Chocolate Snack Cake

 

A snack cake that defies simplicity with its moist rich texture is impeccably moreish. The ease of this one layer cake comes from only having to use one bowl and mixing by hand. Whether decorated with icing is irrelevant as it can stand alone as is. I did sprinkle white chocolate chips on top before baking for contrast and to add an extra touch of sweetness however feel free to omit or use a different flavour of chocolate chip, if you wish. For an added decadent touch add a teaspoon of rose water along with the vanilla extract for a flavour pairing that is utterly divine. If you must over indulge with thick lashings of icing or a thin drizzle icing on top, allow the cake to completely cool before decorating. However I strongly suggest keeping it simple and serving the cake warm with a dollop of whipped cream or ice cream.    

Chocolate Snack Cake 

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1 1/2 cups unbleached all purpose flour

3/4 cup sugar

1/3 cup baking cocoa powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/3 cup olive oil

1 teaspoon white vinegar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract 

1 cup cold water

1 package of white chocolate chips

culinary edible dried rose petals, for decorating, optional

Preheat oven to 350ºF (180ºC). Lightly grease and flour the bottom and sides of a square 8 x 8 x 2 inch or 9 x 9 x 2 inch cake tin. Place a piece of baking parchment on the bottom of the pan. 

In a large bowl whisk together the flour, sugar, baking soda and salt. Create a well in the centre of the flour mixture and add the oil, vinegar, vanilla. Then add the cold water and vigorously stir together, for about 1 minute until well blended and smooth, a few lumps are fine. Immediately pour into the prepared cake tin. Arrange the white chocolate chips on top.

Bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until toothpick inserted into the centre comes out clean. Cool for about 15 minutes. Sprinkle with the edible dried rose petals. Serve warm with whipped cream.

Notes: you may also use culinary edible sugared violets for decorating too. 

Coffee Ice Cream

 

I have made this velvety whipped ice cream many times... double chocolate peanut butter, strawberry, rum raisin, mixed berry and chocolate chip were some of the flavours I made before. This coffee ice cream in all its adulating and urbanity is simply scrumptious even for the light coffee connoisseur. I added bits of chocolate cake, as surprisingly I had a slice... or two to spare, you don't have to though, it just heightens and gourmets its luscious texture and robust taste.  

Coffee Ice Cream

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1 pint (473ml) whipping cream or heavy cream

1 can (14oz) Sweetened Condensed Milk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 tablespoon instant coffee crystals

 

chocolate cake chunks, optional  

Using a mortar and pestle, place the instant coffee crystals in the mortar and using the pestle grind the coffee crystals to a fine powder. Set aside. 

Cut chocolate cake slices into bite sized pieces, if using, set aside.  

Place the whipping cream into a large mixing bowl. Using a handheld mixer whip the whipping cream until soft peaks form. Add the condensed milk, vanilla extract and ground coffee crystals. Blend until thick.   

Using a spatula fold in the chocolate cake pieces if using, until blended.

Then pour the ice cream mixture into a clean freezer proof plastic container, I didn't have one quite large enough so I ended up pouring it into two containers. Lightly sprinkle with graham cracker crumbs and extra crushed coffee crystals, if you wish.

Cover and freeze for at least 6 hours or overnight. 

Notes: I use a large metal mixing bowl that I place in the freezer with the beaters, for an hour or two before wanting to make the ice cream, to help speed the whipping process along and keep things chilled.  

   

Chocolate Cake

 

This is my go to cake for almost any occasion or any time for that matter, purely for it's simplicity and no fuss deliciousness. Intense chocolate flavour that is voluptuously dense and fudgy. Lovely slathered with icing or drenched in a rich hot fudge sauce or toppled with fresh fruit, this is one slice of cake I can not get enough of and I don't miss the fact that it has no milk, eggs and no butter.  

Chocolate Cake 

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1 1/2 cups unbleached all purpose flour

4 tablespoons cocoa powder

1/2 cup white sugar

1/2 cup coconut sugar

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt

1 teaspoon white vinegar

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

5 tablespoons (1/3 cup) light olive oil

1 cup of water

Preheat oven to 350ºF (180ºC). Lightly grease and flour one round cake tin or square cake tin. 

In a large bowl add the flour, cocoa powder, sugar, coconut sugar, baking soda and salt. Whisk together until well combined.

