We are having company this evening after going out to eat. When I was thinking about what I might bake, this cake came to mind, as it is really one of my favorite cakes. I know I say that about every cake, but really, this is one of my most favorite. It has chocolate frosting, almond flavored vanilla frosting and a gooey chocolate ganache topping that just tops it off beautifully.
All you need to do is make one Duncan Hines Chocolate Fudge Cake mix according to directions for the 2 9″ layers. Then make a Duncan Hines French Vanilla Cake mix, following the directions for the 9″ layers, giving you 4 layers when you have finished.
Layer the vanilla/chocolate layers one at a time, frosting between them with your favorite chocolate frosting. If you need a good one, there is one of the blog. When you have all 4 layers (chocolate,vanilla, chocolate, vanilla) frost with the almond vanilla frosting, which is as follows.
1/2 cup of softened butter
1/2 cup Crisco Shortening
Heavy Whipping Cream to get to spreading consistency (about 1/2 to 2/3 cup probably)
1-2 teas of almond extract (remember, almond extract is stronger than vanilla so start with 1 teas and taste. If you desire a little more almond flavor, add a little at a time)
3 to 3 1/2 cups powdered sugar
Beat all ingredients until well blended and of spreading consistency. Frost sides and top of cake. Top with the ganache. I used Martha Stewarts ganache recipe. When it gets to room temperature, spoon over top of cake, allowing it to drizzle down the sides of the cake.
This makes a beautiful presentation!
Tag: Chocolate Cakes
Bullet Blog
I’ve been noticing some of the blogs are being written as bullet points so those who are in a hurry can just glance at the posts and hurry back to what ever they were doing. So instead of my usual very wordy posts, I thought I would try it to see how it is received and maybe that will give you more time to text or cook or work or read a novel. So here goes!
Trudy’s Tuesday Tidbits.
*making breakfast for 6 ladies tomorrow
*sitting here watching RC shampoo carpet while I blog
*mentioned I liked the smell of vinegar to RC and he told me he would buy me a bottle of that instead of perfume for my bday and save money since I liked the smell of it so much! He’s very romantic like that!
*Excited to make a veggie dinner tonight with Brussels sprouts, collard greens, honey carrots and mashed potatoes with sliced tomatoes and corn bread (oops see I’m already getting wordy and I’m only on the 4th point)
*trying to talk myself into going to the pool but just looking at my bathing suit makes me wonder if, by the time I get it pulled up am I going to have to pull it down to go potty!
*enjoyed a new friend coming over yesterday to learn how to make scones (recipe is on blog under “cream scones”) We sampled them and visited Lovely morning!
*watching my hubby pack up our new cordless vacumn to take back and feeling very blessed to have such a precious husband who will do anything in the world for me!
*looking forward to watching AGT tonight with a slice of chocolate cake in front of me! (The perfect chocolate cake (recipe is on blog under that title) trust me…it is the perfect chocolate cake and I have friends who will vouch for that!
*got my AZ DL yesterday so guess my new fav flower will now be a cactus instead of a magnolia blossom!
That’s my thoughts for today! Go and be a blessing!!!! Trudy
Moulton Chocolate Cakes
These great little custard cup chocolate lava cakes are the easiest to prepare and every time I serve them, people are so excited to be eating something that tastes like they get when visiting a great steak house dessert. I didn’t remember to take a picture before serving them last night to friends, but the empty plates told me that they loved them!
4 oz semi-sweet baking chocolate (I had a bar of bittersweet chocolate and used that and they turned out awesome)
1/2 cup butter (1 stick)
1 tables red wine (I used orange chello as I didn’t have red wine last night)
1 teas vanilla
1 cup powdered sugar
2 eggs plus 1 egg yolk
6 tables flour
1/4 teas cinnamon
Powdered sugar or ice cream for topping
Preheat oven to 425 degrees
Grease 4 custard cups
Microwave chocolate and butter for 1 minute and then stir until chocolate is completely melted. Stir in wine (or any liquor flavor you might like, even amaretto is good),vanilla and powdered sugar. Whisk in eggs and yolk. Stir in remaining ingredients. Spoon evenly into cups and place on a baking tray. Bake in preheated oven for about 14 minutes. Centers will still be a little soft and jiggly. Loosen edges and turn out onto plates and sprinkle with powdered sugar or top with ice cream.
