Cake

It's finally Friday, time to celebrate the upcoming weekend. And no dessert says celebrate quite the say cake does. Here are six yummy cake recipes to help you through the weekend, including Rocky Road Cake (to get the weekend started off smoothly) and Million Dollar Cake, which won't break the bank. Enjoy!

LISBON CHOCOLATE CAKE

This comes from Dorie Greenspan on The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. Dorie wrote, “On my first day in Lisbon, I became a statistic: I lost all my credit cards to a talented thief on the No. 28 tram. After ‘the incident,’ I wanted to leave Lisbon, but instead, my husband Michael and I decided to tackle our must-taste list. It was on our last day in Lisbon that we tasted the cake at Landeau Chocolate. It was intense, but not overwhelming; truly chocolate, but somehow each layer’s chocolateness was different. I returned home and made this cake, my version of the cake that cured my pickpocket blues. It’s a dense-but-not-heavy, brownielike cake topped with a whipped chocolate ganache (think: mousse) and a substantial dusting of cocoa. Because this cake is completely about the chocolate, choose one you love.”

Time: About 1 hour, plus cooling; Yield: One 9-inch cake (about 10 servings.

This recipe was featured in “The Chocolate Cake That Saved My Vacation”, and can be viewed online at https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1020555-lisbon-chocolate-cake.

Ingredients

For the Cake:

1/2 cup unsalted butter (1 stick), cut into chunks, plus more for greasing the pan

1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1-1/2 tablespoons cornstarch

1/4 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt

5 ounces dark chocolate, coarsely chopped

1/2 cup granulated sugar

3 large eggs, chilled

For the Ganache:

1-3/4 cups heavy cream

6 ounces semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped

For the Topping:

3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder

Preparation

Make the cake: Center a rack in the oven, and heat oven to 325 degrees. Butter a 9-inch cake pan, line with parchment paper and butter the paper.

Sift together the cocoa powder, cornstarch, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl. Whisk to blend.

Put the 1/2 cup butter in a large heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water. Scatter dark chocolate on top, and heat, stirring often, until the mixture is smooth and glossy. Remove the bowl from the pan, and stir in the sugar. One by one, energetically stir in the eggs, beating for 1 minute after the last egg is added. The mixture will look like pudding. Stir in the dry ingredients. Scrape the mixture into the cake pan, and give the pan a couple of good raps against the counter to settle the batter.

Bake for 18 to 20 minutes, or until a tester inserted into the center comes out clean (or with only a tiny streak of chocolate). Transfer to a rack, cool for 5 minutes, then unmold the cake. Peel off the paper, invert the cake and cool to room temperature. Wash and dry the cake pan.

Make the ganache: Pour 1-1/4 cups cream into a small saucepan; refrigerate the rest. Scald the cream over medium heat, turn off the heat and stir in the semisweet or bittersweet chocolate until fully incorporated. Transfer to a heatproof bowl. Refrigerate the ganache for 10 minutes, whisk it, then refrigerate again for 10 minutes. Repeat chilling and whisking steps until the ganache is thick enough to make tracks when you stir, 50 to 60 minutes.

Cut two 3-by-16-inch pieces of parchment or foil, and crisscross them in the cake pan. Carefully return the cake to the pan.

Whip the remaining 1/2 cup cream until it holds medium peaks.

Using a whisk, gently beat the ganache until it’s soft and spreadable. With a spatula, fold in the whipped cream. Spread over the cake, and refrigerate for 2 hours (or cover and keep for up to 2 days). The cake is best served cool or at room temperature, so take it out of the fridge about 20 minutes before serving.

To finish, put the cocoa powder in a fine-mesh strainer, and shake it over the top of the cake. Run a table knife along the sides of the pan. Using the parchment or foil handles, carefully lift the cake out of the pan and onto a serving plate. Discard the strips. Cut the cake using a long knife that has been run under hot water and wiped dry between each cut.

DENSE AND DELICIOUS CHOCOLATE CAKE

This is from the October 2006 issue of Vegetarian Times (page 31), and begins, “Wow the chocolate lovers in your life with this fudgy creation that’s as easy to whip up as a cake mix.” Makes 10 servings.

