Monday, February 18, 2013

Cocoa Buttermilk Cake with Cocoa Mascarpone Frosting



Good morning! I hope that your week is starting off well. If not this recipe for Cocoa Buttermilk cake with Cocoa Mascrapone Frosting, may give your spirits a lift. I found it on the Better Homes and Gardens website and it is DELICIOUS!





Dark Cocoa Buttermilk Cake

Ingredients:
3/4 cup of butter at room temperature
3 eggs at room temperature
21/3 cups of all purpose flour
3/4 cup of unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup packed brown sugar
2 tsp of vanilla
11/2 cups of buttermilk or sour milk


Directions:

Grease one 13 x 9 inch pan. Set aside. Preheat oven to 350. Then in a medium bowl combine the flour, cocoa powder, salt, baking soda, baking powder, mix and set aside.

In bowl of a mixer, beat butter on high speed for 30 seconds. Add sugar and brown sugar, beat until combined. Scrape sides of bowl and beat another 2 minutes. Add eggs on at a time, beating well after each addition, then add vanilla.

Add flour mixture and buttermilk alternately to sugar egg mixture, on low speed just until combined, then beat an additional 20 seconds. Pour into prepared pans and bake for 40-45 minutes. Check after 35 minutes as your oven may run hotter than mine. Check with a toothpick to be sure it is done. Once cooled spread with frosting.


Cocoa Mascarpone Frosting
Recipe from Better Homes and Gardens

Ingredients:

4 oz of mascarpone cheese softened
1/2 cup of butter softened
1/3 cup of cocoa powder
2 tablespoons of heavy whipping cream
1 tsp vanilla
41/2 cups of powdered sugar

Directions:

In a large bowl combine mascarpone cheese, and butter, cocoa powder, heavy cream and vanilla, beat until creamy. Gradually add powdered sugar and continue to mix on LOW until smooth. Add additional cream to make it the consistency that you like.



This cake is moist, easy to make and scrumptious. And the frosting is creamy and so chocolaty, almost like fudge. 



I hope you try it and if you do let me know what you think!



Enjoy your day!

Linking to:
Stone Gable
No Minimalists
Rattlebridge Farm

Thursday, February 14, 2013

Happy Valentine's Day


"All you need is love but a little chocolate now and then doesn't hurt."
~ Charles Schultz~


I hope you have a fabulous Valentine's Day and hopefully a little chocolate too!
Enjoy!

Saturday, February 9, 2013

Nestles Toll House Cookies and Hot Chocolate

 

Is there anything better on a snowy, cold day than making chocolate chip cookies? I have fond memories of my mother making Nestle Toll House Cookies for us and today I decided to make my own. 



I followed the recipe straight off the package with one exception, I added more chips because I like them with a lot of chocolate. I actually did manage to bake a few before I ate about a quarter of the dough raw. That is not recommended because of the raw eggs but I can never resist. 



Ingredients


  • 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
  • 3/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 large eggs
  • 2 cups (12-oz. pkg.) NESTLÉ® TOLL HOUSE® Semi-Sweet Chocolate Morsels




Directions

 Preheat oven to 375° F. Combine flour, baking soda and salt in small bowl. Beat butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar and vanilla extract in large mixer bowl until creamy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Gradually beat in flour mixture. Stir in morsels and nuts. Drop by rounded tablespoon onto ungreased baking sheets.

Bake for 9 to 11 minutes or until golden brown. Some ovens make take longer or less time. Cool on baking sheets for 2 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool completely.






I hope you are safe and warm and with power! Enjoy your day!