Barefoot Contessa Orange Chocolate Chunk Cake Recipes

ORANGE POUND CAKE

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour two 8 1/2 x 4 1/2 x 2 1/2-inch loaf pans. Line the bottoms with parchment paper.
• Cream the butter and 2 cups of the granulated sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment for about 5 minutes, or until light and fluffy. With the mixer on medium speed, beat in the eggs, one at a time, and the orange zest.
• In a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In another bowl, combine 1/4 cup of the orange juice, the buttermilk, and vanilla. Add the flour and buttermilk mixtures alternately to the batter, beginning and ending with the flour. Divide the batter evenly between the pans, smooth the tops, and bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour, until a cake tester comes out clean.
• While the cakes bake, cook the remaining 1/2 cup of granulated sugar with the remaining 1/2 cup orange juice in a small saucepan over low heat until the sugar dissolves. When the cakes are done, let them cool for 10 minutes. Take them out of the pans and place them on a baking rack set over a tray. Spoon the orange syrup over the cakes and allow the cakes to cool completely.
• To glaze, combine the confectioners' sugar and orange juice in a bowl, mixing with a wire whisk until smooth. Add a few more drops of juice, if necessary, to make it pour easily. Pour over the top of one cake and allow the glaze to dry. Wrap well, and store in the refrigerator.

BAREFOOT CONTESSA'S MINI ORANGE CHOCOLATE CHUNK CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Grease and flour 6 individual serving baking molds, such as the flexible non stick 100 percent silicone molds.
• Cream the butter and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment for about 5 minutes, or until light and fluffy.
• Add the eggs, 1 at a time, then the orange zest.
• Sift together 1 1/2 cups flour, the baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl.
• In another bowl, combine the orange juice, buttermilk, and vanilla.
• Add the flour and buttermilk mixtures alternately in thirds to the creamed butter, beginning and ending with the flour.
• Toss the chocolate chunks with 1 tablespoon flour and add to the batter.
• Pour into the pans, smooth the tops, and bake for 30 minutes, until a cake tester comes out clean.
• Let the cakes cool in the molds on a wire rack for 10 minutes.
• Meanwhile, make the syrup.
• In a small saucepan over medium-low heat, cook the sugar with the orange juice until the sugar dissolves.
• Remove the cake from the pans, put them on a rack over a tray, and spoon the orange syrup over the cakes.
• Allow the cakes to cool completely.
• For the ganache, melt the chocolate, heavy cream, and coffee in the top of a double boiler over simmering water until smooth and warm, stirring occasionally.
• Drizzle over the top of the cakes.

BITTERSWEET CHOCOLATE CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter and flour an 8-inch springform pan.
• Place a large heatproof bowl over a pot of simmering water, making sure the water doesn't touch the bowl. Put the butter and chocolate in the bowl, stirring occasionally, until the chocolate melts. Take the bowl off the heat and set aside.
• First, whisk the sugar into the chocolate mixture, then whisk in the eggs, coffee, and salt, whisking until the mixture is combined and smooth. Sprinkle on the flour and fold it in with a rubber spatula until it's incorporated.
• Pour the batter into the prepared pan and place it on a sheet pan. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes (see Cook's Note), until the top puffs up and cracks and the cake doesn't wobble when you jiggle the pan. (A toothpick will not come out clean.) Remove from the oven and cool completely on a baking rack. The cake will deflate as it cools. Run a small knife around the cake and remove the sides of the pan. Cut the cake in wedges and serve warm or at room temperature with sweetened whipped cream, vanilla ice cream, or crème fraîche.

CHOCOLATE CHUNK BLONDIES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour an 8 x 12 x 2 inch baking pan.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar on high speed for 3 minutes, until light and fluffy. With the mixer on low, add the vanilla, then the eggs, one at a time, and mix well, scraping down the bowl. In a small bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda and salt and with the mixer still on low, slowly add flour mixture to the butter mixture. Fold the walnuts and chocolate chunks in with a rubber spatula.
• Spread the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Bake for 30 minutes exactly. Don't overbake! A toothpick may not come out clean. Cool completely in the pan and cut into bars.

BAREFOOT CONTESSA'S ORANGE POUND CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°.
• Butter and flour 2 loaf pans.
• Cream butter and 2 cups of sugar in a bowl.
• Mix in eggs, one at a time; add zest.
• Sift flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt together.
• In another bowl mix 1/4 cup orange juice, buttermilk and vanilla.
• Add flour and buttermilk mixture aternately to the batter, beginning and ending with flour.
• Divide between 2 pans and smooth the tops.
• Bake for 45 minutes or until tester comes out clean.
• Cool for 10 minutes.
• Make syrup while cake is baking.
• Syrup consists of remaining 1/2 cup sugar and 1/2 cup orange juice.
• Cooks these two together over low heat till the sugar is desolved.
• Spoon over cakes and then allow them to cool completely.
• You may glaze these cakes (after cooling) with a simple glaze but I don't usually.