Chocolate lovers, this is your day. Here are your only objectives for today: To bake a chocolate cake. To eat a chocolate cake. To enjoy every single morsel and not count those calories.
To help celebrate National Chocolate Cake day, here are a few of our favorite recipes from P. Allen Smith:
Chocolate Lava Cake with Milk Chocolate Coffee Ganache
- 4 ounces 60 percent bittersweet chocolate
- 4 ounces semi-sweet chocolate
- 10 tablespoons of unsalted butter
- 1/2 teaspoon instant coffee
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 cup flour
- 3 egg yolks
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 large eggs
Ganache
- 1/2 cup milk chocolate chips
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1 tablespoon instant coffee
- four 6-ounce oven safe custard cups
- Fresh whipped cream for garnish
Instructions:
Melt the chocolate and butter in a double boiler or a microwave. If you do this in a microwave the chocolate might not look melted, but you will find that it’s soft enough to stir into the melted butter. Stir in the coffee grounds until everything is well blended. Set aside to cool slightly.
Beat the eggs and yolks, sugar, salt, and vanilla. Slowly stir in the chocolate mixture. Fold in the flour and stir until blended.
Liberally grease the custard cups so that the cakes can be removed easily once they are done. Divide the batter evenly between the 4 custard cups.
Bake in a pre-heated 425 degree F oven for 13 to 15 minutes. When done the outside will be set, but the inside will still be soft.
Run a knife along the edge of the custard cup to loosen the cake. Invert the cup onto a plate, gently tap the bottom and the cake will drop out. Repeat with each custard cup.
Drizzle with each cake with ganache, top with whipped cream and serve while still warm.
To make the ganache heat 1/2 cup of heavy cream in a small saucepan. Just as the cream begins to bubble add the chocolate and instant coffee.
Lower the heat and stir until the chocolate is melted and smooth.
Add more cream, one tablespoon at a time if the chocolate becomes too thick.
- 2 1/2 cups flour
- 4 tbsp. cocoa powder, unsweetened
- 1 tsp. baking soda
- 1 tsp. baking powder
- 1 tsp. salt
- 1 tsp. cinnamon
- 1 tsp. instant coffee
- 1/2 cup butter, softened
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 1 3/4 cup sugar
- 2 eggs, room temperature
- 2 cups zucchini, grated
- 1 tsp. vanilla
- 1/2 cup buttermilk
- 1/4 cup light brown sugar
- 1/2 cup chocolate chips
- 1/2 cup hazelnuts, chopped, toasted
Instructions:
Pre-heat your oven to 350 degrees.
Grease and lightly flour a 10-inch springform cake pan or a 9 x 13 sheet cake pan.
Combine the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, salt, instant coffee and cinnamon in a medium mixing bowl and set aside.
In large mixing bowl, using an electric mixer or hand beater, blend the butter, oil and sugar.
Add the eggs, one at a time, beating until well incorporated.
Add the vanilla and give it a good stir.
Add about 1/3 of the dry ingredients and then fold in the grated zucchini.
Working in alternating amounts stir the remaining dry ingredients and the buttermilk into the batter.
Scoop the batter into the prepared cake pan and smooth out with the top.
In a small bowl combine the brown sugar, chocolate chips and hazelnuts.
Sprinkle this over the top of the batter.
Bake in a pre-heated 350 degree F oven for 40 to 50 minutes or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.
Remove the cake from the oven and allow to cool before removing from the cake pan.
Chocolate Walnut Torte with Chocolate Orange Ganache
- 2 cup semi-sweet chocolate, chopped
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 2 cups walnuts
- 1 1/2 sticks butter, unsalted
- 2 1/2 tsp. orange zest
- 1 tsp. vanilla
- 1 cup sugar
- 5 large eggs, separated
- 1 1/2 cups semi-sweet chocolate, chopped (for the ganache)
- 1/2 teaspoon orange zest, grated (for the ganache)
Instructions:
Butter a 10-inch spring form pan and lightly dust with flour or cocoa powder.
Melt chocolate and butter in a double boiler. Set aside to cool.
Place the walnuts and 1/3 cup of sugar in a food processor and pulse until finely ground. Transfer to a bowl.
Beat the yolks and remaining 2/3 cup sugar. Add the vanilla and fold the melted chocolate, ground walnuts and orange zest into the egg yolks.
In a separate bowl beat the eggs whites until stiff.
Fold the egg whites into the chocolate walnut batter.
Pour the batter into your prepared spring form pan.
Bake in a pre-heated 350 degree F oven for 35 to 40 minutes.
Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely before taking out the cake out of the pan. Before unlatching the spring form, run a knife blade between the edge of the torte and the form so that the torte doesn’t stick.
This can be served with a dusting of powdered sugar or, if you want even more chocolate top with ganache.
To make the ganache heat 1/2 cup of heavy cream in a small saucepan. Just as the cream begins to bubble add the chocolate and orange zest.
Lower the heat and stir until the chocolate is melted and smooth.
Add more cream, one tablespoon at a time if the chocolate becomes too thick.
Pour the ganache over the cooled torte.
Enjoy!