Chocolate Cake

cold chocolate cake 

with whipped ganache filling 

covered in ganache.....need i say more?

Chocolate Cake

adapted from Ina Garten

-for the cake-

1 3/4 c flour

1 c sugar

3/4 c cocoa powder

2 t baking soda

1 t baking powder

1 t salt

1 c buttermilk, shaken

1/2 c oil

2 eggs, room temp

1 t vanilla

1 c hot coffee

-for the filling-

1/2 c cream

1/2 c chocolate chips

-for the frosting-

1 1/2 c cream

1 1/2 c chocolate chips 

-directions for the cake-

butter two 8-inch round cake pans.

line with parchment paper, then butter and flour the pans.

sift the dry ingredients into the bowl of mixer and mix on low speed until combined. 

in another bowl, combine the buttermilk, oil, eggs, and vanilla. 

with the mixer on low speed, slowly add the wet ingredients to the dry. 

with mixer still on low, add the coffee and stir just to combine.

pour into the prepared pans and bake for 35 to 40 minutes.

cool in the pans for 30 minutes, then turn them out onto a cooling rack and cool completely.

store in fridge until ready to assemble. can be done a day ahead of time.

-directions for the filling and frosting-

heat 2 cups of cream in a sauce pan until almost a simmer.

in two small bowls, measure out 1/2 c chocolate chips in one, and 1 1/2 chips in another.

once cream is heated, pour 1/2 c of cream into the 1/2c chips, and the rest into the 1 1/2c chips.

let chips melt for about 30 seconds, then stir both until combined and all the chocolate has melted.

for the whipped ganache, place melted cream/chocolate bowl into an ice bath and stir with a whisk until it lightens in color and resembles whipped cream. Do not over whip. spread between the cake layers.

for the frosting, stir until it cools down and is thick enough to stick to the cake and not run off. you may need to place in the fridge for a few minutes.but dont let it harden too much or you'll have fudge...really yummy fudge, but not what we are going for here!

pour it all on to the top of the cake and gently help it run down the sides by smoothing with an off-set spatula.

store in the fridge to 'set' the ganache.

Applesauce Snack Cake

A nice little cake to snack on, and it has no eggs!
Perfect for those days you want to make something, but realize you are out of eggs!

Applesauce Snack Cake
adapted from Allrecipes.com

1/2 c butter
1/2 c sugar
1 c applesauce
1 c flour
1 c whole wheat flour
1 T ground flax
1 t baking soda
1/2 t salt
2 t cinnamon
1/4 t ground clove
1/2 c walnuts

Cream butter and sugar.
Add applesauce.
Stir in flours, flax, soda, and spices.
Add walnuts.
Pour into a greased and floured 9x9 pan.
Bake at 350 for 40 min.

Brownie-Peanut Butter-Ice Cream Cake

Here's what we had for Evan's birthday cake this year. He wanted something with chocolate and peanut butter, and we remembered this dessert from camp. It's super easy and super yummy!

There's not much of a recipe.

Bake a pan of your favorite brownies.
Let cool.
Spread with peanut butter.
Let it chill in the fridge for a while to harden up the peanut butter.
Spread with ice cream.
Cover and put it in the freezer.
When ready to serve, let it set out for 10 minutes, then drizzle (read: slather) with hot fudge. (I used my sister-in-law's recipe below)


Julie's Chocolate Sauce

1 c sugar
1/2 c butter
3/4 c water
1/4 c corn syrup
12 oz chocolate chips

Heat the 1st four ingredients in a saucepan on medium heat.
Stir constantly until a full boil (5-8 min.)
Boil for 3 minutes then remove from heat.
Add chocolate chips and beat with a whisk.

Strawberry Cream Cake

Strawberries were on sale last week and I just had to make this cake I saw this winter on America's Test Kitchen.

It's a layered white cake with fresh strawberries and an AMAZING frosting. Is it cream cheese?.....Is it whipped cream?......either would be good.....but both would be what is now my favorite white frosting.

And it has a pureed strawberry filling. I liked it. I hope you do to.

Strawberry Cream Cake
adapted from America's Test Kitchen

Cake
1 1/4 c cake flour
1 1/2 t baking powder
1/4 t salt
1 c sugar
5 eggs (2 whole,3 separated)
6 T butter, melted and cooled
2 T water
2 t vanilla

Strawberry Filling
2 lbs fresh strawberries
4 T sugar
1 t almond extract
1 t vanilla extract
pinch of salt

Frosting
8 oz cream cheese, room temp
1/2 c sugar
1 t vanilla
pinch of salt
2 c heavy cream

FOR THE CAKE:
Whisk flour, baking powder, salt, and all but 3T of sugar.
Add in 2 whole eggs and 3 yolks, melted butter, water and vanilla.
Whisk until smooth.
In bowl of electric mixer, beat remaining 3 egg whites until frothy.
Gradually add remaining 3 T of sugar.
Beat until soft peaks form.
Stir 1/3 of whites into batter to lighten.
Fold in remaining whites until no streaks remain.
Pour into greased and floured springform pan.
Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position.
Bake at 325 for 30-40 min.
Cool in pan 10 min, then remove from pan and cool completely on a wire rack.

