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Chocolate cloud cake and a glass of milk

13/2/2015

 
Chocolate cloud cake
The rich scent of freshly baked chocolate cake wafting through the house is mesmerising, and reminds me of the sweet, sweet memories my parents gave to me. Staring at the potted geraniums through my kitchen window, I'm transported to summertime weekends in the 1960s and the front porch of my childhood home.

My mother is inside, baking, as always. Dean Martin's 45 RPM record, Memories are made of this', is playing on my brother's stereogram and mum is singing along. It's one of her favourites of Dino's — the background music having deep, deep connections to 'the homeland', Magyarország.

You see, after the Hungarian uprising in 1956, the music from the number one hit was adapted into a song known as Honvágy-Dal (or The Song of Homesickness), sung by Boros Ida. 

I still have (and treasure) my mother's LP record which includes the track by Boros Ida, indeed we played it again and again at mum's wake. Over the years, my parents had explained its significance to me. A little digging has confirmed that the song was played regularly on 'underground' radio stations, when the names of those who'd been confirmed to have escaped the country were broadcast (my own family being among them). 

Honvágy-Dal was a song of protest against the communist movement (the philosophies of which my father hated with a passion!). It also became something of an anthem for those who'd left everything behind (including extended families and all of their belongings), fleeing to freedom across the four corners of the globe. 

The lyrics, roughly translated to English, speak of everything in the new land being strange; and mention the moonlit summers and geranium-lined window boxes from home.

Nostalgic thing that I am, I cannot help but weep bittersweet tears whenever I play either of these songs. ❤❤

However, please forgive me, for I have digressed just a little...   I was going to tell you that, whilst ever mum was in the kitchen, my father was always outside pottering — pruning roses or grapevines, mowing the lawn, or tinkering in his garage with items he had foraged at the local tip. My sister was busy in her bedroom, reading books, putting curlers in her hair, or drawing pretty female profiles with high cheekbones and bouffant hairdos in her sketchbook. Meanwhile, I'd be outside on the porch, playing with the dog. 

Sooner or later, mum would call us all to come into the kitchen to enjoy the spoils of her baking, which would be washed down with a glass of deliciously cold milk. A sütemény és hideg tej kész van, gyertek!  Dad and I would bolt inside, meeting my sister at the hallway. We'd gather happily around the kitchen table, laughing and chatting as we ate. My older brothers, who were both out chasing girls, really didn't know what they were missing!

My family at the kitchen table circa 1960s

Artisan baker that she was, my mother's repertoire included Gerbeaud slice, walnut torta, cocoa spirals, and honey cake, among other things. Dense chocolate cake wasn't one of her more frequently-baked goods, but whenever she made one, it was always good. 

I've seen numerous versions of a recipe for Chocolate Cloud Cake, originally by the late Richard Sax, on various blogs and web sites across the internet and have adapted and amended the ingredients to suit my own baking style and tastes. My version has less sugar than some of the others and there is no wastage of egg yolks. I've included some macadamia oil for a deliciously different flavour. 

The rich, dense taste is reminiscent of a chocolate filling my mother used to make for her wafer slices. Enjoy it...  preferably at the kitchen table... with a glass of milk.

CHOCOLATE CLOUD CAKE
100g unsalted butter, chopped, softened
a little extra butter, melted, for brushing the pan
1/2 cup vanilla infused caster sugar
1-2 tablespoons vanilla infused caster sugar, extra for dusting the pan (optional)
285g dark chocolate callets (54.5% cocoa solids)
1 tablespoon macadamia oil (or vegetable oil)
6 free range eggs
2 tablespoons cacao powder
thick clotted cream or Greek yoghurt, to serve
raspberries or pomegranate seeds, to decorate


Preheat your oven to 180 degrees C. Grease a 9-inch springform pan and line the base and sides with baking parchment. Brush the paper with a little of the melted butter and sprinkle with the (extra) caster sugar, if using. Shake out any excess sugar. Set the pan aside.

Combine the chocolate callets and the butter in a large Pyrex bowl, set over a pan of gently simmering water. Stir the chocolate and butter until both have melted. Mix until smooth. Remove bowl from the heat and allow to cool slightly.

Separate the eggs, placing the whites into the bowl of a stand mixer. Using the balloon whisk on a stand mixer, whisk the whites until they are light and fluffy, then gradually beat in 1/4 cup of the caster sugar, beating well until stiff peaks have formed.

