Cake
If you're like me, you might have been confused by people saying, "You can't have your cake and eat it, too." Why the heck have cake if you can't eat it, right?
Well, here are six cake recipes that you can make and eat! And if anyone gives you any grief about it, and hits you with the above quote, ask them to explain why you can't have that cake and eat it, preferrably between mouthfuls of cake. Will it be the Celebration Cake? The Cherry-Cola Dump Cake? Whichever cake you decide to bake, remember one thing: Enjoy!
CHOCOLATE RASPBERRY LAYER CAKE
This yumminest comes from Diana Rattray on The Spruce Eats. For this recipe, she wrote, " This chocolate raspberry layer cake will be an instant hit whether you bake it for friends, family, or that special someone. The cake might look challenging at first glance, but it is pretty straightforward. Even though there are several steps to this recipe, the cake, filling, and frosting can all be prepared a day or two in advance. All you have to do on the serving day is assemble the layers, frost the cake, and add some fresh raspberries to the top.
"Raspberries pair well with chocolate, making the raspberry filling the perfect combo for a stunning holiday-worthy dessert. You can always swap the homemade filling out with raspberry jam or cake filling if you're short on time.
"The dark chocolate cake is moist and decadent, and the 3 layers make a beautiful and dramatic statement with the bright red raspberries and chocolate buttercream frosting."
Prep Time: 90 minutes; Cook Time: 40 minutes; Total Time: 2 hours 10 minutes; Servings: 12 servings; Yield: 1 cake
To view this online, go to https://www.thespruceeats.com/chocolate-raspberry-layer-cake-recipe-5208221.
Ingredients
For the Raspberry Filling:
1 cup sugar
3 tablespoons cornstarch
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon water
4 cups frozen raspberries, or fresh
For the Cake:
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups sugar
2/3 cup unsweetened natural cocoa powder
1-1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
1 cup buttermilk, well shaken
1/2 cup canola or vegetable oil
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup very hot water, or hot freshly brewed coffee
For the Chocolate Buttercream:
1-1/4 cups (12 tablespoons) unsalted butter, at room temperature
4 cups confectioners' sugar
3/4 cup unsweetened natural cocoa powder
4 to 6 tablespoons heavy cream, or half-and-half or milk, as needed
1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt
6 ounces fresh raspberries, optional, for garnish
Directions
Prepare the Raspberry Filling
Gather the raspberry filling ingredients.
Combine the sugar and cornstarch in a medium saucepan. Whisk to combine and then add the lemon juice, water, and frozen (or fresh) raspberries.
Place the saucepan over medium heat and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook until thickened, about 8 to 10 minutes, stirring frequently.
Let the raspberry filling cool and refrigerate until it's time to assemble the cake.
Make the Chocolate Cake
Gather the cake ingredients.
Position an oven rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350 F. Grease three 8-inch round cake pans and then line them with parchment paper. Set aside.
Sift the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt into a large mixing bowl. Stir to blend thoroughly.
In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs, buttermilk, oil, and vanilla extract together.
Add the wet ingredients to the dry mixture and mix until combined.
Add the hot water (or hot coffee) to the mixing bowl and mix just until the batter is combined. The batter will be thin.
Divide the batter evenly among the baking pans. If you are weighing ingredients, it will be roughly 15 to 16 ounces per pan for a 3-layer cake or about 22 to 24 ounces per pan for a 2-layer cake.
Bake the cakes for 24 to 27 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cakes comes out clean.
Cool the cake layers in the pan on a cooling rack for 20 minutes.
Then, turn the layers out onto the cooling racks to cool completely.
Prepare the Chocolate Buttercream
Gather the ingredients for the chocolate buttercream.
In a mixing bowl with an electric mixer at medium-high speed, beat the butter for 2 minutes or until creamy.
Sift the confectioners' sugar and cocoa powder together in a separate bowl.
Slowly add the dry ingredients to the butter along with 4 tablespoons cream, vanilla extract, and salt. Mix on low speed until combined. Increase the speed to high and beat for about 1 minute, adding more cream if needed, until you reach the desired spreading consistency. If the buttercream gets too soft, refrigerate it for 15 to 20 minutes to firm up before frosting the cake.
