When Half Of A S'mores Cake Is Enough

Photo: Martha Stewart Weddings

If I'm not expecting company to help me polish off a whole cake, I do something wacky, I make half of a cake. How you might ask?

I cut the ingredients of a cake recipe in half, use a single cake pan, then after baking it, I slice the one round cake layer in half, stacking the two sections and voilà, I have 1/2 of a round, 2-layer cake. Recently I wanted to make a S'mores Cake ... but jeez I didn't relish eating the cake all week long. So here's my 1/2 cake recipe: 

S'more Cake - 1/2 (or one round layer)

(Of course whenever you have enough people to eat a whole cake, simply double the ingredients for 2 round layers. The recipe came to me via Facebook by Bigger Bolder Baking ... however I tweaked it.)

Ingredients for the Cake

1/4 cup (1/2 stick butter)

1/2 cup dark brown sugar

A little less than 1/2 cup white sugar

3/4 cup whole wheat flour

3/4 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup buttermilk

2 extra large eggs (What I had. Large is fine too.)

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:

1) Use a large mixing bowl, melt the butter in the microwave for 15-20 seconds (if like me) you don't remember to take it out of the refrigerator beforehand so that it is at room temperature. Cream together the butter and sugars.

2) Next add the dry ingredients: whole wheat flour, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Stir together.

3) At this point, grab an electric mixer: Add the buttermilk followed by the eggs, beat one egg at a time. Mix for one or two minutes until you see the dry and wet ingredients are incorporated. Don't over mix this cake batter, or your cake will be tough. 

4) Pour into a well greased baking pan. To keep life simple, I buy one huge bottle of extra virgin olive oil to use for all my cooking and baking oil needs, including greasing a pan. I'm not that specialized. My cakes come out clean and tasty! (Butter, or canola oil will do also.)

5) Bake at 350 degrees F for 35 minutes, or until the center is done. Cool for 5 minutes before removing from the pan(s).

6) Remember you will evenly slice it in half to stack as 1/2 of a cake but will have 2 layers.

Photo: FoodNetwork

Chocolate Ganache Filling

Ingredients

6 ounces of semi-sweet chocolate chips

1/4 cup of buttermilk (milk, or cream)

Directions:

1) In a microwave safe bowl melt the chocolate chips (takes about 30 seconds) and remove.

2) Whisk in the buttermilk (add a little at a time) until smooth and the right consistency. 

3) Spread in the center.

I used chocolate ganache as the frosting for my entire cake half. It was rich, delicious and satisfying. But I should have continued with a meringue frosting. For guests, I will do the 3rd and final step:

Egg White Meringue Frosting for 1/2 cake

Ingredients:

1 extra large egg white (or large and save the egg yolk for a pudding, or bread coated dish. Waste not!)

1/4 cup of white sugar

1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:

1) With an electric mixer, beat the ingredients until the egg white(s) peak. It should be stiff and creamy.

2) Spread the frosting on the top and sides of the cake.

3) Take a blow touch (or use your broiler) to toast the frosting of the cake (like marshmallows). 

4) Use any remaining chocolate ganache on the very top of your cake. Let it drizzle down.

Wow, the cinnamon in the batter and ganache filling make this cake. With only half of a cake made, I had 4 huge servings, enough to share with a neighbor, plus extra for another day.

Extra Tip: Stay focused when making half a cake, or you will mess up the ingredients. You can prevent miscalculating by measuring out your ingredients before mixing them. Here I have cut the ingredients in half for you, so you can simply follow the above recipe. But on your own, be sure to stay in the moment. Wow, what a delicious cake this one is ... the whole wheat flour, the cinnamon, the ganache!

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