Meanwhile, to the bowl with the egg yolks, add the cacao powder and the remaining 
1/4 cup of caster sugar. Whisk until the mixture is smooth and light. Now mix the yolk mixture into the chocolate and butter mixture, ensure the ingredients are well combined. Stir in the macadamia oil.

Gently fold half of the beaten egg whites into the chocolate batter, then fold in the remaining egg whites, folding the mixture until the whites are just incorporated. Pour the cake batter into the prepared pan, smoothing the top gently with a spatula or palette knife.

Bake in the preheated oven for 35-45 minutes, until the top of the cake has risen, is starting to crack and has pulled away from the sides of the pan. Remove the tin from the oven and place it onto a wire rack. Allow the cake to cool completely before loosening the sides of the springform tin. The cake will fall beautifully as it cools. Store the cake in an airtight container.

​Serve sliced with clotted cream or thick Greek yoghurt if desired. The cake is best served with a glass of milk! Serves 8-10.
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Ingredients for baking a beaut chocolate cake
Who wants to lick the bowl?
Chocolate cake in the oven
Chocolate cake

Tell me dear readers, do you enjoy a glass of cold milk? Have you ever tried it with a slice of chocolate cake? 
Tandy | Lavender and Lime link
10/2/2015 06:12:52 pm

what a beautiful story Liz! I am not a milk drinker, but I am sure with cake it could work :)

Lizzy
14/2/2015 02:25:14 pm

It surely would, Tandy... : ) Thank you.

Lorraine @ Not Quite Nigella link
10/2/2015 07:44:29 pm

A gorgeous classic dessert! I'd love a serve of this Lizzy :D

Lizzy
14/2/2015 02:25:41 pm

Thanks so much, Lorraine... come on over and let's bake one! : )

johanna GGG link
10/2/2015 11:29:00 pm

How chilling to have your family listed among those who escaped! And yet when you talk of your mum baking chocolate cake that sounds so ordinary and like my childhood - aren't chocolate cakes a wonderful experience that so many of us hold in common even if my mum's chocolate cake wasn't quite like yours - love the richness of this one - no wonder you enjoy it with milk!

Lizzy
14/2/2015 02:26:32 pm

Thanks so much, Johanna... my parents and older siblings lived through some difficult times, along with so many others. Thank you for your kind words.

Mandy link
11/2/2015 01:08:17 am

Oh Lizzy, what a beautiful read, thank you so much for sharing it with us all.
Have a beautiful day.
:-) Mandy xo

Lizzy
14/2/2015 02:26:54 pm

Mandy, thank you so much, that's very kind of you! xox

Gerlinde @ Sunnycovechef link
11/2/2015 02:10:29 am

My parents had some Hungarian friends that lived in Germany and I remember their stories. Keeping our memories alive by cooking is so therapeutic.

Lizzy
14/2/2015 02:27:26 pm

Hello Gerlinde, welcome to Good Things. Thank you for your very kind words... so true!

John @ Kitchen Riffs link
11/2/2015 02:57:38 am

When I was a kid I loved the combo of anything chocolate and milk. Chocolate cake and cookies were the standouts. Now, I rarely drink milk, although I'm always happy to use it as an ingredient. But sometimes I do indulge, and remember. :-) Good post -- thanks.

Lizzy
14/2/2015 02:28:01 pm

Lovely that you stop occasionally to drink some milk and reflect. Thanks for your kind words, John.

Amanda link
11/2/2015 08:46:53 am

I envy you such delicious memories, Lizzy. My mother never baked and was an atrocious cook. I was always keen to visit my aunts who were the total opposite of my mother and stalwart members of the CWA - cake could always be counted on in their houses.

Lizzy
14/2/2015 02:28:34 pm

Amanda, thank you, that is so very kind of you! Thank heavens you had your aunts and they were such great cooks! xo

Maureen | Orgasmic Chef link
11/2/2015 09:45:21 am

Your parents' story breaks my heart. Greed, power and corruption by a few can separate or destroy families. I can only imagine how much your mother missed her roots.

I'm going to make this cake and toast your mother with some fresh cold milk. :)

Lizzy
14/2/2015 02:29:17 pm

Oh Maureen, she truly did, as did my father! Imagine leaving your mother behind and all the family! Thank you for your very kind words... xox

Eha
11/2/2015 10:38:14 am

I may not make or eat cake but I absolutely loved your story! Loved the Boros Ida link and segment!! You haven't ever come up against a Hungarian pop artist called Zoran, have you . . . . bit later: 60s to 80s!!