*It is so easy to use a big cookie dough scoop to fill the custard cups
Mexican Chocolate Pound Cake
This afternoon I thought I would hunt for a new chocolate cake recipe and came across this new one that I had not seen. Since we love the Texas Sheet with the teaspoon of cinnamon in it, this one should be one that will satisfy our chocolate fix tomorrow. I saw it online in “my recipes” and cannot wait to bake it tomorrow. Let me know if you have tried it and what you thought about the flavor.
Photo by: Photo: Jim Franco; Styling: Leslie Siegel
Mexican Chocolate Pound Cake
We replicated the flavor profile of Mexican chocolate using semisweet chocolate and cinnamon. If you prefer to use Mexican chocolate, look for it with the hot drink mixes or on the Hispanic food aisle. This moist pound cake is equally delicious without the sauce.
- Yield: Makes 16 servings
Ingredients
- 1 (8-oz.) package semisweet chocolate baking squares, chopped*
- 1 cup butter, softened
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 4 large eggs
- 1/2 cup chocolate syrup
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup buttermilk
- Powdered sugar (optional)
- Mexican Chocolate Sauce
- Garnish: toasted sliced almonds
Preparation
1. Preheat oven to 325°. Microwave chocolate baking squares in a microwave-safe bowl at HIGH 1 minute and 15 seconds or until chocolate is melted and smooth, stirring at 15-second intervals. Beat butter at medium speed with a heavy-duty electric stand mixer 2 minutes or until creamy. Gradually add granulated sugar, beating 5 to 7 minutes or until light and fluffy. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating just until yellow disappears after each addition. Stir in melted chocolate, chocolate syrup, and vanilla until smooth.
2. Combine flour and next 3 ingredients; add to butter mixture alternately with buttermilk, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Beat at low speed just until blended after each addition. Pour batter into a greased and floured 10-inch (14-cup) tube pan.
3. Bake at 325° for 1 hour and 10 minutes or until a long wooden pick inserted in center of cake comes out clean. Cool in pan on a wire rack 10 to 15 minutes; remove from pan to wire rack, and let cool completely (about 1 hour and 30 minutes). Sprinkle with powdered sugar, if desired. Serve with Mexican Chocolate Sauce. Garnish, if desired.
*2 (4.4-oz.) packages Mexican chocolate, chopped, may be substituted. Omit ground cinnamon.
Note: We tested with Nestle Abuelita Marqueta Mexican chocolate.
Mississippi Mud Cake
To continue our month of Chocolate Desserts, this cake has always been one of my favorites.
1 cup butter, melted
2 cups sugar
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa
4 large eggs, beaten
1 teas vanilla
1/8 teas salt
1 1/2 cups flour
1 1/2 cups coarsely chopped pecans, toasted
1 (10.5 oz) bag miniature marshmallows
Chocolate Frosting:
1 ( 16 oz) package powdered sugar
1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup butter (4 tables), softened
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa
Cake:
whisk together the first 6 ingredients in a large bowl. Stir in flour and chopped pecans. Pour batter into a greased and floured 15×10″ jelly-roll pan.
Bake in a preheated 350 oven for about 20 min, or until cake tests done. Remove from oven and sprinkle the marshmallows over the top of the cake. Return to oven and bake about 3-4 min. Drizzle the Chocolate Frosting over the warm cake, over the melted marshmallows. Top with more chopped pecans if desired.
Frosting:
Beat all ingredients at medium speed with mixer until smooth.
Mocha Brownie Cake
Chocolate, Chocolate, Chocolate! What a great month to try all new chocolate desserts Finding the Southern Living Chocolate Dessert cookbook, well,what better place to look for all new recipes. 
1 (21 oz) box chewy fudge brownie mix (Duncan Hines is recommended)
1/4 cup water
1/2 cup oil
3 large eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream
1 tables instant coffee granules
1/4 cup powdered sugar
Garnish: chocolate shavings
Coat 2 ( 8″) round cake pans with cooking spray. Line pans with wax paper and coat with the cooking spray.