Using the back of a spoon, create three wells or indentations into the flour mixture, and in each one pour the white vinegar, vanilla extract and vegetable oil. Add the water and mix until well combined. 

Pour the batter into the prepared cake tin. Bake in the preheated oven for 30 to 35 minutes or until cake has set in the middle. Allow cake to cool before decorating.

Chocolate Rosewater Cake

 

With a few simple pantry staples one can create this luscious chocolate cake and although it has no egg, no milk and no butter you can't tell otherwise. Every time I make this cake there isn't a crumb left on the plate. So simple and hardly an effort; truly making this cake a labour of love. 

Chocolate Rosewater Cake

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1 1/2 cups unbleached all purpose flour

3 tablespoons cocoa powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

3/4 cup white sugar 

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup of water

5 tablespoons light olive oil

1 to 2 teaspoons rosewater extract

1 teaspoon white vinegar

Chocolate Icing:

1 cup butter, softened

3 to 4 cups icing sugar

1/2 cup cocoa powder

1 to 2 tablespoons milk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

In a large bowl beat the butter until fluffy. Add 3 cups of icing sugar, cocoa powder, 1 tablespoon of milk and the vanilla extract. Beat until fluffy. 

*Adjust with more milk; depending on what consistency you are looking for.

 

Preheat oven to 350ºF and butter and flour a round cake tin and line the bottom with a piece of baking parchment paper. 

In a large bowl blend together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, sugar and salt. Create a well in the centre of the mixture and add the water, oil, rosewater and vinegar. Stir and mix well.

Pour the batter into the prepared cake baking tin and bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the centre comes out clean. Allow the cake to cool completely on a wire rack.

Once cooled carefully remove cake form the tin and place on a serving plate. Make the chocolate icing and you want the cake to be completely cold before adding any icing. Icing and decorate with crushed edible rose petals. 

Notes: You may make the icing while the cake is baking just cover the bowl and pop it in the refrigerator until ready to use. You will have to let the icing sit for about 20 minutes, when taken from the refrigerator, to reach a spreadable consistency and beat briefly to help this along, making sure it's spreadably smooth.    

Stay warm, safe and have a lovely weekend everyone! - JD 

Chocolate Raspberry Cake

This no egg, no milk and no butter cake recipe is absolutely delicious! The addition of raspberries adds tartness while the whip cream on top adds a touch of sweetness to this rich dense chocolate cake. A lovely dessert anytime and especially for that sweet Valentine.   

I doubled the recipe and poured the batter on to a lined jelly roll baking pan and baked for a shorter period of time, 20 to 25 minutes. Allowed the sheet of cake to cool completely. Removed it carefully from the pan and on to a clean flat surface, baking paper still attached, then proceeded to cut out 3'' round shapes, until I had about 10 to 12 cake circles. Do not throw out any discarded bits of cake. Save them. Place in a tin and pop into the refrigerator for future use... cake pops!

Due to doubling the recipe, the batter rose significantly therefore I was able to cut thick round circles, which I halved and spread raspberry jam on the bottom half and sandwiched them back together; to form a lovely mini layered chocolate cake. Similar to a Victoria Sponge however chocolate and mini. 

I arranged fresh raspberries on top of each mini cake and prepared some whipping cream with 1 to 2 tablespoons of icing sugar (powdered sugar), and whipped until firm. Placed a dollop on top of the raspberries and then drizzled the cake with chocolate sauce and for  indulgence sake finished with a stick of dark chocolate. You may also use dark chocolate shavings or pieces.

 Chocolate Cake 

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1 1/2 cups unbleached all purpose flour

3 tablespoons cocoa powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 cup caster sugar

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1 teaspoon white vinegar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

5 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 cup water

Preheat oven to 350ºF. Butter and flour a round cake baking tin. Then line the bottom with baking parchment paper. 

In a large bowl combine the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, sugar and salt. 

Create a well in the centre of the now mixed dry ingredients. 

Add the vinegar, vanilla extract vegetable oil, and water the to well. Blend and mix well.

Bake in the preheated oven for about 25 to 35 minutes or until a cake tester inserted into the centre comes out clean. Allow cake to cool. Icing and decorate, if and as you wish, and serve. 

