I have a little bit of a split personality when it comes to following recipes.  I am either all in, or not at all.  For the most part when it comes to baking, I follow the recipe completely – unless I really know what I am getting myself into, and feel completely comfortable with the substitutions.  For example, I am pretty confident now in my ability to substitute coconut milk for milk in pretty much any cake.  When it comes to cooking, there are no rules – and I am always making little changes here and there.

It was time to get back into my dairy-free baking mode – and what better to do that with than a chocolate cake.  My husband’s favorite dessert is a big chocolate cake – and it had been a while since I had made one.  I found this recipe in Cooking Light – and for some reason the title really got me.  Who doesn’t love fluffy frosting?  If you know me at all, I am not a frosting person – unless it has cream cheese in it – or it is marshmallow.  I read the ingredients, and this was neither – but I couldn’t get past the fluffy frosting.

The recipe – which I copied exactly below – called for a 9×13 pan.  Ordinarily I wouldn’t have thought twice, but for some reason I thought that a double layer cake might be even better.  We were having friends for dinner, and I figured it would be nicer to serve – so I found the 8″ round cake pans.  It didn’t hit me until I was making the frosting – of course, there is no way this can be a double layer cake.  This truly is FLUFFY FROSTING that will just sink if I layer another cake on top.  Duh.  So I ended up freezing one of the cakes, and just using the other and mounding the frosting on top. Of course that didn’t impact the taste what so ever – this cake was as moist as can be – and the fluffy frosting was like biting into a cloud.  I drizzled some caramel on top that I had brought back from Paris, and boy was this delicious.  Maybe my way was the right way – now I have another one in the freezer just waiting for an opportunity to pile some clouds on top…a little slice of heaven.

Cooking Light

Ingredients

Cake:

• 9 ounces unbleached all-purpose flour (about 2 cups)
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 cup packed dark brown sugar
• 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup canola mayonnaise (such as Hellmann’s)
• 3 tablespoons canola oil
• 1 cup hot strong brewed coffee
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1/3 cup semisweet chocolate chips
• Cooking spray

Topping:

• 9 tablespoons sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 6 large egg whites
• 1/3 cup light chocolate syrup

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350°.

To prepare cake, weigh or lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour and next 6 ingredients (through 1/2 teaspoon salt) in a large bowl. Add mayonnaise and oil; beat with a mixer at low speed until well blended. Slowly add brewed coffee and vanilla; beat with a mixer at low speed 1 minute or until well blended. Stir in chocolate chips; pour batter into a 13 x 9-inch metal baking pan coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350° for 30 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan on a wire rack.

To prepare meringue, combine 9 tablespoons sugar and next 3 ingredients in the top of a double boiler. Cook over simmering water 2 minutes or until candy thermometer registers 150°, stirring constantly with a whisk. Remove from heat. Beat egg mixture with a mixer at medium speed until soft peaks form; beat at high speed until stiff peaks form. Spread meringue over cake. Store cake, loosely covered, in refrigerator. Drizzle each serving with 1 teaspoon chocolate syrup.

For a printer-friendly version of this recipe, please click here:  Mocha Cake with Fluffy Frosting