Bookish Baking: “Lie” Cake (Portal)

Since my birthday is coming up this week, I thought a cake recipe is in order.

Since I already did a Dauntless cake, I thought “The Cake is a Lie” from Portal would make a good recipe for my 18th birthday.

I played Portal with my dad when I was about six. I love Portal!

The cake in Portal is based on Black Forest Cake – according to the developers, so that is what this recipe is based on.

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INGREDIENTS:

• 2 1/8 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 cups white sugar
• 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 3 eggs
• 1 cup milk
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 tablespoon almond extract
• 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips (the baking kind)

Filling Ingredients:

• 2 (20 ounce) cans pitted sour cherries
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1/4 cup cornstarch
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

 For Decorating:

• Shaved chocolate
• Fresh Cherries
• Whipped Cream
• Desired frosting (pre-made, or can be made from beating confectioner’s sugar and whipping cream until stiff peaks form).

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Grease and flour two 9 inch, round, cake pans.
3. Combine dry cake ingredients, then add the wet cake ingredients (including eggs) and blend well (whisk or electric mixer). Pour batter into pans.
4. Bake for about 35 minutes, or until the center can be speared and come out clean.
5. Let cool in pans before removing.
6. Drain cherries, reserving juice from 1 can, about a 1/2 cup. Combine reserved juice, and filling ingredients in a 2 quart saucepan. Cook over low heat until thickened, stirring constantly. Let cool completely before using.
7. Assemble the cake, place cake from one pan on a plate, spread with frosting, top with 1 cup cherry filling, add second cake on top, and repeat. Frost sides of the cake. Spoon remaining cherry topping onto top of cake.
8. Decorate as desired (picture above for reference). Cakes can also be split into two layers each with a serrated knife, for a four layer cake of the same height/amount, depending on preference.