Notes: the recipe is in it's original format. To double the recipe, like I did, times all measurements by 2. Therefore the measurements would be as follows:

3 cups of unbleached all purpose flour 

6 tablespoons cocoa powder

2 teaspoons baking soda

2 cups caster sugar 

1 teaspoon kosher salt

2 teaspoons white vinegar

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

10 tablespoons vegetable oil

2 cups water

Still bake in 350ºF preheat oven and adjust the baking time according the baking pan you choose to use.  

Hope everyone had a lovely weekend! - JD 

Chocolate Cakes ~ 50 Great Cakes for Every Occasion

Since we are still in the throws of chocolate; this cookbook was a bargain at $5.00 and offers much for the chocolate... cake connoisseur. First, the book discusses the origins of chocolate, offers helpful hints and tips, mentions ingredients and equipment that can and will be used, touches on mixing cakes and baking as well as storing and freezing cakes. All this before laying out the recipes.

There are 5 chapters which are divided into the following... a quarter of quick start recipes, chocolate cakes for a quick chocolate fix, big one layer chocolate cakes, chocolate layer cakes, and party chocolate cakes. Basically there is something for everyone providing you love chocolate. 

I have always been intrigued by fruit on the bottom or upside down cakes. The fact that the tart raspberries emboss this cake creating somewhat of a saturated saucy bottom is very pleasing. 

Raspberries - on - the - Bottom Cake

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Makes 8 servings

2 cups (225g) fresh raspberries, plus raspberries for serving

3/4 cup (150g) sugar, plus 2 teaspoons

1 1/4 cups (160g) unbleached all purpose flour

1/4 cup (25g) unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup (115g) unsalted butter, softened

1 large egg

1 teaspoon vanilla extract (essence)

1/4 teaspoon almond extract

1/2 cup (120ml) whole milk

Mixing time: 10 minutes

Baking 350ºF (180ºC / gas mark 4) about 35 minutes

Position the rack in the middle of the oven. Preheat the oven to 350ºF (180ºC/gas mark 4). Have ready a 9 inch (23cm) round glass or ceramic baking dish with sides 2 inches (5cm) high. A deep glass pie dish will work well.

Spoon the 2 cups (225g) raspberries evenly into the baking dish. Sprinkle with the 2 teaspoons sugar. Set aside.

Sift the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt into a medium bowl and set aside. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer on medium speed, beat the butter and the 1/4 cup (150g) sugar until smoothly blended, about 1 minute. Stop the mixer and scrape the sides of the bowl as needed. Add the egg, vanilla and almond extract (essence) and mix until smoothly blended, about 1 minute. On low speed, add half of the flour mixture, mixing just to incorporate it. Mix in the milk just until blended. Mix int the remaining flour mixture until it is incorporated and the batter looks smooth. Drop spoonfuls of batter over the raspberries and use a spatula to spread it carefully and evenly.

Bake until the top feels firm when lightly touched and a toothpick inserted in the centre comes out clean, about 35 minutes. The raspberries will just begin to bubble at the edges. Cool the cake in the dish on a wire rack for at least 30 minutes. Cut onto wedges, spooning any raspberries and their juice over the cake. Serve with fresh raspberries. The cake can be covered and left at room temperature for 1 day. 

This week has flown by... Have a great weekend everyone! - JD 

The Best of Lodge and Trail

This cookbook was in part a fund raising project for Cross Country, Alberta. The Best of Lodge and Trail, Favourite Recipes from Alberta and the Canadian Rockies, gives you a unique opportunity to sample a bit of a broad spectrum of recipes from well established places such as The Rocky Mountain Lodges + Resorts, Purcell Lodge, Emerald Lake Lodge, Lake O'Hara Lodge and the Skokie Lodge. 

Printed in 1994 the recipes entice and may hold their place on culinary tables around the world, at home, or in restaurants, with very few alterations. It's 11 chapters, 127 pages, of regional cuisine. Whether or not you ski, or are a purveyor of the great outdoors the recipes are diverse. Offering meat, vegetable, savoury and sweet dishes plus there is even a Iced & Warming drinks chapter; which has a recipe called Heat of the Night. This one is definitely going on our cocktail list to try. 

Although the Date Loaf is tempting the Chocolate Beet Cake is very enticing. Since Valentine's Day is upon us I thought I would share that recipe from the book.

Chocolate Beet Cake

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1 1/2 cups granulated sugar

2 large eggs

19 oz. canned beets (drained and puréed in blender)

6 tablespoons cocoa

1 3/4 cups all purpose flour

1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon vanilla

Prepare one 9-inch cake pan with buttered parchment paper.

