Cocoa Rum Chiffon Cake Food

JOHN WHAITE'S CHOCOLATE CHIFFON CAKE WITH SALTED CARAMEL BUTTER CREAM

Steps:

• Heat oven to 160C/140C fan/gas 3. Grease and line a 25cm round deep cake tin with baking parchment. In a large bowl, mix the oil, egg yolks, vanilla paste, caster sugar and 200ml water until well combined. Sift in the cocoa powder and whisk until smooth.
• Sift in the flour, bicarb and 1 tsp salt. In a separate bowl, whisk the egg whites to stiff peaks. Fold into the batter with a large metal spoon and mix until everything is well combined.
• Gently pour the mixture into your cake tin, then bang it on the work surface twice to expel any large air pockets. Bake for 1 hr 10 mins or until the cake springs back when gently prodded and an inserted skewer comes out clean. (Cover with foil after 1 hr if the cake starts to get too dark.) Remove from the oven, cool in the tin for 10 mins, then transfer to a large wire rack and peel off the parchment. Leave until the cake is completely cool.
• Make the salted caramel icing while the cake bakes. Heat the brown sugar, ½ tsp salt and cream in a saucepan until the sugar has dissolved. Bubble for a few mins, then leave to cool completely. Beat the butter until smooth, pour in the cooled cream mixture and continue mixing until softly whipped. Chill until needed.
• To make the ganache, heat the cream until just boiling. Remove from the heat and pour over the chocolate. Leave to stand for a few mins until the chocolate has melted and you have a smooth sauce consistency. Leave to cool at room temperature until the ganache is a pipeable thickness, then transfer to a piping bag fitted with a star nozzle. To finish the cake, slice in half and fill with the salted caramel buttercream. Pipe tall spikes of chocolate ganache on top and decorate with the sea salt crystals. Will keep for up to 2 days in a cool place.

CHOCOLATE CHIFFON CAKE

Steps:

• Let eggs stand at room temperature for 30 minutes. In a bowl, combine cocoa and water until smooth; cool for 20 minutes. In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking soda and salt. In a bowl, whisk the egg yolks, oil and vanilla; add to dry ingredients along with the cocoa mixture. Beat until well blended. In another large bowl and with clean beaters, beat egg whites and cream of tartar on high speed until stiff peaks form. Gradually fold into egg yolk mixture. , Gently spoon batter into an ungreased 10-in. tube pan. Cut through the batter with a knife to remove air pockets. Bake on lowest rack at 325° for 60-65 minutes or until top springs back when lightly touched. Immediately invert pan; cool completely. Run a knife around sides and center tube of pan. Invert cake onto a serving plate., For icing, melt butter in a saucepan. Remove from the heat; stir in the confectioners' sugar, chocolate, vanilla and water. Drizzle over cake. Sprinkle with nuts if desired.

COCOA-RUM CHIFFON CAKE

Steps:

• In medium bowl, gradually whisk boiling water into cocoa powder until smooth. Set aside to cool to room temperature, whisking occasionally.
• Adjust oven rack so that it is one-third up from bottom of oven. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Have ready cookie sheet and an un-greased tube pan.
• Into a seperate large bowl, sift cake flour, 1 cup of the sugar (reserve remainder), baking powder, and salt. Add COOLED cocoa mixture, rum, egg yolks, oil, and vanilla. With large, sturdy whisk or hand-held electric mixer, beat briefly just until smooth.
• In non-plastic large bowl, combine egg whites and cream of tartar. With clean beaters, beat at high speed until very foamy and white. Gradually add remaining 3/4 cup sugar, about 2 tablespoons at a time. Continue beating until this meringue forms stiff peaks.
• With large spatula, gently fold about one-third of the meringue into the cocoa-yolk mixture. Turn this mixture back into the remaining meringue; gently fold together just until no white streaks show in the batter. Turn into tube pan and level batter. Place filled pan on baking sheet, then place into the preheated oven for 45 to 55 minutes.
• While cake bakes, ready a cooling rack. When done, the cake should be well-risen (possibly above the edge of the pan), and it will spring back when touched lightly on top with a fingertip.
• When done, remove cake from oven with oven mits. Turn the cake gently upside down so it rests on the cooling surface undisturbed. During this time, the cake may shrink slightly and pull away from the pan sides in places--OK.
• When cake is completely cooled, gently and carefully turn right side up. Carefully loosen cake from pan sides and tube, using a knife. Turn cake out of pan onto serving plate (it will be served upside down). If bottom of cake sticks to pan, hold serving plate and pan together, and bang GENTLY on table to loosen cake bottom (I have not had this trouble with this particular cake, though). Store airtight at room temperature for up to three days or freeze.
• You can sprinkle with powdered sugar sprinkled on top and when you slice, serve with a dolup of whipped cream and some chocolate shavings.

CARIBBEAN COCONUT RUM CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325°. Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in extract. In a small bowl, combine rum and milk. In a large bowl, whisk flour, pudding mix, cornstarch, baking powder and salt; add to creamed mixture alternately with rum mixture, beating well after each addition., Transfer to a greased and floured 10-in. fluted tube pan. Bake until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, about 1 hour. Cool 10 minutes. Remove from pan briefly to prevent sticking; replace in pan. Cool on wire rack., Meanwhile, for syrup, heat butter, water, sugar and salt in a small saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Remove from heat; add rum and extract., Using a small skewer, poke holes in cake. Slowly pour syrup over cake until it's all absorbed. Cover; let stand overnight.

MOCHA CHIFFON CAKE

Steps:

• For the cake: Dissolve coffee powder in hot water, cool to room temperature.
• In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder and salt, stir until well mixed.
• Make a well in center, add oil, egg yolks, vanilla and cooled coffee.
• Beat with a wooden spoon until smooth.
• In a large bowl, beat egg whites and cream of tartar until stiff but not dry.
• Pour batter over egg whites, fold in carefully, adding grated chocolate towards the end.
• Spoon batter into ungreased 10 inch tube pan.
• Bake in a 325 degree oven for 60 to 70 minutes or until cake springs back when lightly touched.
• Turn pan upside down and let cake hang until cool.
• Remove from pan.
• Frost with cocoa whipped cream.
• For the whipped cream: In a medium bowl, combine whipping cream, sugar, cocoa powder and vanilla, stir to blend ingredients, but do not beat.
• Cover and refrigerate for 1 to 2 hours.
• Whip until soft peaks form.
• Frost cake.
• Garnish with chocolate curls.

COCONUT-RUM CAKE POPS

Steps:

• Prepare and bake cake mix according to package directions. Cool completely on a wire rack., In a large bowl, mix frosting, coconut and extracts. Tear cake into pieces. In batches, pulse cake in a food processor until crumbs form. Stir crumbs into frosting mixture. Shape into 1-in. balls; place on baking sheets. Insert sticks. Freeze at least 2 hours or refrigerate at least 3 hours until firm., Dip cake pops in melted candy coating, allowing excess to drip off. Roll in toasted coconut. Insert cake pops in a Styrofoam block; let stand until set.

COCOA CHIFFON CAKE

Steps:

• Stir cocoa and boiling water until smooth - cool.
• Sift dry ingredients.
• Add egg yolks, cooled cocoa mixture and vanilla.
• Beat with a wooden spoon until smooth.
• Beat egg whites and cream of tartar until they hold soft peaks.
• Fold in gently.
• When baked cool (turned upsidedown and balanced on 2 tins so that surface does not touch the rack).
• Ease cake out of tin after it has completely cooled.