Chocolate Sour Cream Bundt Cake

So...it seems that for someone who doesn't like chocolate, I have been posting a lot of it lately.

The only excuse I have is that I'm just about 33 weeks pregnant. I mean, if that's not an excuse..what is???

I've mentioned before how I'm not really a chocolate person. But then, about a week later, I made some super scrumptious brownies because sometimes a girl just needs some chocolate.

When my Baby Brother and my Nephew in Law graduated high school at the beginning of this month, I asked them what their favorite flavor was. I figured I would make them a cake. Their immediate response was: chocolate.

I had had this cake in the back of my mind since Monica shared it on her blog. I even bought the anniversary bundt cake just so I could make this cake!!

So I figured this was the perfect time to make it.

THEN! I made it again about a week and a half later for Father's Day. I mean, why not???

This cake is A.Mazing! And this is coming from a girl who chooses oatmeal cookies over chocolate chip!

The first time I made this cake, I put all the batter in the pan and it overflowed something fierce. The second time, I kept some of the batter back and made cupcakes.

Neither time I made this cake was I able to let it completely cool before we were digging into it. There was just no way! But when it's still warm in the center is just about the perfect time to serve it (in my opinion). And if you are one of those "ice cream with dessert" type people, the ice cream would definitely compliment this cake while still warm.

Just looking at these pictures and thinking about this cake makes me want it. YUM!

Let me break it down for you. This is a cake with cocoa powder, chopped chocolate and chocolate chips in the batter. Topped with a chocolate ganache and garnished with mini chocolate chips.

The cake is stunning. It's tall and ready to intimidate other cakes. However, it was not too rich. Looking at it, it seems like it would be overkill. But it truly wasn't. It was the perfect amount of sweet that made me want to eat half the cake on my own.

The crumb was moist and...warm; because I'm impatient. And the ganache was the perfect creamy addition. And let's not forget my love for texture! The mini chocolate chips gave the cake the texture that I so enjoy.

Oh! And butter!! This cake has almost 3 sticks of butter in it! You can get better than that!!!

So...if you have an event coming up that calls for a prize winning type chocolate cake...or even if you just want an amazing piece of chocolate cake...I HIGHLY recommend you get in the kitchen and make this bad boy.

Here's how you can have this cake in your home. Just don't tell anyone about it because you won't want to share.

Pour some boiling water over the chocolate and cocoa powder, whisk until smooth and combined.

Whisk together the flour, baking soda and salt.

Cream the butter until light and fluffy, add the brown sugar and beat again until light and fluffy.

Add in the eggs, a bit at a time.

Add in the vanilla.

Alternating, in 3 increments, beginning and ending with the flour mixture, slowly add in the flour...

And the sour cream (in 2 increments).

Slowly add in the chocolate mixture from earlier. Mix until no white streaks are left.

Gently stir in the chocolate chips.

Pour the batter into the bundt pan and smooth with a spatula. I had to keep some out in order to not have the pan overflow. I made cupcakes with the excess batter.

Bake until a tester comes out clean. Let cool in the pan about 15 minutes then invert the cake onto a cooling rack. Allow to cool at least 1 hour.

Make the ganache by combining the chocolate and butter in a small mixing bowl. Bring the heavy cream to a low boil and immediately pour over the chocolate and butter. Whisk until the mixture is completely smooth. Pour the ganache over the cooled cake, letting it drip down the sides. Let the ganache set about 15 minutes.

Top with mini chocolate chips. Serve and enjoy!!!!

Chocolate Sour Cream Bundt Cake
Retrieved from Lick the Bowl Good

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Ingredients:

For the cake:

• 1 cup cocoa powder
• 7 1/2 ounces semi sweet chocolate, finely chopped
• 1 cup boiling water
• 2 1/4 cup unbleached all purpose flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 20 Tablespoons (2 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 2 1/2 cups light brown sugar, firmly packed
• 5 eggs, at room temperature, lightly beaten
• 4 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 cups sour cream, at room temperature
• 1 1/2 cups semi sweet chocolate chips
• 1/4 cup mini chocolate chips for topping (optional)

For the ganache

• 6 ounces semi sweet chocolate, finely chopped
• 2 Tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1/2 cup heavy cream

