Hershey's "Especially Dark" Chocolate Cake

***We recently celebrated my wonderful husband's birthday...on Jan. 2nd. We had a fantastic day and a GREAT dinner with our family and friends that night. And by now, you know that it isn't a birthday around here without a delicious, homemade birthday cake. I started asking Brad what sort of cake he wanted about a week before the big day. He took some time to think it over and finally decided on a dark chocolate cake...his favorite kind of chocolate! I remember seeing the recipe below for the perfect cake...conveniently located on the back of the Hershey's "Special Dark" cocoa package. And besides, I had already made the milk chocolate version several times with great results. You may remember THIS post from a while back, of Hershey's "Perfectly Chocolate" Chocolate Cake. And perfect it was!

The best (and really only) change that I made to the recipe was substituting 1 cup of freshly brewed coffee for the 1 cup of boiling water that's called for in the recipe. The result was a fabulously rich and decadent cake. If you are a coffee-lover, I highly suggest doing the same thing! It certainly wasn't over-powering...it simply added a nice flavor to the final product.***

Hershey's "Especially Dark" Chocolate Cake

Ingredients:
2 cups sugar

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

3/4 cup Hershey's Special Dark cocoa

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

2 eggs

1 cup milk

1/2 cup vegetable oil

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 cup boiling water (I substituted 1 c. hot coffee...see my notes above!)

Directions:
Heat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour two 9-inch round pans.

Stir together sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt in large bowl. Add eggs, milk, oil and vanilla; beat on medium speed of electric mixer 2 minutes. Stir in boiling water (batter will be thin).

Pour batter into prepared pans.

Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes; remove from pans to wire racks. Cool completely.

"Especially Dark" Chocolate Frosting

Ingredients:

1 stick (1/2 cup) butter

1/2 cup Hershey's Special Dark cocoa

3 cups powdered sugar

1/3 cup milk

Directions:

Melt the butter. Stir in cocoa.

Add powdered sugar alternately with milk, beating to spreading consistency.

Makes about 2 cups.

Source: Hershey's Kitchens (also on back of "Special Dark" Hershey's Cocoa package)

French Yule Log (a.k.a. A Bûche de Noël)....YULE Love It! :)

It's that time again!!! The Daring Bakers tackled a traditional, French Yule Log this month. And whew....WHAT a recipe! I was really worried at first...I mean, an 18 page recipe?!? But once you break the elements down and tackle each one separately, it isn't that bad at all.

I always really, really look forward to the Daring Bakers challenge every month. After not participating last month, I was particularly excited about December. I knew that December would bring a fabulous challenge for the holidays. I was thrilled when I read the news. Chocolate...check! More chocolate...check, check! :)

I was extremely happy with my results this month. The taste was AMAZING! All of the flavors blended together so well. It's extra yummy with a hot cup of coffee, too!

This month's challenge is brought to us by the adventurous Hilda from Saffron and Blueberry and Marion from Il en Faut Peu Pour Etre Heureux. They have chosen a French Yule Log by Flore from Florilege Gourmand.

The recipe is below...I've only included the flavors/recipes for the combinations that I chose to use, in order to keep the post from being 5 miles long..lol.

I broke this recipe out as follows:

Day 1: Dacquoise Biscuit + Praline Feuillete (Crisp) Insert

Day 2: Dark Chocolate Mousse + Dark Chocolate Ganache Insert + Cardamom Crème Brulée

Day 3: Dark Chocolate Icing

FRENCH YULE LOG OR ENTREMETS RECIPE

by Flore of Florilège Gourmand

Element #1 Dacquoise Biscuit (Almond Cake)

Preparation time: 10 mn + 15 mn for baking

Equipment: 2 mixing bowls, hand or stand mixer with whisk attachment, spatula, baking pan such as a 10”x15” jelly-roll pan, parchment paper

Note: You can use the Dacquoise for the bottom of your Yule Log only, or as bottom and top layers, or if using a Yule log mold (half-pipe) to line your entire mold with the biscuit. Take care to spread the Dacquoise accordingly. Try to bake the Dacquoise the same day you assemble the log to keep it as moist as possible.

Ingredients:

2.8 oz (3/4cup + 1Tbsp / 80g) almond meal

1.75 oz (1/2 cup / 50g) confectioner’s sugar

2 Tbsp (15g) all-purpose flour

3.5oz (100g / ~100ml) about 3 medium egg whites

1.75 oz (4 Tbsp / 50g) granulated sugar

1. Finely mix the almond meal and the confectioner's sugar. (If you have a mixer, you can use it by pulsing the ingredients together for no longer than 30 seconds).

