In commemoration of City Weekly's 40th anniversary, we are digging into our archives to celebrate. Each week, we FLASHBACK to a story or column from our past in honor of four decades of local alt-journalism. Whether the names and issues are familiar or new, we are grateful to have this unique newspaper to contain them all.
Title: Eye on Carl's Kitchen
Author: Carl Rubadue
Date: Feb. 1987
On Valentines Day, as custom goes, we take time to show our special ones just how special they are. For most, this is one of the few times during the year that affections are expressed in a public display.
The group of individuals who seem hardest pressed for ideas as to what to give are the bachelors and bachelorettes. Usually they wish to express an emotion without it being judged as too much or too little.
With flowers how can one go wrong? Matching colors, favorites and budgets, any message can be sent. Another way, mine, takes a little time, but is worth all the effort. A heart shaped chocolate cake with strawberries or oranges will score points. These days anyone who can read can make a chocolate cake.
Heart shaped pans are available. But to bake a round or square cake, and cut it into a heart before frosting it, is quite simple. Draw a heart on a piece of paper or find a heart in a magazine and cut it out. Place it on top of the cake and cut the cake keeping all sides straight up and down.
Carl's Chocolate Cake
Preheat oven 375°
18 oz. chocolate cake mix (The single person method)
2 eggs
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup butter
3 oz. semi-sweet chocolate (Chocolate chips work)
1 cup water
FROSTING & FRUIT:
1 basket strawberries or 2 to 3 oranges
2 oz. Gran Marnier, Framboise or Triple Sec (optional)
1 pint whipping cream
1/2 cup to 1 cup powdered sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
Butter and flour pans of your choice. Knock out excess flour. Melt butter and chocolate over low heat on stove, stirring to mix.
Empty cake mix into 4 qt. mixing bowl. Blend water, sour cream and eggs until smooth. Add water mixture to cake mix and mix well, scraping sides to blend until smooth. Add chocolate, butter, and mix well.
Pour into prepared cake pans. Do not fill pan over half way. Bake 35 to 45 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean and cake has pulled away from side of pan. Let cool 10 minutes in pan then remove and let cool completely before frosting.
Clean strawberries or oranges while cake is baking. The strawberries should be topped and sliced about twice as thick as a quarter. The oranges should be peeled with a knife, so that no white skin is on the orange. Clean the flesh away from membranes. Slice the meat of the orange lengthwise to make thin long pieces. Reserve.
Whip cream. When soft peaks form, add powdered sugar and vanilla. Whip until stiff.
After the cake is cool, shape the heart using model. Slice layer in half if more layers are desired. Set first layer on plate. Brush with the liqueur.
Frost first layer, leaving sides of cake clean. Place fruit on frosting in single layer until entire surface is covered. Do not let any fruit extend over edge of cake. Set next layer on.
Level each layer as you go. Shim with cake or fruit so when you frost, the cake is level. Repeat until all layers are finished. The cake is decorated by the fruit—simple and beautiful.
If the sides of the cake are clean, why frost them? Let your Valentine see your work.
Bon Appetit!
