Chocolate Sweetheart Cake Recipe

Ingredients

1/4 cup sugar

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp vanilla essence

3 tbsp cocoa powder

3/4 cup flour

1/4 cup packed brown sugar

1/8 tsp salt

1/2 cup cold water

3 tbsp cooking oil

1/2 tsp white vinegar

Cooking Directions

Stir together flour, sugar, cocoa powder, soda and salt in a medium-sized bowl. Make a hole in the center. Grease a baking pan with oil and little flour. Stir together water, oil, vinegar and vanilla extracts. Put some dry ingredients and beat it until it becomes smooth. Pour the batter into the pan and bake it at 350 degree for 18-20 minutes. Keep the cake to cool down on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Using a 3 ¼ inch heart shaped (cookie) cutter, cut the cake into 4 heart-shaped pieces. Spread chocolate frosting (see below) on all the pieces. Decorate the hearts with icing.

Chocolate Frosting:

Stir together 1 tbsp melted butter or margarine and 1 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder until smooth. Add 2/3 cup sifted powdered sugar. Stir in 1/4 tsp vanilla and enough milk (2 to 3 tsp) to make of spreading consistency, beating with wire whisk or wooden spoon until smooth.

Chocolate Chip Cookie Cake Recipe

Ingredients

4 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

1 1/2 cups packed light-brown sugar

3/4 cup granulated sugar

3 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

2 large eggs, plus 2 egg yolks

3/4 cup heavy cream

3 cups semisweet chocolate chips

40 ounces (5 packages) cream cheese, room temperature

1/2 cup confectioners' sugar

Cooking Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350°.Whisk flour, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl. Put butter and brown and granulated sugars into mixer bowl; mix on medium until pale and fluffy. Mix in vanilla, eggs, and yolks. Reduce speed to low. Add flour mixture in 2 batches, alternating with the cream. Stir in chocolate chips.

2. For each of the 5 layers, drop 1 level cup batter onto center of a baking sheet lined with parchment (keep unbaked dough refrigerated). Using a small offset spatula, spread into an 8-inch circle. Bake until edges are pale golden brown, about 12 minutes. Remove from oven. Use offset spatula to reshape circle. Return to oven; bake until edges are golden brown, 8 to 10 minutes more. Transfer to wire rack; let cool. Can be stored airtight up to 1 day.

3. Mix cream cheese and confectioners' sugar in clean mixer bowl on medium-high speed until pale and fluffy. Spread onto 4 cookies. Stack cookies, placing unfrosted cookie on top. Refrigerate until frosting is set, at least 20 minutes or up to 4 hours. Serve at room temperature.

Chocolate Cherry Cake Roll Recipe

Ingredients

4 eggs

3/4 cup sugar

3/4 cup cake flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

Confectioners' sugar

FILLING:

1-1/4 cups reduced-fat whipped topping

3 tablespoons chocolate syrup

3 cups fresh or frozen pitted sweet cherries, thawed, chopped and drained

FROSTING:

1 cup reduced-fat whipped topping

2 tablespoons chocolate syrup

Additional fresh sweet cherries, optional

Directions

Line a 15-in. x 10-in. x 1-in. baking pan with waxed paper; coat the paper with cooking spray and set aside. In a large bowl, beat eggs for 3 minutes. Gradually beat in sugar; beat for 2 minutes or until thick and lemon-colored. Combine the flour, baking powder and salt; gradually add to egg mixture and mix well.

Spread evenly into prepared pan. Bake at 400° for 8-10 minutes or until cake springs back when lightly touched. Cool for 5 minutes. Invert onto a kitchen towel dusted with confectioners' sugar. Gently peel off waxed paper. Roll up cake in the towel jelly-roll style, starting with a short side. Cool completely on a wire rack.

For Filling: Combine whipped topping and chocolate syrup; fold in cherries. Unroll cake; spread filling evenly over cake to within 1/2 in. of edges. Roll up again. Place seam side down on a serving platter.

For Frosting: Combine whipped topping and chocolate syrup. Frost cake; garnish with cherries if desired. Refrigerate until serving.

Once done, it will look like this:

Yield: 12 servings.

Preparation Time: 45 min.

Baking Time: 30 min. + cooling.
Diabetic Exchanges: 2 starch, 1/2 fruit, 1/2 fat.
Nutrition Facts: 1 slice equals 189 calories, 4 g fat (2 g saturated fat), 71 mg cholesterol, 157 mg sodium, 35 g carbohydrate, 1 g fiber, 3 g protein.

Chocolate Lava Cake Recipe

Ingredients

10 oz (280 g) bittersweet chocolate (70% cocoa)

4/5 cup (180 g) butter

8 eggs

1+¼ cup (275 g) sugar

1+¼ cup (140 g) all-purpose flour

Cooking Directions

Preheat oven to 350 deg F (Gas mark 4 or 180 deg C). Grease 10 large muffin tins or cups; paper muffin bake cups can also be used. Break the chocolate into small pieces and melt it with butter over hot water. Beat the eggs with sugar and mix with flour. Slowly fold in the melted butter and chocolate. Bake at 350 degrees for only 8-12 minutes; the outer part should be cooked and the inner part liquid.

