Under A Spell Chocolate Cake Recipes

SUPER MOIST CHOCOLATE SPELT CAKE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F Grease and flour two 9-inch round baking pans.
• 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). Pour batter into prepared pans.
• Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes; remove from pans to wire racks. Cool completely. Frost.
• VARIATIONS:.
• ONE-PAN CAKE: Grease and flour 13x9x2-inch baking pan. Heat oven to 350°F Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake 35 to 40 minutes. Cool completely. Frost.
• THREE LAYER CAKE: Grease and flour three 8-inch round baking pans. Heat oven to 350°F Pour batter into prepared pans. Bake 30 to 35 minutes. Cool 10 minutes; remove from pans to wire racks. Cool completely. Frost.
• BUNDT CAKE: Grease and flour 12-cup Bundt pan. Heat oven to 350°F Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake 50 to 55 minutes. Cool 15 minutes; remove from pan to wire rack. Cool completely. Frost.
• CUPCAKES: Line muffin cups (2-1/2 inches in diameter) with paper bake cups. Heat oven to 350°F Fill cups 2/3 full with batter. Bake 22 to 25 minutes. Cool completely. Frost. About 30 cupcakes.

"PERFECT CHOCOLATE CAKE" MCCALL'S COOKING SCHOOL

Steps:

• In medium bowl, combine cocoa with boiling water, mixing with wire whisk until smooth.
• Cool completely.
• Sift flour with soda, salt and baking powder.
• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• Grease well and lightly flour three 9 by 1 1/2 inch layer-cake pans.
• In large bowl of electric mixer, at high speed, beat butter, sugar, eggs, and vanilla, scraping bowl occasionally until light-about 5 minutes.
• At low speed, beat in flour mixture (in fourths), alternately with cocoa mixture (in thirds), beginning and ending with flour mixture. Do not overbeat.
• Divide evenly into pans;smooth top. Bake 25 to 30 minutes, or until surface springs back when gently pressed with fingertip.
• Cool in pans 10 minutes.
• Carefully loosen sides with spatula; 4. Remove from pans; cool on racks.
• Frosting: In medium saucepan, combine chocolate pieces,cream, butter;stir over medium heat until smooth.
• Remove from heat.
• With whisk, blend in 2 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar.
• In bowl set over ice(I use ice cubes) beat until it holds shape.
• 18. Filling: whip cream with sugar and vanilla;refrigerate.
• To assemble cake: On plate place a layer, top side down;spread with half of cream.
• Place second layer, top side down;spread with rest of cream.
• Place third layer, top side up. To frost: With spatula, frost sides first,covering whipped cream;use rest of frosting on top, swirling decoratively.
• Refrigerate at least 1 hour before serving.
• To cut, use a thin-edged sharp knife;slice with a sawing motion.
• And forget the swirls.
• I think it looks gourmet just to spread the frosting.
• It dries really dark and looks cool.
• Somethimes I just drag a sharp knife across the top in lines and sometimes I leave it as it is. From McCall's Cooking School.

UNDER-A-SPELL CHOCOLATE CAKE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F. Grease 3 (8-inch) round cake pans with shortening; line with cooking parchment paper.
• Make cake batter as directed on box. Divide batter evenly among 3 pans.
• Bake 18 to 20 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans 10 minutes. Remove from pans to cooling racks; remove parchment paper. Cool completely, about 1 hour.
• Place 1 cake layer on cardboard round. Frost top with 1/3 cup frosting. Top with second cake layer; frost top with 1/3 cup frosting. Top with third cake layer; frost top and side of cake with thin layer of frosting to form a crumb coat. Refrigerate 30 minutes.
• Place 1/3 cup frosting in 1-quart resealable food-storage plastic bag; set aside. Remove cake from refrigerator; frost top and side. Refrigerate 30 minutes.
• In small microwavable bowl, microwave candy melts uncovered on High 30 to 60 seconds, stirring every 15 seconds, until melted. Holding pretzel rod on one end, spread melted candy melts to cover three-fourths of the rod. Place rod on piece of cooking parchment or waxed paper; sprinkle 2 tablespoons of sprinkles to cover. Let stand about 15 minutes or until sprinkles are attached to rod.
• In small microwavable bowl, microwave chocolate chips and whipping cream uncovered on High 45 to 60 seconds, stirring every 15 seconds, until melted and smooth. Let stand 10 to 15 minutes or until chocolate has cooled and mounds slightly when drizzled from spoon.
• Remove cake from refrigerator; place on cooling rack with cooking parchment or waxed paper under rack. Pour chocolate mixture on center of cake, spreading to edge of cake, allowing some to drip down sides.
• Place sprinkle-covered rod off center on top of cake; push into cake slightly so it is at an angle. Cut off one corner of bag with reserved frosting. Pipe frosting around rod, going upward to form large mound around base. Sprinkle top of cake with candy sprinkles.
• Press 2 candy-coated chocolate candies on side of cake. Use icing pen to make small circle in center of each chocolate candy to create an "eye." Place 6 slivered almonds around two eyes to look like claws. Repeat with remaining candies and almonds around side of cake. Refrigerate 30 minutes to harden.
• Transfer cake to serving plate when ready to serve. Decorate small brown bag as desired, and place on top of sprinkle-covered rod. Use piece of crumpled foil to fill inside of bag to maintain shape if needed. Store covered at room temperature; remove rod when covering cake for storage.