Chocolate Cranberry Cakes With Bourbon Whipped Cream Food

CHOCOLATE CRANBERRY CAKES WITH BOURBON WHIPPED CREAM

Steps:

• Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 350°F.
• Cut out 4 rounds of parchment paper to fit just inside bottom of each mold, then set rounds aside. Melt 2 tablespoons butter, then brush molds with some of it. Line bottom of each mold with a round of parchment and brush parchment with some melted butter. Chill molds 5 minutes (to set butter), then brush parchment and side of each mold with more melted butter. Chill molds 5 minutes more. Dust molds with flour, knocking out excess, and set aside.
• Simmer cranberries and 1/4 cup bourbon in a small saucepan over low heat until cranberries are tender and bourbon is absorbed, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat.
• Melt chocolate and remaining stick butter in a small heavy saucepan over low heat, stirring constantly, until smooth. Remove from heat and cool 10 minutes.
• Pulse pecans with flour (2 tablespoons) in a food processor until finely ground, being careful not to process to a paste.
• Beat together yolks and brown sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer at medium speed until thick and pale, about 2 minutes. Add chocolate mixture and beat until just combined, then stir in pecan mixture and cranberries.
• Beat whites with a pinch of salt in another bowl using cleaned beaters until they just hold stiff peaks. Fold one third of whites into chocolate mixture to lighten, then fold in remaining whites gently but thoroughly.
• Divide batter among molds (they will be very full), then put molds in a shallow baking pan and bake until a wooden pick or skewer inserted into center of a cake comes out with tip wet and remainder of pick dry, about 25 minutes. (Batter will rise above rims but will not spill over.) Transfer cakes to a rack and cool in molds 30 minutes. (Cakes will continue to set as they cool.)
• Beat cream with confectioners sugar and remaining 2 teaspoons bourbon in a small bowl using cleaned beaters until it just holds soft peaks.
• Remove side from each mold, then slide each cake from bottom onto a dessert plate, discarding parchment. Lightly dust each cake with confectioners sugar and serve with a dollop of bourbon whipped cream.

CRANBERRY CHOCOLATE CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F Grease bottom only of 13x9 baking pan.
• Prepare cake mix with water, eggs and oil according to package directions.
• Add half cranberry sauce, mix, until well blended.
• Pour into prepared pan.
• Bake about 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool completely on wire rack.
• Meanwhile, place whipped topping in a medium sized bowl. Sift cocoa over whipped topping, fold mixture until well blended.
• When cake has cooled, place remaining cranberry sauce in small microwaveable bowl, microwave on high 15 seconds or until softened. Spoon over cake, spread evenly. Top with whipped topping mix.
• Sprinkle with almond pieces, just before serving.
• TIP: Use a large container of whipped topping, and also toast the almonds in a 350F oven on a cookie sheet until slightly browned, this brings out the flavor.

CHOCOLATE BOURBON CAKE

Steps:

• MAKE COFFEE-BOURBON SYRUP:.
• Bring sugar, eater and coffee to a boil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat.
• Cook 5 minutes; remove from heat & stir in bourbon.
• MAKE CHOCOLATE-BOURBON CAKE:.
• Preheat oven to 375°F
• Grease a 9- x 2-inch cake pan, line the bottom with parchment paper, and set aside.
• Combine bourbon and sugar in a large saucepan; bring mixture to a boil.
• Remove from heat, and add chocolate and butter, stirring until smooth.
• Set aside, and let cool to room temperature.
• Beat in eggs, one at a time, until very well blended.
• Fold in flour and 1 1/2 tablespoons cocoa powder.
• Pour batter into prepared cake pan.
• Set pan in a large roasting pan filled to depth of 1 inch with hot water.
• Bake at 375°F for 1 hour and 15 minutes, basting with Coffee-Bourbon Syrup every 15 minutes after a crust has developed on cake's surface.
• Cool cake; cover and refrigerate 6 hours or overnight.
• Transfer cake onto a serving plate, and dust with remaining 1 tablespoon cocoa powder.
• Top with hazelnuts.
• ENJOY!

CRANBERRY UPSIDE-DOWN CAKE WITH CHOCOLATE CHIPS

Steps:

• Position an oven rack in the center and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a nonstick 9-inch round cake pan.
• Place butter in a saucepan over medium-high heat; stir until melted. Add 1/3 cup white sugar, brown sugar, and cinnamon. Increase heat slightly and stir mixture until it comes to a gentle boil. Cook for 30 seconds, remove from heat, and immediately scrape mixture into the prepared cake pan. (Be careful as mixture will be very hot.) Tilt the cake pan to evenly coat the bottom. Sprinkle cranberries evenly on top of the sugar mixture; set aside.
• Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl.
• Beat butter in a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed until fluffy. Gradually beat in remaining 2/3 cup sugar. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Mix in orange zest, orange extract, and vanilla extract. Blend in buttermilk. Gradually add flour mixture, beating briefly until smooth. Fold in chocolate chips. Drop heaping spoonfuls of the batter randomly over cranberries in the cake pan, then smooth the batter with the back of a spoon until even.
• Bake in the preheated oven until cake is golden brown, springy to the touch, and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 40 to 45 minutes. Cool on a wire rack for 15 minutes. Run a table knife around the edges to loosen. Invert carefully onto a large, flat serving plate. Cool for at least 20 minutes before serving.

CHOCOLATE WHIPPED CREAM CAKE

Steps:

• Prepare cake mix according to package directions, using two 9-in. round baking pans. Cool completely after baking. , If using whipping cream, place it in a chilled bowl; beat, gradually adding sugar and cocoa, until stiff peaks form. If using whipped topping, place in a bowl and fold in sugar and cocoa. Frost one cake layer with whipped cream mixture; top with second layer and frost entire cake. Refrigerate 24 hours before serving.