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Spray a 12-15 cup bundt pan with baking spray (or grease the pan and dust with cocoa powder).
2. In a small mixing bowl, combine the cocoa powder and semi sweet chocolate, pour boiling water over the mixture. Let stand 30 seconds and whisk until smooth. Set aside.
3. In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
4. In the bowl of an electric mixer, on medium high speed, beat the butter until light and fluffy, about 30-45 seconds.
5. Add the brown sugar and beat until mixed and light and fluffy, about 5 minutes; scrape down the sides of the bowl as necessary.
6. Add the eggs, a bit at a time, mixing completely before adding more. Scrape the sides of the bowl as necessary.
7. Mix in the vanilla, beat about 1 minute.
8. Reduce the mixer speed to low. In an alternating manner, add the flour mixture in 3 increments and the sour cream in two increments; beginning and ending with flour. Beat until just combined.
9. Slowly add in the chocolate mixture. Beat until no white streaks are visible.
10. Gently stir in the chocolate chips.
11. Pour the batter into the prepared pan (I had to keep out some of the batter to prevent overflow) smoothing out the top with a spatula.
12. Bake in the preheated oven for 60-65 minutes or until a tester inserted in the center comes out clean.
13. Transfer the pan to a wire rack. Cool in the pan about 15 minutes.
14. Invert the cake onto the wire rack and remove the pan. Allow to cool at least 1 hour.
15. Make the ganache: place the chocolate and butter in a small mixing bowl, heat the heavy cream until it reaches a soft boil, pour over the chocolate and butter, let stand 30-60 seconds. Whisk until completely smooth. 
16. Pour ganache over the cooled cake, allowing it to drip down the sides. Allow to set, about 15 minutes, top with mini chocolate chips
17. Serve and enjoy!!!

Daring Bakers June 2011: Baklava

Okay people! I think I'm losing my mind over here!

Where the heck did Monday go???

I realized last night that it was Monday and that I was supposed to have posted this already.

But alas, Monday escaped me so it is now Tuesday and I'm going to share this awesome recipe with you.

I have loved baklava for many years now and have been considering making it for some time.

However, I never intended to make my own dough!

Erica of Erica’s Edibles was our host for the Daring Baker’s June challenge. Erica challenged us to be truly DARING by making homemade phyllo dough and then to use that homemade dough to make Baklava.

This recipe was super delicious. As all baklava is to me...

I feel extremely proud of the fact that I finally made this delicious treat...I just wish The Hubble could have been here to enjoy it with me.

I have to say, I will never be making my own phyllo dough again. This was tough. It took a lot of time and was super frustrating. I think I tore just about every piece of the phyllo. Except one...there was ONE piece I didn't rip. But what can you do??

It's about the experience right?? At least I can now say I made phyllo from scratch. Not many people can say that.

I did have to double the dough recipe to get enough to make all the layers I needed. I also had to piece together the trimmings to make more sheets. Either I didn't roll my dough thin enough or...well...I didn't roll my dough thin enough. I got annoyed and figured whatever. I needed three dough recipes to make all the layers...but I made due.

Also, the syrup I made was WAY too much. It didn't quite soak up and I had to pour some of the syrup out at the end. Only half the syrup was needed. I made the adjustments in the recipe I shared below.

No matter what, this was definitely a challenge that I am glad I stepped up to. The baklava was delicious and I'm so thankful to Erica for giving us this great challenge!

Here's what you can do to make your own phyllo and baklava at home! Let's get daring!!

With the paddle attachment of your electric mixer, combine the flour and salt.

In a separate bowl, combine the water, oil and vinegar.

With the mixer on low speed, add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients.

Mix until a soft dough forms.

Switch to the dough hook and "knead" until a smooth, elastic dough forms; about 10 minutes.

Form the dough into a ball, lightly coat with oil and wrap tightly in plastic wrap. Allow to rest 1 1/2-2 hours.

While the dough rests, make the syrup.

And the nut filling. Set both aside.

Cut off a chunk of dough slightly larger than a golf ball. Use whatever means available to roll it out as thin as possible. Once it's as thin as you can get it with the rolling pin, carefully pick it up with well floured hands and stretch on the backs of your hands like pizza dough.

Lay the sheets on a well floured surface, flouring between each sheet. Continue rolling the dough until all the dough is used up.

Trim the dough to fit your pan. Butter the bottom of the pan, place the first layer of phyllo in the bottom of the pan. Butter the phyllo. Continue to layer the phyllo and butter 5 more times.

Then layer with 1/3 of the nut filling. Continue to layer the phyllo and nut layers until all used up.

Tuck the corners of the phyllo into the sides of the pan to look nice.

Cut into the shapes you desire.

Bake, cut then bake some more.

