Marble Cake

My mom always used to make marble cakes for the volunteers at figure skating competitions, so I have lots of fond memories of this dessert. 


It's similar to a pound cake in that it doesn't need any icing, but it is moist and very dense. It goes perfectly with a big, tall glass of milk or a piping hot cup of tea as a late afternoon snack or dessert after a lighter meal.  

Ingredients

• 2 cups flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 cup milk
• 2-3 tbsp cocoa powder

Directions

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease a cake pan
• In one bole, mix butter and sugar until creamy
• Add eggs, one at a time
• In a separate bowl, mix the flour, salt and baking powder
• In a measuring cup, pour the milk and add the vanilla
• In small increments, add some of the flour mixture to the butter/sugar mixture, followed by some of the milk mixture, mixing until just combined before adding more. Always start and end with the flour mixture
• Pour 3/4 of the batter into a cake pan
• Add the cocoa to the remaining cake batter and mix
• Drop by spoonfuls over top of white batter. Using a knife, swirl the cocoa batter to incorporate it in a marble effect
• Bake in oven for 30 -35 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean

Mocha Buttercream Chocolate Cake

I have had the same birthday cake my whole life. Chocolate cake with mocha buttercream icing. It's simple, delicious and a classic cake.

The cake we make is extra moist. It's the Duncan Hines Extra Moist Chocolate Fudge, and then, unlike on the box, we add one box of Jello instant vanilla pudding (4 serving), 4 eggs, 1/2 cup of oil and 1 cup of water.

But it's the icing that makes this one special, so here is our family's secret recipe:

Ingredients:

• 2 eggs, separated
• 2 squares of semisweet baker's chocolate
• 6 tbsp cold, double strength coffee
• 1 1/2 cup icing sugar
• 1 cup butter, softened
• 1 tsp vanilla
• pinch of salt

Directions:

In a small bowl, melt chocolate squares on low heat and let cool to room temperature.

In a large mixing bowl, mix together butter and icing sugar.

Add egg yolks, one at a time.

Add vanilla, chocolate and salt, mixing until combined.

Slowly add coffee, one tablespoon at a time, mixing very well, especially around the edges.

In another bowl, beat egg whites until stiff peaks form.

Slowly add egg whites, one dollop at a time, back into icing.

Cut your cake into three sections -- I use thread for the neatest cut. Take a really, really long piece of thread and fold into four sections so it's still about 2 feet long. 

Hold it at the back of the cake and slowly bring your hands together until they cross. 

Separate the layers and using an icing knife and a offset spatula to ice. Use 1/4 of the icing for each layer and 1/2 for the whole cake.

Download the recipe for Mocha Buttercream Icing

Triple Chocolate Mousse Cake

Wow.

This dessert is A-W-E-S-O-M-E. It was melt-in-your-mouth delicious and definitely worth the work.

I served this after a pretty heavy Easter dinner and while it was utterly decadent, it is a light dessert that didn't leave you feeling full.

Yes. It's a lot of chocolate.
Yes. It's a lot of whipping cream.
Yes. It's a couple of hours of work.
But. It's definitely worth it.


Ingredients

Bottom Layer:

• 1/3 cup butter
• 7 ounces bittersweet chocolate (chopped finely)
• 1 teaspoon ground coffee
• 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 4 large eggs, separated
• pinch table salt
• 1/3 cup brown sugar

Middle Layer:

• 2 tablespoons cocoa powder
• 5 tablespoons hot water
• 7 ounces bittersweet chocolate (chopped finely)
• 1 1/2 cups cold heavy cream
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• pinch table salt

Top Layer:

• 3/4 teaspoon powder gelatin
• 1 tablespoon hot water
• 6 ounces white chocolate (chopped finely)
• 1 1/2 cups cold heavy cream

Directions

Bottom layer

Melt butter, chocolate and coffee in double boiler.

Cool for at least 10 minutes and mix in egg yolks and vanilla

In another bowl, beat the egg whites and salt at medium speed until frothy (about 30 seconds) and then beat on high with brown sugar until soft peaks form (a few minutes)

Slowly fold the egg whites into the chocolate mixture until no white streaks remain. Pour batter into greased springform pan

Bake at 325 degrees in the middle rack for 13-18 minutes until middle is just set but still soft to the touch. 

Cool for at least one hour before putting next layer on. Note that it will collapse while cooling.

Middle Layer

First, mix the cocoa with the hot water in a small bowl and set aside.

Melt chocolate in double boiler and let cool for another 10 minutes.

In a clean bowl, mix the whipping cream, sugar and salt at medium speed until the cream begins to thicken. Then, mix at high and whip until soft peaks form.

Whisk cocoa mixture into chocolate mixture, then fold in whipping cream until no white streaks remain. 

Pour on top of first layer, gently smoothing top with off set spatula. Put in fridge for at least 15 minutes while preparing the next layer.

Top Layer

In a small bowl, sprinkle gelatin over water. This will make an odd paste, don't worry!

Bring 1/2 cup of cream to a simmer and mix gelatin mixture in and stir until fully dissolved.

Pour over white chocolate in another bowl and mix until fully melted. Let cool for 10 minutes.

Beat the rest of the cream until soft peaks form. Fold into white chocolate mixture.

Pour over second layer and smooth with an offset spatula. Refrigerate for 2.5 hours.

Next, make chocolate curls and arrange over the top.

Next time, I would clean the knife after each cut to avoid that chocolate run in the white chocolate.

I'd also like to learn how to make really big chocolate curls as mine were more like shavings. Any ideas?

Overall, an amazing dessert and well worth the work!