Awesome Chocolate Cake

OK, so I made the Chocolate-Strawberry Celebration Cake and it was AWESOME!

This recipe was submitted to Taste of Home by Nora Fitzgerald from Sevierville, Tennessee.

Chocolate-Strawberry Celebration Cake

PREP: 30 MIN BAKE: 30 MIN + COOLING YIELD: 12 SERVINGS

1 pkg (18 1/4 oz. chocolate cake mix)- I used a Duncan Hines german chocolate cake mix

1 pkg (3.9oz) instant chocolate pudding mix

4 eggs

1 cup (8 oz.) sour cream

3/4 cup H2O

1/4 cup canola oil

4 oz. semisweet chocolate, melted

Frosting:

2 cups butter, softenened

4 cups confectioners' sugar

3/4 cup baking cocoa

1/2 cup 2 % milk- although I used whole milk

Garnishes:

2 oz. semisweet chocolate, melted

1 lb. fresh strawberries, hulled

Ganache:

4 oz. semisweet cholcolate, chopped

1/2 cup heavy whipping cream

Combine the first 7 ingredients; beat on low for 30 seconds. Beat on medium for 2 minutes. Transfer to 2 greased and floured 9-in. round baking pans. ***This is the best cake batter I think I've ever had.***

Bake at 350 degrees for 28-32 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks to cool completely. Beat the butter, confectioner's sugar and cocoa until blended. Add milk and beat until smooth. Spread frosting between layers and over top and sides of cake.

Pipe or spoon melted chocolate onto waxed paper in decorative designs; let stand until set. Arrange strawberries on top of cake. For ganache, place chocolate in a small bowl. heat cream just to a boil; pour over chocolate and whisk until smooth. Drizzle over top of cake, allowing ganache to drape down the sides. Top with chocolate garnishes.

I didn't take a picture of this cake; I forgot until I had it wrapped and setting on my car floor for a ride. I trimmed the top of the cake layers to make them level and, of course, had to eat them. The frosting was terrific, light, smooth and chocolatey. And the cake was super!

Definitely making this one again for me. :D

Nearing the end, it's cake #10

OK, so here goes cake 10, the Truffle Cake with Candy Cane Cream submitted by Crisi Kirkham from West Jordan, Utah. Again, this was in the 12 top cakes in Taste of Home. I gave this cake as a gift to Rebecca Horne, whom I visit teach. She said that she and her husband really liked it and ate it in two days between them.

Here's the recipe.

Prep: 35 Min Bake: 40 Min Yield: 16 Servings

1 cup graham cracker crumbs
1 cup chopped pecans, toasted and corsely ground
2 Tbsp. plus 3/4 cup sugar divided
1/4 cup butter, melted
16 oz. semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
1 cup heavy whipping cream
6 eggs
1/3 cup all-purpose flour

Cream:
1 cup heavy whipping cream
2 Tbsp. sugar
4 candy canes, finely ground
1/4 to 1/2 tsp. peppermint extract, optional

Combine the cracker crumbs, pecans, 2 Tbsp. sugar and butter; press onto the bottom and 1-1/2 in up side of a greased 9" springform pan. Place pan on a baking sheet.

In a large saucepan, cook chocolate and cream over low heat until chocolate is melted. Cool.
In a large bowl, beat eggs, flour and remaining sugar on high until thick and lemon-colored, about 5 minutes. Gradually beat in the chocolate mixture.
Pour the batter into the prepared crust. Bake at 325 degrees for 40-45 minutes or until center is almost set. Cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Carefully run a knife around edge of the pan to loosen; cool 1 hour. Refrigerate for 4 hours or overnight. Beat cream and sugar until stiff peaks form; fold in ground candy and extract if desired. Serve with cake.

This cake looked great. I improvised by adding shavings of Ghirardelli's peppermint bark to the top. I really wish I got to try this. I think I may have to make this one next Christmas for me.

Cake 9 wasn't mine

Well, the next cake I completed was the Brittle Torte submitted to Taste of Home by Phyllis Murphey of Lower Lake, CA.

Brittle Torte Recipe

Cake:

8 eggs, separated

1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1-1/2 cups sugar

1 tsp. salt

1/4 cup water

1 tsp. lemon juice

1 tsp. vanilla

1 tsp. cream of tartar

Topping:

1-1/2 cups sugar

1/4 cup light corn syrup
1/4 cup water

1/4 tsp. instant coffee granyles

1 tsp. baking soda

Whipped Cream:

2 cups heavy whipping cream

2 Tbsp. sugar

2 tsp. vanilla

Let eggs stand at room temp for 30 minutes. Combine flour, sugar and salt. Whisk egg yolks, water, lemon juice and vanilla; add to flour mixture. Beat til well blended.

Beat egg whites and cream of tartar until soft peaks form; fold into batter. Spoon into an ungreased 10-inch tube pan. Cut through batter with a knife to remove air pockets. Bake on lowest oven rack at 325 degrees for 50-60 minutes or until top springs back when touched. Immediately invert pan and cool completely.

For topping

Grease a 15"x10"x1" pan. In a heavy sauce pan, combine sugar, corn syrup, water and coffee granules. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Cook, without stirring to 300 degress (hardcrack stage). Remove from heat; stir in baking soda. Immediately pour into prepared pan. Stretch brittle in pan with two forks; cool. Break into pieces. Beat cream until it begins to thicken. Add sugar and vanilla; beat until stiff peaks form.

Unmold cake; cut into four layers. Place bottom layer on a plate; topwith 1/2 cup whipped cream. Repeat layers twice ; top with remaining layer. Frost top and sides of cake with remaining cream. Sprinkle with brittle.

OK. I short-cutted some of this recipe due to my time and I don't use coffee or coffee products. So, for the topping I used a chocolate coated toffee you can find in the store baking goods section. And for the whipped cream, I used cool whip.

This cake was similar to an angel food cake. It wasn't very sweet. I loved the chocolate toffee in it although that's not part of the original recipe.