Hello!
It's been a while again!
...but I had to stop in and post the cake I made my Mom for her birthday today.
It's the first cake I've been able to make her for a while, but now that we are living in California again...I was able to take back my position as chief-family-cake-maker:)
For this cake, I used my new favorite chocolate cake recipe. It's the one on the back of the Hershey's Cocoa. It turns out perfectly every time...no fail!
(recipe from hersheys.com)
Ingredients
2 cups sugar
1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup HERSHEY'S 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
Directions
- 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.
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.
I usually use the recipe for the "Perfectly Chocolate" Chocolate frosting too, but for this cake, I used my favorite buttercream frosting recipe and added about 3/4 cup of shredded coconut to it.
(recipe from chsugar.com)
Ingredients
1 1 lb. box (approx. 3 3/4 cups) powdered sugar1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened
3 to 4 tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
In large bowl with electric mixer at low speed, combine sugar, butter, milk and vanilla. Beat at medium speed 1 to 2 minutes until creamy. If desired, add more milk until frositng is spreading consistency.Peanut Butter Crunch: Substitute peanut butter for butter; sprinkle either candy peanut butter pieces or chopped peanuts over frosting.
Chocolate: Add 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, adding milk 1 tsp. at a time until desired consistency. Top with chocolate curls, if desired.
Orange: Substitute fresh orange juice for milk, add 1 tsp. orange extract and 1 tsp. grated orange zest. Top with thin strips of orange peel.
Lemon: Substitute fresh lemon juice for milk, add 1 tsp. lemon extract and 1 tsp. grated lemon zest. Top with thin strips of lemon peel.
To put it all together, I layered the cake with about half the frosting in between and half on the top. I also added about a half cup of the shredded coconut to the top of the cake....and do you recognize those chocolate lumps?!?! They are snack-size Almond Joy bars! Since the cake reminded me of a Mounds or Almond Joy candy bar, I thought they would make the perfect decoration!
Can't wait to taste this!
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