my guide on how to fill and cover a cake here)
1. If cakes are rounded on top, even out with a knife. Cut both cake
layers in half using a sharp serrated knife (you’ll end up with four
thinner layers). Put the first layer on a cake board or a cake stand.
Spread buttercream on the first layer. Add the next layer and repeat
until you’ve used up all four layers
2. Spread a thin layer of buttercream all over the cake (this is the
crumb coating layer, to hold all the crumbs in place) using an offset
spatula. Put the cake in the fridge for about 10 minutes or until the
crumb coating layer has firmed up a bit (leave the bowl of frosting in
room temperature).
3. Spread the remaining buttercream all over the cake until cake is
smooth. For a totally even and smooth surface, dip an offset spatula in
warm water and dry it between every pass. Works like a charm!
4. Put the cake in the fridge while you make the chocolate glaze (this will make sure that the glaze will firm up quickly when you pour it over the cake, so don’t skip this step).
CHOCOLATE GLAZE
1. Place the chopped dark chocolate and butter in a saucepan and melt on low heat. Set aside until room temperature (but still liquid, not firm!).
2. Pour the glaze over the cake and quickly spread it over the edges of the cake to make it run down the sides.
3. If you have left over buttercream, pipe some blobs on top of the cake. Decorate with maltesers if desired.
I didn’t take a lot of photos this weekend, simply because there was no time with all the preparations. But I did get a few good ones. Rania filmed and photographed every move we made though so make sure to check that out!
Thanks to our amazing sponsors Broste Copenhagen (for the beautiful bowls and linen napkins for our guests, and bowls and plates for our welcome table below), Saltå Kvarn (for the delicious snacks and drinks for the guests welcome gift), Arla (for the delicious dairy products for our meals) & Wålstedts Gård (for the gorgeous biodynamic veggies)! This wouldn’t have been possible without you!
For more info on upcoming events, check out atthetable.se, and for more photos from this event, check out the photo gallery! Also, make sure to follow us on Facebook. Check the tag #atthetableworkshops on instagram to see all the photos from the event!
Organic milk from Arla.
Photo by Rania Maria
Organic juices from Saltå Kvarn.
Photo by Rania Maria
Bowls from Broste Copenhagen.
Photo by Rania Maria
Biodynamic veggies from Wålstedts Gård
Looks completely awesome! Wish I could assist one of your workshop soon! (MUST schedule a trip to Sweden and Danemark anyway! 😉
That would be so so much fun!! Let me know if you're around :-*
I love your country! I bet that the workshop was amazing!
It was such a fun experience! :-*
This cake looks stunning, the workshop looked fun I wish I could of came x
Thanks sweet Aimee! Hope we can meet some day soon. x
SO stunning! I love how the moody lighting looks on a chocolate cake. And that shot of the leaves is beautiful. Glad the workshop was such a success! x
Thank you so much dear! x
Det där är ett rent konstverk! Du är makalös tös på att göra tårtor och fotografera!!
Tack snälla!!
Absolutely gorgeous!! Looks like such a lovely time.
Thanks Todd! It really was 🙂
Den ser helt fantastisk ut Linda! Måste helt enkelt baka den någon gång snart. Har kollat på massor av bilder från workshopen och det verkar som om ni hade en riktig toppenhelg. Skulle gärna ha åkt men det passade inte riktigt i tid. Hoppas verkligen att det blir fler chanser och kanske något lite mer tillgängligt för oss i södra/västra Sverige. Kram!
Tack Karin! Ser fram emot att se din tårta om du väljer att baka den 🙂 Hade varit såå roligt om du kom på nästa! kram!
OMG that cake looks incredible! chocolate overload 😀 Totally drooling over your photography too!
Oh, thank you dear June!
This workshop sounds like an amazing experience. Hope to attend the next one.
That would be amazing! We had such a great time 🙂
Ciao Linda, dal tuo nome e cognome presumo che tu sia di origini italiane quindi spero capirai questo mio commento:-)!!
Ho scoperto il tuo blog grazie a instagram e credimi mi hai stregata!!
Le tue torte sono bellissime fotografate magistralmente e di sicuro buonissime e da amante dei dolci(il mio blog si chiama dolci a gogo)non sai cosa darei per una fetta di questa meraviglia!!!
Sei bravissima e da oggi hai una nuova fans!!!Un abbraccio e complimenti davvero,
Imma
HELLOOOOO most beautiful cake ever. <3 The workshop looks amazing and like it was a total success. I'm going to have to start planning my overseas adventures around your workshops. 😉 Hopefully I'll be able to attend one in the not-so-distant future.
