Jennifer's Week Thirty-Four Recipe: Dr. Theophilus's Doctored Devil's Food Cake

Someone made a comment to me that there was not enough chocolate on the blog. So, I decided to help fix that issue. The name of the original recipe was "Too Much Chocolate Cake". A voice in my head said "There is no such thing!" So, I changed the name.

Dr. Theophilus's Doctored Devil's Food Cake

1 (18.25oz) package of Devil's Food Cake mix

1 (5.70z) package of instant chocolate pudding mix

1 cup sour cream

1 cup vegetable oil

4 eggs, beaten

1/2 cup warm water

2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips (I just dumped a bag in. I figured it was close!)

Preheat oven to 350. Grease a 12 cup (or larger) Bundt pan

In a large bowl, mix together the cake mix, pudding mix, sour cream, oil, eggs and water. When well combined, stir in the chocolate chips. Pour batter into the Bundt pan.

Bake for 50 to 55 minutes, or until the top is springy to the touch and a wooden toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Cool the cake thoroughly in the pan for an hour to an hour and a half (or 3 hours, because you got busy with other things and forgot about the cake despite how good your house smelled) before inverting it onto a plate. If desired, top with powdered sugar (or a chocolate glaze)

I think Dr. Theophilus would approve.

Jennifer's Week Thirty Recipe: Chocolate Chocolate Chip Cookies

My brother-in-law was kind enough to watch Loki while Chad and I ventured to the North Shore for a few days and I decided to thank him by making him some cookies that he could munch on while he played his video games and talked to his girlfriend. I figured it was also a good time to try out a new recipe. My pantry had someone acquired many bags of chocolate chips, so in an effort to use some of them, I made these.

Ingredients

• 1 cup butter, softened
• 1 1/2 cups white sugar
• 2 eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2/3 cup cocoa powder
• 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts (optional) (I used macadamia nuts)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. In large bowl, beat butter, sugar, eggs, and vanilla until light and fluffy. Combine the flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt; stir into the butter mixture until well blended. Mix in the chocolate chips and walnuts. Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheets.
3. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes in the preheated oven, or just until set. Cool slightly on the cookie sheets before transferring to wire racks to cool completely.

These cookies were Joe, Chad and Erik approved. Also, it has been 5 days since I made them and they are still soft. Very yummy and will be made again sometime in the future.

Jennifer's Week Twenty-Six Recipe: White Chip Chocolate Cookies

I have wanted to make a reverse chocolate chip cookie for a long time and finally got around to doing it when I offered to bring dessert to Chez Olson for a play date.

And, yes, I know that some people think white chocolate is "unnatural"!

Ingredients

• 1 cup butter, softened
• 2 cups white sugar
• 2 eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 2/3 cups white chocolate chips

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until smooth. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then stir in the vanilla. Combine the flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt; stir into the creamed mixture. Fold in the white chocolate chips. Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheets.
3. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes in the preheated oven, until cookies are set. Allow cookies to cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.

These cookies are very tasty. Dangerously tasty. And Cheyenne mentioned a way to make them even tastier! Macadamia nuts. I think next time I will reduce the amount of white chocolate chips and add some of those tasty Hawaiian nuts.

Karin's Week Twelve Recipe: Black Bottom Cupcakes

We went for a visit to my sister-in-law's house and I was on task for dessert. Seeing as there are 2 small ones and 1 very wee one in this household, I decided to make cupcakes for a more portable and easy-to-eat dessert. I was going to make a really basic cupcake until I saw this recipe from the Joy of Cooking. And, I actually had all of the ingredients on hand, so no alterations.

Black Bottom Cupcakes

Preheat oven to 350 deg.

8 oz cream cheese, softened
1/3 c sugar
1 egg
1 c chocolate chips

Beat cream cheese and sugar in medium bowl until smooth. Add egg and beat until smooth. Stir in chocolate chips. Set aside.

1.5 c flour
1 c sugar
1/4 c unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 c water
1/3 c vegetable oil
1 T white vinegar
1 tsp vanilla

Whisk dry ingredients together in large bowl until blended. Add wet ingredients and stir with rubber spatula just until smooth. Fill muffin cups about half full. Place heaping tablespoon of the cream cheese mixture in the center of each. Bake until toothpick inserted into cakey part of cupcake comes out clean, about 20-25 min. Remove from pan and let cool completely on rack before frosting or sprinkling with powdered sugar.

Makes 17 cupcakes, plus 3 cupcake papers full of only white filling. (Says it makes 18 cupcakes.)

