L's Cow Cake

When L, my youngest 13th birthday was coming up I asked her what kind of cake she wanted. I want a chocolate and Strawberry cake that looks like a cow was her reply. Now I am really good at the flavors part but decorating is not my strong suit......yet I'm working on it.

The cake is a chocolate fudge cake covered in Raspberry and Chocolate raspberry butter cream icing. ( I was out of strawberries and strawberry extract.) L was OK with the change.

Chocolate Fudge cake:

Ingredients:

21/2 cups all-purpose flour

11/2 cups good cocoa powder

21/4 teaspoons baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 pound (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 cup granulated sugar

1 cup light brown sugar, packed

3 extra-large eggs, at room temperature

3 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

1/2 cups buttermilk, at room temperature

3/4 cup sour cream, at room temperature

1 12 oz can Hershey's chocolate syrup

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour a 12 by 18 by 1 1/2-inch sheet pan and set aside.

In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugars on high speed until light, approximately 5 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, and the vanilla and mix well. Combine the buttermilk, sour cream, and coffee. On low speed, add the flour mixture and the buttermilk mixture alternately in thirds, beginning with the buttermilk mixture and ending with the flour mixture. Mix the batter only until blended.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top with a spatula. Bake in the center of the oven for 25 to 30 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Immediately  poke holes in cake randomly( use a toothpick or fork)  then pour syrup over cake . Cool to room temperature before frosting.

Raspberry Buttercream:

1 stick butter softened to room temperature ( DO NOT use margarine it will alter the consistency and taste)

3-4 sups sifted powdered sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

2 tsp raspberry extract

1-2 Tbs milk 

In mixer on low speed blend butter and powdered sugar. Add extracts and continue mixing. Add milk to achieve desired consistency.

For Chocolate Raspberry Buttercream add 1/4 cup chocolate powder to icing mixture.

For L's cake I used a 10 inch circle pan. a small glass Pyrex bowl. and cupcakes to crate the cow shape. I frosted the cake using the Raspberry buttercream. I tinted about a 1/4 cup pink. The black spots are the chocolate raspberry buttercream colored black. I added the detail using a standard butter knife making the spots freehand. The cow's eyeballs and nose holes are Whoppers.

Enjoy.