Chocolate Fig Cake Recipe - Special Occasion Chocolate Fig Cake

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This is a delicious fig cake recipe that's perfect to serve on holidays and special occasions.

1 cup chopped figs, dried
1 cup boiling water
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 cup vegetable oil
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup applesauce
2 eggs
3 tablespoons cocoa
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups flour

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour an 8x12 baking dish.

In a large bowl, combine boiling water and figs. Add in the baking soda and let cool.

In another bowl, combine the vegetable oil, sugar, applesauce, eggs, cocoa, salt, vanilla; mix until smooth. Add 1/4 cup flour to the batter mixture; mix well.

Add in 1/2 of the fig mixture to batter; mix well.

Alternate adding remaining flour and fig mixture to batter until all ingredients are included; mix well.

Spread mixture into baking dish. Bake 50 minutes.

Best Chocolate Pound Cake

A rich tasting pound cake with the added flavors of cocoa and almond.

1/2 cup shortening
1 cup butter, softened
3 cups white sugar
5 egg yolks
5 egg whites
3 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 1/4 cups milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon almond extract

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a 10-inch tube pan.

In a bowl, cream together the shortening and butter until light and fluffy. Gradually adding in sugar. Beat well with an electric mixer on medium speed. Add egg yolks, one at a time, beating after each addition.

In another bowl, sift flour, baking powder, salt, cocoa and cinnamon together. Add flour mixture to creamed mixture, alternately with milk, begin and end with flour mixture. Mix just until blended after each addition. Stir in vanilla and almond extracts.

In a clean bowl, beat egg whites until stiff peaks form. Fold carefully into cake batter, mixing only until no streaks remain. Pour batter into prepared tube pan.

Bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan for 10 minutes, remove from pan, and let cool completely on a wire rack.

Sour Cream Cake with Chocolate Chips

Sour cream gives this cake an extra layer of richness.

1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup white sugar
2 eggs, beaten
1 cup sour cream
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a 9 inch pan.

In a small bowl, mix flour, baking powder, baking soda and chocolate chips. Set aside.

In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light. Add eggs and mix thoroughly. Add sour cream and mix well. Add flour mixture and mix thoroughly.

Pour batter into pan and bake for 30 minutes or until golden brown and springy on the top.

Chocolate Ganache Icing with Brandy

A decadently delicious chocolate spread that can be used in a variety of dessert dishes.

7 (1 ounce) squares bittersweet chocolate
1/2 cup heavy cream
3 tablespoons butter or margarine
3 tablespoons brandy

Directions

In a microwave proof bowl, melt chocolate squares, cream, butter or margarine, and brandy together for 30 seconds or until smooth. Allow icing to cool a little before spreading over cake.

Wedding Cake Ideas

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To some the idea of taking on the project of creating their own wedding cake may seem an ominous task. However, with a little planning, organization and creativity it can become a satisfying and memorable experience.

There are a myriad of books and websites dedicated to wedding cake ideas where one can find an abundance of resources. An aspiring wedding cake designer must first decide on the style and size of the cake, which can itself be quite a task. The bride's wedding colors and theme should be taken into consideration first and foremost. Generalized tastes of the anticipated guests should also be taken into consideration, although an exquisite cake can still be made to cater to a rather neutral palate.

A great place to find ideas and supplies for your wedding cake is at a large craft store. Most of these stores dedicate large areas of floor space to wedding themed products. Here one can find wedding cake ideas galore! These stores generally offer a wide assortment of cake toppers, lace, ribbons and flowers. Some may even supply the cardboard circles for each layer of the cake to rest on, parchment paper, pastry bags and pillar supports if the layers are to be raised.

A restaurant supply store is another good source for these supplies and a good place to stock up on various sized cake pans and icing spatulas.

Spring wedding cake ideas are generally inspired by flowers and pastels colors. A light angel cake can be tiered into a low tower and layered in between with fresh berries. A fresh fruit preserve can act as the wedding cake icing and can be delicately strewn with edible flowers such as nasturtium, violet, jasmine and lilac.
Many brides are breaking from the traditional round-layered cakes and opting for a fresh and edgy square wedding cake. These cakes tier just as well as the traditional round cakes and can be offset to create a diamond design. The square cakes also are the perfect canvas for an intricate icing or fondant latticework.

A traditional tiered round cake can easily be taken from simple to elegant with the addition of some ribbon. Craft stores supply innumerable spools of finely detailed ribbon that can surely be matched to a bridal theme. Simply cut pieces of the ribbon to the circumference of the layers, carefully wrap and secure with a toothpick. The possibilities are endless!

Diabetic Flourless Chocolate Cake

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1/2 cup Dutch process cocoa

3/4 cup packed light brown sugar

3 tablespoons flour

2 teaspoons instant espresso powder

1/8 teaspoon salt

Pinch pepper

3/4 cup fat-free milk

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped

2 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped

1 egg

3 egg whites

1/8 teaspoon cream of tartar

1/3 cup granulated sugar

Rich Chocolate Frosting:

2-3 teaspoons margarine, softened

1 cup confectioner's sugar

3 tablespoons Dutch process cocoa

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

2-3 tablespoons fat-free milk

Combine cocoa, brown sugar, flour, espresso powder, salt and pepper in medium saucepan; gradually stir in milk and vanilla and mix until smooth. Heat over medium heat, stirring frequently, until mixture is hot and sugar is dissolved (do not boil).

