Cake

Most of us could use an occasional yummy dessert, especially if we feel like celebrating almost anything. Cake seems to help with that. Here are six cake recipes to get you througoh the day, including Fabulous Vegan Fudge Cake with Bittersweet Icing and Chocolate Guinness Cake. Enjoy!

CHERRY-COLA DUMP CAKE

This yumminess comes from Betty Crocker, and begins, "Super easy to prepare: Just mix devil's food cake mix with cola and pour over cherries. Bake for one hour and voila!"

Prep Time: 5 minutes; Total Time: 60 minutes; Servings: 9

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

1 jar (16 oz) maraschino cherries with juice (without stems)

1 box Betty Crocker™ Super Moist™ devil’s food cake mix

1 cup cola-flavored carbonated beverage

Directions

Heat oven to 350°F. Into ungreased 13x9-inch (3-quart) glass baking dish, “dump” cherries with cherry juice.

In medium bowl, mix cake mix and carbonated beverage. “Dump” mixture over cherries.

Bake 35 to 40 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool about 15 minutes before cutting and serving cake.

Expert Tips

Serve with whipped cream and additional cherries.

You could substitute cherry pie filling in place of the maraschino cherries and juice.

CHOCOLATE CHURCH CAKE

This comes from Lisa Donovan in The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. Lisa wrote, "Layer cakes are formative for Southerners: They grace wedding tables, shiva gatherings, quinceañeras, baptisms and funerals. Because of this — and because layer cakes may be as close as some will ever get to a holy experience — they’re often called church cakes. This chocolate one is a perfectly moist and stacked rendition of a pudding cake, with just the right amount of richness from the frosting. This formula needs no alterations, but there’s no sense in breaking the tradition of Southern bakers, who personalize recipes as a point of pride. Add pulverized praline to the center, or cinnamon or instant-coffee granules to the batter. Don’t be afraid to make it your own. To make it a true church cake, serve it to those you hold in the highest regard, for celebrations or to simply indulge in the good glory of company."

Yield: One 9-inch layger cake; Time: 1 hour, plus cooling

To view this online, go to https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1023117-chocolate-church-cake.

Ingredients

For the Frosting:

1-1/2 cups/ granulated sugar

1-1/2 cups heavy cream

8 ounces unsweetened chocolate

6 ounces grams unsalted butter

1 teaspoon vanilla paste or extract

For the Cake:

Nonstick cooking spray

1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, dark (Dutch-processed) if available, plus more for pans

3-1/2 cups granulated sugar

2-3/4 cups all-purpose flour (see Tip)

2 teaspoons baking powder

2 teaspoons baking soda

1-1/2 teaspoons fine salt

3 large eggs, beaten

1-1/2 cups buttermilk, preferably cultured whole buttermilk

3/4 cup canola or other neutral oil

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

Preparation

Make the frosting: In a large saucepan, bring sugar and cream to a boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 6 minutes. Meanwhile, chop chocolate and cube butter. After the sugar mixture has simmered for 6 minutes, turn the heat off and add chocolate and butter to the saucepan. Stir until everything is melted. Stir in the vanilla. Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature while you make the cake. Do not stir until it has cooled almost entirely, likely for as long as it will take you to mix and bake the cake.

Make the cake: Heat oven to 325 degrees. Coat three 9-inch round cake pans with nonstick cooking spray. Cut 3 rounds of parchment paper to fit the bottom of each pan and line each pan with one. Spray the parchment. Sprinkle the pans with cocoa powder to coat, tapping each pan over the sink or trash can to shake loose any excess.

Meanwhile, in a very large bowl, whisk the sugar, flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Make a well in the center. Bring 1-1/2 cups water to a boil while you prepare your wet ingredients.

Whisk the eggs, buttermilk, oil and vanilla in a medium bowl. Pour into the dry mixture and whisk gently until incorporated. It will be a bit clumpy but gently work it in. Pour in the boiling water to loosen the batter and gently whisk to combine, being careful not to splash.

Divide the batter evenly among the prepared pans. Each pan should hold about 700 grams of batter. (Weighing your batter ensures even cooking and beautiful cake building.) Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few crumbs, 32 to 35 minutes. Set the pans on a wire rack to cool.

When cakes are cooled, revisit your frosting, whisking to thicken and making sure not to overbeat or add any air or fluff to the frosting. Turn the cakes out of their pans and discard the parchment. Trim any rounded top off of each as evenly as possible.