FOR THE FILLING:
Halve 24 of best strawberries and reserve.
Quarter remaining berries and toss with 4 T sugar.
Let rest 1 hour, then strain juice into a small sauce pan.
Give berries a quick run through the food processor (about 5 pulses).
To the sauce pan add vanilla, almond and salt.
Simmer until reduced and syrupy (about 4 min)
Pour over macerated berries.

FOR THE FROSTING:
In bowl of electric mixer whisk cream cheese, sugar, vanilla and salt until light and fluffy (1-2 min). Reduce speed to low and slowly add heavy cream. Beat until mixture holds stiff peaks.

THE ASSEMBLY:
Using a large serrated knife, slice cake into 3 even layers.*
Place bottom layer on cake stand and arrange a ring of 20 strawberry halves, cut sides down, and stem sides out, around the perimeter of the cake.
Pour halve of pureed berries in the center.
Gently spread about 1/3 of frosting over berry layer, leaving a 1/2 inch border from edge.
Place middle cake layer on top.
Repeat with strawberries, puree, and frosting.
Place last cake layer on top. Pretty side up.
Spread remaining whipped frosting on top, right to the edge.
Garnish with remaining berries.
Serve or chill up to 4 hours.

*Note: There was no way I could have cut my cake into 3 layers. Not sure why, maybe I didn't beat the egg whites long enough. But it was still good with 2 layers.

Triple-Layer Chocolate Cake

We love chocolate cake. It's good warm. It's good cold. It's good with coffee. It's good with milk. It's just good. So I had to try out this from scratch version in this months Everyday Food magazine. It's a keeper. Best part is, the basic recipe can also become vanilla or lemon with just a few changes.

Here's the basic recipe first.

Versatile Vanilla Cake

1 c butter
2 1/2 c flour
1/2 t baking powder
1/2 t baking soda
1 t salt
1 1/2 c sugar
2 large eggs plus 3 large yolks
2 t vanilla
1 c buttermilk

In medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, soda, and salt. Set aside.
In large mixer bowl cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
Add eggs and yolks, one at a time.
Add vanilla.
Add in dry ingredients alternating with buttermilk.

Pour batter into prepared pans. Bake at 350 for 32-35 min. Let cool 10 min. before removing from pan.



Chocolate version

Reduce flour to 2 cups and add 1/2 cup cocoa powder.



Lemon version

Add 1 T lemon zest to flour mixture.
Omit vanilla and add 2 T fresh lemon juice to buttermilk.
While cakes are baking, bring 1/2 c sugar and 1/2 c water to boil. Add 1 thinly sliced lemon and simmer 25 min.
Remove lemons. Set aside for garnish.
Add 1/4 c fresh lemon juice.
Using a toothpick, poke holes into warm cake.
Brush with lemon syrup.

Applesauce Oatmeal Cake with Broiled Coconut Topping

For dessert tonight we had this cake. It is from a Gold-Medal flour recipe magazine that you find in the checkout lane at the grocery store. It tastes good warm or cold. And tastes even better with a cup of french press coffee!


Applesauce Oatmeal Cake with Broiled Coconut Topping

Cake:
1 1/4c applesauce
1 c oats
1/2 c butter, softened
1 c sugar
1 t vanilla
2 eggs
1 1/2c flour
1 t baking soda
1/4 t salt
1 t cinnamon

Topping:
3/4 c coconut
1/2 c brown sugar
1/3 c pecans or walnuts
1/4 c butter, melted
3 T milk

Heat applesauce to boiling in saucepan over med-high heat. Stir in oats. Let stand 20 min.
Beat butter and sugar on med speed until light and fluffy.
Beat in vanilla and eggs until fluffy.
Beat in applesauce mixture just until mixed.
Stir in flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon, just until blended.
Pour into greased 9x9 pan.
Bake 40-50 min in a 350 degree oven.
Meanwhile, mix together topping ingredients.
When cake is done, spread over top of cake.
Set oven to broil.
Broil cake with top 6 inches from heat for about 2 minutes or until top is golden and bubbly being careful not to let it burn.

Cranberry Coffeecake

Tonight we made this.........



I found it here...............
http://smittenkitchen.com/2008/12/cranberry-vanilla-coffee-cake/


It was yummy!

Workin' on my Cake Skills

Here's a cake I made to celebrate some family birthday's this Thanksgiving.
Things I learned:
-use thinner icing when using the leaf tip
-writing also works better with thinner icing
-try not to write like you have palsy
-actually did a crumb coat with this one and it's worth the extra time