Trisha Yearwood Chocolate Torte Cake Recipe Recipe Cards

TRISHA YEARWOOD'S CHOCOLATE TORTE

Steps:

• [Editor's Note: Be sure to make the glaze before you bake the cakes.] In a large saucepan over medium-low heat, melt the butter. Add the chocolate and stir until melted.
• Add the sugar and stir until it dissolves. Then stir in the evaporated milk, vanilla, and the instant coffee, increase the heat to medium-high, and bring it to a boil.
• Continue cooking, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens to a glaze, about 20 minutes.
• Remove the glaze from the heat.
• Preheat the oven to 350°F (176°C). Butter and flour at least four 9-inch cake pans.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer or in a large bowl with an electric mixer, beat the butter and sugar until smooth. Add the eggs, 1 at a time, beating just until blended after each addition.
• In a small bowl, mix the vanilla with the milk. Add the flour to the egg mixture alternately with the milk mixture, beginning and ending with the flour.
• Pour a very thin layer of batter-about 7 tablespoons-into each pan, shaking the pans to distribute the batter to the edges. Bake the layers for 11 to 13 minutes.
• While the first cake layers bake, return the glaze to low heat as the glaze must be warm to spread on the cake layers.
• When the cake layers are done, immediately remove the layers from the pans and, working one at a time, place the layers on a cake stand and immediately slather with some of the warm glaze.
• Bake all of the remaining batter in this manner and continue to stack and glaze in this fashion. You should be able to get 12 layers from this recipe. Reserve the last of the glaze to dribble over the top of the cake.

SPICED CHOCOLATE TART

Steps:

• For the crust: Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
• Combine the cookies and sugar in a food processor and pulse to make fine (but not pasty) crumbs. Drizzle in the melted butter and pulse to combine. Press the crust into the bottom and up the sides of a 9-inch tart pan with removable bottom. Bake on a baking sheet until the crust is set and just golden, about 12 minutes. Cool completely.
• For the filling: Combine the chocolate, cream, butter and dried ginger in a small saucepan and cook over low heat, stirring until the chocolate melts, about 5 minutes. Stir until very smooth. Pour into the cooled tart shell and refrigerate until set, at least 3 hours.
• For the salted caramel: Combine the sugar, corn syrup and 1/4 cup water in a small saucepan. Set the pan over medium-high heat and cook, stirring occasionally, until the sugar is a deep amber, 8 to 12 minutes. Carefully whisk in the cream until smooth. Remove from the heat and stir in the butter, vanilla, kosher salt and cayenne. Pour into a spouted glass measuring cup and let cool until thickened, 1 to 1 1/2 hours.
• When the caramel is cooled and the tart is set, drizzle the caramel over the tart so some of the chocolate is still exposed; save the rest for serving. Sprinkle the tart with flaky sea salt and chopped crystallized ginger. Cut into wedges. (If you make the tart ahead of time, use a warm knife or let sit at room temperature for a few minutes before slicing.)

RED WINE CHOCOLATE CAKE WITH VANILLA BUTTERCREAM

Steps:

• For the cake: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter a 9-by-13-inch cake pan.
• Whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl and set aside.
• Combine the butter and brown sugar together in a large bowl and beat with an electric mixer at medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in the vanilla. With the mixer on low, add the flour mixture in 3 batches, alternating with the red wine, beginning and ending with the flour, mixing until just incorporated.
• Spoon the batter into the prepared baking pan and smooth the top with an offset spatula. Bake until a wooden skewer inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean, about 35 minutes. Cool completely on a rack.
• For the buttercream: Place the butter in a large bowl and beat with a mixer on medium-high speed until smooth. Add the confectioners' sugar in 3 batches, beating until each batch is incorporated. After adding the last batch, continue to beat until very smooth and lightened, about 3 minutes. Add the vanilla and 1 tablespoon of the half-and-half and beat until incorporated. Add more half-and-half as needed to make the icing a smooth, spreadable consistency. Keep at room temperature until ready to use.
• Spoon the buttercream onto the cake and smooth with an offset spatula. Cut the cake into squares and serve.

CHOCOLATE ANGEL FOOD CAKE WITH STRAWBERRIES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• For the cake: Sift the cake flour with the cocoa and 3/4 cup of the sugar into a large bowl.
• Using an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the egg whites with a pinch of salt until foamy. Sprinkle the cream of tartar over the egg whites and continue to beat until they hold a soft peak. Add the vanilla extract and gradually beat in the remaining 3/4 cup sugar, about 2 tablespoons at a time.
• Remove the bowl from the mixer and, using a spatula, gradually fold in the flour mixture, sprinkling in about 1/4 cup at a time. Pour the batter into an ungreased 9-inch angel food cake pan and bake until the cake springs back when pressed with your finger, about 30 minutes. Let cool for 1 hour, then loosen the cake from the sides and center of the pan with a knife before unmolding.
• For the strawberries: Combine the strawberries and sugar in a medium bowl and toss gently to coat every slice. Let the strawberries stand for about 30 minutes to allow the juices to develop. Serve over the chocolate angel food cake.

