Rich Moist Zucchini Chocolate Cake

The Cake

2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 cup Cocoa powder

1 teaspoon Baking soda

1/2 teaspoon Baking powder

1/4 teaspoon Salt

1/4 cup Canola oil

1/4 cup Unsweetened applesauce

1/2 cup Granulated sugar

1/2 cup Light brown sugar

1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract

1 teaspoon Instant coffee powder

3 eggs

1/4 cup Milk

2 cups Zucchini, grated then chopped slightly

The Topping

3 tablespoons Light brown sugar

1/2 cup Pistachios, toasted and chopped

The Procedure

1. Preheat oven to 360F/180c for 15 minutes.
2. Grease and flour a 9 inch spring-form pan. You can use cocoa instead of flour.
3. In a large mixing bowl sift together the flour,cocoa, baking soda, baking powder and salt.
4. In a medium bowl add oil, applesauce, sugars, vanilla extract and coffee powder. Using a hand mixer beat the mixture in medium speed for 3-5 minutes.
5. Add the eggs in 3 additions beating it after every addition. Now also add the milk and beat until well combined.
6. Reserving half a cup of the flour mixture, add slowly the remaining flour to the wet ingredients, while beating it in low speed. Combine well the grated zucchini, chocolate chips and 1/2 cup of flour. Add this to the batter and mix it well. Note that the batter is thick at this stage. So don’t worry.
7. Pour the batter in the prepared cake pan and smooth it out using a spatula. While using a spring-form pan it’s advisable to place the pan on a baking sheet, so that the batter or baked cake does not fall down if the pan is not locked properly.
8. Prepare the topping by mixing the brown sugar and pistachios. Sprinkle this mixture evenly on the batter. Bake for 40 to 50 minutes. Mine was done in 45 minutes.

Charleston Poppy Seed Cake

Remember to keep poppy seeds refrigerated, as they go rancid quickly. Always smell for off odors before adding poppy seeds to anything.

Makes 10 servings

1 package (18.25 ounces) plain white cake mix

1 package (3.4 ounces) vanilla instant pudding mix

1/3 cup poppy seeds

1 cup low-fat vanilla yogurt

½ cup vegetable oil

½ cup dry sherry

4 large eggs

1 teaspoon grated lemon zest

Place rack in center of oven and preheat to 350 degrees. Lightly mist a 10-inch tube pan with vegetable oil spray, then dust with flour.

Place all ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Blend with electric mixer on low for 1 minute. Stop and scrape down sides of bowl. Increase the mixer speed to medium and beat 2 minutes more, scraping the sides down again if needed. Batter should look well combined and thickened and the poppy seeds should be well distributed. Pour batter into prepared pan, smoothing it out with the rubber spatula.

Bake cake until it's golden brown and springs back when lightly pressed with your finger and sides are pulling away from pan, about 45 to 50 minutes. Remove pan from oven and place it on wire rack to cool for 20 minutes. Run a long, sharp knife around the edge of the cake and invert it onto a rack, then invert it onto another rack so that the cake is right side up. Allow the cake to cool completely, 30 minutes or more.

Morton's Legendary Hot Chocolate Cake

Recipe Source:
Morton's Steak Bible, Author Klaus Fritsch, co-founder Morton's The Steakhouse.

Serves 6

• 1 1/2 cups unsalted butter, at room temperature, plus more for the souffle cups
• Granulated sugar
• 12 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
• 8 large egg yolks, plus 7 large eggs
• 1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 18 fresh raspberries
• 6 scoops vanilla ice cream

Preheat the oven to 350F. Generously butter six 6-ounce souffle cups and sprinkle each with granulated sugar. Tap out the excess sugar.

In the top of a double boiler set over barely simmering water, melt the butter and chocolate together. Remove the top of the double boiler pan from the heat.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment and set on low speed, beat the egg yolks and eggs for about 2 minutes, or until light and smooth. With the mixer running, pour the melted chocolate into the bowl and mix for about 2 minutes longer.