2. Sift the flour into the mix.

3. Beat the eggs whites, gradually adding the granulated sugar until stiff.

4. Pour the almond meal mixture into the egg whites and blend delicately with a spatula.

5. Grease a piece of parchment paper and line your baking pan with it.

6. Spread the batter on a piece of parchment paper to an area slightly larger than your desired shape (circle, long strip etc...) and to a height of 1/3 inches (8mm).

7. Bake at 350°F (180°C) for approximately 15 minutes (depends on your oven), until golden. 8. Let cool and cut to the desired shape.

Element #2 Dark Chocolate Mousse

Preparation time: 20mn

Equipment: stand or hand mixer with whisk attachment, thermometer, double boiler or equivalent, spatula

Note: You will see that a Pate a Bombe is mentioned in this recipe. A Pate a Bombe is a term used for egg yolks beaten with a sugar syrup, then aerated. It is the base used for many mousse and buttercream recipes. It makes mousses and buttercreams more stable, particularly if they are to be frozen, so that they do not melt as quickly or collapse under the weight of heavier items such as the crème brulee insert. In the Vanilla Mousse variation, pastry cream is made to the same effect.In the Mango Mousse variation, Italian meringue is made to the same effect. Italian meringue is a simple syrup added to egg whites as they are beaten until stiff. It has the same consistency as Swiss meringue (thick and glossy) which we have used before in challenge recipes as a base for buttercream.The Whipped Cream option contains no gelatin, so beware of how fast it may melt.Gelatin is the gelifying agent in all of the following recipes, but if you would like to use agar-agar, here are the equivalencies: 8g powdered gelatin = 1 (0.25 oz) envelope powdered gelatin = 1 Tbsp powdered gelatin = 1 Tbsp Agar-Agar. 1 Tbsp. of agar-agar flakes is equal to 1 tsp. of agar-agar powder.

Ingredients:

2.5 sheets gelatin or 5g / 1 + 1/4 tsp powdered gelatin

1.5 oz (3 Tbsp / 40g) granulated sugar

1 ½ tsp (10g) glucose or thick corn syrup

0.5 oz (15g) water

50g egg yolks (about 3 medium)

6.2 oz (175g) dark chocolate, coarsely chopped

1.5 cups (350g) heavy cream (35% fat content)

1. Soften the gelatin in cold water. (If using powdered gelatin, follow the directions on the package.) I used 1/4 cup cold water to soften the powdered gelatin. Heat the gelatin in the microwave for a few seconds to liquify it before mixing with the other ingredients.

2. Make a Pate a Bombe: Beat the egg yolks until very light in colour (approximately 5 minutes until almost white).

2a. Cook the sugar, glucose syrup and water on medium heat for approximately 3 minutes (if you have a candy thermometer, the mixture should reach 244°F (118°C). If you do not have a candy thermometer, test the sugar temperature by dipping the tip of a knife into the syrup then into a bowl of ice water, if it forms a soft ball in the water then you have reached the correct temperature.

2b. Add the sugar syrup to the beaten yolks carefully by pouring it into the mixture in a thin stream while continuing to beat the yolks. You can do this by hand but it’s easier to do this with an electric mixer.

2c. Continue beating until cool (approximately 5 minutes). The batter should become thick and foamy.

3. In a double boiler or equivalent, heat 2 tablespoons (30g) of cream to boiling. Add the chopped chocolate and stir until melted and smooth.

4. Whip the remainder of the cream until stiff.

5. Pour the melted chocolate over the softened gelatin, mixing well. Let the gelatin and chocolate cool slightly and then stir in ½ cup (100g) of WHIPPED cream to temper. Add the Pate a Bombe.

6. Add in the rest of the WHIPPED cream (220g) mixing gently with a spatula.

Element #3 Dark Chocolate Ganache Insert

Preparation time: 10mn

Equipment: pan, whisk. If you have plunging mixer (a vertical hand mixer used to make soups and other liquids), it comes in handy.

Note: Because the ganache hardens as it cools, you should make it right before you intend to use it to facilitate piping it onto the log during assembly. Please be careful when caramelizing the sugar and then adding the cream. It may splatter and boil.

Ingredients:

1.75 oz (4 Tbsp / 50g) granulated sugar

4.5oz (2/3 cup – 1 Tbsp/ 135g) heavy cream (35% fat content)

5 oz (135g) dark chocolate, finely chopped

3Tbsp + 1/2tsp (45g) unsalted butter softened

1. Make a caramel: Using the dry method, melt the sugar by spreading it in an even layer in a small saucepan with high sides. Heat over medium-high heat, watching it carefully as the sugar begins to melt. Never stir the mixture. As the sugar starts to melt, swirl the pan occasionally to allow the sugar to melt evenly. Cook to dark amber color (for most of you that means darker than last month’s challenge).

2. While the sugar is melting, heat the cream until boiling. Pour cream into the caramel and stir thoroughly. Be very careful as it may splatter and boil.

