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| photo from: www.fatgirltrappedinaskinnybody.blogspot.com |
I immediately knew I wanted to make this cake for the potluck. I was not familiar with this blog, but after browsing for a bit I discovered that she has really good recipes and stories, plus she claims to be a Christ follower which I love as well. This edible masterpiece is a compilation of many of her favorite recipes.
The cake has seven layers. Two layers each of brownie, chocolate chip cookie, and cheesecake, a layer of graham crackers in the middle with marshmallow frosting smothered between the layers then coated with a rich, decadent chocolate frosting. I will be honest, as I was making this cake I had my doubts if it would be any good. All the layers individually are great, but I wasn't so sure they would be good mixed together. I don't know why I doubted but I did.
I started baking on Monday evening. The recipe calls for a made-from-scratch brownie recipe, but I used a Duncan Hines box brownie mix instead. The second layer was the chocolate chip cookie. I used my favorite chocolate chip cookie recipe that can be found here. On Tuesday evening I baked the two layers of cheesecake using Fat Girl's recipe. I also used her marshmallow and chocolate icing recipe. The assembly wasn't too difficult. I just followed the instructions, and it came together quite nicely. I probably don't even need to say this, but it is essential that your pans are all the same size or your cake will turn out catawampus. Make sure not to bake the cookie too long. I think I left mine in a couple of minutes too long which made it a little difficult to cut.
As I said before, this cake is definitely over the top. While assembling the cake I actually felt guilty about making something so indulgent. Why is it that I wasn't satisfied to make a really good simple chocolate dessert, but instead I really wanted a chocolate treat that was impressive with a wow factor? Allow me to go on a tangent for a moment. Why is it as a culture, that we are so over indulgent? Especially as Americans we think that if something is good more must be better. Why is it that we are not content and must always look to attain or create something bigger and better and prettier than before even if the previous item was perfectly good? Excitedly we buy a home and within a few years are eager to get a bigger and newer one in a better neighborhood. It is not only homes, but cars, clothing, home decor even relationships. It is the grass is greener on the other side mentality.
While living in Italy the past two years, I have learned to live without some things that I always thought I needed. This may be a silly example, but we don't have an icemaker in our freezer. It is almost unheard of in my circle of family and friends in the states not to have an icemaker. That is a simple example of how we think we need things that we really don't. Please don't think I am being judgmental. I am the one that made this insanely indulgent dessert so I am preaching to the choir on this one. I really don't think that it is necessarily a sin to bake scrumptious treats, but it did cause me to step back and think about what I was doing and how our society as a whole has become so indulgent.
This past Saturday, we served alongside another family in a local soup kitchen here in Sicily. Every day except Tuesday volunteers collect food from the local market and cook lunch for about 20-40 homeless and poor people. It was humbling to serve with such selfless people that dedicate their time and energy to care for others on a regular basis. Seeing others in need makes me thankful for the life I have and reminds me not take for granted all the comforts and blessings in my life.
Please don't misunderstand what I am saying, I am not condemning occasional indulgences in food or things, but the obsession to constantly upgrade really gets out of hand. I am currently doing a bible study on the book of Daniel. Daniel was living in Babylon under King Nebuchadnezzar. If you watch Veggie Tales he was the one that created the chocolate bunny and ordered Larry and Bob to worship it. Anyway, Nebuchadnezzar was content and prosperous with his life. He took the credit for his success instead of realizing that the Lord is the one that gave him the ability to rule the nation and have such success. It is the Lord that sets up kings and governments and also takes them down if he chooses. Ultimately Nebbie learned his lesson and realized that the Most High God was the one responsible for his success, but that realization came only after becoming insane and spending seven years wandering in a field as an animal. After regaining his sanity he finally gave God the glory for his life. The point I am making is that I have to be careful not to get sucked into the mentally that bigger is always better and that I should remember at all times who allows me to have such blessings. God is not against possessions and enjoying the good things in life. There were many rich people in the bible that followed Jesus and used their wealth for his glory. He blesses many with wealth and others he chooses to bless in other ways. Regardless, he promises to supply all our needs according to his riches and glory for those who in Christ Jesus. So we can be assured we will be taken care of. It may not be in a big house with a Beemer parked in the garage, but it is according to his individual plan for our lives, and if we are striving to please Him we can be content with that.
Ok, so now I am off the tangent and should really give you the recipe to this yummy dessert. If I haven't made you feel too guilty, I would encourage you to make this for your next special occasion or event where you can share it with others. It makes such a big cake and if you are like me you definitely don't want this temptation sitting around your house.