Put the confectioners' sugar and flour in a fine-mesh sieve and sprinkle into the chocolate mixture. With the mixer on medium speed, beat for 30 seconds, or until well mixed.

Pour the batter into the prepared souffle cups, leaving about 1/4 inch of space below the rim. Set the souffle cups on a baking sheet and bake for 18 to 20 minutes, or until puffed and about 1 inch higher than the rim. The centers will be soft but not sticky.

Remove the cakes from the oven and immediately invert each onto a serving plate. Remove the cup, and garnish each plate with three raspberries and a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

Tunnel of Fudge Cake

This decadent chocolate cake was THE chocolate cake the 1960's. It "made" the Bundt pan. Shirley Corriher felt it could be improved so went to work on it. The result..."You can go crazy over this cake. My husband and I ate a whole cake in three days!" says Shirley.

The original recipe was on the label of Pillsbury's fudge icing after it won an award in the 1966 Pillsbury Bake-Off. When Pillsbury stopped making the icing, angry home cooks bombarded them: "You can't do this. The Tunnel of Fudge is my signature cake." So Pillsbury had to publish a recipe for the famous cake using ingredients available to home cooks. Shirley found that the recipe had many problems, so she revamped it considerably. The New York Times (Dec. 20, 2004) featured Shirley's cake on the front page of the Science section, where she explained each change she made and why. She substituted 2 yolks for 1 of the eggs and substituted oil for part of the butter to make the cake moister. She also substituted dark brown sugar for some of the sugar to give the cake even fudgier flavors. The roasted nuts are really important. Without them, the cake seems ordinary, but with them, it's fantastic.

Important Notes:

1. Brown sugar makes chocolate taste fudgy.
2. With this extreme about of sugar the cake does not fully cook, thus creating the "tunnel of fudge" in the center.
3. The roasted nuts make this cake. Don't leave them out.

Here is Shirley's recipe as stated in her absolutely wonderful book "BakeWise"
This is a must have book for the serious baker.

"BakeWise"

Yield: 1 12-cup Bundt Cake

• 2 1/2 cups walnut pieces or mixed walnuts and pecans
• 1 1/4 cups plus 2 Tablespoons unsalted butter, cut in 2-Tablespoon pieces, divided
• 3/4 teaspoon salt, divided
  
• Nonstick cooking spray
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 3/4 cup dark brown sugar, packed
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1/3 cup canola oil
• 2 large egg yolks
• 2 cups confectioners' sugar
• 3/4 cup natural cocoa powder *
  
• 4 large eggs
• 2 1/4 cups spooned and leveled bleached all-purpose flour
• Confectioners' sugar, to garnish, or Rum Drizzle (recipe follows), optional

1. Arrange a shelf in the lower third of the oven, place a baking stone on it, and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
2. On a large baking sheet, roast the nuts for 10 minutes. Pour into a bowl, add 2 Tablespoons of the butter and 1/4 teaspoon of the salt, and toss well. When cool, coarsely chop and set aside.
3. Spray a 12-cup Bundt pan generously with nonstick cooking spray.
4. With a mixer, beat the remaining 1 1/4 cups butter to soften and get to the fluffy stage. Add the granulated sugar, then the brown sugar, and continue to beat until light and airy. While beating, feel the bowl; if it does not feel cool, place it in the freezer for 5 minutes, and then continue beating.
5. Beat in the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and vanilla. Blend in the oil and egg yolks.
6. By hand, stir in the confectioners' sugar , then the cocoa powder.
7. By hand, one at a time, stir the eggs into the batter, with minimum stirring just to blend them into the batter well.
8. In a large mixing bowl, stir together the flour and roasted chopped nuts. Fold the flour-nut mixture into the batter and pour into the prepared pan. (Atlanta wine expert Gil Kulers, who makes this cake frequently, heats the empty pan for about 5 minutes just before he pours in the batter. This ensures that he gets a good 3/4 inch of well-set cake to hold the fudge center.)
9. Bake for 45 minutes. You can't use the toothpick test for doneness because this cake has so much sugar that the cent is not going to set, but remains a (tunnel of fudge" in the center. You are totally dependent on the correct oven temperature of 350 degrees F and the 45-minute cooking time.
10. When you remove the cake from the oven, you can't see it but it will have a runny fudge core with an air pocket above the fudge. This air pocket is not desirable and will become a hole under the fudge when the cake is chilled. To minimize this air pocket, about 20 minutes after you take the cake out of the oven, while still in the pan, press the inside and outside edges of the cake bottom down all the way around. This will press the whole bottom down and reduce the air pocket. Leave the cake in the pan until completely cooled. I cool the cake in the pan on a rack for 2-3 hours. This is very important. With a thin knife, loosen the cake around the edges. Place a platter on top of the pan and invert.
11. Cool completely. Sprinkle with confectioners' sugar or drizzle with Rum Drizzle to garnish. I love this cake at room temperature or cold. At room temperature, the fudge is runny. When cold, the fudge center become firm, like a piece of fudge with nuts.
    