3. Pour the hot caramel-milk mixture over the dark chocolate. Wait 30 seconds and stir until smooth.

4. Add the softened butter and whip hard and fast (if you have a plunging mixer use it). The chocolate should be smooth and shiny.

Element #4 Praline Feuillete (Crisp) Insert

Preparation time: 10 mn (+ optional 15mn if you make lace crepes)

Equipment: Small saucepan, baking sheet (if you make lace crepes).Double boiler (or one small saucepan in another), wax paper, rolling pin (or I use an empty bottle of olive oil).

Note: Feuillete means layered (as in with leaves) so a Praline Feuillete is a Praline version of a delicate crisp. There are non-praline variations below. The crunch in this crisp comes from an ingredient which is called gavottes in French. Gavottes are lace-thin crepes. To our knowledge they are not available outside of France, so you have the option of making your own using the recipe below or you can simply substitute rice krispies or corn flakes or Special K for them. Special note: If you use one of the substitutes for the gavottes, you should halve the quantity stated, as in use 1oz of any of these cereals instead of 2.1oz.

To make 2.1oz / 60g of gavottes (lace crepes - recipe by Ferich Mounia):

1/3 cup (80ml) whole milk

2/3 Tbsp (8g) unsalted butter

1/3 cup – 2tsp (35g) all-purpose flour

1 Tbsp / 0.5 oz (15g) beaten egg

1 tsp (3.5g) granulated sugar

½ tsp vegetable oil

1. Heat the milk and butter together until butter is completely melted. Remove from the heat.

2. Sift flour into milk-butter mixture while beating, add egg and granulated sugar. Make sure there are no lumps.

3. Grease a baking sheet and spread batter thinly over it.

4. Bake at 430°F (220°C) for a few minutes until the crepe is golden and crispy. Let cool.

Ingredients for the Praline Feuillete:

3.5 oz (100g) milk chocolate

1 2/3 Tbsp (25g) butter

2 Tbsp (1 oz / 30g) praline

2.1oz (60g) lace crepes(gavottes) or rice krispies or corn flakes or Special K (I used Rice Krispies)

1. Melt the chocolate and butter in a double boiler.

2. Add the praline and the coarsely crushed lace crepes. Mix quickly to thoroughly coat with the chocolate.

3. Spread between two sheets of wax paper to a size slightly larger than your desired shape. Refrigerate until hard.

Element #5 Vanilla Crème Brulée Insert

Preparation time: 15mn + 1h infusing + 1h baking

Equipment: Small saucepan, mixing bowl, baking mold, wax paper

Note: The vanilla crème brulée can be flavored differently by simply replacing the vanilla with something else e.g. cardamom, lavender, etc...I flavored mine with Cardamom!

Ingredients:

1/2 cup (115g) heavy cream (35% fat content)

½ cup (115g) whole milk

4 medium-sized (72g) egg yolks

0.75 oz (2 Tbsp / 25g) granulated sugar

1 vanilla bean

1. Heat the milk, cream, and scraped vanilla bean to just boiling. Remove from the stove and let the vanilla infuse for about 1 hour.

2. Whisk together the sugar and egg yolks (but do not beat until white).

3. Pour the vanilla-infused milk over the sugar/yolk mixture. Mix well.

4. Wipe with a very wet cloth and then cover your baking mold (whatever shape is going to fit on the inside of your Yule log/cake) with parchment paper. Pour the cream into the mold and bake at 210°F (100°C) for about 1 hour or until firm on the edges and slightly wobbly in the center. (Many DBers noticed that their creme brulee would not set at 210...including me. I raised the temperature to about 325 after an hour and kept baking. It finally set and became a nice golden brown on top.)

Tartelette says: You can bake it without a water bath since it is going to go inside the log (the aesthetics of it won't matter as much since it will be covered with other things)....BUT I would recommend a water bath for the following reasons:

- you will get a much nicer mouth feel when it is done

- you will be able to control its baking point and desired consistency much better

- it bakes for such a long time that I fear it will get overdone without a water bath

Now...since it is baked in a pan and it is sometimes difficult to find another large pan to set it in for a water bath, even a small amount of water in your water bath will help the heat be distributed evenly in the baking process. Even as little as 1 inch will help.

5. Let cool and put in the freezer for at least 1 hour to firm up and facilitate the final assembly.

Here's the Yule Log before adding the icing...

Element #6 Dark Chocolate Icing

Preparation time: 25 minutes (10mn if you don’t count softening the gelatin)

Equipment: Small bowl, small saucepan

Note: Because the icing gelifies quickly, you should make it at the last minute.For other gelatin equivalencies or gelatin to agar-agar equivalencies, look at the notes for the mousse component.

