If you've been reading my blog for awhile now, you've probably read my mention of how I have a hard time repeating recipes. I guess since cooking is my creative outlet, trying something new makes it fun and interesting. However, I also believe that every good cook needs a repertoire of tried and true recipes and a good birthday cake should definitely be one of them. This recipe fits the bill. I actually found this recipe after buying a cookbook for a friend's wedding. My inability to resist thumbing through a fresh, new cookbook lead to me copying this recipe down. I have included some minor modifications and tips. I hope you use it at your next birthday party!
Chocolate Fudge Birthday Cake
1 box Duncan Hines double dark chocolate or devil's food cake mix
1 c. water
3 eggs
1/3 c. vegetable oil
1/3 c. sour cream
2 t. vanilla
1/2 t. salt
1 c. semi sweet chocolate chips
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter three 9-in round cake pans (can also do in a 9x13). Combine mix, water, eggs, oil, sour cream, vanilla, and salt in bowl of mixer. Beat on low speed until well blended. Increase speed to medium for 2 minutes. Stir in chocolate chips. Pour batter into pans and bake just until knife or toothpick comes out clean (22-25 minutes).** Transfer pans to wire racks and cool 10-15 minutes. Then remove from pans and cool completely on racks.
Icing:
2 c. (12 oz.) semi sweet chocolate chips
2 c. sugar
2/3 c. milk
2 sticks unsalted butter cut into pieces
1/4 t. salt
1 t. vanilla
Place chocolate chips in mixer. Meanwhile, combine sugar, milk, butter, and salt over high in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. Let boil vigorously 1 minute. Pour hot mixture over chocolate chips. Add vanilla. Beat on medium until mixture thickens and is spreadable (this can sometimes take 10-15 mins).
*You may want to refrigerate cake after second layer so that it won't slide.
**If using 9x13, bake cake 28-30 mins.
Showing posts with label chocolate. Show all posts
Showing posts with label chocolate. Show all posts
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
Breakfast or a Tasty Snack?
So, I have had a can of pumpkin in my pantry for a couple months and have been wondering what to do with it. Then, last night I was getting a craving for something sweet and remembered that lonely can. This recipe is definitely sweet but seems healthy, so you don't have to feel too guilty about indulging. I think this would be a great recipe to serve at a brunch, but I like them as an anytime snack!
Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins
1 1/2 cups (195 grams) all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (113 grams) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup (200 grams) granulated white sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
3/4 cup (75 grams) solid packed, canned pumpkin puree
1 cup (175 grams) semisweet chocolate chips
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Place rack in the middle of the oven. Line 12 muffin cups with paper liners or spray each cup with a non stick vegetable spray.
In a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, ground spices, and salt.
In the bowl of your electric mixer, or with a hand mixer, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in the vanilla extract. Then alternately add one-third of the flour mixture and one half of the pumpkin puree, mixing after each addition. Begin and end with the flour mixture. Fold in the chocolate chips.
Fill the muffin cups evenly with the batter using two spoons or an ice cream scoop. Place in the oven and bake for about 18 - 20 minutes, or until firm to the touch and a toothpick inserted in the center of one of the muffins comes out clean. Place on a wire rack to cool.
Makes 12 regular-sized muffins.
Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins
1 1/2 cups (195 grams) all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (113 grams) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup (200 grams) granulated white sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
3/4 cup (75 grams) solid packed, canned pumpkin puree
1 cup (175 grams) semisweet chocolate chips
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Place rack in the middle of the oven. Line 12 muffin cups with paper liners or spray each cup with a non stick vegetable spray.
In a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, ground spices, and salt.
In the bowl of your electric mixer, or with a hand mixer, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in the vanilla extract. Then alternately add one-third of the flour mixture and one half of the pumpkin puree, mixing after each addition. Begin and end with the flour mixture. Fold in the chocolate chips.
Fill the muffin cups evenly with the batter using two spoons or an ice cream scoop. Place in the oven and bake for about 18 - 20 minutes, or until firm to the touch and a toothpick inserted in the center of one of the muffins comes out clean. Place on a wire rack to cool.
Makes 12 regular-sized muffins.
Friday, February 13, 2009
My Favorite Chocolaty Desserts
Below are a few of my favorite chocolaty desserts any of which would be perfect for Valentine's Day! They go from most difficult to easiest, and all can be made ahead of time. Hope you enjoy!
Double Chocolate Cheesecake
Makes 8 to 10 servings
Ingredients
* 1 1/2 cups cream-filled chocolate sandwich cookie crumbs (about 18 cookies)
* 1 (12-ounce) package semisweet chocolate morsels
* 3 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
* 1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
* 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
* 4 large eggs
* Ganache Topping
Preparation
Press cookie crumbs into bottom and halfway up sides of a 9-inch springform pan; set aside.
Microwave chocolate morsels in a microwave-safe bowl at HIGH 1 1/2 minutes or until melted, stirring at 30-second intervals.
Beat cream cheese at medium speed with an electric mixer 2 minutes or until smooth. Add sweetened condensed milk and vanilla, beating at low speed just until combined. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating at low speed just until combined after each addition. Add melted chocolate, beating just until combined. Pour cheesecake batter into prepared crust.
