wcw FEB 2022

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Sweets for your sweetie (or maybe yourself)
1-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup (2¼ ounces) unsweetened
cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon table salt
8 ounces semisweet chocolate,
chopped
12 tablespoons unsalted butter,
cut into 12 pieces
1-1/2 cups (10½ ounces) sugar
1 cup buttermilk 4 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
FROSTING:
7½ ounces (1½ cups) fresh or
thawed frozen raspberries,
plus about 20 fresh raspberries,
divided
8 ounces white chocolate, chopped
1-1/2 cups (10½ ounces) sugar
6 large egg whites
FOR THE CAKE:
Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 325°F.
Grease 8-inch square baking pan a d 8-inch round cake pan, line each with parchment
paper, grease parchment, and flour pans.
Sift flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt together in bowl. Microwave chocolate and
butter in second bowl at 50 percent power, stirring occasionally, until melted and
smooth, 2 to 4 minutes. Whisk sugar, buttermilk, eggs, and vanilla together in third
large bowl.
Whisk chocolate mixture into sugar mixture until combined. Whisk in flour mixture
until smooth. Divide batter evenly between prepared pans and bake until toothpick
inserted in center of each cake comes out clean, 35 to 45 minutes, rotating pans halfway
through baking. Let cakes cool in pans on wire rack for 10 minutes. Run thin knife
around edge of pans, remove cakes from pans, discarding parchment, and let cool
completely on rack, about 1 hour.
FOR THE FROSTING:
Serves 10 to 12
F Chocolate-Raspberry Heart Cake
Process 1½ cups raspberries in food processor until smooth, about 30 seconds.Strain
purée through fine-mesh strainer into bowl; discard solids and set aside purée.
Microwave chocolate in bowl at 50 percent power, stirring occasionally, until melted,
1 to 2 minutes; let cool slightly.
Combine sugar, egg whites, and salt in bowl of stand mixer. Set bowl over saucepan
filled with 1 inch barely simmering water, making sure the water does not touch the
F Chocolate Pudding Cake
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
2/3 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa
powder, divided
1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup milk
5 tablespoons unsalted butter,
melted
1/2 cup packed light brown
sugar
1/2 cup mini semisweet
chocolate chips
1-1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla
extract
1-1/4 cups hot water
Your favorite ice cream
Chocolate Pudding Cake T
Preheat oven to 350˚F. You’ll need an 8-inch square metal baking pan.
Whisk flour, granulated sugar, 1/4 cup of the cocoa, the baking powder and salt in a
medium bowl until blended.
Whisk in milk and butter until blended.
Pour into pan and smooth into an even layer. Sprinkle top evenly with brown sugar, then
remaining 1/4 cup cocoa and the chocolate chips. Mix the vanilla and hot water and
pour over top.
Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until the top looks dry but center of cake is still jiggly.
Cool on wire rack until warm. Spoon into serving dishes and top with ice cream if desired.
Note: When you’re preparing it don’t be alarmed —it doesn’t look like a typical cake
when you pop it in the oven. Pouring hot water over the batter seems crazy, but magic
happens in the oven-forming a cake with a fudgy sauce on the bottom.
Chocolate-Raspberry Heart Cake T
1/8 teaspoon table salt
24 tablespoons unsalted butter,
cut into 24 pieces and softened
bottom of the bowl. Cook, whisking constantly, until mixture reaches 160
degrees, 5 to 8 minutes.
Remove bowl from heat and transfer to stand mixer fitted with whisk
attachment. Whip warm egg mixture on medium-high speed until stiff peaks
form, about 5 minutes.
Reduce speed to medium-low, add butter 1 piece at a time, and whip until
smooth and creamy, about 2 minutes. Add melted chocolate and mix until just
combined. Slowly add raspberry purée and mix until incorporated.
Place 1 corner of square cake against lower edge of large (about 16-inch
diameter) cake platter. Using serrated knife, shave domed top from round cake
to make it level withsquare cake; discard top. Cut round cake in half. Place
halves, with cut sides facing in, against top 2 edges of square cake to form
heart shape.
Spread 2½ cups frosting over top and sidesof cake in thin, even layer. Fill pastry
bag fitted with star tip with remaining frosting and pipe roses (spiraling from
inside out) over top and sides of cake. Place fresh raspberries between roses.
F Coconut Layer Cake with Ambrosia Filling
Coconut Layer Cake with Ambrosia Filling T
CAKE LAYERS:
1/2 cup unsalted butter, at
room temperature
1-1/4 cups sugar
3 eggs, separated
3 cups soft winter-wheat
flour such as White Lily
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1-1/2 cups unsweetened
coconut milk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon coconut extract
FILLING:
1-1/2 cups heavy cream
1-1/4 cups sugar
2/3 cup unsalted butter, room
temperature
4 egg yolks, lightly beaten
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 cup chopped pecans,
lightly toasted
1/3 cup sweetened flaked dried
coconut, lightly toasted
1 can (8 oz.) crushed pineapple
in its own juice, drained and
squeezed dry
Serves 12
1 navel orange, peeled, seeded, and
chopped
1/4 cup maraschino cherries
ICING:
1-1/2 cups sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
4 egg whites
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon coconut extract (optional)
4 cups (1 pound) sweetened flaked
dried coconut
To make the cake layers, preheat oven to 350˚F. Butter two 9-inch round cake pans. Line
the bottoms with parchment paper. Coat with butter and dust with flour. In a bowl,
using an electric mixer on medium-high speed, beat the butter and 1 cup of the sugar
for about 5 minutes. add the egg yolks one at a time, beating for 20 seconds after each
addition. On a piece of parchment paper, sift the flour, baking powder, and salt. Add
to the butter mixture in 3 batches, alternately with the coconut milk, beginning and
ending with the flour mixture. Beat in the vanilla and the coconut extract, if using.
In a clean bowl, using clean beaters, beat the egg whites until they form soft peaks. Add
the remaining 1/4 cup sugar 1 tablespoon at at time, beating until the whites hold their
shape. Using a rubber spatula, stir one-third of the egg white mixture into the batter.
Fold the batter into the remaining egg whites. Divide between the prepared pans. Bake
until a toothpick inserted into the centers comes out clean, 28-32 minutes. Transfer to
racks, let cool in the pans for 5 minutes, then invert onto the racks.
To make the filling, in a saucepan over medium heat, combine 3/4 cup cream, the
sugar, and the butter. Cook, stirring, until the butter melts. In a bowl, whisk together
the remaining 3/4 cup cream and the egg yolks. Stir into the saucepan. Cook over
medium heat, whisking, until thickened, about 10 minutes. Remove from the heat. Stir
in the vanilla, pecans, and coconut. Let cool, stirring occasionally. Fold the pineapple,
orange, and maraschino cherries into the filling.
To make the icing, in a heavy saucepan over low heat, combine the sugar, salt, and 2/3 cup
water. Stir until the sugar is dissolved. Raise the temperature to medium-high and bring to
a rolling boil. Cook until a syrup forms and registers 230˚F on a candy thermometer. In a
bowl, using an electric mixer on medium-high speed, beat the egg whites until they form
soft peaks. When the sugar syrup has reached 240˚F, pour in a thin steady stream into the
egg whites while beating on high speed. Beat until the frosting is cooled, thick, and glossy,
about 7 minutes. Beat in the vanilla and the coconut extract, if using.
Place 1 cake layer, top side down, on a serving plate. Spread with half of the cooled
filling. Top with the second layer, top side up. Spread the top and the sides with icing.
Press the flaked coconut onto the cake. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve. Pass
the remaining filling at the table.
FEBRUARY 2022 WEST COAST WOMAN 29