Chocolate Spice Cake With Potato Food

WINTER SPICE CAKE WITH CHOCOLATE TREES

Steps:

• MAKE THE CAKE Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Oil and line the base and sides of three 20cm cake tins with baking parchment - if your cake tins are quite shallow, line the sides to a depth of at least 5cm.
• Mix the flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, sugar, mixed spice and salt in a bowl.
• Whisk the buttermilk, oil, vanilla extract and 75ml water with the eggs until smooth. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and whisk until well combined. Scoop about a third of the cake mixture into a tin. If using, mix the food colouring into the remaining batter and divide this between the other tins. Bake for 25-30 mins, or until the cakes have risen and a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.
• Cool in the tins for 10 mins, then turn out onto a wire rack, peel off the parchment and cool. The sponges will keep, wrapped tightly in cling film, for three days, or wrap and freeze for up to two months.
• NOW MAKE THE ICING Beat the butter with half the icing sugar and vanilla until smooth. Add the remaining icing sugar and the cream cheese, and beat again until combined - don't overmix or the icing may become runny.
• NEXT, ASSEMBLE THE CAKE Put one of the red sponges on a cake stand or cake board, sticking it down with a small blob of icing. Sandwich with the gold sponge, being generous with the icing. Top with more icing and the final red sponge, flat-side up. When assembled, use a palette knife to cover the entire cake with a thin layer of the icing, filling any gaps between sponges, but don't worry about completely covering the sponges at this stage. This is called a crumb coat and ensures that your final layer is crumb-free. Make space in the fridge and chill for 30 mins to allow the icing to firm up.
• MAKE THE CHOCOLATE TREES Melt the white chocolate in the microwave, or in a small bowl over a pan of simmering water. Stir in a spot of green food colouring gel if you want to make them green. Transfer to a piping bag and leave to firm up for a few mins (this will make the trees thicker). Line a baking sheet with parchment.
• Snip off the end of the piping bag and quickly pipe the chocolate backwards and forwards in thin lines to create little Christmas trees (ours were 7-10cm tall).
• Decorate with sprinkles and chill until you're ready to decorate the cake.
• ICE THE CAKE Once the crumb coat is chilled, use the remaining icing to completely cover the cake. This is easiest if you pile the icing on top of the cake, then use a palette knife to ease it over the edge and down the sides. You can make it as smooth or as rough as you like. Chill for another 30 mins.
• Meanwhile, for the chocolate drip, melt the white chocolate in a bowl set over a pan of lightly simmering water or in the microwave in short bursts. Pour into a disposable piping bag and set aside to firm up a little - you want it to be pourable but not too runny.
• Remove the cake from the fridge. If you like, you can use an edible gold spray to cover the surface in a thin layer of shimmer. When the white chocolate is the correct consistency, snip off the end of the piping bag and pipe drizzles down the side of the cake. Fill in the top with the remaining chocolate. Push them into the white chocolate topping before it sets.

CONTEST-WINNING CHOCOLATE POTATO CAKE

Steps:

• In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add 1 egg at a time, beating well after each addition. Add potatoes and vanilla. Combine the flour, cocoa and baking soda; gradually add to creamed mixture alternately with milk, beating well after each addition. Stir in nuts. , Pour into 2 greased and floured 9-in. round baking pans. Bake at 350° until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 25-30 minutes. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks to cool completely., For icing, in a saucepan over low heat, cook butter and brown sugar until butter is melted and mixture is smooth. Stir in evaporated milk; bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Remove from the heat; cool to room temperature. Stir in confectioners' sugar and vanilla until smooth. Spread between layers and over top of cake.

CHOCOLATE SPICE CAKE WITH POTATO

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Bring a saucepan of water to a boil. Add potato and cook until tender but still firm, about 15 minutes. Drain, cool and mash. Grease and flour a 10 inch Bundt pan.
• Cream butter, gradually add brown sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in mashed potatoes.
• Combine flour, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves; add to creamed mixture alternately with milk, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Stir in melted chocolate and pecans. Pour batter into a prepared 10 inch Bundt pan.
• Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 1 hour or until cake tests done. Cool in pan 20 minutes; remove cake from pan, and cool completely before serving.

CHOCOLATE DECADENCE SPICE CAKE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 325°F. Wrap outside bottom and side of 9-inch springform pan with foil to prevent leaking. Lightly spray inside bottom and side of pan with cooking spray. In medium microwavable bowl, melt 16 oz of the chocolate and the butter uncovered on High 1 minute, then in 30-second increments, stirring until smooth. Stir in ground cinnamon and allspice. Cool slightly.
• In large bowl, beat eggs with electric mixer on high speed until foamy. Beat in granulated sugar and flour on low speed until blended. Gradually add chocolate mixture, beating on medium speed just until blended. Pour into pan.
• Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until cake is set 2 inches from edge. Immediately run knife around edge of pan to loosen cake. Cool in pan on cooling rack 20 minutes. Remove side of pan; cool completely, about 2 hours.
• Place remaining 12 oz chocolate in heatproof bowl. In small microwavable bowl, heat 3/4 cup of the whipping cream uncovered on High 45 seconds or until simmering. Pour over chocolate. Let stand 2 minutes; stir until smooth. Pour over cooled cake. Refrigerate until serving time.
• Just before serving, in chilled small bowl, beat remaining 1 cup whipping cream and the powdered sugar on high speed until soft peaks form. Serve whipped cream with cake. Garnish with cinnamon stick pieces.