Assemble the Cake
Place a cake layer on a cake plate or cake stand and spread with about a cup of raspberry filling.
Place the second layer on top and spread with more raspberry filling. Add the 3rd layer.
Frost the top and sides of the cake with the chocolate buttercream frosting. If you have leftover filling, refrigerate it in a covered container or jar for other uses.
If desired, arrange fresh raspberries over the top of the frosted cake or add a decorative piped edging with any leftover buttercream and refrigerate until it's time to serve.
Make-Ahead Tips
You may make the raspberry filling a day or two in advance. Cover and refrigerate until about an hour or two before you plan to assemble the layers. Make sure the filling is completely cooled and thick before assembling the cake so that the cake layers sit securely when filled and stacked.
You may make the cake layers a day in advance. Wrap each layer—slightly warm or thoroughly cooled—in plastic wrap and stack them, placing cardboard cake rounds between the layers.
You may make the buttercream frosting a day or two in advance. Cover the frosting and refrigerate until about 2 hours before you plan to assemble the cake. Re-beat it for a minute or two with an electric mixer until smooth and creamy.
Recipe Variations
Replace the raspberry filling with about 1 to 1-1/2 cups of raspberry cake filling or jam.
To Make Seedless Raspberry Filling:
Simmer the raspberries, sugar, and lemon juice together until the raspberries break down into a sauce. Use a food mill to remove the seeds or press them through a sieve. Add the seedless juice back to the saucepan and bring it back to a simmer. In a small bowl, combine the cornstarch with 2 tablespoons of water to form a paste. Add this to the raspberry sauce and continue cooking until thickened.
Add even more drama to the chocolate raspberry cake with a ganache drip around the edge.
If you don't have buttermilk, it's easy to make a substitute. For 1 cup of buttermilk, add 1 tablespoon of vinegar or lemon juice to a fluid measuring cup. Add milk to the 1 cup level and let stand for about 10 minutes.
How to Store
Store the cake, covered, in the refrigerator—it will last for up to 1 week. Serve the cake at room temperature; remove it from the fridge about 1 to 2 hours before serving.
To freeze leftover cake slices, arrange them on a baking sheet and freeze until solid. Wrap the portions tightly in plastic wrap and place them in a resealable freezer bag.
PINEAPPLE COFFEECAKE
From the infamous long-forgotten-emailing-list
Ingredients
3/4 cup butter
1-1/2 cups granulated sugar
2 eggs
1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 cup pineapple juice
1 cup crushed pineapple, drained
1 cup sour cream
1 cup confectioners' sugar
2 tablespoons pineapple juice
1/2 cup sliced almonds
Directions
Cream together butter, sugar, eggs and vanilla extract; add to it the flour, baking powder, pineapple juice, pineapple and sour cream. Mix well; turn into a well-greased and floured fluted tube pan. Bake at 350 degrees F for 55 to 60 minutes. Cool in pan for 10 minutes. Remove from pan and cool completely.
Combine pineapple juice and confectioners' sugar; drizzle over cake. Sprinkle with almonds.
FLOURLESS CHOCOLATE CAKE
This is from Genevieve Ko in The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. Genevieve wrote, "Crackly on top and fudgy yet tender in the center, this cake tastes like a complex restaurant dessert, but comes together effortlessly in one bowl. Chocolate chips save you the messy step of chopping chocolate bars and deliver deep flavor along with cocoa powder. If you don’t have a springform pan, a regular cake pan lined with foil all around makes it easy to lift out the delicate cake, which melts in your mouth when served warm or at room temperature. Refrigerated or frozen leftovers take on a candylike chewiness, but a quick zap in the microwave will return it to just-baked softness. Slices are delicious on their own or with any creamy toppings."
Yield: 8 to 12 servings; Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
This was featured in "Forget Chocolate Bars: Baking With Chips Is Often Better", and can be viewed online at https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1022963-flourless-chocolate-cake.