In a small bowl, combine cocoa, flour, baking soda and salt.

In a large mixing bowl, cream together the beets and sugar until well incorporated. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in vanilla.

Bake in 350ºF oven for 25 minutes. Cool for 10 minutes before setting out in wire rack to cool completely.

Slightly exotic in a herbal way however if you can find some rose hips perhaps you may enjoy this recipe too.  

Nyponsoppa (Rose Hip Soup)

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2 cups rose hips (blossom ends and stems removed)

1/4 cup wildflower honey

1/8 teaspoon almond extract

1 tablespoon potato flour

8 cups water

1/4 cup almond (slivered and roasted)

In a large kettle or pot, boil rose hips in water for 2 hours. Stir in sugar to dissolve.

Transfer about 1/4 cup of soup into a cup and add potato flour. Smooth into a paste. Slowly add back to the pot and simmer until thickened slightly.

Remove soup from heat. Stir in almond extract and garnish with slivered almonds.

Have a Happy Valentine's Day everyone! - JD  

  

Chocolate Walnut Fudge Cake

My daughter decided that a Chocolate Walnut Fudge Cake was the perfect Springtime recipe and a great way to have more chocolate. The cake itself is moist and... of course, chocolatey! I suppose that you do not have to icing this cake however my daughter was feeling rather decadent and wanted a double chocolate taste and the chopped walnuts on top gave us a peek as to what was inside. I supervised mostly and if need be her brother was there to lend a helping hand. 

Chocolate Walnut Fudge Cake 

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1 1/4 cups all purpose flour

1 cup caster sugar

1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

3 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 cup of milk

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

1 egg

3 sq. unsweetened chocolate (3 oz), melted 

2/3 cup chopped walnuts

Heat oven to 350ºF.

Grease and flour a square baking pan (9"x9"x2ish") and place a piece of parchment paper on the bottom. 

Sift the flour into a large bowl and then add the sugar, baking powder, soda, and salt. Use a whisk to combine together.  Add the oil, milk and vanilla. Beat with a hand held mixer for about 2 minutes on medium speed. Scraping down the sides and the bottom of the bowl constantly. Add the eggs and the melted chocolate. Beat for 2 more minutes; scraping the bowl frequently. Stir the walnuts into the batter; then pour into the prepared pan and bake for 35 to 40 minutes. Cool completely before icing.

Easy Chocolate Icing

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1/2 cup butter, softened

1 1/2 to 2 cups icing sugar

1/4 cup good quality cocoa powder

1 to 2 tablespoons milk or low fat buttermilk

1 teaspoon vanilla

Using a hand held mixer, beat the butter until fluffy. Add the icing sugar, cocoa powder, milk, and vanilla and beat until fluffy. Adjust with more milk if necessary. 

Easy Chocolate Cake

No milk, no eggs and no butter. There is a video in regards to this chocolate cake floating around the internet and I wanted to give it a try. This is quite truly the simplest of cakes. You can whip it up in a cake tin, as the video suggests, however I did use a bowl. I added about 2 to 3 teaspoons of rose extract to give the cake a subtle rose flavour. I made a simple chocolate butter cream icing, to ice the cake and then decorated it with edible rose petals. Which is perfect, for a pre Valentine's Day treat. The cake itself was moist and not to heavy and had a delightful fudge taste. 

Easy Chocolate Cake

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1 1/2 cups flour

3 tablespoons good quality cocoa powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 cup caster sugar

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

Pre-heat the oven to 350ºF. 

Mix everything together in a round or square non-stick cake tin, until combine. ** If you are not using a non-stick cake pan then grease and flour the inside of the cake tin, both bottom and sides, then place a piece of parchment paper inside the bottom of the prepared pan. This helps to release the cake more easily and prevents sticking. 

Then create 3 wells and in each pour...

1 teaspoon white vinegar

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

5 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 cup of water

Blend and mix well.

Bake in a preheated 350ºF oven for 35 minutes. Allow cake to cool completely. Icing or leave plain dressed with fresh fruit. Slice and serve.  

And this is what the cake looked like released from the tin. Lovely form, springy and a nice rich chocolate tone. It is perfect as is, however icing just added that finishing touch and the rose petals on top enhanced the rose flavour.  

