The perfect cake

Jordan- my in home food critic- the only child alive who say such things as:

"Mom- do I taste a hint of nutmeg?"
"The only ranch dressing worth eating has a hint of garlic."
"Ew- this fish does not taste fresh at all!" (at a restaurant)
"I was afraid to taste the mussel- it looked gross!" ( He ate at least 20 of them)
"For my birthday was we go out for sushi? not the pansy no fish kind!"
"This isn't lemon extract (in a lemon cookie recipe) I taste oranges!"


What 10 year old boy notices this kind of stuff? Jordan. Jordan is a taster. Like me- he can identify ingredients, and even sometimes techniques. He has announced at the Ogden Pizzeria that the dough was NOT in fact hand tossed. He could tell. ( He was right- I could tell too- every one else at the table just looked at him like he had no idea what he was saying.) Jordan is clever like that.

I have been tweaking a recipe on paper for about 3 days to make him the PERFECT Chocolate cake. I realize Grandpa Swaner is making his German chocolate cake for Jordan on Sunday- I certainly have to make my son a yummey cake for his day. (Do you know my issues with store bought cake?! Ok- here it is- I always know my cakes are better than one ordered from the store- I only have ever served one to a beloved family member in the last 14 years! Sorry Dave- you are fortunate to have received a cake at all that year! the only reason you did is because I was told my Dr. Naisbitt that I would no longer be pregnant in 4 short days- and a brief moment of happiness had appeared in my pregnancy induced depression!)

But for my Jordan- it is not- "Honey what kind of cake do you want?" Dave: I think carrot cake is becoming my favorite- but whatever you want to make. Nicole: mmmm. The kind you made last time. (!!! I can't remember!) Kira: Pink cake. No- with Jordan its- "Mom make that kind of cake that everyone will be talking about the next day!" /sigh Thanks son- no pressure!

So here is what I have come up with: Those of you foodies out there- give it the once over and tell me if that sounds good- I have been concocting it in my head.

Chocolate cake with chocolate cheesecake layer

• 2 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, softened

  

• 1/2 cup sugar
• 3 large eggs
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• Sliced almonds, for garnish
• 1/3 cup cocoa powder
  

Cheesecake:

Preheat oven to 300 degrees F. 9-inch round baking pan with aluminum foil, letting edges of foil extend over sides of pan. Lightly grease the foil.

In large bowl, beat cream cheese until creamy. Add sugar, beating until smooth. Add cocoa powder. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in sour cream . Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake 45 minutes then turn the oven off and leave the cheesecake in oven with door closed for another hour. Let the cheesecake cool completely in its pan on a wire rack then cover and chill for 4 hours. Using edges of foil as handles, remove cheesecake from pan and peel away foil.

Spread a layer of frosting on top of chocolate cake. Next, layer cheesecake and top with chocolate icing. Place second chocolate cake and ice with frosting on top and on the sides. Sprinkle almonds on sides or top.

• favorite chocolate cake recipie ( one I recieved from Jaynie 13 years ago)
  
• shot of almond extract
  
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/3 cup canola oil
• 3 large eggs, lightly beaten

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour 2 (9-inch) round cake pans.

In large bowl, combine cake mix, extract, water, oil and eggs. Beat at medium speed with an electric mixer until smooth. Divide batter evenly between the 2 prepared pans. Bake 20 minutes, or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Let cool in pans 10 minutes. Turn out onto wire racks and let cool completely.

Chocolate Fosting:

• 1 cup butter, softened
• 1 block cream cheese
  
• 1/8 cup cocoa powder
  
• 2 cups confectioners' sugar
• a shot of almond extract
  

In a large bowl, beat butter at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy. Add chocolate, beating until combined. Beat in almond extract and confectioners' sugar until light and fluffy.

Did I go over board? Will he be talking about it the next day? Oh man!