Cakes
Whenever I think celebrations and desserts at the same time, I tend to think of cakes. While it's true that you can have a celebration with pies or cookies, cakes just seem to be the big dessert.
Today's six cake recipes are sure to have something in here for almost everyone. Check out the Chocolate Raspberry Layer Cake, the Heavenly Ice Cream Cake with Raspberry Coulis, or any of the other yummy cakes in today's post. Enjoy!
FUDGE-GLAZED FLOURLESS CHOCOLATE CAKE
This is from Vegetarian Times, and begins, "Eastern European bakers have a long tradition of using nut flours in place of wheat flour for rich, decadent pastries that happen to be gluten-free. The shiny glaze for this flourless chocolate cake is made like homemade fudge by cooking the chocolate in a sugar syrup until it’s thick and glossy."
Makes 8 servings
You can view this online at https://www.vegetariantimes.com/recipes/fudge-glazed-flourless-chocolate-cake/.
Ingredients
Cake
3 oz. bittersweet chocolate, broken into small pieces
3 oz. butter (6 Tbs.), cut into small pieces
6 Tbs. sugar
3 large eggs, separated
1 cup almond flour or ground hazelnuts
Glaze
1/2 cup sugar
2 oz. bittersweet chocolate, broken into small pieces
Preparation
To make Cake: Preheat oven to 350°F. Line heart-shaped or 8-inch round baking pan with parchment paper, and coat with cooking spray.
Melt chocolate and butter in large bowl set over saucepan of simmering water.
Meanwhile, whisk together sugar and egg yolks 1 minute, or until pale yellow. Whisk yolks into chocolate mixture, then whisk in almond flour or ground hazelnuts.
Beat egg whites with electric mixer until soft peaks form. Fold 1/2 cup egg whites into chocolate mixture. Fold remaining egg whites into chocolate in two additions until no streaks remain. Spread in prepared pan, and bake 25 to 30 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes in pan, then unmold, and cool completely on wire rack.
To make Glaze: Bring sugar, chocolate, and 1⁄4 cup water to a boil in small saucepan. Reduce heat to low, and cook mixture 5 minutes, or until temperature reaches 233–234°F on candy thermometer. Cool 1 minute.
Place Cake on rack over sheet of parchment or wax paper. Pour Glaze on top of Cake, and gently spread to cover top and drip over sides. Let Glaze cool, then serve.
BLACKOUT CAKE
This recipe, on The New York Times cooking site wis from Ebinger's, and adapted by The New York Times. It begins, "This absurdly rich chocolate cake came to The Times in a 1991 article by Molly O'Neill about Ebinger’s, the legendary chain of Brooklyn bakeries that closed its doors in 1972 after 74 years in business. Their wildly popular blackout cake, a three layer devil's food cake filled with dark chocolate pudding, slathered with chocolate frosting and covered with chocolate cake crumbs, had a cult-like following in its day. This recipe isn't authentic (the Ebinger family never shared the original recipe with the public), but Ms. O'Neill claims in her book, 'The New York Cookbook: From Pelham Bay to Park Avenue, Firehouses to Four-Star Restaurants,' that this version got the thumbs-up from 'a panel of twelve Ebingerites.' That's enough for us."
Yield: 1 cake; Time: 3 hours plus chilling
This recipe was featured in "The Cake Box From Heaven (Brooklyn, of Course) is Back" and can be viewed online at https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1018772-blackout-cake.
Ingredients
For the cake:
1/2 cup unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa
1/4 cup boiling water
2 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped
3/4 cup milk
2 cups sugar
2 sticks unsalted butter, slightly softened, plus 2 tablespoons for the cake pans
4 eggs, separated
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 cups flour, plus 1 tablespoon for the cake pans
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
For the filling:
2 tablespoons unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa
2 cups boiling water
3/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon sugar
1 ounce bittersweet chocolate, chopped
1/4 cup cornstarch
1 tablespoon cold water
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 tablespoons butter
For the frosting:
12 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped
3/4 cup unsalted butter
1/2 cup hot water
1 tablespoon corn syrup
1 tablespoon vanilla
Preparation
Heat the oven to 375 degrees.
