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. 

Mocha Cherry Cupcakes

 

What's not to love, deep rich chocolate with hints of coffee and plump cherries enhance this super moist cupcake. I chose not to icing them as I found the cupcake itself was sweet enough for my liking, regardless you may icing or decorate these however you wish. And the lack of icing doesn't make them less enjoyable it just focuses more on the voluptuous cakey bit rather than the sweet icing bit.    

Mocha Cherry Cupcakes

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3/4 cup unbleached all purpose flour

1/2 cup cocoa powder

1 tablespoon instant espresso powder

3/4 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 large eggs

1/2 cup white sugar

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/3 cup olive oil

1/2 cup milk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Fresh cherries, pitted or frozen pitted cherries or canned pitted cherries, drained, for decorating

icing sugar, for decorating

grated dark chocolate, for decorating

Preheat oven to 350ºF (180ºC). Line a 12 cup muffin tin with cupcake papers or silicone baking cups.

In a medium combine and whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, espresso powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt.

In a large bowl, add the eggs, white sugar, brown sugar, olive oil, milk and vanilla extract and whisk until smooth. 

Add the flour mixture to the egg and sugar mixture and stir until just combined. Spoon batter into lined muffin cups, filling each cup about 2/3 full. Place two cherries on top, they may sink into the cupcake, not to worry. 

Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the centre comes out clean. Allow the cupcakes to cool on a wire rack. There may be a bit of extra batter just repeat baking in lined muffin cups until all the batter is used up.

Once cupcakes are cool. Sprinkle with icing sugar and grated dark chocolate, and gently pierce the top with a piece of dark chocolate. We seemed to have an abundance of Terry's Chocolate Orange Dark in our house so I used those, gently inserting the thin side down of the wedge into the top of the cupcake.   

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 

Picnics for Lovers

Since Valentine's Day is this weekend and it has been a bit since I posted about a cookbook, I thought this would be a good one. 

Picnics to me, evoke that easy breezy leisurely lunch on a warm summer day. As for the winter months one can reminisce about those summery days however this cookbook makes picnics, romantic or not, to be enjoyed indoors just as much as the outdoors. Which span all the 4 seasons. Whether it is sunny, rainy, or snowy the picnic may be spontaneous or just as much preplanned. It all comes down to being creative, suggestive, and selective.  

This cookbook combines food and love and the love of food in inspiring romantically inclined recipes. Recipes appeal to the beginner and the more experienced cook and of course are meant to be shared. If you want a menu hinting of romantic getaways gone by or those you are longing for than this cookbook is for you. This book is divided into 4 cheeky chapters, A Midsummer Night's Dream, Autumn Leaves, Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire, and Cherry Blossoms. Each chapter has subtitled menus like... Rendezvous at the Old Mill, A Taste of the Canadian Wild, For Those Who Are Game, For the Bewitching Hour, Memories of Mexico, From Italy with Love, Middle Eastern Love Affair, Spring Fever Tonic, and Spring Time Fancy. The suggestive whimsical illustrations are done by Frank Newfeld.

There are plenty of recipes from this cookbook that could be made for any occasion and devoured by all. I have booked marked a few and will make them regardless of my mood or if it is Valentine's Day. For those of us who are longing for Spring, here is a lovely recipe from the Cherry Blossom Chapter...

Vichyssoise
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2 large leeks, trimmed or greens and roots
1 onion, chopped
2 tablespoons (30ml) butter 
2 medium - sized potatoes, peeled and chopped
2 cups (500ml) chicken stock, low sodium is preferred
salt and pepper to taste
1/4 cup (60ml) heavy cream
1 teaspoon (5ml) finely chopped chives or green tops

Split the leeks and thoroughly wash between each layer. Chop into bite-sized pieces. In a saucepan over medium heat, sauté the leeks and onions in butter until transparent. Add the potatoes and cook for 5 minutes. Pour in the chicken stock and season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 30 minutes. 

Transfer the mixture to a blender and blend until smooth. Set aside to cool, then refrigerate. Just before serving, stir in the cream. Served in chilled bowls, topped with chopped chives. 


And for those who need something a bit more substantial this recipe from the Autumn Leaves Chapter should do...

Baked Eggplant with Cheese and Tomato
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1 small eggplant (aubergine), cut into 8 slices 1/2 in. (1cm) wide
2 tablespoons (30ml) vegetable oil
flour
1 large tomato, cut into 8 slices
salt and pepper to taste
4 slices of Mozzarella cheese, cut in halves
4 slices of Swiss cheese. cut in halves

Sprinkle salt over the eggplant and set aside for 30 minutes. Drain and pat dry. Heat the oil in a skillet. Dust the eggplant slices with flour and fry over medium heat for 3 to 5 minutes on each side, until the eggplant is tender.

Top each piece of eggplant with a slice of tomato and season with salt and pepper. Add the slices of Mozzarella and Swiss cheese. Cover and cook until all the cheese has melted. Serve hot. 


For some refreshments how about these from the A Midsummer's Night Dream Chapter...

Champlemousse
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1 grapefruit, freshly squeezed
1 teaspoon (5ml) sugar
champagne, well chilled
2 twists of lime

In to fluted champagne glasses, mix fresh grapefruit juice and sugar. Fill the glasses with champagne and add the twists of lime. Serve immediately.

Or this lovely one...

Kir Royal
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champagne
2 tablepoons (30ml) créme de cassis

In two fluted champagne glasses, combine the créme de cassis with well-chilled champagne. Serve. 


I wanted to share a couple more illustrations from the cookbook with you. 

It is bitterly cold today so staying warm is the key. Have a great weekend, everyone!  
- JD