The Chocolate Lava Cakes may be served hot on its own or with custard, whipped cream, ice cream and / or berries. The Lava Cakes may be dusted with icing sugar. If your Lava Cakes stick to the tin/cup after baking, you should try lining the tins/cups with aluminum foil and grease the lined tins/cups well before use. You can also use paper muffin bake cups.

Variations

You may use pudding/souffle cups instead of muffin cups and serve the Lava Cakes in the cups in order to avoid the difficulty of removing the Lava Cakes from the muffin cups.

You may add two tablespoons of orange liqueur and finely grated rind of one orange. This gives a delicious orange-chocolate flavor.

You may try adding some ground cinnamon and nutmeg or cloves to the chocolate and butter mixture.

You may add some mint flavoring.

You may add a little coffee essence to mixture.

Place moulds in freezer then brush with melted butter to give a thin even coating. Use cocoa powder to "flour" the molds so when you turn out the Lava Cakes there is no white flour marks.

Serving suggestion: serve with an orange and star anise ice cream.

Yield: 10 servings

Black Forest Cake Recipe

Ingredients

½ cup (110 g) butter, softened
1+¼ cup (275 g) sugar

2 eggs

1+¼ cup (140 g) all-purpose flour

½ cup (50 g) unsweetened cocoa powder, natural

½ teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

¾ cup (1.8 dl) buttermilk

For filling

¼ cup Kirschwasser (Kirsch/cherry brandy), optional

2 cans (14 oz or 400 g) cherry pie filling or pitted cherries

3 cups (7.2 dl) heavy whipping cream, chilled

¼ cup confectioners' sugar

Milk chocolate curls or shavings, for garnish

Maraschino cherries or sweet cherries, for garnish (optional)

Cooking Directions

Preheat oven to 350 deg F (Gas mark 4 or 180 deg C).

Line a 9 inch (23 cm) cake pan with greaseproof or other non-stick paper.

With an electric mixer, beat the softened butter with sugar until white and fluffy.

Add one egg at a time, mix well between each egg.

Add sifted flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and buttermilk, and mix until the batter is smooth.

Transfer to a cake pan and bake at 350 degrees just until set in the middle, approximately 45-60 minutes. A wooden pick inserted in center should come out with just a few moist crumbs on it. Do not over-bake!

When cake is cool, use a long serrated knife to cut the cake horizontally into 3 equal layers. It is easier to cut if kept in a refrigerator for a few hours before cutting.

Filling

Drain cherry pie filling in a colander to remove most of the thickened juices.

Beat the whipping cream with confectioners' sugar until it thickens.

Using a vegetable peeler, shave chocolate; refrigerate until the cake is assembled.

Assembling

Sprinkle each layer of the cake with Kirschwasser.

Place one cake layer on a serving plate.

Spread about one fifth of the whipped cream on the layer, and strew half of the cherries on top of the whipped cream.

Add the second cake layer.

Spread one fifth of the whipped cream on the second layer and the remaining cherries on top.

Add the third cake layer.

Spread one fifth of the whipped cream on top and one fifth on the sides. Gently press chocolate curls on the sides and/or on top of the cake.

Variations

You may substitute the cherry pie filling with cherry jam. In that case spread first the jam on the cake layers, then whipped cream on top.

You may use three cake tins intead of one. In that case the baking time must be shortened.

If cake flour is used, the cake comes out much fluffier.

Yield: 12 servings

Chocolate Citrus Tart Recipe

Ingredients for the tart dough (for 2 tarts)

½ cup (110 g) butter, softened

½ cup (100 g) sugar 2 cups (230 g) all-purpose flour

1 egg

2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa

Ingredients for the citrus filling

2 cups (440 g) granulated sugar

4 large eggs

½ cup (1.2 dl) orange juice

¼ cup (0.6 dl) lemon juice

Grated peel of 2 oranges

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

Ingredients for the chocolate frosting

½ cup (1.2 dl) heavy cream or whipping cream

7 oz (200 g) semisweet chocolate (40-50% cocoa)

Cooking Directions

Line the bottom of a springform pan of 9 inches (23 cm) diameter with greaseproof or other non-stick paper and grease the sides of the pan.

Using an electric mixer, cream the softened butter and sugar. Add flour and cocoa powder, and finally the egg. Reserve in the fridge for a few hours or more.

Preheat oven to 350 deg F (Gas mark 4 or 180 deg C).

Using your fingers, pat down half of the tart dough into the bottom of the springform pan (not the sides); keep the rest frozen until next time.

Bake at 350 degrees for about 7 minutes.

For the filling, mix sugar and egg for 2-3 minutes with an electric mixer.

Add lemon juice, orange juice, grated orange peel, flour and baking powder, and mix well.

Transfer to the springform and bake at 250 deg F for about 30 to 40 minutes. A wooden pick inserted in center should come out clean.

Using a knife, loosen carefully the cake from the sides of the springform pan. Let the tart cool to room temperature in the pan.

For the chocolate frosting, heat the cream almost to a boil, add chopped chocolate, and stir until smooth. Let it cool until it thickens.

Spread the chocolate frosting evenly on top and sides of the tart.

Variations

Instead of lemon, you may use 2 limes and grated lime peel, and reduce the amount of orange peel accordingly.

Yield: 10 servings