Rich Chocolate Soda Food

THE MOST AMAZING CHOCOLATE CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Lightly butter three 9-inch cake rounds. Dust with flour or cocoa powder and tap out the excess. Alternatively, you can lightly grease the pans and line with parchment paper.
• In a large mixing bowl, mix together flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in a stand mixer using a low speed until combined.
• Add eggs, buttermilk, warm water, oil, and vanilla. Beat on a low speed until smooth. This should take just a couple of minutes. Be sure to scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl so that everything gets mixed in.
• Divide batter evenly amongst the three prepared pans, about 3 cups of batter per pan. Tap the cake pans gently on the counter to allow any bubbles to rise to the top and escape.
• Bake for 30-35 minutes in a 350 degree oven until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
• Cool on wire racks for 15 minutes and then remove the cakes from the pan and place on the wire rack to cool completely.
• Frost with your favorite frosting and enjoy!
• In a large bowl, use a hand mixer or stand mixer to beat together butter and cream cheese until fluffy, about 3 minutes.
• Add in cocoa powder and vanilla extract. Beat until just combined, about 30 seconds.
• Beat in powdered sugar, 1 cup at a time. Add milk as necessary to make a spreadable consistency. The frosting should be very thick and will thicken even more once refrigerated.
• Use frosting to frost and assemble cake, or transfer to a piping bag for decorating. Once frosted, this cake should be refrigerated, but can remain at room temperature for up to 4 hours.

OLD-FASHIONED CHOCOLATE SODA

Steps:

• For each serving, place 3 tablespoons chocolate syrup in a 16-oz. glass. Stir in 1 tablespoon of whipped cream and 1-1/4 cups water until foamy. Add two scoops of ice cream. Top with additional whipped cream if desired.

THE BEST MOIST CHOCOLATE CAKE RECIPE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly grease and flour two 8-inch round cake pans and line the base with parchment paper.
• Sift flour, cocoa, baking powder and baking soda into a large bowl. Add both sugars and salt and whisk to blend well, pressing out any lumps of brown sugar.
• Combine eggs, oil, sour cream and vanilla in a medium bowl and whisk to blend well. Pour into the bowl with the dry ingredients and mix with an electric hand mixer on medium-low until blended. It will be thick and somewhat dry. Add the hot coffee gradually in two stages to minimize clumps forming and beat until evenly combined and the batter smooth.
• Divide batter evenly between the prepared pans and bake for 30-33 minutes until cakes spring back when pressed gently and a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean. Transfer pans to a wire rack and let cool for 15 minutes before inverting onto the rack to cool completely.
• Once cakes are cooled, cover them with my BEST Chocolate Fudge Frosting! The recipe is here.

OLD TIMEY CHOCOLATE SODA

Steps:

• In four 16-ounce glasses, squirt 1 tablespoon of the chocolate syrup in the bottom of the glasses. Scoop out 2 scoops of ice cream in each and top with another tablespoon of the chocolate syrup. Fill each glass with club soda, and top with whipped cream and a cherry.

CHOCOLATE SODA OR FLOAT (FOUNTAIN STYLE & LIGHTENED)

Steps:

• In a tall glass, start by placing 1 lrg scoop of frozen vanilla yogurt & drizzle 2 tbsp chocolate syrup over it. Repeat the same process w/the 2nd scoop of frozen yogurt.
• Fill the glass by slowly pouring Club Soda, Tonic Water or Sprite Zero over the yogurt & chocolate syrup (I use Sprite Zero). Serve w/a long-handled spoon & enjoy!
• NOTE: For those of you able to ignore "hip health" & who want to dress this up a bit, feel free to top w/a dollop of whipped cream & even add some chocolate shavings as options, but it's a treat for me w/o them.

RICH CHOCOLATE COOKIES

Steps:

• Sift together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt. In the large bowl of a standing mixer, beat the butter on medium speed until creamy and light in color, about 3 minutes. Add the sugar in a steady stream, continuing to beat for 2 minutes. Add the egg, vanilla and espresso mixture. Continue beating, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed, then mix in the melted chocolate.
• Reduce the speed to low. Add the dry ingredients in two batches, mixing just enough to combine after each addition. Divide the dough in two and form into two flattened disks. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate at least 2 hours.
• Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats. Roll out the chilled dough between 2 sheets of parchment or wax paper until it is 3/16-inch thick. Cut into shapes, using cookie cutters of different sizes to use as much dough as possible. (The dough will not be as good if it is rolled out a second time.) Transfer cookies to baking sheets, 1/2 inch apart.
• Bake for 9 to 11 minutes, rotating the sheets once to ensure even baking, or until cookies look set on top and have a slight sheen. Remove from oven and wait 2 minutes before transferring the cookies to wire racks to cool. Frost with royal icing, if desired.

CHOCOLATE SODA

Steps:

• Make the chocolate syrup
• 1. In a medium saucepan, mix water, sugar, cocoa powder, and vanilla and bring to a boil.
• 2. Take off heat, strain, and let cool.
• Make the soda
• 3. Add Chocolate Syrup to seltzer and stir. Divide among tall glasses.