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Behind the Cakes at Clara Restaurant

At Clara, dessert isn’t an afterthought—it’s a daily act of creativity. At the center of it all is Pastry Chef MJ Anzano, whose “Cake of the Day” has quietly become a signature of the restaurant. Each evening, a different slice takes its turn in the spotlight—sometimes nostalgic, sometimes unexpected, always intentional. Nearly a year in (a year this April), that single line on the menu has translated into an estimated 150 flavors. With the help of holidays, seasonal shifts, and loyal guest requests, the tally adds up quickly.

We spoke to MJ about some of her favorites, and this is what she had to say:

My favorite cake to ever grace the menu is also the one we featured when opening Clara—a true showstopper inspired by The Bear. It’s three layers of airy chocolate cake, two levels of decadent chocolate mousse, and one smooth coating of simple, delicious chocolate buttercream. It’s the kind of cake that requires no garnish, no explanation. When it moves through the dining room, heads turn.

For MJ, baking is more than technique—it’s her love language. She draws inspiration from the people she’s cooking for, often pairing flavors that don’t quite seem to belong together and making them sing. Miso with date caramel. Strawberry with balsamic. Sesame with tangerine. Pistachio with rosewater. With a savory culinary background, she approaches pastry with both structure and instinct, unafraid to stray from the rule that every baker must follow a recipe to the letter.

While many pastry chefs have a tidy origin story, MJ jokes that hers begins with repeatedly making lemonade with salt instead of sugar. Restaurants, however, are in her blood—her father’s family owned cafés on Long Island. In high school, she enrolled in culinary classes and completed a required internship at a bakery where she stayed for seven years. She later attended John Jay College of Criminal Justice with plans for law school, but when the pandemic hit, she was offered partnership at the bakery instead. That pivot led her back to school at the Institute of Culinary Education and into a series of restaurant kitchens in New Jersey and New York City—eventually bringing her to Clara, where the “Cake of the Day” continues to evolve.

Below, she shares the recipe for the chocolate cake that started it all.

The Bear-Inspired Chocolate Cake

Prepare the Cake, Chocolate Mousse, and Buttercream according to the recipes below.

  1. Place one cake layer on a serving board.
  2. Pipe a ring of buttercream around the outer edge to create a wall.
  3. Spread half of the mousse evenly inside the ring.
  4. Top with the second cake layer and repeat the buttercream wall and mousse process.
  5. Finish with the final cake layer.
  6. Use remaining buttercream to frost and decorate the cake as desired.

Three layers. Two mousses. One unforgettable slice—proof that the right cake can say everything without saying a word.

The Cake

Ingredients

Procedure

  • 5 eggs
  • 3 cups white sugar
  • 1¼ cups cocoa powder
  • 2 tsp baking soda
  • 1½ tsp baking powder
  • 2½ tsp salt
  • 2½ cups all-purpose flour
  • 6 oz butter, melted
  • 12 oz crème fraîche, room temperature
  • 1¼ cups coffee, room temperature
  1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter and flour three 9-inch cake pans.
  2. In a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the eggs and sugar until pale yellow and thick, reaching a ribbon-like consistency.
  3. In a separate bowl, sift together cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and flour.
  4. Alternating additions, add the dry ingredients with the melted butter and coffee to the egg mixture. Mix until incorporated.
  5. Add the crème fraîche last, mixing just until no large clumps remain—do not overmix.
  6. Divide batter evenly among pans and bake 25–30 minutes, or until the cake pulls away from the edges and springs back when gently touched.
  7. Cool completely before assembling.

Chocolate Mousse

Ingredients

  • 8 oz 72% chocolate
  • 5 tbsp butter
  • 10 egg yolks
  • ¼ cup sugar, divided
  • 4 egg whites
  • ½ cup heavy cream

Procedure

  1. In a double boiler, melt chocolate and butter together. Set aside to cool slightly.
  2. In a separate heatproof bowl, whisk egg yolks with 2 tablespoons of sugar. Place over the double boiler and whisk over medium heat until the mixture reaches 160°F on an instant-read thermometer.
  3. Transfer to a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment and whip until pale, thick, and ribbon-like.
  4. Fold the egg yolk mixture into the cooled chocolate mixture.
  5. In a clean, dry mixer bowl, whisk egg whites until foamy. Slowly add remaining sugar and whip to medium peaks.
  6. Fold egg whites into chocolate mixture in three additions, being careful not to deflate.
  7. Whip heavy cream to medium peaks and fold in until no visible streaks remain.
  8. Press plastic wrap directly onto the surface and refrigerate at least 8 hours and up to 24 hours before using.

Chocolate Buttercream

Ingredients

  • 18 oz butter, softened
  • 1½ cups cocoa powder
  • 6 cups powdered sugar
  • ½ cup heavy cream
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 tsp salt

Procedure

  1. In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter until completely smooth.
  2. Add cocoa powder, powdered sugar, heavy cream, vanilla, and salt.
  3. Mix on medium speed until fully incorporated and silky.

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