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

Chocolate Cake

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 cup sugar

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/4 cup low-fat buttermilk

1 large egg

2 tsp. vanilla extract

1/2 cup brewed espresso or strong coffee

1/2 cup cocoa powder

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

Fudge Glaze

2 Tbs. low-fat buttermilk

2 Tbs. cocoa powder

2 Tbs. unsalted butter

1/2 cup confectioners' sugar

1 tsp. vanilla extract

Preparation

Preheat oven to 400F. Coat 9-inch round springform pan with cooking spray. Combine flour, sugar, and baking soda in bowl. Whisk together buttermilk, egg, and vanilla in separate bowl.

Combine espresso and cocoa in large saucepan. Add butter, and bring to a boil over medium-high heat, whisking constantly. Remove from heat, and stir in dry ingredients. Add buttermilk mixture, and whisk until smooth.

Pour batter into prepared pan, and bake 15 to 20 minutes, or until top looks dry but toothpick inserted in center comes out moist.

Meanwhile, make Fudge Glaze: Combine buttermilk, cocoa powder, and butter in medium saucepan, and bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Remove from heat, and stir in sugar and vanilla.

Pierce holes all over cake with skewer or fork. Spread glaze over cake with spatula. Let stand 5 minutes before unmolding, and serve.

ROCKY ROAD CAKE

I was taking a speech class at a local junior college. One week we had to give a demonstration speech; one lady demonstrated how to make this cake, passing out copies of the recipe along with pieces of cake. It’s absolutely delicious. The icing can be used on almost any kind of cake; it would be really good on carrot cake!

Note: This recipe can be found in my e-cookbook, Off the Wall Cooking, which I'm currently updating (along with photos).

Ingredients

1 C chopped nuts

4 eggs

1 C raisins

1 C mayonnaise

1 C mini-marshmallows

1 C water

6 oz. package of chocolate

1 package (18.25 oz) Devil’s Food cake mix w/pudding

Directions

Grease and flour 2 9" pans. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix first four ingredients in medium-size bowl. In large bowl at low speed, mix cake mix, eggs, may and water until blended. Increase speed to medium & beat for 2 minutes. Stir in nut mixture. Pour into greased and floured pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 50 minutes. Cool in pan 15 minutes on cooling rack.

ICING (for Rocky Road Cake)

Ingredients

1 tsp. vanilla

1 stick butter

8 oz. cream cheese

1 box confectioners sugar

Directions

Place ingredients in bowl and cream together. When cake is cool, ice. ENJOY!

KENTUCKY BUTTER CAKE

This recipe is from Nell Lewis and adapted by Margaux Laskey on The New York Times cooking site, as well as in "Briliant Baking" cooking suppliment on Sunday, February 20, 2022. Margaux wrote, "If you think you don’t need another Bundt cake recipe, this one exists to prove you wrong. Adapted from Nell Lewis of Platte City, Mo., who entered the Pillsbury Bake-Off contest in 1963, it is a favorite of food bloggers and Pinterest lovers alike. On the surface, it’s not that different from your typical pound cake, but what makes it special is a vanilla-scented, buttery sugar glaze that’s poured over the still-warm cake. Left to sit for several hours before unmolding, the glaze soaks into the cake, making it incredibly tender and rich while leaving behind a delightful sugary crust. There are a lot of variations out there — some with bourbon in place of the vanilla, others with sherry — so feel free to play around."

Yield: 10 to 12 servings; Time: 1 hour 15 minutes

You can view this online at https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1020431-kentucky-butter-cake.

Ingredients

For the cake:

1 cup unsalted butter (2 sticks), softened, plus more for greasing the pan

3 cups all-purpose unbleached flour, plus more for dusting the pan

Nonstick cooking spray (optional)

2 cups granulated sugar

1 cup buttermilk (see Tip)

4 eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon fine sea salt

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

For the butter sauce:

3/4 cup granulated sugar

1/3 cup unsalted butter

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Confectioners’ sugar, for sprinkling (optional)

Preparation

Heat oven to 325 degrees. Generously butter and flour (or spray with nonstick cooking spray) a 10-inch tube pan or a 12-cup bundt pan.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, or using a handheld mixer, combine the remaining cake ingredients and beat for 3 minutes at medium speed. Pour into prepared pan, level with a spatula and bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 60 to 70 minutes.

