Chocolate-Mayonnaise Cake

The MasterChef Cake Week Challenge-Birthday Bakes

Birthday Cake Party Memories

As the contestants enter the MasterChef kitchen, we are greeted by childhood photographs of the judges. Chef Ramsey's childhood photo exemplifies his mischievousness as a youngster. Joe Bastianich has the most sheepish grin in his photo, and Chef Aarón Sánchez looks like a rough-and-tumble little boy.

The Challenge

The challenge today? Craft a stunning birthday cake infused with memories from your childhood—a delightful twist on one of MasterChef Kitchen's most brutal weeks, Cake Week.

It is clear that today's task was to create a birthday cake infused with childhood memories, but the judges wanted more than just a delicious dessert; they wanted a cake that spoke to our generation, tasted amazing, and was a true showstopper.

I decided to make the one cake from my childhood that evokes a time capsule of flavors and love—transporting me back to my mom's kitchen, where my mother would bake the most delicious cakes from scratch.

Generations Past

My mother, whose mother also made it, and her mother before her, handed down the recipe to me. I now carry the tradition by sharing it with my children and grandchildren.

The Chocolate-Mayonnaise Cake became popular during World War II, when food staples such as eggs and butter were in short supply, and housewives had to make do with what they had. 

This is a rich, slightly dense, but wonderfully moist chocolaty chocolate cake. The chocolate lovers in your family will rave about this cake and ask for it repeatedly!

Standing Resolute

I've baked my mother's mayonnaise sheet cake countless times, yet never as a three-layer masterpiece, and certainly outside the hallowed confines of the MasterChef kitchen. What drove me to attempt this audacious feat during the Cake Week Challenge? The desire to resurrect a cherished childhood memory by recreating my mom's cake.

My mission: to transform my mom's humble chocolate cake into a showstopping beauty. The layers, stacked high, concealing fresh raspberries tucked within. In that pressure-cooker environment, where time ticked by in a relentless flash-with just 60 minutes on the clock, I stood resolute.

Culinary Chaos

Tension hangs in the air, palpable enough to slice with a knife. The Judge's stern proclamation echoes: "Your time starts now?'

As chaos swirls around me, fellow contestants move wildly, darting, grabbing ingredients, shouting "behind you." Panic tugs at their composure, but I find unexpected calm and ready to impress within the confusion. My cakes are in the oven in no time, and I start on my coffee-infused chocolate icing. The timer chimes, and my heart skips a beat...the cakes look slightly underdone. The dilemma unfolds: Do I risk a dry cake by leaving it in for another 2 minutes, or go straight to the blast chiller? I rotate the cakes and decide to cook them for 2 minutes longer.

Time Is Merciless In the MasterChef Kitchen

The timer chimes once again, and for the love of all things holy, they are still slightly underdone. Time ticks mercilessly. I run to the blast chiller with my cakes in that split second, hoping for perfection. Knowing my cakes need to be cold throughout, I send them into the icy embrace, praying they emerge perfectly cooked and cooled.

The Kitchen Storm Rages

I face a new dilemma: The blast chillers, once icy sanctuaries, now betray me. Frequent openings by fellow contestants have left them tepid, and my precious cakes, yearning for a colder embrace, find none.

Troubles Brew

Again, time marches on. With seconds slipping through my fingers, I make another split-second decision: stack, frost, and pray. Troubles brew: In an effort to keep my cake from being unbalanced, I decided to slice my raspberries in half, not thinking in the thick of the challenge that my cut raspberries would sweat, their sublime juices soaking into the cake! Ack! My composure wavers!

Then my frosting refuses to hold firm to the slightly warm center of the cake, and once-held promise now threatens perfection. A leftward tilt emerges as my cake leans precariously.

Gravity Sucks

Desperate, I run to the pantry, where I seize straws, allies in this battle against gravity. Yet, despite my efforts, the tilt persists. Undeterred, I forge ahead, decorating my cake and attempting to apply metaphorical lipstick on this ugly pig!

