Barefoot Contessas Mini Orange Chocolate Chunk Cake Recipes

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.

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.

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.

ORANGE CHOCOLATE LOAF CAKE FROM FLORIDA

Steps:

• Adjust rack one-third up from the bottom of the oven and preheat oven to 350 degrees. You will need a loaf pan measuring about 8½ x 4½ x 2¾ inches, or one with about a 6‑cup capacity. Butter the pan and dust it all over lightly with fine, dry bread crumbs, shake out excess crumbs, and set the pan aside.
• Sift together the flour, baking powder, salt, cocoa, and sugar and set aside.
• Beat the cream and vanilla in the small bowl of an electric mixer until the cream holds a definite shape. On low speed, add the eggs, one at a time, scraping the bowl with a rubber spatula and beating only until the egg is incorporated after each addition. (The eggs will thin the cream slightly.)
• Transfer to the large bowl of the mixer and gradually, on low speed, add the sifted dry ingredients, scraping the bowl and beating only until smooth. Remove from the mixer and stir in the grated zest. That's all there is to it.
• Turn the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Bake for about 1 hour and 5 minutes, until the top springs back when lightly pressed with a fingertip.
• For the glaze:
• As soon as the cake goes into the oven, mix the orange juice with the sugar and let it stand while the cake is baking.
• After you remove the cake from the oven, let it cool for 5 minutes. Then, a little at a time, brush the orange juice/sugar mixture all over the cake; encourage most of it to run down the sides between the cake and the pan, but thoroughly wet the top also. The cake will absorb it all.
• Let the cake stand in the pan until it is completely cool. Then cover the pan loosely with a piece of wax paper. Invert the cake into the palm of your hand-easy does it-remove the pan, cover the cake with a rack, and invert again, leaving the cake right side up.