I am making Roses’s Moist Chocolate Raspbertty Genoise from RHC for a birthday party on Saturday, at 2 PM. Rose recommends making the cake 24 hours ahead of time, however I work. Should I make the cake on Thursday, assemble on Friday night and keep it refrigerated until 2 PM Sautrday? Or make it the night before and assemble it on Saturday morning?
Except for any fresh raspberry garnish/decoration, I would make, assemble, frost and decorate the cake completely whenever you have time, then freeze the completed cake. If it’s decorated, put it in the freezer unwrapped just until the outside is firm and frozen, then wrap in a couple of layers of plastic wrap and one of foil and return to the freezer. On the night before you’d like to serve, put it in the fridge to defrost, then put it out at room temp several hours before serving. Unwrap it when putting it at room temp so the plastic wrap doesn’t ruin the cake decorations. Keep it covered, though, either in a cake carrier or with plastic wrap suspended on toothpicks.
If you leave it in the fridge too long (more than the one day that is ideal), it may lose flavor and the syrup may settle at the bottom of the cake.
Except for any fresh raspberry garnish/decoration, I would make, assemble, frost and decorate the cake completely whenever you have time, then freeze the completed cake. If it’s decorated, put it in the freezer unwrapped just until the outside is firm and frozen, then wrap in a couple of layers of plastic wrap and one of foil and return to the freezer. On the night before you’d like to serve, put it in the fridge to defrost, then put it out at room temp several hours before serving. Unwrap it when putting it at room temp so the plastic wrap doesn’t ruin the cake decorations. Keep it covered, though, either in a cake carrier or with plastic wrap suspended on toothpicks.
If you leave it in the fridge too long (more than the one day that is ideal), it may lose flavor and the syrup may settle at the bottom of the cake.
Thanks so much for your detailed response! I will make the cake tonight.
My mixer doesn’t have a whip attachment. Should I do that by hand rather than using regular beaters?
My mixer doesn’t have a whip attachment. Should I do that by hand rather than using regular beaters?
Are you referring to whipping the eggs for the genoise? If so, you can either use the beaters (which is what I would do) or get a tremendous workout doing it by hand. A hand mixer takes ten minutes on highest speed to whip genoise eggs, I shudder to think how long it would take by hand, probably double that.
My mixer doesn’t have a whip attachment. Should I do that by hand rather than using regular beaters?
Are you referring to whipping the eggs for the genoise? If so, you can either use the beaters (which is what I would do) or get a tremendous workout doing it by hand. A hand mixer takes ten minutes on highest speed to whip genoise eggs, I shudder to think how long it would take by hand, probably double that.
Thanks again! I’ll let you know how it turns out. *fingers crossed*
I’m a little concerned. I made the raspberry ganache last night and left it out an hour to cool. It didn’t seem like it was stiff enough to frost a cake. Of course, overnight, I put it covered in the fridge and it’s a lot thicker, but won’t it get runny again once it’s on the cake and I’m serving it?
If the ganache is too runny, is there anything I can do about it?
As long as you followed the recipe, it’s probably fine. Ganache takes hours and hours to set, often overnight if left at room temp. Now that it’s been in the fridge, it should be quite firm- is it?
AS long as you don’t warm it above the melting point of chocolate, it shouldn’t liquefy again. But do bring it back up to room temp before frosting the cake, or it will be too firm and the cake will tear as you try to frost with a stiff frosting.
Yes, it was quite firm after sitting all night. I put it out on the counter as soon as I realized my mistake (looking here on the site). I watched the video of Rose making ganache earlier too and I did it exactly like that! (whew)
Luckily, the barbecue/birthday party is fairly casual and I can arrive later when all is well (*positive thinking*). Thanks so much for your speedy response!!
They loved it! When I told Ken (friend whose birthday prompted my making a raspberry chocolate type cake - his fave) he was taking the rest home, there was no obligatory “well, you take some too.” He immediately said, “of course I’m taking the rest of home!” He loved it and so did everyone else. The hostess, an avowed no sweets eater, even took a piece and raved about it.
It was a great learning experience. The ganache holds up so well! It looked exactly like the picture all afternoon
Congratulations! Your cake is simply beautiful! Don’t you just love it when people who don’t normally eat whatever it is you’ve made—and when people definitely want any leftovers!!!!!!!