Ingredients
3/4 cup unsalted butter, cut up, plus more for greasing the pan
1 cup bittersweet or semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup unsweetened natural cocoa powder
3/4 cup granulated sugar
4 large eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Whipped cream or ice cream, for serving (optional)
Preparation
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Generously butter the bottom and sides of an 8-inch springform pan, or press a large sheet of foil into the bottom and up the sides of an 8-inch round cake pan, smoothing the sides, and generously butter the foil.
Bring a few inches of water in a large saucepan to a simmer over medium heat. Set a large heatproof bowl over the saucepan and add the chocolate. When the chips look soft and melty, stir gently until smooth. Turn off the heat, and add the butter to the bowl. Stir gently until melted and smooth. Add the cocoa powder and stir until smooth, then take the bowl off the saucepan.
Stir in the granulated sugar until incorporated, then add the eggs, one at a time, and beat well after each addition. Stir in the vanilla, then scrape the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top.
Bake until crackly and dry on top, and a toothpick inserted 2 inches from the edge comes out clean, 40 to 50 minutes. A toothpick inserted in the center should come out with some crumbs attached.
Cool in the pan on a rack, then remove the sides of the springform pan or lift the cake out of the cake pan using the foil overhang. You can slice and serve warm or at room temperature. Or, to cut very neat slices, freeze the cooled cake until firm. Slice and warm up in the microwave or oven, if preferred. Serve the cake with whipped cream or ice cream, if you’d like. The cake can be wrapped and kept at room temperature for up to 3 days, in the refrigerator for up to 1 week or in the freezer for up to 1 month.
COFFEE-PRALINE CRUNCH ICE CREAM CAKE
This is from Samantha Seneviratne in The New York Times cooking enewsletter. Samantha wrote, "Inspired by butter-pecan ice cream, this cake combines crunchy praline with graham crackers, coffee ice cream and fudge sauce to make an impressive, but easy to assemble dessert. Store-bought pralines are perfect here, but if you can’t find them, you can make them from scratch with pantry staples. While they can be a little tricky, even a failed praline tastes great nestled in an ice cream cake, but toffee brickle or even just plain chopped nuts could stand in for the praline, too. While you could certainly buy fudge sauce, it’s the one component that is definitely better homemade, just sweet enough and deeply chocolatey. Make a double batch for future sundaes."
Yield: 8 to 10 servings; Time: 25 minutes, plus at least 5 hours' cooling and freezing
To view this online, go to https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1022469-coffee-praline-crunch-ice-cream-cake.
Ingredients
For the Fudge Sauce:
1-1/2 cups heavy cream
2/3 cup light or dark brown sugar
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup Dutch-process or natural cocoa, sifted
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
For assembly:
Nonstick cooking spray
1-1/2 quarts/48 ounces coffee ice cream (about 3 pints)
10 graham crackers (about 6 ounces)
2 cups chopped store-bought or homemade praline, plus more for serving
3/4 cup cold heavy cream, whipped to stiff peaks just before serving
Preparation
Prepare the fudge sauce: Set a fine-mesh sieve over a medium bowl. In a medium saucepan, combine the heavy cream, sugar, butter and salt. Cook over medium heat, stirring, until the butter is melted and the sugar has dissolved, about 2 minutes.
Whisk in the cocoa powder and cook for another minute or two, whisking occasionally, until the mixture is thick and glossy. Run the sauce through the sieve into the bowl, working out any lumps directly in the sieve. Stir in vanilla. Let cool completely, about 1 hour. (You should have about 2 cups.) About 30 minutes before you assemble the cake, remove the ice cream from the refrigerator to soften.
To assemble the cake, spray a 9-by-5-inch loaf pan lightly with nonstick cooking spray. (This is just to help keep the plastic in place.) Press plastic wrap into the pan, making it as smooth as possible against the bottom and sides of the pan, leaving a 3-inch overhang on each of the two long sides.
