Chocolate Fruit Cake Food

CHOCOLATE FRUITCAKE

Steps:

• Put the butter, sugar, chocolate, brandy, vanilla and dried fruits into a large saucepan. Heat gently, stirring occasionally until everything has melted together. Remove from the heat.
• Heat oven to 150C/130C fan/gas 2. Line a deep cake tin, 20cm round or 18cm square, with a double layer of baking parchment. Wrap a few layers of newspaper around the outside and secure with string.
• Mix the flour, almonds, cocoa and spice together. Stir the eggs into the slightly cooled chocolate mixture in the saucepan, followed by the flour mixture. Scrape into your prepared tin and bake for 1½ hrs- 1 hr 45 mins or until a skewer poked in comes out clean. Cool in the tin, then decorate (see 'Goes well with', right, for decoration ideas). Greaseproof-wrapped cake will keep for 2 months in an airtight container.

CHOCOLATE LAYER CAKE WITH PASSION FRUIT ICING

Steps:

• Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Grease and line the base of a 20cm springform cake tin with baking parchment. Beat the butter and caster sugar together until pale, light and fluffy - this is easiest using a freestanding machine or an electric hand-held mixer. Gradually add the egg, a little at a time, beating well between each addition.
• Sift both flours, the bicarbonate of soda and the cocoa into a bowl. Add half the sifted dry ingredients to the egg mixture and fold in using a large metal spoon. In another bowl, mix the soured cream and cream cheese together until smooth. Add half to the cake batter and fold in. Repeat this process with the remaining flour and soured cream, and mix until smooth. Pour into the cake tin. Bake on the middle shelf for 1 hr or until a skewer inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean. Leave the cake to cool in the tin for 10 mins before turning out onto a wire rack and removing the baking parchment.
• Meanwhile, make the icing. Using an electric mixer, beat the butter until pale and softly whipped. Add the icing sugar and whisk until smooth, then add the cream cheese and whisk again. Sieve the juice from the passion fruits, reserving the pulp and seeds. Add the juice to the icing.
• To assemble, split the cake into 3 even layers and place the bottom layer on a cake stand or plate. Spread one-third of the icing over the bottom layer, swirling out to the edges. Repeat with the remaining 2 layers of cake and icing, finishing with a layer of icing. Top with the passion fruit pulp and seeds. Serve straight away. Will keep for 3 days, chilled - but bring back to room temperature before serving.

ONE BOWL CHOCOLATE CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350°F and prepare two 8-inch round cake pans with grease and flour.
• In a bowl of a stand mixer (or a large bowl with a handheld mixer), add cocoa, flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Mix on low speed until just combined.
• Slowly add eggs, buttermilk, coffee, oil, and vanilla. Beat on medium speed until smooth, about 3 minutes.
• Divide the batter between pans. Bake until set and a toothpick inserted into the centers comes out with a few crumbs (but not wet batter), about 25-30 minutes.
• Let cool for 15 minutes. Turn out from pans. Transfer to wire racks. Let cool completely as you make the whipped cream.
• In a large bowl, whip cream until soft peaks are just about to form. Add in vanilla and confectioners' sugar until stiff peaks form, making sure not to overbeat.
• Set one of the 8-inch round cakes on a cake stand.
• Spread about 1 cup of whipped cream over the cake with an offset spatula.
• Set the second cake on top of the first cake. Cover the second cake in whipped cream.
• Place the fruit on the lower edge of the cake. Then, place more fruit on top of the second cake. Garnish with baby's breath (optional, but remove before eating the cake).

CHOCOLATE FRUIT CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C).
• Line the sides and bottom of an 8 by 3 1/2-inch deep, round loose-bottomed cake tin with a layer of reusable silicon baking parchment. When lining the tin with the parchment, cut the material into strips that are twice as high as the tin itself (it is easier to use two shorter strips of parchment, than one long strip); the height of the strips protects the cake from catching on the outside of the cake tin.
• Place the fruit, butter, sugar, honey, coffee liqueur, orange zest and juice, mixed spice and cocoa into a large wide saucepan. Heat the mixture until it reaches a gentle boil, stirring the mixture as the butter melts. Let the mixture simmer for 10 minutes. Remove the saucepan from the heat and leave to stand for 30 minutes.
• After 30 minutes, the mixture will have cooled a little. Add the eggs, flour, ground almonds, baking powder and baking soda, and mix well with a wooden spoon or spatula until the ingredients have combined.
• Carefully pour the fruitcake mixture into the lined cake tin. Transfer the cake tin to the oven and bake for 1 3/4 to 2 hours, or until the top of the cake is firm but will has a shiny and sticky look. At this point, if you insert a sharp knife into the middle of the cake, the cake should still be a little uncooked in the middle.
• Place the cake on a cooling rack. Once the cake has cooled, remove it from the tin.
• To decorate, place the chocolate-covered coffee beans in the centre of the cake and arrange the gold stars around the perimeter of the top of the cake. Then sprinkle some gold mini-balls over the whole cake and sprinkle the top with edible glitter.

