Bourbon Chocolate Cake (an almost flour-less cake)

The greatest thing, you'll ever learn, is just to love, and be loved, in return." - Moulin Rouge

This is the recipe for my children's favourite cake.  Lucky for me, it is also the easiest cake recipe I know of to date.  I wanted to share it with you today...as a quick dessert that can be made for Valentine's Day.  The cake can be prepared in less than a half an hour...and bakes in half an hour.  It is most delicious served warm or at room temperature...and can be quickly made as you are making your Valentine's Day dinner.  If you do not have time to prepare the white chocolate cream, you can substitute regular whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.  Happy Valentines Day!

Bourbon Chocolate Cake (Boca Negra) (adapted from Food.com)
Serves 12
Preheat oven to 350F

A recipe in two parts...

White Chocolate Cream
Ingredients
1 cup whipping cream
12 ounces white chocolate (finely chopped, or chips)

Directions
1. Melt white chocolate in a saucepan over very low heat.

2. Once the chips have begun to melt, slowly begin to whisk in the cup of cream.  Continue stirring until small bubbles begin to form around the edges.  Transfer to an airtight container and store in the fridge until ready to serve (It is recommended to let it refrigerate for 8 hours...but I have served it under this time...it is just will be thinner in consistency.)

Chocolate Cake 
Ingredients
1 1/3 cup sugar
1/2 cup bourbon
12 ounces bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
1 cup unsalted butter
5 eggs, at room temperature
1 1/2 Tablespoon flour

Directions
1. Lightly butter a 9 inch round cake pan. Put the cake pan into a shallow roasting pan and set aside.

2. In a small saucepan, bring the bourbon and the sugar to a full boil over medium high heat.  Cook to a syrup, about 2 minutes.

3. Place chopped chocolate into a food processor or blender.

4.  Gather the remaining ingredients.  (eggs, butter cut into pieces, and flour) 

 5. Pour the hot syrup into the blender over the chocolate pieces.  Process until smooth.

6.  With the machine running, Add butter pieces.  Then add the eggs one by one.  Lastly, add the flour. Continue processing until smooth.

7.  Transfer batter into the prepared pan.

8.  Pour enough hot water into the roasting pan to come about 1 inch up the sides of the cake pan.
Put the cake, set in the roasting pan, into the oven to bake for 30-45 minutes, or until the top is dry.

9. Remove the cake from the water bath.

10. Place cake on serving tray...serve warm or at room temperature...topped with the chilled white chocolate cream and/or whipped cream...Enjoy!

 

The end! Happy Valentine's Day!

Triple Chocolate Fat Pants Cake (or just an ordinary day)

The difference between ordinary and extraordinary is that little extra. - Jimmy Johnson

In my attempts to prepare more healthy foods for my family, a friend recommended the cookbook, Babycakes, by Erin McKenna.  It is a Vegan, Gluten-Free and Refined Sugar Free Recipe Book.  I am not Vegan...I do not need to eat a Gluten Free Diet...but...hmmm...these recipes were REALLY GOOD!
As I Flipped through her book...I was caught by one sentence in particular...
"The greatest misconception about cake is that making them requires an event-a birthday, a wedding, a long-awaited divorce.  But I am a firm believer in the idea that a cake is the occasion..."
Erin continues on to say that cakes can be made on any random day...and why not?

I was sold.

So I commenced to make my first Babycakes Cake...

My daughter made the cookie topping...
                                        My son made the icing...
                                                                I made the cake.
(And yes...it did turn a random day...into a bit of an adventure..and an occasion.)
(PS...I have links to more cake ideas at the bottom of this post.)

Erin's Babycakes Book was full of wonderful recipes.  It was nice to enjoy a dessert...and to know that it was healthier for us.

Check out Erin's Website:
Babycakes NYC

Triple Chocolate Fat Pants Cake 
(from Babycakes by Erin McKenna)

Directions in three parts:  cake, frosting, cookie topping

Ingredients for the cake:
3/4 cup Garbanzo-Fava Bean Flour
1 cup Brown Rice Flour
1 cup Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
2 cups Evaporated Cane Juice
1/2 cup Potato Starch
1/4 cup Arrowroot
1 Tablespoon Baking Powder
3/4 teaspoon Baking Soda
1/2 teaspoon Xanthan Gum
2 teaspoons Salt
1 cup Coconut Oil
1 cup Unsweetened Applesauce
2 Tablespoons Vanilla Extract
1 cup Hot Water or Hot Coffee

2 cups Vegan Chocolate Chips
Directions for cake:
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F

Line bottom of three 9 x 3 inch pans with parchment paper and lightly coat with oil

1.  In a medium bowl, whisk together flours, cocoa powder, evaporated cane juice, potato starch, arrowroot, baking soda, xanthan gum and salt.
2.  Add coconut oil, applesauce, vanilla, and hot water to the dry ingredients. Stir until smooth.
3.  Gently fold in the chocolate chips.
4.  Divide the batter evenly between the pans.
5.  Bake cakes on the centre rack for 24 minutes, rotating 180 degrees after 12 minutes.
(finished cakes will be firm to the touch, and a toothpick inserted in the centre will come out clean)
6.  Let cakes stand in the pans for 20 minutes.  Remove from pan and allow the cake to cool completely on a wire rack before frosting.

Ingredients for frosting:
1 1/2 cups Unsweetened Soy Milk
3/4 cup Dry Soy Milk Powder
1 Tablespoon Coconut Flour
1/4 Agave Nectar
1 Tablespoon Vanilla Extract
1 1/2 cups Coconut Oil
2 Tablespoons Fresh Lemon Juice
(plus natural food colouring if desired)
Directions for frosting:
1.  In a blender or food processor, combine soy milk, soy powder, coconut flour, agave nectar, and vanilla.  Blend for 2 minutes.
2. With the machine on low speed, slowly add the coconut oil and the lemon juice, until fully incorporated.
3.  Pour the frosting into an airtight container and refrigerate for 6 hours...or up to 1 month.

Ingredients for cookie topping:
1 cup Coconut Oil
6 Tablespoons unsweetened applesauce
1 teaspoon salt
2 Tablespoons Vanilla Extract
1 1/4 cups Evaporated Cane Juice
2 cups Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free All-Purpose Baking Flour
1/4 cup Flax Meal
1 1/2 teaspoons Xanthan Gum
1 cup Vegan Chocolate Chips
Directions for cookie topping:
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.  
Line baking sheets with parchment paper.

1.  In a medium bowl, mix together the oil, applesauce, salt, vanilla, and evaporated cane juice.  In another medium bowl, whisk together the flour, flax meal, baking soda, and xanthan gum.
2.  Using a rubber spatula, carefully add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture and stir unitl a grainy dough is formed.
3.  Gently fold in the chocolate chips.
4.  Using a melon baller or small spoons, scoop the dough onto the prepared baking sheet.
5.  Bake for 15 minutes, rotating the sheets 180 degrees after 9 minutes.
6.  Let the cookies stand on the sheet for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
7.  Store any unused cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.

If you, too, would like to make any day an extra special day with a homemade cake.  Give the babycakes cake a try....

OR...

I have provided links below to some more very delicious (sugar-full and not gluten-free) cakes that would be sure to impress as well.
Happy Baking!

Chocolate Malt Cake
Chocolate Peanut Butter Cake
Ruffled Lemon Cake
Strawberry Charlotte
Hungarian Cake
Raspberry Freeze Cake
Cream Puff Dessert
German Chocolate Cake
Red Velvet Cake
Fresh Strawberry Cake