French silk cake is a creamy, chocolatey cake served cold or at room temperature. It’s easy to make at home and can be modified with various ingredients. The recipe originated in the American South and is typically served with whipped cream. It’s made with a graham cracker crust and a plain filling of butter, sugar, dark chocolate, vanilla, and eggs. It can be topped with whipped cream, chocolate chips, nuts, or orange/lemon zest. It’s also known as chocolate silk cake or silk cake and tastes best when served slightly below room temperature.
French silk cake is a very creamy, chocolatey cake that is traditionally served cold or at room temperature. This pie is a popular offering at pie shops, especially in the American South, but it’s extremely easy to make at home and tends to be a hit at parties, thanks to the intensely rich flavor. French silk cake can also be modified with a wide variety of ingredients, for cooks who like to play with flavors.
The recipe appears to have come from somewhere in the South, with several bakeries and restaurants claiming credit for the invention of this cake. Wherever it comes from, French silk cake is classically served with a topping of whipped cream, which enhances its creamy flavor, and can be refrigerated for up to five days after it’s made without suffering a loss in flavor.
This pie is typically made with a graham cracker crust, although other pastries could be used and the filling is extremely plain. Three-quarters of a cup of butter is creamed with one cup of sugar before mixing in four ounces of unsweetened, cooled, melted dark chocolate, followed by two teaspoons of vanilla and four large eggs. After the filling is mixed, it is poured into the graham cracker crust and the pie is chilled until the filling sets.
Once the filling is ready, the pie can be topped with whipped cream and chocolate chips, and some cooks like to add chopped nuts as well. Walnuts can also be added to the filling, and orange or almond extract can be used in place of vanilla to give French silk cake an unexpected pop of flavor. Orange or lemon zest can also be sprinkled over the cake, for those feeling adventurous.
You may also hear this cake referred to as “chocolate silk cake” or simply “silk cake”. It tastes best when served at or slightly below room temperature, and can be especially enjoyable in hot weather, as the creamy filling has a fresh, natural taste that can be quite soothing.
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