When the baklava is done baking, pour the cooled syrup over the hot dough, it will crackle. Let it sit overnight to soak up the syrup.

Serve and enjoy!!!


Apricot Baklava

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Phyllo Dough
Retrieved from The Daring Kitchen

Ingredients:

• 1 1/3 cup unbleached all purpose flour
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup, minus 1 Tablespoon, water, plus more if needed
• 2 Tablespoons vegetable oil, plus more for coating the dough.
• 1/2 teaspoon cider vinegar 
• 2 cups butter, melted (for assembly of baklava)

Directions:

1. In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine flour and salt with the paddle attachment.
2. In a small bowl, combine water, oil and vinegar.
3. With mixer on low speed, add wet ingredients to the dry ingredients. Mix until a soft dough forms (add more water if dough is too dry).
4. Change to the dough hook and allow to "knead" about 10 minutes (20 minutes if kneading by hand) until a smooth, elasticy dough forms.
5. Remove dough from mixer and knead by hand about 2 minutes more (during this process, pick up the dough and throw it on the counter a few times).
6. Shape the dough into a ball, coat with oil and tightly cover with plastic wrap. Allow to rest 1 1/2 to 2 hours.
7. While dough rests, make the syrup and nut mixture; recipes follow.
8. Unwrap the dough and cut off a chunk slightly larger than a golf ball. (While rolling, keep the remaining dough covered so it doesn't dry out)
9. Flour hands, rolling pin and counter (add as necessary, you can't over flour). Roll the dough as thin as possible (don't worry about tearing it but try to keep a nice sheet for the top layer)
10. When you get it as thin as possible with the rolling pin, flour your hands well and stretch it on the backs of your hands like pizza dough. The dough should be thin enough to see through.
11. Set the sheet of dough on a well floured surface, flour the top of the sheet and continue rolling the dough until you have rolled it all out into thin sheets.
12. When the dough is rolled out, trim your dough sheets to fit the bottom of your pan.
13. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
14. Melt the butter, butter the bottom of the baking dish. Lay a sheet of phyllo dough on the butter, butter the dough, place another sheet of phyllo, butter the dough. Continue in this manner until you have 5 layers of phyllo and butter, end with the butter. Then layer with 1/3 of the nut mixture. Then more phyllo.
15. You should have several layers: 5 sheets phyllo, 1/3 filling, 4 sheets phyllo, 1/3 filling, 4 sheets phyllo, 1/3 filling, 5 sheets phyllo.
16. When the layers are finished, poke the edges of dough into the pan. Cut the baklava into desired shapes. Butter the top layer of dough.
17. Bake about 30 minutes, remove from oven and cut the shapes again, making sure to cut all the way through all the layers.
18. Bake another 30 minutes. Or until golden brown.
19. Remove from the oven and pour the cooled syrup over the baklava, it will crackle. Allow to set overnight to soak up the syrup.
20. Serve and enjoy!

Apricot Syrup

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup water
• 1 cup apricot nectar
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup honey
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Directions:

1. Combine all ingredients in a medium saucepan. Heat over medium high heat until sugar dissolves.
2. Without stirring, allow the syrup to reach 225 degrees F. Set aside and allow to cool.

Filling:

Ingredients:

• 8 ounces walnuts
• 8 ounces almonds
• 6 ounces pistachios
• 2 Tablespoons ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ground allspice
• 1 pinch ground cloves

Directions:

1. Place all ingredients in a food processor.
2. Pulse until finely chopped.

Peach Cake

I am a lover of fresh fruit. It's true. You put fresh fruit in front of me and I get super giddy.

Lately, Little Butt and I have been eating watermelon like nobody's business.

And let me tell you, eating that much watermelon at 7 1/2 months pregnant does not help in the bladder issue if you know what I mean.

But what can I do?? I love the stuff!!

I also love fresh cherries, apricots, kiwi, STRAWBERRY (my favorite) and, of course, peaches. What is your favorite fruit??

A few weeks ago, I picked up the June issue of Food Network magazine because it had a bunch of different hot dogs on the cover. If there is one food I can NEVER pass up, it's hot dogs. Especially straight off the grill. Just the bun and the dog and I'm happy.

Oh my gosh...focus! This is not about hot dogs. Silly girl!

This is about a thick, fluffy, coffee cake-esque, cake with sliced, fresh peaches. YUM!

Anyway. I was looking through the magazine and I came across this recipe for peach cake. I knew immediately I had to make it. I have baked with fresh peaches before and was more than excited to bake with them again. But this time, in cake form.

