Chocolate Yogurt Cake

Top with toasted almonds for extra flavor
and appeal.

Did you know that National Chocolate Cake Day was this week? Wednesday I spotted this recipe from the Kansas Wheat Commission's post, developed by a fellow Wheat Spokesperson, Julene DeRouchey. The note said it was a County Fair winner, and I certainly believe it would be. The best part? It was easy to put together and the frosting is perfect, not too soft or too hard. It would be a good frosting to take on a hot summer day (to a county fair or picnic).
My family enjoyed the cake, even though Chocolate Cake Day at our house was Thursday and continues. Because there is not a lot of fat in this cake, it does need to be covered well to prevent becoming dry. I lined the cake pans with parchment paper cut to fit the bottom and it came out very effortlessly. I also liked the feature that this cake that it baked so evenly, the top was level and made putting the layers together and frosting them very uniform.

Chocolate Yogurt Cake

(from National festival of Breads & Ks. Wheat Commission, Julene DeRouchey http://nationalfestivalofbreads.com/recipes/chocolate-yogurt-cake)

Ingredients

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 ½ cups sugar

½ cup unsweetened cocoa

2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup plain Greek yogurt (I had honey flavored and it worked fine)

3 eggs

Look at this rich batter!

⅔ cup canola oil

1 ½ teaspoon vanilla

Instructions

1.     Preheat oven to 350° F. Prepare two 9-inch cake pans. (Use baking spray with flour. Line the pans with a piece of parchment paper cut to fit the bottom on the pan. Spray with baking spray after placing in the pan. Bake as directed. Gently peel paper off after the cake has cooled)

2.     Using electric mixer, combine flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda and salt in large mixing bowl. Add yogurt, eggs, oil and vanilla.

3.     Beat at low speed until well mixed, 2-3 minutes.

4.     Divide cake batter evenly between the two prepared cake pans.

5.     Run a knife through the cake batter to eliminate any air bubbles. (I also like to tap the pan on the counter)

6.     Bake 20-25 minutes (I needed to bake it a little longer, about 30 minutes, check frequently) or until toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.

7.     Cook on wire rack for 20 minutes. After the cakes are cooled carefully flip pans over to remove cake.

(If you want to make a 4 layer cake, use a sharp serrated knife or cake leveler to evenly split the cakes in half)

The layers are very even across the top, not mounded in the
center. Easy to stack for a layer cake. 

Chocolate Frosting

(for a double layer cake. If making 4 layers double the frosting)

⅓ cup melted shortening

½ cup unsweetened cocoa

¼ teaspoon salt

⅓ cup milk

1 ½ teaspoon vanilla extract

½ teaspoon almond extract

3 ½ cups powdered sugar

1.     Combine shortening, cocoa, and salt. Then add milk, vanilla and almond extracts.

2.     Gradually blend in sugar. Mix until creamy. Add more sugar to thicken to milk to thin. 

Cover well to keep it fresh and moist. However, with
slices like this, it won't last long enough to dry out!

Winter Food Favorites

When it is cold and gloomy outside we seem to crave down-home comfort foods. There is even scientific basis of why us want to eat these heavier and richer foods in the winter. Substantial foods like mashed potatoes, hearty stews, and rich desserts are often higher in fat and calories and break down slower in the body to give us a slower infusion of energy. That can actually raise the body temperature. Of course they can also build up insulation against the cold for us in the form of body fat - not too desirable unless you're a hibernating bear or a squirrel that has to use that energy to survive the winter months. So the trick is balance - find the comforting warm foods that can be lower in calories, eat smaller portions, and/or exercise more.
One of the local comfort foods is cinnamon rolls and chili - an odd combination, but a popular one in Kansas school lunchrooms before the new Dietary Guidelines changed school lunch menus. Those not from Kansas find this odd, but never the less, are more than willing add it to their winter fare. This winter we served that menu for a Community LinC meal, and it was a good dinner as volunteers served up about 180 bowls of chili and many, many cinnamon rolls.
I made my favorite recipe for Cinnamon rolls (blog of March 11, 2014). I made extra, of course, so we would have some at home, and we enjoyed them with an Easy Breakfast Casserole that makes a tasty supper.

Easy Breakfast Casserole 

Ingredients:
12 oz. frozen hash browns (about 4 cups)
8 oz. cubed ham (a good use for a bit of leftover ham in the freezer)
4 oz. sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
6 large eggs
1/2 cup milk
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper

Instructions:
Heat oven to 350 degrees.
Add frozen potatoes, ham, and cheese to a large bowl. Toss to combine. Pour the mixture into a 9 x 9-inch baking dish that has been sprayed with cooking spray.
In a large bowl, whisk the eggs with milk, salt, and pepper.
Pour the egg mixture over the hash brown mixture. Pat everything down with the back of a wooden spoon.
Bake for 1 hour. The center should be set and the edges should be golden brown.

Serve with a breakfast type bread (cinnamon rolls) and fruit for a healthy and easy brunch or supper.

Kansas Day Coffee Time

This month is Kansas Day, and for someone who grew up with Kansas history and pride, it is a fun way to decorate the food tables. This Sunday I helped supply refreshments for our church's coffee time after morning service, so I baked (Kansas wheat) and decorated with sunflowers and Wizard of Oz. Even though the Dorothy jokes can get old, it is a fun theme to use.
Two new coffee cake recipes were waiting for trial in my notebook. I think they are both good and I'll use them again. However, both were baked for 50 minutes, and seemed a little dry. Next time I'll watch closer and check at 45 minutes.

