Chocolate Pudding Cake
1 stick oleo
1 c. flour
1 c. chopped nuts
8 oz. pkg. cream cheese
1 c. powdered sugar
1 c. or more Cool Whip from 9 oz.
carton
1 sm. box chocolate instant pudding
1 sm. box vanilla instant pudding
2 c. milk

Combine oleo, flour and nuts. Press into 9 x 13 inch pan and bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes. Cool. Fill with the following blend - cream cheese, powdered sugar and Cool Whip. Top with the pudding mixture - both pudding packages mixed with 2 cups milk. Top with rest of Cool Whip.

Sour Cream Chocolate Cake and Frosting
CAKE
2 c. flour
2 c. sugar
1 c. water
3/4 c. sour cream
1/4 c. shortening
1 1/4 tsp. salt
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 tsp. baking powder
2 eggs
4 oz. unsweetened chocolate, melted

FROSTING
1/3 c. butter
3 oz. unsweetened chocolate, melted
3 c. confectioners sugar
1/2 c. sour cream
2 tsp. vanilla

CAKE: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a 13 x 9 inch oblong pan. Measure all cake ingredients into large mixing bowl. Mix 1/2 minute on low speed, scraping bowl constantly. Beat 3 minutes at high speed, scraping bowl occasionally. Pour into pan and bake 40 to 45 minutes. FROSTING: Mix butter and chocolate thoroughly. Blend in sugar. Stir in sour cream and vanilla. Beat until smooth.

Chocolate Cream Cake
1 pkg. (8 oz.) cream cheese, softened
1 c. confectioners' sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 1/2 c. heavy cream, whipped
1 pkg. chocolate chocolate chip
cookies
1 lg. banana, sliced
1 can (8 oz.) pineapple chunks,
drained
1 c. halved strawberries
Strawberries for garnish, optional

In a mixer bowl, whip cream cheese with sugar until light and fluffy. Blend in vanilla. Fold in whipped cream. Arrange cookies around sides and bottom of 9 inch springform pan or cake pan with removable bottom. Spread 1/2 of filling in pan. Arrange fruit on filling. Top with remaining filling. Chill until set. Garnish with whole strawberries if desired. Makes one 9 inch cake.

Log Cabin Chocolate Cake
2 2/3 c. flour
2/3 c. cocoa
1 tsp. salt
2 tsp. baking soda
2 1/2 c. sugar
1 c. Mazola oil
2 c. coffee
2 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla

Combine flour, cocoa, salt, baking soda and sugar. Make a well in the center of the mixture. Add the oil, coffee, eggs and vanilla. Blend together. Beat until smooth. Bake at 375 degrees for 1 hour.  frost"Caution" it is a large cake!

Andiamo Warm Chocolate Raspberry Mini-Cakes 1 basket fresh raspberries 3/4 cup granulated sugar 1/4 cup brandy 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon 1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder 2 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, chopped 1/4 cup unsalted butter, cut small 2 large egg yolks 1 large egg 2 teaspoons flour Combine raspberries with 1/2 cup sugar, brandy and cinnamon in a medium saucepan. Stir and simmer over medium heat until sugar dissolves and sauce thickens, about 10 minutes. Remove 1/4 cup of raspberries from saucepan and drain, saving sauce. Butter two 3/4 cup custard cups. Whisk cocoa and remaining 1/4 cup sugar in a small bowl. Stir chocolate and butter in heavy small saucepan over low heat until chocolate melts and mixture is smooth. Whisk in cocoa mixture. Whisk in egg yolks, then whole egg and flour. Fold in reserved 1/4 cup berries. Pour batter into two custard cups. Bake at 350 degrees F until edges are set and center is still shiny and tester comes out with some wet batter attached, about 22 minutes (17 if convection oven set at 325 degrees F). To serve, cut around warm cakes to loosen. Turn out onto plates. Spoon sauce on the side. Sift confectioners' sugar over and garnish with mint. Chef's Note: Cakes are to have a slightly soft center. both sauce and cakes can be made ahead of time. Cakes can be made ahead of time and refrigerated. When ready to eat, heat in microwave for about 1 minute. Source: Chef Barbara Mikacich, Andiamo, Sacramento, CA

Chocolate Praline Upside-down Cake

1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup butter
1/4 cup whipping cream
3/4 cup finely chopped pecans
2 1/4 cups cake flour
2 cups granulated sugar
3/4 cup sour cream
1/4 cup shortening
1 cup water
1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
2 eggs
4 ounces unsweetened baking chocolate, melted and cooled
Whipped Cream Topping (see directions)
Pecan halves

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour 3 round pans, 9 x 1
1/2 inches. In a medium saucepan, heat brown sugar, butter and
whipping cream over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until
butter is melted. Divide among pans; spread evenly. Sprinkle
with chopped pecans.

