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Cakes, Desserts, Easy, Make with Children, Recipes

Mississippi Mud Cake – Recipe of the Week

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Mississippi Mud Cake  is a delightful easy version of the Texas Sheet Cake that is full of goodies. It can all be mixed by hand – then, baked, and served from the pan. The perfect recipe to let your children have a turn at baking.

TEXAS SHEET CAKE

Ingredients

  • 2 cups flour
  • 2 cups sugar
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon (optional)
  • ½ cup butter (1 cube), softened
  • ½ cup vegetable oil (or use all butter – 2 cubes)
  • ½ cup unsweetened cocoa
  • 1 cup water
  • 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
  • ½ cup buttermilk
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Additional Ingredients for Mississippi Mud Cake

  • 3½ cups miniature marshmallows (be sure they are fresh)
  • 1 cup chopped pecans
  • 1 recipe Chocolate Satin Frosting (recipe below)

Directions

Have all ingredients at room temperature.

Grease an 11″ X 17″ pan with high sides. (Or, use a 9” X 13” pan for thicker pieces).

Pre-heat the oven to 400º F. (or 350º F. for 9” X 13” pan).

MAKE THE CAKE  

Sift together in a large mixing bowl: flour, sugar, cinnamon and set aside.

Bring to a boil in a medium sauce pan: butter, shortening, cocoa, water.

Pour hot mixture over flour and mix well.

Add: 2 slightly beaten eggs, buttermilk, baking soda and vanilla.

Pour into prepared pan.

Bake at 400º F. for 10 minutes with 11” X 17” pan (Bake at 350º F. for 20 to 25 minutes with 9” X 13” pan) or until toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean.

While the cake is baking, prepare the Chocolate Satin Frosting.

As soon as the cake comes out of the oven, cover the top evenly with the marshmallows.

Then – sprinkle the top with the chopped pecans.

Return the cake to the oven until the marshmallows soften and puff – 2 to 3 minutes.

Remove from the oven and immediately spread the prepared frosting over the top – this will have to done very carefully so you do not dislodge the marshmallows and nuts.

Cool the cake on a rack until the topping is set.

NOTE:  For this cake, I prefer the 11″ X 16″ pan with high sides. The result is a delicious dessert that is a cross between cake and rocky road candy.

Servings: 24

 

CHOCOLATE SATIN FROSTING

Ingredients

  • 6 ounces unsweetened chocolate, broken into pieces  (OR – 6 packets Nestle® Choco Bake®)
  • 1 cup evaporated milk or heavy cream
  • 1½ cups granulated sugar
  • 6 tablespoons unsalted butter (¾ cube), cut into small pieces
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

Place the evaporated milk (or heavy cream) in a sauce pan and bring to a boil.

Immediately remove from heat and add the chocolate, cover and let stand for exactly 10 minutes (time is shorten when Choco-Bake is used)

Pour and scrape the milk/chocolate mixture into a large bowl (or place in a food processor).

Add the sugar, butter, and vanilla – beat with an electric mixer until mixture is completely smooth. (In a food processor should take only a minute or two. It may take a little longer with a mixer.)

If you use cream, you may need to let it stand for a few minutes to thicken to the desired spreading consistency.

Recipe Tip

This frosting keeps in the refrigerator for up to one week if made with cream and up to three weeks is made with evaporated milk. 

You will want to keep extra in your refrigerator and melt it for a quick, yummy ice cream sauce. It also comes in handy when you need a tasty treat for your children and their friends – it is perfect for spreading on cookies or graham crackers (one of my favorite treats as a child).

This yummy cake is one of a collection in my book, “Cake Making Made Easy” available in digital or hardcopy on Amazon. [button link=”http://amzn.to/15wlWqS” bg_color=”#2730d1″ border=”#0c0c0f”]BUY NOW[/button]to enjoy all 60 recipes in the book.

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Cakes, Desserts, Recipes

Chocolate Hazelnut Cake with Chocolate Ganache

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Chocolate Hazelnut Cake by Neil Conway
Chocolate Hazelnut Cake by Neil Conway

This tender Chocolate Hazelnut Cake can be served chilled with whipped chocolate ganache (frosting) or warm covered with dark chocolate ganache (glaze) and topped with rich vanilla ice cream. Either way, it is a dessert that is bound to become a family favorite. It is a wonderful choice to celebrate a special occasion.

