Cake of the Month 'Training Camp'

This months cake theme was training camp. With winter all around us in Canada we end up thinking about the nice sunny swimming, biking and running that we could be doing down south. Keeping with the hot theme, Rachel and I put together a Smoked Paprika and Chocolate Cake.

Recipe:
Ingredients For the Cake:

• 3 eggs
• 1.5 cups sugar
• 3/4 cups vegetable oil
• 1/2 cup dark cocoa
• 1 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp sweet paprika
• 3/4 tsp smoked paprika
• 1 1/2 tsp Urfa chilies
• 3/4 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 2 cups flour
• 1 1/4  cups strong brewed coffee

Baking Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees
2. Line two 8 inch pans with oil
3.  Combine all ingredients except for flour and coffee into a mixer bowl.  Using the whisk attachment put on speed 2 and mix until the batter is shiny and everything is incorporated.  Alternately add flour and coffee a cup at a time starting with the flour. When everything has been added, scrape down sides of bowl and mix on speed 3 for one minute.
4. Pour contents into prepared pans and bake for 55 minutes.  Remove from pan and let cool.

Ingredients For the Icing:

• 1 lbs butter (room temp)
• 2 lbs powdered sugar
• 1/2 Table spoon milk
• 1/2 table spoon vanilla
• 1/4 tsp  each: sweet paprika, salt, black pepper
• 1/2 tsp cocoa

 To make the icing:  Whip butter on high for 5 minutes.  Scrape sides and repeat.  Add powdered sugar a cup at a time with mixer on speed 1.  Add milk, vanilla, and spices.  Whip on speed 3 to incorporate everything is smooth.


The changes that I would make if we made this cake again would be to add more smoked paprika and sweet paprika to both the cake and icing. Just a little to subtle taste for me. I also would add in a little cinnamon to the icing in stead of cocoa.

Rachel and I then sculpted the cake and fondant figures to resemble Tuscan training camp. (Also where we met)