SWEET 'N EASY CHOCOLATE FRUIT DESSERT

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Line 2 (15x10x1-inch) baking pans with foil; spray with cooking spray. Place cake mix, eggs, 1-1/3 cups water and 1/3 cup of the sour cream in large bowl. Beat with electric mixer on low speed 2 minutes; scrape bowl. Beat on medium speed an additional 2 minutes. Pour evenly into prepared pans.
• Bake 15 to 18 minutes or until toothpick inserted in centers comes out clean. Cool completely.
• Beat remaining 2/3 cup sour cream and powdered sugar in large bowl with wire whisk until well blended. Add whipped topping; mix well. Set aside. Toss strawberries and blueberries in separate bowl; set aside.
• Cut out 2 cake circles from cake layer in each pan, using a 6-inch saucepan lid. (You will have a total of 4 cake rounds.) Place 1 of the cake rounds on large dessert plate; spread with 1/2 cup of the whipped topping mixture. Top with 1/2 cup of the berry mixture and an additional 1/2 cup of the whipped topping mixture.
• Cover with a third cake round. Repeat layers of whipped topping mixture and berry mixture; top with remaining cake layer. Spread top with remaining whipped topping mixture. Garnish with fresh mint and additional berries, if desired. Refrigerate until ready to serve. Store leftover dessert in refrigerator.

CHOCOLATE-ORANGE FRUITCAKE WITH PECANS

Steps:

• For cake:
• Position rack in bottom third of oven and preheat to 325°F. Generously butter and flour 12-cup angel food cake pan. Combine toasted pecans, chopped dried figs, prunes, dates, orange juice concentrate, Grand Marnier and grated orange peel in large bowl. Let stand 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Sift flour, cocoa, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda and salt into medium bowl. Combine brown sugar and 6 ounces chocolate in processor and chop into small pieces.
• Using electric mixer, beat butter and cream cheese in large bowl to blend. Add chocolate mixture and beat until fluffy. Beat in eggs 1 at a time. Beat in prune butter. Stir in 1/4 of dry ingredients. Mix in fruit mixture and remaining dry ingredients in 3 additions each.
• Transfer batter to prepared pan. Bake cake until tester inserted near center with a few moist crumbs attached, about 1 hour 55 minutes. Cool 5 minutes. Turn pan over onto rack; let stand 5 minutes. Lift off pan; cool cake completely. Wrap cake in plastic and store at room temperature 2 days.
• For Glaze:
• Melt butter in heavy medium saucepan over low heat. Add chocolate; stir until melted and smooth. Whisk in orange juice concentrate.
• Place cake on rack. Spread some of chocolate glaze thickly over top and sides of cake. Refrigerate 15 minutes. Spread remaining chocolate glaze over cake, covering completely. Sprinkle with chopped candied fruit peel, if desired. Refrigerate cake 30 minutes to set glaze. (Fruitcake can be prepared 3 weeks ahead. Wrap cake in plastic and refrigerate.)

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.

CHOCOLATE AND FRUIT TRIFLE

Steps:

• Prepare cake batter according to package directions; pour into a greased 15x10x1-in. baking pan. Bake at 350° for 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool completely on a wire rack. Crumble enough cake to measure 8 cups; set aside. (Save remaining cake for another use.) , In a large bowl, whisk the milk, water and pudding mix for 2 minutes. Let stand for 2 minutes or until soft-set. Fold in the whipped cream. , To assemble, spread 2-1/2 cups pudding mixture in a 4-qt. glass bowl. Top with half the crumbled cake; sprinkle with 1 tablespoon orange juice. Arrange half the berries and kiwi over cake. , Repeat pudding and cake layers; sprinkle with remaining orange juice. Top with remaining pudding mixture. Spoon remaining fruit around edge of bowl. Cover and refrigerate until serving.

