Aunt Helens Chocolate Cake Recipes

BEATTY'S CHOCOLATE CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter two 8-inch x 2-inch round cake pans. Line with parchment paper, then butter and flour the pans.
• Sift the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, and salt into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment and mix on low speed until combined. In another bowl, combine the buttermilk, oil, eggs, and vanilla. With the mixer on low speed, slowly add the wet ingredients to the dry. With mixer still on low, add the coffee and stir just to combine, scraping the bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Pour the batter into the prepared pans and bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until a cake tester comes out clean. Cool in the pans for 30 minutes, then turn them out onto a cooling rack and cool completely.
• Place 1 layer, flat side up, on a flat plate or cake pedestal. With a knife or offset spatula, spread the top with frosting. Place the second layer on top, rounded side up, and spread the frosting evenly on the top and sides of the cake.
• 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.

WORLD'S BEST CHOCOLATE CAKE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit/170 degrees Celsius. Grease a 9-inch/23-centimeter round springform pan with butter and line with parchment paper, then set aside.
• Make the cake: Place butter, chocolate and hot coffee in a large heatproof bowl and mix well until everything is melted, combined and smooth. Whisk in sugar by hand until dissolved. Add eggs and vanilla extract and whisk again until thoroughly combined and smooth. Sift flour, cocoa powder and salt together into a bowl and then whisk this into the melted chocolate mixture. The batter here is liquid, but don't think you have missed something; this is how it should be.
• Pour batter into the prepared pan and bake for 1 hour, or until the cake is cooked and a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean or with just a few dry crumbs attached. The top will form a crust and crack a little, but don't worry, this is expected. Leave the cake to cool for 20 minutes before removing from the pan, then set aside until completely cool.
• Make the chocolate ganache, if desired: Place chocolate pieces in a food processor, process until fine and set aside. Combine cream and corn syrup in a small pan and place over medium-high heat. As soon as bubbles begin to appear (just before it comes to a boil), remove from the heat. Get the food processor running again, with the chocolate still inside, and pour in the hot cream in a steady stream. Process for 10 seconds, then add butter. Continue to process until mixture is shiny and smooth. (You can also make the ganache by hand; just make sure the chocolate is chopped fairly finely before adding the cream mixture. Stir with a wooden spoon until almost melted, then add the butter. Stir again until the ganache is smooth.)
• Use a rubber spatula to scrape the ganache into a bowl and cover with plastic wrap, with the plastic actually touching the top of the ganache. Set aside until it has set to the consistency you want. If you want a thin layer to spread over the cake, it can be poured over while liquid so that you get an even, light and shiny coating. For a thicker ganache with a spreading consistency, leave it for about 2 hours at room temperature. (The ganache can be stored at room temperature, providing it's not too warm, for 3 days or kept in the fridge for up to 2 weeks. It can also be frozen, although it will lose a bit of its shine when defrosted.)
• Make the espresso cinnamon mascarpone cream, if desired: Place all the ingredients in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Beat for 1 to 2 minutes, until soft peaks form.
• Peel the parchment from the cake and discard. Transfer to a serving platter and spread the ganache, if using, on top of the cake. Slice into wedges, divide the cake among plates and, if using, spoon the mascarpone cream alongside. With or without icing, the cake will keep well for 4 to 5 days in an airtight container.

HELEN'S CHOCOLATE WALNUT TEXAS SHEET CAKE

Steps:

• 1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Mist a jelly roll pan with cooking spray. Set aside.
• 2. In a saucepan, bring to a boil the 2 sticks of margarine, water, and cocoa powder. Stir often. Remove from heat and allow to cool a little while you assemble the next set of cake ingredients.
• 3. In a mixing bowl, add the sugar, eggs, flour, sour cream, salt, baking soda, and vanilla. Gently blend with the mixer.
• 4. Then add the cocoa mixture and mix until well-blended.
• 5. Pour the batter into the prepared jelly roll pan, then bake for 17-25 minutes. Check early, testing with a toothpick in the center of the cake.
• 6. WHILE THE CAKE IS BAKING, MAKE THE GLAZE after washing the beaters to the mixer.
• 7. In a saucepan, bring to a boil the stick of margarine, milk, and cocoa powder, stirring often. Remove from heat and add the powdered sugar and vanilla to the saucepan. Beat with the mixer until well-blended.
• 8. Pour the glaze over the HOT FROM THE OVEN cake, spreading evenly.
• 9. Add walnuts, if desired, to the hot glazed cake. Cool on a baking rack until room temperature. Then stand back to avoid the stampede! =^..^=

