3-Holer Chocolate Cake

Today I decided to try a fairly easy looking recipe with my son. At 5-years-old now, he's at a great age to do some cooking. Of course, for little kids as well as moms like me, an easy recipe for something that's sweet is, well, sweet.

I found a recipe in the June/July 2011 issue of Taste of Home Magazine. I hope they won't mind me sharing it here, as long as I give the magazine credit for it. (Don't sue me) As a bonus, for them, I'll even link to their magazine and recommend it. I do so love this magazine. Taste of Home always has the most delicious recipes. If you want to find this recipe, it's on page 7.

This cake recipe is called "Gaga's Three-Holer." No, it's not sexual and no it's not from Lady Gaga. (behave!) - This recipe is apparently from a 90-year-old woman who was a friend of the Editor-in-Chief of the Taste of Home Magazine.

The recipe includes:

1-1/2 cups sifted flour
1 cup sugar
3 TBSP cocoa, unsweetened
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/3 cup canola oil
1 TBSP vinegar
1 cup cold water

For those of us who are cooking challenged, we wonder if you really need to sift the flour since packages now say the flour's "pre-sifted" (for this recipe you DO), we also wonder if canola oil HAS to be used, or can you use any vegetable oil? (I do not know, I bought canola oil to give the recipe a fair shake). I also wondered, how cold does "cold water" have to be? Is it okay right out of the tap from the Cold side or should it be refrigerated-level-cold? Again, no idea. I used a couple ice cubes to get the tap water a bit colder than usual, since I live in Georgia and water straight out of the tap isn't all that cold to begin with.

I also think vinegar is a very odd ingredient for a cake, but Taste of Home editors seem to know what they're doing.

So all that mental trauma out of the way, here's the instructions:

Part 1:

"Measure flour, sugar, cocoa, soda and salt into sifter; sift twice. Sift all into an un-greased 9-inch square baking pan."

Cooking challenged me wonders, "where's my sifter? I remember I had something like that, but I haven't seen it for a long time." Then there's a lot of digging through cabinets and heavy sighing, while my 5-year-old stands helplessly. I wonder if I really really really need to do the sifting. I look at the recipe. "sift twice." Ok, if they say sift twice, they must really mean it. Not that the people who write recipes have much sense of humor. So why would they joke about sifting? They wouldn't. Oh darn. Back into the cabinets. I found one of the spray splatter shields you use for when you cook bacon to keep from being burned. It's clean and not greasy and it's made of out screen material. It should work. It wasn't as easy as using a sifter. I had to push it all through the screen with a spoon and keep working and stirring it, but it worked. Nobody needs to know, unless I blog about it.

I also wonder how it's going to do in an ungreased cake pan. I read the recipe twice. Yep, it says ungreased, so awaaaay we go.

Part 2:

"Make 3 holes; put canola oil in one, vinegar in second and vanilla in third. Pour water over all. Mix with a fork until blended and batter is thin. Bake at 350 for 30 min., no more. Cake is so moist it doesn't need frosting."

Make holes? Is this just a gimmick so the name of the cake will make sense? If it's all getting mixed up together anyway, why would the holes matter? I have no idea. I really don't. But I complied. I don't want it said that I cannot follow rules and directions. I may have even saluted. I'm not sure.

My square pan is 8x8" and the directions say to bake it in a 9" pan. So I figured I needed to bake it at least a little longer, because my cake is going to be thicker/taller than in the recipe. But how much more to bake it? Clearly it's very important not to over-bake it. I decided to give it 4 more minutes.

VERDICT:

It is pretty good. Better once it's completely cooled. It may not be sweet enough for most tastes now. But I like that it's something additive/preservative free and you know there are fresh ingredients in it. Perfect for someone who's allergic to eggs. I like that it's an old fashioned recipe and it was pretty easy. Just get a sifter.

Chocolate cake

A good-looking recipe for chocolate cake ... all from scratch. I haven't tried this yet, but I'm going to!

1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup sugar
2 eggs

Cherry Almond Clafoutis (French pudding-cake)

A recipe sent to me by a friend.

Cherry-Almond Clafoutis

"Clafoutis is a French dessert, half pudding and half cake; very easy to
prepare. Fresh cherries are the classic filling; however, if these are not
available, use canned tart cherries, (not pie filling), figs, prunes, or
halved dried apricots. Nut Warning - Almonds and Almond extract. Eliminate
these ingredients from the recipe if you have an intolerance to nuts."