INGREDIENTS

The Cake

  • 2¼ cups sifted cake flour
  • ¾ cup Dutch chocolate cocoa powder
  • 2 cups superfine sugar
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1½ teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 cup hot coffee
  • 2 large eggs, room temperature
  • ½ cup canola oil (or butter)
  • 1 cup whole milk
  • 1½ cup hazelnuts, chopped

The Whipped Chocolate Ganache (Frosting)

  • 8 ounces of bittersweet chocolate, chopped
  • 1 cup heavy whipping cream
  • 1/2 cup hazelnut spread

The Dark Chocolate Ganache (Topping)

  • 1 cup heavy whipping cream
  • 8 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
  • 1 tablespoon dark rum

DIRECTIONS

  1. Preheat the oven to 350º F.
  2. Line the bottom of two 9-inch round cake pans with parchment paper (cut to fit).
  3. Spray the parchment paper and sides of the pans with a non-stick cooking spray – or coat with a thin layer of butter.
  4. Sift the cake flour and cocoa powder into large bowl.
  5. Add the sugar, salt, baking powder, and baking soda and stir with a wire whisk to mix thoroughly.
  6. Set aside.
  7. Prepare 8 ounces of dark-roast coffee – preferably in a French press.
  8. Place the eggs in a mixing bowl and beat on medium speed for 20 seconds.
  9. Add the oil and beat for 1 more minute.
  10. Reduce the speed and add one cup of coffee – beat until combined.
  11. Add wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and gently fold together until well-moistened – do not
  12. Pour the batter equally into the two cake pans.
  13. Bake for 30 – 35 minutes or until the cake has separated from the edge of the pan, springs back when touched, or a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
  14. Remove from the oven and set on a wire rack to cool for 10 – 15 minutes.
  15. Run a knife around the edges of the pans, and gently remove cake from the pans.
  16. Let cool on a wire rack.

Whipped Chocolate Ganache (Frosting)

  1. Chop the 8 ounces of bittersweet chocolate and place in a medium-sized mixing bowl.
  2. Place 1 cup of heavy cream in a medium sauce pan over medium-low heat – bring to a simmer.
  3. Pour the hot cream over the chopped chocolate and stir with a wire whisk.
  4. Add hazelnut spread and whisk until all ingredients are thoroughly blended.
  5. Put the bowl in a larger bowl (filled with ice) for 5 minutes to cool the chocolate.
  6. With an electric hand-held mixer, beat the chocolate/cream mixture until it is the consistency of butter cream frosting.
  7. Place one cooled cake layer on a cake serving platter (flat side up).
  8. Spread 1/3 of the whipped ganache on top of the layer and smooth with a spatula.
  9. Sprinkle ½ the chopped hazelnuts over the top of the frosted cake.
  10. Place the second cake layer on the frosted bottom layer.
  11. Frost the top and sides of the cake with the remaining whipped ganache – smoothing carefully with a spatula.
  12. Sprinkle top of the cake with the remaining chopped hazelnuts.
  13. Refrigerate for 20 minutes to set the frosting before serving.

Dark Chocolate Ganache (Topping)

  1. Chop the 8 ounces of bittersweet chocolate and place in a medium-sized mixing bowl.
  2. Place 1 cup of heavy cream in a medium sauce pan over medium-low heat – bring to a simmer.
  3. Pour the hot cream over the chopped chocolate, add the rum, and mix thoroughly with a wire whisk until the chocolate is melted
  4. Set the bowl in another bowl filled with ice and let cool for 5 minutes.
  5. Set the cake on a cooling rack that has been placed over a baking pan.
  6. Pour the chocolate ganache over the cake – make sure that it covers the sides.
  7. (Any excess chocolate should drip into the baking pan below the rack.)
  8. Sprinkle with the chopped hazelnuts.
  9. Let the cake set for 10 minutes before serving with rich vanilla ice cream.

For more delicious cake recipes, buy my cookbook, Cake Making Made Easy – Instructions and 60 Cakes. [button link=”http://amzn.to/15wlWqS” bg_color=”#ab0916″]BUY KINDLE[/button][button link=”http://amzn.to/124wp6p” bg_color=”#ab0916″]BUY PAPERBACK[/button]

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