CHOCOLATE CAKE

Steps:

• Put a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter 2 (9 by 2-inch) nonstick round cake pans. Line the bottom of each with a round of parchment paper, and then butter the paper.
• Sift the flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt together onto parchment paper. With an electric mixer on medium-high speed, cream the butter and sugars until light and fluffy, 4 or 5 minutes. Add your eggs, 1 at a time, mixing until completely incorporated before adding each additional egg. Mix in the chocolate and vanilla, making sure to combine really well. Turn the mixer to low and slowly add the dry ingredients, alternating with the buttermilk, in 3 batches, starting and ending with the flour mixture. Make sure to let it mix thoroughly.
• Pour half the batter in each pan and spread it evenly with a spatula or butter knife. Bake until a toothpick comes out clean, 25 minutes. Remove the pans to racks and allow the cakes to cool for 10 minutes or so. Loosen the edges of the cake from the pan with a knife, then turn them onto the racks. Remove the paper and let the cakes completely cool.

AUNT HELEN'S OLD FASHIONED CHOCOLATE FUDGE WITH PEANUT BUTTER

Steps:

• Butter 1 8x8 inch square glass pan and set aside.
• melt chocolate in milk using sturdy, heavy bottomed pan.
• Stir in salt and sugar with wooden spoon until just mixed.
• Cook the chocolate, milk, salt and sugar mixture on medium or a little less than medium heat until it reaches softball stage. DO NOT STIR and DO NOT SCRAPE THE SIDES OF THE PAN.
• Softball stage: You can use a candy thermometer. I find the thermometers unreliable, so I check the progress of the fudge by dropping a small amount in cold water. If I can easily make a soft ball of it with my fingers, it is ready. With one batch of fudge, this generally takes about 8 minutes or a little longer. Obviously if you double the batch it takes more time. However, don't just assume 8 minutes will work. Either use the softball test or a candy thermometer to make sure. What works on my stove may be different for yours.
• When fudge has reached softball stage, place in a sink partially filled with ice and water. Make sure there's not so much that it could seep into the pan. This is just to cool the pan.
• Stir in peanut butter and vanilla with a wooden spoon. Do not scrape the sides of the pan. Stir until the peanut butter is melted and the fudge begins to thicken and lose some of its gloss. Pour into prepared pan. Cool, slice, and enjoy.
• Don't skip the peanut butter. It gives it an amazing layer of flavor and also helps it set faster. I have only tried this with Jif so I can't guarantee any other peanut butter will be as good.

AUNT HELEN'S CARROT CAKE

Steps:

• 1. sift together the first 5 ingredients. Make a well in the center then add the next 4 ingredients. Use a wooden spoon to mix this batter. Add in a few tablespoons of the reserved pineapple juice and stir until smooth.
• 2. Fold in the carrots, coconut, nuts and pineapple.
• 3. In a prepared 13x9 pan (greased and floured or just spray with Pam for Baking) pour the batter in and level it off. Bake at 350 degrees about 45-50 minutes (test center for doneness) Frost with cream cheese frosting.

AUNT CAROL'S CHOCOLATE SHEET CAKE

Steps:

• Grease and flour a cookie sheet and preheat oven to 400ºF.
• In a small bowl, mix the eggs, baking soda and sour cream.
• In a mixing bowl, add the flour, sugar and salt, stir to combine.
• In a medium saucepan, combine the butter, water and cocoa powder, heat and stir to combine.
• Add cocoa mixture to flour/sugar, blend with mixer. Add egg mixture and beat 1 minute. Stir in chocolate chips if desired. Put in cookie sheet and bake 14-20 minutes.
• When the cake is out of the oven, put the cream in a saucepan and heat to simmer.
• Add chocolate to the bowl of a food processor.
• Once the cream is heated, pour into food processor and let sit 4 minutes.
• Pulse a few times then process 5-10 seconds to smooth out the mixture.
• Transfer ganache to a non-plastic bowl. For a glaze style ganache, top cake now. For a lighter, fluffier "frosting", refrigerate 1-2 hours, whip in mixer, then top the cake. Top with walnuts, optional.
• Refrigerate the cake at least an hour before serving.