Popular Posts 2010 at Romancing The Chocolate

From Denny: The latest popular posts at Romancing The Chocolate for 2010. Hopefully, it will be easier to keep up with this year! I'm working on getting my little tardy self moving along at a faster pace. Maybe if I quit lingering at all those gorgeous chocolate shop windows. :)


Popular Posts


Popular Posts 2010 at Romancing The Chocolate

Popular Posts 2009 at Romancing The Chocolate and Thank You!


67 Charities to Donate: Helping Haiti Heal

Chocolate Cake Recipes at Romancing The Chocolate





June


Muffin Monday: Chocolate Cheesecake Muffins

10 Funny Posts For a Laugh - 23 June 2010

Cake Tuesday: Coffee Toffee Fudge Cake, Tunnel of Fudge Cake

Muffin Monday: Pina Colada Muffins

Posts Roundup at Dennys 14 Blogs - 20 June 2010

Posts Roundup at Dennys 14 Blogs - 13 June 2010

5 Tasty Sweet as Candy Chess Pie Recipes

Muffin Monday: 3 Cappuccino Chocolate Chip Muffin Recipes

Popular Kentucky Derby Recipes: Bourbon Ball French Toast, Kentucky Hot Brown

Popular Kentucky Derby Recipes: Bourbon Ball French Toast, Kentucky Hot Brown

8 Funny Posts to Enjoy

Posts Roundup at Dennys 14 Blogs - 5 June 2010

Yummy Lemon Tea Bread From Southern Living




May


Posts Roundup at Dennys Blogs - 30 May 2010

Cream Cheese n Sour Cherry Filling 4 Chocolate Cupcakes

Chocolate Cream Cake with Chocolate Frosting




April


Posts Roundup This Week at Dennys Blogs 25 Apr 2010

Those Funny Mothers Day Quotes and Trivia

Traditional Sandwiches Updated: California Tuna Melt, Egg Salad


Play Fun With Your Food: Mini Frittata Crostinis, Mini Wonton Quiches

Awesome Sauces 4 Spring and Summer Seafood

Spring Into Grill Season: Mouthwatering Steaks

Chef Rocco Dispiritos Cheap Yet Healthy Comfort Food





March


Funny April Fools Day

Weekly Posts Roundup at Dennys Blogs - 28 Mar 2010

51 Funny Political Cartoons - Sex Scandals, Rove, Obama, Health Care, Tea Party - 27 Mar 2010

Louisiana Crawfish Etouffee From Lafittes Landing

Funny Rules of Chocolates, Origins of the Funny Easter Bunny

Kid Chefs Offer Tasty Recipes 4 Sandwiches Adults Will Like

Easy Rich Yellow Loaf Cake with Chocolate Ganache

8 Funny Quips

Moistest Low Cal Chocolate Cake, Pesto Veggie Lasagna, Quick Salad

Gorgeous Whiskey Chocolate Brownies

29 Post Roundup at Dennys Blogs 14 Mar 2010

Saint Patricks Day Funnies Sampler

7 Funny Little Sillies 4 a Grin

5 Super Easy Chocolate Desserts: Only 5 Ingredients

Funny April Fools Day

Flourless Passover Chocolate Cake

Forget the Birds: Awesome Recipes 4 Stale Bread

Spring Food: Chef Kellers Marinated Skirt Steak, Ice Cream Sandwiches

29 Post Roundup at Dennys Blogs 14 Mar 2010

Saint Patricks Day Funnies Sampler

7 Funny Little Sillies 4 a Grin

5 Super Easy Chocolate Desserts: Only 5 Ingredients

Recipe: Alberta Fudge Cake - from Canada

Recipe: Romantic Chocolate Fondue for Two

Recipe: Chocolate Banana Coconut Cream Pie

Recipe: Chocolate-Covered OREO Cookie Cake




February


Stop That Cold in Its Tracks: Illness Fighting Foods

16 Funny Blissful Sleepers Photos

Does it Get Any Better? Funny Curtis Stones Healthy Pasta, Chocolate Recipes

Happy Afterglow: 11 More Valentine Recipes

Pretty Chocolate Candy Recipes From Canadas Famous Purdys

Check Out Funny Fat Tuesday Afterglow Photos and Quotes

Aphrodisiac Meal: Boost Your Orgasms

Funny Mardi Gras Quotes, Who Dat Rocking Saints Songs

Valentines Day Recipes: 3 Easy Creative Chocolate Cakes

Valentines Day: Awesome Romantic Meal

5 Slamming Valentine Godiva Chocolate Recipes

97 Posts Roundup From All Dennys Blogs

6 Yummy Junk Food Recipes

4 Fun Marti Gras and Super Bowl Recipes

Sweet Tooth Alert: Sandra Lees Chocolate Truffles

Popular Posts 2010 at Romancing The Chocolate

Happy Afterglow: 11 More Valentine Recipes

Funny Mardi Gras Quotes, Who Dat Rocking Saints Songs

Aphrodisiac Meal: Boost Your Orgasms

4 Fun Marti Gras and Super Bowl Recipes

Valentines Day Recipes: 3 Easy Creative Chocolate Cakes

Fight 4 Freedom: Irans Opposition Thursday

Valentines Day: Awesome Romantic Meal

5 Slamming Valentine Godiva Chocolate Recipes




January


Funny Quotes About Chocolate

Chef Sandra Lees Easy Frozen Chocolate Cookie Cake

Swapping Food Choices for Less Fat and Calories to Trim off holiday pounds

Chef Sandra Lees Easy Frozen Chocolate Cookie Cake

How to Cook Perfect Al Dente Pasta, Giadas Simple Recipe

Chocolate Cake Recipes at Romancing The Chocolate

Funny Quotes About Chocolate

Oozing with 3 Cheeses and Cheap: White Lasagna

Winter Brain Food: Parmigiano Pasta with Mushrooms