Assemble the cake: Scoop about 3/4 cup of frosting on one layer set on a cake plate, then repeat with the second and third layers. You can refrigerate the cake in between frosting each layer to ensure that your frosting is set and firm so that your next layer will be propped up properly. If the frosting is too soft, the next layer will just flatten the filling. Frost the outside of the cake with the remaining frosting, letting it chill as you go if needed. Use an offset spatula or butter knife dipped in hot water and wiped clean to smooth and shine the finished cake. This cake keeps and is best served at room temperature for up to 2 days. It holds remarkably well in the refrigerator for up to one week and can be served cold.

Tip

You can substitute an equal amount of a gluten-free baking blend.

CHOCOLATE GUINNESS CAKE

This is from Nigella Lawson at The New York Times cooking enewsletter. For this recipe, Nigella wrote, "For me, a chocolate cake is the basic unit of celebration. The chocolate Guinness cake here is simple but deeply pleasurable, and has earned its place as a stand-alone treat."

Time: 1 hour 15 minutes; Yield: One 9-inch cake or 12 servings

This yumminess was featured in "AT MY TABLE; A Feast for a Holiday, Or Everyday Exulting", and can be viewed online at the bottom of the article or at https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1875-chocolate-guinness-cake.

Note: Take time to read the article; very interesting!

Ingredients

For the Cake

Butter for pan

1 cup Guinness stout

10 tablespoons (1 stick plus 2 tablespoons) unsalted butter

3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa

2 cups superfine sugar

3/4 cup sour cream

2 large eggs

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

2 cups all-purpose flour

2-1/2 teaspoons baking soda

For the Topping

1-1/4 cups confectioners' sugar

8 ounces cream cheese at room temperature

1/2 cup heavy cream

Preparation

For the cake: heat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 9-inch springform pan and line with parchment paper. In a large saucepan, combine Guinness and butter. Place over medium-low heat until butter melts, then remove from heat. Add cocoa and superfine sugar, and whisk to blend.

In a small bowl, combine sour cream, eggs and vanilla; mix well. Add to Guinness mixture. Add flour and baking soda, and whisk again until smooth. Pour into buttered pan, and bake until risen and firm, 45 minutes to one hour. Place pan on a wire rack and cool completely in pan.

For the topping: Using a food processor or by hand, mix confectioners' sugar to break up lumps. Add cream cheese and blend until smooth. Add heavy cream, and mix until smooth and spreadable.

Remove cake from pan and place on a platter or cake stand. Ice top of cake only, so that it resembles a frothy pint of Guinness.

SECRET-INGREDIENT LEMON-BLUEBERRY POUND CAKE

This is from the Pillsbury emailing list. It begins, "We bet you’d never guess the secret ingredient in this lemon-blueberry pound cake! This genius twist on the classic dessert only takes 15 minutes to prep, and it’s all thanks to sugar cookie dough (yes, sugar cookie dough!). With just a few additional ingredients—sour cream, egg, lemon zest and fresh blueberries, to be precise—this one-bowl cake is ready for the oven. And don’t forget the sweet-tart lemon glaze—it takes this delicious treat to the next level."

Prep Time: 15 minutes; Total Time: 1 hour 55 minutes; Makes 6 servings

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

1 roll (16.5 oz) refrigerated Pillsbury™ Sugar Cookie Dough

1/4 cup sour cream

1 egg

1 tablespoon grated lemon zest

2/3 cup fresh or frozen (do not thaw) blueberries

1 cup powdered sugar

2 to 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Directions

Heat oven to 350°F. Spray 8x4-inch loaf pan with cooking spray; lightly flour.

In large bowl, break up cookie dough. Add sour cream, egg and lemon zest. (DO NOT EAT RAW COOKIE DOUGH AFTER COMBINING WITH EGG.) Beat with electric mixer on medium-low speed 2 to 3 minutes or until smooth. Fold in blueberries. Spoon mixture evenly into pan.

Bake 40 to 50 minutes or until golden brown and toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 5 minutes. Run knife around sides of pan to loosen cake. Remove cake from pan; place on cooling rack.

In small bowl, mix powdered sugar and 1 tablespoon of the lemon juice; continue adding lemon juice, 1 teaspoon at a time, until desired drizzling consistency. Spoon glaze over hot cake. Cool 45 minutes before serving.