For cake batter, beat cake flour, sugar, sour cream, shortening,
water, baking soda, salt, vanilla, baking powder, eggs and
melted baking chocolate in large bowl of an electric mixer on
low speed 30 seconds. Beat on high speed 3 minutes. Pour batter
over pecans in pans; spread evenly. Bake at 350 degrees for
22 to 25 minutes,
staggering cake pans in oven on middle racks for even heat flow.
Cake layers are done when top springs back when touched lightly.
Cool 5 minutes. Turn upside down onto wire racks; let pans sit
for a few minutes before removing pans. Cool completely.

Place 1 layer, pecan side up, on cake plate. Spread with a third
of the Whipped Cream Topping. Repeat with remaining layers.
Garnish top of cake with a circle of pecan halves.
Store covered in the refrigerator.

Whipped Cream Topping: Beat 1 cup whipping cream, 2 tablespoons
powdered sugar and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla in a chilled medium bowl
with electric mixer on high speed until cream is stiff

Chocolate Macaroon Bundt Cake



1 egg white, reserving yolk

1/4 cup sugar

1 TB flour

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1 cup shredded coconut

2 cups flour

1-3/4 cups sugar

1/2 cup cocoa powder

1/2 tsp. salt

1 tsp. baking soda

2 tsp. vanilla extract

3 eggs

1 reserved egg yolk

3/4 cup water

1/2 cup butter, softened

1/2 cup sour cream



~~~Chocolate Glaze~~~

1/4 cup butter

3 cups powdered sugar

2 TB cocoa powder

3-4 TB milk

1 tsp. vanilla extract



Preheat oven to 350º F. Grease and flour* a 10" Bundt pan (nonstick too) and

set aside.



In small bowl, beat egg white until foamy. Gradually beat in 1/4 cup sugar

until stiff peaks form.



Fold in coconut, 1 TB flour, and 1 tsp. vanilla extract. Set aside.



In large bowl, place 2 cups flour, 1-3/4 cups sugar, cocoa, salt, baking

soda, 2 tsp. vanilla, 3 eggs,

1 egg yolk, water, butter, and sour cream. With same beaters, mix batter on

low until combined,

then beat on medium high for 3 minutes.



Pour half of cake batter into prepared pan. Drop coconut filling by teaspoons

in the center of the

batter, keeping the filling away from the edges of the pan. Cover filling

with remaining cake batter.



Bake in a preheated 350º F., oven for 50 to 60 minutes until cake is set,

edges start pulling away

from pan, and a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean.



Cool in pan for 10 minutes, then loosen edges and invert cake onto serving

plate. Cool completely.



To make Chocolate Glaze:

In medium sauce pan, melt 1/4 cup butter. Add powdered sugar, 2 TB cocoa

powder, milk, and

vanilla. Remove from heat, and beat with wire whisk until blended and creamy.

Add more milk or

powdered sugar, as needed, to reach desired spreading consistency.



Frost cake. Store covered at room temperature. Makes: 12 servings.



*Note: I prefer to dust the pan with granulated sugar instead of

flour.

All-Occasion Marble Cake



Prep Time: 35 minutes min

Cook Time: 35 minutes min



Ingredients



Cake

1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa

1 1/4 cups granulated sugar

1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened

3 eggs

1 cup milk

2 teaspoons vanilla

3 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

Frosting

1 1/2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

3 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

2 cups confectioners' sugar

1/4 cup milk

Preparation

For the cake: Heat oven to 350° F. Lightly coat a 9-by-13-inch baking

pan with vegetable cooking spray; set aside.



In a medium bowl, combine the cocoa, 1/4 cup granulated sugar, and 1/4

cup water. In a large bowl, with an electric mixer at medium-high,

beat the butter with the remaining sugar until light and fluffy.

Reduce speed to low, add the remaining ingredients, and beat until smooth.



Spoon 2 cups of the vanilla batter into the bowl with the cocoa

mixture; blend until smooth. Pour the vanilla batter into baking pan.

Spoon in the chocolate batter to create six puddles on top of the

vanilla batter. Using a knife, drag through the two batters to

marbleize. Bake 22 to 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the

center comes out clean. Remove from oven and cool completely on a wire

rack.



For the frosting: Melt the chocolate in a Pyrex measuring cup in a pan

of simmering water; stir.



