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CHOCOLATE POUNDCAKE

This moist pound cake’s ideally suited to people who like the sensuous flavor of chocolate but who prefer a less sweet dessert.

• 3 cups flour
• 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup softened butter or margarine
• 1/2 cup vegetable shortening
• 3 cups sugar
• 5 eggs
• 1 1/4 cups milk
• 2 Tablespoons grated unsweetened chocolate
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
  

Preheat oven to 350 F.
Sift together the first 4 ingredients and set aside.
In a large bowl, with mixer on medium, cream together butter, shortening and sugar until light and fluffy - about 5 minutes.
Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.
With mixer on low, alternately add flour mixture and milk to bowl, beating well after each addition.
Stir in grated chocolate and vanilla.
Turn batter into greased and floured l0" tube pan or Bundt pan and bake at 350 F for 1 1/4 hours, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
Cool in pan on wire rack l0 minutes, then turn out of pan onto wire rack to cool completely.
Refrigerate several hours, wrapped in foil, for easier slicing.

PEANUT BUTTER & FUDGE CAKE

Another of my friend Ginnie’s irresistible desserts that combines chocolate and peanut butter to create a fabulous results!

• 1 cup butter or margarine
  
• l cup water
  
• 1 / 2 cup buttermilk
  
• 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa
  
• 2 eggs, well beaten
  
• 2 cups flour
  
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
  
• 2 cups sugar
  
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
  
• 1 cup creamy peanut butter
  
• 2 tablespoons canola oil

• 1 /2 cup butter or margarine
  
• 6 Tablespoons buttermilk
  
• 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa
  
• 16 oz box confectioner’s sugar, sifted
  
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

Preheat oven to 350 F.
Combine the first 4 ingredients in a medium saucepan, stirring well.
Cook over medium low heat, stirring constantly, until butter melts.
Stir a little of the hot mixture into the eggs, and then return this to hot mixture in saucepan, stirring constantly.
Transfer to a bowl and let cool slightly.
Combine flour, baking soda and sugar, and with an electric mixer on medium, add to buttermilk mixture, beating until blended.
Stir in vanilla.
Pour into a greased and floured 9 x 13" baking pan and bake at 350 F for 25 minutes, or until cake tests done.
Cool completely in the pan on a wire rack.
Combine peanut butter with oil, stirring well, and spread carefully over top of cooled cake.
To prepare the frosting, combine ½ cup butter, buttermilk, and cocoa in a medium saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until the butter melts, and mixture is bubbly.
Remove from heat.
Combine warm cocoa mixture with confectioner’s sugar in a large bowl and beat at medium speed until smooth.
Stir in vanilla and spread over peanut butter topping.
Chill until serving..

MUD CAKE

Packaged brownie mix makes this rocky road-type cake a breeze, and anyone with a sweet tooth will savor the results.

• 20 oz package of fudge brownie mix
  
• 3/4 cup chopped pecans
  
• 3 cups miniature marshmallows (or big ones cut up)
  
• 35 vanilla wafers
  
• 16 oz box confectioner’s sugar, sifted
  
• 1 / 2 cup unsweetened cocoa
  
• 1 / 2 cup softened margarine
  
• 1 / 2 cup milk
  
• 1 / 2 teaspoon vanilla

Preheat oven to 350 F.
Prepare brownie mix according to package directions, adding pecans to batter.
Spread in a greased 9x13" pan and bake at 350 F for 30 minutes or until cake pulls away from the sides of the pan.
Sprinkle marshmallows over how cake and return to oven for 4 minutes or until marshmallows are slightly puffed.
Remove from oven and arrange vanilla wafers over marshmallow layer.
In a large bowl, with mixer on medium, combine remaining ingredients and beat until smooth.
Spread immediately over wafers and let cake cool completely on a wire rack.
Cut into squares and serve.

CHOCOLATE RASPBERRY TRUFFLE TORTE DESSERT

• 1 cup butter, plus a bit for the pan
• 1 1/ 2 cups sugar
• 16 ounces semi-sweet chocolate, chopped
• 3/ 4 cup plus 2 tablespoons unsweetened raspberry puree with NO SEEDS (see recipe below)
• 6 eggs, at room temperature
• 6 egg yolks, at room temperature
• 1/ 4 cup raspberry liqueur (such as Framboise)
• 1 teaspoon raspberry extract (optional)
• boiling water for water bath
• unsweetened cocoa powder, for garnish
• lightly sweetened raspberry coulis
• whipped cream (optional)
• fresh raspberries, for garnish
• mint leaves

Preheat oven to 325°F. Generously butter the bottom and sides of a 9 to 10-inch springform pan. Line bottom of pan with parchment paper, butter paper. Wrap outside of pan in heavy-duty foil, taking care not to make holes, set aside. Melt 1 cup butter and sugar in heavy saucepan over low heat until sugar dissolves. Add chopped chocolate pieces; stir until smooth. Remove from heat; stir in raspberry puree. Cool to just warm to touch.

Whisk eggs and yolks in a large bowl just until combined. Gradually whisk in chocolate/raspberry mixture. Add liqueur. Pour batter into prepared springform pan, place pan in larger baking pan. Place in oven; pour boiling water into the outer pan to a depth of one inch. Bake in preheated oven until edges of torte puff slightly but center is not completely set, about 1 hour. DO NOT OVERBAKE (torte will continue to set as it cools). Carefully remove from water bath; remove outer foil. Cool on a rack. Cover and refrigerate overnight or up to one week.

Run a small knife around the side of the pan to loosen. Carefully release pan sides. Sift cocoa powder over torte, if desired. Cut into wedges, wiping knife clean before each cut. You may make cutting the torte easier by heating the knife under very hot water, then drying before each cut. Garnish the wedges with raspberry coulis, whipped cream rosettes, fresh raspberries and mint. Serves 16.

This recipe can be divided in half, and baked in two 6 or 7 inch springform pans if you like. Serve one, freeze the other for another dinner. This is a great torte to cut into serving sized wedges, wrap individually and freeze for future use. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before serving.

BOURBON STREET FUDGE CAKE

• 1 3/4 cup brewed coffee (water can be substituted)
• 1/4 cup bourbon
• 5 oz unsweetened chocolate
• 2 sticks butter, in small pieces
• 2 cups sugar
• 2 cups flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
• salt
• 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

  Preheat oven to 275 F. Grease and flour two 9x2" round cake pans.
  In the top of a double boiler over simmering water, melt together the coffee, bourbon, and
  chocolate. Whisk in the butter. Remove from heat and beat in the sugar.
  Sift together the flour, baking soda, and salt. Add to the coffee mixture, mixing well.
  Stir in the eggs and vanilla and after mixing, pour into the cake pans.
  Bake at 275 F for 1 1/2 hours or until a cake tester comes out clean.
  Cool on wire racks, sprinkle tops with confectioners' sugar, and serve with whipped cream if desired. Makes 2 cakes, each serving 12.