Black Forest Cake - The Easy Way!

Chocolate and cherry is a favorite flavor combination for my son. When I saw this recipe, I knew I had to keep it on hand and share with you.

Vegetable oil spray a 9 x13-inch baking dish. I like using the glass, Pyrex type. No such pan in your kitchen? Use a couple of layer cake pans or even a tube cake pan. Just adjust the time for the changes.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

1 box chocolate cake mix - your choice.
20-ounce can of cherry pie filling
3 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Pinch of cinnamon
Grated zest of one orange (optional)

Combine all the ingredients in your mixing bowl and mix on medium speed until the mixture is just combined. Pour mixture into prepared pan(s). Bake for 40-45 minutes (depending on size you used for pans). Test cake  by inserting a toothpick in the center of the cake. It should come out 'clean' with no wet batter.

Cool completely and serve with freshly whipped cream.

1 pint heavy whipping cream
1/4 cup granulated sugar
3 tablespoons sour cream
1 teaspoon almond extract
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Place all the ingredients in a mixer bowl and beat until stiffened and fluffy. Don't over beat as you aren't looking for making butter here!

You can either frost your cold cake with the whipped cream or serve it along side a generous slice. The whipped cream holds up well for about three days in the refrigerator.

Sour Cream Chocolate Cake

Just discovered this recipe on the Taste of Home Magazine site. I like the combination of sour cream and chocolate as they seem to work together well and adds a tang to the overall flavor. I just printed it out to try this weekend and thought I'd share!

http://www.tasteofhome.com/Recipes/Sour-Cream-Chocolate-Cake/Print

Chocolate Cake the Easy Way . . .

I like to spend time creating a three-layered cake filled with tasty frosting but time doesn't always allow me to do that for my family. Rather than buy something day old and dry from the grocery store, the kitchen cupboard should have the ingredients to put this on the evening's menu.

Chocolate Cake
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup hot water

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease an 8x8-inch or 9x9-inch baking pan with vegetable oil spray.

Add all the ingredients to a mixing bowl and beat to just combine. Smooth the batter into the  baking pan. Bake for approximately 20-30 minutes. Cool and serve at room temperature or cold.

deas . . .
-Some freshly-grated orange zest and a teaspoon of cinnamon makes an interesting difference.
-1 tablespoon of espresso powder to the batter brings it up to adult level.
-Adding 1/2 cup chopped nuts is good.
-When the cake is cold, mix together an instant pudding mix according to directions and pour on top
of cake. Refrigerate until set.

Chocolate Cake in Minutes . . .

Okay, it won't be baked in minutes but you can have this dessert in the oven quickly to bake while you go on with your other meal chores.

Chocolate Cake in Minutes
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
1/2 cup baking cocoa
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup hot water

Combine all the ingredient in a mixing bowl and whisk to form a smooth batter. Spread into an 8x8-inch baking pan and bake in preheated 350 degree oven for approximately 25 minutes or until top springs back when gently touched.

Ideas . . .
-Serve warm with vanilla ice cream and a drizzle of caramel sauce.
-Cool thoroughly and frost your your favorite homemade or store-bought icing.
-Scatter white and chocolate chips over the top of the cake when it comes out of the oven. When they melt, gently swirl to form a marbled icing.

December Birthdays . . .

I think we have six or seven December birthdays to remember these days. Two of the birthdays belong to my children. They have always been allowed to chose the cake they want and I happily bake it for them and add some of my own touches. The following is a relatively easy recipe that I plan to use for a mint chocolate layer cake. I think I will go with a basic chocolate cake and put the mint into the filling and outside icing. I have a daughter who likes that combination every much. Last year, she opted for a pumpkin pie. I think it is time to go fancier!

Basic Chocolate Cake
1 cup softened butter
2 1/2 cups granulated sugar
5 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup good-quality unsweetened cocoa
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 1/2 cups water

Cream together the butter and sugar until very light and fluffy. Add the eggs, beating well. Mix in the vanilla and almond extract. Add the dry ingredients, mix a bit, and then add the water. Beat until smooth.

