Chocolate Monday: New Year's Winter Memories, Chocolate Desires

Hello Everyone Happy Chocolate Monday,

I really wanted a chocolate cake for myself this week before the year ended. I went for a more simple, classic Winter design. I miss the cleaner snow of the my hometown. This is also our 28th wedding anniversary and being snowed in is a fond memory, so It's only fitting I should gravitate to a sweet snowy frosted cake. 

So let me tell you how I fulfilled my chocolate craving. 

• After the cake was baked I poured my hot chocolate syrup over it.
• Once things cooled. I Frosted one layer with the Swiss butter cream that I love.
• I put the top layer on the frosted bottom layer.Then I began to put the frosting for the crumb coating on the top of the cake and work my way down and around the sides. Smoothing as I go...not trying to design at this point, but I want it somewhat even, so I don't have to scrape huge amounts off later. It should look like the picture here>

 A light butter cream filling before placing
on the top layer..chocolate.. so dark

and mysterious

I pop it in the fridge for about 10 - 15 min. and
I began to clean it up, so textured frosting or

 After the crumb coating and a few
minutes in the fridg. Time
to clean up the edges a bit

whatever I decide to place on the cake looks level. For modeling clay, fondant or marzipan this is a big factor in getting those strait edges. Some Cake decorators use levelers. I may invest in one at some point when I'm working on larger projects. Right now I get level to the cake and eyeball it.

Next came my designs...I'd imagined a white frosted cake with rosettes or shells...
I just didn't like the empty middle space and it needed more clean up.

Blast those crumbs lol, I love making shells and
 rosettes covering the whole cake, with a larger tip, but that's just
way too much frosting for me ;P

I'd also wanted  Christmas cookies all around...but when I put it together it was a bit kiddish for my style.

This is my second look I think smaller cookies would
work better. They sure taste good...I like them warmed
a bit with cocoa!

I love anything cut on the bias, angles make everything special. In clothes designs they are very flattering to any body type. I'd thought of it originally for a cake, but I was thinking of a more complex way to achieve the look maybe next time...All I had to do was use my spatula. So I cleaned off all the other decor and spun this more simpler design.  The pink and purple mimic the lines right?

This is my final design which makes me think of snow
drifts...and romantic views ;) I imagine a miniature me skating around the whole
cake...yummy!

So there, Now I can have my Xtra Special cake and eat it too!
Tootles 

 Enjoy your Mondays...

From Here on out!