Tips from the Pillsbury Kitchens

tip 1

If you are using frozen blueberries instead of fresh, add about 10 minutes to your bake time.

LACY VALENTINE CAKE

This was from Fr. Dominic Garramone (aka The Bread Monk). I first ran across his show, Breaking Bread with Fr. Dominic, years ago on PBS. The show has since left television (at least, as far as I can tell), but you can still check out his recipes and books on his website (above).

Yield: 2 coffee cakes.

Ingredients

1/2 cup warm water (100 to 110 degrees)

2 packages FLEISCHMANN'S Active Dry Yeast

1/2 cup warm milk (100 to 110 degrees)

3/4 cup sugar

1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon butter or margarine, softened

2 eggs

1-1/2 teaspoons salt

4-1/2 to 5 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 cup chopped maraschino cherries, drained

1/2 cup chopped slivered almonds, toasted

Almond Icing (recipe follows)

Directions

Place warm water in large, warm bowl. Sprinkle in yeast; stir until dissolved. Add warm milk, 1/2 cup sugar, 1/4 cup butter, eggs, salt and 1-1/2 cups flour; blend well. Stir in enough remaining flour to make soft dough. Knead on lightly floured surface until smooth and elastic, about 4 to 6 minutes. Place in greased bowl, turning to grease top. Cover; let rise in warm, draft-free place until doubled in size, about 1 hour.

Pat maraschino cherries between paper towels to remove excess moisture. In medium bowl, combine cherries, almonds and 1/4 cup sugar; reserve.

Punch dough down. Remove dough to lightly floured surface; divide in half. Roll one piece to 24x7-inch oblong. Melt remaining butter; brush half on dough to within 1/2 inch of edges. Sprinkle half of cherry mixture on surface. Beginning at long end, roll up tightly as for jelly roll. Pinch seam to seal; carefully roll back and forth to stretch to 26-inch rope. Place, seam side down, on greased baking sheet. Form into ring; pinch ends together to seal. Shape into heart. With sharp knife, cut slits starting at outside edge of heart, 2/3 of the way through dough, at 3/4-inch intervals. Turn each section on its side to show filling. Repeat with remaining dough, butter and filling. Cover; let rise in warm, draft-free place until doubled in size, about 1 hour.

Bake at 350 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes or until done; switch positions of sheets in oven halfway through baking time for even browning. Remove from sheets; cool on wire racks. Frost with Almond Icing.

Almond Icing:

Combine 1-1/2 cups powdered sugar, sifted, 1/2 teaspoon almond extract and 2 to 3 tablespoons milk. Stir until smooth.

FABULOUS VEGAN FUDGE CAKE WITH BITTERSWEET ICING

This recipe, from the September 2012 issue of Vegetarian Times, page 66, begins, “'I’ve tried vegan cake recipes in the past, but didn’t like the sour taste of the vinegar that is usually used to activate the leavening,' says single mom and café manager Shelly Platten. 'I tinkered with some recipes that didn’t use vinegar to come up with a fudgy, satisfying cake.'” Serves 8.

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

1-1/4 cups Bob’s Red Mill organic unbleached white flour

1-2/3 cups Florida Crystals organic cane sugar, divided

1-1/3 cups Chatfield’s cocoa powder, divided

1 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

1 cup Silk vanilla soymilk, divided

1/3 cup plus 1/4 cup canola oil, divided

1 cup toasted chopped hazelnuts

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°F. Line 9-inch round pan with parchment paper, and spray with cooking spray.

Whisk together flour, 1 cup sugar, 2/3 cup cocoa, baking soda, and salt in bowl. Whisk together 2/3 cup soymilk, 1/3 cup oil, and 1/2 cup water in separate bowl. Stir soymilk mixture into flour mixture. Spread in prepared pan, and bake 25 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes. Unmold onto plate.

Warm remaining 2/3 cup cocoa, 2/3 cup sugar, and 1/4 cup oil in saucepan over medium heat. Pour in remaining 1/3 cup soymilk, and cook 1 minute, or until smooth. Spread icing over warm cake, and sprinkle with hazelnuts.

from the September 2012 issue, p.66

nutritional information

Per Slice:

Calories: 525; Protein: 5 g; Total Fat: 25 g; Saturated Fat: 2 g; Carbohydrates: 67 g; Cholesterol: 0 mg; Sodium: 315 mg; Fiber: 7 g; Sugar: 43 g