Spread one third of the softened ice cream (about 2 cups) evenly over the bottom of the pan. (If your ice cream is still too firm to spread, cut it into slices, arrange them in a layer and smooth using an offset spatula.) Lay 3 crackers over the top, breaking them to fit as needed. Top with 1/3 of the fudge sauce (about 2/3 cup), using an offset spatula to spread evenly, and half of the praline, patting into an even layer. Top with another 1/3 of the ice cream, 3 more crackers, 1/3 more fudge sauce and the remaining praline. Finish with the remaining 1/3 of ice cream and 4 more crackers. Use the plastic overhang to wrap the cake up tightly and freeze until firm, at least 4 hours and preferably overnight.
To serve, unwrap the plastic wrap, then quickly rub the outside of the pan with a warm, moistened kitchen towel to loosen. Flip out onto a serving plate and remove the plastic wrap. Top with whipped cream and more chopped praline. Cut slices with a knife dipped in hot water. (If too hard to slice, let sit for a few minutes to soften.) Serve with the remaining fudge sauce, warmed, if desired.
CELEBRATION CAKE
This comes from Seattle’s own Macrina Bakery. I’m on their mailing list (they send out the yummiest recipes!), and I highly recommend signing up.
If I’m ever out in Seattle, I fully intend to pay a visit to any of their bakeries…
According to Macrina’s Leslie Mackie, “This is one of my favorite birthday or special occasion cakes. The natural sweet flavor of toasted coconut layered with fresh summer berries and lemon cream makes for a light yet decadent summer treat.”
To view this online, click here.
INGREDIENTS: COCONUT CAKE
1 cup shredded, unsweetened coconut 1 cup coconut milk
5 egg whites
1 teaspoon pure almond extract
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2-1/4 cups cake flour
1-3/4 cups granulated sugar
1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon baking powder 1 teaspoon salt
12 tablespoons (1-1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temp.
2 pints fresh raspberries (for assembly)
LEMON CREAM
3 egg yolks
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup lemon juice
3 tablespoons unsalted butter 1 cup whipping cream
WHITE CHOCOLATE FROSTING
12 ounces white chocolate chips
8 ounces unsalted butter, room temp. 1 pound cream cheese, room temp.
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
DIRECTIONS: COCONUT CAKE
Preheat oven to 325°F. Spread coconut evenly on a rimmed baking sheet and toast for 3 minutes. Toss with tongs to toast evenly and return to the oven for 3 minutes. Remove from oven and transfer to a bowl. Set aside.
In a medium bowl, combine the coconut milk, egg whites, and almond and vanilla extracts. Mix with a whisk and set aside.
Sift flour, sugar, baking powder and salt into the bowl of a stand mixer. Add the toasted coconut and mix on low speed using the paddle attachment for 30 seconds. Cut butter into small cubes and add to the flour mixture. Mix on low speed until it is coarse and crumbly with no visible pieces of butter, approximately 4 minutes. Add half the wet ingredients and mix on medium speed for 30 seconds. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula and add the remaining wet ingredients, mixing for another 30 seconds. Scrape the bowl again to ensure it is well incorporated.
Prepare a 12" x 18" baking sheet pan with 1/2" rim by brushing it with oil and lining the bottom with parchment paper. Pour batter into prepared pan and bake on the center rack for 25 minutes or until the top is golden brown. When cool, run a knife around the edge of the cake and invert onto another sheet pan. Gently remove parchment paper and then cut three 7" circles of cake. You will have excess cake scraps, which make great trifle with fresh berries and whipped cream. Cover cake circles until ready to assemble layer cake.
CHERRY-COLA DUMP CAKE
This yumminess comes from Betty Crocker, and begins, "Super easy to prepare: Just mix devil's food cake mix with cola and pour over cherries. Bake for one hour and voila!"
Prep Time: 5 minutes; Total Time: 60 minutes; Servings: 9
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
1 jar (16 oz) maraschino cherries with juice (without stems)
1 box Betty Crocker™ Super Moist™ devil’s food cake mix
1 cup cola-flavored carbonated beverage
Directions
Heat oven to 350°F. Into ungreased 13x9-inch (3-quart) glass baking dish, “dump” cherries with cherry juice.
In medium bowl, mix cake mix and carbonated beverage. “Dump” mixture over cherries.
Bake 35 to 40 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool about 15 minutes before cutting and serving cake.
Expert Tips
Serve with whipped cream and additional cherries.
