Sadie's Simple Chocolate Cake...

This is my very first post so I thought it would be appropriate to feature one of my mom's recipes. She made this chocolate cake all the time for the family...it was quick and easy!
She rarely frosted it. Well, it was gone before she had a chance. I found the recipe which, as my son Elliot says, is just a guideline for my memory. It lists the ingredients, says mix it all but add the hot water last, and bake until done! Her abbreviations for Baking powder were BP and BS for baking soda. I made it and it turned out just like I remembered...but I did frost it! It's a great cake to serve to the family and friends.
I used the Fudgy Chocolate Frosting from Tish Boyle's The Cake Book. Thanks to Ivonne's recommendation at Cream Puffs in Venice, I love this cookbook!

Here is Sadie's recipe, although I have added a few instructions which worked for me.
Enjoy!

• 3/4 cup cocoa
• 1 - 3/4 cups all purpose flour (preferably unbleached)
• 2 cups sugar
  
• 1 - 1/2 teaspoons baking powder (BP)
  
• 1 - 1/2 teaspoons baking soda (BS)
  
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 2 large eggs
• 1 cup milk
• 1 cup boiling water
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. and grease a rectangular pan (12 Inches x 9 Inches)
   
2. Sift the dry ingredients together.
3. Mix the dry ingredients in the mixer bowl (low speed)
   
4. Add oil, eggs (one at a time until incorporated), vanilla and milk (medium speed)
   
5. When batter is smooth, add boiling water ( start on low and be careful that it doesn't splash!)
   
6. Pour into prepared pan and bake approx. 35- 45 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Cool the cake completely before frosting.

Options: Simply sprinkle powdered sugar over the cake or make this delicious frosting.
You can find the original frosting recipe in The Cake Book.

Fudgy Chocolate Frosting

• 3 ounces unsweetened chocolate (coarsely chopped)
  
• 3 ounces bittersweet chocolate (coarsely chopped) - I used Lindt dark chocolate
  
• 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 2 cups confectioners' sugar
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract

1. Melt chocolates together in stainless steel bowl over simmering water. When chocolate is melted completely, set aside and cool completely. (you can cheat and put the chocolate in the microwave for 2 minutes...but keep your eye on it!)
   
2. In the bowl of an electric mixer (paddle attachment) beat the butter until creamy - 30 seconds.
   
3. Gradually add the confectioners sugar and beat on high until light and creamy - 2 -1/2 minutes.
   
4. Beat in the vanilla extract.
5. Add the cooled chocolate and mix on low until blended. Increase the speed to high and beat about one minute more.

Frost this chocolate cake and enjoy!

Chocolate Bread....Better than Club Med's!

It really is a Yeasted Chocolate Coffee Cake according to Martha Stewart Living (March 2011)  but to me it is

CHOCOLATE BREAD.

Many of you know that I have worked in the travel industry a gazillion years, and so many times I have heard people ask when they were chatting with someone who had gone to Club Med was "Wasn't the Chocolate Bread Amazing?"  And everyone agreed.  At one time I had the recipe but can't find it now.....Who cares?  Move over Club Med...honestly I like this one better. 

My friend Ivonne, over at Cream Puffs in Venice, started "Magazine Mondays" back in 2007, and I have been meaning to participate, so here goes.  It is very informal and it really is about trying those recipes in Magazines you have hanging around.  Go check her out, she has a great Blog. 

Susan of Wild Yeast has another  blog that I follow religiously.  I wanted to mention her since she features all kinds of breads and products made with yeast.  I have been shown on her "Yeastspotting" feature on occasion....:)

Now for the Chocolate Bread/coffee cake.   Here are the ingredients:

Bread
2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons plus a pinch of granulated sugar
3/4 cup warm milk ( 110 degrees)
1 lg egg plus 1 lg yolk
3 cups All-purpose flour plus extra for dusting
Coarse salt
1 stick unsalted butter - room temperature plus extra for pan and bowl
1 lg egg plus 1 tbsp heavy cream lightly beaten for egg wash

Filling
8 ozs bittersweet chocolate (1 1/4 cups)
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
4 tbsps unsalted butter - cut into small pieces

For the crumb topping
1/4 cup plus 2 tbsps confectioner's sugar
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
3 tbsps unsalted butter - room temp

Sprinkle the yeast and a pinch of granulated sugar over the milk in a medium bowl and let it stand until foamy.

Whisk together the remaining sugar, the egg and yolk in another bowl, then whisk it into the yeast mixture

Combine the flour, salt in the mixture (whirl it around a bit to mix)

 then add the egg/yeast mixture.  Beat on low about 30 seconds. Switch to dough hook and add butter and beat until smooth, soft and slightly sticky.

Butter a large bowl. Turn out onto a floured surface and knead a little until smooth.  Place in the bowl, turn to coat and cover with plastic wrap.  Let stand in a warm place until doubled - about 1 to 1 1/2 hours. 