Bake at 300° for 1 hour and 5 minutes or just until center is set. Turn oven off. Let cheesecake stand in oven 30 minutes with oven door closed. Remove cheesecake from oven; run a knife along outer edge of cheesecake, and cool in pan on a wire rack until room temperature. Cover and chill 8 hours.
Remove sides of springform pan, and place cake on a serving plate. Slowly pour and spread warm Ganache Topping over top of cheesecake, letting it run down sides of cheesecake. Chill 1 hour before serving.
Ganache Topping
Yield
Makes 1 1/2 cups
Ingredients
* 3/4 cup whipping cream
* 1 (6-ounce) package semisweet chocolate morsels (1 cup)
* 1 (6-ounce) package milk chocolate morsels (1 cup)
Preparation
Bring cream to a boil in a saucepan over medium heat; quickly remove from heat, and stir in semisweet and milk chocolate morsels until melted and smooth. Let mixture cool (about 30 minutes) until slightly warm before pouring and spreading over cheesecake.
Oreo Truffles
Ingredients: 1 pkg. regular oreos (not double-stuffed), 8 oz. cream cheese softened, a couple of bars of white chocolate melted, one bar of milk or dark chocolate melted)
1. Put 10 oreos at a time in a food processor and crumble, add more depending on size of food processor.
2. Once all of them are processed (moving them into a large mixing bowl after each set of 10 are done), add softened cream cheese to bowl and mix with spatula until incorporated.
3. Once mixed well, make one inch balls and set on wax paper on a baking sheet.
4. Place in fridge for 10-20 mins. to set.
5. Once set, dip in melted white chocolate and set back onto wax paper.
6. Once all are dipped and covered well (sometimes I double dip them to fully cover), drizzle milk or dark melted chocolate over each one and allow to dry (I put melted chocolate in a small ziploc and snip the corner to drizzle).
7. Refrigerate in a covered container until ready to serve.
Chocolate Dipped Strawberries
Ingredients
* 1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips
* 3 tablespoons heavy cream
* 12 long-stemmed strawberries
Directions
Melt the chocolate and cream together in a bowl set over simmering water until just melted. Stir and remove from the heat. Dip each strawberry in the chocolate and set aside on waxed or parchment paper to dry.
Double Chocolate Cheesecake
Makes 8 to 10 servings
Ingredients
* 1 1/2 cups cream-filled chocolate sandwich cookie crumbs (about 18 cookies)
* 1 (12-ounce) package semisweet chocolate morsels
* 3 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
* 1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
* 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
* 4 large eggs
* Ganache Topping
Preparation
Press cookie crumbs into bottom and halfway up sides of a 9-inch springform pan; set aside.
Microwave chocolate morsels in a microwave-safe bowl at HIGH 1 1/2 minutes or until melted, stirring at 30-second intervals.
Beat cream cheese at medium speed with an electric mixer 2 minutes or until smooth. Add sweetened condensed milk and vanilla, beating at low speed just until combined. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating at low speed just until combined after each addition. Add melted chocolate, beating just until combined. Pour cheesecake batter into prepared crust.
Bake at 300° for 1 hour and 5 minutes or just until center is set. Turn oven off. Let cheesecake stand in oven 30 minutes with oven door closed. Remove cheesecake from oven; run a knife along outer edge of cheesecake, and cool in pan on a wire rack until room temperature. Cover and chill 8 hours.
Remove sides of springform pan, and place cake on a serving plate. Slowly pour and spread warm Ganache Topping over top of cheesecake, letting it run down sides of cheesecake. Chill 1 hour before serving.
Ganache Topping
Yield
Makes 1 1/2 cups
Ingredients
* 3/4 cup whipping cream
* 1 (6-ounce) package semisweet chocolate morsels (1 cup)
* 1 (6-ounce) package milk chocolate morsels (1 cup)
Preparation
Bring cream to a boil in a saucepan over medium heat; quickly remove from heat, and stir in semisweet and milk chocolate morsels until melted and smooth. Let mixture cool (about 30 minutes) until slightly warm before pouring and spreading over cheesecake.
Oreo Truffles
Ingredients: 1 pkg. regular oreos (not double-stuffed), 8 oz. cream cheese softened, a couple of bars of white chocolate melted, one bar of milk or dark chocolate melted)
1. Put 10 oreos at a time in a food processor and crumble, add more depending on size of food processor.
2. Once all of them are processed (moving them into a large mixing bowl after each set of 10 are done), add softened cream cheese to bowl and mix with spatula until incorporated.
3. Once mixed well, make one inch balls and set on wax paper on a baking sheet.
4. Place in fridge for 10-20 mins. to set.
5. Once set, dip in melted white chocolate and set back onto wax paper.
6. Once all are dipped and covered well (sometimes I double dip them to fully cover), drizzle milk or dark melted chocolate over each one and allow to dry (I put melted chocolate in a small ziploc and snip the corner to drizzle).
7. Refrigerate in a covered container until ready to serve.
Chocolate Dipped Strawberries
Ingredients
* 1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips
* 3 tablespoons heavy cream
* 12 long-stemmed strawberries
Directions
Melt the chocolate and cream together in a bowl set over simmering water until just melted. Stir and remove from the heat. Dip each strawberry in the chocolate and set aside on waxed or parchment paper to dry.
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