I made a western themed cake for this year’s annual auction-fundraiser for the girls school. My extreme chocolate cake (six full layers, not torted) is 12 inches high and weighs 18 lbs. Whew!

Fresh raspberry mousse filled the layers. I developed the mousse last year and found using fresh raspberries resulted in a much better mousse than using frozen berries.

I made and froze all the cakes two weeks in advance and made all the fondant decorations a week later. The bandana was the most difficult decoration as the fondant needs to be exactly the right texture and strength to fold and arrange without stretching or tearing.

Extreme Chocolate Cake Single Recipe

Makes two 9” round cakes
INGREDIENTS
• 2 cups white sugar
• 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup milk
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 cup boiling water

METHOD

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour two 9 inch cake pans.
2. Use the first set of ingredients to make the cake. In a medium bowl, stir together the sugar, flour, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Add the eggs, milk, oil and vanilla, mix for 3 minutes with an electric mixer. Stir in the boiling water by hand. Pour evenly into the two prepared pans.
3. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes in the preheated oven, until a toothpick inserted comes out clean or 205F internal temp. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to cool completely.

Raspberry – Cream Cheese Mousse

INGREDIENTS
Raspberry Puree
• 340 g (~2 ½ c, 12 oz) fresh raspberries
• 2 Tbl confectioner’s sugar
• 1 Tbl instant vanilla pudding mix (substitute corn starch if desired.)
• 112 g (4 oz) cream cheese softened
• ¼ c powdered sugar
• 1 Tbl freeze-dried raspberry powder
• Optional: ¼ tsp red food coloring
• Optional: 1 tsp ouzo (for tartness)
Whipped Cream – Stabilized
• 1 cup heavy whipping cream, chilled
• 2 Tbl instant vanilla pudding powder (substitute corn starch if desired.)
• 2-3 Tbl powdered sugar

METHOD

1. Combine raspberries and 2 Tbl confectioners’ sugar in a small bowl and add to a food processor and pulse until berries are reduced
2. Sieve the mixture allowing enough time for most of the raspberry juice to drip into a bowl, (enough to make 200ml (2/3 c) puree)
3. In a large bowl, add raspberry juice, 1 Tbl vanilla pudding, softened cream cheese and 1/4 cup powdered sugar, raspberry powder and ouzo and beat until well combined (3-4 minutes on high.) Mix in red food coloring in 2 or 3 aliquots until desired color is attained.
4. In the bowl of a stand mixer whip the heavy cream, vanilla pudding mix and confectioners’ sugar.
5. Add red food coloring (in several small amounts until desired color is attained) and whip to firm peaks.
6. Fold the raspberry mixture into the whipped cream until combined.

Marshmallow Fondant

INGREDIENTS
• 1 package (10 ounces) white mini marshmallows
• 2-5 tablespoons water
• 851 g (1 ¼ lbs or 20 oz) sifted confectioners’ sugar, divided in half
• 1/4 cup solid vegetable shortening

METHOD

1. Grease your mixing bowl and a glass bowl that can be used to melt marshmallows in the microwave.
2. Place the marshmallows, water and flavoring of your choice in greased glass bowl and microwave on high at 30 second intervals.
3. Stir every 30 seconds until marshmallows are completely melted, about 2 minutes.
4. Sift half of the confectioner’s sugar in a greased mixing bowl. Make a well in the center of the confectioner’s sugar and pour in the melted marshmallows.
5. I use the paddle attachment for my KitchenAid mixer for this first part of the mixture.
6. Mix until all the melted marshmallows are incorporated in the confectioner’s sugar.
7. Add any food coloring at this point.
8. Mixture will be thick but still runny.
9. Sift the remaining half of confectioner’s sugar into the melted marshmallows.
10. Mix on low until it comes together.
11. Change to your dough hook attachment as this will get extremely thick.
12. Fondant will be very thick and have a dough like consistency
13. Wrap fondant in saran and make sure no air gets to it.
14. Rest fondant for at least an hour before use.