Desert Recipes - Easy Chocolate Chip Cake

The Best Chocolate Cake Recipe Ever
Like many of my generation, I was dispatched to boarding-school at a young age. There, we were served poor and insufficient food. Yes, there were times when I was hungry and the inadequacy of the diet also fostered an appetite for all things sweet, bordering on an addiction.

Not so in my borstal. Despite rules to the contrary, we squirreled away all tuck in our locker in the dormitory and it was then slowly gobbled up, sometimes in the dead of night, when other boys were not about to threaten one's food hoard. Salivary juices still run riot in my mouth when I think of those large wedges of chocolate cake, which I stuffed clandestinely into my mouth.

Even then, I dabbled in the kitchen and so I can remember that, in the case of this chocolate cake, ground rice and ground almonds partly or wholly took the place of the more usual flour. The cake also had two icings, a butter icing in the middle and a glacé icing on top. Many years later, I recall asking my Mother for the recipe for this school chocolate cake, which had brought me so much joy. In her characteristically vague way, she promised to search for it but she never did and she took the culinary secret of how it was made to her grave.

Over the years, my consequent inability to re-create this confection periodically came to mind and with it came a sense of sadness, a sadness I shared one day with my older sister. It is to be found in West of Ireland Summers, A Cookbook by Tasmin Day-Lewis. It is pure serendipity that this cookbook dwells on the author's memories of food eaten during childhood summers on the west coast of Mayo, for I too spent the happy summer holidays of my youth in this part of the country.

Be that as it may, with many thanks to Tasmin Day-Lewis, I now share this recipe with you. My sister was right.

175g good dark chocolate, chopped

175g butter

175g caster sugar

4 eggs separated

85g ground almond

85g flour

whole walnuts to decorate

RICH CHOCOLATE ICING:

125 g good dark chocolate, chopped

40g butter

85 ml cream

Put all the ingredients into a bowl over a saucepan of hot water and stir gently over the heat.

Cream the butter with the sugar (this is easily done in a food processor), add the egg yolks one by one, then the almonds, flour and the melted chocolate.

Whisk the egg whites until they form soft peaks and gently fold them into the mixture, little by little.

Divide the mixture between the two sandwich tins and cook in the oven for about 20 minutes. Leave to cool slightly in the tins and then turn out on a wire rack.

When cold, sandwich the cakes together with half the icing and spread the other half on top, which I also like to decorate with whole walnuts.

Delicious Recipe For Grandma's Old Fashion Chocolate Cake With Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting
Was there anyone who made a better chocolate cake when you were a child than your grandma? Why not go back in time and enjoy a delicious old fashion chocolate cake today with your family? Be sure to make the Chocolate Creme Cheese Frosting too as that really makes the cake delicious.

1/2 cup solid shortening
2 cups granulated sugar
1 tsp vanilla
2 oz unsweetened chocolate, melted and cooled
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups buttermilk

Grease and flour 2 9-inch cake pans; set aside.

In a large mixing bowl cream together the shortening and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition. Stir in the vanilla and the melted chocolate. Mix well and pour evenly into the two prepared pans. Bake at 325 degrees for 40 minutes or until a wooden toothpick inserted in the center of the cakes comes out clean. Cool in the pans for 10 minutes.

1/2 cup butter, softened
1 pkg (8-oz) cream cheese
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp salt
2 lb powdered sugar
3 tbsp milk or cream
3 oz unsweetened chocolate, melted and cooled

Gradually add the powdered sugar while beating with electric mixer on low speed.

Enjoy!

Today, we all lead very busy lives and don't have hours to spend in our kitchens baking cakes.

When I am pressed for time and need a nice dessert cake, I will reach for a box of chocolate cake mix. I don't bake just plain cakes, I like to add things to them to make them 'extra special'.

1. Invest in a cake tester. You can pick up one for less than $6.00 at most kitchen stores.

2. I tend to remove my cakes from the oven 3-4 minutes before the recommended time because they will continue baking in the cake pan.

4. Always let your cakes cool before frosting them.

1 chocolate cake mix
3 oz. 1 c. boiling water
tub of cool whip

1 3/4 c. milk
2 eggs
chocolate chips

Pour into greased and floured bundt pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 55 minutes or until cake is done.

Poke holes in cake with a fork. Pour sweetened condensed milk over cake and spread evenly. Spread fudge topping over cake. Wait another 5 minutes. Spread cool whip over cake and sprinkle crushed candy bars over the top.

Turtle Chocolate

margarine
1/2 c. 1 c. chopped pecans
6 oz.

Mix cake according to directions. Pour half of the batter into 9 x 13" pan. Bake at 350 for 20 minutes. Melt milk, margarine and caramels together. Pour rest of batter over cake.

A Fancy Twist on Chocolate Cake Mixes
Today, we all lead very busy lives and don't have hours to spend in our kitchens baking cakes.

When I am pressed for time and need a nice dessert cake, I will reach for a box of chocolate cake mix. I don't bake just plain cakes, I like to add things to them to make them 'extra special'.

Cake Baking Tips:

1. Invest in a cake tester.

I tend to remove my cakes from the oven 3-4 minutes before the recommended time because they will continue baking in the cake pan.

4. Always let your cakes cool before frosting them.

Chocolate Surprise

1 chocolate cake mix
box of cherry flavored gelatin
1 c. boiling water
1 c. tub of cool whip

Prepare chocolate cake according to package directions.

Triple Chocolate

1 box chocolate cake mix
1 3/4 c. 1 box instant chocolate pudding mix
2 eggs
12 oz.

German Chocolate Thunder

14 oz.

Bake cake according to package instructions. Poke holes in cake with a fork. Pour sweetened condensed milk over cake and spread evenly. Wait another 5 minutes.

Turtle Chocolate

margarine
1/2 c. evaporated milk
14 oz. bag of caramels
chopped pecans
6 oz.

Mix cake according to directions. Melt milk, margarine and caramels together. Pour rest of batter over cake. Bake for 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the top layer comes out clean.

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