Christmas Cake: Part 1

Dark chocolate olive oil cake, vanilla bean cake soak, spiced Bosc pear compote, gingerbread American buttercream. Decorated to resemble a magical winter forest.

This cake came about as a commission for a friend. She wanted a dessert to bring to a Christmas Eve party, hence the very festive design. Per her request, the cake is a triple tier 8-inch cake, large enough to feed a party. However, this cake can easily be sized down for a smaller gathering or night in with a good fork and a great movie.

Christmas screams chocolate to me, so it was no question that the base of this cake would be my Dark Chocolate Olive Oil sponge (aka the best chocolate cake in the world). The cake is then brushed with a vanilla cake soak to keep the sponge moist. The filling is a Bosc pear compote cooked down with a touch of sugar and warming spices. Instead of my usual Swiss meringue buttercream, my friend requested American buttercream for a sweeter, denser finish. This American buttercream is flavored with blackstrap molasses and spices, replicating the taste of a gingerbread cookie.

Decor-wise, the world is your oyster. I chose a maximalist direction, using a plethora of garnishes to create a whimsical winter woodland. I covered the sides in chocolate shards to mimic a tree stump, then decorated the top in meringue mushrooms (à la bûche de Noël), gingerbread men and a variety of fresh, dried, and sugared fruits.