Angel Food Cake with Chocolate Whipped Cream

I don't know about you, but week-long birthday celebrations are always OK in my book.

Mr. Vittles is old .. I mean, thirty years-old as of Saturday, and we had multiple celebrations this year in his honor.

The first was last Saturday, the 18th, where two amazing things happened- one, I was actually able to surprise my husband with a party at an art gallery.

And two, I convinced him to step foot in said art gallery.

Ok, so it was only under the guise of attending my friend's parents' surprise 40th anniversary party... but he went there nonetheless.  (FYI, an art gallery is a perfect venue for a party - it's a big empty room that's already been decorated for you!  Especially if you find a fabulous, non-stuffy place like this one.)

Mr. V is a tough one to keep secrets from, though.  He is not only very smart but very nosy.  Not that I don't have a little Curious George in me too, but this is a difficult trait to work with with when you're trying to plan a party right in front of someone without them knowing.

Thankfully he works almost twice the amount I do (yes, I have a full-time job) so I was able to do most of it when he wasn't home.  Everything else I was able to do out in the open because he thought I was helping my friend.

Bwah hahahaha!

So the good news is that he was super surprised, but the bad news is that I have broken all trust in our marriage.

!!

Kidding.

I think?

But either way, we had a fabulous night filled with good friends, close family, delicious food & desserts, and lots of alcohol.  Then, when the formal party was over, a group of us went to a bar, stayed up way past our bedtime (not that that's saying much for Mr. V and I), and some of us even passed out in a pile of spilled cookies in the hotel room.

What could be better than that?

Devon Vittles put it best when she said "If your 30th birthday party is any indication of how much fun you are going to have in the next decade, I'd say you are all set."

Insanity.

Anyway, since I purchased a cake for the party, I decided I should make the V Man's favorite cake on Friday.  But his actual birthday (September 25) was spent in Cape May celebrating the marriage of our friends Bryan and Pauline, so he has barely had a chance to eat any of this cake yet.

It's probably not as good as when his mother or Nana Vittles makes it, though - it's my first go-around and Nana "wings it" so I had no real measurements to accompany the list of ingredients.

It's also slightly painful for me to cover a virtually fat-free cake in an entire pint of whipped cream & melted chocolate - especially since, like these flourless chocolate cookies, angel food cake is made almost entirely of sugar.

So between you, me, and the entire internet community (which includes my mother-in-law who reads this blog religiously)-

I made my cake with less whipped cream & glaze than my in-laws do.  

(Ahh! I thought lightening might strike me down as I typed that but I seem to have all my limbs & mental facutlies, so I guess we're all good.)

Mr. V... was none too happy to hear this.

Maybe that's why the cake was still sitting in the fridge untouched until about an hour ago?

He claims he was waiting for candles and a song.  He also says that he's going to tell my dad on me (?) because not only did I refuse to sing to him, I did not do the Birthday Dance of Joy that is customary in my family.

I pointed out that I already gave him a cake with candles and sang 'happy birthday' at his party, but there's no reasoning with him.

And to think I voluntarily agreed to an eternity of this abuse!

Luckily he was able to get the full-fat/full-deliciousness version, complete with song and candles, at his final celebration yesterday (courtesy of Pammy Vittles).  So all is right in the world, and it's a happy birthday indeed :)

Now if you love sweets on top of sweets like Mr. V, just double the whipped cream and glaze amounts below for one angel food cake - you will also want to cut the cake into 3 layers rather than two to make room for the extra whipped cream!

Angel Food Cake with Chocolate Whipped Cream

• 1 angel food cake (either made from your favorite recipe or purchased from a store)
• 8 oz. heavy cream
• 3 T. unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/4 C. - 1/2 C. powdered sugar (depending on how sweet you like it)
• 1/2 t. vanilla extract
• 2 T. butter
• 1 oz. baking chocolate (I used semi-sweet)
• 2 T. milk
• 1/4 C. powdered sugar, plus more as needed for desired consistency

Cut completely cooled cake horizontally to create 2 layers.  Place bottom layer on plate.  In medium bowl, combine heavy cream, cocoa, vanilla, and 1/4 C. powdered sugar.  Whip with whisk attachment on a mixer until stiff peaks form, about 4 minutes.  Spread whipped cream over bottom layer of cake, and replace the top layer of the cake.

In a separate medium, microwavable bowl, combine butter and baking chocolate.  Melt together in 10-15 second increments, stirring after each until smooth.  Add milk and 1/4 C. confectioners sugar, and mix until combined (I used a hand mixer here, still fitted with whisk attachment, for convenience).

Add more confectioners sugar if needed to reach desired consistency.  Pour glaze over the top of the cake, allowing to drip down sides.  Serve immediately, or refrigerate to serve cold.  Refrigerate any leftovers.

Family Recipe, Origin Unknown