In a medium bowl, with an electric mixer at medium speed, beat the

butter, sugar, and melted chocolate, adding just enough milk to make a

spreadable frosting. Frost the cooled cake.

Yield



16 servings

Flourless Chocolate Cake

Ingredients:

4 ounces unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

8 ounces bittersweet chocolate, cut into small pieces

5 eggs, separated

Pinch salt

2/3 cup sugar

Powdered sugar, for garnish

Unsweetened whipped cream, for garnish Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Butter and flour a 10-inch round cake pan. Combine the butter and chocolate and melt in a double boiler over barely simmering water. Whisk together the egg yolks, salt, and all but 3 tablespoons of the sugar. Stir the melted chocolate into the egg yolks until thoroughly combined. With an electric mixer, on medium speed, beat the egg whites until soft peaks form. Gradually beat in the remaining sugar and continue to whip until the egg whites are stiff, but not dry. Carefully fold the chocolate mixture into the egg whites. Pour into the prepared pan. Bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes. Turn out onto a rack immediately. As the cake cools, the center will sink and crack - do not worry. Dust the cake with powdered sugar or decorate the top with melted chocolate and serve with unsweetened whipped cream.

Chocolate Snickerdoodle Cake

Solid vegetable shortening for greasing pans
Flour for dusting the pans
1 dark chocolate fudge cake mix
3/4 cup milk
3/4 cup vegetable oil
3 large eggs
2 tsps ground cinnamon
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
Cinnamon-Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting

Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 350º.
Generously grease two 9" round cake pans with solid vegetable shortening,

then dust with flour. Shake out the excess flour. Set pans aside.

Place the cake mix, milk, oil, eggs, cinnamon and vanilla in a largemixing bowl.

 Blend with an electric mixer on low speed for 1minute.

Stop the machine and scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Increase the mixer speed to medium and beat 2 minutes more, scraping down the sides again if needed. The batter should look well combined.

Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans, smoothing it out with the rubber spatula. Place thepans in the oven side by side.

Bake the cakes until they spring back when lightly pressed with your finger, 28-32 minutes.

 

Remove the pans from the oven and place them on wire racks to cool for 10 minutes. Run a dinner knife around the edge of each layer and invert each onto a rack, then invert again onto another rack so that the cakes are right side up.

Allow to cool completely, 30 minutes more.

Meanwhile, prepare the Cinnamon-Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting.

Place one cake layer, right side up, on a serving platter.

Spread the top with frosting. Place the second layer, right side up, on top of the first layer and frost the top and sides of the cake with clean, smooth strokes.

Place this cake, uncovered or in a cake saver, in the refrigerator until the frosting sets, 20 minutes. Then store it in a cake saver or under a glass dome at room temperature for up to 3 days, or in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.

 

Or freeze it, wrapped in aluminum foil or in a cake saver, for up to 6 months.

Thaw the cake overnight in the refrigerator before serving.

Note: For a richer cake-use whole milk; for a more tender cake-use 12 tablespoons butter(melted) in place of the oil.

Serves 16

Cinnamon-Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting

1-8oz pkg cream cheese, at room temperature
8 T butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup Dutch-process unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
4 cups confectioners sugar, sifted

Place the cream chese and the butter in a large mixing bowl.

Blend with an electric mixer on low speed until well combined, 30 seconds.

Stop the machine. Add the cocoa powder, cinnamon, vanilla and 3-3/4 cups

of the confectioners sugar. Blend with the mixer on low speed until the ingredients are moistened, 30 seconds. Add more sugar if the frosting seems too thin.

Increase the speed to medium and beat until the frosting is fluffy, 2 minutes more.

Use to frost the top and sides of the cake.