12 ounces large fresh pitted cherries or frozen cherries, thawed and
drained
1/4 cup sugar
3 tablespoons sliced almonds
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 pinch salt
3 large eggs, plus
1 egg yolk
3/4 cup whole milk
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
4 teaspoons cognac or brandy (optional)
confectioners' sugar, for sprinkling
2 tablespoons roasted sliced almonds, for garnish (optional)

Traditional Clafoutis is made with un-pitted cherries (some purists think that the cherry pits add to the flavor as the Clafoutis is baked - but for most people it's a tooth-breakage risk to leave the pits in). Much easier to eat if you remove the pits out of the cherries!
Look for Bing cherries that are very dark red, almost black.

1. Preheat over to 375 degrees F.
2. Butter four 1-cup capacity ramekins, or custard cups.
3. In a small bowl, toss the cherries with 2 tbsp of the sugar, then divide evenly among the ramekins (or custard cups) In a food processor, combine the almonds, the remaining sugar, the flour, salt, eggs, egg yolk, milk, and almond extract.
4. Process about 30 seconds, or until the almonds are ground and the mixture forms a smooth batter Pour the batter over the cherries, dividing equally.
5. Top each serving with 1 tsp cognac, or brandy, and bake 35 minutes, or until puffed and brown.
6. Let cool until warm (they will sink slightly).
7. Sprinkle with confectioners' sugar and garnish with toasted almonds, if desired.
8. Serve warm.
9. NOTE: To make one large dish of clafoutis instead of individual servings, pour the batter into a buttered 2-quart baking dish and cook 45 minutes.
10. Serve by spooning clafoutis into individual dessert dishes.

Mandarin Cake - also known as Pea Pickin Cake

This is a really easy cake recipe - and excellent for Easter or summertime, because it's ccccold.

I got it from a lady I used to work with. Whenever there was a special occasion at work, she'd make this cake, and everyone was always praising this cake to the heavens and clamoring for the recipe. Is that an endorsement, or what? :)

Then again, we were all very happy for any break from work at that place!

1 box yellow cake mix
1 can mandarin oranges
12 oz Cool Whip
1 can crushed pineapple
1 box instant vanilla pudding

Prepare cake mix according to box directions. Pour into cake pans
Drain mandarin oranges and drop into cake batter.
Bake cake according to box directions.
Mix Cool Whip, crushed pineapples and vanilla pudding mix.
Ice the cake with the Cool Whip mix once the cake has cooled
Refrigerate after icing.

Easy Chocolate Bundt Cake

Today's recipe is from Brenda of http://www.fromtheheartjewelry.net

Brenda says, "Dessert, ahhhh I know my family loves them, but when strapped for time, it's got to be good and easy. The following recipe fits that bill....enjoy!!"

1 box german choc cake mix

1 can german choc icing

Mix cake mix as directed on box, add 1 entire can of the icing and fold in. Bake in a bundt pan at 350 degrees for about 35 - 40 minutes, keep checking cake, different oven temp's might be off a bit.

Don't forget to butter/flour bundt before pouring in batter.

Cool cake in pan for just a bit, then turn over onto your favorite cake display. I either shake on some powdered sugar over the top or I make a thin icing that I spoon over cake. Delicious, rich and very moist cake.

"Dump" Cake Recipe - like peach cobbler...

This recipe with the unappetizing name is actually very good.
A nice dish for fall and winter. I hope you enjoy it.

DUMP CAKE

2 cans sliced peaches or whatever canned fruit you like. (Cherry is very good)
1 yellow cake mix, any brand
1 stick of butter

Pour cans of peaches or the fruit of your choice (including the liquid or syrup) into a 9x12" baking dish.

Sprinkle the cake mix on top of the peaches, spread it a little bit for evenness, but do not stir.
Cut margarine stick into pats and place pieces of margarine all over the top of the cake mix.

Bake in 350 degree oven for approx 35-40 minutes, or until top is browned slightly or browned to your preference.

Let cool for about 10-15 minutes before digging in...each serving is nice topped with Cool Whip or vanilla ice cream but that is optional.

You can make this with whatever canned fruit you like...cherry pie filling is also a nice fruit for this...it is like a cobbler.

If you want to fix this only for 2-3 people, then use only 1 can of fruit, 1/2 box of the cake mix, and 1/2 stick of margarine and prepare it in an 8"x8" baking dish.