CHOCOLATE CAKE WITH DIVINITY ICING

Steps:

• In a small saucepan, combine 1 cup water, 1/2 cup of the sugar, the chocolate and the vanilla. Heat over medium heat, stirring constantly, until melted. Set aside to cool.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Prepare three 9-inch round cake pans: spray the bottom and sides of each pan with cooking spray; line the pans with parchment paper; then spray again with cooking spray.
• Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt. In a stand mixer, cream the butter and the remaining 1 3/4 cups sugar until smooth. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition. Add the cooled chocolate mixture and beat until smooth. Add the sifted flour mixture alternately with the milk, starting with a third of the flour, then adding half the milk, and ending with the flour. Stir only enough after each addition to blend the ingredients. Pour the batter evenly into the cake pans and bake for 35 minutes, or until done. Judge doneness by appearancelayers will begin to pull away from the sidesor by inserting a toothpick into the center of a layer. The toothpick should come out clean. Cool the cakes in the pans for 10 minutes, then turn them out onto racks. Remove the paper and allow to cool completely before frosting. Spread the Divinity Icing between the layers and all over the top and sides of the cake.
• Pour the egg whites and salt into a stand mixer fitted with a whip attachment. Beat the egg whites until smooth but not stiff; they should not form stiff peaks.
• In a large saucepan, mix the sugar, 3/4 cup water, corn syrup and vinegar. Stir until the sugar dissolves, then heat the mixture until it reaches the hard ball stage (265 degrees F on a candy thermometer), about 12 minutes. When done, the syrup will spin a long thread when poured off the edge of a spoon. Remove the syrup from the heat and stir in the mini marshmallows. The mixture will be foamy. With the mixer running at high speed, stream the syrup into the egg whites. Beat well, and then beat in the vanilla.

CLASSIC MOLTEN CHOCOLATE CAKE WITH CASSIS BERRIES

Steps:

• For the cassis berries: Put the cassis in a small saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Boil until reduced to about 3 tablespoons, about 5 minutes. Put the berries in a bowl and toss with the reduced cassis. Let stand, stirring occasionally, about 1 hour.
• For the cake: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Butter four 4-ounce ramekins and dust with the cocoa powder.
• Put the butter in a small saucepan and heat over low until melted. Add the chocolate, espresso powder, vanilla and salt and stir until thoroughly melted and combined. Stir in the flour.
• Combine the sugar, whole eggs and yolks in a large bowl and beat with an electric mixer on high speed until pale and thick, about 3 minutes. Add the chocolate mixture to the beaten eggs and beat to combine. Divide the mixture among the ramekins (at this point, the cakes can be refrigerated up to 4 hours and then brought to room temperature before baking).
• Put the ramekins on a baking sheet and bake until the tops and edges are set but about an inch in the center is still wobbly, about 12 minutes. Let the cakes stand for 1 minute. Run a thin knife around the edge of the cakes. Cover a ramekin with a small plate and invert the ramekin (using an oven mitt or towel) onto the plate. Remove the ramekin, leaving the cake on the plate. Repeat with the remaining cakes.
• For the berry mascarpone: Transfer 3 tablespoons of the berry juices from the cassis berries to a bowl. Add the mascarpone, sugar and vanilla and mix to combine.
• Dollop the berry mascarpone on the cakes and top with a spoonful of the cassis berries. Garnish with mint sprigs.

CHOCOLATE POUND CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 10-inch tube pan with butter.
• Sift the flour, baking powder, salt and cocoa together. Set aside.
• With an electric mixer, cream the 1 cup butter, the shortening and the sugar until fluffy. Add the eggs one a time, beating well after each addition. With the motor running, add the flour mixture and the milk alternately, beginning and ending with the flour. Add the vanilla.
• Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 1 hour. Check for doneness by inserting a toothpick into the cake; it should come out clean. Cool the cake in the pan for 30 minutes before turning it out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
• Slice the cake and serve topped with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

CHOCOLATE CAKE IN A MUG

Steps:

• In a bowl, whisk together the flour, milk, sugar, cocoa, oil, salt and vanilla until fully combined. Pour into a 12-ounce mug and top with the chocolate chips.
• Microwave on high power for 1 1/2 to 2 minutes, depending on how gooey you like your cake. Carefully remove from the microwave and let cool slightly. Top with whipped cream and serve.