Chocolate & Peanut Butter Cake

Funny I’m not a big fan of Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups or anything that’s mixed with peanuts and chocolate. I know I’m weird…so why would I make a cake that has both of these ingredients in it? One did I mention I was weird?, two I was thinking of my dad (who loves peanut butter) and three I wanted to practice my piping skills.

So the other day I made a little 6 inch round “baby cake”.  Its the perfect size to practice my piping skills and its not a whole lot of cake that my family and I would have to put up with all week.

After baking it, filling it and frosting it. I tried to pipe a plant design on it that’s on my kitchen apron.

The design I tried to pipe came out OK ( trying to pipe while your kids are awake is a  BIG NO!). My husband didn’t like the design at all. Come to find out he doesn’t even like it on my apron and said it looked like some strange space weeds were growing on the cake. But he loved how the cake tasted (good save babe!).

This cake was very yummy and don’t be fooled by how rich it looks. It was chocolaty, moist, and the peanut butter filling was very settle.

Here is the recipe. Make it for that peanut butter lover in your life or when you’ve had a really rough day.

Chocolate Cake
makes one 6 inch layer cake

1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon unsweetened (alkalized) cocoa powder (try Hershey’s Special Dark)
1/2 cup boiling water
2 large eggs at room temperature
3 tablespoons of water
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 2/3 cups cake flour or 1 1/2 cups of bleached all-purpose flour
1 cup sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/8 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter at room temperature

Set an oven rack to the lower third of the oven and preheat oven to 350 F (do this 20 minutes or more before baking).

Coat the bottom of two 6 inch round cake pans with shortening or cooking spray, line with parchment paper and spray the entire inside of the pan with more cooking spray.

In a medium bowl, whisk the cocoa and boiling water until smooth. Cover with plastic wrap to prevent evaporation and cool to room temperature, about 30 minutes. To speed cooling, place in the fridge (about 15 minutes).

In a small bowl whisk the eggs, the 3 tablespoons of water, and vanilla extract just until lightly combined, set aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the flat beater, mix the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt on low speed for 30 seconds. Add the butter and chocolate mixture and mix on low speed until the dry ingredients are moistened. Raise the speed to medium and beat for 1 1/2 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.

Starting on the medium-low speed, gradually add the egg mixture in two parts, beating on medium speed for 30 seconds after each addition to incorporate the ingredients and strengthen the structure. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.  Fill each cake pan half way. Smooth surfaces with a small offset metal spatula.

Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until a wire cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean and cake springs back with pressed lightly in the center.

Let cake cool in the  pans for 10 minutes. Remove them from the pans and set them on a wire rack.  Make sure to carefully reinvert the cake so the tops do not split. Cool completely.

For the filling

Peanut Buttercream
adapted from Rose’s Heavenly Cakes

1/2 cup smooth peanut butter at room temperature
1/2 cup (4 ounces) cream cheese at room temperature
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
2 teaspoons sour cream
1/4 cup powdered sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

In a food processor (you can whisk this by hand or in a stand in mixer) combine all ingredients (scraped down if necessary) until butter cream is smooth and uniform in color.

Cake Frosting

Chocolate Ganache
makes 2 cups

3/4 cup of milk chocolate morsels
3/4 cup of semi – sweet chocolate morsels
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons heavy cream
5 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Using a double broiler (set a heat proof bowl over a pot of simmering water, make sure the bottom of the bowl doesn’t touch the water), combine all the ingredients, whisking until chocolate melts and it becomes smooth.

Remove bowl from heat and let cool for 30 minutes.

Assemble the cake (go here for a good step-by-step if you have no clue on what to do with your cake)

1. Once your cake is completely cooled. Slice each layer in half. If your cake came out with a “dome top” cut that layer off as well. You want your cake to have a nice flat top.

2. Fill each layer with peanut buttercream and do a crumb coat using the buttercream as well. Refrigerate for 15 minutes.

