Three Musketeer Chocolate Cake Recipes

CHOCOLATE CAKE III

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour a 9 inch round pan. Sift together the flour and cocoa. Set aside.
• In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time. Beat in the flour mixture alternately with the milk, mixing just until incorporated.
• Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake in the preheated oven for 30 to 35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Allow to cool.

"HAVE MERCY!" TRIPLE CHOCOLATE CAKE

Steps:

• Allow butter and eggs to stand at room temperature for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, lightly grease bottoms of three 8-inch round baking pans or two 8x8x2-inch square or 9x1-1/2-inch round cake pans. Line bottom of pans with parchment paper. Grease and lightly flour parchment paper and sides of pans. Or grease one 13x9x2-inch baking pan. Set pan(s) aside.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a medium mixing bowl, stir together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder and salt; set aside.
• In a large mixing bowl, beat butter with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Gradually add granulated sugar, about 1/4 cup at a time, beating on medium speed until well combined (3 to 4 minutes). Scrape sides of bowl; continue beating on medium speed for 2 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition (about 1 minute total). Beat in vanilla.
• Alternately add flour mixture and milk to beaten mixture, beating on low speed just until combined after each addition. Beat on medium to high speed for 20 seconds more. Spread batter evenly into the prepared pan(s).
• Bake for 35 to 40 minutes for 8-inch square pans and the 13x9x2-inch pan, 30 to 35 minutes for 8- or 9-inch round pans, or until a wooden toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool cake layers in pans for 10 minutes. Remove from pans. Peel off parchment paper. Cool thoroughly on wire racks. Or place 13x9x2-inch cake in pan on a wire rack; cool thoroughly. Frost with desired frosting.
• To prepare frosting, in a large saucepan, melt semisweet chocolate chips and butter over low heat, stirring frequently. Cool for 5 minutes. Stir in sour cream. Gradually add powdered sugar, beating with an electric mixer until smooth. This frosts tops and sides of two or three 8- or 9-inch cake layers. (Halve the recipe to frost the top of a 13x9x2-inch cake.) Cover and store frosted cake in the refrigerator.

3 MUSKETEERS BARS

Steps:

• In a large saucepan over medium heat, combine the sugar, corn syrup, water and salt. Heat, stirring, to boiling, then continue to cook using a candy thermometer to monitor the temperature.
• Beat the egg whites until they are stiff and form peaks. Don't use a plastic bowl for this.
• When the sugar solution comes to 270 degrees F, or the soft-crack stage, remove from the heat and pour the mixture in thin streams into the egg whites, blending completely with a mixer set on low speed. Continue to mix until the candy begins to harden to the consistency of dough. This may take as long as 20 minutes.
• At this point, add the semisweet chocolate chips. Remember that the candy must already be at the consistency of dough when you add the chocolate; the nougat will thicken no more after the chocolate is added.
• When the chocolate is thoroughly blended and the nougat has thickened, press it into a greased 9x9-inch pan.
• Refrigerate until firm, about 30 minutes. With a sharp knife, cut the candy in half down the middle of the pan. Then cut across into 7 segments to create a total of 14 bars.
• Melt the milk chocolate chips in the microwave for 2 minutes on half power, stirring halfway through the heating time. Melt completely, but be careful not to overheat. Resting a bar on a fork, dip each bar into the chocolate to coat completely and place on wax paper.
• Cool until firm at room temperature, 1 to 2 hours. Makes 14 candy bars.

TRIPLE CHOCOLATE CAKE

Steps:

• In a large bowl, combine cake and pudding mixes, milk and eggs at low speed until dry ingredients are moistened. Beat at medium speed for 2 minutes. Stir in chocolate chips. Pour into a greased and floured 10-in. tube or fluted tube pan. Bake at 350° for 60 minutes or until cake tests done. Cool in pan for 10 minutes before removing to a wire rack.