To make the cake, place the cocoa in a small bowl and whisk in the boiling water to form a paste. Combine the chocolate and milk in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir frequently as the mixture warms and the chocolate melts, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat. Whisk a small amount of the heated chocolate milk into the cocoa paste and then whisk the cocoa mixture into the milk mixture. Return to heat, stir for one minute, remove and cool until tepid.
In the bowl of a mixer, cream the sugar and butter together. Beat in the egg yolks one at a time and add the vanilla. Slowly stir in the chocolate mixture.
Combine the flour, baking powder, salt and baking soda. Using a spatula or a wooden spoon, slowly add the flour mixture to the chocolate mixture. In another bowl, whip the egg whites to form soft peaks and, using a rubber spatula, gently fold the egg whites into the batter.
Butter and lightly flour two 8-inch round cake pans and divide the batter between the two pans. Bake for 45 minutes and cool on a rack for 15 minutes. Gently remove the cakes from the pans and continue to cool.
While the cake is baking, make the filling. Put the cocoa into a saucepan and pour in the boiling water and place over low heat. Add the sugar and chocolate. Dissolve the cornstarch in the cold water to make a smooth paste. Whisk the cornstarch into the water and chocolate, add the salt and bring it to a boil, stirring constantly. Boil for one minute.
Remove the pan from the heat, whisk in the vanilla and the butter, and transfer the mixture to a bowl and refrigerate until cool.
Make the frosting. In a double boiler, melt the chocolate. Remove from heat and whisk in the butter, one tablespoon at a time, returning to heat if necessary to melt the butter.
Whisk in the hot water all at once and stir until smooth. Whisk in the corn syrup and the vanilla. Refrigerate for 20 to 30 minutes before using.
Assemble the cake. Use a sharp knife to slice each cake into two disks to form four layers. Set one layer aside. Place one layer on a cake round or plate. Generously swath the layer with filling. Add the second layer and repeat. Add the third layer. Quickly apply a layer of frosting to the top and the sides of the cake and refrigerate for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, crumble the remaining cake layer. Apply a second layer of frosting to the cake, press cake crumbs into the top and sides of the cake, and serve within 24 hours. Store in a cool place.
HEAVENLY ICE CREAM CAKE WITH RASPBERRY COULIS
This comes from the January 2007 issue of Vegetarian Times, and begins, “Prepared angel food cakes from the supermarket bakery section are good items to have on hand for desserts. Before preparing this elaborate-looking recipe, freeze the cake completely. It slices easily with a serrated knife.” Serves 12.
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
1 16-oz. angel food cake, frozen
1 10-oz. jar raspberry preserves
1/4 cup raspberry liqueur or orange juice
2 pints low-fat vanilla ice cream, softened, divided
1 10-oz. pkg. frozen raspberries in syrup, thawed
Directions
Cut cake into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Cover bottom of 9-inch springform pan with slices, cutting one or two slices as necessary to fill in gaps.
Combine raspberry preserves and liqueur in small saucepan over medium heat, and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to low, and simmer 5 minutes. Brush half of raspberry mixture over cake in pan. Spread 1 pint ice cream over cake, and smooth top. Arrange more cake slices over ice cream to cover completely. Spread remaining raspberry mixture over cake. Smooth remaining pint of ice cream over cake. Cover with plastic wrap, and freeze overnight. (Can be prepared up to 3 days in advance up to this point.)
Purée thawed raspberries and syrup in food processor until smooth. Strain into bowl.
Run knife around sides of springform pan. Release sides from cake. Slice into wedges, and top with raspberry coulis.
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.
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.
SOUR CREAM BLUEBERRY COFFEECAKE
From an old emailing list.
Ingredients
1-1/2 c Reduced Fat Bisquick or one of your choice
2/3 c Splenda Granular
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1 lg egg
3/4 c light sour cream
1/3 c dry skim milk
1-1/2 tsp vanilla
1-1/2 c fresh blueberries{or frozen}
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Spray an 8x8 inch cake pan with butter-flavored cooking spray. In a large bowl, combine baking mix, splenda granular, dry milk powder, and nutmeg. Stir well to combine. In a smaller bowl, beat the egg slightly, stir in the sour cream & vanilla. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients; pour in the liquid. Stir well to combine. Fold in the blueberries. Spread batter evenly into prepared cake pan. Bake for 25 to 30 mins or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Place pan on a wire rack to cool. Serve warm or room temperature.
