Cake | Pasta Princess and More

Is it as good as it looks? Yes, it sure is! This is yet another recipe that you can use Vietnamese Cinnamon in. When I purchased my Vietnamese Cinnamon at Amazon and it came in a 1 lb bag I thought I’ll never use up all this cinnamon. Amazingly enough I am using it up and it is so, so good. This cake is fantastic in the morning with a cup of freshly brewed coffee, or for that matter, any time of the day. Bake and ENJOY!

INGREDIENTS:

Coffee Cake:

3/4 cup butter, room temperature

1 1/2 cups white sugar

3 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup sour cream

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 cup chopped walnuts

1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

1/4 cup white sugar

DIRECTIONS:

1.	Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (205 degrees C). Grease a 10-inch bundt pan.
2.	Beat butter and sugar with an electric mixer in a large bowl until light and fluffy. The mixture should be noticeably lighter in color. Add eggs one at a time, allowing each egg to blend into the butter mixture before adding the next. Mix in vanilla.
3.	Combine flour, baking soda, and baking powder. Pour flour mixture into batter alternately with the sour cream, mixing until just incorporated. Fold in walnuts, mixing just enough to evenly combine. Pour half the batter into the prepared pan.
4.	Mix the remaining 1/4 cup of white sugar with the cinnamon.
5.	Sprinkle cinnamon sugar over the batter in the pan. Drop remaining cake batter in heaping spoonfuls over filling, covering it as best you can.
6.	Bake in preheated oven for 8 minutes. Lower heat to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) and bake for an additional 40 minutes, or until a tester comes out clean.Source: Allrecipes.com

I have baked this cake on numerous occasions and I am 99% convinced that this is only chocolate cake recipe I will ever bake. It is chocolate heaven – moist and delicious. However, I did branch out and try a new frosting which has now become my favorite chocolate frosting – combined with the cake it is absolute perfection!

Chocolate Cake German Style

Ingredients:

1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 large eggs
1 cup buttermilk
2 cups sugar
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1-3/4 cups flour
1-1/4 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease two 9-inch round cake pans; line with wax paper and grease again.

In a large bowl, combine oil, eggs, buttermilk, sugar and cocoa. Beat with an electric mixer on low speed until well blended, 2 to 3 minutes. With mixer on low speed, gradually add 1 cup hot water, beating until well incorporated. Add vanilla.

Combine flour with baking soda and baking powder: Add to egg mixture and beat thoroughly until well blended. Turn batter into prepared cake pans.

Bake 25 to 30 minutes, or until tops of cakes spring back when lightly touched. Let cakes cool in pan 15 to 20 minutes, then remove to racks to let cool completely. When cool, fill cake layers with frosting in between and frost top and sides of cake. Refrigerate cake, and bring to room temperature before serving.

Source: 365 Great Chocolate Recipes

Chocolate Frosting: (Ina Garten)

ounces good semisweet chocolate (recommended: Callebaut)
1/2 pound (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 extra-large egg yolk, at room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups sifted confectioners’ sugar
1 tablespoon instant coffee powder

Chop the chocolate and place it in a heat-proof bowl set over a pan of simmering water. Stir until just melted and set aside until cooled to room temperature.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter on medium-high speed until light yellow and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the egg yolk and vanilla and continue beating for 3 minutes. Turn the mixer to low, gradually add the confectioners’ sugar, then beat at medium speed, scraping down the bowl as necessary, until smooth and creamy. Dissolve the coffee powder in 2 teaspoons of the hottest tap water. On low speed, add the chocolate and coffee to the butter mixture and mix until blended. Don’t whip! Spread immediately on the cooled cake.