You could substitute cherry pie filling in place of the maraschino cherries and juice.
Well, here are six cake recipes that you can make and eat! And if anyone gives you any grief about it, and hits you with the above quote, ask them to explain why you can't have that cake and eat it, preferrably between mouthfuls of cake. Will it be the Celebration Cake? The Cherry-Cola Dump Cake? Whichever cake you decide to bake, remember one thing: Enjoy!
CHOCOLATE RASPBERRY LAYER CAKE
This yumminest comes from Diana Rattray on The Spruce Eats. For this recipe, she wrote, " This chocolate raspberry layer cake will be an instant hit whether you bake it for friends, family, or that special someone. The cake might look challenging at first glance, but it is pretty straightforward. Even though there are several steps to this recipe, the cake, filling, and frosting can all be prepared a day or two in advance. All you have to do on the serving day is assemble the layers, frost the cake, and add some fresh raspberries to the top.
"Raspberries pair well with chocolate, making the raspberry filling the perfect combo for a stunning holiday-worthy dessert. You can always swap the homemade filling out with raspberry jam or cake filling if you're short on time.
"The dark chocolate cake is moist and decadent, and the 3 layers make a beautiful and dramatic statement with the bright red raspberries and chocolate buttercream frosting."
Prep Time: 90 minutes; Cook Time: 40 minutes; Total Time: 2 hours 10 minutes; Servings: 12 servings; Yield: 1 cake
To view this online, go to https://www.thespruceeats.com/chocolate-raspberry-layer-cake-recipe-5208221.
Ingredients
For the Raspberry Filling:
1 cup sugar
3 tablespoons cornstarch
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon water
4 cups frozen raspberries, or fresh
For the Cake:
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups sugar
2/3 cup unsweetened natural cocoa powder
1-1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
1 cup buttermilk, well shaken
1/2 cup canola or vegetable oil
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup very hot water, or hot freshly brewed coffee
For the Chocolate Buttercream:
1-1/4 cups (12 tablespoons) unsalted butter, at room temperature
4 cups confectioners' sugar
3/4 cup unsweetened natural cocoa powder
4 to 6 tablespoons heavy cream, or half-and-half or milk, as needed
1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt
6 ounces fresh raspberries, optional, for garnish
Directions
Prepare the Raspberry Filling
Gather the raspberry filling ingredients.
Combine the sugar and cornstarch in a medium saucepan. Whisk to combine and then add the lemon juice, water, and frozen (or fresh) raspberries.
Place the saucepan over medium heat and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook until thickened, about 8 to 10 minutes, stirring frequently.
Let the raspberry filling cool and refrigerate until it's time to assemble the cake.
Make the Chocolate Cake
Gather the cake ingredients.
Position an oven rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350 F. Grease three 8-inch round cake pans and then line them with parchment paper. Set aside.
Sift the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt into a large mixing bowl. Stir to blend thoroughly.
In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs, buttermilk, oil, and vanilla extract together.
Add the wet ingredients to the dry mixture and mix until combined.
Add the hot water (or hot coffee) to the mixing bowl and mix just until the batter is combined. The batter will be thin.
Divide the batter evenly among the baking pans. If you are weighing ingredients, it will be roughly 15 to 16 ounces per pan for a 3-layer cake or about 22 to 24 ounces per pan for a 2-layer cake.
Bake the cakes for 24 to 27 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cakes comes out clean.
Cool the cake layers in the pan on a cooling rack for 20 minutes.
Then, turn the layers out onto the cooling racks to cool completely.
Prepare the Chocolate Buttercream
Gather the ingredients for the chocolate buttercream.
In a mixing bowl with an electric mixer at medium-high speed, beat the butter for 2 minutes or until creamy.
Sift the confectioners' sugar and cocoa powder together in a separate bowl.
Slowly add the dry ingredients to the butter along with 4 tablespoons cream, vanilla extract, and salt. Mix on low speed until combined. Increase the speed to high and beat for about 1 minute, adding more cream if needed, until you reach the desired spreading consistency. If the buttercream gets too soft, refrigerate it for 15 to 20 minutes to firm up before frosting the cake.
