Christmas Cake Pops

Ingredients:

Cake:
1/2 and 1/4 cups unsweetened cocoa powder, plus more for dusting
1 and 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 and 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 tbsp baking soda
1/2 and 1/4 tsp salt
3/8 cup vegetable oil
1/2 and 1/4 cups buttermilk
1/2 and 1/4 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/2 and 1/4 tsp baking powder
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 and 1/4 cups hot water

Buttercream:
4-ounce(110g) cream cheese, room temperature
1/4 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2-pound (225g) confectioners’ sugar
1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract

Chocolate coating bark ou candy melts
Sprinkles, for garnish

Directions:

Cake:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 13-by-9-inch baking dish and dust with cocoa powder; tap out any excess; set aside.
Sift cocoa, flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and salt into the bowl of an electric mixer. Transfer bowl to mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. With the mixer on low, beat in oil, buttermilk, vanilla, eggs, and hot water, one at a time, blending well after each addition. Beat until smooth, about 2 minutes.
Pour batter into prepared baking dish, reserving any remaining batter for another use, such as cupcakes. Bake, rotating pan halfway through baking, until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean, about 45 minutes.
Transfer cake to a wire rack to cool for 20 minutes before inverting to remove. Let cool completely on rack before using.

Buttercream:
Place cream cheese and butter in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and beat until creamy, about 30 seconds.
With the mixer on low, slowly add sugar, scraping down the sides of the bowls as necessary.
Add vanilla and increase mixer speed to medium. Blend until frosting is fluffy, about 1 minute.

Cake Pops:
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper; set aside. Trim about 1/2 inch from the perimeter of the cake. Working in batches, crumble cake into the bowl of a food processor; process until fine crumbs form. Transfer to a large bowl and add 1 cup of frosting; blend together using the back of a spoon, until well combined, 5 to 10 minutes. Roll mixture into 1 1/4- to 1 1/2-inch balls; transfer to prepared baking sheet. Cover with parchment-paper-lined aluminum foil. Transfer to refrigerator until chilled, about 2 hours or to a freezer for about 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, melt chocolate in heatproof bowl set over (but not touching) simmering water. Line another baking sheet with parchment paper; set aside. Remove cake pops from freezer. To make lollipops, insert a lollipop stick into the bottom of each cake pop. Let chocolate set, 15 to 20 minutes.
Dip the cake pops into the chocolate and place right-side up on prepared baking sheet or stick lollipop sticks into a Styrofoam square. Let dry completely.

Santa Hats
Hats: Red Candy Melts and White Candy Melts
Fur: white sugar crystal sprinkles
Balls: white coated expresso beans, gumballs, yogurt covered peanuts will work
Paper Lollipop Sticks

Make the Hats: Make a cone shape instead of a ball. Put in the freezer until firm. Then, holding the top part of the hat, dip the bottoms in white candy melts, insert the lollipop stick and set in a styrofoam block to dry. Once dry, dip the tops in red candy melts so that it meets where the white ends. Gently place the balls to the top of the hat while still wet. Let them dry. Then, use a toothpick to generously dab more white candy melts all around the bottom of the hat. While still wet, sprinkle the sugar crystals on.

Banana Cupcakes with Chocolate Frosting
Yield: 24 cupcakes

Ingredients:

For the Banana Cupcakes:
2 and 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 and 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (4 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/4 cup vegetable shortening, at room temperature
1 and 3/4 cups granulated sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 eggs
1 and 1/2 cups mashed very ripe bananas (about 4 bananas)
1/2 cup buttermilk

Frosting:
2/3 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 cup milk
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips, melted

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Line two 12-cup cupcake pans with paper liners. Whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together into a large bowl and set aside.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and shortening together on medium speed until creamy, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the sugar and vanilla and beat on medium speed until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Scrape down the bowl, add the eggs, and beat until just combined. Scrape down the bowl again and add the bananas. Beat until just combined. Turn the mixer to low. Add the flour mixture, alternating with the buttermilk, in three additions, beginning and ending with the flour mixture. Scrape down the bowl, then mix on low speed for a few more seconds.

Fill the cupcake liners about three-quarters full. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, rotating the pans halfway through the baking time, until a toothpick inserted in the center of a cupcake comes out clean. Transfer the pans to a wire rack and let cool for 20 minutes. Remove the cupcakes from the pans and place them on the rack to cool completely.

Frosting:
To make the frosting, in a small saucepan, whisk together sugar, flour, cocoa, salt and milk; bring to a boil, whisking frequently. Boil 1 minute or until thickened; remove pan from heat and strain mixture into a small bowl. Cool completely in the refrigerator or freezer.
Beat the butter until creamy, about 1 minute, in a large mixing bowl, using a mixer on medium speed. Beat in “chocolate pudding” mixture until well combined, about 1 minute. Beat in melted chocolate until well combined and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Spread or pipe frosting on to cupcakes.