You can find the original recipe here.
Here's what you'll need for this cake:
2 brownie layers- I used a Duncan Hines mix
2 cheesecake layers- I used the cheesecake recipe below
2 chocolate chip cookie layers-I used my recipe. You can find it here.
5 graham crackers (this is one of the 'cake' layers)
1 recipe for marshmallow frosting- see below
1 recipe for chocolate Frosting-see below (You can also use a store bought icing)
Fat girl used 3-9 inch pans. I used 8 inch because that is what I had on hand, but I definitely think 9 inch would be better and would make the cake much easier to cut since the layers wouldn't be quite as thick. I also lined each pan with parchment paper and then sprayed the paper with cooking spray.
Fat girl says, "In case your brownies or cookie get slightly crispy, it's ok. The frosting around the cake will help soften them back up as it refrigerates and sits. Let this cake refrigerate for at least 1 day before serving for maximum flavor results."
Step 1
Mix brownie according to directions on the box. Place parchment paper in bottom of pan and then spray with cooking spray. Pour half of the batter in two cake pans and bake until done making sure to not over bake.
Step 2
Cheesecake
1 1/4 pounds cream cheese (20 oz), room temperature
1 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
3 large eggs
1/2 cup sour cream
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Using an electric mixer, beat cream cheese on medium until fluffy, scraping down side of bowl. Gradually add sugar, beating until fluffy. Beat in vanilla extract. Beat in eggs, one at a time, scraping down side of bowl after each addition. Beat in sour cream.
Put a piece of parchment paper on the bottom of a springform pan, spray with non stick spray. Pour half of the filling in each pan Bake for 15 minutes, then turn the oven temp down to 325 and bake for an additional 45 minutes.
Remove pan from oven, let cool 20 minutes. Run a knife around edge of the pans to loosen from the sides; let cool completely. Cover with plastic wrap and freeze until ready to use.
Step 3
Chocolate Chip Cookie
I used my favorite chocolate chip cookie recipe , spread half of the batch in each cake pan and bake at 350 for 12 minutes, until it's slightly golden. Not TOO golden or the cookie will be crispy, and you want a soft cookie in the cake.
Chocolate Frosting
Ingredients
6 ounces unsweetened chocolate, melted and cooled (I let it cool about 1 hour, stirring occasionally)
4 1/2 cups powdered sugar (no need to sift)
3 sticks (12 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature
6 Tbsp milk
1 Tbsp vanilla extract
Directions
Place all of the ingredients in a food processor and pulse to incorporate. Process until the frosting is smooth. (I didn't use a food processor. I mixed it in my KitchenAid, but would suggest a food processor if you have one).
Marshmallow Filling
1 jar (7 oz) marshmallow fluff
1 stick butter, room temperature
1 cup powdered sugar
1 tbsp vanilla extract
To make the butter cream, beat together the marshmallow fluff and butter, on medium speed, until the mixture is smooth and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
Reduce the speed to low, add the powdered sugar and vanilla, and beat for another minute. Increase speed to medium and beat for another 3 minutes until it's light and fluffy.
Assembly
Place one layer of brownie on a cake stand. Frost brownie with marshmallow frosting. Place a cookie layer on the marshmallow filling. Spread cookie layer with marshmallow frosting.
Remove cheesecake from freezer, unwrap, and remove from metal bottom of the pan from each piece, then peel off parchment paper.
Place cheesecake layer on top of the marshmallow frosting.
Spread a layer of chocolate frosting on cheesecake. Layer graham crackers on the cheesecake. You'll have to break up the crackers to make them fit. Spread chocolate frosting on grahams, then place the second layer of cheesecake on the chocolate frosting. Spread cheesecake with marshmallow frosting
Then place the remaining cookie on the frosting. Spread the cookie with marshmallow frosting and put the remaining brownie on the marshmallow frosting. Spread the remaining chocolate fudge frosting on top of the cake and on the side.
Refrigerate until ready to serve. Remove from the fridge about an hour before serving to help it come to room temperature slightly. Because this cake is SO dense, when it chills, it gets even denser and takes a little muscle to cut. This cake is best if it is allowed to refrigerate overnight.
Here are a couple of photos of my cake. You will notice that my cake is not near as pretty as the original cake and my photography skills stink compared to Fat Girl's. Her icing is darker and I think that is because she mixed her icing in the food processor. The KitchenAid mixer wasn't able to completely mix in all the melted chocolate leaving some of the chocolate on the sides of the bowl. This cake is definitely worth the time and effort!!
Buon Appetito!!
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