Rum Drizzle

• 1 cup confectioners' sugar
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon rum or brandy *
  
• About 2 Tablespoons heavy cream
  

Stir together the sugar, vanilla, and rum. Add the cream to get to a consistency that will give you a tick drizzle.

* Soon to be available at FoodieAffair.com

Cream Cheese Icing

Recipe Source: Shirley Corriher
Yield: 3 cups

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, cut into 2-Tablespoon size pieces
• 16 ounces cream cheese
• 4 cups confectioners' sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 Tablespoon orange-flavored liqueur, such as Grand Marnier *
  

1. In large mixing bowl, beat butter until soft.
2. Add cream cheese and beat until blended and smooth.
3. Blend in confectioners' sugar, vanilla, and orange-flavored liqueur.
4. Refrigerate until ready to use.

*RESOURCES:
Orange-flavored Liqueur - FoodieAffair.com

Carrot Cake

Recipe Source: Shirley Corriher

Yield: 1 (4-layer) 8-inch round cake
Prep: 45 min.
Bake: 35 min.
Cool: 1 hour

• 2 cups walnuts or pecans, coarsely chopped
• 2 Tablespoons unsalted butter
• 3/4 tsp salt, divided
• Nonstick cooking spray
• 2 1/3 cups self-rising flour, spooned and leveled
• 1 tsp ground Saigon cinnamon *
  
• 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg (freshly grated, if possible)
• 1/2 tsp allspice, optional
• 1 Tablespoons orange zest
• 3 lg eggs
• 2 lg egg yolks
• 2 cups light brown sugar, firmly packed
• 1 cup canola oil
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup fresh orange juice
• 3 cups very finely grated carrots, approx. 6 carrots (food processor is recommended)
• 1 recipe Cream Cheese Icing (recipe in this collection)

1. Arrange shelf in lower third of oven and place baking stone on it. Preheat to 350F.
2. Spread nuts on a baking sheet, place in oven on the stone, and roast for 10-12 min. While nuts are hot, stir in 2 Tablespoons butter and 1/3 teaspoon salt. Set aside.
3. Spray 2 8-inch round (2" high) cake pans with nonstick spray and line with parchment circle. Spray paper very lightly.
4. Combine flour, remaining 1/2 tsp salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, and orange zest. Beat well at medium speed with electric mixer.
5. In another bowl, stir together whole eggs, egg yolks, and brown sugar. Then, add oil, vanilla, and orange juice, stirring to combine.
6. Make a hole in center of flour mixture and add egg mixture, a little at a time, stirring by hand. Add carrots and roasted nuts.
7. Pour batter into prepared pans. Spoon batter from one pan to the other until batter is dived equally. Drop pans, one at a time, onto the counter from a height of 4 inches to knock out large air bubbles.
8. Place both pans in oven on stone. Bake for approx. 30-35 min., or until the center springs back when touched. Ideally, cake should not pull away from sides until it has just come out of oven. The center temp should read approx. 209F.
9. Cool cakes on cooling rack for approx 10 minutes. Shake pan to loosen cake all around.
10. Spray cooling rack with nonstick cooking spray. Place rack, sprayed side down, on top of the cake and invert. Let cool completely.
11. When completely cooled, slice each layer on half horizontally, creating four layers.
    