Chocolate Cupcake with Ovaltine Buttercream Frosting
± 24 cupcakes

Ingredients:

1 and 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups sugar
3/4 cups good cocoa powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup buttermilk, shaken
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 extra-large eggs, at room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup freshly brewed hot coffee

Frosting:
1 1/2 cup (3 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1 cup cocoa powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
4 cups powdered sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla
1/4 cup milk
1 cup heavy cream
2/3 cup Ovaltine

Directions:

Make the Cake:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
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 cupcake pans and bake for 20 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.

Make the Frosting:
Cream together butter, cocoa powder and salt. Butter mixture will be very thick. Turn off the mixer, scrape down the sides of the bowl and add powdered sugar. Turn mixer on low and mix in powdered sugar while adding milk and vanilla extract. As the sugar incorporates, raise the speed of the mixer to beat the frosting. Beat until smooth. In a 2 cup measuring glass, stir together heavy cream and Ovaltine. Turn mixer speed to medium and pour cream mixture into frosting in a slow, steady stream, until you’ve reached your desired consistency. You may not need the full amount of Ovaltine and cream.

Black Forest Cake

Ingredients:

Cake:
1 and 3/4 cups all purpose flour
1/3 cup cocoa powder
1 and 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/4 unsalted butter, softened
1 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla essence
3 large eggs
1 cup semi-sweetened chocolate, melted
1 cup buttermilk

Chery Syrup:
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup sugar
2 tbsp Kirsch/kirschwasser
250g fresh pitted and halved cheries

Toping and Filling:
2 and 1/2 cup whipping cream
3 tbsp powdered sugar
1 tbsp Kirsch/kirschwasser

Directions:

To Make the Cake:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (180 C). Butter and flour two 9-inch cake pans.
Into a bowl sift together the flour, salt, cocoa powder, baking soda and baking soda. In a bowl with an electric mixer beat the sugar, butter, oil and vanilla for 2. Add the eggs, one at a time and beat. Fold the melted chocolate until just combined. Add flour mixture alternating with buttermilk, beat for 2 a 3 minutos, until just combined. Pour batter into pans, smoothing the tops, and bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until cake tester inserted in center comes out clean. Let cool in pans 5 minutes. Run knife around edge of pans and invert onto racks to cool completely.

To Make the Filling and Topping:
Beat cream, sugar and Kirsch until it holds soft peaks.

To Make the Syrup:
In a saucepan combine the sugar and water, bring to a simmer, stirring, and simmer until sugar is dissolved. Remove pan from heat and stir in Kirsch. Add the cherries and let it rest for 30 minutes. Strain the syrup to separate the cherries and set aside.

Assembling the Cake:
Invert one layer of cake onto a cardboard round, brush with some of syrup and spread 2/3 of filling over it. Spread some cherries over it, and invert second layer of cake. Brush top with syrup and spread remaining whipped cream over top and sides of cake reserving and garnish (maybe you’ll need to make more topping, just make the recipe again). Sprinkle top of cake with chocolate shavings and let cake stand, covered and chilled, for at least 3 hours and up to 8 hours. Store cake in refrigerator.

Chocolate and Banana Cake

Ingredients:

100g plain chocolate
100g unsalted butter , softened
175g golden caster sugar
3 eggs , beaten
175g all-purpose flour
2 and 1/2 tsp baking powder
25g cocoa
3 or 4 large bananas , peeled and mashed

Topping:

6 tbsp chocolate powder
12 tbsp sugar
3 tbsp butter
1 and 1/2 cup milk

Directions:

For the cake:

Heat the oven to 160°C. Butter and line the bases of 2 x 450g loaf tins with baking parchment. Melt the chocolate either in the microwave or in a small glass bowl set over a pan of barely simmering water. Stir until smooth and remove from the heat.
Cream together the softened butter and caster sugar until pale and fluffy. Gradually add the egg, beating well between each addition. Sift together the flour, baking powder and cocoa and fold in using a large metal spoon. Add the mashed banana and chocolate and mix well.
Divide the mixture between the 2 tins and top each with the streusel. Bake for about 45 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean. Cool on a rack, then wrap in baking parchment or foil.

For the topping:
Mix all the ingredients in a small saucepan and cook over high heat until it boils. Pour it over the cake when is still hot.

Devil’s Food Cupcake with Passion Fruit Filling

Ingredients:

1 and 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup dark or regular unsweetened cocoa powder
1 and 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup oil
1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 large eggs
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips, melted
1 cup buttermilk

Filling:
250g white chocolate, finely chopped
200g whipping cream
1/8 cup (30ml) concentrated bottled passion fruit juice

To brush the cake:
½ tablespoon concentrated bottled passion fruit juice diluted in 4 tablespoons water

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Oil two 7.9inch (20cm) springform cake pan and line the bottom with baking paper.

Start by making the filling: place the cream in a saucepan and heat until it is nearly boiling. Remove from heat and add the chocolate all at once. Whisk until the chocolate is melted and the mixture is silky and smooth. Add the juice, mix well; refrigerate it, well covered, for 4-6 hours or until set.

