Chocolate Cinnamon Torte

This is my Father in Law's favorite dessert. Ever.  It is what my Mother in Law or I make for his birthday each year.

It's a labor of love to make, but worth every oooh and aaaah when you present it.  And one of those desserts that has you rolling the bite around on your tongue and rolling your eyes back in your head lingering in the taste.

Chocolate Cinnamon Torte

2 c sugar

1-1/2 c salted butter, softened

2 eggs

1 t vanilla extract

1-1/2 t ground cinnamon

2-2/3 c all-purpose flour

3 oz semi-sweet chocolate

4 c heavy or whipping cream

1/2 c cocoa

Up to 3 days ahead:

1.      Tear 14 sheets parchment paper, each about 10” long. On reverse of each sheet, trace pie pan or bottom of 9” cake pan.

2.      Into large bowl or Cuisinart measure sugar, butter, eggs & vanilla.  Combine and whip, do not liquefy. Add cinnamon and 2 cups flour, beat about 3 minutes or until fluffy, occasionally scraping bowl.  With spoon, stir in remaining flour to make a soft dough.

3.      Preheat oven to 375F.

4.      With frosting spatula, spread a scant 1/3 c dough in a very thin layer onto each circle.  I hold the sheet up to light to see if there are any thick/thin spots.  Use ends of parchment to lift on to a cookie sheet.  Bake 7-9 minutes or until lightly browned around the edges.

5.      Remove cookie to wire rack using ends of parchment, allow to cool. Cut excess parchment from cookie, about a 1” margin.

6.      Repeat until all dough is baked. Stack cooled cookies carefully on a flat plate; cover with plastic wrap and store in cool, dry place.

Early in the day or day ahead:

1.      Coarsely grate chocolate; set aside.

2.      In large bowl with mixer at medium speed, beat cream and cocoa until soft peaks form.

3.      Carefully peel paper from one cookie.  Place a small dollop of whip in middle bottom of cake plate (this will keep the cake from sliding).  Place cookie on top.

4.      Spread with 1/2 c whipped mixture (measure so you don't run out).  Repeat layering until all cookies are used, ending with whipped mixture on top.

5.     Pile grated chocolate on top of cake; refrigerate until serving time, or at least 3 hours before serving so cookies soften for easier cutting. Makes 16 super rich servings.

Alternate: Make 2-3” cookies and assemble individual size cakes.

Recipe adapted from a tattered copy clipped from BH&G by my Mother in Law 20+ years ago. 

Mandarin Orange Coffee Cake

I love mandarin oranges!  (They're especially yummy when stowed in the ice chest on a camping trip). So when I had them baked on top of a delicate coffee cake I had to have the recipe.  I snagged this one from a co-worker's wife over a decade ago - and have yet to see anyone else bring a similar dish to the table.  Now you're in the know!

Mandarin Orange Coffee Cake
350F, 40-45 minutes in a 9x9 square pan, greased and floured
(I use the wrapper from the stick of butter and rub it all over the inside of the pan to grease it.)

2 15oz cans mandarin oranges, drained (in light syrup or in juice recommended)
2 c all purpose flour
1 c sugar
1/2 c butter (1 stick, salted)
2-1/2 t baking powder
1 t salt (I like kosher sea salt, reduce to 3/4 t if using regular iodized table salt)
3/4 c milk
1 t vanilla
1 large egg
1 t cinnamon, divided
1/2 t nutmeg

Combine flour and sugar, cut in butter.  Reserve 1/2-3/4 cup of these crumbs for topping.  To remainder of flour mix add baking powder, salt, and 1/2 t cinnamon.  Mix together wet ingredients and combine with dry.  Blend/stir until light and smooth.

Spread in greased and floured pan and top with mandarin oranges in rows, try to think of how you'll be cutting the cake and line them up appropriately.  You might have some leftover oranges (you're welcome).

To the reserved crumbs, add 1/2 t cinnamon and nutmeg and sprinkle on top of oranges.

Bake at 350F for 40-45 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.  Serve hot or cooled.  Makes 9-12 slices, depending on how you cut.

