Chocolate Chip Cookie Blackout Cake - and a Stirling Creamery Butter Giveaway! {Giveaway Closed}

YOU GUYS. YOU. GUYS. GUESS WHAT TODAY IS?

IT'S MY BIRTHDAY! 

Every year, I am so thankful for the opportunity to celebrate the day of my birth. You see, I feel a birthday isn't a right, it's a privilege. It's not about the cards or gifts, not about the parties or insane amounts of cake I feel I'm entitled to, it's all about the love and lessons. One may think one's birthday is all about getting older, but it's not. 

It's so much more than that. 

You see, every high and every low the past year has brought me to where I'm supposed to be. It gives my life definition; meaning. Every happy event and every tearful experience led me to this exact moment. The day of my birth almost sets a precedence for the year, if you will. New Year's Day? Psshya. My birthday starts the year. It gives me confirmation that God chose to give me one more year of life to fulfill His purpose. Gifting me another year is His way of letting me know my work isn't done. 

That doesn't mean everything is going to be sunshine, lollipops, and rainbows all the time. In other words, some moments suck a lot more than others. Some days, one will get delicious, refreshing lemonade and some days those same lemons will be chucked at you full force - sometimes right in the face. 

Jerks.

However, out of those crappy experiences, really super fantastic ones emerge and sparkle like that of a thousand diamonds. And you survived all of them. There's always a lesson to be learned, although we may not know what or why right away. Am I getting too profound on you? I am, aren't I? Shut up, it's my birthday. I'm allowed to. I love you. 

All I'm trying to say is that no matter what's thrown one's way, it's all how one perceives and receives it. Try to take it and learn from it. 

Now, let's celebrate by eating this cake - I mean, let's celebrate while I shove this cake in my face. Since you can't have any, how about a gift for you instead? I know. I'm so generous - and on my birthday nonetheless. 

How about a Stirling Creamery Butter Giveaway? Yes. Butter. I mean, who doesn't love butter? Butter is beautiful. And I'm giving away TEN POUNDS of these gorgeous, golden bars to one lucky reader. 

I KNOW, RIGHT?!

You wanna win? Follow the Rafflecopter prompts and enter for your chance to win. 

Good luck!

Xo

a Rafflecopter giveaway

This giveaway is open all legal residents of Canada who have reached the age of majority at the time of the contest in the province or territory in which they reside. Winner will need to answer a skill-testing question. 

No purchase necessary to enter. 

Giveaway will run from Wednesday February 11, 2015 to Friday, February 20, 2015. Winner will be contacted via email and displayed on Rafflecopter widget. 

CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIE BLACKOUT CAKE

For the cake:

1¼ cup quality unsweetened cocoa powder 

1½ cups boiling water

2½ cups all-purpose flour
2 cups sugar
1½ teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
3 large eggs, at room temperature
¾ cup Stirling Creamery Churn 84 Unsalted Butter, melted
½ cup buttermilk
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract

For the Chocolate Chip Cookie Layer:

Click here for the recipe.


For the chocolate buttercream frosting:

NOTE: This recipe will need to be doubled if making cake exactly as I have. 

1¼ cups Stirling Creamery Churn 84 Unsalted Butter
1 cup quality unsweetened cocoa powder
½ cup heavy cream (35% fat)*
5 cups icing sugar*
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
½ teaspoon coffee granules or espresso powder

*More if texture isn't at desired level



To make the cake:

Preheat oven to 350ºF. Prepare three 9-inch round baking tins by coating with non-stick cooking spray and lining the bottom with parchment paper.  

In a medium mixing bowl or glass measuring cup, whisk cocoa powder and boiling water until smooth; set aside.  

In a large mixing bowl, whisk flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together until combined. 

In another mixing bowl, beat eggs, melted butter, buttermilk, and vanilla together and beat with a mixer until smooth and fully incorporated. Add in cocoa mixture and beat well. 

Pour dry ingredients into wet and mix only until incorporated. 

Divide the batter between prepared pans. Be sure to tap pans several times to help release any air bubbles.

Place cakes in the oven and bake for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean. Remove from oven and allow cake to cool for 10 minutes, then remove cake from pans. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Remove parchment paper. 

To make chocolate chip cookie cake:

Once cookie dough has been made and chilled for 30 minutes, divide in half. Press one half of cookie dough in the same cake tins used for the cake - or will be using for the cake (this is to ensure you have the same size for layering) and bake for 12 minutes. You don't want the dough to be fully baked. This will ensure the end product isn't tough to cut through. 

Remove from oven and allow to cool for a couple minutes. Carefully overturn onto a wire rack. Cool completely. Note: If not using right away, wrap tightly in plastic wrap. 

To make frosting:

Using a mixer, beat butter for a minute. Add in cocoa powder and beat for another two. Lower speed and slowly add in icing sugar, alternating with heavy cream. Once both ingredients are fully incorporated, mix in vanilla extract as well as coffee granules or espresso powder, if using. If mixture is too dry, add in heavy cream one tablespoon at a time. If it's too wet, add in more icing sugar.

To assemble:

Starting with the cake as a base, using an offset spatial  spread a generous amount of frosting over the top. Don't worry about the sides as it will be coated when outer frosting is put on. Layer a cookie cake on top and apply frosting. Layer a cake on top of the cookie, frost. Do this until all layers have been places and frosting is in between each. 

Apply a small amount of frosting to the top layer and create a crumb coat. This will ensure no crumbs are created on final coat of frosting. 

Apply a generous amount of frosting to the top and begin sweeping down the sides until completely covered. Pipe on top of cake or around base - whatever you desire. Embellish as you wish. 


Disclosure: This giveaway is sponsored by Stirling Creamery Butter. Any and all comments and/or opinions are completely my own.