Today's six cake recipes are sure to have something in here for almost everyone. Check out the Chocolate Raspberry Layer Cake, the Heavenly Ice Cream Cake with Raspberry Coulis, or any of the other yummy cakes in today's post. Enjoy!
FUDGE-GLAZED FLOURLESS CHOCOLATE CAKE
This is from Vegetarian Times, and begins, "Eastern European bakers have a long tradition of using nut flours in place of wheat flour for rich, decadent pastries that happen to be gluten-free. The shiny glaze for this flourless chocolate cake is made like homemade fudge by cooking the chocolate in a sugar syrup until it’s thick and glossy."
Makes 8 servings
You can view this online at https://www.vegetariantimes.com/recipes/fudge-glazed-flourless-chocolate-cake/.
Ingredients
Cake
3 oz. bittersweet chocolate, broken into small pieces
3 oz. butter (6 Tbs.), cut into small pieces
6 Tbs. sugar
3 large eggs, separated
1 cup almond flour or ground hazelnuts
Glaze
1/2 cup sugar
2 oz. bittersweet chocolate, broken into small pieces
Preparation
To make Cake: Preheat oven to 350°F. Line heart-shaped or 8-inch round baking pan with parchment paper, and coat with cooking spray.
Melt chocolate and butter in large bowl set over saucepan of simmering water.
Meanwhile, whisk together sugar and egg yolks 1 minute, or until pale yellow. Whisk yolks into chocolate mixture, then whisk in almond flour or ground hazelnuts.
Beat egg whites with electric mixer until soft peaks form. Fold 1/2 cup egg whites into chocolate mixture. Fold remaining egg whites into chocolate in two additions until no streaks remain. Spread in prepared pan, and bake 25 to 30 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes in pan, then unmold, and cool completely on wire rack.
To make Glaze: Bring sugar, chocolate, and 1⁄4 cup water to a boil in small saucepan. Reduce heat to low, and cook mixture 5 minutes, or until temperature reaches 233–234°F on candy thermometer. Cool 1 minute.
Place Cake on rack over sheet of parchment or wax paper. Pour Glaze on top of Cake, and gently spread to cover top and drip over sides. Let Glaze cool, then serve.
BLACKOUT CAKE
This recipe, on The New York Times cooking site wis from Ebinger's, and adapted by The New York Times. It begins, "This absurdly rich chocolate cake came to The Times in a 1991 article by Molly O'Neill about Ebinger’s, the legendary chain of Brooklyn bakeries that closed its doors in 1972 after 74 years in business. Their wildly popular blackout cake, a three layer devil's food cake filled with dark chocolate pudding, slathered with chocolate frosting and covered with chocolate cake crumbs, had a cult-like following in its day. This recipe isn't authentic (the Ebinger family never shared the original recipe with the public), but Ms. O'Neill claims in her book, 'The New York Cookbook: From Pelham Bay to Park Avenue, Firehouses to Four-Star Restaurants,' that this version got the thumbs-up from 'a panel of twelve Ebingerites.' That's enough for us."
Yield: 1 cake; Time: 3 hours plus chilling
This recipe was featured in "The Cake Box From Heaven (Brooklyn, of Course) is Back" and can be viewed online at https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1018772-blackout-cake.
Ingredients
For the cake:
1/2 cup unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa
1/4 cup boiling water
2 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped
3/4 cup milk
2 cups sugar
2 sticks unsalted butter, slightly softened, plus 2 tablespoons for the cake pans
4 eggs, separated
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 cups flour, plus 1 tablespoon for the cake pans
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
For the filling:
2 tablespoons unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa
2 cups boiling water
3/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon sugar
1 ounce bittersweet chocolate, chopped
1/4 cup cornstarch
1 tablespoon cold water
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 tablespoons butter
For the frosting:
12 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped
3/4 cup unsalted butter
1/2 cup hot water
1 tablespoon corn syrup
1 tablespoon vanilla
Preparation
Heat the oven to 375 degrees.
To make the cake, place the cocoa in a small bowl and whisk in the boiling water to form a paste. Combine the chocolate and milk in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir frequently as the mixture warms and the chocolate melts, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat. Whisk a small amount of the heated chocolate milk into the cocoa paste and then whisk the cocoa mixture into the milk mixture. Return to heat, stir for one minute, remove and cool until tepid.