Combine brownie mix and next 3 ingredients in a large bowl. Stir in pecans (Hum…I might be tempted to add about 1/2 cup chocolate chips). Spread batter evenly into prepared pans; bake for almost 23-25 min or until they test done.
Remove from oven and place on wire racks to cool completely.
Combine whipping cream and coffee granules. Beat at medium speed with mixer until starting to hold shape. Gradually add the powdered sugar and continue to beat until stiff peaks form. Spread whipped cream mixture on top of one brownie layer that you have placed on a serving platter. Top with remaining brownie layer and spread the rest of the whipped cream mixture over the top and sides of the brownie cakes. Store in fridge and garnish as desired.
Triple-Chocolate Coffee Cake
This recipe is from Southern Living Incredible Chocolate Recipe Cookbook that I had not looked through in quite a while. I was chocolate hungry so I knew that I would be making something chocolate today. This is a great one to freeze one of the layers for a later use or give one to a friend.
1 (18.25 oz) package devils food cake mix (I like Duncan Hines)
1 (3.9 oz) package chocolate instant pudding mix
2 cups sour cream
1 cup butter, softened
5 large eggs
1 teas vanilla extract
3 cups semisweet chocolate chips, divided
1 cup white chocolate chips
1 cup chopped pecans, toasted
Beat first 6 ingredients at low speed with an electric mixer 30 seconds or just until moistened. Beat at medium speed 2 more mins. Stir in 2 cups semisweet chocolate chips; pour batter evenly into 2 greased and floured 9″ square cake pans.
Bake at 350 for 25-28 minutes or until cake tests done. Cool completely in pans on wire racks.
Microwave white chocolate morsels in a glass bowl at High for 30-60 intervals, until chips are almost melted. Stir to melt all the chips. Drizzle evenly over cakes; repeat procedure with remaining cup of semisweet chips. Sprinkle cakes evenly with pecans while chips are warm.
Chocolate-Peanut Butter Sheet Cake
SUPER BOWL DESSERT!!! Perfect for the dessert table Sunday. I was needing one more recipe other than the pecan pie bars and oatmeal cookies and Chocolate Cream Cheese Brownies and here it is. Love love love the flavor of peanut butter and chocolate.
2 cups flour
2 cups sugar
1 teas baking soda
1/2 teas salt
1 cup water
1/2 cup butter, cubed
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/4 cup cocoa
3 eggs
1/2 cup sour cream
2 teas vanilla
Frosting
3 cups powdered sugar
1/4 cup softened butter
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
1/2 cup milk (add gradually as it might not require the whole 1/2 cup)
1 teas vanilla
1/2 cup chopped peanuts
Preheat oven to 350. Grease a 13×9″ baking pan. In large bowl, whisk flour, sugar, baking soda and salt.
In a small saucepan, combine water, butter, peanut butter and cocoa; bring just to a boil, stirring occasionally. Add to flour mixture, stirring just until moistened.
In a small bowl, whisk eggs, sour cream and vanilla until blended. Add to flour mixture, whisking constantly. Transfer to prepared baking pan. Bake 25-30 min or until cake tests done.
Prepare frosting while cake is baking. In a large bowl, beat the powdered sugar, butter, peanut butter, milk and vanilla until smooth. Remove cake from oven when done and place on wire rack. Immediately spread with frosting; sprinkle peanuts over top if desired. Cool completely and cut into squares.
Hazelnut Chocolate Cake
I guess you can tell that I’m in my cake mode. I get in cookie mode, pie modes and now cake. I have one piece left of the Tuxedo cake and am saving it for tonight to eat during The Good Wife. But this cake, (once again, thank you Paula Deen) well…I will be making it Tues so I can watch Adventures of Laura and have cake.
1 1/4 cups butter, softened
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1 tables vanilla
5 large eggs
2 1/2 cups flour
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa
1 1/2 teas baking soda
1 teas baking powder
1/4 salt
1 1/2 cups buttermilk
1/2 cup sour cream
Chocolate-Hazelnut Frosting
1 (8 oz) package cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup butter, softened (1 stick)
1 1/2 cups chocolate-hazelnut spread (such as Nutella)
1/2 cup sour cream
5 cups powdered sugar
Cake:
Preheat oven to 350. Spray 3 (9″) cake pans with Pam. Coat with flour if you are not using the Pam with flour.
