Too Much Chocolate Cake

I mean is there really such a thing as too much chocolate?  The title does say it all though… this cake pushes the boundaries of chocolateyness and it is decadent.  This is literally the easiest cake you can throw together.  And it is
DELICIOUS.  This is one of my most repeated recipes especially when I need to make something insanely fast and with all the staple ingredients already at home.  I don’t usually like cooking with cake mix, but this is such a good doctored cake mix recipe that it throws all my elitism out the window.  One of my favorite recipes from Allrecipes, I present to you the deliciously, incredibley moist and chocolatey too much chocolate cake.  The addition of the bag of chocolate chips and chocolate pudding mix is genius!

Too Much Chocolate Cake (adapted from allrecipes.com)

1 package devils food cake mix (if you can’t find it, just use dark chocolate)

1 package instant chocolate pudding mix

1 cup sour cream

1 cup vegetable oil

4 eggs

1/2 cup warm water

2 cups (1 bag) semi-sweet chocolate chips

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. In a large bowl, mix together the cake and pudding mixes, sour cream, oil, beaten eggs and water.  Stir in the chocolate chips and pour batter into a well greased 12 cup bundt pan.
3. Bake for 50 to 55 minutes, or until top is springy to the touch and a wooden toothpick inserted comes out clean. Cool cake thoroughly in pan at least an hour and a half before inverting onto a plate  If desired, dust the cake with powdered sugar.

Pumpkin Cheesecake with Gingersnap Crust

It’s November, and you know what that means… Thanksgiving! It is the holy month for foodies like us, and often my mom goes all out with a traditional turkey dinner, complete with cranberry sauce and green bean casserole. Never on actual Thanksgiving though… weird. Anyways, this recipe comes from the More from Magnolia Cookbook. It is one of their bestselling products at the bakery, and when you make it you will know why. This creamy cheesecake is rich with comforting pumpkin flavor. Initially I was concerned about the lack of spices but the punch of the gingersnap crust against the creamy coolness of the cheese filling gives it enough flavor without being overwhelming. This is a must have addition to any holiday table!

Slightly adapted from the More from Magnolia Cookbook.

Ingredients:

Crust:

• 1/2 stick unsalted butter, melted
• 1 1/2 cup gingersnap cookie crumbs
• 1/2 cup chopped toasted pecans

Filling:

• 400 grams cream cheese softened
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
• 5 large eggs, room temperature
• 1 1/2 cups canned pumpkin puree
• 3/4 cup heavy cream
• 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon

whipped cream and pecan halves to garnish

Directions:

Preheat oven to 180C

To make the crust: In a small bowl combine the butter and the gingersnap cookie crumbs with pecans. Press on the bottom of a buttered 10-inch cheesecake pan. Bake for 10 mins. Remove from oven and cool.

To make the filling: In a large bowl, on the low speed of an electric mixer, beat cream cheese until very smooth. Gradually add the sugar, then the eggs one by one. Add the pumpkin puree and mix until just blended. Make sure to stop often and scape the sides and bottom of the bowl to make sure the mix is well incorporated. Stir in heavy cream and cinnamon.

Pour the batter into the pan over the crust, and place the pan on a baking sheet. Bake until edges are set and center is slightly jiggly, about 1 hour. At the end of baking time, turn off the oven and using a wooden spoon to prop the oven door slightly ajar cool the cake in the oven for 1 hour before removing. Cover and refrigerate for 12 hours or overnight.

Remove the cake from fridge 15-30 mins before cutting and serving. Garnish with whipped cream and pecan halves.

Enjoy!

-M

Oreo Tunneled Bundt Cake

For me bunt cakes are one of my favorite cakes to bake. They look stunning, not like plain old sheet cake. Also, they are easy to make, not like those layered cakes which need a special occasion to really shine. This bunt cake has an added bonus of an Oreo cream cheese filling sandwiched between two layers of moist, gooey chocolate cake.

Of course I forgot to take a picture after we sliced it so you could see the ribbon of cream  cheese running through the cake, I guess I was too busy stuffing my face! But you have to trust me, you will love it. Just picture the creamy filling in stark contrast to the dark cake. I used Hershey’s recipe for the cake but you could be lazy and just use a box cake mix. It will still taste amazing I promise.

For the cake:

Ingredients

• 2 cups sugar
• 1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup  Cocoa
• 1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1-1/2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup milk
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 cup boiling water

For the filling

• 1 package cream cheese (8oz or 200g) softened
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup chopped Oreos

1. Heat oven to 180C. Grease and flour a large bunt pan.
2. For the cake:  Stir together sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt in large bowl. Add eggs, milk, oil and vanilla; beat on medium speed of mixer 2 minutes. Stir in boiling water (batter will be thin).
3. In a separate medium sized bowl mix together the cream cheese and sugar. Add eggs one at a time. Add the vanilla.Fold in the chopped Oreos.
4. In the bunt pan pour in half the cake batter. Then spoon the cream cheese filling on top. Finish by pouring the second half of the cake batter.
5.  Bake 50 to 60 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes; remove from pans to wire racks. Cool completely.
6. To make the glaze, just mix some confectioner’s sugar with milk until you reach your desired consistency. Pipe over the cooled cake.

Enjoy!

– M