Assemble the Cake
Place a cake layer on a cake plate or cake stand and spread with about a cup of raspberry filling.
Place the second layer on top and spread with more raspberry filling. Add the 3rd layer.
Frost the top and sides of the cake with the chocolate buttercream frosting. If you have leftover filling, refrigerate it in a covered container or jar for other uses.
If desired, arrange fresh raspberries over the top of the frosted cake or add a decorative piped edging with any leftover buttercream and refrigerate until it's time to serve.
Make-Ahead Tips
You may make the raspberry filling a day or two in advance. Cover and refrigerate until about an hour or two before you plan to assemble the layers. Make sure the filling is completely cooled and thick before assembling the cake so that the cake layers sit securely when filled and stacked.
You may make the cake layers a day in advance. Wrap each layer—slightly warm or thoroughly cooled—in plastic wrap and stack them, placing cardboard cake rounds between the layers.
You may make the buttercream frosting a day or two in advance. Cover the frosting and refrigerate until about 2 hours before you plan to assemble the cake. Re-beat it for a minute or two with an electric mixer until smooth and creamy.
Recipe Variations
Replace the raspberry filling with about 1 to 1-1/2 cups of raspberry cake filling or jam.
To Make Seedless Raspberry Filling:
Simmer the raspberries, sugar, and lemon juice together until the raspberries break down into a sauce. Use a food mill to remove the seeds or press them through a sieve. Add the seedless juice back to the saucepan and bring it back to a simmer. In a small bowl, combine the cornstarch with 2 tablespoons of water to form a paste. Add this to the raspberry sauce and continue cooking until thickened.
Add even more drama to the chocolate raspberry cake with a ganache drip around the edge.
If you don't have buttermilk, it's easy to make a substitute. For 1 cup of buttermilk, add 1 tablespoon of vinegar or lemon juice to a fluid measuring cup. Add milk to the 1 cup level and let stand for about 10 minutes.
How to Store
Store the cake, covered, in the refrigerator—it will last for up to 1 week. Serve the cake at room temperature; remove it from the fridge about 1 to 2 hours before serving.
To freeze leftover cake slices, arrange them on a baking sheet and freeze until solid. Wrap the portions tightly in plastic wrap and place them in a resealable freezer bag.
PINEAPPLE COFFEECAKE
From the infamous long-forgotten-emailing-list
Ingredients
3/4 cup butter
1-1/2 cups granulated sugar
2 eggs
1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 cup pineapple juice
1 cup crushed pineapple, drained
1 cup sour cream
1 cup confectioners' sugar
2 tablespoons pineapple juice
1/2 cup sliced almonds
Directions
Cream together butter, sugar, eggs and vanilla extract; add to it the flour, baking powder, pineapple juice, pineapple and sour cream. Mix well; turn into a well-greased and floured fluted tube pan. Bake at 350 degrees F for 55 to 60 minutes. Cool in pan for 10 minutes. Remove from pan and cool completely.
Combine pineapple juice and confectioners' sugar; drizzle over cake. Sprinkle with almonds.
FLOURLESS CHOCOLATE CAKE
This is from Genevieve Ko in The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. Genevieve wrote, "Crackly on top and fudgy yet tender in the center, this cake tastes like a complex restaurant dessert, but comes together effortlessly in one bowl. Chocolate chips save you the messy step of chopping chocolate bars and deliver deep flavor along with cocoa powder. If you don’t have a springform pan, a regular cake pan lined with foil all around makes it easy to lift out the delicate cake, which melts in your mouth when served warm or at room temperature. Refrigerated or frozen leftovers take on a candylike chewiness, but a quick zap in the microwave will return it to just-baked softness. Slices are delicious on their own or with any creamy toppings."
Yield: 8 to 12 servings; Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
This was featured in "Forget Chocolate Bars: Baking With Chips Is Often Better", and can be viewed online at https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1022963-flourless-chocolate-cake.
