**Indulge in a Slice of Chocolate Heaven: Discover Aunt Helen's Chocolate Cake and Its Variations**
When it comes to classic desserts, chocolate cake reigns supreme. With its moist and decadent texture, rich chocolate flavor, and endless possibilities for customization, this timeless treat has captured the hearts of cake lovers worldwide. One beloved recipe that has stood the test of time is Aunt Helen's Chocolate Cake, renowned for its simplicity and irresistible taste. In this article, we present the original Aunt Helen's Chocolate Cake recipe, along with creative variations that cater to different dietary preferences and unique flavor combinations. From the classic chocolate buttercream frosting to gluten-free and vegan alternatives, these recipes offer a delectable journey through the world of chocolate cakes. Prepare to satisfy your sweet cravings and impress your loved ones with these delightful creations.
BEATTY'S CHOCOLATE CAKE
Beatty's Chocolate Cake from Ina Garten, Food Network's Barefoot Contessa, is complete with a rich chocolate buttercream that keeps the cake decadent and moist.
Provided by Ina Garten
Categories dessert
Time 1h35m
Yield 8 servings
Number Of Ingredients 19
Steps:
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter two 8-inch x 2-inch round cake pans. Line with parchment paper, then butter and flour the pans.
- Sift the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, and salt into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment and mix on low speed until combined. In another bowl, combine the buttermilk, oil, eggs, and vanilla. With the mixer on low speed, slowly add the wet ingredients to the dry. With mixer still on low, add the coffee and stir just to combine, scraping the bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Pour the batter into the prepared pans and bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until a cake tester comes out clean. Cool in the pans for 30 minutes, then turn them out onto a cooling rack and cool completely.
- Place 1 layer, flat side up, on a flat plate or cake pedestal. With a knife or offset spatula, spread the top with frosting. Place the second layer on top, rounded side up, and spread the frosting evenly on the top and sides of the cake.
- Chop the chocolate and place it in a heat-proof bowl set over a pan of simmering water. Stir until just melted and set aside until cooled to room temperature.
- In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter on medium-high speed until light yellow and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the egg yolk and vanilla and continue beating for 3 minutes. Turn the mixer to low, gradually add the confectioners' sugar, then beat at medium speed, scraping down the bowl as necessary, until smooth and creamy. Dissolve the coffee powder in 2 teaspoons of the hottest tap water. On low speed, add the chocolate and coffee to the butter mixture and mix until blended. Don't whip! Spread immediately on the cooled cake.
HELEN'S CHOCOLATE WALNUT TEXAS SHEET CAKE
This cake came to more family picnics over the years than some members of the family! The recipe came from our dear family friend, Helen, written about when I posted her scrumptious "Helen's Cheesy Potatoes." Just 2 suggestions: (1) Assemble your ingredients before you start. Often, you can measure out the same ingredient...
Provided by Fran Miller
Categories Chocolate
Time 50m
Number Of Ingredients 18
Steps:
- 1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Mist a jelly roll pan with cooking spray. Set aside.
- 2. In a saucepan, bring to a boil the 2 sticks of margarine, water, and cocoa powder. Stir often. Remove from heat and allow to cool a little while you assemble the next set of cake ingredients.
- 3. In a mixing bowl, add the sugar, eggs, flour, sour cream, salt, baking soda, and vanilla. Gently blend with the mixer.
- 4. Then add the cocoa mixture and mix until well-blended.
- 5. Pour the batter into the prepared jelly roll pan, then bake for 17-25 minutes. Check early, testing with a toothpick in the center of the cake.
- 6. WHILE THE CAKE IS BAKING, MAKE THE GLAZE after washing the beaters to the mixer.
- 7. In a saucepan, bring to a boil the stick of margarine, milk, and cocoa powder, stirring often. Remove from heat and add the powdered sugar and vanilla to the saucepan. Beat with the mixer until well-blended.
- 8. Pour the glaze over the HOT FROM THE OVEN cake, spreading evenly.