In the bowl of a mixer, cream the sugar and butter together. Beat in the egg yolks one at a time and add the vanilla. Slowly stir in the chocolate mixture.
Combine the flour, baking powder, salt and baking soda. Using a spatula or a wooden spoon, slowly add the flour mixture to the chocolate mixture. In another bowl, whip the egg whites to form soft peaks and, using a rubber spatula, gently fold the egg whites into the batter.
Butter and lightly flour two 8-inch round cake pans and divide the batter between the two pans. Bake for 45 minutes and cool on a rack for 15 minutes. Gently remove the cakes from the pans and continue to cool.
While the cake is baking, make the filling. Put the cocoa into a saucepan and pour in the boiling water and place over low heat. Add the sugar and chocolate. Dissolve the cornstarch in the cold water to make a smooth paste. Whisk the cornstarch into the water and chocolate, add the salt and bring it to a boil, stirring constantly. Boil for one minute.
Remove the pan from the heat, whisk in the vanilla and the butter, and transfer the mixture to a bowl and refrigerate until cool.
Make the frosting. In a double boiler, melt the chocolate. Remove from heat and whisk in the butter, one tablespoon at a time, returning to heat if necessary to melt the butter.
Whisk in the hot water all at once and stir until smooth. Whisk in the corn syrup and the vanilla. Refrigerate for 20 to 30 minutes before using.
Assemble the cake. Use a sharp knife to slice each cake into two disks to form four layers. Set one layer aside. Place one layer on a cake round or plate. Generously swath the layer with filling. Add the second layer and repeat. Add the third layer. Quickly apply a layer of frosting to the top and the sides of the cake and refrigerate for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, crumble the remaining cake layer. Apply a second layer of frosting to the cake, press cake crumbs into the top and sides of the cake, and serve within 24 hours. Store in a cool place.
HEAVENLY ICE CREAM CAKE WITH RASPBERRY COULIS
This comes from the January 2007 issue of Vegetarian Times, and begins, “Prepared angel food cakes from the supermarket bakery section are good items to have on hand for desserts. Before preparing this elaborate-looking recipe, freeze the cake completely. It slices easily with a serrated knife.” Serves 12.
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
1 16-oz. angel food cake, frozen
1 10-oz. jar raspberry preserves
1/4 cup raspberry liqueur or orange juice
2 pints low-fat vanilla ice cream, softened, divided
1 10-oz. pkg. frozen raspberries in syrup, thawed
Directions
Cut cake into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Cover bottom of 9-inch springform pan with slices, cutting one or two slices as necessary to fill in gaps.
Combine raspberry preserves and liqueur in small saucepan over medium heat, and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to low, and simmer 5 minutes. Brush half of raspberry mixture over cake in pan. Spread 1 pint ice cream over cake, and smooth top. Arrange more cake slices over ice cream to cover completely. Spread remaining raspberry mixture over cake. Smooth remaining pint of ice cream over cake. Cover with plastic wrap, and freeze overnight. (Can be prepared up to 3 days in advance up to this point.)
Purée thawed raspberries and syrup in food processor until smooth. Strain into bowl.
Run knife around sides of springform pan. Release sides from cake. Slice into wedges, and top with raspberry coulis.
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.
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.
SOUR CREAM BLUEBERRY COFFEECAKE
From an old emailing list.
Ingredients
1-1/2 c Reduced Fat Bisquick or one of your choice
2/3 c Splenda Granular
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1 lg egg
3/4 c light sour cream
1/3 c dry skim milk
1-1/2 tsp vanilla
1-1/2 c fresh blueberries{or frozen}
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Spray an 8x8 inch cake pan with butter-flavored cooking spray. In a large bowl, combine baking mix, splenda granular, dry milk powder, and nutmeg. Stir well to combine. In a smaller bowl, beat the egg slightly, stir in the sour cream & vanilla. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients; pour in the liquid. Stir well to combine. Fold in the blueberries. Spread batter evenly into prepared cake pan. Bake for 25 to 30 mins or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Place pan on a wire rack to cool. Serve warm or room temperature.
Comments
Post a Comment