What to Eat Wednesday- Chocolate Malt Cake

Chocolate Malt Cake
*edit at the bottom of the page after the recipe*

I had pinned this last spring only for how it looked. The image was so enticing I didn't even think about the fact that I didn't love malt balls. When it got closer to my birthday I quickly put the idea away as I looked at the recipe. Not only was I clueless on how to follow the recipe, I was reminded again that I don't love malt flavoring. I changed the pin to something I could try for Jay's birthday.

Well September came and I started to try and find a recipe that would work for me to bake for Jay's cake. I asked if I could just surprise him with a birthday treat. Good thing he said yes. I found "the" cake recipe.  I wished I would have found it for my birthday. I could go on and on with words trying to describe the cake and it's chocolate malt goodness but it is no use. You just have to taste it. My only improvement would be to add more malt (I know! I said I don't even like malt) which I have noted in the recipe.

 

 

Chocolate Malt Cake

Cake
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup milk
1 cup malted milk powder (slightly more)
1 cup vegetable oil
3 large eggs
1 cup sour cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Chocolate Malt Frosting
1 cup butter softened
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
3/4 cup heavy whipping cream
1/2 cup malted milk powder (for sure add more- I think at least a cup)
5 cups confectioners' sugar
Garnish: malted milk balls 

(A very large bag is needed to cover the entire cake. Think Sam's Club/Costco sized bag)

Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour 2 (8-inch) cake pans.

In the bowl of an electric mixture, combine flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.

In a small bowl, combine milk and malted milk powder, stirring to dissolve. Add milk mixture, oil, and eggs to flour mixture, beating at medium speed until smooth. Add sour cream and vanilla, beating just until combined. Pour batter evenly into prepared pans, and bake for 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Let cool in pans for 10 minutes. Remove cakes from pans and let cool completely on wire racks.

To make the frosting, in a large bowl, beat butter and cocoa powder at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy.

In a small bowl, combine cream and malted milk powder, stirring to dissolve. Add cream mixture to butter mixture, beating at low speed to combine. Gradually beat in confectioners' sugar until smooth.

Spread frosting between layers and on top and sides of cake. Garnish with malted milk balls.

adapted from Paula Deen's Holiday Baking, 2007 & found on the blog  Budding Baketress- 

The recipe called for less malt and 3- 9 inch cake pans. I found it completely acceptable to just do 2 - 8 inch pans and add more malt.

*edit* Yes it was interesting to cut. We put pans underneath to catch all the stray malt balls then had them sitting in a bowl. The kids ate them up quick. Once we started cutting the cake started to loose its shape causing some of the malt balls to shift sideways. Some fell, but most stayed on.
The decorating part took about as long as it would to decorate any other kind of cake. It was a lot of fun to make!

Tucker is 6

 Tucker is 6!

In celebration here are 6 photos from this morning as he headed out to school.

Tucker loves cowboys. He doesn't dress up like one. He is one.

I was talking with him about Halloween and suggested that he dress up like a cowboy. He just looked at me and it was like I could read his mind. 

The boots that he got for Christmas were all but falling apart. I have used them as a bargaining chip since school started. If there was something in question I could just say, "you'll loose your boots," and that shaped things up quick. Until last night. I said the phrase and he whipped his head around to look at me and said "I'm not wearing those boots again. I am going to wait for my new ones." 

(He just knew he was going to get them for his birthday-we had looked at some and tried them on.)

He has wanted a "big" buckle like he sees all the older boys (and men) wear. Jack found just the one and got it for him. It was sweet.

Right after school we are headed out to go ride.

 

 I love my 6 year old!

one whole hand-

Today this boy turned 5!


One whole hand!


Dear Tucker,
You were so fun to celebrate with today! You had such fun requests. The easiest meals to make for your special day.
For breakfast you requested: hot dog buns with honey
For lunch you requested: hamburger buns with jam
For dinner you requested: scrambled eggs with bacon
For dessert: " that yummy red cake because its so good"
Like I said the easiest requests!








When you woke up today you were excited thinking about getting to wear the birthday hat at church and being sung to in Primary. When you opened up a present before we left for church you were thrilled to get your own box of orange tic tacs. You always want your own box when we go to the store, and I don't buy them. You were so excited and said "my own pair of tic tacs!" By the time church was over the box was almost empty.
We let you pick where to sit in church and you picked the very front pew. That turned out surprisingly well!
Today you changed clothes many times- I stopped keeping track after outfit/dressup #8.
You and I had gotten out the size 5 box of clothes this last week, and today you wanted to wear everything that was in the box because as you said "now I am 5." You also added many items from the dressup bins to your clothes. You were variations of many different things- cowboy, batman, there were a few swords, and weapons of different kinds mixed with odds and ends from the bins.
You were so much fun to be with. You took all of our birthday traditions seriously. You made sure that you were the first one to take a bite at all the meals. All day I have thought about how much joy you bring to me and to the whole family. I am so glad you were born.



Last night I was thinking about the day you were born and how you got your name. All throughout your pregnancy we would talk about different names. We liked the name Quincy a lot. Luke picked up on the name and said that you would be Quincy P if you were a girl. If you were a boy we really liked the name Clarke. So right after you were born and we knew that you were our boy, I held you close and stared into your sweet face and questioned the name. I looked at Dad and back at you and said that I did not think you were Clarke. It was so funny, the name just was not you. So we took a day or so to think about it. The hospital raised a fuss about us leaving without naming you. But nobody was going to rush me into naming my son!
On the drive home we decided on Tucker. Tucker James. It is so you. I can't imagine you as anyone else.
I am so glad that you were born.
Love, Mom

One year older ...

Scenes from my day. Hello 38!

Fourth turns Four!

He had come into our bed before it was light and fell asleep. As we were waking up I said "Tucker its morning. What does that mean?" He looked out the window to see if the sun was shining and he gasped ... "I am four!"

He wanted more weapons. A light saber. Apparently he has a thing for weapons.

Tucker was thrilled that Jack gave him a light saber.
(We all were a little surprise and thrilled too!)

Perfect timing that Pottery Barn had star wars crafts-

Very fun to have a birthday party to attend for his cousin on his birthday.
At this age it all just seems like one big celebration!

He had all of his favorite things to eat. Scrambled eggs, cake before lunch, (white cake with white frosting, at his request!) and pancakes for dinner.

Then off to the science museum with the family!

I just asked Tucker what he remembered about his birthday.
(It was 2 months ago!)

eating cake
having breakfast
got something that was really awesome, I got a light saber
Luke made me the gun room from the death star (with legos)

It looks like you are right handed. But as soon as I think that you switch it back.
You talk and talk. Dad and I were just remembering that there was a time you would hardly speak. And then once you did, we could not understand you for the longest time. You have outgrown saying 'lo mein" for Tucker James. Which you proudly state whenever someone asks your name.
You have become a little lonely with the kids being gone to school. You have started requesting to have "boy" friends to play with. No more girls!

You still call Savanna sister, and hardly ever say her name. But you have taken to calling me and Dad by our first names. Whenever you are unhappy with us you will explain what you are upset about like this, "Alisa won't let me play with my toys." Or, "Jay said no."

You look up to your brothers and want to be like them. You adore Luke and sneak into Jack's things when he is at school.

You are a complete joy.