Ingredients
3/4 cup unsalted butter, cut up, plus more for greasing the pan
1 cup bittersweet or semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup unsweetened natural cocoa powder
3/4 cup granulated sugar
4 large eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Whipped cream or ice cream, for serving (optional)
Preparation
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Generously butter the bottom and sides of an 8-inch springform pan, or press a large sheet of foil into the bottom and up the sides of an 8-inch round cake pan, smoothing the sides, and generously butter the foil.
Bring a few inches of water in a large saucepan to a simmer over medium heat. Set a large heatproof bowl over the saucepan and add the chocolate. When the chips look soft and melty, stir gently until smooth. Turn off the heat, and add the butter to the bowl. Stir gently until melted and smooth. Add the cocoa powder and stir until smooth, then take the bowl off the saucepan.
Stir in the granulated sugar until incorporated, then add the eggs, one at a time, and beat well after each addition. Stir in the vanilla, then scrape the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top.
Bake until crackly and dry on top, and a toothpick inserted 2 inches from the edge comes out clean, 40 to 50 minutes. A toothpick inserted in the center should come out with some crumbs attached.
Cool in the pan on a rack, then remove the sides of the springform pan or lift the cake out of the cake pan using the foil overhang. You can slice and serve warm or at room temperature. Or, to cut very neat slices, freeze the cooled cake until firm. Slice and warm up in the microwave or oven, if preferred. Serve the cake with whipped cream or ice cream, if you’d like. The cake can be wrapped and kept at room temperature for up to 3 days, in the refrigerator for up to 1 week or in the freezer for up to 1 month.
COFFEE-PRALINE CRUNCH ICE CREAM CAKE
This is from Samantha Seneviratne in The New York Times cooking enewsletter. Samantha wrote, "Inspired by butter-pecan ice cream, this cake combines crunchy praline with graham crackers, coffee ice cream and fudge sauce to make an impressive, but easy to assemble dessert. Store-bought pralines are perfect here, but if you can’t find them, you can make them from scratch with pantry staples. While they can be a little tricky, even a failed praline tastes great nestled in an ice cream cake, but toffee brickle or even just plain chopped nuts could stand in for the praline, too. While you could certainly buy fudge sauce, it’s the one component that is definitely better homemade, just sweet enough and deeply chocolatey. Make a double batch for future sundaes."
Yield: 8 to 10 servings; Time: 25 minutes, plus at least 5 hours' cooling and freezing
To view this online, go to https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1022469-coffee-praline-crunch-ice-cream-cake.
Ingredients
For the Fudge Sauce:
1-1/2 cups heavy cream
2/3 cup light or dark brown sugar
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup Dutch-process or natural cocoa, sifted
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
For assembly:
Nonstick cooking spray
1-1/2 quarts/48 ounces coffee ice cream (about 3 pints)
10 graham crackers (about 6 ounces)
2 cups chopped store-bought or homemade praline, plus more for serving
3/4 cup cold heavy cream, whipped to stiff peaks just before serving
Preparation
Prepare the fudge sauce: Set a fine-mesh sieve over a medium bowl. In a medium saucepan, combine the heavy cream, sugar, butter and salt. Cook over medium heat, stirring, until the butter is melted and the sugar has dissolved, about 2 minutes.
Whisk in the cocoa powder and cook for another minute or two, whisking occasionally, until the mixture is thick and glossy. Run the sauce through the sieve into the bowl, working out any lumps directly in the sieve. Stir in vanilla. Let cool completely, about 1 hour. (You should have about 2 cups.) About 30 minutes before you assemble the cake, remove the ice cream from the refrigerator to soften.
To assemble the cake, spray a 9-by-5-inch loaf pan lightly with nonstick cooking spray. (This is just to help keep the plastic in place.) Press plastic wrap into the pan, making it as smooth as possible against the bottom and sides of the pan, leaving a 3-inch overhang on each of the two long sides.
Spread one third of the softened ice cream (about 2 cups) evenly over the bottom of the pan. (If your ice cream is still too firm to spread, cut it into slices, arrange them in a layer and smooth using an offset spatula.) Lay 3 crackers over the top, breaking them to fit as needed. Top with 1/3 of the fudge sauce (about 2/3 cup), using an offset spatula to spread evenly, and half of the praline, patting into an even layer. Top with another 1/3 of the ice cream, 3 more crackers, 1/3 more fudge sauce and the remaining praline. Finish with the remaining 1/3 of ice cream and 4 more crackers. Use the plastic overhang to wrap the cake up tightly and freeze until firm, at least 4 hours and preferably overnight.