Ingredients:

4g / ½ Tbsp powdered gelatin or 2 sheets gelatin

¼ cup (60g) heavy cream (35 % fat content)

2.1 oz (5 Tbsp / 60g) granulated sugar

¼ cup (50g) water

1/3 cup (30g) unsweetened cocoa powder

1. Soften the gelatin in cold water for 15 minutes. (Again, I used 1/4 cup water)

2. Boil the rest of the ingredients and cook an additional 3 minutes after boiling.

3. Add gelatin to the chocolate mixture. Mix well.

4. Let cool while checking the texture regularly. As soon as the mixture is smooth and coats a spoon well (it is starting to gelify), use immediately.

How To Assemble your French Yule Log

Depending on whether your mold is going to hold the assembly upside down until you unmold it or right side up, this order will be different. THIS IS FOR UNMOLDING FROM UPSIDE DOWN TO RIGHT SIDE UP. You will want to tap your mold gently on the countertop after each time you pipe mousse in to get rid of any air bubbles.

1) Line your mold or pan, whatever its shape, with rhodoid (clear hard plastic, I usually use transparencies cut to the desired shape, it’s easier to find than cellulose acetate which is what rhodoid translates to in English) OR plastic film. Rhodoid will give you a smoother shape but you may have a hard time using it depending on the kind of mold you’re using.You have two choices for Step 2, you can either have Dacquoise on the top and bottom of your log as in version A or you can have Dacquoise simply on the bottom of your log as in version B:

I used Version A:

2A) Cut the Dacquoise into a shape fitting your mold and set it in there. If you are using an actual Yule mold which is in the shape of a half-pipe, you want the Dacquoise to cover the entire half-pipe portion of the mold.

3A) Pipe one third of the Mousse component on the Dacquoise.

4A) Take the Creme Brulee Insert out of the freezer at the last minute and set on top of the mousse. Press down gently to slightly ensconce it in the mousse.

5A) Pipe second third of the Mousse component around and on top of the Creme Brulee Insert.

6A) Cut the Praline/Crisp Insert to a size slightly smaller than your mold so that it can be surrounded by mousse. Lay it on top of the mousse you just piped into the mold.
7A) Pipe the last third of the Mousse component on top of the Praline Insert.

8A) Freeze for a few hours to set. Take out of the freezer.

9A) Pipe the Ganache Insert onto the frozen mousse leaving a slight eidge so that ganache doesn’t seep out when you set the Dacquoise on top.

10A) Close with the last strip of Dacquoise.

Freeze until the next day.

If you are doing the assembly UPSIDE DOWN with TWO pieces of Dacquoise the order is:

1) Dacquoise

2) Mousse

3) Creme Brulee Insert

4) Mousse

5) Praline/Crisp Insert

6) Mousse
7) Ganache Insert
8) Dacquoise

THE NEXT DAY...Unmold the cake/log/whatever and set on a wire rack over a shallow pan. Cover the cake with the icing. Let set. Return to the freezer. You may decorate your cake however you wish. The decorations can be set in the icing after it sets but before you return the cake to the freezer or you may attach them on top using extra ganache or leftover mousse, etc...Transfer to the refrigerator no longer than ½ hour before serving as it may start to melt quickly depending on the elements you chose.

Red Velvet Cake - "Southern Living"

***I recently got the opportunity to make these cheesecake pops and a star-shaped Red Velvet Cake for a friend's baby shower. The theme was: "You're a Star Sebastian!" It was so much fun! I was worried about the star-shaped pan...I was nervous that the cake would stick to the sides & bottom, and I wouldn't be able to get it out all in one piece. However, if you know the correct way to grease and flour a cake pan, you'll never fail!

The secret is using solid Crisco shortening to grease the pan...not butter...and not Pam! The shortening makes a big difference for some reason. I also always put a round (or in this case, a star!) of parchment paper in the bottom of the pan, and add a dusting of flour. The results couldn't have been better. The cake slipped right out with no problems.

This red velvet cake recipe was divine! It was moist and delicious, with just the right amount of yummy cocoa. I can't wait to make it again for Christmas. And as always, the cheesecake pops were a BIG hit! They tend to go quickly. ;)

Red Velvet Cake

Ingredients:
1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon white vinegar
3 large eggs
1 (1-ounce) bottle liquid red food coloring
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup buttermilk
Cream Cheese Frosting (recipe below)

Preparation:
Beat butter at medium speed with an electric mixer until fluffy; gradually add sugar, vanilla, and vinegar, beating well. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating until blended after each addition. Add food coloring, beating until combined.

Combine flour and next 3 ingredients; add to butter mixture alternately with buttermilk, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Beat at low speed until blended after each addition. Pour into 2 greased and floured 9-inch cakepans.

Bake at 350° for 20 to 22 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans on wire racks 5 minutes; remove from pans, and cool on wire racks.

Spread Cream Cheese Frosting between layers and on tops and sides of cake.