In a large bowl, beat butter, sugars and vanilla with mixer on medium speed until fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
In a medium bowl, whisk together flour and next 4 ingredients. Gradually add flour mixture to butter mixture alternately with buttermilk, beginning and ending with flour mixture, beating just until all is combined. Stir in sour cream. Spoon batter evenly into cake pans. Bake for 15 to 20 min, or until cake tests done. Let cool in pans for 10 min and remove from pans onto wire racks.
Spread frosting between layers and on sides and top of cake when completely cool. Garnish with chopped hazelnuts if desired.
Frosting:
In a large bowl, beat cream cheese and butter with a mixer at medium until creamy. Beat in Nutella and sour cream until combined. REduce speed to low and gradually add powdered sugar, beating until well combined and no lumps remain.
Chocolate Tuxedo Cake
This truly is my favorite cake. I know I say that about several cakes, but really, this time I mean it. If I knew that I could only have one piece of cake before the doctor told me I couldn’t have any cake the rest of my life, it would be this one. I made it for friends who were coming over last night after we all went out to eat. One of the friends who I won’t name but is the tallest of all my friends, was sitting there enjoying the conversation when she got up and went into the kitchen. I assumed she was going to go get another cup of coffee (yes, I am a terrible hostess, I forget to ask people if they want more coffee). When she returned to the conversation, she was standing there with her plate; she had gone and cut herself a 2nd piece of cake. One of the guys in the living room began to yell, “Trudy, this is the most awesome cake EVER!!! It is spectacular” (but in all fairness, that is Jack’s go to word.) But the layers of chocolate and vanilla cake layered with chocolate frosting and then vanilla almond frosting on the outside with the chocolate ganache on top, just tops it off. It is really easy and just makes such a great presentation.
1 Duncan Hines French Vanilla Cake mix
1 Duncan Hines Dark Chocolate cake mix
1 box of Dream whip (contains 2 envelops-use 1 envelope with each cake mix)
8 eggs
2 cups water
1 teas almond extract (for making the vanilla cake mix)
Mix the vanilla cake mix with 4 eggs, 1 package of Dream Whip and one cup of cold water, and 1 teas almond extract. Beat for 4 minutes. Pour into 2 greased and prepared 9″ cake pans. Bake for about 25 min at preheated 350 oven or until cake tests done. Cool on wire racks.
Repeat with the chocolate cake mix. Follow same instructions as you did with the vanilla cake mix, except do not add the almond extract. Pour into 2 prepared greased 9″ cake pans and bake as directed above. Cool on wire racks.
You will notice that when using the Dream whip, the cake will bake up a little higher than without it. I like that because it makes the cake moister and looks so much higher on the cake plate.
Chocolate Frosting for between the cake layers.
1 stick butter, softened
2 cups powdered sugar
1 teas vanilla
Enough milk to get frosting to spreading consistency. About 1/4 cup…maybe a little more. Don’t add the 1/4 cup all at once, in case you don’t need all of it.
Vanilla Frosting
1 stick butter, softened
1/4 cup Crisco
2 teas almond extract
3 cups powdered sugar
Enough milk or whipping cream to make it spreading consistency (about 1/3 cup, possibly a little more). Beat all ingredients until smooth and well blended.
Chocolate ganache
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/2cup heavy whipping cream
Melt chocolate chips in the cream, stirring over low heat until chips are melted and mixture is smooth. I had to add a little more whipping cream to be able to spread over top of cake so it would drip over sides of cake.
Use one of the chocolate cake layers and place on a serving platter. Spread chocolate frosting on top, but not the side. Place one vanilla cake layer on top of chocolate frosting. Spread Vanilla frosting on sides and top of cake. When chocolate ganache is made, allow to cool so it won’t melt frosting on cake. When ganache is cool, spread on top of cake allowing it to fall down the sides of the cake. Set in fridge to allow the frostings to set. Take out at least one hour before serving.
If you want to use all 4 layers, you will need to increase the amount of frosting you make, as you will need more.
If you don’t use but the 2 layers, you can wrap the other two layers and freeze in freezer bags for a later use.
Chocolate Castles 