"Chocolate Magic Cake" -- Epic Failure!

Yesterday morning we woke up and thought we'd putter a bit -- it is vacation, after all -- and then make these cookies from Sweet As Pie.  But then I checked Facebook, and a friend of mine shared this status:

Doesn't it just look fabulous?!  Fluffy and light and pudding-y and all that is good in the world, right here in a sugar-and-blueberry topped cake!  And so we decided to make this "magic cake" instead and to put the cookies on hold.

(We went with the chocolate version because, well, it was the chocolate version. Why wouldn't we?!)

Ahem.  If you see this same status being shared around on your newsfeed, steer clear.

Because this was an

Epic

Monumental

Failure.

Look at this!  Doesn't it look like it should be divine?! I even took out my real camera to try to get some photos that would do it justice.

This photo doesn't do it justice.  Seriously, this is one of the prettiest cakes you'll ever not make.

Look at these layers!  In my head I can practically taste the rich pudding/custard/mousse filling and the flourless-chcocolate-cake-esque top layer I imagined this to be ... tell me you're with me?

Even CAM was excited to try it!

 

It definitely makes a pretty cake. Take another look.

But, oh, brother.

Here's what I commented on my friend's post (disregard the typos from thumb errors):

I was intrigued by this, so I made it today (the chocolate version). It looks pretty at first, but the middle layer has an odd texture -- almost like scrambled eggs. And you can TASTE the egg, which is absolutely weird to me in a cake/custard. It is easy enough to make (except if you use a stand mixer you eithet need to wash the bowl mid-process or have two), but honestly not really worth it. When it is done, the top layer is a decent enough cake. The middle is a custardish thing that I was hoping would have a more pudding-like smoothness that instead was more lile scrambled eggs, and the bottom layer is honestly like slimy, soaked-through pie crust. Of course, I am picky about textures. If you aren't as picky, truthfully the flavor is ok. It would probably improve if I'd had a darker chocolate-based cocoa powder in the house. Wow -- now I have surely whet your appetite!

Take a close look at her face.  This is a little girl who wants desperately to like this cake and yet really, all she wants to do is spit it out.  It was that awful.

So, consider this a public service announcement.  And my apologies to Jo Cooks.  I'll have to try another of her recipes so that I can come back here and say something was delicious.

This cake just was NOT that something.

--Jen

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