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Cream Cheese Frosting

Ingredients:
1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
1 (16-ounce) package powdered sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup chopped pecans

Preparation:

Beat cream cheese and butter until creamy; gradually add sugar and vanilla, beating well. Stir in pecans.

***Note - I didn't mix the pecans into the frosting as the recipe suggests. Instead, I covered the sides of the cake with chopped pecans.

Source: Southern Living magazine

Hershey's "Perfectly Chocolate" Cake

***When a friend, Peggy, recently asked me to make a double chocolate cake for a party, I had just the right recipe in mind. I had seen this recipe on the back of the Hershey's Cocoa canister, and I had also heard wonderful things about this particular cake over on Good Things Catered. So, I decided to give it a try. And let me just tell you...making a chocolate cake and not eating a slice was EXTREMELY hard for me...LOL....I am very much a chocolate addict. I was very pleased with the results, though. The cake was wonderfully moist (just look at the pics!) and the frosting was out-of-this-world delicious. Seriously...this cake is my new go-to chocolate cake.

Peggy wanted a fall-themed cake, preferably with sunflowers. I had a lot of fun thinking of ideas for this cake!***

Cake Batter = Chocolately Goodness!

Just look at those yummy layers...

Ingredients:

2 c. sugar

1-3/4 c. all-purpose flour

3/4 c. Hershey's Cocoa

1-1/2 tsp baking powder

1-1/2 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

2 eggs

1 c. milk

1/2 c. vegetable oil

2 tsp vanilla extract

1 c. boiling water (or 1 c. freshly brewed, hot coffee)

For the Frosting:
1/2 c. (1 stick) butter, melted

2/3 c. Hershey's Cocoa

3 c. powdered sugar

1/3 c. milk

1 tsp vanilla extract

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and prepare two 9-inch round baking pans. Stir together sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt in large bowl.

Add eggs, milk, oil and vanilla; beat on medium speed of mixer 2 minutes. Stir in boiling water (batter will be thin).

Pour batter into prepared pans. Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean.

Cool 10 minutes; remove from pans to wire racks. Cool completely.

Meanwhile, make frosting:

Stir melted butter into cocoa. Alternately add powdered sugar and milk, beating to spreading consistency. Add a small amount of additional milk, if needed. Stir in vanilla. (Yields about 2 cups frosting.)

Frost cake when completely cooled, as desired.

Source: Hershey's Kitchens

The Best Carrot Cake You've Ever Had!

***I guess that you could say this is the cake that started it all!! I made this cake for Brad's birthday...the very first year we were together. It was such a hit, that I've made it countless times for many birthdays over the last few years. My cake baking skills have definitely gotten much better...especially the last few times I've made cakes. This is because of a few new purchases: 1) An icing spatula and 2) A piping bag w/assorted decorating tips. Who would have thought such simple things would make such a big difference!

I had a ton of fun making this cake. I was especially proud of the carrot ribbons on top. I originally posted this recipe HERE, but I wanted to re-post so that I could add a few tips/tricks to the recipe (and show off this pretty creation!).***

Ingredients:

2 c. sugar
2 c. plain flour

1 1/2 c. cooking oil

4 eggs

2 tsp. salt

2 tsp. soda

2 tsp. cinnamon

3 c. grated carrots

1/2 c. or more chopped pecans

Directions:

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Mix sugar, eggs and oil. Beat well. Sift flour and dry ingredients; slowly add to other mixture. Add carrots and nuts.

Divide and pour batter into 3 greased and floured cake pans.

***Tip: I also add parchment paper rounds to the bottom of my cake pans...this keeps the cake from sticking and the results are perfect cake layers every time! First, I grease the pans with Crisco shortening. Then, I add the parchment rounds. I then grease the top of the parchment rounds and then flour the entire pan surface. Here's a video that shows you how.***

Bake 30 to 40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into center of cake comes out clean. Place cake pans on a wire rack and let cool for about 10 minutes. Remove cakes from pans and continue to cool on rack. Cake layers should be completely cool before attempting to assemble the cake. If not, the cakes will melt the cream cheese icing!

Use Cream Cheese Icing between layers and on top and sides of cake.

Cream Cheese Icing:

1 (8 oz.) pkg. cream cheese

1/2 stick margarine

1 box confectioners sugar (10x)

2 tsp. vanilla

Beat cream cheese and butter in the bowl of an electric mixer until creamy and smooth (I use the paddle attachment on my KitchenAid Stand Mixer). Add vanilla. Slowly add small portions of the confectioners sugar and mix until well blended. Refrigerate until ready to use.

German Chocolate Cake

***I was so excited last week when I was asked to bake a cake for a fellow co-worker...and her favorite kind of cake? - German Chocolate! I had never baked one, so I was a little nervous that it wouldn't come out as good as other cakes that I've made. I found what sounded like a fabulous recipe on David Lebovitz's blog....the recipe is by a pastry chef, nonetheless.

