Wednesday, October 21, 2009

Chocolate Bundt Cake

Chocolate Bundt Cake


This is a great chocolate cake that could be used for more cakes than just a bundt cake, but it's good enough to stand on it's own, served with freshly whipped cream and fruit or lightly iced. It's dense like a pound cake but not too sweet with a great chocolate flavor.

Chocolate Bundt Cake (will serve 12-16)

8 oz (2 sticks) softened unsalted butter
2 1/2 cups sugar
2 tsp vanilla
5 large eggs at room temperature
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 cup cocoa powder
2 cups cake flour
3 TBS instant espresso powder dissolved in 1/4 cup of hot water or 5 TBS of extra strong coffee or espresso
3/4 cup buttermilk slightly warm

Pre heat the oven to 335 degrees Fahrenheit. Cream together the butter and vanilla until light and fluffy (at least 5 minutes of mixing by hand or on second speed in a mixer with a paddle attachment). Make sure to stop and scrape the bowl and paddle often. Slowly add in the eggs (and vanilla), one at a time making sure it is completely mixed in before adding the next egg. Sift together the dry ingredients and in a separate bowl mix the buttermilk and coffee. Add 1/3 of the buttermilk mixture to the butter, once mixed in, add 1/3 of the dry ingredients. Continue alternating until everything is mixed in (you will have added the dry ingredients and buttermilk in 3 additions each). Pour batter into a greased bundt (or tube)pan. Bake at 335 degrees F until done. To test for doneness press on the center of the cake (gently), it should be firm enough to bounce back or if you were to insert a skewer (or toothpick) a few moist crumbs should stick to the skewer. Once the pan is cool enough to hold, turn the cake out onto a cooling rack to finish cooling. This will be good at room temperature for a few days as long as it remains well wrapped or this cake also freezes really well.

Sunday, October 11, 2009

Cereal Bars

Cereal Bars


These are really just rice crispy treats with some more stuff added in. I got this idea from Martha Stewart. I made a few changes to them, but they turned out great and will definitely be made again!

Cereal Bars (makes 12-16 bars)

4 cups Cornflakes
1 cup Unsweetened co0conut (can substitute sweetened)
1 1/2 Chopped toasted almonds
16 oz Marshmallows
2 TBS butter
1 tsp Vanilla
1/4 tsp Salt

Melt butter, add marshmallows and stir until melted. Add in the vanilla, and salt and stir. Take off the heat and stir in coconut, almonds and cornflakes. Press into a greased 13x9" pan (to get thick bars I didn't use the whole pan but about 3/4 of it- you could spread it out over the whole pan, but the bars would be thicker than pictured). Let them cool (the marshmallow will set up) and cut.