Big Chocolate Birthday Cake Food

RUTH REICHL'S GIANT CHOCOLATE CAKE

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter two large rectangular baking pans (13 by 9 by 2 inches) and line them with waxed or parchment paper. Butter the paper and dust the pans with cocoa (you could use flour, but cocoa adds color and flavor).
• Measure the cocoa powder into a bowl, and whisk in 1 1/2 cups of boiling water until it is smooth, dark and so glossy it reminds you of chocolate pudding. Whisk in the milk and vanilla. In another bowl, whisk the flour with the baking soda and 3/4 teaspoon salt.
• Put the butter into the bowl of a stand mixer and beat in the sugars until it is light, fluffy and the color of coffee with cream (about 5 minutes). One at a time, add the eggs, beating for about 20 seconds after each before adding the next. On low speed, beat in the flour mixture in 3 batches and the cocoa mixture in 2, alternating flour-cocoa-flour-cocoa-flour.
• Pour half of the batter into each pan and smooth the tops. Bake in the middle of the oven until a tester comes out clean, 25 to 35 minutes. Let the pans rest on cooling racks for 2 minutes, then turn the cakes onto racks to cool completely before frosting.
• Make the frosting: Chop the chocolate and melt it in a double boiler. Let it cool so that you can comfortably put your finger in it. While it's cooling, mix the butter with the whipped cream cheese. Add the chocolate, the vanilla and a dash of salt, and mix in the confectioners' sugar until it looks like frosting, at least 5 minutes. Assemble the cake, spreading about a third of the frosting on one of the cooled layers, then putting the second layer on top and frosting the assembled cake.

CHOCOLATE BIRTHDAY CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare three 8-inch round pans with oil and cocoa powder and set aside.
• In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder and salt.
• Make a well in the center and pour in the eggs, coffee, buttermilk and oil. Mix until smooth; batter will be thin.
• Pour evenly into prepared pans. Bake in the preheated oven 25 to 35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Allow to cool completely.
• In a large bowl, mix together icings and cocoa.
• Frost cake.

BIG FAT CHOCOLATE CAKE!

Steps:

• Cake mix.
• in a large mixing bowl cream butter and sugar, adding eggs one at a time and mixing well after each addition.
• beat in vanilla extract.
• whisk cocoa and boiling water until smooth.
• in seperate bowl combine flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
• add dry ingredients and cocoa mixture alternately and beat until smooth.
• pour batter into 3 greased and floured 9-in. round baking pans. bake at 350 for 25-30 minute until a toothpick comes out clean. cool for 10 minute remove from pans to wire racks.
• filling.
• in a mixing bowl, beat cream powderd sugar and vanilla on high speed until soft peaks form.
• chill until firm.
• frosting.
• in a sauce pan, melt chips and butter over medium heat; stir in cream.
• remove from heat; stir in powderd sugar.
• chill for at least 1 hour or until completely cooled.
• beat on high to achieve fluffy, spreadable consistancy.
• to put it all together, spread half the filling over one cake layer; top with second layer and remaining filling.
• top with third layer; frost top and sides of cake.
• chill for 2 hours before cutting.

BIG CHOCOLATE CHIP BIRTHDAY COOKIE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Spray a 15 inch flat pizza pan or 10 inch springform pan with pan spray to prevent sticking.
• Mix flour, soda and salt, set aside.
• Beat butter and shortening in a large bowl with a mixer on medium speed to just combine.
• mix in sugars; beat with electric mixer until mixture is smooth. Mix in egg and vanilla on low speed until blended thoroughly.
• Add flour mixture, mixing just until incorporated.
• Mix in chocolate chips, stir by hand.
• Using fingers, spread dougn into a 10 inch circle on the pizza or springform pan. Smooth edges.
• If using the pizza pan, bake cookie about 14 minutes, until edges are light brown and center is golden.
• If using the springform pan, bake for about 18 minutes, until evenly light brown. Loosen the edge of the cookie from the pan, cool thoroughly. Remove sides of springform pan.
• Optional: Put spoonfuls of peanut butter on top of the cookie as it's cooling; allow it to 'melt' slightly and then spread around. Sprinkle with chocolate chips, allow those to melt and spread around.