Results were most enjoyable. I used a Betty Crocker Dutch Chocolate frosting on top, as the white centers still show on the top of the cupcake, and I didn't have time to make frosting. I figured, why not add more chocolate? In fact, my 8-year-old nephew said they were possibly the best cupcakes he'd ever had, and could I please give his mom the recipe so that he could have them for his birthday next month. He reminded me of his request a few hours later as we left - so I think they were a big hit. Everyone, including all the adults present felt that 2 cupcakes per person was the minimum serving allowed!

Karin's BONUS Week Seven Recipe: Tunnel of Fudge Cake

At some point in the past, I thought it would be fun to have a Bundt pan, to make the fancy looking cakes that come out of it. Being me, I bought the big 12-cup sized pan, and at the time, being single had no one to bake giant cakes for, as eating too much cake is not good for oneself. Now, however, that has changed, and I reside with someone who loves to eat (and cook when the occasion presents itself). Now, the world of Bundt has opened itself to me.

These cakes are usually quite easy to make, and turn out looking fabulous, as long as you grease the pan well. I'd heard quite a bit about the Tunnel of Fudge cake over the years, and how it won a bake-off, but never made it. It was also in my Bundt Classics Cookbook. I had to make a chocolate cake for my father-in-law's birthday on Valentine's Day, and thought, "What better cake to try than Tunnel of Fudge?"

I will warn you, gentle readers, the ingredients in this cake may put you into shock, as it really does only make 1 cake.

Tunnel of Fudge Cake

Cake
1 3/4 c butter, softened
1 3/4 c sugar
6 eggs (Yes 6!)
2 c powdered sugar
2 1/4 c flour
3/4 c cocoa
2 c chopped walnuts*

Glaze
3/4 c powdered sugar
1/4 c cocoa
1 1/2 - 2 T milk

*Nuts are essential to the success of the cake

Heat oven to 325. Grease and flour a 12-c Bundt pan (I used cocoa powder instead of flour, as this is a chocolate cake, and I did not want white flour powder on my finished cake). In a large bowl, mix butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Gradually add powdered sugar; mixing well.

By hand, stire in all remaining cake ingredients until well blended. Spoon batter into prepared pan; spread evenly. Bake at 325 for 60-64 minutes. Accurate temp and time are important, as you cannot use a toothpick to test for doneness. (I looked up several versions of this on the web, and most said when the cake pulls away from the edge of the pan, it's done.)

Cool upright in pan on cooling rack 1 hour; invert onto serving plate. Cool completely.

In a small bowl, combine all glaze ingredients; mix well. Spoon over top of cake, allowing some to run down sides. I actually used about 2x as much milk as called for in order to get the glaze to be runny enough to drip down the sides of the cake.

I would make this cake again, as it was very moist and chocolatey, however, it did not have a "tunnel of fudge" as promised, but a very moist and chewy brownie-like center. I looked up several versions of this recipe online, including the one on Pillsbury's website (as it won a Pillsbury bake-off), and they are the same as this one. Some comments though, said that the original recipe had a packet of powdered fudge frosting mix in it, and that created the tunnel of fudge part. The cake didn't look at all like any of the pictures I've seen of a cut Tunnel of Fudge cake, which was disappointing. But in terms of taste, Yum!

Jennifer's Week Six Recipe: Hoth Chocolate

Yes, my recipe is a bit late, but due to a funeral out of state and the nastiest cold to ever invade my body, I'm a bit behind with getting a recipe up. Do not fret, there shall be two for week seven!

This week's entry comes from The Star Wars Cookbook: Wookiee Cookies and Other Galactic Recipes. Yes, this is technically a children's cookbook. (Remember that as you read the directions.) It even has a sequel that I have yet to acquire! If there is one thing this blog is doing, it's getting me to go through all of my cookbooks that have just been sitting around looking nice on a shelf.


Hoth Chocolate

1 cup milk
2 heaping teaspoons sugar
1 heaping teaspoon unsweetened cocoa powder
1/8 teaspoon vanilla extract
small marshmallows (optional)

1. Pour the milk into a small saucepan. Add sugar, cocoa powder, and vanilla to the milk. Stir vigorously with a whisk until the sugar and cocoa dissolve.

2. Place the pan on the stove and switch on the heat to medium. Watch for tiny bubbles to appear along the edge of the pan, then immediately remove the pan from the heat.