So, I put my apron on and armed myself with my KitchenAid stand mixer...ready to take on this recipe. It came out wonderfully! One co-worker even said it was the best German Chocolate Cake she's ever had...you can't beat that!

The filling on the top is flat-out decadent...it has toasted coconut and pecans....yum! It may seem like a long recipe, but every step is worth it!

This was also my very first attempt at piping...I think it turned out pretty good. My piping skills will only get better!

Here's the recipe:

German Chocolate Cake
Makes one big, tall 9-inch cake; about 16 servings

For the cake:

2 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate chopped

2 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped

6 tablespoons water

8 ounces (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 ¼ cup + ¼ cup sugar

4 large eggs, separated

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon salt

1 cup buttermilk, at room temperature

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the filling:

1 cup heavy cream

1 cup sugar

3 large egg yolks

3 ounces butter, cut into small pieces

½ teaspoon salt

1 cup pecans, toasted and finely chopped

1 1/3 cups unsweetened coconut, toasted

For the syrup:

1 cup water

¾ cup sugar

2 tablespoons dark rum

For the chocolate icing:

8 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, chopped

2 tablespoons light corn syrup

1 ½ ounces unsalted butter

1 cup heavy cream

-------------------------------------------------------------------

Lighting the candles...

Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you...

Make a wish!

To Make the Cake:
1. Butter two 9-inch cake pans, then line the bottoms with rounds of parchment or wax paper. Preheat the oven to 350°.

2. Melt both chocolates together with the 6 tablespoons of water. Use either a double-boiler or a microwave. Stir until smooth, then set aside until room temperature.

3. In the bowl of an electric mixer, or by hand, beat the butter and 1 ¼ cup of the sugar until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Beat in the melted chocolate, then the egg yolks, one at a time.

4. Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

5. Mix in half of the dry ingredients into the creamed butter mixture, then the buttermilk and the vanilla extract, then the rest of the dry ingredients.

6. In a separate metal or glass bowl, beat the egg whites until they hold soft, droopy peaks. Beat in the ¼ cup of sugar until stiff.

7. Fold about one-third of the egg whites into the cake batter to lighten it, then fold in the remaining egg whites just until there's no trace of egg white visible.

8. Divide the batter into the 2 prepared cake pans, smooth the tops, and bake for about 45 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

Cool cake layers completely.

While the cakes are baking and cooling, make the filling, syrup, and icing.

To make the filling:

1. Mix the cream, sugar, and egg yolks in a medium saucepan. Put the 3 ounces butter, salt, toasted coconut, and pecan pieces in a large bowl.

2. Heat the cream mixture and cook, stirring constantly (scraping the bottom as you stir) until the mixture begins to thicken and coats the spoon (an instant-read thermometer will read 170°.)

3. Pour the hot custard immediately into the pecan-coconut mixture and stir until the butter is melted. Cool completely to room temperature. (It will thicken.)

To make the syrup:

1. In a small saucepan, heat the sugar and water until the sugar has melted. Remove from heat and stir in the dark rum.

To make the icing:

1. Place the 8 ounces of chopped chocolate in a bowl with the corn syrup and 1 ½ ounces of butter.

2. Heat the cream until it just begins to boil. Remove from heat and pour over the chocolate. Let stand one minute, then stir until smooth. Let sit until room temperature.

To assemble the cake:
Remove the cake layers from the pans and cut both cake layers in half horizontally, using a serrated bread knife.Set the first cake layer on a cake plate. Brush well with syrup.

Spread ¾ cup of the coconut filling over the cake layer, making sure to reach to the edges. Set another cake layer on top.

Repeat, using the syrup to brush each cake layer, then spreading ¾ cup of the coconut filling over each layer, including the top.

Ice the sides with the chocolate icing, then pipe a decorative border of chocolate icing around the top, encircling the coconut topping.

(It may seem like a lot of chocolate icing, but use it all. Trust me. You won't be sorry.)

A Lil' Bit of Cupcake Fun!

RED, WHITE, and BLUEberry cupcakes!

Brad and I had a fantastic day yesterday, celebrating the Fourth of July. We got to explore a place called "Old Cahaba" in Selma, AL. I've included some info HERE.

The first state capital of Alabama was established at "Old Cahawba" in 1820. Today, only ruins remain, but you can't help but imagine what took place there as you walk through the historic old town. One of the neatest things is that the Cahaba River and Alabama River flow into each other right next to Old Cahaba.

My favorite thing was walking under the huge, beautiful mossy trees. They are massive in size, and look so beautiful with the breeze flowing through their branches. Here's a photo that Brad took in Selma during one of our visits...