Shortly before the cake is done baking, make the butter sauce: Combine the granulated sugar, butter and vanilla with 3 tablespoons water in a saucepan over low heat until the butter just melts. (Do not let the mixture boil, as you do not want the sugar to completely dissolve.)

As soon as the cake comes out of the oven, leave the cake in its pan and gently poke it all the way through 15 to 20 times with a long wooden skewer or a long-tined fork. Slowly pour warm butter sauce over the cake. Let cool for at least 3 hours before unmolding from pan. Just before serving, sprinkle with confectioners’ sugar, if desired.

Tip

If you don’t have buttermilk, measure out 1 cup of whole milk and remove 1 tablespoon. Add 1 tablespoon white vinegar to the remaining milk and stir to combine. Let sit for 10 minutes, then stir gently before using in the recipe as you would buttermilk.

MILLION DOLLAR CAKE

This is from Allrecipes, and begins, "A cake made from yellow cake mix is frosted with a cream cheese, mandarin orange, and pineapple mixture for a light and refreshing cake."

Prep Time: 30 minutes; Cook Time: 25 minutes; Additional: 9 hours; Total Time: 9 hours 55 minutes; Servings: 12; Yield: 1 (8 or 9 inch) layer cake

To view this online, go to https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/7903/million-dollar-cake/.

Ingredients

1 (18.25 ounce) package yellow cake mix

8 ounces cream cheese

1-1/2 cups confectioners' sugar

1 (20 ounce) can crushed pineapple with juice

2 (8 ounce) cans mandarin oranges, drained

1 (3.5 ounce) package instant vanilla pudding mix

1 (8 ounce) container frozen whipped topping, thawed

Directions

Mix and bake cake mix as per package instruction for two 8 or 9 inch round layers. Let layers cool, and then split each layer in half so as to have 4 layers.

In a large bowl, whip cream cheese until soft, and then gradually mix in confectioners' sugar. Stir in the pineapple with juice and the drained mandarin oranges, reserving about 5 mandarin orange slices to decorate the top of cake. Mix in the dry pudding mix. Fold in the whipped topping.

Place one cake layer on a cake plate cut side up; spread with frosting. Place another layer cut side down on the first one, and top with more frosting. Repeat until all layers are used, spreading last bit of frosting on top and sides of cake. Decorate with reserved mandarin orange slices. Refrigerate overnight before serving.

VEGAN TOFU CHOCOLATE CAKE

This is from Ashley Adams on The Spruce Eats. Ashley wrote, "Prepared with silken tofu in place of the eggs and butter called for in traditional recipes, this chocolate cake is one of the healthiest around, yet still so tasty. Frost with whatever dairy-free frosting suits the occasion.

"Although many recipes that call for silken tofu require that you drain the liquid from the box before using, for this recipe just open the box and pour both the liquid and tofu into the blender as directed in Step 3.

"This recipe makes one two-layer 9-inch cake."

Prep Time: 10 minutes; Cook Time: 30 minutes; Total Time: 40 minutes; Servings: 4; Yield: 1 cake

To view this online, go to https://www.thespruceeats.com/vegan-chocolate-cake-1000681.

Ingredients

1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour

3/4 cups unsweetened cocoa powder

1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1-1/2 teaspoons baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 (12.3-ounce) box firm silken tofu

1-1/4 cups maple syrup

3 tablespoons canola oil

1 cup almond milk

1/3 cup boiling water

Directions

Gather the ingredients.

Preheat the oven to 350 F. Lightly oil or grease (with dairy-free soy margarine) 2 (9-inch) round cake pans. Set aside.

Sift together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium-sized mixing bowl. Set aside.

Process the tofu in a blender until creamy. Add the maple syrup and oil and process until smooth.

Stir the tofu mixture and almond milk into the dry ingredients. Add the boiling water and continue to stir until the batter is just combined. (The batter should be fairly smooth but will still have some lumps in it.)

Pour the batter into the prepared pans and bake for about 25 to 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cakes comes out clean.

Allow the cakes to cool in the pans for about 15 to 20 minutes on a wire cooling rack before removing from the pans to finish cooling on the cooling rack. Once cakes are completely cool, frost with a dairy-free frosting.

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