So I bought some peaches and the rest of the ingredients I didn't have...and time got away from me. My peaches started to turn and I ended up using them for something else.

But I still had this cake in the forefront of my mind so I bought peaches again. And this time I would not let them go without making this cake.

I am so glad I made this cake. It does taste like a coffee cake with sliced peaches strewn throughout it. It's both light and hearty. It can be enjoyed on a Sunday morning for brunch or a Tuesday evening as an after dinner treat.

If you want a taste of summer, I highly recommend you make this cake at your earliest convenience.

Let's bake!

Whisk together the flour, salt, baking soda and baking powder. Set aside.

Cream together your butter and 1 cup of the sugar.

Add your eggs and keep beating.

Now dump in the sour cream and vanilla; mix. (Please ignore the black specks...I'm using homemade bourbon vanilla a friend gave me for Christmas and I'm reaching the bottom of the jar where all the vanilla bean specks lie)

Now slowly mix in the dry ingredients.

In a separate, small bowl, mix together the cinnamon and remaining half cup of sugar.

Evenly spread half the batter into the bottom of your pan.

Layer with half the peaches.

And sprinkle 2/3 of the cinnamon sugar mixture evenly over the peaches.

Evenly spread the remaining half of the batter over the peaches. Be careful!

Then top with the rest of the peaches, cinnamon sugar and the pecans. Bake it up until golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Pull it out, let it cool.

Then slice it up and serve it. Enjoy!!!

Peach Cake
Retrieved from Food Network

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Ingredients:

• 1/4 pound (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 2 extra-large eggs, at room temperature
• 1 cup sour cream, at room temperature
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 3 large ripe peaches, peeled, pitted and sliced
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 9x9 inch baking pan with baking spray.
2. In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
3. In the bowl of an electric mixer, with the beater on medium high speed, cream together the butter and 1 cup of the sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
4. With the mixer on low, beat in the eggs, one at a time. 
5. Then mix in the sour cream and vanilla, mix until the batter is smooth.
6. Slowly add in the dry ingredients, stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl as necessary, and mix until just combined.
7. In a small bowl, mix together the cinnamon and remaining 1/2 cup of sugar.
8. In the pan, spread half the batter in an even layer. Top batter with half the peaches and 2/3 of the cinnamon sugar mixture. Carefully spread the leftover batter over the peach layer. Top with the remaining peaches, cinnamon sugar mixture and the pecans.
9. Bake the cake for 45-55 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
10. Allow to cool slightly or completely.
11. Slice, serve and enjoy!!!

Lime Chiffon Cake

Do you ever just feel defeated??

Defeated by life?

Like, no matter what you do you just can't seem to get ahead??

That's kind of how I feel lately.

It just seems like I keep getting punched in the gut every which way I turn.

I don't know if I've talked about our car issues here...but let's just say, in the last 2-3 months we have had to spend at least $3500 on both of our cars. Things just keep breaking.

Well...I found out today that The Hubble's car needs another $750 part to make his sunroof close AND his check engine light is on now. Will it ever end???

To top it all off, my good friend Monica and I decided to bake together this past week. I know, how is that bad right?? Just wait...

See...Monica and I are both members of a baking group called The Cake Slice Bakers.

Each month, the members of the group vote on which cake we will be making. This month, there was a tie for the Fresh Strawberry and White Chocolate Cake and the Lime Chiffon Cake. Both sounded amazing so we decided we would each bake one of the cakes, half them and have the best of both worlds. Perfect right??

We thought so.

Until the cakes were done anyway.

And we realized my cake was a complete failure!!

I don't know if my cake failed because I was in a rush, nervous about baking with someone else for the first time, or because I had never made a cake like this before. But either way, I let down my end of the bargain. I got half of the strawberry cake and Monica got crap.

See...Monica made this cake:

Jump over to Monica's Blog for the recipe.

Isn't it beautiful?? I agree! 

And this is what Monica got to take home:

Look at what a poor, shriveled up, little old man of a cake he turned out to be. He just looks so sad. And he tasted like egg. Not lime...egg.

I couldn't let this be it. 

I needed to try again! 

So I did. And the second time the cake came out gorgeous!!! And delicious! 

The cake was light and airy, with just enough weight to make it feel like you are eating cake and not just air. I added a powdered sugar and lime juice glaze to give it that extra kick and that turned out to be a great choice!