Pour into either three 8-or 9-inch round baking pans that have been greased and floured. You can use parchment paper on the bottom of each instead. Bake for approximately 25 minutes at 350 degrees. Cool before trying to remove from pans. Compete the cooling on the cooling racks before frosting. Make your own or purchase frosting.

Ideas . . .
You can add chocolate chips (1/2 cup) to the batter before baking if you want a really indulgent cake!

Go chocolate/orange and use half water and half orange juice in the recipe. Increase the contrast and include a tablespoon of freshly grated orange zest.

I'm thinking of trying this - Beating in chocolate-covered peppermint patties into the frosting mix.

For easier serving, you can bake the cake in oblong cake pans and just frost the top and cut and serve from the pan.

Really Fast and Easy Cake!

On Sundays, I like to do things a bit nicer for dinner and include dessert. However, if I fuss over dessert, the dinner gets neglected in small ways. I've decided, over the years, that the fancier desserts get made during the week when dinner is simpler. On Sundays, concentration is on the main meal with a less complicated but still tasty dessert. I came across this one and am definitely putting it on my 'to do' list for today.

Uncomplicated Cake

1 chocolate cake mix
1 cup mayonnaise
1 cup water
3 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Vegetable oil spray the baking pans of your choice - two 8 or 9-inch round ones if you want to make a layer cake or an 11x 13 for even less fuss.

Combine all the ingredients in a mixing bowl and blend to mix thoroughly. Don't overbeat it, about two minutes should do it. Spread batter into prepared pans and bake for approximately 20-30 minutes depending on size of your pans and oven heat output. Cake should spring back when touched lightly when done.

Ideas . . .
Although I haven't tried it, I would think a spice cake mix would be good. I might even add a half cup of finely chopped nuts to the batter.

A yellow cake mix with 1/2 cup toasted coconut would be good.

One-half cup of tiny chocolate chips would enhance the value of any cake.

Using orange juice instead of the water would make either the spice or chocolate cake stand out.

Garbonzo-Chocolate Cake?

Although we aren't sensitive to gluten, I like to try recipes of that nature just for a change of pace and to see what can be done without the addition of flour. My daughter has friends who are gluten intolerant so I also like to pass on finds to her. I haven't tried this recipe, yet, but the comments were all favorable on the review. It certainly seems simple. Thought I'd share the link.

http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/garbanzo-bean-chocolate-cake-gluten-free/detail.aspx

Never thought I'd see a receipt that uses canned garbanzo beans in place of flour.

Texas Sheet Cake

There are many variations of this recipe so feel free to add your own touches when you want to make a tasty dessert for the family. It does make a big cake but it still seems to disappear quickly.

TEXAS SHEET CAKE
Start the frosting when you put the cake in the oven as you want to ice the cake almost as soon as it comes out of the oven.

2 sticks butter or margarine
4 tablespoons (rounded) cocoa
1 cup water
2 cups flour
2 cups sugar
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ cup sour cream (low-fat may be used)
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla

FROSTING:
1 stick butter or margarine
4 tablespoons (rounded) cocoa
1/3 cup milk
1 (16 oz.) package powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup walnuts, chopped & toasted
1 dash salt

In a saucepan, melt two sticks of butter; blend in four rounded tablespoons cocoa. Add water. Stir over medium heat until mixture comes to a boil. Remove from heat. In a large bowl, mix together the flour, sugar, salt and baking soda. Pour boiled mixture slowly into dry ingredients while beating at medium speed. When well-blended, add ½ cup sour cream, 1 teaspoon vanilla, and eggs. Mix well. Pour into greased and flour-dusted 15-in. x 10-in. pan. Bake 20 - 25 minutes at 350°F. Remove pan from oven and put frosting on while cake is hot. Allow to cool. Cut into 2-inch squares.

FROSTING: Melt one stick butter in saucepan. Blend in cocoa. Add milk; mix thoroughly and let come to a boil. Add powdered sugar and vanilla; blend well. Spread frosting over warm cake and sprinkle on the chopped nuts