To serve, unwrap the plastic wrap, then quickly rub the outside of the pan with a warm, moistened kitchen towel to loosen. Flip out onto a serving plate and remove the plastic wrap. Top with whipped cream and more chopped praline. Cut slices with a knife dipped in hot water. (If too hard to slice, let sit for a few minutes to soften.) Serve with the remaining fudge sauce, warmed, if desired.
CELEBRATION CAKE
This comes from Seattle’s own Macrina Bakery. I’m on their mailing list (they send out the yummiest recipes!), and I highly recommend signing up.
If I’m ever out in Seattle, I fully intend to pay a visit to any of their bakeries…
According to Macrina’s Leslie Mackie, “This is one of my favorite birthday or special occasion cakes. The natural sweet flavor of toasted coconut layered with fresh summer berries and lemon cream makes for a light yet decadent summer treat.”
To view this online, click here.
INGREDIENTS: COCONUT CAKE
1 cup shredded, unsweetened coconut 1 cup coconut milk
5 egg whites
1 teaspoon pure almond extract
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2-1/4 cups cake flour
1-3/4 cups granulated sugar
1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon baking powder 1 teaspoon salt
12 tablespoons (1-1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temp.
2 pints fresh raspberries (for assembly)
LEMON CREAM
3 egg yolks
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup lemon juice
3 tablespoons unsalted butter 1 cup whipping cream
WHITE CHOCOLATE FROSTING
12 ounces white chocolate chips
8 ounces unsalted butter, room temp. 1 pound cream cheese, room temp.
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
DIRECTIONS: COCONUT CAKE
Preheat oven to 325°F. Spread coconut evenly on a rimmed baking sheet and toast for 3 minutes. Toss with tongs to toast evenly and return to the oven for 3 minutes. Remove from oven and transfer to a bowl. Set aside.
In a medium bowl, combine the coconut milk, egg whites, and almond and vanilla extracts. Mix with a whisk and set aside.
Sift flour, sugar, baking powder and salt into the bowl of a stand mixer. Add the toasted coconut and mix on low speed using the paddle attachment for 30 seconds. Cut butter into small cubes and add to the flour mixture. Mix on low speed until it is coarse and crumbly with no visible pieces of butter, approximately 4 minutes. Add half the wet ingredients and mix on medium speed for 30 seconds. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula and add the remaining wet ingredients, mixing for another 30 seconds. Scrape the bowl again to ensure it is well incorporated.
Prepare a 12" x 18" baking sheet pan with 1/2" rim by brushing it with oil and lining the bottom with parchment paper. Pour batter into prepared pan and bake on the center rack for 25 minutes or until the top is golden brown. When cool, run a knife around the edge of the cake and invert onto another sheet pan. Gently remove parchment paper and then cut three 7" circles of cake. You will have excess cake scraps, which make great trifle with fresh berries and whipped cream. Cover cake circles until ready to assemble layer cake.
CHERRY-COLA DUMP CAKE
This yumminess comes from Betty Crocker, and begins, "Super easy to prepare: Just mix devil's food cake mix with cola and pour over cherries. Bake for one hour and voila!"
Prep Time: 5 minutes; Total Time: 60 minutes; Servings: 9
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
1 jar (16 oz) maraschino cherries with juice (without stems)
1 box Betty Crocker™ Super Moist™ devil’s food cake mix
1 cup cola-flavored carbonated beverage
Directions
Heat oven to 350°F. Into ungreased 13x9-inch (3-quart) glass baking dish, “dump” cherries with cherry juice.
In medium bowl, mix cake mix and carbonated beverage. “Dump” mixture over cherries.
Bake 35 to 40 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool about 15 minutes before cutting and serving cake.
Expert Tips
Serve with whipped cream and additional cherries.
You could substitute cherry pie filling in place of the maraschino cherries and juice.
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