Massive Layered Chocolate Cake! + Macadamia Cookies

Okay so, this cake is 5 torte layers, aka, it almost hit the top of the box. It was supposed to be three layers, but after separating the recipe into different cake pans, neither me nor mom was pleased with the height, so onwards again! Did i mention that was the 3rd time I was doing it for the night? Because the first time I had a Not So Humble Pie moment, except I left out the sugar :D (Note the fake smile). The batter looked weird, and I took a bit out to taste it, and it tasted RATHER bitter, not to mention I got a chunk of unsweetened cocoa powder. Delusional, clearly, I felt nothing was wrong. And it wasn't until 15 minutes into baking (when the cakes were already risen since there was no sugar mix to bake it properly), I realized...3 cups of sugar were missing. Running to the oven, I knew it was too late. I took the cakes out to reveal 3 flat, DARK, ugly, spongy cakes. I took a moment, went outside and called David, managing to stop myself from crying. After, I decided, you know what, mistakes happen, and proceeded. 

Fortunately I had sorta mapped out my design from before. But before I get into that, you must be wondering, LG? Forgive me. This is was a cake for a young lady's sweet 16.Her initials are LG, and her favourite colour is Lime Green, so she literally puts LG everywhere. Anyway, this is a chocolate cake; each layer had alternating lime green frosting, and white frosting, which is a buttercream frosting. I don't think I'll be able to get rid of my buttercream frosting obsession. Its just so light, and now easy to use and manipulate. 

Then as you can see, I did a dot design basically all over, then used a star tip for the top of the cake. It was really the designing that took all night, mainly because I just wanted it to look right, and I wasn't tired so I didn't mind it. 

And this is the cake inside the box. Pretty, isn't it?

 

I got back rave reviews (they ate it the same night) that, in Jamaica terms "the cake sell off!!" Which means that it was really great :D. I promise, not my personal spin on it haha. I'm really glad they enjoyed it, and although there wasn't a sweet 16 party, it was still special.

I also had to make brownies for another client, who is my camp commandant (I counsel at a Christian camp in Mandeville, Jamaica called Moorlands Camp and we had a meeting yesterday). 

David took that picture before I cut them up. I thinks its really nice, gooey and yummy and...you get my point. So 24 brownies later and in the box...

I just used my standard brownie recipe (Remember what I said earlier? Do NOT change when you know you've found the perfect recipe). Everyone liked them, which was good :), especially since I made them after only 2 hours of sleep.

 I also made macadamia cookies for another client, who upon receiving ate about 4, then gave me double amount in pay, requesting kindly that I bring back more at the next meeting. If that's not a compliment I don't know what is!

Did I mention its IMPOSSIBLE to find macadamia nuts in Jamaica? Not that any other professional bakers would probably tell me anyway, but I searched High, and Low, And higher and lower, to no avail. When I went to Atlanta, I was taken to Farmer's Market where I made sure to stack up on them, which was a really good idea! I just popped all of them into the freezer, and they don't even need to thaw or anything, and can last up to a year in the freezer.

Needless to say, I'm off chocolate for a while. Please. The sight of new containers of Hershey's Unsweetened Cocoa Powder is beginning to haunt me, so expect to see some more new things. I'm especially loving design and think I'm ready to try out some homemade fondant!]

*UPDATE*

 I got pictures of the inside of the cake! :)