- 9. Add walnuts, if desired, to the hot glazed cake. Cool on a baking rack until room temperature. Then stand back to avoid the stampede! =^..^=
WORLD'S BEST CHOCOLATE CAKE
The recipe for this cake, adapted from "Sweet" by Yotam Ottolenghi and Helen Goh, first appeared in an article written about Ms. Goh when she ran her cafe, the Mortar & Pestle, in Melbourne, Australia. Rather intimidatingly for her, the headline for the article was "World's Best Chocolate Cake." It could actually be called lots of things: "world's easiest cake," possibly, requiring nothing more than one large bowl to make it all in. Or "most versatile cake," given that it can be served without icing and just a light dusting of cocoa powder, or dressed up to the nines, as it is here, with a thin layer of chocolate ganache and served with espresso cinnamon mascarpone cream. In the Ottolenghi shops in London, it is smaller and goes by the name Take-Home Chocolate Cake, designed to be shared by four people after a meal. This larger version is no less delicious, and keeps well for four to five days. As with any baking project, you should weigh your ingredients in grams for the best results.
Provided by Yotam Ottolenghi
Categories cakes, dessert
Time 1h30m
Yield 12 servings
Number Of Ingredients 19
Steps:
- Heat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit/170 degrees Celsius. Grease a 9-inch/23-centimeter round springform pan with butter and line with parchment paper, then set aside.
- Make the cake: Place butter, chocolate and hot coffee in a large heatproof bowl and mix well until everything is melted, combined and smooth. Whisk in sugar by hand until dissolved. Add eggs and vanilla extract and whisk again until thoroughly combined and smooth. Sift flour, cocoa powder and salt together into a bowl and then whisk this into the melted chocolate mixture. The batter here is liquid, but don't think you have missed something; this is how it should be.
- Pour batter into the prepared pan and bake for 1 hour, or until the cake is cooked and a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean or with just a few dry crumbs attached. The top will form a crust and crack a little, but don't worry, this is expected. Leave the cake to cool for 20 minutes before removing from the pan, then set aside until completely cool.
- Make the chocolate ganache, if desired: Place chocolate pieces in a food processor, process until fine and set aside. Combine cream and corn syrup in a small pan and place over medium-high heat. As soon as bubbles begin to appear (just before it comes to a boil), remove from the heat. Get the food processor running again, with the chocolate still inside, and pour in the hot cream in a steady stream. Process for 10 seconds, then add butter. Continue to process until mixture is shiny and smooth. (You can also make the ganache by hand; just make sure the chocolate is chopped fairly finely before adding the cream mixture. Stir with a wooden spoon until almost melted, then add the butter. Stir again until the ganache is smooth.)
- Use a rubber spatula to scrape the ganache into a bowl and cover with plastic wrap, with the plastic actually touching the top of the ganache. Set aside until it has set to the consistency you want. If you want a thin layer to spread over the cake, it can be poured over while liquid so that you get an even, light and shiny coating. For a thicker ganache with a spreading consistency, leave it for about 2 hours at room temperature. (The ganache can be stored at room temperature, providing it's not too warm, for 3 days or kept in the fridge for up to 2 weeks. It can also be frozen, although it will lose a bit of its shine when defrosted.)
- Make the espresso cinnamon mascarpone cream, if desired: Place all the ingredients in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Beat for 1 to 2 minutes, until soft peaks form.
- Peel the parchment from the cake and discard. Transfer to a serving platter and spread the ganache, if using, on top of the cake. Slice into wedges, divide the cake among plates and, if using, spoon the mascarpone cream alongside. With or without icing, the cake will keep well for 4 to 5 days in an airtight container.
Nutrition Facts : @context http, Calories 914, UnsaturatedFat 21 grams, Carbohydrate 71 grams, Fat 67 grams, Fiber 5 grams, Protein 10 grams, SaturatedFat 40 grams, Sodium 565 milligrams, Sugar 35 grams, TransFat 1 gram
AUNT HELEN'S CHOCOLATE CAKE
This cake recipe is from my Aunt Helen. She got it from her mother-in-law years ago. I make this and pair it with a "boiled frosting" recipe which I got from my sister-in-law, Patti. I am also sharing that recipe. This cake and Patti's Boiled Frosting are a match made in heaven. At school I made this cake for the Relay for...