CHOCOLATE SPICE CAKE

Steps:

• In a large bowl, cream butter and brown sugar until well blended. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in applesauce and 1/2 cup coffee. Combine the flour, 1/4 cup baking cocoa, cinnamon, baking soda, allspice, salt and cloves; gradually beat into creamed mixture until blended. Fold in raisins and walnuts., Pour into a 10-in. fluted tube pan coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350° for 40-45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pan to a wire rack to cool completely., In a small bowl, combine the confectioners' sugar and remaining baking cocoa and coffee; drizzle over cake.

CHOCOLATE SPONGE CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4 and grease and line two 20cm/8in sandwich tins with baking parchment.
• Put the cocoa powder and boiling water into a large bowl and mix well to make a paste. Add the remaining ingredients and beat again until combined. This can also be done in a food processor, but take care not to over whisk. Divide the cake mixture between the prepared tins. Bake for about 25-30 minutes, or until well risen and shrinking away from the sides of the tin.
• Meanwhile, for the icing and filling, measure the chocolate and cream together in a bowl and stand the bowl over a pan of simmering water for about 10 minutes, or until melted. Stir from time to time. Set aside and leave until cool.
• Once baked, remove the cakes from the oven and allow to cool for 10 minutes before turning out the tins onto a wire rack to cool completely.
• Spread the tops of each cake with apricot jam. Fill the cakes with half of the icing and spread the remainder on top. Draw large "S" shapes over the cake with a palatte knife to give a swirl effect. Dust with icing sugar and serve in slices.

CHOCOLATE SPICE CAKE

Steps:

• In a large bowl, cream together the butter or margarine and sugar. Add the eggs, beating well after each addition.
• In another bowl, sift together the flour and spices. Blend these dry ingredients into the sugar mixture.
• Dissolve the soda in the sour milk, and add to the batter.
• Grate the chocolate, and add to the batter.
• Pour batter into a greased and floured 8 inch round pan. Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 20 minutes, or until done.

CHOCOLATE SPICE CAKE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350 degrees.
• Grease and flour a bundt pan.
• Cream butter and sugar.
• Add egg yolks one at a time til blended.
• Stir in melted chocolate, mashed potatoes, lemon rind, and vanilla.
• Sift flour, baking powder, cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg together.
• Ad flour mixture to rest of batter alternating with milk.
• Fold in pecans.
• Beat egg whites and carefully fold them in.
• Bake 45-50 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
• Cool 15 minutes in pan then turn out to cool completely.

CHOCOLATE SPICE CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat your oven to 325 degrees F. Spray a 9"x13" pan with nonstick spray. Line the bottom with parchment paper if you plan to turn the cake out of the pan to serve. Otherwise, spray alone is ok.
• In a medium size mixing bowl, combine the flour, cocoa, cinnamon, allspice, cloves and salt. Whisk to combine and then set aside.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugars together on medium high speed for about three to five minutes, making sure to scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl occasionally. We want the butter mixture to get light and fluffy.
• Add the eggs and beat again for a couple minutes.
• With the mixer on low speed, alternately add the flour mixture and the buttermilk, starting and ending with the flour mixture. Mix until no flour streaks remain.
• Fold in the sour cream.
• In a small bowl, combine the vinegar and baking soda. Let bubble and then fold into the batter.
• Pour the batter into the pan and bake at 325 for about 25 to 28 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out with a few moist crumbs on it.
• Let cool completely before frosting.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter for a couple minutes on medium high speed.
• While the mixer is beating the butter, heat the heavy cream in the microwave. Pour the heated cream over the chocolate to melt the chocolate. Stir until smooth. Set aside to cool a bit.
• With the mixer on low speed, gradually add the powdered sugar, spices, and pinch of salt.
• Scrape the sides of the bowl and then with the mixer on medium speed add the chocolate ganache you've made. Once all of the chocolate is added, turn the mixer to medium high speed and beat for about 3 to 5 minutes.

CHOCOLATE SPICE CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°. Spray 2 (9-inch) round cake pans with baking spray with flour.
• For cake: In a large bowl, beat butter and sugars with a mixer at medium speed until fluffy, 3 to 4 minutes, stopping to scrape sides of bowl. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa, baking soda, cinnamon, salt, cardamom, and ginger. In a small bowl, combine buttermilk and vanilla. With mixer on low speed, gradually add flour mixture to butter mixture alternately with buttermilk mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture, beating just until combined after each addition. Stir in sour cream. Pour batter into prepared pans.
• Bake until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean, 13 to 17 minutes. Let cool in pans for 10 minutes. Remove from pans, and let cool completely on wire racks.
• For frosting: In a medium microwave-safe bowl, heat chocolate morselts and butter on medium in 30-second intervals, stirring between each, until mixture is melted and smooth (about 1 minute total). Whisk to combine; let cool completely.
• In a large bowl, beat cooled chocolate mixture and sour cream with a mixer at low speed until combined. Gradually add confectioners' sugar and salt, beating until smooth. Spread frosting between layers and on top and sides of cake.
• For garnish: In a small bowl, stir together confectioners' sugar, cocoa, and cinnamon. Sift mixture over top of cake, if desired. Refrigerate for up to 3 days.

CHOCOLATE POTATO SPICE CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 Deg.
• In a large mixing bowl, blend butter and sugar. Add potatoes and cocoa.
• Add eggs and milk.
• Mix together flour, BP,spices and add to other ingredients.
• Pour into a greased 13 X 9 inch pan.
• Bake at 350 deg. for 1 hour.
• When cooled, top with your choice of frosting.