DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover with cake dome and refrigerate. Let stand at room temperature 1 hour before serving.
Using slightly softened, room-temperature butter ensures easier mixing and a smoother frosting. Makes about 3 ¼ cups
12 ounces Philadelphia-brand cream cheese, room temperature
½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
4 cups powdered sugar
Using electric mixer, beat cream cheese, butter, and vanilla in large bowl until smooth. Beat in sugar 1 cup at a time, scraping down bowl occasionally.
These crunchy brown-sugar pecans are also delicious on their own. Makes about 1½ cups
1 large egg white, room temperature
1 tablespoon water
½ cup (packed) golden brown sugar
1½ cups pecan halves
Preheat oven to 300°F. Butter rimmed baking sheet. Using fork, beat egg white and 1 tablespoon water in medium bowl until foamy. Add sugar and stir until sugar dissolves. Add pecan halves and toss to coat. Spread pecan mixture on prepared baking sheet (some egg white mixture will flow out onto baking sheet). Bake until nuts are deep brown and crisp, stirring occasionally, about 25 minutes. Remove from oven; stir to loosen nuts from baking sheet. Cool nuts completely on sheet.
DO AHEAD: Can be made 3 days ahead. Store airtight at room temperature.
Can This Cake Be Saved?Even professional pastry chefs run into sticky situations when making cakes. Here are some tricks to fix the peskiest problems.DRY CAKES
Split the cake layers in half horizontally, then brush them with simple syrup (equal parts sugar and water, heated and stirred until the sugar dissolves). If cupcakes come out too dry or a sheet cake is dry, poke holes in the top, then brush with the simple syrup. Once the syrup is absorbed, assemble and fill the cake layers and apply the frosting. Keep the cakes under a cake dome to ensure they don’t dry out any further.
Serve slices of cake with a vanilla custard sauce (crème anglaise), caramel sauce, chocolate sauce, or ice cream.
Cut the cake into cubes and layer it in parfait glasses with whipped cream, lemon curd, raspberry sauce, and fresh berries.FALLEN OR LUMPY CAKES
Use a serrated knife to even out the surface of the cake.
Make extra frosting and use it to create a smooth surface.
If the cake is completely beyond hope, cut it into squares and use them to make sundaes or parfaits.IMPERFECTLY FROSTED CAKES
Use chopped toasted nuts, sweetened flaked coconut, coarsely crushed cookies, or cake crumbs to coat the sides of the cake and mask frosting flaws. Select the coatings that pair best with the flavors of your cake.
Make a chocolate band (see the Chocolate Panna Cotta Layer Cake on page 122-23) to wrap around the cake and hide any imperfections.
If the top of the frosted cake looks sparse, cover it with whipped cream and top it with assorted fresh berries just before serving.
The framboise in the filling has a beautiful raspberry aroma and a nice kick, but the cake also tastes fine without it. You’ll find framboise at liquor stores and some specialty foods stores. 12 servings
Glaze
1 cup heavy whipping cream
¼ cup (½ stick) unsalted butter, diced
2 tablespoons sugar
12 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate (do not exceed 61% cacao), chopped
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Cake
2 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped
2 cups cake flour
⅔ cup natural unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
2 cups sugar
½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
3 large eggs
1½ teaspoons vanilla extract
1¼ cups buttermilk
Filling
1¾ cups plus 2 tablespoons chilled heavy whipping cream
3 tablespoons powdered sugar
2 teaspoons framboise (clear raspberry brandy; optional)
¾ teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups fresh raspberries or frozen unsweetened raspberries, thawed, drained
Additional fresh raspberries (optional)
GLAZE: Combine cream, butter, and sugar in heavy large saucepan. Stir over medium heat until butter melts, sugar dissolves, and mixture comes to simmer. Remove from heat. Add chocolate and vanilla. Stir until chocolate melts and glaze is smooth. Let stand until thick enough to spread, stirring occasionally, about 1 hour.
DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 week ahead. Cover and refrigerate. Before using, whisk over low heat just until spreadable.
CAKE: Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter two 9-inch-diameter cake pans with 2-inch-high sides. Line pan bottoms with waxed paper; butter paper. Stir chocolate in top of double boiler set over simmering water until melted. Remove from over water.
Sift flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt into medium bowl. Using electric mixer, beat sugar and butter in large bowl until well blended. Beat in eggs 1 at a time, occasionally scraping down sides of bowl. Beat in melted chocolate and vanilla. Beat in dry ingredients alternately with buttermilk in 3 additions each. Divide batter between prepared pans.
Bake cakes until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 35 minutes. Cool cakes in pans on racks 10 minutes. Cut around pan sides to loosen cakes. Turn cakes out onto racks; peel off waxed paper. Cool cakes completely.
DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Wrap and store at room temperature.
FILLING: Using electric mixer, beat cream, powdered sugar, framboise (if using), and vanilla in large bowl until firm peaks form. Transfer 1½ cups whipped cream mixture to small bowl and chill. Fold raspberries into remaining whipped cream mixture for filling.
Using long serrated knife, cut each cake layer horizontally in half. Using large tart pan bottom as aid, transfer 1 layer to platter. Slide waxed paper strips under edges of cake. Spread ⅔ cup chocolate glaze over cake. Spread half of raspberry whipped cream over. Place second cake layer on work surface. Spread ⅔ cup glaze, then remaining raspberry cream over. Place atop first layer, using tart pan bottom as aid. Top with third cake layer, cut side down, pressing lightly to adhere (reserve fourth layer for another use). Smooth filling at edges of cake. Spread thin layer of glaze over sides of cake. Chill until glaze sets, about 10 minutes.
Spread remaining glaze over sides of cake. Spread or pipe reserved 1½ cups whipped cream mixture over top of cake. Garnish with additional berries, if desired. Gently pull waxed paper strips from under cake. Cover cake with cake dome; chill at least 1 hour and up to 8 hours.
With additions like sour cream and grated chocolate, a brown sugar frosting, and a simple crunchy pecan brittle, a box of cake mix is transformed into some-thing special. During the brittle-making process, the syrup will begin to harden immediately once it’s removed from the heat, so be sure to have the baking sheet prepared and a metal offset spatula or knife at the ready to spread the syrup. 10 to 12 servings