To make the cupcakes, in a medium sized mixing bowl, sift together flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
In a large mixing bowl, using a mixer on medium speed, beat oil, butter, granulated sugar and vanilla, until creamy, about 2 minutes. Beat in eggs, one at a time, until well combined. Beat in 1 cup melted chocolate chips until combined. Reduce mixer speed to low and beat in flour mixture, alternating with buttermilk, until well combined, about 2-3 minutes.
Divide batter into cupcakes pans. Bake 20 minutes, or until just set, and a toothpick inserted into cake comes out with moist crumbs attached. Cool for 5 minutes before transferring to wire racks to cool completely.

Chocolate Bavaroise

Ingredients:

200g dark chocolate, chopped
375ml milk (1c + 2/8c)
4 egg yolks
90g sugar (1/2c)
1 tbsp unflavored gelatin
315ml whipping or heavy cream

Directions:

Heat the milk with the chocolate, stir until the chocolate has melted. Do not boil. Leave to cool a little then remove the pod.
Whisk the egg yolks and caster sugar until pale and fluffy. Add the milk mixture into the egg and whisk to combine. Pour back into the pan and stir with a wooden spoon over low heat until the mixture coats the back of the spoon. Do not boil. Set aside.
Dissolve gelatin in 2 tbsp of hot water and stir in the chocolate mixture. Refrigerate until cold, stir occasionally.
Whip the cream until it stands in soft peaks and. When the mixture is cold, fold the cream into the chocolate mixture. Pour into the moulds and put in the fridge to set over night.

Brazilian Chocolate Cake

Ingredients:

Cake:
3 eggs
2 cups of sugar
2 cups of flour
1/2 cup of vegetable oil
1 cup of cocoa powder or chocolate drink mix
1 cup of hot water
1 tbsp of baking powder
1 pinch of salt

Topping:
1/2 cup of sugar
1/2 cup of cocoa powder or chocolate drink mix
3 tbsp of butter
1/2 cup of milk

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 13×9 inches pan.

In a mixer, mix the eggs and sugar. Add the oil, and sifted flour. Mix the chocolate and the hot water and beat well. Add the baking powder and whisk slowly.
Pour the batter into prepared pan. Bake for about 30 to 40 minutes, or until a tester comes out clean.

For the topping:
Mix all the ingredients in a small saucepan and cook over high heat until it boils. Pour it over the cake when is still hot.

Carrot and Chocolate Cupcake

Ingredients:

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups brown sugar
2 tbsp cocoa powder
1 e 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
3 cups carrots, finely grated
4 eggs
1 cup vegetable oil

Ganache:
300g semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
150g heavy cream
2 tbsp honey

Directions:

Cupcakes:
Preheat oven to 350°.
Combine carrots, sugar, oil, and eggs in a large bowl. Combine sifted flour, cocoa, soda, baking powder and salt, stirring with a whisk. Add flour mixture to carrot mixture; stir until smooth.
Spoon batter into 12 cupcakes cups lined with paper liners. Bake at 350° for 22 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan 10 minutes on a wire rack, and remove from pan. Cool completely on wire rack.

Ganache:
Place the chopped chocolate in a medium sized stainless steel bowl. Set aside. Heat the cream and honey in a medium sized saucepan over medium heat. Bring just to a boil. Immediately pour the boiling cream over the chocolate and allow to stand for 5 minutes. Stir with a whisk until smooth. Decorate the cupcakes.

Devil’s Food Cupcakes
± 24 cupcakes

Ingredients:

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup dark or regular unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup oil
1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 large eggs
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips, melted
1 cup buttermilk

Frosting:
2/3 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 cup milk
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips, melted

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line 24 muffin cups with liners.
To make the cake, in a medium sized mixing bowl, sift together flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
In a large mixing bowl, using a mixer on medium speed, beat oil, butter, granulated sugar and vanilla, until creamy, about 2 minutes. Beat in eggs, one at a time, until well combined. Beat in 1 cup melted chocolate chips until combined. Reduce mixer speed to low and beat in flour mixture, alternating with buttermilk, until well combined, about 2-3 minutes.
Divide batter into muffin cups. Bake 20-25 minutes, or until just set, and a toothpick inserted into cake comes out with moist crumbs attached. Cool for 5 minutes before transferring to wire racks to cool completely.

To make the frosting, in a small saucepan, whisk together sugar, flour, cocoa, salt and milk; bring to a boil, whisking frequently. Boil 1 minute or until thickened; remove pan from heat and strain mixture into a small bowl. Cool completely in the refrigerator or freezer.
Beat the butter until creamy, about 1 minute, in a large mixing bowl, using a mixer on medium speed. Beat in “chocolate pudding” mixture until well combined, about 1 minute. Beat in melted chocolate until well combined and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Spread or pipe frosting on to cupcakes.