Week five of quarantine is over. How are you feeling? I’m…okay. For me, every week carries with it a different lesson, and new realizations. We’ve been in this long enough that patterns have started developing. We’re no longer in shock, but still adjusting to the new normal. Most of my days consist of waking up, working out, and working from home. I have to say that I really miss the distractions of normal life. Working out, sitting at my computer working, going for walks, video meetings…it’s not bad, but life feels rather void of the excitement of planning things to do, be it vacations, weekend trips or outings with friends, etc. I also really miss teaching spin and my community at Yyoga. I miss the distractions of normal life.
I did have a socially distanced happy hour this week, and got drunk on a weeknight. I think my body is tired of quarantine. It’s missing lack of variety. I was so shocked how quickly the wine caught up with me! No regrets, it was fun, and I felt better the next day after letting loose for the first time in 5 weeks.
This weekend’s recipe is more indulgent and crazy than usual! I think it’s a reflection of my mood. It may seem complicated, but all elements of this recipe are very easy to make! The cake is my favourite chocolate cake, which uses the “hot coffee method”. The pudding is super simple, and the added coffee adds some richness to the chocolate flavour. The whipped cream is my absolute favourite. I have a love affair with whipped cream, lightly sweetened and with a bit of booze. I like that whipped cream is a little lighter than buttercream, or icing.
This recipe is called “special” chocolate trifle, because it’s about more than chocolate. The whipped cream is studded with Bailey’s liqueur, and the pudding contains coffee…and so does the cake. It’s a fantastic melange of flavours that results in one of the best desserts i’ve ever made. It’s a must try.
Ingredients:
Cake:
2 eggs
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 tsp vanilla
1 3/4 cup sugar
1 cup buttermilk (1 cup milk with 1 tsp vinegar)
3/4 cup cocoa powder
1 3/4 cup flour
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 cup hot coffee
Pudding:
3 tbsp cornstarch
1/3 cup cocoa powder
1/2 tsp salt
2 1/4 cups milk
1 tsp instant coffee
2 tbsp butter
1 tsp vanilla
Whipped cream:
1 473ml container heavy cream
2 shots Bailey’s liqueur
3 tbsp maple syrup (or any sweetener)
Instructions:
Cake:
1.) Preheat your oven to 350, and grease a large, flat baking dish.
2.) Whisk together your eggs, vanilla, oil, sugar, and buttermilk.
3.) Add flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and cocoa to your wet mixture whisk well to combine. What I love about this cake recipe, is that it’s so easy. Don’t worry if your batter is a bit lumpy- the hot coffee will smooth anything out!
4.) Pour your hot coffee into the batter and whisk to combine. The batter will be thin- no worries!
5.) Pour the cake batter into the baking sheet, and bake for 30-35 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean.
6.) Cool your cake before assembling the trifle!
Pudding:
1.) In a saucepan, add cocoa, cornstarch, instant coffee powder, sugar and salt. Over medium heat, slowly add the milk 1/2 cup at a time.
2.) Stir the mixture until is starts boiling, boil for one minute.
3.) One your mixture has thickened, turn the heat off and add butter and vanilla.
4.) Set aside to cool!
Whipped cream:
1.) Whip your cream with beaters in a large bowl.
2.) Right before stiff peaks form, add your maple syrup and Bailey’s (you can add more to make it more boozy), and continue to beat a little more.
3.) Be careful not to overwhip your cream or it will turn to butter.
Assembling your trifle:
1.) Once your cake is cooled and flipped out of the pan, cut it into little chunks. Place half of the little chunks along the bottom of your trifle bowl.
2.) Cover your trifle with half of the cooled pudding mixture. Add half of your cream on top of the pudding mixture.
3.) Add another layer of cake pieces, another layer of pudding, and top with the remaining whipped cream.
4.) You’re done. Ready to eat. Keep in the fridge!
Kendall Creates 