Birthday Cakes Rockyn Robyn Has Made Over The Years For Our Family & Friends

I love to bake cakes for every occasion. Like music, baking is my therapy. I love the creative process, I love the challenge, and I love to make people happy.

Here's a photo gallery of the cakes I've made over the years. Plus a bonus cake recipe just for you.

I made this for Jimmy Steal's Birthday.

I made this cake for a client presentation. It turned out that someone in the client's office had a birthday that day.

I made this for my love, Bruce on his Birthday.

This was an experiment, the unsuspecting RAT staff were the Guinea Pigs.

Another experiment that turned out well. I made it again for Robin Thompson who's not only a client, but a dear friend.

I can't remember why I baked this or for whom I baked it , but I know I used a truck load of chocolate.

Experimenting with peanut butter mousse and Belgian chocolate. The RAT crew likes it, but then again, they'd eat a car bumper if it had hot sauce on it.

I have made more Black Forest Cakes than I can Count. The Cooperman boys won't let me in the house unless I have one in my hand.

Promo Assistant Rob Loves Every Cake I Make. This one was for his Birthday in May of 2022.

I made this for Bruce's Birthday in April 2022

I made this For Snacky Jackie, WRAT Promotion and Marketing Director for her Birthday in October of 2021.

I made this for my friends Carol & Vinny Milin shortly before they left Jersey for South Carolina. I had a small dinner party to send them off and this was dessert.

2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
3 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped
2 ounces sweet baking chocolate, chopped
¼ cup instant coffee crystals or instant espresso coffee powder
2 tablespoons boiling water
½ cup of favorite alcohol (Bourbon, Kahlua…etc)
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
2 cups granulated sugar
3 large eggs
1 ½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract
2 tablespoons of favorite alcohol
1 cup Buttermilk
Heat oven to 325 degrees F. Using a baking spray with flour, generously coat the bottom and sides of two 8-inch round baking pans; set aside. In a medium bowl, whisk flour, baking soda and salt; set aside.
In a small microwave-safe bowl combine unsweetened chocolate and sweet chocolate and microwave on HIGH power for 30 seconds; stir. Repeat microwave heating and stir after each 30 second interval until smooth, about 1 ½ minutes. Set aside to cool to room temperature.
In a small bowl, stir coffee (or espresso) and boiling water until coffee completely dissolves. Increase water to half a cup and add 1 cup buttermilk to measure a total coffee-mixture of 1 ½ cups. Stir in ½ cup bourbon or Kahlua.
In a large bowl, using an electric mixer on medium to high speed, beat butter and sugar for 30 seconds or until light and fluffy. Add in eggs and continue beating for another minute. Add in cooled melted chocolate and vanilla and beat until chocolate is thoroughly mixed.
On low speed, beat in alternating portions of flour mixture and coffee mixture until just combined. Pour batter into prepared pans; spread evenly.
Bake for 40 to 45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near center of each cake comes out clean. Allow cakes to cool in pans over a wire rack for 15 minutes.
Remove cakes from pans. Brush the top and sides of both cakes with 2 tablespoons bourbon or Kahlua and allow to further cool on wire racks before frosting.

ESPRESSO CREAM FROSTING

3 cups VERY cold heavy cream

½ cup confectioners' sugar

2 tablespoons instant espresso powder, dissolved in 2 teaspoons water

Whip cream on medium – high speed in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment until soft peaks form, 2 to 4 minutes. Add confectioner’s sugar espresso mixture; whip until soft peaks return. It’ll take an additional minute or 2.

Triple chocolate Kahlua cake with Kahlua espresso cream frosting.