3. When ganache is warm but not super hot, place 1/2 cup on the top of cake, working quickly with a small spatula and using a circular motion to spread a thin layer over the top. Place a few tablespoons of ganache on your spatula and frost the sides with a thin layer of ganache as well.

4. Refrigerate cake for 15 minutes to set the ganache.

5. To finish frosting, place another thicker layer of ganache on top of the cake and repeat frosting step 3.

Now enjoy all that hard work you just did…and you don’t have to share it with anyone.

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Reduced Fat?…Say What?

I bought a magazine a few weeks ago. Paid ten dollars for this magazine and didn’t even think twice about it. This magazine is all about food…good food…with recipes and I plan on making everything in it…well most of it. Don’t worry though I’m not going to get all Julie and Julia on you…I don’t have time for that. I’m only going to share the recipes that are worth eating more than once.

As I looked through my new favorite magazine I came across a recipe for Reduced Fat German Chocolate Cake. When I saw this…my eyebrow raised and I scanned the recipe…then went on to the next page. Thought to myself…that can’t be good…why would they put this nonsense in here.

Well today I got a serious craving for something sweet and phoned my mom to help me with this dilemma. My mom had to remind me that we have to look good for my sister’s wedding in March…so choosing between making some Chewy Brownies or Reduced Fat Cake…that decision wasn’t hard to make at all.

So I went ahead and made the German Chocolate Cake. The recipe is easy, just a little time consuming.

Once the cake was baked, cooled then frosted, I cut myself a slice quick, fast and a hurry and took a big bite. To my surprise it was very yummy and light. You can tell the difference from the regular good ol’ fatty German Chocolate Cake, but this works for those who are trying to watch their figure or not feel so guilty for eating three pieces of cake in one sitting.

So if your struggling on the new Point-Plus Plan…then this recipe is for you.

Make it, bake it and enjoy the goodness.

Reduced Fat German Chocolate Cake
adapted from The Best of America’s Test Kitchen 2011

CAKE
3 ounces milk chocolate, chopped (heaping 1/3 cup if using milk chocolate morsels)
3 tablespoons Dutch-processed cocoa powder
1/3 cup boiling water
1 1/3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 large eggs, at room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup low-fat sour cream, at room temperature

FROSTING
1 cup fat-free evaporated milk (I used whole)
3 tablespoons cornstarch
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2/3 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1/3 cup pecans, toasted and chopped fine
1/2 cup sweetened shredded coconut, toasted

Start with toasting the coconut and nuts in a 325-degree oven, shaking the pan often, for about 15 minutes.

Adjust an oven rack to the lower-middle position and heat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour two 9-inch cake pans.

Whisk the chocolate, cocoa, and boiling water in a bowl until smooth and let cool. Combine the flour and baking soda in a separate bowl, set aside.

With an electric mixer on medium-low speed, beat the butter, sugars, and salt until combined. Increase the speed to medium and beat until the mixture lightens in color and sticks to the sides of the bowl, about 1 minute.

Scrape down the bowl, then add the eggs, 1 at a time and mix until well combined, about 45 seconds. Reduce the speed to low and add the chocolate mixture and vanilla until incorporated. Add the flour mixture in 3 additions, alternating with 2 additions of sour cream and mix until just combined.

Divide the batter into the prepared pans and bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 1o to 15 minutes. Cool the cakes in the pans for 10 minutes, then turn them out onto a wire rack and cool completely, at least 1 hour.

Make Frosting

Whisk the evaporated milk, cornstarch, butter, brown sugar and salt in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat until bubbling, about 3 minutes. Continue to cook until the mixture is thickened, about 1 minute.  Remove mixture from heat, stir in the vanilla and all but 1 tablespoon each of the pecans and coconut. Cool to room temperature.

Place 1 cake round on a platter. Spread with half of the frosting, then top with second cake. Spread the remaining frosting over the top of the cake. Sprinkle with the remaining pecans and coconut and serve.

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