I'm so glad I tried again, but I'm sorry that Monica didn't get to try this fantastic cake. I hope this failed attempt doesn't put her off of baking with me in the future.

Anyway...let me show you how to properly make this cake. Let's get baking!

Whisk together the flour, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl.

In a large mixing bowl, beat the egg yolks and whole eggs until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.

Slow and steady, pour in 1 cup of the sugar while the mixer is still running. Beat until light and increased in size, about another 5 minutes.

Now, slowly pour in the oil while the mixer is still running. Beat for about another minute.

In an alternating fashion, beginning and ending with the flour mixture, add in 1/3 of the flour at a time...

Followed by 1/2 of the lime juice and water mixture. Get it?? 1/3 flour, 1/2 juice, 1/3 flour, 1/2 juice, 1/3 flour. I knew you had it!

Stir in the lime zest and vanilla.

In a separate and clean metal bowl, using clean beaters, whisk the egg whites until frothy. Add the cream of tartar then beat until the egg whites turn...well...white. Then slowly add the remaining 1/2 cup sugar while continuing to whisk the whites. Beat until stiff peaks form.

Fold in 1/4 of the whites into the batter to lighten. Then gently but thoroughly fold in the remaining whites into the batter.

Pour the batter into the pan, make sure it's smooth and even on the top.

Then bake until it's golden and springs back when touched.

Invert the pan and cool it immediately out of the oven.

And because I can't just let things go (and I know you want to see it again) here is my sad excuse for a chiffon cake again.

Attempt number 2 came out so tall, so regal, so majestic. Just beautiful. Top that baby with a tart glaze...

Slice, serve and enjoy!!!

Lime Chiffon Cake
Retrieved from Cake Keeper Cakes by Lauren Chattman

Printer Friendly Version

Ingredients:

• 1 1/3 cup cake flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 7 large eggs, 5 separated, 2 left whole
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 1/2 vegetable oil
• 1/3 cup fresh lime juice
• 1/3 cup water
• 2 teaspoons lime zest
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1/3 teaspoon cream of tartar
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 4 Tablespoons (more or less) lime juice

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Have a 9-inch ungreased tube pan with a removable bottom ready. (My tube pan doesn't have a removable bottom so I lightly greased JUST the bottom of the pan)
2. Whisk together the flour, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl. Set aside
3. Beat the eggs yolks and whole eggs in a large mixing bowl until lightened in color, about 3 minutes.
4. With the mixer running, add 1 cup sugar in a slow, steady stream and continue to beat until the mixture is light and increased in volume, about 5 minutes longer.
5. With the mixer still running, slowly pour in the oil and continue to beat for 1 minute longer.
6. Combine the lime juice and water in a measuring cup. With the mixer on low speed, add the flour mixture 1/3 at a time, alternating with the juice and water mixture 1/2 at a time, beginning and ending with the flour mixture. Scrape down the sides of the bowl once or twice as necessary.
7. Stir in the lime zest and vanilla.
8. With clean beaters and a clean metal mixing bowl, whip the egg whites on medium speed until frothy.
9. Add the cream of tartar and continue to beat until the egg whites begin to turn white.
10. With the mixer still on medium speed, pour in the remaining 1/2 cup sugar in a slow, steady stream and whip until the whites hold stiff peaks.
11. Fold 1/4 of the egg yolk mixture into the whites to soften. Then fold the egg white mixture into the batter, gently but thoroughly. (I folded 1/4 of the whites to the batter to lighten, then folded in the rest of the whites to the mixture).
12. Pour the batter into the tube pan and smooth the top with a rubber spatula. Bake the cake until it is golden brown and the top springs back when you touch it, 55 minutes to 1 hour.
13. Remove the pan from the oven. Immediately invert the pan and allow it to cool. If your pan has 'feet' invert it onto a heatproof surface. If your pan does not have 'feet' invert the pan onto 4 upside down heatproof glasses on the counter. This allows air to circulate around the cake while it cools. Let the cake cool in the pan completely, about 2 hours.
14. To remove the cake from the pan, run a knife around the edges and middle of pan, being careful to leave the golden crust intact. 
15. Invert the pan onto a serving platter. If your pan has a removable bottom, use the knife to release the cake from the bottom of the pan. 
16. Make the glaze (optional): stir the powdered sugar and lime juice until desired consistency. Pour it over the top and sides of the cake. (I used about a cup of powdered sugar and the juice from 2 1/2 limes. If too runny, add more powdered sugar. If too thick, add more juice.)
17. Slice, serve and enjoy!!