Triple Chocolate Cake

This weekend was an eventful one. It was my son's birthday and he wanted a chocolate... chocolate cake. So I made this three layer triple chocolate cake over the coarse of 3 days, that is really ironic. First, I made the chocolate sponge cake, then I made the two chocolate cake layers and the first batch of chocolate icing. 

I assembled the cake as follows: I placed one of the chocolate cake layers on a large plate and then covered the top with icing. I then placed the chocolate sponge on top of the iced layer, then I covered the top of the sponge with icing, then I placed the second chocolate cake layer on top of that and iced the top. With the remaining icing I sealed the sides of the cake. The cake was covered and placed into the refrigerator until I could finish the cake the next day. The following day I made another batch of chocolate icing and poured it over the top of the cake, letting it drip down the sides until the cake was smothered with chocolate icing. Sliced almonds were placed on top and the cake went back into the refrigerator to let the icing set for about 2 hours. Which was perfect because by that time we were ready for cake.  

As you can see all the layers came together nicely from top to bottom. The light chocolate layer is the chocolate sponge cake. This cake was rich however not too dense and had the perfect amount of chocolate.  

The icing was very simple to make and I found it had a bit of a fudge consistency. Which was surprising considering it was only two ingredients. Chocolate and whipping cream. This icing is truly a chocolate lovers treat! 

Quick Chocolate Icing

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8 ounces of good quality chocolate

1 cup whipping cream

Melt the 8 ounces of chocolate. 

In a saucepan bring the 1 cup of whipping cream to a boil.

Pour the cream into the chocolate and whisk it until smooth, then refrigerate until set... about 4 to 6 hours. 

Notes: I used a bain-marie to melt the chocolate. When using this icing to icing between layers I let it sit on the counter for a bit so that it was a bit pliable and easy to spread. Also, I made two batches of this icing to completely cover the 3 layer chocolate cake I made. The second batch of icing did not set in the refrigerator instead was cooled for a few moments and then poured over the cake. Which then I let set for 2 hours in the refrigerator. 

Hope everyone had a good weekend! - JD 

Piper's Chocolate Cake

The other day temperatures were extremely hot and my daughter wanted to make a cake.  We went straight to the pantry and found all the ingredients we needed. Her inspriation has been bubbling due to the fact that she enjoys watching a few Youtube cooking videos. Although she did most of the measuring, mixing and stirring, I was in the kitchen to over see her efforts and offer a hand when needed. Being her willful assistant. My daughter displayed such ease and comfort in the kitchen which made me very proud. Obviously, my devotion to creating inside the kitchen has rubbed off. Most of my assistance came towards the end. Placing the cake in the oven and taking the cake out of the oven.  

This cake recipe is easy on many levels. First, no eggs! No cracked shells or messy raw egg to deal with. A factor that some parents may find important when letting children create in the kitchen. Having no eggs and no milk either, make this cake vegan.  Second, simple ingredients. Just the basics. All the ingredients needed are probably sitting in your pantry at this moment. Third, one bowl, one spoon and one pan. Making this cake virtually effortless. Prep and bake time combine, 40 mins.      

Here is my daughter in action. Unlike my son, the elusive kitchen cape crusader. He does not like to get his photo taken. She does. My son thought vegan baking never tasted so good. I did inform him that vegan food does not consist only of baked goods but of savoury goods. And those are just as good.  

Piper's (No Egg) Chocolate Cake 

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1 1/2 cups cake flour or all purpose flour

1 cup sugar

1/4 cup good quality cocoa powder 

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/3 cup vegetable oil

1 teaspoon white vinegar

1/2 vanilla

1 cup cold water

1. Preheat the oven to 350º. Grease bottom and side of a square cake pan, 8x8x2 inches, with butter and lightly flour.

2. Mix flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl. Mix oil, vinegar and vanilla. Stir in the oil mixture and water, vigorously, into the flour mixture for 1 minute until everything is well blended. Immediately pour into the prepared pan.

3. Bake for 30 - 35 minutes or until toothpick inserted in the centre comes out clean. Cool for 15 minutes. Then serve.  

Very happy with her efforts and the results were moist and delicious! My daughter did add a personal touch by placing shredded coconut on top of the batter before baking it in the oven. Therefore giving it a toasted coconut topping.

Have a good weekend everyone! - JW