Your pictures are gorgeous, as usual, and it's so great you're back! Have a great week-end!
Amy
Lovely work, Linda!! That workshop sounds amazing 🙂 x
The workshop sounds like a dream, and all the photographs above are beautiful. I really like the mood, I would like to learn how to recreate it one day. And that cake, it looks delicious.
Another absolutely glorious cake! As a chocolate lover I cannot believe that anyone could possible refuse a slice of that. I know I would be first in line.. 😉 I was just looking at Maria's photos of your workshop, looked so wonderful, I would love to have attended!
It looks like you had such a great time. I've been following through yours and Rania Maria's instagram feeds. I will definitely be attending the next one!
Gorgeous photos! Hoping that I'll be able to attend your workshop one day!
Your cake looks so yummy. And your pictures are so beautiful, I feel them like if I was in countryside, it's such a pleasure 🙂
Incredibly beautiful <3
love love love
http://www.aboutfoood.com
Det ser ut att ha varit en toppenhelg, jag hänger gärna på om det blir fler workshops! 🙂
Tack igen för din träff på Vallås bibliotek för några veckor sedan. Jag bjöd på fredagsfika på jobbet igår och blåbärskakorna från din nya bok blev verkligen uppskattade 🙂
I made this cake for my husbands colleagues, for his birthday – followed the instructions to the letter – it baked up beautifully, and the icing and glaze made it look so stunning. Thanks so much!! xxx
SO glad you liked it Lydia!! xx
Dear Linda,
I just find your website and I should say WOW, it's awesome! Just one thing, I would love to come to your workshop. Where are you ? and when is your workshop?
Dear Linda,
I just found your website, and I should say WOW, they are all definitely AWESOME!
I would love to attend to your workshop. May I ask where are you? And do you have any upcoming workshop ?
I made this cake the other night for a friend's birthday it turned out fabulously!!! The recipe was easy to follow and it looked someone as good as the one in the photo. My chocolate glaze was a little thick not sure what I did wrong I followed the recipe exactly. Any thoughts. Am going to make it again for the holidays.
I bought your book for a friend of mine who loves baking and also has a blog. Everything looked so delicious that I'm going to try to make this 🙂 I bet it is as delicious as it looks xxx
This looks gorgeous! I am going to attempt this next week for my kids party 🙂 I'm just wondering if it will be ok to make the day before the party?
Earlier this year I made your Chocolate Cake with Crunchy Caramel Popcorn & it was amazing! I took some pics & posted them on my Instagram, feel free to check them out 🙂 My Instagram name is: RRHRZD
So so sorry for the late reply! Did you make the cake? It's absolutely fine to make the day before, it even gets better and more moist 🙂 And so glad you enjoyed the popcorn cake! x Linda
i made this frosting for my friend's birthday and it was divine!!had many compliments as well!only complaint would be that because the frosting is mostly butter, it doesn't really hold its shape very well.
Hi Victoria, so glad you like it!! Sorry you had trouble with it holding its shape though! There is a lot of butter for sure, and could have to do with difference between countries. I noticed for example when I was in Croatia, the butter was much softer than the ones we have in Sweden. Next time, you could also chill it a bit longer before using it, that would definitely help 🙂
Hi I'm wondering if I doubled the recipe would it work as maybe an 8inch cake and just take slightly longer to bake?
Hi Linda. Looks amazing. I was wondering how the consistency of the cake and frosting is the day after? Do you have any experiences making the cake days beforehand? Maybe the buns gets to moist? 🙂 Really looks delish. Cheers Mette
Hi Mette! I think this cake is almost better the day after 🙂 It's very moist (not dense!), I guess it depends on what you like!
Hi linda! I wanna make it today for a birthday, but I need to know for how many people it is more or less? Thanks a lot!
Hi Sofia!
It all depends on how hungry your guests are.. but I would say it serves around 8-12. It's a pretty tall cake and it's quite filling. Hope that helps!
Hello linda! I want to make it today for a birthday. But i need to know for how many people you think it is?
How can I adapt this recipe to a 10 inch cake pan? thank you
If you still want the height, I would suggest doubling the cake recipe. As for the frosting, I can't really say if you need to double that too or increase by a little bit.. sorry I can't be more helpful!
I did it yesterday and it turned out great! It was the first time I covered a cake!! Thank you for this stimulus and inspiration 🙂
Sooo glad you enjoyed it Helena!! :-*
amazing!! where did you get those flags?!
Thanks Laura!! I make these flags myself with a ribbon that has wire inside :-*