CHOCOLATE, CHOCOLATE, CHOCOLATE

[Kitchen Witch]

DOUBLE CHOCOLATE BROWNIE CAKE

1 box (18.25 oz.) devil's food cake mix
1 box (3.9 oz.) instant chocolate pudding mix
4 eggs
1 c. sour cream
1/2 c. vegetable oil
1/2 c. water
2 c. semisweet chocolate chips (12 oz. bag)

Preheat oven to 350* F. Grease and flour 10-inch bundt pan. Have all ingredients at room temperature. In large bowl, stir together cake mix and pudding mix. Make a well in the center and pour in eggs, sour cream, oil and water. Beat on low speed until blended. Scrape bowl, and beat 4 minutes on medium speed. Stir in chocolate chips. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake for 50 to 60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Allow to cool.


ALL-ABOUT-THE-CHOCOLATE CAKE WITH RASPBERRY COULIS

8 oz. good quality baking chocolate, chopped
½ c. (1 stick) unsalted butter
¼ c. sugar
4 egg yolks
4 3gg whites
1 t. vanilla extract
1 T. dark brown sugar

Combine chocolate and butter in double-boiler. Melt. Add sugar; stir to dissolve. Remove from heat and let cool slightly. Add egg yolks, one at a time. Stir in vanilla. Beat white until foamy. Add brown sugar, beat to soft peak. Fold into chocolate mixture. Pour into buttered 9-inch cake pan. Set pan in larger pan filled about halfway up with boiling water. Bake 350* F. about 30 minutes. Do not overcook. Cool. Prepare coulis: Puree 12 oz. fresh raspberries with 2 T. sugar. Strain. Spoon coulis on plate, cover with piece of cake, spoon more coulis over and top with whipped cream.



CHOCOLATE ICED CAKE
CAKE:
1 c. butter
½ c. crisco
2 ¾ c. sugar
5 lg. eggs
3 c. cake flour, sifted
¼ t. baking powder
¾ c. evaporated milk
¼ c. water
2 t. vanilla extract

Grease 3 9-inch cake tins; line with rounds of waxed paper; grease top of paper well; dust with flour. Cream butter, shortening and sugar until light and fluffy. Sift dry ingredients. Combine milk, water and vanilla. Add flour mixture to batter alternately with milk, beginning and ending with flour. Bake 350* F. 30 to 35 minutes or until tests done. Cool 10 minutes in pans; remove to racks.

ICING:
1 pkg. (8 oz.) cream cheese
½ c. butter
1 lb. confectioners? sugar
1/3 c. cocoa
1 t. vanilla

Beat cream cheese and butter; gradually add sugar; cocoa and vanilla.



CHOCOLATE CHIP CAKE

2 c. flour
1 c. brown sugar
1/2 c. sugar
3 t. baking powder
1 t. salt
1/2 t. baking soda
1/2 c. shortening
1 1/4 c. milk
3 eggs
1/2 c. semisweet chocolate chips, finely chopped
OR 1/2 c. semisweet miniature chocolate chips
1 1/2 t. vanilla

Heat the oven to 350* F. Grease and flour 13 x 9-inch pan or 2 round layer pans.
Beat all the ingredients in a larger mixer bowl on low speed, scraping the bowl often.
Beat on high speed for 3 minutes. Bake 40 to 45 minutes, or until cake tests done.
Cool. Frost if desired.


CHOCOLATE MOCHA YULE LOG

4 egg yolks
4 egg whites
½ c. sugar, divided
1 T. plus 1 t. vanilla, divided
1/3 c. flour
½ c. cocoa, divided
½ t. baking powder
¼ t. baking soda
3/8 t. salt, divided
1 ½ c. whipping dream
2 ¼ c. confectioners? sugar, divided
1 ½ t. instant coffee powder
3 oz. unsweetened chocolate
2 T. butter or margarine
Fresh raspberries for garnish (optional)

Preheat oven to 350* F. Spray jelly roll pan. Beat yolks until thick and lemon-colored, about 5 minutes. Gradually add ¼ c. sugar, 2 T. water and 1 T. vanilla; beat well. Combine flour, ¼ c. cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and ¼ t. salt in small bowl; gradually add to yolk mixture. Beat white on high to soft peak; continue to beat while adding ¼ c. sugar forming stiff peaks. Stir about ¼ of the whites into the chocolate mixture. Fold in remaining whites until no streaks remain. Spread in pan. Bake 8 t0 10 minutes, or until cake springs back when touche4d lightly in center. Invert onto cotton-sack towel which has been sprinkled with 1 T. cocoa. Roll up jelly-roll style. Cool, seam side down on rack.