Valentines Day: Impressive Four Chocolates Cake

Kid Pleasing Easy Brownie Peanut Butter Cupcakes

Tummy Warming Desserts for The New Year

Chocolate Trivia - Who Are the Biggest Chocolate Gluttons on the Planet?

Funny Editorial Cartoons 21 Nov 2009


*** THANKS for visiting, come back often, feel free to leave a comment, a big thank you and shout out to current subscribers - and if you are new to this blog, please subscribe in a reader or by email!

Recipe: Make You Own Devils Food Cake Mix!

Devils Food Cake Image by Sifu Renka via Flickr

From Denny: Are you tired of using a cake mix because you find it uninspiring, bland tasting or are uncomfortable with the food additives and preservatives? Fear not! It's an easy recipe to make from scratch with little effort as if you were using a cake mix!

As a child, when I first went to make this cake I was fascinated with the unusual color AND the name. My English teacher Aunt Noelle, who was pitch-hitting for my mother since my mother had died that summer, was teaching me how to bake, told me the funny name came from the reddish color as people thought for sure this cake must have come out of hell itself as it tasted so good it was sinful! Then she went on to instruct me in the science of how to get that cake color because of the reaction of the cocoa powder and the baking soda. After that I was hooked for a lifetime and have enjoyed this simple cake ever since!

To show you how simple it is, here is a recipe straight from Better Homes and Gardens 75th Anniversary Edition Cookbook:

Devil's Food Cake

Prep: 25 minutes
Bake: 25 minutes
Oven: 350 degrees F.
Cooling time: 1 hour
Yield: 12 to 16 servings

Ingredients:

3 eggs

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour (this isn't a fussy cake that requires special flour)

1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup shortening (try canola oil or unsalted clarified butter)

1 3/4 cups sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 1/3 cups cold water

Directions:

Allow eggs to stand at room temperature for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, grease and lightly flour two 9x1 1/2-inch or 8x1 1/2-inch round cake pans or grease one 13x9x2-inch baking pan; set aside. In a medium bowl stir together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt;set aside.

In a large mixing bowl beat shortening with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Add sugar and vanilla; beat until well combined. Add eggs 1 at a time; beating well after each addition. Alternately add flour mixture and water to shortening mixture, beating on low speed after each addition just until combined. Pour batter into the prepared pan or pans.

Bake in a 350 degree F. over for 25 to 30 minutes for 9-inch pans, 30 to 35 minutes for 8-inch or 13x9x2-inch pans - or until a wooden toothpick or cake wire inserted near centers comes out clean. Cool on wire racks for 10 minutes in the pans. Then remove from the pans. Cool thoroughly on wire racks. You can just leave the larger sheet cake in the pan (the pan size of 13x9x2-inch). Frost with desired frosting.

From Denny: I'm a big fan of chocolate ganache so I'll give this one. It's also less effort than most frostings with powdered sugar and butter.

Ganache

Start to finish time: 35 minutes

Yield: just under 2 cups

Ingredients:

1 cup whipping cream

12 ounces chopped milk chocolate, semisweet chocolate or bittersweet chocolate

Directions:

In a medium saucepan bring whipping cream just to boiling over medium-high heat. Add the chopped chocolate of your choice. Resist the temptation to stir. Let stand 5 minutes. Then stir until smooth. Cool for 15 minutes. Spoon evenly over cake (which is why using this frosting works best with a one layer cake). To make things easy on yourself: pull out a cookie sheet, line with waxed paper, then place your wire rack with the cooled cake layer on top of this. This setup will catch all the drips and contain the mess as you "frost" with ganache.

Here's another twist on the ganache so you can use this frosting for the top and middle layers and sides of an 8-inch or 9-inch size cake so it looks like a conventional cake:

Truffle Frosting:

Ingredients are doubled from above recipe:

2 cups whipping cream

24 ounces chopped milk chocolate only

Directions: Prepare the Ganache as in the above recipe. Instead of cooling for 15 minutes, transfer to a large mixing bowl. Cover and chill mixture overnight. Beat with an electric mixer on medium speed for 30 seconds or until fluffy and of spreading consistency when ready to frost cake the next day.