If Marie Antoinette indeed said, “Let [the peasants] eat cake,” she probably meant a kind of brioche, as what we understand as cake, and definitely chocolate cake, wasn’t around yet. However Marie Antoinette did love drinking hot chocolate. I love the fact she brought her own Chocolate Maker to the Queen to her marriage to Louis XVI.
In terms of decadence, this chocolate cake is up there with Versailles. But it’s so simple to make, it’s perfect for us peasantry. Not to mention, if you’re going to bake a cake, why not make it chocolate? The other great thing about this cake is that the buttermilk and cheese ensure it isn’t too sweet. I like a dessert that tantalises you with sweetness instead of shoving you into a vat of sugar.
I bow to Donna Hay, queen, for the recipe. Here is Donna Hay’s Chocolate Buttermilk Layer Cake.
As you can see from the photo, I don’t bother with the extra layering, and it works just fine, though maybe a little thick on the frosting in the middle 🤷♀️. And my go-to for decorating — fresh berries always make dessert more appetising.
“Only once a year, on his birthday, did Charlie Bucket ever get to taste a bit of chocolate. The whole family saved up their money for that special occasion, and when the great day arrived, Charlie was always presented with one small chocolate bar to eat all by himself. And each time he received it, on those marvellous birthday mornings, he would place it carefully in a small wooden box that he owned, and treasure it as though it were a bar of solid gold; and for the next few days, he would allow himself only to look at it, but never to touch it.”
-Roald dahl, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
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