   
Chocolate Cake Recipes
From A Pastry Chef's
Kitchen
"When in doubt, serve chocolate!"
Chocolate is a glorious word
that conjures up indescribable ecstasies. Truffles, bonbons, lollipops,
cakes, cookies, pies and so much more! Sweet or savory, chocolate has been
used in a variety of ways that captivates everyone who tries it.
With that in mind, we have lovingly gathered chocolate and hard candy
recipes from many different sources. Some recipes came from our
Grandmother's own kitchen while others were created in restaurants, and
still others were given to us from our chocoholic friends. These are tried
and true recipes we've collected over the years. The excitement of creating
something made of chocolate that looks as good as it tastes will increase
your motivation to do and make even more beautiful things with chocolate.
If you'd prefer to buy our
e-book,
"Great Candy Recipes",
click here. Simple, proven, chef-tested candy recipes with step-by-step
instructions and photos to learn gourmet chocolate candy making, as well as
hard candies, and many more excellent recipes.
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Chocolate Cakes (To
Die For!)
Richest Chocolatiest Cake
3/4 cup butter, softened
3 eggs
2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla
1-1/2 cups milk
Chocolate-Sour Cream Frosting (see recipe below)
Directions
1. Allow butter and eggs to stand at room temperature for 30 minutes. Meanwhile,
lightly grease bottoms of two 8x8x2-inch square or 9x1-1/2-inch round cake pans.
Line bottom of pans with waxed paper. Grease and lightly flour waxed paper and
sides of pans. Or grease one 13x9x2-inch baking pan. Set pan(s) aside.
2. In a mixing bowl stir together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking
powder; and salt; set aside.
3. In a large mixing bowl beat butter with an electric mixer on medium to high
speed for 30 seconds. Gradually add sugar, about 1/4 cup at a time, beating on
medium speed until well combined (3 to 4 minutes). Scrape sides of bowl;
continue beating on medium speed for 2 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, beating
after each addition (about 1 minute total). Beat in vanilla.
4. Alternately add flour mixture and milk to beaten mixture, beating on low
speed just until combined after each addition. Beat on medium to high speed for
20 seconds more. Spread batter evenly into the prepared pan(s).
5. Bake in a 350 degree F oven for 35 to 40 minutes for 8-inch pans and the
13x9x2-inch pan, 30 to 35 minutes for 9-inch pans, or until a wooden toothpick
inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool cake layers in pans for 10 minutes.
Remove from pans. Peel off waxed paper. Cool thoroughly on wire racks. Or place
13x9x2-inch cake in pan on a wire rack; cool thoroughly. Frost with desired
frosting. Makes 12 to 16 servings.
Chocolate-Sour Cream Frosting:In a large saucepan melt 1 12-ounce package (2
cups) semisweet chocolate pieces and 1/2 cup butter over low heat, stirring
frequently. Cool for 5 minutes. Stir in 1 8-ounce carton dairy sour cream.
Gradually add 4-1/2 cups sifted powdered sugar (about 1 pound), beating with an
electric mixer until smooth. This frosts tops and sides of two or three 8- or
9-inch cake layers. (Halve the recipe to frost the top of a 13x9x2-inch cake.)
Cover and store frosted cake in the refrigerator.
Baby Chocolate Lava Cakes
Ingredients
3/4 cup butter
6 ounces semisweet chocolate pieces (1 cup)
1 recipe Praline Sauce (see below)
3 eggs
3 egg yolks
1/3 cup sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1/3 cup pecan halves, toasted
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Lightly grease and flour six 1- to 1 1/4-cup
souffle dishes or six 10-ounce custard cups. Place soufflé dishes or custard
cups in a shallow baking pan and set pan aside. In a heavy small saucepan melt
butter and semisweet chocolate over low heat, stirring constantly. Remove from
heat and cool.
2. Meanwhile, prepare Praline Sauce, cover and keep warm until needed.
3. In a large mixing bowl beat eggs, egg yolks, sugar, and vanilla with an
electric mixer on high speed about 5 minutes or until thick and lemon colored.
Beat in cooled chocolate mixture on medium speed. Sift flour and cocoa over
chocolate mixture; beat on low speed just until combined.
Divide batter evenly into prepared dishes or cups.
4. Bake 10 minutes. Pull cakes out of oven. Using a small spatula or table
knife, puncture top of each partially-baked cake and gently enlarge to make a
dime-sized hole. Slowly spoon about 1 tablespoon Praline Sauce into center of
each cake. Return cakes to oven. Bake 5 minutes more or until cakes feel firm at
the edges.
5. Cool in dishes on a wire rack for 5 minutes. Using a small spatula or knife,
loosen cake edges from sides of dish or cup and slip cake out upright onto
individual dessert plates. Stir 1/3 cup toasted pecan halves into the remaining
Praline Sauce. If necessary, stir 1 to 2 tablespoons hot water into remaining
sauce to thin. Spoon warm Praline Sauce on top of cakes. Top with pecan halves
and sweetened whipped cream. Serve immediately. Makes 6 servings.
Praline Sauce:In a heavy medium saucepan combine 1/2 cup sugar, 1/3 cup packed
brown sugar and 2 tablespoons dark colored corn syrup. Stir in 1/2 cup whipping
cream. Cook over medium-high heat until boiling, stirring constantly to dissolve
sugar. Reduce heat. Cook, uncovered, 10 minutes or until thickened, stirring
occasionally. Makes 1 cup sauce.
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