Chocolate!

Banana Chocolate Chip Coffee Cake Muffins

For the streusel topping:
1/2 cup flour
4 tablespoons butter - softened and cut into pieces
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 cup chocolate chips
For the muffins:
3/4 cup sour cream
2 bananas - mashed
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 egg
3/4 cup brown sugar
2 1/2 cups flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
4 tablespoons butter - softened and cut into pieces
1/2 cup chocolate chips
Pre-heat the oven to 350ºF. Spray a 12-cup muffin pan with cooking spray or line with muffin cups.
To make the streusel, combine flour, butter, brown sugar, cinnamon and chocolate chips until well blended. Set aside.
To make the muffins, in a large bowl, combine the bananas and sour cream. Add the cinnamon, ginger, salt, vanilla, egg and brown sugar. Combine until blended. Add the flour, baking powder, baking soda and butter and mix until just combined, Do not over mix. Fold in the chocolate chips. Add a quarter of the streusel mixture and mix until just combined.
Using a 1/4 cup measure, fill the muffin cups and top each muffin with a spoonful of streusel, pressing lightly. Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean from center of muffin. Yield: 12 muffins

Fudge Cake

This quadruple-layer cake isn’t nearly as fussy to make as you might think. It starts out as a standard two-layer cake, then each layer is cut in half stacked, with an easy filling in between the layers. The result is a moist cake that keeps well without refrigeration; looks spectacular when cut, and tastes even better than it looks!
Cake:
2 cups (14 ounces) sugar
2 cups (8 1/2 ounces) Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
2 tablespoons (3/8 ounce) cornstarch
3/4 cup (2 1/4 ounces) Double-Dutch Dark Cocoa or Dutch-process cocoa
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons espresso powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
4 large eggs
3/4 cup (5 1/4 ounces) vegetable oil
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups (10 ounces) water
Filling:
12 ounces semisweet chocolate
6 ounces cream - (light, whipping, or heavy) or milk, or a combination*
flavors of your choice - (see filling-directions below)
*Hint: Since you need 4 ounces of cream for the icing, and you’ll most likely buy an 8-ounce container, use 4 ounces cream in the filling supplemented with 2 ounces of milk.
Icing:
8 ounces semisweet chocolate
4 ounces cream - (light, whipping, or heavy)
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease and flour (or grease, then line with parchment, then grease again) two 8” x 2” round cake pans. Note: These pans need to be at least 2” tall; if you have non-standard, shorter 8” pans, substitute 9” round pans.
To make the cake: Whisk together the dry ingredients. Add the eggs, oil, and vanilla, beating until smooth. Gradually add the water, beating until smooth. Pour the batter into the prepared pans.
Bake the cakes for 35 to 38 minutes (a bit less if you use a 9” pan), or until a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool the cakes in the pan for 15 minutes, then turn them out of the pans to cool completely on a rack.
To make the filling: Combine the chocolate and cream in a microwave-safe bowl, and heat until the cream is very hot, and the chocolate very soft. Stir to melt the chocolate completely, reheating very briefly if necessary.
Now you have a choice. You may either flavor the filling all one flavor, or use a different flavor for each layer of filling. For all one flavor, use 3 tablespoons of your favorite liqueur–Frangelico (hazelnut), Kahlua (coffee), or Framboise (raspberry) are all good choices. Or try 2 tablespoons rum. Alternatively, add 1 tablespoon espresso powder; or flavor to taste with a bottled extract (coconut, peppermint, cherry, almond…)
To mix and match flavors, divide the filling into three parts, and flavor each differently to taste, with an extract; or with about 1 tablespoon liqueur for each flavor. Divide the cooled layers in half horizontally, to make four layers. Place one layer on a serving plate, and spread with filling. Repeat with the next two layers. Top with the final cake layer.
To make the icing: Combine the chocolate and cream in a microwave-safe bowl, and heat until the cream is very hot, and the chocolate very soft. Stir to melt the chocolate completely, reheating very briefly if necessary. Pour and spread the icing over the top of the cake, letting it drip over the edges and down the sides. Once it’s done dripping, you may smooth the sides with an icing spatula, if desired. Allow the cake to rest, covered with a cake cover (or a big turned-over bowl) till the chocolate is set; overnight is good, though several hours are sufficient. Yield: 12 generous servings.

Super Moist Chocolate Cake

1 box chocolate cake mix
1 cup mayo
one cup water
3 eggs
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon - (optional)
Preheat the oven to 350°; grease and lightly flour two 9 inch round cake pans or a 13 x9 pan. Beat cake mix, water, eggs, cinnamon 30 sec on low speed. Beat on med speed 2 min. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake 30 min. for the round cake pans or 40 min. for the 13 x 9 or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Sprinkle with powdered sugar, or fill and frost. Yield: 12 servings

Twix Bars

Crust:
1 1/4 cup flour
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1/2 cup margarine
Filling:
14 ounce package caramels
1/3 cup evaporated milk
1/4 cup margarine
Topping:
1 cup chocolate chips
3 tablespoons shortening
3/4 cup Rice Krispies
Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Combine crust ingredients until crumbly and press into ungreased 9 by 13 pan. Bake 10 to 12 minutes.
Melt filling mixture over a double boiler and spread over crust.
Melt chocolate chips and shortening. Stir in Rice Krispies. Spread over filling. Refrigerate over night or at least two hours.

S’Mores Bars

Yield: 16 bars
1/2 c. butter - softened
3/4 c. sugar
1 egg
1 t. vanilla
1 1/3 c. all-purpose flour
3/4 c. graham cracker crumbs
1 t. baking powder
1/4 t. salt
4 (1.55 oz. each) milk chocolate candy bars
1 c. marshmallow cream
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease 8-inch square baking pan. Beat butter and sugar in large bowl until light and fluffy. Add egg and vanilla; beat well. Stir together flour, graham cracker crumbs, baking powder and salt; add to butter mixture, beating until blended. Press half of dough into prepared pan. Arrange chocolate bars over dough, breaking as needed to fit. Spread with marshmallow cream. Scatter bits of remaining dough over marshmallow; carefully press to form a layer. Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool completely in pan on wire rack. Cut into bars. Makes 16 bars. Print this post