Now let's make the filling!

 Coarsely chop the chocolate 

Combine chocolate, granulated sugar  and cinnamon then cut in the butter with a pastry cutter or rub it in with your fingers...that's what I did!

Now let's assemble!

Punch down the dough then transfer it to a floured surface - let it stand for 5 mintes to relax.

Roll it out to an 18-inch square (1/8 inch thick)- brush edges with egg wash.  Spread the filling over the dough (reserve 1/2 cup) - leave a 1 inch border - and tightly roll like a jelly roll.

Pinch the seam to seal. Now fold this in half to form a U and twist 3 or 4  times.  I forgot to take a picture of the twisted dough...sorry....

Make a crumb topping

Combine confectioner's sugar,flour and butter

Butter a 5x10 inch loaf pan and line with parchment, leaving 1inch overhangs, butter parchment and transfer dough to pan.  Brush top with egg wash and sprinkle crumb topping and reserved 1/2 cup of filling over bread/cake.  Drape a plastic wrap over dough/pan.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees....

and let dough stand until risen by half (20-30 minutes)

Remove plastic wrap and bake, rotating half way through, until golden about 55 minutes.  Reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees and bake until deep golden 15-20 minutes more.  Have some foil to cover it if it gets too dark.  Transfer to wire rack and let cool.

It was good.... Camera Guy

enjoyed  it toasted with butter....yummy... and chocolatey....

Until we bake again....

Penny

Chocolate Cake Yes another one!

Place a picture of a pretty chocolate cake in front of me and you can be assured I will want to bake it. I love my mom’s chocolate cake, but the chocolate cake from Ina Garten is fabulous too. My mom’s cake is more casual and very easy to make while this one is richer and looks a little more impressive, for special occasions.

I had just taken the cake out of the oven when my friend Sherman came over and presented me with this very special little gadget that I now love! It’s a Wilton cake leveler that evens out cakes, jelly rolls and other baked goods, so you have a flat surface to work with. I can’t tell you how many times I started shaving off the tops of my cakes with a knife until there was no top left. I would have a mound of crumbs sitting beside it...so much for a pretty cake, and what choice did I have but to eat the crumbs! The leveler is about $5.00 and is a great gift for bakers!

After letting the cake cool, I asked Sherman, who is now taking a cake decorating class, to help me level and frost it. Sherman and I took baking classes together and I must say he is very good at frosting...really... really...sometimes painfully precise! I think the cake looked beautiful, but best of all, it tasted amazing!

Here is the recipe
Adapted from Beatty’s Chocolate Cake from Barefoot Contessa at Home.

1 3/4 cups all- purpose flour ( plus more for the pans)
2 cups sugar
¾ cup good cocoa powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup buttermilk , shake well!
½ cup vegetable oil
2 large eggs – room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup hot coffee

Frosting
6 ounces semisweet chocolate
2 sticks (1/2 Pound) unsalted butter
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 ¼ cups confectioners’ sugar
1 tablespoon instant coffee powder
Cake
Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Butter 2 8-inch round cake pans. Line with parchment, then butter and flour the pans.
Sift flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, and salt into the bowl of mixer with the paddle attachment,
Mix on low 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.
Continue mixing on low and add the coffee. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and give it a short last mix.
Pour into the pans and bake 35 to 40 minutes until a toothpick (or cake tester) comes out clean.
Cool in the pans for 30 minutes then turn out on cooling rack and cool completely.

Now for the frosting...
Chop the chocolate and melt in a heat proof bowl over simmering water. Stir and cool to room temperature.
Beat the butter on medium high speed until light yellow and fluffy (3 minutes)
Add vanilla and blend in.
Turn the mixer to low, and gradually add the confectioners’ sugar and beat on medium, scraping down the bowl as necessary, until smooth and creamy. Dissolve the coffee powder in 2 teaspoons of hot water. On low speed, add the chocolate and coffee to the butter mixture and mix until blended.

Assembling the cake:
Option 1 – smooth version
Place 1 layer, flat side up, on a plate. With an offset spatula or a knife, put a heaping scoop off frosting and spread evenly.
Use the leveller or a knife to cut the top of the second layer (before placing it on the first layer) just enough to make it flat. Eat the cake you cut off to give you energy to continue!
Place the second layer on top of the first. Put a good size scoop of icing on top and using your offset spatula, move it around and spread all over the top and sides. You can make it really even with this icing.

Option 2 – more swirly version
Place 1 layer, flat side up, on a plate. With an offset spatula or a knife, put a heaping scoop off frosting and spread evenly.
Place 2nd layer round side up and put a good size scoop of icing on top and using your offset spatula, move it around and spread all over the top and sides, swirling it around.

Hope you like it!

Until we bake again...

Penny