Now, on to the cupcakes! I had a batch of the red velvet cupcakes from Sprinkles Bakery in my pantry. Sprinkles is a famous bakery out in California, and I adore their mixes...you can find them at Williams-Sonoma. I got to thinking that the RED cupcake mix and WHITE icing would be perfect for the holiday. I added red sprinkles and a cute little blueberry to the top of each cupcake so that they would be red, white, and blue! They were even better with homemade vanilla ice cream. Here's another photo...

STRAWBERRY CUPCAKES WITH SPRINKLES!
Last weekend, my cute-as-a-button niece Dakota got to spend the night with her "Aunt Les" (a.k.a. me)! This was her first time spending the night away from home. She was an angel the entire time, and we had a lot of fun! I always look forward to baking with her. It reminds me of all the time that I spent with my Grandmother when I was little, baking all sorts of cakes, cookies, and other desserts. I think that's one of the main reasons I love cooking so much.

After an entire day playing at the waterpark and riding rides at Alabama Adventure (tons of fun!!!), we made the cutest little pink cupcakes with sprinkles that night. Dakota did a great job helping, didn't she?

Chocolate Kahlua Cake

***It's definitely not a birthday around this house without a scrumptious, homemade birthday cake! My sweet mom-in-law recently celebrated her birthday. Her request?...A cake with chocolate and coffee flavors reminiscent of the groom's cake at our wedding. I searched and searched, determined to find the perfect recipe. I hit the jack-pot with one of my Southern Living cookbooks. The cake was a tremendous success! The Kahlua adds the perfect little "something" to the cake, without being overpowering. The cake was so good, that I just made it again for Jessica's birthday.

When making this cake, or any other cake for that matter, a good tip is to always have all of your ingredients at room temperature before starting. This includes eggs, cream cheese, milk, etc.***

Chocolate Kahlua Cake

The Ultimate Southern Living Cookbook

Ingredients:

3/4 cup butter or margarine, softened

1 3/4 cups sugar

4 large eggs

1/4 cup Kahlua

2 1/4 cup all-purpose flour

1 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/4 tsp. salt

3/4 cup milk

2 (1 oz) squares unsweetened chocolate, melted and cooled (I used 3 squares!)

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1/3 cup Kahlua

3/4 cup chopped hazelnuts or pecans, toasted and divided (I used pecans)

Chocolate Kahlua Frosting (below)

Garnish: chocolate-covered coffee beans

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease three 9-inch round cake pans; line with wax paper. Grease and flour wax paper. Set aside

Beat butter at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy. Gradually add sugar, beating at medium speed 5 to 7 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition. Add 1/4 cup Kahlua; beat until well blended.

Combine flour and next 3 ingredients; add to butter mixture alternately with milk, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Mix at low speed after each addition until blended. Stir in chocolate and vanilla.

Pour batter into prepared pans. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans on wire racks 10 minutes; remove from pans. Peel off wax paper. Drizzle layers evenly with 1/3 cup Kahlua. (I brushed the Kahlua onto the layers with a pastry brush.) Cool completely on wire racks.

Combine 1/2 cup hazelnuts or pecans and 1 cup Chocolate Kahlua Frosting; spread between layers. Spread remaining frosting on top and sides of cake. Sprinkle remaining 1/4 cup hazelnuts or pecans on top. Garnish, if desired. Store in fridge.

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Chocolate Kahlua Frosting

Ingredients:

1/4 cup butter, softened

1 (8 oz) package cream cheese, softened

1 (16 oz) package powdered sugar, sifted and divided

3 (1 oz) squares unsweetened chocolate, melted and cooled

1/4 cup Kahlua or strongly brewed coffee

Directions:

Beat butter and cream cheese at medium speed with an electric mixer. Add 1 cup powdered sugar and chocolate; beat until smooth. Gradually add remaining powdered sugar and Kahlua, beating at low speed until spreading consistency.

Source: The Ultimate Southern Living Cookbook

L'Opera Cake!

It's that time again...Daring Baker's time, that is! This month's challenge was a complicated French dessert called L'Opera Cake. I'd like to give a big "thank you!" to our 4 hosts at: Cream Puffs in Venice, La Mia Cucina, Apples Peaches Pumpkin Pie, and Whiskful. You can find the recipe in its entirety HERE.

I was a little intimidated when I saw the first photos of an Opera Cake...it's such an elegant dessert, and I was unsure if I could pull it off. But, I'm always up for a challenge...especially when it's something I've never even heard of. The recipe looks long and daunting, but if you approach each section of the cake separately, it's really not that bad. I broke the process up over 2 days. I made the buttercream, joconde, and syrup on the first day...and then the glaze and mousse on the second day. Assembling the cake definitely took some patience and attention to detail, but I think it came out pretty good...at least for my first one...hah.