CHOCOLATE-CHERRY FRUITCAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F (180C.).
• A day or so before you make the cake, toss the cherries in 1/4 cup liquor. Cover, and let macerate (soak up the liquor).
• To bake the cakes, grease two 9-inch(23cm)loaf pans and line the bottoms with parchment paper and dust with cocoa powder.
• Sift together the flour, cocoa, salt, baking soda, and baking powder. Set aside.
• In the bowl of a standing mixer, or by hand,.
• beat the butter and sugar until very light and fluffy. Stir together the eggs and yolk with the vanilla, then dribble them in while beating.
• Mix in one-third of the flour/cocoa mixture, then half of the buttermilk or yogurt. Then mix in another third of the dry ingredients, then the rest of the yogurt or buttermilk. Finally, add the remaining dry ingredients, and gently stir in the nuts, chocolate chips and cherries.(which should have absorbed all the liquid. If not, add that as well.).
• Divide and smooth the batter into the prepared loaf pans and bake for 45 minutes, or unril a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let stand on the counter-top for about 15 minutes.
• With a skewer, poke about 50 holes in the cake and spoon 3 tablespoons of liquor over each cake. Let cool.

CHOCOLATE AND PASSIONFRUIT LAYER CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 180°C/160°C fan/gas 4/350°F then grease two 20cm (8-inch) tins and line with baking parchment.
• Make two batches of My Favorite Chocolate Cake recipe and use it to fill the tins.
• Bake for 25-30 minutes until risen and a skewer inserted comes out clean. Leave to cool in the tin for ten minutes before turning out onto a cooling rack.
• Whip the cream and confectioners' sugar together in a small bowl until it forms soft peaks and holds its shape when mixed. Be careful to stop when it reaches soft peaks or you might over-whip the cream, which will ruin the finished cake.
• Spread the whipped cream all over the top of one of the cake layers, then cover with spoonfuls of passionfruit curd. Carefully sandwich the second layer on top of the first.
• To make the icing, melt the butter and chocolate together in a microwave or in a heatproof bowl over a pan of simmering water. Remove from the heat and mix in the confectioners' sugar and the milk, then use a palette knife to spread it over the top of the cake. Sprinkle over chocolate shavings before serving. Keep any leftover cake in the fridge, where it will keep well for 2-3 days.

CHOCOLATE FRUITCAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C).
• Line the sides and bottom of an 8 by 3 1/2-inch deep, round loose-bottomed cake tin with a layer of reusable silicon baking parchment. When lining the tin with the parchment, cut the material into strips that are twice as high as the tin itself (it is easier to use two shorter strips of parchment, than one long strip); the height of the strips protects the cake from catching on the outside of the cake tin.
• Place the fruit, butter, sugar, honey, coffee liqueur, orange zest and juice, mixed spice and cocoa into a large wide saucepan. Heat the mixture until it reaches a gentle boil, stirring the mixture as the butter melts. Let the mixture simmer for 10 minutes. Remove the saucepan from the heat and leave to stand for 30 minutes.
• After 30 minutes, the mixture will have cooled a little. Add the eggs, flour, ground almonds, baking powder and baking soda, and mix well with a wooden spoon or spatula until the ingredients have combined.
• Carefully pour the fruitcake mixture into the lined cake tin. Transfer the cake tin to the oven and bake for 1 3/4 to 2 hours, or until the top of the cake is firm but will has a shiny and sticky look. At this point, if you insert a sharp knife into the middle of the cake, the cake should still be a little uncooked in the middle.
• Place the cake on a cooling rack. Once the cake has cooled, remove it from the tin.
• To decorate, place the chocolate-covered coffee beans in the centre of the cake and arrange edible gold stars around the perimeter of the top of the cake (if you can find them- not listed in ingredients as Zaar will not accept). Then sprinkle some gold mini-balls over the whole cake and sprinkle the top with edible glitter.

CHOCOLATE FRUIT COCKTAIL CAKE RECIPE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Lightly grease and flour a 9 x 13 inch baking pan; set aside. Place cake mix, pudding mix, fruit cocktail and its juice, eggs, oil and finely chopped pecans in a large mixing bowl. Blend with an electric mixer on medium speed for 3 minutes. Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan. Combine light brown sugar and coarsely chopped pecans in a small bowl. Sprinkle this over the top of the cake. Bake until the pecans look toasty and the center springs back when lightly touched in the center, about 40-45 minutes. Meanwhile prepare the glaze. Place butter, sugar, cocoa, and milk in a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir and bring to a boil, then remove from the heat and stir in the coarsely chopped pecans. Keep warm. Remove cake from oven and allow to cool in pan for 10 minutes. Spread glaze over warm cake, spreading evenly. Slice and serve warm or at room temperature.