The tepid cake, amplified by the melting frosting, defies my resolve. I head to the refrigerator to chill my leaning cake and save what's left of my dignity. Another blow: there is no room in the inn! I return to my station and cling to hope that my creation stands tall when judgment begins.

Cutting Room Edits

While the cameras capture the intense moments and culinary triumphs, there are countless behind-the-scenes stories from my MasterChef journey that never made it to air—like the spontaneous dance-offs in the kitchen, the late-night brainstorming sessions with fellow contestants, and the invaluable tips from the judges that shaped my cooking skills in ways you wouldn’t believe. One such moment happened with Chef Gordon, and I’d like to share it with you.

Chef Ramsey to The Rescue

Chef Aaron and Joe weave through the bustling contestants, their eyes keen on our creations. They reach me as I stand, resolved to be at the bottom today and most likely go home. And there it is: Gordon urgently says, "You must put this in the blast chiller immediately." I explained that my cake was too tall, as I had tried only moments ago, but every nook was already taken. Panic gnaws at my resolve.

In a flourish, Chef Ramsey, the culinary savior, strides into the chaos of my mind with a gust of determination. "Come on," he urges as he charges forward, my cake in hand, I in close pursuit. His hands deftly rearrange the chilled shelves. And there it is, the topmost spot, reserved for my pitiful semblance of cake.

At the very least, the chilled kiss of the refrigerator may save my cake from toppling over once set at my station for judging.

I will forever be grateful for this incredible memory in my MasterChef journey. Now let’s get back to it!

It Looks Like A Top Hat

Judging begins. I was so wrapped up in my cake drama before this moment that I finally pulled my head out and took a minute to collect myself and survey the other competitors' cakes.

As the judges examine the contestants' cake creations, I sense the weight of their scrutiny. Others have grappled with their imperfect creations like mine, while some have produced magnificent cakes.

Agony wenches in my chest as Chef Ramsey delivers a loud blow, exclaims, "This was not a good day for you, " and walks away. Joe chimes back; it looks like a top hat! UGH! I feel defeated. My only hope is that they can see past my baking mishaps and love Momma's mayonnaise cake's moist and delicious cake flavors.

Unexpected Turn

With a pit in my stomach and a lump in my throat, I fear my momma's beloved mayonnaise cake will send me home with such a disastrous bake today. I wasn't expecting the possibility of someone doing worse than me! Was that even possible?

It's important to stress that this endeavor is not for the faint-hearted. Cake Week has revealed that even the competition's leaders could plummet to rock bottom when wielding spatulas and ovens.

In the Top:

Becca-Kamay-Christopher-Kimberly

In The Bottom:

Anna-Geags-Arthur

A Double Elimination

Casting its shadow over the MasterChef kitchen among the fallen is Boomer Chris Geags, whose cake journey took an unexpected turn with the misspelling of his name and raw flour in his icing. Anna Johnson, a consistent frontrunner throughout the competition and a formidable contender for the MasterChef title, faced a day far grimmer than mine. Her cake creation led her down a treacherous path, and they bid farewell to the kitchen in a double elimination.

The age-old adage held that sometimes, survival hinges on someone else's misstep. In the MasterChef kitchen, that mishap was my lifeline. I was sad at Anna and Chris's departure but relieved at the chance to fight another day.

The Cake Speaks For Itself

I'm grateful for the opportunity to share this delicious creation with all of you under less stressful conditions. I aimed to prove I could craft a stunning three-layer cake that would leave a lasting impression. I am still a far better savory cook than a baker, but I can make a pretty tasty and visually appealing cake.

Behold this gorgeous masterpiece, a harmonious blend of aesthetics and flavor. I gaze at this beauty; a pang of longing tugs at my culinary heart. If only I could have replicated it within the Master Chef's kitchen, where time ticks relentlessly, and even the tiniest of errors can throw you into a tailspin. I only wish I could have pulled it off with the cameras rolling.