I was making a choc. WASC and decided to add Kahlua. Well, I was only doing half the recipe. According to the instructions, the whole batch should have had about 1 cup liquor for part of the 2 2/3 water. Since I was doing half the batch I should have used 1/2 cup, but, brain drain, used the entire cup. The cake just smells entirely of kahlua. I am afraid it will be overpowering. Any suggestions on "cutting" the flavor with filling/icing? I originally wanted to do a choc fudge filling, but now maybe I should do a light fluffy cinnamon BC. I just don't want to throw the entire cake away! Thanks!

I had a similar situation using a powdered creamer in the WASC, used way too much I layered it with thin layers of another cake and just used a basic ganache, it tasted really good, maybe you could make a plain chocolate cake and alternate layers?

That's a great idea!! Thanks! That would actually kill 2 birds with one stone for me -- cake for my sister and one for the in-laws. I would use one of the liquored 9" and one regular choc. 9" for each cake. Great thanks!

I would torte the cakes and alternate the flavors... like 1 liquor; 1 plain; 1 plain; and 1 liquor... that way the liquored ones frame the two that are not. Keeps the strong flavors away from each other.

I'd have gone on and made the full recipe and made cake balls!

Hope it turned out for you!

Also.. believe it or not... a soft cookie layer in your cake will cut the liquor flavor

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wgoat5--

a soft cookie layer? I am not sure how to do this but it sounds great! Any recipes? Thanks!

If I have done a cake and the flavor of the liquor is to prominent I just bake ... for instance for a chocolate cake.. I'll do a chocolate chip cookie baked in the same size pan as the cake was baked... any cookie recipe will do.. but bake it just before it starts to brown... so it wont get cruncy on you. The cake will moisten the cookie also. I get alot of raves on this technique

Never thought of that! Sounds great!! I'll give it a try!

Similar to above with wgoat5's remedy, I make meringues (1 for each cake layer) the same size as the cake and place them in the tiers... but I also make the meringues and put them in the tiers whether I have made a mistake or not. It adds such a neat texture and everyone loves the difference!

I've never made a "meringue" anything, still a newbie! Would you care to share a recipe or some tips? Thanks!

Tomatoqeen:

The absolutely MOST IMPORTANT STEP in making meringues is to make sure you make them on a day/night with low humidity. Meringues do not like humidity at all! You want to keep them away from humidity at all costs.

Here is my recipe:

4 egg whites
1 1/2 cups regular sugar (I will pulse my sugar for a few pulses in the
food processor to make sure it is a little finer, but do not make it
the consistency of 10 X sugar... that is too powdery)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar


Beat the egg whites until soft peaks start to form

Add the sugar, salt, and cream of tartar (* at this point you can add any flavoring (1 tsp) if you so desire) and "beat the dickens" (that is how my dad used to instruct me in baking) out of it until the peaks are really stiff.

Then, depending upon what kind of cake you are layering, you can add
any of the following:
* 1 cup chocolate chips
* 1 cup pecans or other nuts, chopped
* 1 cup coconut
* 1 - 2 tsp lemon/orange zest.... etc.

I take the cake pan I am using for the layers and put it upside down on parchment paper. Then, I draw around the pan on the parchment paper with a pencil. FLIP the paper over and put it into a cookie sheet.

You will be able to see the shape through the paper and then evenly apply the meringue on the shape. I do not make mine too thick.

Bake at 300 degrees F for 25 to 30 minutes. Leave in the oven for at least an hour without opening the door. It is best to leave the meringue in the oven overnight, if you can. If you forgot to make the meringue the night before you need to torte the cake, then just use it out of the oven. I have had to do that many times.

Also, I have put a little cocoa in my meringue and used it as a chocolate meringue in chocolate cake...

Plus, I take a meringue and put it on top of and the bottom of an ice cream layer when I make frozen angel food cake with sherbet ice cream layers.

This makes great cookies, also, by the way. They peel right off the paper and you can eat them after you have baked them without the "leave in the oven instruction". I keep the cookies in for about 20 minutes (depending upon how big I made them). Do not let them get too brown.

Hope this helps you! It makes my cakes stand above the other bakers in my area.

So Many great tips! I love the cookie as a filling and also the meringe, I will definitely use both.
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I just thought of a question for both Lutie and for Christie: do you use any "regular filling" maybe in a thin layer to help the meringue or the cookie center stick as a layer, or does the moisture in the cake do this? I mean so when you serve it it stays together
Christi I just saw your instructions sorry..

i put my meringues on top of my butter cream fillings and/or other fillings. That is what holds them in place.

wgoat5's idea of cookies is fabulous, also. I am going to try her recommendation... she always has great ideas! Lemon cookies in a lemon cake would be awesome!

Wgoat5, do you ever crumble the cookies... that would be a cool texture, do you not think?

Would be a awesome texture lutie great idea

I personally love crumble chocolate chip cookies in bc YUM

Christi and Lutie:

WOW!! You guys are awesome!! Talk about thinking outside the box!! I love it!! I am a homemade cookie baker also and can't wait to try the cookie layer!

Lutie -- thanks for the recipe, just need to get my courage up to try it. Love the add-ins for the meringue...wasn't too sure about meringue as I have not eaten meringue but a couple times and have never made any. I am a food safety nut and the though of uncooked eggs/egg whites freaks me out!! But yours is baked... LOVE IT!!

Thanks again you guys!!

Hey guys thanks for the idea of the cookie layer.

That sounds delish & something I would've never thought of myself but when you think about it, that combo between a really rich white or chocolate cake would be killer. Has anyone ever tried that with a thin layer of baked brownies?

OMG! brownie layer would be delicious. What a great thread it may change the way I do cakes forever