Dressels Chocolate Fudge Whipped Cream Cake
from http://lostrecipesfound.com/recipe/dressels-chocolate-fudge-whipped-cream-cake/ Dressels Bakery represented multiple pinnacles of achievement: the first Chicago bakery to make a million dollars, the first to master the art of whipped cream layer cakes, and the first to make a quality frozen cake that at the companys peak sold in 32 states. My image There are no clues that the breezy, grass-covered, empty lot at 66^th and Ashland was once the master plant of Chicagos most famous bakery, or, that the red brick storefront at 33^rd and Wallace in Bridgeport was its first location. But its true. Although gone without a trace, Dressels Bakery was for more than 60 years the maker of Chicagos most beloved special-occasion treat: the Dressels Chocolate Fudge Whipped Cream Cake. Moist layers of chocolate fudge cake stacked around dreamy whipped cream with light chocolate buttercream slathered over all and a crushed-nut garnish, Dressels signature cake was Chicagos go-to for birthdays, anniversaries, christenings and graduation parties. In fact, throughout the companys history the Chocolate Fudge Whipped Cream cake outsold all other Dressels cakes at a ratio of 60% chocolate fudge, to 40% everything else. The story of that cake is the story of a hard-working immigrant family, which brought the various talents of three brothers and generations of relatives and friends together. First farmers in Barrington, (after coming to America from Germany in the early 1900s,) the two older Dressel brothersJoe & Billwere initiated into baking by their uncle Lorenz Nock who operated a bakery in Bridgeport at 33^rd & Wallace. Joe & Bill bought the business in 1913while they were still teensand younger brother Herman pretty much grew up there, working full-time in the bakery by the time he was 14, and becoming a partner in the business in 1923. To Joe & Bills sales-, production- and people-skills, Hermanwho was in charge of cakesadded his friendly nature, innovators spark and artistic skills, proposing the idea of a whipped cream cake in the early 20s. It was a smash hit from the start. By 1929, it took two policemen to handle the Saturday crowds lined up down the sidewalk and Dressels was selling $2,000 to $3,000 worth of the cakes in a day, priced at 60-cents, 75-cents and $1.00. The volume didnt wane, building to 10,000 cakes a week by the 40s, with ten phone lines to take orders. To handle that kind of demand, the Dressels started experimenting with freezing the layers of the cakes well before WWII. Figuring out how to formulate the cake so that thawed, it would remain moist and light, took innovation. First, Dressels cut no corners on quality. In-the-shell eggs all came from one farm, butter from one supplier, and the creamthe heart of the cakewas brought in from dairies and pasteurized on site. Understanding the importance of that cream layer, Herman Dressel studied breeds of cow and the grasses they were fed, in order to hone in on the cream he preferred (from Holsteins cows Wisconsin.) As well, Dressel used the highest-butterfat content cream and then actually /added butter to the cream/ in a proprietary reverse process he developed that was only used at Dressels. Other early innovations included (during the very early years) incorporating very-finely-crushed carrot pulp into the fudge cake layers for greater moisture retention. As well, cake layers were made with oil, rather than butter, so that when chilled, the layers would not be as rigid, and would melt-in-the-mouth more easily. The buttercream was whipped with a percentage of vegetable shortening which volume-ized better for a lighter mouth feel than pure-butter buttercream. And the uber-buttery whipped cream was stabilized (given more firmness) with the addition of agar-agar, a vegetable-based gelatin. (Most of these processes were used until sometime after American Bakeries bought the company in 1963.) While Dressels cake was a production cakeno home baker can perfectly emulate Dressels techniques Lost Recipes Found worked with members of the Dressels family (Hermans sons Dan and Allan; and Hermans brother-in-law Marty Schell, who worked in cake production for years) to create a home-cook version of the Dressels Chocolate Fudge Whipped Cream cake to which the Dressels have given their approval. Most important? Dan Dressel stresses that each layer of cake and whipped cream must be exactly the same thickness. As well, the buttercream must not be too thick. My dad worked very hard to ensure that when you took a bite of the cake, the flavors and textures were perfectly balanced, says Dressel. To help you in making the cake, weve posted a step-by-step how-to video featuring Heidi Hedeker, a pastry chef instructor at Kendall College. Plus, a mini documentary of the Dressels cake story. And please, if you have your own memories or stories to share about Dressels, post a comment in the comment box below. [Pin It] <http://pinterest.com/pin/create/button/?url=http%3A%2F%2Flostrecipesfound.com%2Frecipe%2Fdressels-chocolate-fudge-whipped-cream-cake%2F&media=&description=Dressel%26%238217%3Bs%20Chocolate%20Fudge%20Whipped%20Cream%20Cake> Makes 2, 9-inch layers; one whipped cream cake Cake Ingredients * 2 cups sugar * 3 large eggs * 1 1/4 cup vegetable oil * 4 tsp vanilla * 1 1/3 cups boiling water * 1/2 cup Hersheys Special Dark cocoa powder * 1 1/2 tsp baking soda * 3/4 tsp salt * 1 1/3 cups cake flour * 1 cup all purpose flour * 1 cup toasted & ground mixed walnuts & pecans for sides of finished cake [Pin It] <http://pinterest.com/pin/create/button/?url=http%3A%2F%2Flostrecipesfound.com%2Frecipe%2Fdressels-chocolate-fudge-whipped-cream-cake%2F&media=&description=Dressel%26%238217%3Bs%20Chocolate%20Fudge%20Whipped%20Cream%20Cake> Light Chocolate Buttercream Ingredients * 2 cups room temperature unsalted butter * 1/2 cup vegetable shortening * 4 cups powdered sugar * 2 tsp vanilla * 2 1/2 Tbsp vegetable oil * 4 Tbsp Dutch-process cocoa powder [Pin It] <http://pinterest.com/pin/create/button/?url=http%3A%2F%2Flostrecipesfound.com%2Frecipe%2Fdressels-chocolate-fudge-whipped-cream-cake%2F&media=&description=Dressel%26%238217%3Bs%20Chocolate%20Fudge%20Whipped%20Cream%20Cake> Whipped Cream Ingredients * 1 cup water * 1/2 tspagar agar <http://wholefoodsmarket.com/recipes/guides/seaveggies.php> * 3 cups Kilgus Farmstead <http://www.kilgusfarmstead.com/where-to-buy/> or other non-homogenized heavy cream (closest approximation to what Dressels used) * 1/2 cup powdered sugar * 1 tsp vanilla [Pin It] <http://pinterest.com/pin/create/button/?url=http%3A%2F%2Flostrecipesfound.com%2Frecipe%2Fdressels-chocolate-fudge-whipped-cream-cake%2F&media=&description=Dressel%26%238217%3Bs%20Chocolate%20Fudge%20Whipped%20Cream%20Cake> Instructions Preheat oven to 350. Prepare two, 9-inch baking pans by greasing them and lining them with parchment paper circles. Also at this point: Set out the two cups of unsalted butter for your buttercream on your counter to bring it to room temperature (pliable, but not// soft) for making your frosting later. In large mixing bowl, beat sugar and eggs 3 minutes until fluffy and creamy. Blend in oil and vanilla and beat two minutes more. Combine boiling water and cocoa powder, stir to dissolve, mix in soda and salt. Pour into batter and incorporate. Add flour and mix until blended and smooth. Pour into prepared pans and tap pans to release bubbles. Bake at 350 for 35 to 40 minutes until cake springs back when touched. Remove from oven; let rest in pans for five minutes. Turn onto racks. Let cakes cool completely. While cake is baking, make whipped cream. Place 1 cup water in saucepan with 1/2 tsp agar agar. Heat to boiling; boil 4 1/2 minutes. Let solution cool just until you can immerse your finger in itstill quite warm and liquidthis takes about 3 to 3 1/2 minutes. While youre waiting, combine 3 cups of cream with 1/2 cup powdered sugar and 1 tsp vanilla. Turn mixer to low speed. Before cream reaches soft peak stage, add 3 Tbsp of the warm liquid agar/water solution to cream all at once (there should be at least 2 1/2 to 3 tablespoons of this solution left after boiling) and whip until consistency firms up. Note: The whipped cream will not be super firmjust firmer than typical whipped cream. Make your light chocolate buttercream. Whip two cups of room temperature unsalted butter with 1/2 cup of vegetable shortening and 4 cups powdered sugar at low speed for 8 to 10 minutes until the mixture is fluffy. Add two tsp vanilla. Whip again just to incorporate. Mix together 2 1/2 Tbsp oil with 4 Tbsp Dutch process cocoa powder. Whisk into buttercream until evenly distributed. Assemble cake: Trim the dome off the top of each fudge layer to ensure each cake layer is exactly level and of the same thickness. (Note: if you are allergic to nuts, crumble this trim into crumbs and place on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Toast crumbs in the oven at 300 degrees until crispy. Crush these crumbs fine and reserve.) Place first fudge layer on a cake liner on a footed cake stand. Carefully pipe 1-inch of buttercream around the rim of the fudge layer, so you now have a standing lip of buttercream on the cake layer. Fill this with 1-inch tall whipped cream. Add several more spoons of whipped cream onto the center. Layer the second fudge layer of cake over the whipped cream layer. Using an offset spatula, carefully seal the outside edge of the cake (sealing whipped cream in) with buttercream, using a little more buttercream if needed. Frost top of cake with buttercream. Frost sides of cake with buttercream. Apply crushed nuts (toasted walnut and pecan) to sides of the cake. (Or, if allergic to nuts, apply the toasted cake crumbs to the sides of the cake.) Freeze the cake, which will ensure that the whipped cream layer and buttercream will firm up. Set cake out 1/2 hour to 45 minutes before serving to soften. -- *Ginny Butterfield Cranberry Twp, PA * [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] ------------------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/CAKE-RECIPE/ <*> Your email settings: Individual Email | Traditional <*> To change settings online go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/CAKE-RECIPE/join (Yahoo! ID required) <*> To change settings via email: cake-recipe-dig...@yahoogroups.com cake-recipe-fullfeatu...@yahoogroups.com <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: cake-recipe-unsubscr...@yahoogroups.com <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