Prepare Filling: Beat whipping cream until slightly thick. Add 3 T. confectioners? sugar, remaining 3 T. cocoa and coffee powder; beat until stiff. Carefully unroll cake and spread with filling. Reroll using towel as a guide.

Prepare Icing: Heat chocolate, remaining ¼ c. water and remaining 1/8 t. salt in small saucepan over low heat to melt. Remove from heat and gradually add 2 c. sifted confectioners? sugar, 1 t. vanilla and mix well. Frost with icing and dust with remaining 1 T. confectioners; sugar. Garnish with raspberries and mint leaves before serving.



CHOCOLATE SPRINKLE CUPCAKES
MAKES 10

1 ¾ c. flour
1 ½ t. baking powder
¼ t. salt
½ c. (1 stick) butter, softened
¾ c. sugar
2 eggs
1/2 t. vanilla extract
½ c. milk
2 T. chocolate sprinkles
Chocolate Frosting
Additional sprinkles for topping

Preheat oven to 350* F. Line muffin cups. Whisk dry ingredients. Beat sugar and butter until light and smooth, 2 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time with extract. On low speed, beat in flour alternately with milk. Fold in sprinkles. Fill cups 1/3 c. each. Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until tests done. Cool. Frost. Sprinkle.


SAVANNAH CHOCOLATE CAKE WITH HOT FUDGE SAUCE

CHOCOLATE CAKE:
2 c. brown sugar
1/2 c. vegetable shortening
1 c. buttermilk
1 t. vanilla
2 oz. unsweetened chocolate, melted
3 eggs
2 c. sifted flour
1 t. baking soda
1/2 t. salt
HOT FUDGE SAUCE:
1 bar (4 oz.) German chocolate
½ oz. unsweetened chocolate
8 T. (1 stick) butter
3 c. confectioners? sugar
1 2/3 c. evaporated milk
1 1/4 t. vanilla

Preheat oven to 350* F. Cream brown sugar with shortening; add buttermilk and vanilla; beat in melted chocolate. With mixer running, add eggs, one at a time. Sift flour, baking soda, and salt. Add dry ingredients to sugar mixture and beat for 2 minutes.
Grease and flour 13 X 9-inch pan. Bake until cake is springy and tests done, about 40 minutes. Allow cake to cool for 10 minutes then turn it out onto a rack to finish cooling.
To make the sauce: Melt the German chocolate with butter in a saucepan over very low heat. Stir in confectioners? sugar, alternating with evaporated milk and blending well. Stirring constantly, bring mixture to a simmer over medium heat. Simmer until the mixture becomes thick and creamy, about 8 minutes. Stir in vanilla. Serve slices of cake topped with warm fudge sauce.



DOUBLE CHOCOLATE GOOEY BUTTER CAKE

8 T. (1 stick) butter, melted, plus 8 more T. (1 stick) butter, melted, plus additional butter, for greasing pan
1 box (18.25 oz.) chocolate cake mix
1 egg, plus 2 eggs
8 oz. cream cheese, softened
3 to 4 T. cocoa powder
1 lb. confectioners? sugar
1 t. vanilla extract
1 c. chopped nuts

Preheat oven to 350* F. Lightly grease 13 X 9-inch pan. Combine cake mix, 1 egg, and 1 stick melted butter, and stir until well blended. Pat mixture into prepared pan and set aside. Beat cream cheese until smooth. Add remaining 2 eggs, and cocoa. Lower speed of mixer, and add powdered sugar. Continue beating until ingredients are well mixed. Slowly add remaining 1 stick of melted butter and vanilla, continuing to beat until smooth. Stir in nuts. Spread filling over cake mixture in pan. Bake 40 to 50 minutes. Be careful not to overcook cake; the center should still be a little gooey when finished baking. Let cake partially cool on a wire rack before cutting into pieces.