Remove saucepan from heat; add chocolate, stirring until melted. Whisk about 1/2 cup chocolate mixture into egg; whisk egg mixture back into saucepan. Cool to room temperature.

In medium bowl, beat egg whites until foamy; add cream of tartar and beat to soft peaks. Continue beating, gradually adding sugar until stiff, but not dry, peaks form. Stir about 1/4 of the egg whites into cooled chocolate mixture; fold chocolate mixture into remaining egg whites.

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease bottom and sides of 9-inch round cake pan; line bottom of pan with parchment paper.

Pour batter into pan. Place pan in large roasting pan on center oven rack; add 1 inch hot water to roasting pan. Bake until just firm when lightly touched, 25-30 minutes (do not test with toothpick, as cake will still be soft in center). Cool completely on wire rack.

Refrigerate, covered, 8 hours or overnight.

To make frosting: Mix margarine, confectioners' sugar, cocoa and vanilla with enough milk to make a thin spreadable consistency.

Remove cake from refrigerator. Loosen side of cake from pan with sharp knife. Remove from pan and peel off parchment paper.

Place on serving plate. Frost top of cake with Rich Chocolate Frosting.

Yield: 10 servings

Nutrition information per slice: Calories 245 (27 percent from fat); fat 7.2 g (sat 3.7 g, mono 2.7 g, poly .6 g); protein 5 g; carbohydrates 46 g; fiber 2.86 g; cholesterol 22 mg; sodium 78 mg; calcium 60 mg.

Thai Food

Food Myths - Is Coffee Bad For You? Are All Sweeteners Bad? Food Facts and Myths Uncovered

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Did you stop eating eggs because of the cholesterol and have you cut out all food sweeteners? Trying to drink eight glass of water a day because you read it somewhere? Read most surprising food facts and myths.

FOOD MYTH 1: TEA DEHYDRATES YOU, SO DRINK WATER INSTEAD

Dietitian Dr Carrie Ruxton says new research shows that tea is just as effective as water in keeping you hydrated. She tested 21 men over a 12 hour period. Some were given tea to drink all day, the others were given water. Blood and urine samples were taken. The results were surprising. The tea-drinkers did not pee any more than the water-drinkers and their sodium and other vital salt levels remained virtually the same too. Dr Ruxton said "drinking moderate amounts of tea offered the same excellent hydration qualities as plain water".

FOOD MYTH 2: EGGS LEAD TO HIGH CHOLESTEROL

The British Nutrition Foundation found the cholesterol in eggs has only a small and clinically insignificant effect on blood cholesterol. Dr Bruce Griffen, a professor of nutritional metabolism at the University of Surrey put people on a two-egg-a-day low calorie diet for 12 weeks and found no significant rise in cholesterol levels. In fact, eggs fill you up better so they make the ideal breakfast choice. So you do not need to limit the number of eggs you eat to 3 or 4 a week, just make them a normal part of a balanced diet. To reduce cholesterol, instead you need to cut down on saturated fat such as fatty meat, cakes, cookies and full fat dairy products.

FOOD MYTH 3: YOU NEED TO DRINK 8 GLASSES OF WATER A DAY

A study conducted by the University of Pennsylvania looked into the supposed benefits of drinking eight glasses of water a day and found no evidence it leads to plumper skin, detoxification or weight loss. The amount of water a person needs varies according to the individual. If you are thirsty or if your urine is dark yellow, you need to take in some fluid (and see Myth One: this can be tea!)

FOOD MYTH 4: HEALTHY FOOD IS MORE EXPENSIVE

Often, healthier food is cheaper as it tastes so good, you do not need to eat as much of it in order to feel satisfied and full. Beans for example, are one of the healthiest foods you can and they are so much cheaper than meat especially heavily processed and cured meat such as bacon or pancetta.

FOOD MYTH 5: LOW FAT OR REDUCED FAT FOODS ARE BETTER FOR YOU

Foods labeled 'low fat' or 'reduced fat' just means they have around 30% less fat than the standard choices but that still may mean they contain fat. Low fat foods often contain a lot of sugar to make up the taste or unhealthy carbohydrate substitutes. Plus, if something is labeled 'low fat', you might be inclined to eat more of it. You know, when you order a pizza but think it's okay because you're only having a diet coke!

FOOD MYTH 6: Going vegetarian will help you lose weight

Some vegetarian meals may contain a lot of fat. Cheese, pastry, cream, oil, butter are all high in fat. Of course, a diet rich in vegetables, seeds, pulses and fruit should remain a part of any healthy, balanced diet.

FOOD MYTH 7: YOU PILE ON THE WEIGHT IF YOU EAT LATE AT NIGHT

Scientists studied monkey who ate 65% of their calories at night and found they weighed the same as monkeys who only had 6% of their calories at night. The trouble with night time eating is not the time, it is the type of food we tend to eat then: TV snacks such as chocolate, cookies, nachos and chips. We often eat at night because we are bored, or it has become a habit to eat when watching TV, or we feel a need to 'reward' ourselves after a long day so look at WHAT you eat rather than WHEN you eat.

FOOD MYTH 8: FOOD SWEETENERS ARE BAD FOR YOU

There is one food sweetener which has proven health benefits: XYLITOL. Xylitol has been used as a sugar replacement since the sixties. It is often used in packaged food for diabetics and studies show it reduces tooth-decay in certain cases. Six US dental associations have officially endorsed xylitol in sugarfree candies and chewing gum.

Thai Food