3. Carefully pour into the mug and serve immediately with marshmallows, if desires.

Makes 1 serving


Yes, I will make this again. I found it to be quite good and not overwhelmingly sweet like the little packets can be. I have a feeling that Erik will want me to make this very often once he finds out that I can make "real" hot chocolate.

Karin's Week Three Recipe: Nutella Pound Cake

This recipe came out of the "real food" magazine put out by the Lunds/Byerly's grocery chain - the Winter 2009 issue. My mother knows how much I like Nutella and how much my household likes sweets, and thought it would be a great recipe for us.

Nutella Pound Cake

4 large eggs, at room temp
2t vanilla
1.5 c flour
3/4 t baking powder
1/4 t salt
1c (2 sticks) butter, softened
1 1/4 c sugar
1 jar Nutella

Preheat oven to 325. Grease and flour a 9x5 loaf pan. Fill a medium bowl with very hot tap water, and set in the unopened jar of Nutella. Combine the eggs and vanilla in a large measuring cup and lightly beat together. Combine the flour, baking powder and salt (I used about 2 twists of my salt grinder) in a medium mixing bowl.

Cream the butter and sugar in a large bowl on medium-high speed until fluffy, about 3min, scraping down bowl if necessary. Reduce speed to medium-low and pour in egg mixture in a slow stream, stopping once or twice to scrape down bowl. Turn mixer to low and add the flour mixture 1/2c at a time, scraping bowl after each addition. After last addition, mix for 30 sec on medium.

Scrape 1/3 of the batter into the pan and smooth with a spatula. Take the Nutella out of the water bath and spread 1/2 of the jar onto the batter, smoothing with a clean spatula. Repeat with remaining batter and Nutella, ending with batter on top. Run a butter knife through the pan to create marbling.

Bake 1h 15min until cake is golden and toothpick comes out clean. Let cake cool in pan for 15min and then remove from pan and cool on a rack.

I would definitely make this again. It is delicious and fairly easy to mix up. The only down side was that my cake fell in the center when cooling. This is probably due to the fact that I had to leave for work right after it came out of the oven, and so I cooled it in the pan. And, for some reason, my Nutella did not marble, but fell to the bottom of the cake, creating a "U" of fudge around the bottom of the cake. Still tasty though.

Karin's Week Two Recipe: Rocky Road Fudge Bars

This recipe is the result of needing to do something with the 3lb Toblerone candy bar that is sitting in my kitchen. There really is too much of it to just eat it, so I am trying to find something that one can do with that much candy. The recipe is one of Marjorie Johnson's from her cookbook "The Road to Blue Ribbon Baking". This lady has won over 1,000 blue ribbons at the Minnesota State Fair for her baked goods. Talk about a reputation! I knew this one had to be good.

The recipe also was a chance to use up almost all the baking supplies that I had on had. These are rich bars, as you will soon see. They also require a lot of bowls and pans to make. And it only used up 3 triangles of giant Toblerone, so there will be more dessert recipes to come.

Rocky Road Fudge Bars

Dough
1/2c butter
1 square (1 oz) unsweetened chocolate (I used cocoa powder and oil)
1c sugar
1c flour
1/2 to 1c chopped nuts (I used walnuts)
1t baking powder
1t vanilla
2 eggs

In large saucepan over low heat, melt butter and chocolate. Add remaining dough ingredients. Mix well. Spread in a greased/floured 9x13 pan.

Filling
8oz pkg cream cheese, softened
1/2c suguar
2T flour
1/4c butter, softened
1 egg
1/2t vanilla
1/4c chopped nuts (walnuts, again)
1c chocolate chips (I used chopped Toblerone instead)

2c mini marshmallows

In small bowl, combine 6oz cream cheese with next 5 ingredients. Blend until smooth and fluffy. Stir in nuts. Spread in pan over chocolate mixture. Sprinkle with chocolate chips. Bake at 350deg for 25-35 min or until toothpick comes out clean. Sprinkle with marshmallows and bake 2 min longer.

Frosting
1/4c butter
1 square (1 oz) unsweetened chocolate
Remaining 2oz cream cheese
1/4c milk
1 lb (3c) powdered sugar
1t vanilla

In a large saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter, chocolate, cream cheese and milk. Stir in powdered sugar and vanilla until smooth. Immediately pour over marshmallows and swirl together.

This recipe is good in very small doses. It is incredibly sweet and uses an entire pound of butter. If I make this again, I'd make it for a party where I know that we won't have to eat it all. Kids would probably love it, as it has all of the texture of rocky road ice cream.