Elegant Chocolate Torte

My mouth waters with the memory of this cake.  I made it as a treat for my book club this spring and then again when I was visiting my parents this summer.  It is so good.  It takes a bit of work and a little planning but it is worth absolutely every minute.  It would be a perfect compliment to that fancy Christmas dinner I know you are all planning.  The custard part is a bit tricky and even my mom didn't get it right but it's so good you won't even care that you are eating tiny bits of scrambled egg amongst your custard filling.  I promise.  The frosting is super easy and fun to work with.  Savor every bite and you'll still want a second piece.  Have I sold you on this cake yet?
 
Elegant Chocolate Torte
Prep Time: 30 minutes, plus cooling time for the custard and cake
Cook Time: 30-35 minutes for the cake, approximately 10 minutes for the custard
Yield: 16 servings (Um...I've never had it feed that many since everyone wants seconds)
 
Ingredients:
FILLING:
1/3 c. all-purpose flour
3 T. sugar
1 t. salt
1¾ c. milk
1 c. chocolate syrup
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 T. butter
1 t. vanilla extract
BATTER:
½ c. butter, softened
1¼ c. sugar
4 eggs
1 t. vanilla extract
1¼ c. all-purpose flour
1/3 c. baking cocoa
¾ t. baking soda
¼ t. salt
1½ c. chocolate syrup
½ c. water
FROSTING:
2 c. heavy whipping cream
¼ c. chocolate syrup
¼ t. vanilla extract
Directions: For filling, in a small saucepan, combine flour, sugar and salt.  Stir in milk and syrup until smooth.  Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly; cook and stir for 1-2 minutes or until thickened.  Remove from heat.  Stir a small amount of hot mixture into egg; return all to the pan, stirring constantly.  Bring to a gentle boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes.  Remove from heat; stir in butter and vanilla.  Cool to room temperature, stirring often. 
For cake: In a large mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy.  Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each. Stir in vanilla.  Combine dry ingredients; add to creamed mixture alternately with syrup and water.  Beat just until combined.  Pour into two greased and floured 9-inch round baking pans.  Bake at 350° for 30-35 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.  Cool for 10 minutes; remove from pans to wire racks to cool.  Cut each cake in half horizontally.  Place one bottom layer on a serving plate; spread with a third of the filling.  Repeat layers twice.  Top with remaining cake.  In a  mixing bowl, beat frosting ingredients until stiff peaks form; spread or pipe over top and sides of cake.

The photo is from tasteofhome.com

Spicy Pumpkin Cake with Chocolate Chunks

It's still the season of pumpkin.  So I thought I'd share another pumpkin recipe. This cake is moist and I loved the fact that it started with a cake mix.  I also pretty much love anything with cream cheese and chocolate.  So this one's a winner.  I hope you like it too.

Spicy Pumpkin Cake with Chocolate Chunks

Prep Time:  15 minutes

Cook Time: 40-45 minutes plus cooling

Yield: 16 slices

Ingredients:
1 pkg. Spice cake mix
1 pkg. (8 oz.) cream cheese, softened, divided
1 c. canned pumpkin
1 t. ground cinnamon
½ t. ground ginger
6 squares semi-sweet baking chocolate, coarsely chopped
½ c. thawed Cool Whip (I use real whipped cream)
2 T. sugar
Directions: Preheat oven to 350°.  Prepare cake mix as directed package, reducing water to ½ c. and increasing oil to ½ c. Add half of the cream cheese, the pumpkin, cinnamon and ginger.  Beat on medium speed until well-blended.  Stir in chopped chocolate.  Pour into greased 12 c. fluted tube pan or 10-inch tube pan.  Bake 40-45 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.  Cool 10 minutes.  Remove from pan; cool completely on wire rack.  Mix remaining cream cheese, whipped topping and sugar until well-blended.  Spread on top of cooled cake.  Cut into 16 slices.  (You can substitute the spice cake mix for a yellow cake mix.)

French Apple Cake

I really didn't know what to expect when I found this recipe.  It caught my eye because first it would utilize the apples I have on hand.  Second, it has cream cheese in it.  Third, it has a caramel layer.  This came out a little like a pineapple upside down cake, but much better.  It was moist and flavorful and the  optional topping was amazing.  I think you could half the recipe for the topping, but I am going to use the leftovers as a fruit dip.  My husband says to put the topping on the side so you just dip your cake into it.  Ah, a little tip; the recipe says that the sugar and water takes 25 minutes to turn amber.  I burnt the first batch because I cooked it on high and it was done in about 5 minutes and I wasn't watching it.  The second batch I cooked on medium and it still only took a little more than 10 minutes.  Keep an eye on it and don't let it get beyond amber color.  It's not fun to clean up.  Also make sure your cream cheese is truly softened.  Confession:  I usually don't soften my cream cheese.  But for this recipe if it's not soft it won't blend in with the eggs.  Bon Appetit!

