Ready for a crazy fact on this Monday morning? Roberto and I have been dating for 6 years. Something even more wild? In almost 7 months, it will be wedding time! As our last little dating anniversary, I wanted to make it just as special as our first one oh so many years ago! But first—we reflect!
Back to what seems like so long ago, but really just 2010, on our first date. Roberto planned a super fabulous dinner at an Italian place near school, I nervously sweat through maybe 3 shirts, and just ended up wearing something super plain and jeans with a lot of zippers on them…
So, with Italian food being in my top 5, you’d think I would have been so excited, but I barely touched my food, ate too much bread and didn’t even get dessert. Yeah, horrible representation of myself that night!
Luckily, Roberto knew me before that, and had seen me eat a ginormous pizza to myself..
After the fail at a romantic Italian dinner, we then decided to watch football, which is not something to be nervous about, right? Wrong. I got so nervous about the date that I straight up fell asleep. With Roberto there. Embarrassing, no?
I believe that in that first date I did almost everything I could to ruin any potential we had—poor outfit choice, barely ate anything, fell asleep mid game, probably drooled and snored a lot.
But alas! Look at us now, I can’t stop eating and, while I may still fall asleep early rather often, at least I know he’s seen the worst of me.
So, for our last little celebration before the wedding (!!!) in September, this rich chocolate cake was a must to make the day truly special! I wanted to make it as decadent, as fun, and as simple as the two of us—which means enhancing the flavors ever so slightly to really make them pop.
With the addition of coffee to the chocolate cake, your mind will be blown with how rich it becomes. While the coffee flavor is quite faint, it helps the chocolate cake truly shine, and I promise you will never taste anything so delicious and moist! The filling is my personal favorite match made in heaven: chocolate and peanut butter. I don’t even think that I need to explain why this is the perfect buttercream of all time! All of that super yummy, ooey gooey fabulousness of peanut butter basically wrapped in chocolate? Sign me up for a spoonful or two!
Lastly, the quick little meringues as a tasty garnish on top give these cakes just the pop of color and crunch that you need! Making them is a cinch, and they are so versatile—a perfect vehicle for all flavors and colors, and they allow you to dress up this full of love, anniversary cake!
While these crazy 6 years with Roberto may have started on an awkward, strange note, they have only become more weird and wild. To me, there is no better way to celebrate than with a glass of champagne and lots and lots of this chocolate anniversary cake!
cake ingredients
Sugar—9 oz, or 1 ¼ C
Flour—6 oz, or 1C + 1 TBL
Cocoa Powder—2 oz, or ¾ C
Baking Powder—1 ¼ tsp
Baking Soda—½ tsp
Salt—½ tsp
Corn Syrup—1.25 oz, or 2 TBL
Milk—3.75 oz, or ½ C
Eggs—3
Vanilla Extract—1 ¼ tsp
Brewed Coffee—3.5 oz, or ½ C
Butter—6 oz, or 1 ½ sticks
process
Preheat your oven to 350˚ F.
In a bowl, sift together the sugar, flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
In a separate bowl, combine the corn syrup, milk, eggs, vanilla and brewed coffee.
Using your paddle attachment and mixer, cream the butter until smooth and fluffy.
Once you have creamed your butter, add in half of the dry sifted ingredients and half of the wet ingredients.
Mix.
Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
Add the remaining sifted ingredients and wet ingredients.
Once all combined, pour cake batter into your prepared 10” cake pan.
To prepare your pan, spray with nonstick spray and then sprinkle a very light dusting of flour on it, making sure to fully (but thinly) coat the bottom and sides of your pan.
Bake for 30-35 minutes, until the center of the cake springs back when touched
Allow to cool completely before cutting and decorating.
buttercream ingredients
Butter, softened—4 oz, or 1 stick
Peanut Butter—4 oz, or ½ C
Confectioner’s Sugar—15 oz, or 3 C
Cocoa Powder—2.5 oz, or 1 C
Vanilla Extract—2 tsp
Milk—4 oz, or ½ C
process
In the bowl of your mixer, use the paddle attachment to cream together the softened butter and peanut butter.
Sift together the confectioner’s sugar and cocoa powder.
Once your butter/peanut butter is smooth, slowly add in the sifted ingredients.
When combined, stream in your extract and milk.
When everything is added to the bowl, whip on high for about 30 seconds, to really make your buttercream nice and fluffy!
Now you can spread on the cooled cake.
meringue ingredients
Confectioner’s Sugar—9.5 oz, or 2 ¼ C
Egg Whites—4.75 oz, or 4 large
Vanilla Extract—2 tsp
Food Coloring—optional
process
Preheat your oven to 200˚ F.
In the bowl of your mixer, whisk together the sugar and egg whites.
Using a medium sized pot, create a double boiler with the bowl from your mixer.
Turn a burner on, to medium, and continue to whisk so that the sugar can dissolve.
Using a candy thermometer, cook this egg white/sugar mixture (constantly whisking) until it reaches 115˚-120˚ F.
When you have reached the correct temperature, transfer to your stand mixer, attach the whisk, and turn to high.
Whip for about 5-8 minutes, until stiff, shiny peaks form.
Add in your vanilla/flavor—which is optional.
Add in your food coloring—also optional!
When you have reached a medium-stiff peak with the meringues, transfer to a piping bag that has been fitted with a star tip.
Also—you may use a heavy duty Ziplock bag for this, and piping tips are not required, just make for a fun design!
On parchment paper or a Silpat, pipe out whatever meringues you like—I like rosettes, kisses and hearts, very simple to do!
When you are finished piping, place in your preheated oven for about an hour, rotating every 20 minutes, until they are completely dried out.
Decorate your cake with your fun and festive meringues!
to decorate
I made these into little anniversary cakes—super simple and basically individualized.
First, trim off the top of your cake.
Using a round cutter, cut out as many circles as you can, a 10” should make from 6-8, depending on the cutter size.
Cut each cake in half.
Spread a dollop of buttercream on the bottom layer of your cake (no simple syrup required!).
Place the second layer on, and spread more buttercream on top, decorate with meringues, sprinkles, or just eat like that!
Bon Appétit!
