Thursday, November 25, 2010

Melissa’s Chocolate-Mouse Dessert Cake

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Ingredients: 1 package angel food cake mix, sifted
1 ounce unsweetened chocolate, grated
3 cups heavy cream
1 1/2 cups confectioners sugar, sifted
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa
1 teaspoon unflavored gelatin
2 teaspoons vanilla
1/4 teaspoon salt

Directions: 1. Preheat oven and prepare cake mix as package label directs, adding grated chocolate to flour mixture. 2. Turn batter into ungreased 10" tube pan; bake 30 - 40 minutes, or until surface springs back when gently pressed. 3. Invert pan over neck of bottle. Let cake hang to cool completely. 4. Meanwhile, make cocoa cream filling and frosting. Refrigerate cream, confectioners sugar, and cocoa ( in large bowl) until very cold. 5. Sprinkle gelatin over 2 tablespoons cold water; let stand 5 minutes to soften. Heat, stirring, over hot water until dissolved. Let cool. 6. Add vanilla and salt to chilled cream. Beat with portable electric mixer until stiff enough to hold its shape. 7. Remove 3 cups cocoa cream; into this, stir the cooled gelatin. Use for filling cake. 8. To prepare cake for filling; remove cake from pan, place upside down on cake plate. Cut 1 inch slice crosswise from the top of the cake, set aside. With knife outline a cavity in cake, leaving 1 inch thick walls. Carefully remove cake from center area leaving a 1 inch base. Reserve the removed cake pieces. 9. Fill cavity of cake with cocoa cream with gelatin. Replace the top portion . Toss cake pieces with a bit of frosting and fill the center hole with them. Frost with remaining cocoa cream. Chill several hours or overnight.

Serves: 12

Tuesday, November 23, 2010

Joanne’s Famous Chocolate Orange Cake

ChocolateOrangeCake

Cake

Substitute orange juice for the water in a boxed chocolate cake (like Devil’s Food cake) and add half a bag of chocolate chips.

Frosting

1/4 c orange juice (less if using concentrate)
1/2 bag chocolate chips
2 T milk

Melt in chocolate chips with milk and juice in the  microwave, on low heat. Stir every minute. Be careful not to over-cook the chocolate in the microwave.  When it’s melted, add more juice to taste if needed. Beat with fork till shiny and drizzle over cake.

Tamara zests an orange over the top for an added touch of fanciness.

Well, we didn't quite make it as the Robertson Family Singers: let's see how we do with cooking...