French Apple Cake

Prep: 45 minutes
Bake: 35 minutes
Yield: 8 slices

Ingredients:

1½ c. sugar, divided
4 t. water
4 t. lemon juice
3 c. sliced apples (or pears, or peaches)
3 eggs
1 c. butter, melted
4 oz. package cream cheese, cubed and softened
1 c. all-purpose flour
OPTIONAL TOPPING:
1 c. heavy whipping cream
1 tub (8 oz.) Honey Nut Flavor cream cheese spread
¼ c. confectioners' sugar
Directions: In a small heavy skillet, combine ¾ c. sugar and water.  Cook, without stirring, until amber, about 25 minutes.  Stir in lemon juice and quickly pour into 10-inch springform pan, coating bottom.  Arrange apple slices on caramel in circular overlapping pattern.  In a bowl, beat eggs and remaining sugar until blended.  Beat in butter then cream cheese until smooth.  Stir in flour.  Spread over apples.  Bake at 350° for 35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near center comes out clean.  Cool 5 minutes.  Carefully run a knife around edge of pan to loosen; remove sides of pan.  Invert onto a serving plate.  If topping is desired, beat cream until soft peaks form.  Separately, beat cream cheese spread and confectioners' sugar until smooth.  Gradually fold in whipped cream.  Serve with warm cake.

 (This recipe originally came from a Taste of Home magazine)

Chocolate Toffee Cake

I made this about a month ago and we all really liked it.  Did I mention that I love toffee?  So this cake seemed right up my alley.  There are a few things that I think I will do a little differently when I make this again.  I didn't get the toffee bits and chocolate chips spread through the whole cake it was all at the top, it would be even better if it had, so I am wondering if coating them in flour first might help.  Also I think I cooked it a little too long (I have a dark bundt pan), so watch out for that.  And if I remember right the frosting took a bit longer to cook than the recipe says.  Make sure you let the frosting cool long enough or else all your frosting will be down around the base of your cake.  Otherwise, the flavor of the cake is great and I think it was even better the day after.  A little vanilla ice cream scooped on the side is optional.

Chocolate Toffee Cake

Prep Time: 25 minutes
Bake Time: 55 minutes + cooling
Yield: 12 servings
 

Ingredients:

1 pkg. (8 oz.) milk chocolate English toffee bits
1 c. (6 oz.) semisweet chocolate chips
2 T. brown sugar

CAKE:

1 c. butter, softened
1¼ c. packed brown sugar
4 eggs
1 t. vanilla extract
3 c. all-purpose flour
1½ t. baking powder
½ t. salt
½ t. baking soda
1¼ c. buttermilk
 

CARAMEL ICING:
¼ c. butter, cubed

2 t. all-purpose flour
1 can (5 oz.) evaporated milk
1 c. packed brown sugar
Directions: Combine the toffee bits, chips and brown sugar; set aside.  In a large bowl, cream butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy.  Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition (mixture will appear curdled).  Beat in vanilla.  Combine the flour, baking powder; salt and baking soda; add to the creamed mixture alternately with buttermilk, beating well after each addition.  Pour a third of the batter into a greased and floured 10-in fluted tube pan.  Sprinkle with a third of toffee mixture.  Repeat layers twice.  Bake at 350° for 55-65 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near center comes out clean.  Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pan to wire rack to cool completely.  For icing, in a small saucepan, melt butter.  Stir in flour until smooth; gradually add evaporated milk and brown sugar.  Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 4-5 minutes or until thickened.  Cool.  Drizzle over cake. 

(The recipe and photo came from tasteofhome.com)

Chocolate Chip Zucchini Cake

This is another one of my favorite ways to use zucchini.  I got it from a church cookbook from back home.  Thank you Tammy Mar.  The warm gooey goodness of this cake with a scoop or two of vanilla ice cream just seems to melt away  the stresses of the day.  It is better to eat it right out of the oven or put a piece in the microwave for a few seconds, but always with ice cream.  If you're feeling like a little more sweetness use milk chocolate chips instead of semi-sweet.  I don't use nuts because I feel they get in the way of the gooey-ness.  Let me know if you like it!

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 40 minutes
Family Friendliness: Chocolate cake, really do you have to ask?

Chocolate Chip Zucchini Cake
Ingredients:
½ c. oil
1¾ c. sugar
1 t. vanilla
½ t. cinnamon
4 T. cocoa
½ c. sour milk (½ T. vinegar in a ½ c. measuring cup, then fill with milk, let sit for 5 minutes)
¼ c. margarine
2 eggs
2 c. grated zucchini
2½ c. flour
1 t. baking soda
½ t. salt

TOPPING:
1 (12 oz.) pkg. semi-sweet chocolate chips

½ c. chopped nuts (completely optional)
2 T. brown sugar
2 T. white sugar
Directions: Mix all cake ingredients together and pout into a greased and floured 9x13 pan.  Before baking, mix together topping ingredients.  Sprinkle on top of cake and bake at 350° for 40 minutes.  Serve with vanilla ice cream.