Chocolate Tuxedo Cake

"Let them eat cake" is an adage I wholeheartedly support and abide by. You should too. Especially if it involves this glorious, glorious cake. This cake is the cake of dreams. I've been told by several people that this cake was actually the best cake they've ever had, and for good reason.

Now, that could be because of the ridiculously moist layers of cake, or because it's covered in light, sweet whipped cream. However, I'm putting my money on the ganache. If you've followed my blog for a hot minute you'd know that I have a weird addiction to things covered in ganache. I could be addicted to worse things, right? Ganache is such a wonderful thing, and this cake has it lusciously dripping down the sides of it. Almost as if it's reaching out to you asking you to devour it.

This cake came from my mother's arsenal of cakes and other baked goods. I unfortunately don't know where the original recipe came from, but I've adjusted it a bit along the way. Mostly editing the ganache to fit my ganache standards.

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Chocolate Tuxedo Cake
by June-7-2014
Ingredients
  • 4 cups granulated sugar
  • 1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 tbsp baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 cup buttermilk
  • 1 tbsp vanilla extract
  • 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
  • 1 cup canola or vegetable oil
  • 2 cups water
  • 4 large eggs
  • WHIPPED CREAM FROSTING
  • 4 cups heavy whipping cream
  • 1-1/4 cups powdered sugar
  • GANACHE
  • 10 oz (2 cups) bittersweet chocolate chopped
  • 1 cup heavy whipping cream
Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 350º F. Prepare three 9" round cake pans by greasing and lightly dusting with flour. Then line each pan with parchment paper. 2. In a bowl, combine the sugar, cocoa, flour, baking soda, and salt. Whisk together to combine, and set aside. In another small bowl combine the buttermilk and vanilla together. 3. In a medium saucepan, combine butter, oil, and water. Heat until completely melted, stirring occasionally. Once melted, combine the butter mixture with the sugar mixture stirring until well combined. Add the eggs one at a time, and stir to combine completely. Finally, add the buttermilk mixture and stir until well combined. 4. Bake the cakes for 40-45 minutes or until a toothpick can be inserted and comes out clean. Remove cakes from the oven and set on wire rack to cool for 10-15 minutes before removing them from the pan. Remove from pan and let them cool completely before frosting. 5. For the frosting, in a large mixing bowl, beat the heavy whipping cream until until soft peaks form. Slowly add the powdered sugar, and continue beating until the whipped cream forms stiff peaks. 6. To frost the cake, place one layer on a cake dish, and with an off set spatula spread whipped cream over first layer. Repeat with next layers. Cover sides with whipped cream, and make as smooth as possible. Chill the cake for an hour to stabilize the whipped cream. 7. For the ganache, place the chocolate pieces in a bowl and set aside. Heat the heavy whipping cream in a small sauce pan over medium heat until the cream is hot and beginning to steam. Pour the hot cream over the chocolate, and let the cream sit over the chocolate for about a minute, then begin stirring. Stir until the mixture is smooth and glossy. Let sit for about 5 minutes before pouring it over the cake. Let the ganache drip down the sides of the cake. Refrigerate the cake for at least another hour before serving.
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Prep time: Cook time: Total time: Yield: 3 9" round cakes
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World's Best Chocolate Chip Cookie

I have an oldie but a goodie for you my friends. The New York Times Chocolate Chip Cookie. However, this isn't just a chocolate chip cookie. It is THE chocolate chip cookie. Once you place one of these delightfully chewy and chocolatey treats in your mouth there's no way you could ever make a different chocolate chip cookie recipe.

Let me clear some things up. Yes, this recipe takes over 24 hours to make. You may be asking yourself "is it even worth it? How could a cookie take so long to make?" Well let me explain. First, yes, its worth it. Second, the 24 hours is mostly rest time for the dough. The resting makes the sugars in the cookie caramelize resulting in a richer cookie. Do I sound like I know what I'm talking about? Great.

I know waiting 24 hours is hard to do when you know there's the possibility of warm cookies, but hold out. Wait the 24 hours. Your mind will be blown. These cookies are like gold. In fact, I have paid for a variety of services with these cookies. Make 'em. Love 'em. Thank me later.

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Chocolate Chip Cookies
by May-20-2014
Ingredients
  • 2 cups minus 2 tbsp cake flour
  • 1 2/3 cup bread flour
  • 1 1/4 tsp baking soda
  • 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 1 1/2 tsp coarse salt
  • 2 1/2 sticks unsalted butter
  • 1 1/4 cup brown sugar
  • 1 cup plus 2 tbsp granulatd sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 10 oz bag 60% cacao chocolate chipes
Instructions
1. Sift together the flours, baking soda, baking powder, and salt together. Set aside. 2. Using a mixer, cream together butter and brown and white sugars. Cream together until light and fluffy about 5 minutes. Add eggs one at a time mixing well after each addition. Add the vanilla. Bring mixer to low speed and add the dry ingredients. Mix until incorporated. Add the chocolate chips and stir until incorporated. Cover the top of the dough with plastic wrap and let it rest anywhere from 24 to 36 hours. 3. When dough is done resting, preheat the oven to 350º F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper set aside. 4. Scoop out 6 3.5oz mounds of dough onto the baking sheet. I use an ice cream scoop with a release button to make uniform sized cookies. Bake for 14-17 minutes, or until light golden brown. Transfer cookies to wire wrack to cool.
Details
Prep time: Cook time: Total time: Yield: 25 Cookies
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Chocolate Salted Caramel Thumbprint Cookies

It's no secret that another one of my favorite flavor combinations is salted caramel, as apparent by one of my past posts. There's something about the salty sweet that draws me in, and in these cookies, with the additions of chocolate and pecans, all is right in the world.

They're tiny little things, so I don't feel too guilty eating a couple, and pecans are added protein so they're kind of healthy. Right? No? Well, let me just live in my own world where cookies are healthy, because if eating cookies are wrong I don't want to be right.

I adapted this recipe from Taste of Home, and boy, am I glad I did. These cookies make me happy, so if you're feeling a bit down make these. They'll put a smile on your face and undoubtedly a smile on your tummy.

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Chocolate Salted Caramel Thumbprint Cookies
by May-1-2014
Ingredients
  • 1/2 cup butter, softened
  • 2/3 cup sugar
  • 1 egg, separated
  • 2 tbsp milk
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1/3 cup baking cocoa
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 cup finely chopped pecans
  • 12 to 14 caramels
  • 3 tbsp heavy whipping cream
  • Sea salt for sprinkling
Instructions
1. In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in egg yolk, milk and vanilla. In another bowl, whisk flour, cocoa and salt; gradually beat into creamed mixture. Refrigerate, covered, 1 hour or until you can easily roll it into balls.2. Preheat oven to 350°. Shape dough into 1-in. balls. In a bowl, beat egg white. Place pecans in a separate bowl. Dip balls in egg white, then in pecans, patting to help pecans adhere to the dough.3. Press a deep indentation in center of each with the end of a wooden spoon handle. Bake 10-12 minutes or until set. Remove from pans to wire racks to cool. When I took them out of the oven I used the wooden spoon again to make the thumbprint deeper.4. In a large heavy saucepan, melt caramels with cream over low heat; stir until smooth. Fill each cookie with about 1/2 teaspoon caramel mixture. Sprinkle each top with a bit of sea salt to taste.
Details
Prep time: Cook time: Total time: Yield: 24 cookies
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