Chocolate Frosting For Pinecone Cake Food

BEST CHOCOLATE FROSTING

Steps:

• Stir melted butter and cocoa powder in a bowl until evenly mixed. Add confectioners' sugar and milk; beat until smooth and easily spread. Stir in vanilla extract.

CHOCOLATE PEANUT BUTTER PINECONE CAKES

Steps:

• For the Cake:.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour a 18 by 13-inch rimmed baking sheet.
• In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt. In a separate mixing bowl, beat the eggs and mix in the sour cream, and vanilla. Add the egg mixture to the flour mixture, mixing until just combined.
• In a saucepan over medium-high heat, melt the butter and stir in the cocoa powder, and hot water. Bring the mixture to a boil and then remove from the heat. Cool slightly, and incorporate the cocoa mixture with the dry ingredients, mixing just until blended.
• Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake for 25 minutes, or until a tester inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool completely.
• For the Frosting:.
• In a large heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the peanut butter and mix until smooth. Remove from the heat. In a separate large bowl, whisk together the milk, and powdered sugar until fully incorporated. Stir in the vanilla, and slowly incorporate the peanut butter mixture, blending well after each addition.
• This frosting is best to spread when warm, so you may need to reheat it when constructing your pinecones.
• Assembly:.
• With an oval cookie cutter, cut ten ovals from the cake (you can also cut ovals freehand with a paring knife). Once you have your ovals, trim each one to resemble a pinecone: create a pointed tip on one end and a rounded base on the other. Then, shave off corners and top with the knife so that each cake further takes on a pinecone shape.
• Frost one cake at a time, arranging sliced almonds in the frosting to look like the scales of a pinecone. Start at the base and set the almond slices, pointy end out, in a spiral pattern. Continue adding almond slivers until the entire surface is covered. Repeat until all cakes are frosted and decorated.
• To create "snow-covered" pinecones, dust the cakes with powdered sugar and serve.

CHOCOLATE FROSTING FOR DEVIL'S FOOD CAKE

Steps:

• Beat the butter and mayonnaise in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, on high, until light and fluffy, 3 to 4 minutes. With the mixer on low, slowly add the melted chocolate. Continue mixing on low speed until all of the chocolate is incorporated, stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
• Turn off the mixer and add one-third of the sugar. Mix on low to combine, stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl. Repeat until all of the sugar has been incorporated. Add the salt and continue to beat until the frosting is smooth and lightens slightly in color, 2 to 3 minutes.
• Use immediately or store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 hours or refrigerate for up to a week. Bring to room temperature before using chilled frosting.

FRUIT-SWEETENED SNACK CAKE WITH CHOCOLATE FROSTING

Steps:

• For the cake: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and butter an 8-by-8-inch baking dish.
• Set aside 1/4 cup each of the apricots and raisins and dice; reserve for later. Put the remaining apricots and raisins in a medium bowl and cover with very hot water, then let soak until the fruit is very soft, about 5 minutes. Drain and puree in a food processor along with the orange juice until very smooth.
• Whisk the flour, baking powder, cinnamon and salt together in a medium bowl.
• Beat the butter in a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium-high speed until smooth. Add the apricot-raisin puree and beat until incorporated and smooth. Add the egg and egg yolk, vanilla and orange zest and beat until incorporated. Lower the mixer speed to medium-low and add half the flour mixture, then all of the sour cream and then the remaining flour mixture, stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed (it's ok if the batter has some lumps). Fold in the diced apricots and raisins.
• Transfer the batter to the prepared baking dish. Bake until golden, the cake bounces back when pressed in the center and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 25 to 30 minutes. Cool in the pan on a rack.
• For the frosting: Soak the chopped dates in very hot water until very soft, about 5 minutes. Drain and transfer to the food processor. Put the chocolate in a small microwave-safe bowl and heat for 30 second increments, stirring after each, until melted and smooth. Add to the dates along with the heavy cream and cocoa powder. Process until light and smooth.
• Once the cake is completely cooled, spread the chocolate-date frosting over the top. Cut into squares and serve.

PINECONE CAKES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 10-inch round cake pan, line bottom with parchment paper, and set aside. Spread whole almonds in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet; toast in oven, tossing occasionally, until light golden and fragrant, 7 to 10 minutes. Let cool.
• Place the toasted almonds and 3/4 cup sugar in a food processor, and pulse until the mixture is finely ground. Transfer to a bowl, and stir in flour; set aside. Melt butter in a small saucepan; remove from heat, and stir in rum and vanilla. Let cool slightly.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat egg whites with salt until soft peaks form. Gradually beat in the remaining 3/4 cup sugar, beating to stiff glossy peaks.
• Fold the flour mixture into the egg-white mixture in three batches, alternating with the butter mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Pour into prepared pan, smooth the top, and bake until cake is golden brown and firm to the touch, about 40 minutes. Let cake cool in pan 20 minutes on wire rack. Turn out cake onto wire rack, and let cool, top-side up.
• Using a 3-inch oval cookie cutter, cut eight ovals from cake. Discard scraps. Trim each to resemble a pinecone with a rounded base and a pointed tip. Leaving bottom unfrosted, spread about 1/3 cup frosting on each pinecone; smooth and round to create a three-dimensional shape.
• Start at the base of one cake, arrange sliced almonds in a spiral, overlapping slightly. Continue arranging almonds in closely set rows to cover the entire surface. Transfer finished cake to a baking sheet in the refrigerator to set while repeating process with remaining cakes. Just before serving, dust the cakes with confectioners' sugar and garnish with chocolate shavings, if desired.

CHOCOLATE ALMOND PINECONES

Steps:

• Divide almond paste into six equal portions. Form each into a cone shape, about 1-1/2 in. tall and 1 in. in diameter. Beginning at the base, insert pointed end of almonds into paste to resemble a pinecone., In a microwave-safe bowl, melt chocolate chips and shortening; stir until smooth. Insert a toothpick into bottom of each cone. Holding over bowl, spoon melted chocolate over almonds (if needed, use another toothpick to spread the chocolate to completely cover almonds). Place on a wire rack over waxed paper; let stand until firm.

CHOCOLATE FROSTING

Steps:

• Combine butter and cocoa powder, stirring to combine well. Add vanilla and salt; mix well. Stir in confectioners' sugar, alternating with splashes of milk. Stir until creamy. If frosting is too thin, add 1 or 2 tablespoons confectioners' sugar.