Emeril Lagasses Mississippi Mud Cake Recipes

EMERIL LAGASSE'S MISSISSIPPI MUD CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 275 °F.
• Grease a Bundt pan with 2 teaspoons of the butter, then lightly dust with the cocoa.
• Sift the flour with the baking soda and salt into a bowl, and set aside.
• Warm the bourbon and coffee in the top of a double boiler or a stainless steel bowl set over a pan of simmering water for 5 minutes.
• Add the chocolate and remaining butter and cook, stirring, until melted and smooth, about 3 minutes.
• Remove from the heat.
• Add the sugar and stir to dissolve.
• Cool slightly.
• Using a whisk or an electric mixer, stir the flour, 1/2 cup at a time, into the chocolate.
• Add the vanilla and eggs, whisking to mix well.
• Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 1 hour.
• (The cake will be slightly soft in the middle.) Remove from the oven and let rest in the pan for 20 minutes, then turn out onto a cooling rack to cool for at least 30 minutes before serving.

PRALINE POUND CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Butter 2 (9 by 5 by 3-inch) loaf pans, using the heaping tablespoon of the butter.
• Cream the remaining butter and the sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer on low speed until light and fluffy. Scrape down the sides with a rubber spatula.
• In a separate mixing bowl, beat together the egg yolks with the vanilla until light and frothy. With the electric mixer on medium-low, gradually add the egg yolk mixture to the butter and sugar mixture and mix for about 4 minutes.
• In another bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, and salt. With the electric mixer on medium speed, alternately add the flour mixture, a third at a time, and the egg whites, a third at a time, to the butter and egg mixture, beating for 2 minutes between each addition. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as you mix. Add the lemon zest during the last 2 minutes of mixing.
• Divide the batter equally between the pans. To 1 of the cakes, add the crumbled pralines and the rum to the batter and gently stir to mix evenly; leave the other plain. Bake the plain cake for about 1 hour, the praline cake for about 1 hour and 10 minutes. Both should be golden when done and firm to the touch.
• The cakes can be stored by wrapping them in waxed paper, then plastic wrap, then in foil. They do not need to be refrigerated.
• In a heavy saucepan, over medium heat, combine the sugar, brown sugar, corn syrup, butter, salt and condensed milk. With a wooden spoon, stir until the sugar dissolves. Continue to cook, stirring, until smooth and light brown, about 8 minutes. Add the vanilla and pecans and continue to cook, stirring, until the mixture reaches 234 to 240 degrees F. on a candy thermometer or the soft ball stage, that is, when a bit dropped into cold water forms a soft ball that flattens. Remove from the heat and drop by the spoonful onto waxed paper. Let cool. Remove from the paper with a thin knife.

MISSISSIPPI MUD CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and lightly grease a 9 by 13-inch cake pan.
• Sift the flour, sugar, baking soda and salt into a medium mixing bowl.
• Put the butter in a small saucepan and, when melted, add the cocoa and water and bring to a boil. Add the boiling cocoa mixture to the dry ingredients and stir until just combined. Add the buttermilk, eggs, and vanilla and stir until smooth. Pour into the prepared baking dish and bake until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean, 35 to 40 minutes. Transfer to a wire cooling rack and sprinkle the marshmallows evenly over the hot cake.
• Put the butter in a medium saucepan and, when melted, add the cocoa powder and buttermilk and bring to a boil. Remove from the heat and add the confectioners' sugar, vanilla, and salt and stir until very smooth. Pour the hot icing over the marshmallows on the hot cake and sprinkle with the nuts. Let cool to lukewarm before serving. Cake is best served warm or at room temperature.