Provided by Pearl Florick
Categories Cakes
Time 30m
Number Of Ingredients 9
Steps:
- 1. Mix all of your dry ingredients together in a large bowl.
- 2. Add in the vanilla and the oil. Beat the eggs and add in. I always stir that much to blend before adding in the hot water.
- 3. Carefully add in the hot water a little at a time and mix it well. The batter is going to be pretty loose and that is okay.
- 4. Pour into greased and flour baking pan (13x9) and bake at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes. Check center, insert a toothpick or a knife and when it is pulled from the center clean the cake is done. Let cool completely before frosting.
AUNT HELEN'S CARROT CAKE
My Aunt Helen is one of the best bakers I know. She has been making this cake ever since I can remember. The highlight of a holiday meal was when this cake was served. It is still a family tradition and certainly a favorite.
Provided by Pearl Florick
Categories Cakes
Number Of Ingredients 13
Steps:
- 1. sift together the first 5 ingredients. Make a well in the center then add the next 4 ingredients. Use a wooden spoon to mix this batter. Add in a few tablespoons of the reserved pineapple juice and stir until smooth.
- 2. Fold in the carrots, coconut, nuts and pineapple.
- 3. In a prepared 13x9 pan (greased and floured or just spray with Pam for Baking) pour the batter in and level it off. Bake at 350 degrees about 45-50 minutes (test center for doneness) Frost with cream cheese frosting.
HELEN NASH'S CHOCOLATE ALMOND CAKE
Freshly squeezed orange juice is the surprising ingredient in this simple, family friendly Passover cake from the book "Helen Nash's Kosher Kitchen."
Provided by Martha Stewart
Categories Food & Cooking Dessert & Treats Recipes Cake Recipes
Number Of Ingredients 14
Steps:
- Heat oven to 300 degrees. Grease the bottom and sides of a 10-inch springform pan with margarine. Line the pan with parchment paper, and grease the parchment. Dust pan with 1 tablespoon potato starch; shake out excess.
- Fill a small saucepan with water, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and allow water to simmer. Place chocolate in a small heatproof bowl, and set over saucepan. Stir chocolate until melted, and set aside to cool.
- In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream 1 cup margarine on medium speed, and add sugar gradually until the mixture is pale and bubbles appear, about 10 minutes.
- Add egg yolks one at a time, beating well after each addition. Lower the speed, and beat in cooled chocolate and orange juice. With a large rubber spatula, mix in cocoa powder, cognac, 1 1/2 teaspoons potato starch, lemon zest, orange zest, vanilla, and ground almonds.
- In a clean dry bowl, beat egg whites on high speed until stiff. Fold half of the egg whites into the chocolate mixture with a rubber spatula. Repeat with another quarter of the egg whites, then reverse the process, pouring the batter over remaining whites. Gradually fold together until egg whites are completely incorporated.
- Pour batter into prepared pan, and smooth the top. Bake until a cake tester or toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out slightly sticky, about 1 hour. Cool completely, and refrigerate overnight.
- To serve, run a small, sharp knife around sides to loosen, and carefully remove springform ring. Transfer to a serving plate, dust with Passover powdered sugar, and garnish with sliced almonds. Note: This recipe has been adapted from Helen Nash's original to make one cake. To make two smaller cakes, prepare two 9-by-1 1/2-inch round cake pans, and divide the batter between them.
Tips:
- Use room temperature ingredients: This will help the cake batter mix more smoothly and evenly, resulting in a lighter and fluffier cake.
- Do not overmix the batter: Overmixing can make the cake tough and dense. Mix just until the ingredients are combined.
- Bake the cake in a preheated oven: This will help the cake rise evenly and prevent it from sinking in the middle.
- Do not open the oven door during baking: This can cause the cake to fall.
- Let the cake cool completely before frosting: This will help the frosting set properly and prevent it from sliding off the cake.
Conclusion:
Aunt Helen's Chocolate Cake is a classic recipe that is sure to please everyone. It is moist, chocolatey, and has the perfect amount of sweetness. With a few simple tips, you can easily make this cake at home and enjoy it with your family and friends.
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