The cake has alternating layers of joconde (sponge cake), buttercream, and sliced strawberries. It's topped off with a luscious layer of hazelnut mousse and finally the white chocolate glaze. Traditional Opera Cakes are made with coffee and darker chocolate. However, this challenge limited us to light flavors/colors. Honestly, I was a little bummed when I found this out, because we are such big coffee fans. Any chance that I get, I love to incorporate coffee and chocolate into desserts. However, the cake was still awesome. We were allowed to play around a little bit with the flavorings. My main flavors turned out to be white chocolate, hazelnut, and strawberry. I decided to add strawberry slices in between the layers of joconde, and I'm very glad that I did.

This is what I used:

Joconde: Hazelnut meal

Syrup: Vanilla Extract
Buttercream: Vanilla Extract, Melted White Chocolate and Strawberry Slices in between layers
Ganache/Mousse: White chocolate and Frangelico Hazelnut Liquer
Glaze: White Chocolate

Here's some interesting information about the origins of L'Opera Cake from Epicurious.com:

"There are many stories about the origins of this cake, known as both Clichy cake and Opéra cake. Many believe that Louis Clichy was its creator because he premiered the gâteau, with his name written across the top, at the 1903 Exposition Culinaire in Paris. It became the signature cake of Clichy's shop on the Boulevard Beaumarchais. However, another pastry shop, Dalloyau, sold a very similar dessert, known as L'Opéra (in honor of the Paris Opera), and some claim that theirs was the original."

Without a doubt, I probably would have never made this dessert if it hadn't been for the Daring Bakers. I had a lot of fun with this challenge, and hopefully this won't be my last attempt at an Opera Cake! ;)

Simply Delicious Strawberry Cake - Paula Deen

***There are no words that describe how absolutely delicious this cake is! Paula Deen seriously got this one right...but then again, when has she ever made something that wasn't good?? Please do yourself a favor and make it as soon as you get the chance. This is probably one of my favorite...if not my very favorite...cakes that I've ever made. In fact, I already know what cake I want for my birthday this year...haha. Surely I can think of another reason to make this cake before October. =)

 

"Simply Delicious Strawberry Cake"

- Paula Deen

1 (18.25-ounce) box white cake mix

1 (3-ounce) box strawberry flavored instant gelatin

1 (10-ounce) package frozen strawberries in syrup, thawed and pureed

4 large eggs

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1/4 cup water

Strawberry Cream Cheese Frosting (recipe follows)

Garnish: sliced fresh strawberries

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease and flour 2 round 9-inch cake pans.

In a large bowl, combine cake mix and gelatin. Add pureed strawberries, eggs, oil, and water; beat at medium speed with an electric mixer until smooth. Pour into prepared pans, and bake for 20 minutes, or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Let cool in pans, and cool completely on wire racks.

Spread Strawberry Cream Cheese Frosting in between layers and on top and sides of cake. Garnish with sliced fresh strawberries, if desired.

Strawberry Cream Cheese Frosting:

1/4 cup butter, softened

1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened

1 (10-ounce) package frozen strawberries in syrup, thawed and pureed

1/2 teaspoon strawberry extract (I used vanilla extract instead)

7 cups confectioner's sugar (You'll need to buy 3 boxes of confectioner's sugar to have enough.)

Directions:

In a large bowl, beat butter and cream cheese at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy. Beat in 1/4 cup strawberry puree, reserving remaining for another use. Beat in extract. Gradually add confectioner's sugar, beating until smooth.

***Note:For pinker frosting, add 2 to 3 drops of red food coloring to frosting.***

Source: Cooking with Paula Deen magazine - May/June 2008

Dorie's Perfect Party Cake!

I had SO much fun with this month's Daring Baker's Challenge! This month's challenge was hosted by Morven at Food Art and Random Thoughts, and you can find the recipe HERE . The recipe is from Dorie Greenspan's Baking from My Home to Yours.

I was thrilled when I found out this month's challenge was a cake. That's without a doubt one of my favorite things to make. It is a wonderful cake with raspberry preserves and whipped cream between each yummy layer....plus a fresh lemony taste! To top it all off, it includes a divine buttercream icing (made from scratch, of course!).

I got creative with it by dying the shredded coconut green and placing candy eggs on the top. I ended up with an Easter Egg Hunt cake, which I took to our Easter celebration. The thing that made my cake extra special was the golden, candy egg hidden inside the cake. We gave a prize to the person that got the piece with the golden egg...fun, huh?? It was such a big hit, that I think it will become an Easter tradition.

Here are some pics!

Ingredients!

I used "Bonne Maman" fresh raspberry preserves...they were so good!

Here's the golden egg...hidden inside!

Look at those layers!

Close-up of one of the candy eggs...they looked really pretty on the cake.

I added a flag to the top to announce the "egg hunt."

I made two cakes!

A slice of yummy-ness!

This is also my entry for the Easter Cake Bake...check out the blog event HERE!