I love having serving dishes that match up to my baking dishes.  I bought this square one just for my 9" square baking pan.  It always looks so pretty to fill it with matching goodies!  I even store them together in the same cabinet and pull them out at the same time when I bake.

Chocolate Mousse

Is there anything better than chocolate cake with a thick, creamy layer of chocolate mousse?  I think not.  Costco does a smashing job of it, but they have limited designs.  My Alex wanted a rocket for his 6th birthday.  Not just a rocket decoration, a cake the shape of a rocket.  And I would not disappoint.  I considered buying one, completely devoid of decoration, shaping it and trying to put it back together.  Yeah.  You can see the possibility for disaster there too, 'eh?

So I'll make one all myself!  Thankfully, I have some cake decorating skills (thanks Mom).  I can do this.

After some scrounging on the web, I merged a couple recipes and came up with this.  So. Amazing.  I could have licked the bowl right then and there.  Unabashedly.  Really.  Stan laughed at me, almost giving myself a stomach ache snacking on it one spoon at a time the whole while I put the cake together.  Did I say A-mazing?!  Easy too!

Chocolate Mousse
1 c heavy whipping cream or RichWhip, thawed (in the freezer section)
1 c milk (I used Lactaid 2%)
1 5.9oz package instant chocolate pudding
1 t vanilla

Combine all, whip until peaks form (but stop before it goes into butter stage).

Tah Dah!  Spread between your cake layers, liberally.  Stick your face in the bowl and consume directly... mmm...

I think you could even use the all powerful ice cream scoop and portion it out to a bunch of little desert cups. Little sprig of mint on top and you'll look like a pro.  I can't stress enough the beauty of a simple scoop. Of anything.

I used dark chocolate cake and dark chocolate frosting and let Alex decorate with an assortment of candies.  I think it looks great and it was SUPER yummy.  So much so that all the adults had a piece and all we had was a little sliver leftover.  Sad, but in a good way.

Gram's Lemon Apricot Cake

This is a good old fashioned cake.  I say that because it isn't "froofy" like popular cakes - it's humble looking and tastes spectacular.  My Gram Yoder made it while visiting us when I was just a child, it made such an impression on my taste buds that I called her as an adult to request the recipe.  Boy was I surprised to find it all started with a cake mix!  As Gram would say "Awesome!"

Gram's Lemon Apricot Cake
1 lemon cake mix
4 eggs
3/4 c oil (I used part vegetable and part olive)
1/2 c apricot nectar (Kern's or Jumex, you can freeze the other half for your next cake or drink it while baking)

Frosting:
1-1/2 c powdered sugar
3 T lemon juice
lemon zest (optional)

Mix cake mix, eggs, oil and juice on low for 30 seconds.  Beat on high for 2 minutes.  Pour into greased and floured 9 x 13 pan and bake at 300F for 35-45 minutes (or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean).  While still warm, prick top of cake all over with a fork and drizzle with frosting.  Yummy!

Moist Carrot Cake

Stan's favorite cake (excluding chocolate - that's evidently a class all its own).  An easy and fool-proof recipe, courtesy my friend Martha.  Omit the nuts for a toddler friendly version.

Moist Carrot Cake
2 c all purpose flour
2 t baking powder
1-1/2 t baking soda
1 T ground cinnamon
2 c white sugar
4 eggs
3/4 c oil
3/4 c unsweetened applesauce
2-3/4 c shredded carrots (or as much as you can smush into the batter)
1 c crushed pineapple, very well drained
1 c chopped walnuts
1 c unsweetened flake coconut

Preheat oven to 325F.  Grease and flour a 9x13 pan (I like glass for a crispy crust). Mix together the flour, baking soda, salt & cinnamon. Set aside.
In a large bowl, mix sugar, oil, applesauce and eggs. Beat in flour mixture. Stir in pineapple, shredded carrots, chopped nuts and coconut. Pour into prepared pan.
Bake in preheated oven for 45-55 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into center of cake comes out clean.  Allow to cool.

Frost with Allspice Cream Cheese Frosting.