Lizzy
14/2/2015 02:30:01 pm

Hi Eha... thank you kindly for that... no, Zoran doesn't ring a bell. When I get a chance I will have a look at the one or two Hungarian pop records that I have stashed away!

Sara | Belly Rumbles link
11/2/2015 01:01:23 pm

So fantastic that you have had those stories shared with you. I think that cake and milk just go hand in hand together, and I would quite happily have a massive slice of this chocolate cloud cake and an icy cold glass of milk. Milk has to always be icy cold.

Lizzy
14/2/2015 02:30:33 pm

Sara, they do, don't they! And yes, milk must be icy cold! Thanks for your very kind words.

Hotly Spiced link
11/2/2015 05:15:06 pm

What wonderful memories and I do love to read about nostalgia posts. And those old songs have such great lyrics and really can transport you back to another time and place. I don't like to drink milk so instead I'll have two pieces of chocolate cake xx

Lizzy
14/2/2015 02:30:59 pm

Charlie, thank you for your kind words... and you are most welcome to two pieces of cake xox

e / dig in hobart link
12/2/2015 09:19:12 am

i love a cake that has whisked egg whites - they produce such a great end result.
I enjoyed this reminiscence; the lyrics to that song are sad but beautiful.

Lizzy
14/2/2015 02:31:21 pm

Thanks Elizabeth, they do, don't they xo

Laura (Tutti Dolci) link
12/2/2015 05:37:05 pm

Oh chocolate cloud cake, what a lovely name. I know I'd love this cake!

Lizzy
14/2/2015 02:31:42 pm

Thanks Laura, I think you would indeed!

InTolerant Chef link
12/2/2015 06:57:37 pm

What lovely memories Liz! Your mother would be so proud of you continuing her baking traditions xo

Lizzy
14/2/2015 02:32:05 pm

Oh Bec, thank you... that brought a tear to my eye! Thank you xo

kellie@foodtoglow link
12/2/2015 09:07:46 pm

Lovely snapshot of a slice of your childhood, Liz. Slightly bittersweet memories, and delicious bittersweet cake. Pinning etc. Very nice. x

Lizzy
14/2/2015 02:32:32 pm

Kellie, thanks ever so much for your kind words! xo

the hungry mum link
13/2/2015 09:57:57 am

oh my gosh - welling up at the lyrics to the protest song. I think a slice of your cake is needed, stat!

Lizzy
14/2/2015 02:32:51 pm

Thanks so much for your very kind words!

David link
15/2/2015 02:07:25 am

Liz - thank you for shaing your family story here today - a lovely Valentine of the most important kind. I had no idea that the music from Dean Martin's song was repurposed.

Your cake looks amazing - another lovely Valentine!

I hope you and Peter celebrated in style! xo

Lizzy
27/2/2015 09:10:52 am

Thanks so much, David... xo

Amanda @ Gourmanda link
16/2/2015 09:15:25 pm

What a beautiful story Lizzy. It's so hard from our place of privilege to imagine the struggles that first generation immigrants had coming to Australia after leaving a country that was turning into something they couldn't agree with. Yet they're so key to what makes this country great. I wish we welcomed more immigrants and refugees with open arms these days.

Lizzy
27/2/2015 09:10:29 am

Oh Amanda, that is so very true!!

Fiona @TIFFIN bite sized food adventures link
18/2/2015 10:59:53 pm

I've seen many recipes for Cloud Cake too Liz. I love the chewy dense look of it. Thanks for sharing the information about the underground radio stations and your parents being some of those who escaped.

Lizzy
27/2/2015 09:10:07 am

Thanks Fiona... and this is a beautiful cake, well worth making.

Beck link
23/2/2015 05:51:09 pm

Food and music can both be so powerful at evoking memories! You’ve reminded me of my mother’s stories of her cousin escaping Hungary in 1956 also. Her cousin’s wife dies just last year and her sister spoke of how the family was divided for, I think, 8 years, as half of them were in Switzerland and half made it to Australia.

Lizzy
27/2/2015 09:09:40 am

So true, Beck... we must get together for a chat sometime! Share stories.

Terry Salazar Zoltowski
27/2/2015 08:53:01 am

Your recipe and the story of your family are both beautiful.

Lizzy
27/2/2015 09:09:04 am

Terry, that is very kind indeed. Thank you!


Comments are closed.

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