12. Divide icing in half. Reserve 1 half to ice top and sides. Divide remaining half into thirds. Place 1 layer, cut side up, on a cake plate or serving dish and spread with 1/3 of icing. Place another layer on top of icing, cut side up, and spread with another third. Place third layer on top, cut side up, and spread with remaining third. Place top layer on, cut side down. Ice top and sides with reserved icing.

*RESOURCES:
Saigon Cinnamon - FoodieAffair.com

Carrot Cake

This cake is fabulous and is the one I use exclusively at my catering company. The difference between this recipe and many others is the method. Emulsifying the sugars and eggs makes all the difference in the world. It would be interesting to see if this emulsification method would improve your favorite carrot cake recipe. Go and experiment and post your results!

Yield: 1 - 9" x 13"
CAKE

• 1 cup walnuts, toasted
• 1 Tablespoon butter
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 1/2 cups (12 1/2 ozs.) unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1 1/4 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 1/2 tsp ground Saigon cinnamon *
  
• 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1/8 tsp ground cloves
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 lb. (6-7 med.) carrots, peeled and shredded
• 1 1/2 cups (10 1/2 oz) granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup (3 1/2 oz) light brown sugar, packed
• 4 lg eggs
• 1/8 cup sour cream
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract *
  
• 1 1/2 cups safflower, canola, or vegetable oil

ORANGE CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

• 5 Tablespoons unsalted butter, softened but still cool
• 12 oz cream cheese, softened but still cool
• 3 cups confectioner's sugar
• 1 1/2 Tablespoons orange liqueur *
• 1 tsp vanilla extract *

CAKE DIRECTIONS

1. Place baking stone on rack in middle of oven and preheat to 350 degrees.
2. Chop walnuts and toast in oven for about 10 minutes. Pour nuts into small bowl and toss with 1 tablespoon of butter and 1/2 teaspoon of salt immediately upon removal from oven.
3. Spray 13" x 9" pan with nonstick spray. Line pan with parchment paper and spray again.
4. Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and 1/2 teaspoon salt in bowl and set aside.
5. Shred carrots in food processor fitted with large shredding disk. This should yield about 3 cups. Transfer carrots to bowl and set aside.
6. Wipe food processor bowl clean and fit with metal blade.
7. Process granulated and brown sugars, eggs, and sour cream until frothy and thoroughly combined, about 20 seconds.
8. With machine running, stream in oil through feed tube. Process until light in color and well emulsified, about 20 seconds longer.
9. Stir in vanilla extract.
   
10. Scrape mixture into another bowl. By hand, stir in carrots, nuts and flour mixture until well incorporated and no streaks of flour remain.
11. Pour into pan and level batter. Drop pan on counter a few times from a height of about 4 inches.
12. Place pan in oven on top of baking stone and bake at 350 for 35-40 minutes. Test with a toothpick for doneness.
13. Cool cake in pan on rack for about 2 hours.

ORANGE CREAM CHEESE FROSTING DIRECTIONS

1. Cream butter with electric mixer until smooth.
2. Add cream cheese and continue beating until smooth.
3. Add vanilla and orange liqueur and mix to incorporate well.
4. Add sugar 1 cup at a time and mix on low to moisten and then on high to smooth.
5. Chill until ready to use.

*RESOURCES:
Saigon Cinnamon - FoodieAffair.com
Vanilla Extract - FoodieAffair.com
Orange Liqueur - FoodieAffair.com