Cookaholics Bulletin Board

Baked three chocolate cake layers this morning (Pastry Queen Tuxedo Cake recipe, which I've made more times than I can count), and I turned off the timer while I was on the phone and promptly forgot to take them out. So they baked about 15 minutes longer than they should have. I'm going to test one layer once they've cooled, just on the very slight chance they're okay (I only needed 2 layers for the cake I was going to take to someone), but assuming they're dry, I'm just wondering if anyone has a dessert idea that I could use them for. Would pain me greatly to throw them out.

Thanks!

Emilie

You could make croûtons or crumbs with them and use them to make some kind of parfait or a trifle.

I have done that so many times... or assumed I put the timer on, so I feel your pain.

Mary

What about a mild coffee flavored simple syrup to add back some moisture and flavor.

Assuming the overbaking just made them dry, not bitter, you could make a trifle style dessert such as her Triple Chocolate Peppermint Trifle. You could invent your own Tres Leches type cake and then add raspberries, or use orange flavored syrup to infuse. Or dry if needed and put them in the food processor and use them as a base for recipes calling for choco cookie crumbs.

You can also poke holes in cake layers and add a liquor, like Kahlua or an orange flavored liquor.

I agree with Alina about making a trifle.

Thanks so much for the ideas -- you guys are the best! Actually my husband suggested cutting off the hard edges, and since I happened to have an adjustable cake ring (gadget fiend that I am), I used it to trim a layer to 8", since that would remove the crust around the edges. After I did that, it looked like the inside was still pretty moist. So I took a gamble and threw together a simple vanilla bean buttercream and frosted it and flew out the door with it. The friend I took it to will give me the straight dope re: whether it was up to my usual standards. We'll see.

So now I have three layers' worth of delicious crusty cake edges, and I could freeze them, or make a trifle now. Time to get out that trifle dish I rarely use (eclectic serving dish fiend that I am)

Thanks again.

Emilie

Oh, I was going to suggest making a pudding with them by pouring hot custard over them.

Put 'em in ice cream...

Oh my gosh, Carey. Hot custard over them... that sounds absolutely divine.