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Muncy Area Woman Wins Big at Farm Show, Here’s Her Recipe

MUNCY CREEK TOWNSHIP — A hairstylist in Lycoming County will cut your hair, paint your nails, and serve you award-winning cake. Over the weekend, Stacie H...

MUNCY CREEK TOWNSHIP -- A hairstylist in Lycoming County will cut your hair, paint your nails, and serve you award-winning cake. Over the weekend, Stacie Hart's chocolate cake earned her a blue ribbon at the Pennsylvania Farm Show.

If you ask Pam Hulyo, she'll tell you that her hairdresser and friend Stacie Hart is great at what she does.

"Stacie has been doing my hair and nails probably 15 years or more," said Hulyo.

The owner of Stacie's Shear Sensations near Muncy also has another passion.

"I love my job. I love to bake, too," said Stacie Hart.

A blue ribbon from the Pennsylvania Farm Show proves this hairdresser is pretty good at it, too. Over the weekend, Hart's chocolate cake beat out 79 other entries to win this first prize ribbon at the Pennsylvania Farm Show in Harrisburg.

"I have over the years tried so many cakes and you know it's a hard competition," said Hart.

So what goes into an award winning cake? Stacie says it's the right ingredients,

"Coconut cookie butter cream mascarpone filling," said Hart.

And a lot of taste testers.

"Everything that comes out of her kitchen is good. When I came in the other night for my son's haircut, that was the first thing out of my mouth, 'it's about time,'" said Hulyo.

For a baker like Stacie having an oven right at her salon is a big plus for her and her clients. She can bake her cakes right there. When she's done, she can have her clients taste test them.

"Sometimes I'll whip something up here in between customers if I'm making for a family member. It's nice to have my kitchen in my salon," said Hart.

"It's the full effect here, you sit down and get a pedicure and you get treats as well,” said Hulyo.

Along with the blue ribbon, Stacie won $500.

So what makes a blue ribbon cake? Here’s the Winning Recipe:

Chocolate Cake with Mascarpone Coconut Cookie Filling and Coconut Buttercream Icing

Chocolate Cake:

  • 1 ½ cups unsweetened dark cocoa powder
  • 2 ¼ cups flour
  • 4 ounces semisweet chocolate
  • 1 ½ cups hot brewed coffee
  • 3 cups sugar
  • 2 teaspoons baking soda
  • ¾ teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 ¼ teaspoons salt
  • 3 large eggs
  • ¾ cup vegetable oil
  • 1 ½ cup buttermilk
  • ½ cup milk
  • ¾ teaspoons vanilla extract

Instructions:

  1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees Fahrenheit and grease three 8-inch round cake pans.
  2. In a medium bowl combine semi-sweet chocolate with hot coffee.
  3. Let stand, stirring occasionally until chocolate is melted.
  4. In a large bowl, combine sugar, flour, dark cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder and salt.
  5. In another bowl with electric mixer, beat eggs, beating well until combined.
  6. Add dry mixture and beat on medium speed until just combined.
  7. Divide batter between three pans and bake for 50 minutes or until center comes out clean with a cake tester.
  8. Let cool.

Mascarpone Coconut Cookie Filling:

  • 1 ½ cups chilled heavy whipping cream
  • ½ cup mascarpone cheese, room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ½ cup powdered sugar
  • 10 drops coconut oil
  • 1 8.5 ounce box of coconut dream cookies, crumbled

Instructions:

  1. Beat heavy cream in mixer until stiff peaks form, add mascarpone cheese, vanilla, oil and powdered sugar and beat until combined.
  2. Fold in coconut cookie crumbs.

Chocolate Ganache:

  • ½ cup semi-sweet chocolate
  • ½ cup heavy cream
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions:

  1. Place chocolate, heavy cream and vanilla extract in double boiler.
  2. Cook until chocolate is melted and stir until all incorporated.
  3. Let cool until desired thickness.

Coconut Buttercream Frosting

Ingredients:

  • 2 sticks butter, softened
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1 pound powdered sugar
  • 15 drops of coconut oil

Instructions:

  1. Beat butter until smooth.
  2. Add vanilla, powdered sugar and coconut oil.
  3. Mix until creamy.

Assemble Cake

  1. Place first layer of cake down and spread a fine layer of icing.
  2. Spread half of the mascarpone coconut cookie filling to edge.
  3. Place second layer on top and spread another layer of icing on cake.
  4. Spread the rest of the mascarpone coconut cookie filling on this layer.
  5. Place third layer of cake on top and spread remaining icing on top and on sides of cake.
  6. Take cookie crumble and pat cookie crumbs on sides of cake.
  7. Save some crumbs to the side and top of the cake later.
  8. Pour ganache on top of cake later and let ganache cascade down over sides.
  9. Drizzle caramel on top and sprinkle cookie crumbs on top of cake and place a whole cookie in middle of cake.

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