WILMINGTON ISLAND MARSH MUD CAKE

CAKE:
1/2 c. cocoa
1 c. (2 sticks) butter, melted, plus extra butter for greasing pan
4 eggs, beaten
1 1/2 c. flour
2 c. sugar
1/8 t. fine salt
1 t. vanilla extract
1 1/2 c. chopped pecans
FROSTING:
1 box (16 oz.) light brown sugar
1/3 c. cocoa
1/2 c. (1 stick) butter, softened
1/2 c. milk, scalded
1 t. pure vanilla extract
1 bag (10.5 oz.) miniature marshmallows

Preheat oven to 350* F. Grease 13 X 9-inch pan with butter. Whisk cocoa and melted butter. Add eggs, flour, sugar, salt, and vanilla. Beat well. Add nuts. Pour into pan. Bake for 35 minutes. While cake is baking, prepare frosting. Beat brown sugar and butter. Add cocoa and beat. Stir in scalded milk and vanilla together in a mixing bowl and beat until smooth. Set aside. Remove cake from the oven, and pour marshmallows over cake while it is still hot. Pour frosting over marshmallows. Let cool slightly before cutting into pieces.



SIX-LAYER CHOCOLATE CAKE

CAKE:
1 c. butter, room temperature
2 c. sugar
4 eggs
3 c. self-rising flour, sifted
1 c. milk
1 t. vanilla extract
FROSTING:
1 c. sugar
1/3 c. cocoa powder
1/2 c. butter
2/3 c. half-and-half
2 T. corn syrup
1/8 . salt
1 lb. confectioners' sugar, sifted, plus 1 c. extra
1 t. vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350* F. Grease and flour 3 (9-inch) round cake pans. Cream butter until fluffy. Add sugar and continue to cream for approximately 6 to 8 minutes. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add flour and milk, alternately to creamed mixture, beginning and ending with flour. Add vanilla and continue to mix until incorporated. To bake 6 layers of cake 3 at a time, divide batter in 1/2, then divide each 1/2 among the 3 pans. Level batter in each pan by dropping pan flat onto counter top to release air bubbles. Bake each cake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until golden brown. Cool in pans for 5 to 10 minutes. Invert cakes and repeat process with remaining cake batter.
Prepare frosting while cakes are cooling. Mix sugar, cocoa, butter, half-and-half, corn syrup, and salt in a saucepan, stir, and bring to a boil. Continue to boil, stirring occasionally for 3 minutes. The syrup will become thick. Remove syrup from heat, and beat in confectioners' sugar and vanilla extract. Allow frosting to rest for a couple of minutes. At this time, if the frosting is too thick for spreading, add a bit of half-and-half, 1 T. at a time, to bring frosting to proper spreading consistency.



CHOCOLATE CHIP COFFEE CAKE

1 c. semisweet morsels
1 pkg. (16 oz.) pound cake mix
1 tub (8 oz.) sour cream
½ c. milk
2 large eggs
Streusel Topping

Combine morsels with 1 T. cake mix. Beat sour cream, eggs and remaining cake mix on low; increase speed and beat 3 minutes more. Spoon half of mixture into lightly greased 13 X 9-inch pan. Sprinkle with chips. Top with remaining batter; top with Streusel Topping. Bake at 350* F. for 25 minutes or until tests done.

STREUSEL TOPPING
MAKES 1 ½ CUPS

½ c. brown sugar
2 T. flour
1 ½ t. cinnamon
1 c. chopped pecans, toasted
2 T. melted butter or margarine

Combine sugar, cinnamon and flour; stir in pecans until crumbly.


CAKES AND FROSTINGS

MOLTEN CHOCOLATE EARTH CAKE

1 c. flour
3/4 c. sugar
1/4 c. plus 2 T. cocoa, divided
2 t. baking powder
1/2 t. salt
1/2 c. milk
2 T. vegetable oil
1 t. vanilla extract
3/4 c. chopped walnuts
3/4 c. dark or light brown sugar
1-3/4 c. hot water

Preheat oven to 350* F. Coat 9-inch round baking pan or deep-dish pie plate with nonstick cooking spray. In large bowl, combine flour, sugar, 2 T. cocoa, baking powder, and salt. Add milk, oil, and vanilla; mix with spoon until smooth. Stir in walnuts then pour batter into baking pan. In small bowl, combine brown sugar and remaining 1/4 c. cocoa; sprinkle evenly over batter. Pour hot water over brown sugar and cocoa.
Bake 35 to 40 minutes, or until top is cracked and brownies are just firm to the touch. Remove from oven and let cool for 10 minutes. While still warm, cut into wedges and serve topped with sauce from bottom of pan.