Chocolate Chip Coffee Cake

Ingredients:

1 cup butter, softened

1 package (8 oz) cream cheese, softened

1 ¼ cup sugar

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

½ teaspoon baking soda

¼ teaspoon salt

¼ cup 2% milk

1 cup (6 oz) semisweet chocolate chips

Topping:

¼ cup sugar

¼ chopped pecans

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Directions: In a large bowl, cream butter, cream cheese and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt; add to creamed mixture alternately with milk and mix well. Stir in chocolate chips.

Pour into a greased 9”x13” pan. Combine topping ingredients and sprinkle over the batter.

Bake at 350 degrees for 50-55 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool for 15 minutes. Cool completely before cutting.

Cinnamon Streusel Coffee Cake

Streusel Topping:

⅔ cups granulated sugar

pinch of salt (if you use unsalted butter)

¾ cups all-purpose flour

½ tablespoon ground cinnamon

4 tablespoons butter, melted

Filling:

1 cup brown sugar, light or dark

1 ½ tablespoons ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon unsweetened cocoa powder (for color, not taste. Optional)

Cake:

¾ cup butter, softened

1 teaspoon salt (1 ¼ teaspoon if using unsalted butter)

1 ½ cups granulated sugar

⅓ cup brown sugar

2 ½ teaspoons baking powder

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

3 large eggs

¾ cup plain Greek yogurt (or regular yogurt)

1 ¼ cups milk

3 ¾ cups all-purpose flour

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a 9”x13” pan.

Make the topping by whisking together sugar, salt, flour, and cinnamon. Add melted butter, stirring until well combined. Set the topping aside.

Make the filling by mixing together the brown sugar, cinnamon, and cocoa powder. Set it aside.

To make the cake:

In a large bowl, beat together butter, salt, sugars, baking powder, and vanilla until well combined and smooth. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.

In a separate bowl, whisk together yogurt and milk until well combined.

Add flour to the butter mixture alternately with milk/yogurt mixture, beating gently to combine.

Pour/spread half the batter (about 3 cups) into the prepared pan, spreading all the way to the edges.

Sprinkle the filling evenly over the batter.

Gently spread the remaining batter over the filling. Use a table knife to gently swirl the filling into the batter, as though you were making a marble cake. Don’t combine the filling and batter thoroughly; just swirl the filling through the batter.

Sprinkle the topping over the batter in the pan.

Bake the cake until it is a dark golden brown around the edges; medium-golden with no light patches showing on top, and a toothpick or cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean, about 55-60 minutes. When pressed gently in the middle, the cake should spring back.

Remove the cake from the oven and allow it to cool for 20 minutes before cutting and serving.

Pumpkin Season continues? Pumpkin Cake

The Pumpkin Eaters in my family celebrate the fall arrival of everything pumpkin flavored and hang on to the season for months! So, this weekend we had another serving of Pumpkin Cake. In defense of using this recipe in January, son-Clint had missed its first round of it and this recipe made a quick and easy dessert for an unplanned Saturday evening dinner.

Pumpkin Cake with Cinnamon Glaze

Cake Ingredients:

Spice Cake mix (18.25 oz. package)

Canned pumpkin (15 oz.)

2 large lightly beaten eggs

¼ cup sugar

Glaze Ingredients:

1 cup powdered sugar

1 tsp. ground cinnamon

2 Tbs. whole milk

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Generously grease a bundt cake pan.

In a large mixing bowl, mix all cake ingredients together with an electric mixer until well blended, about 2 minutes. Pour into prepared pan and spread evenly.

Bake in preheated oven for about 40 minutes or until a knife inserted in center of cake comes out clean.

Meanwhile make glaze by combining all glaze ingredients in a small bowl and mixing until smooth.

When cake is cooled, drizzle with glaze and serve. Store any left overs in the fridge.  

 

Batter in pan ready for baking

Baked  just right. Ready for glaze. 

Deer Hunt to Shrimp Dinner

Not the deer that netted the shrimp, but a photo of what we might
see in Greenwood County. 

Who would think that a deer hunt would produce a dinner of Shrimp Gumbo? That's what happened when we allowed a hunter from Louisiana to hunt on our property. (We only allow a few bow hunters, those the Rancher thinks can respect the property and the deer). After a successful hunting trip, the hunter returned to pick up his blind from where he watched for deer and brought us some bags of frozen Louisiana shrimp. This is a real treat, we've only had shrimp that was purchased from the store or served at a restaurant.
After searching and considering recipes, I decided a Shrimp Gumbo would be good on a cold damp winter day. Maybe we can pretend we are in the sunny south! This recipe is from Betty Crocker, but I've made some changes, adding more veggies and different seasoning. We enjoyed it over brown rice and it was both warming and filling.

Shrimp Gumbo         

Ingredients:

¼ cup butter or margarine

1 large onion, sliced

1 medium green bell pepper, cut into thin strips

2 cups sliced celery

2 teaspoon minced garlic

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

3 cups beef broth

2 dashes red pepper sauce

1 tablespoon Old Bay seasoning

¼ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon black pepper

1 box (10 oz.) frozen cut okra, thawed and drained

1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes, undrained

1 pound uncooked peeled and deveined medium shrimp, thawed if frozen and tails peeled

3 cups hot cooked rice

Directions:

In a 4-quart Dutch oven, melt butter over medium heat. Cook onions, ball pepper, celery, and garlic in butter 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in flour. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly , until bubbly; remove from heat.

Stir in remaining ingredients except shrimp and rice. Heat to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer uncovered 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Stir shrimp into gumbo. Cover and simmer about 5 minutes or until shrimp are pink and firm. Serve soup in bowls over rice.