Nanny Hartenbaums Chocolate Cake Recipes

BEATTY'S CHOCOLATE CAKE

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.

MOLTEN CHOCOLATE BABY CAKES

Steps:

• In a small saucepan over low heat, bring the brandy and orange juice to a simmer. Add the cherries, simmer 1 minute and turn off the heat. Soak the cherries in the warm mixture until they plump up, about 10 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
• Set a heat-proof bowl over a saucepan of simmering water. Place the chocolate and the butter into the bowl and let it sit over the heat until the chocolate begins to melt. Stir to combine and continue to heat until the mixture is smooth and the chocolate is completely melted. Remove from the heat.
• In a large bowl, beat together the whole eggs, yolks and sugar until the mixture turns light and thick.
• Pour the melted chocolate into the egg mixture. Beat in the flour until just combined. Do not over-mix the batter.
• Butter 6 (4-ounce) ramekins. Sprinkle each ramekin with 1 teaspoon cocoa powder and tap out the excess. Divide the batter among the ramekins. Drain the cherries and put a few cherries into the center of each ramekin. Use a spoon to push the batter over the cherries to cover them.
• Place the ramekins on a baking sheet and bake for 7 to 9 minutes. The outside of the desserts will be set, but the centers will be soft.
• To serve, invert each mold on a plate and let sit for 10 seconds. Slowly lift one side of the mold and the cake will fall out. (If the cakes won't easily come out, just serve them right in the cups.)
• DB note: These little desserts are easy to make ahead. Refrigerate them in the baking cups and when you're ready to bake, bring them up to room temperature and bake as above.

BEST MOIST CHOCOLATE CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour a 9x13 inch pan. Sift together the flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
• In a large bowl, cream together the margarine and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then stir in the vanilla. Beat in the flour mixture alternately with the milk, mixing just until incorporated. Pour batter into prepared pan.
• Bake in the preheated oven for 40 to 45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Allow to cool.

GRANNY'S CHOCOLATE CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter 3 9-inch round cake pans, and line the bottoms with wax or parchment paper. Lightly butter the paper. Dust pans with flour, and shake out excess.
• Sift together the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. In a small bowl, combine buttermilk and vanilla.
• In a large bowl, using an electric mixer set at medium-high speed, cream the butter. Slowly add the sugar, and continue beating until well blended and light colored. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add dry ingredients alternately with the buttermilk mixture in 2 or 3 additions, beating well after each addition. Beat in the melted chocolate until well blended. Spoon batter into prepared pans, and smooth tops with a rubber spatula.
• Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in center of a cake layer comes out clean. Let cake layers cool in the pans on wire racks for 10 minutes, then invert onto other racks and peel off the paper. Invert again, and let cool completely on the racks. Frost with chocolate frosting.

SANDY'S CHOCOLATE CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°. Grease and flour three 9-in. round baking pans., In a large bowl, cream butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy, 5-7 minutes. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla. In another bowl, whisk flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt; add to creamed mixture alternately with sour cream, beating well after each addition. Stir in water until blended., Transfer to prepared pans. Bake until a toothpick comes out clean, 30-35 minutes. Cool in pans 10 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool completely., For frosting, in a metal bowl over simmering water, melt butter and chocolates; stir until smooth. Cool slightly., In a large bowl, combine confectioners' sugar, sour cream and vanilla. Add chocolate mixture; beat until smooth. Spread frosting between layers and over top and sides of cake. Refrigerate leftovers.

NANNY'S BLACK MIDNIGHT CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• In a small bowl, dissolve cocoa powder and cayenne with hot brewed coffee and set aside.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer with paddle attachment, cream oil and sugar until well combined.
• Add eggs and beat until light and creamy, about 1-2 minutes. This process beats air into the mixture. Scrape paddle and bowl and beat once.
• Slowly add in coffee/cocoa mixture, buttermilk and vanilla and beat until batter is smooth. Scrape paddle and bowl and beat once.
• In a separate bowl, sift flour, salt, baking soda and baking powder. Add dry ingredients to wet and beat on low speed to incorporate. Scrape down bowl and mix just until all ingredients are combined, do not over mix once flour is in.
• Butter the bottom and sides of two 9-inch cake pans and place a round parchment circle in each. Butter the top of the parchment then sprinkle the whole inside of the parchment and pan with cocoa powder, shaking out excess. Pour batter evenly between two pans and place in center of oven. (note, aluminum baking pans are by far, the best for baking cakes. Non-stick and dark colored pans can change the cake by browning it more than it needs to)
• Bake 30-35 minutes or until a tooth pick inserted into the center comes out clean. Depending on your oven, you may need to rotate cake pans half way through. During our baking, one cake was done in 30 minutes and the second in 32 minutes. Do not over bake.
• Cool pans on wire racks for ten minutes then carefully invert out of pan onto rack to cool further.
• Sift cocoa powder with confectioner's sugar in a large bowl. In the bowl of a stand mixer or hand mixer, cream butter until smooth. Add sugar and cocoa powder mixture along with buttermilk and vanilla and beat until smooth and creamy. Add additional buttermilk or whole milk if frosting is too thick.
• Place a small dollop of frosting on a cake dish to hold the cake from sliding and place one cake on the frosting. Frost the top of that layer. Place the second cake on the first and frost the entire cake, top and sides.

NANNY HARTENBAUM'S CHOCOLATE CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly grease 13 x 9 x 2-inch baking pan. Combine 1 cup water and chocolate in heavy small saucepan over low heat. Stir until chocolate melts and mixture is smooth. Let cool 10 minutes.
• Using electric mixer, beat 1 cup butter and dark brown sugar in large bowl until fluffy, about 3 minutes.
• Add eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition (mixture will resemble thick frosting). Stir baking soda into chocolate mixture. Mix flour into butter mixture alternately with chocolate mixture in 2 additions each.
• Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake until tester inserted into center of cake comes out clean, about 40 minutes. Transfer to rack and cool completely.
• Stir chocolate and butter in heavy small saucepan over low heat until melted and smooth. Remove from heat. Sift powdered sugar into medium bowl. Add chocolate mixture, 1 tablespoon water and vanilla and stir until smooth. Thin to spreading consistency with more water if necessary.
• Spread frosting over cake. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover with foil and let stand at room temperature.) Cut into squares and serve.

GRANDMA'S CHOCOLATE CAKE

Steps:

• In a large bowl, cream shortening and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Combine the flour, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder and salt; gradually add to creamed mixture alternately with buttermilk and hot water, beating well after each addition. , Pour into a greased 13x9-in. baking pan. Bake at 350° for 40-45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack., For frosting, melt chocolate and butter in a saucepan. Add the sugar, water and cream of tartar. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Cook and stir until a candy thermometer reads 240° (soft-ball stage). Remove from the heat. Cool completely, without stirring, about 1 hour. Add vanilla; beat until thickened. Add cream; beat until smooth. Frost cake.

NANNYS CHOCOLATE PIE 5 STAR FAMILY FAVORITE

Steps:

• Combine all accept vanilla and cook on low heat until very thick. Stir often to prevent scorching. Remove from heat- let sit a minute or two and stir in vanilla.
• Pour into pie shell.
• Top with meringue and bake as directed.
• I will be posting Nannys Meringue Recipe.