Soft, moist, flavored cant think of more words to describe this cake! This is the first time im trying this kind of cake and after searching a lot I got this wonderful recipe from here. I halved the recipe, used half wholemeal and half all purpose flour, forgot the vanilla, added a little bit more milk because i thought the batter was thick – still it turned out great.

Here is the original recipe.

3 1/4 cups sifted all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup milk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup butter, softened

1 cup sugar

1 cup light brown sugar

4 eggs

2 cups mashed cooked sweet potatoes

Heat the oven to 350 degrees and grease and flour a 10-inch tube pan.  Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, nutmeg, and salt in a medium bowl, and stir with a fork to mix well.  Combine the milk and vanilla in a small bowl.  Set aside the milk and flour mixtures.

In a large bowl, beat the butter, sugar, and brown sugar together with a mixer at high speed until light and well combined, stopping once or twice to scrape down the bowl.  Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well each time.  Add the mashed sweet potatoes and mix at low speed for 1 minute, or until the batter is evenly mixed.

Add about half the flour mixture and beat gently, using a wooden spoon or a mixer at low speed, only until the flour disappears into the batter.  Add half the milk and mix gently to combine everything well.  Mix in the remaining flour and then the remaining milk, beating gently only until you have a thick, smooth batter.

Scrape the batter into the prepared tube pan, and bake at 350 degrees for between 60 and 75 minutes, or until the cake is evenly browned, springs back when touched gently in the centre, and a wooden skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean.

This is one of my favorite cakes. The main reason it did well with wholemeal flour, the new fav choco-orange flavoring, and not the least from one of my favorite baking blog Smitten Kitchen My kids didnt give me time to make the ganache.. they wanted to cut it right away so i thought ok may be next time. It was delish even without it!

You can also find this choco-orange combo in my  Chocolate Orange marble Cake

This cake tastes better the next day!

Orange Chocolate Chunk Cake
Adapted from Barefoot Contessa Parties!

1/2 pound unsalted butter at room temperature
2 cups sugar – i reduced to 1 cup
4 extra-large eggs at room temperature
1/4 cup grated orange zest (from 4 large oranges)
3 cups all-purpose flour plus 2 tablespoons – changed to wholemeal flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
3/4 cup buttermilk at room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 cups good semisweet chocolate chunks

Syrup:
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup freshly squeezed orange juice

Ganache:
8 ounces semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon instant coffee granules

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour a 10-inch Bundt pan.

2. Cream the butter and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment for about 5 minutes, or until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, then the orange zest.

3. Sift together 3 cups flour, the baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl. In another bowl, combine the orange juice, buttermilk, and vanilla. Add the flour and buttermilk mixtures alternately in thirds to the creamed butter, beginning and ending with the flour. Toss the chocolate chunks with 2 tablespoons flour and add to the batter. Pour into the pan, smooth the top, and bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour, until a cake tester comes out clean. Let the cake cool in the pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes.

4. Meanwhile, make the syrup. In a small saucepan over medium-low heat, cook the sugar with the orange juice until the sugar dissolves. Remove the cake from the pan, set it on a rack over a tray, and spoon the orange syrup over the cake. Allow the cake to cool completely.

5. For the ganache, melt the chocolate, heavy cream, and coffee in the top of a double boiler over simmering water until smooth and warm, stirring occasionally. Drizzle over the top of the cake.

This has been in my draft for a long long time.. i think finally it is time to publish! One of my friend brought this cake for me but her version was more chocolatey. So found this recipe in one of my fav sie Allrecipes I did some minor changes and the result was awesome!

This cake is very much inspired from Lindt Orange Intense

• 1 cup butter
• 1 1/4 cups white sugar
• 3 eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 cup plain yogurt
• 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons grated orange zest (i used one whole orange)
• 2 (1 ounce) squares unsweetened chocolate, melted
• 2 tablespoons orange juice (i used juice of 1 orange)

I wanted to bake this cake right away when i saw it on Taste Spotting. But then because of my GD i kept on thinking and thinking and i didnt have cream cheese at home. So finally today i decided i cannot stand it any more and baked it. This came out really nice and soft and i’ll make this again and again after my lil one arrives.. insha allah less than 8 weeks to go now!

I halved the recipe and also i used only 1/2 cup sugar for the halved recipe. I didn’t want my sugar levels to go up! LOL! Also as i didnt have raspberries i did it with only with blueberries.  I wanted to do do the lemon glaze but my daughter was very impatient to eat the cake so i thought ok next time!

Here is the original recipe.

2 sticks (225g) unsalted butter, softened, but not quite room temperature
1 8 ounce (225g) package of cream cheese, softened slightly
1 1/2 (285g) cups sugar
4 eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
2 cups (250g) unbleached all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
6 ounces raspberries
6 ounces fresh blueberries
lemon glaze (recipe follows)

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees (165 degrees celsius). Spray four mini loaf pans with non-stick cooking spray, and place on a cookie sheet.

2. In a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together butter and cream cheese. Pour in sugar and mix until smooth. Add in eggs, one at a time, mixing well until each is incorporated.

3. While ingredients are mixing, whisk together four, baking powder, and salt in a separate bowl. Slowly add flour mixture to the wet ingredients.

4. Divided batter into two bowls. Fold raspberries into one, and the blueberries into the other. (Or you can skip dividing the batter and just fold both kinds of berries into one batter).

4. Distribute batter evenly among the four pans and bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 35-50 minutes.  Drizzle with lemon glaze and let cool completely. Wrap any extras tightly in plastic wrap and freeze for up to one month.

Lemon Glaze

2 cups powdered sugar
juice of 1 lemon
2-3 tablespoons heavy cream

Mix all ingredients together until smooth. Add more juice or cream as necessary to achieve desired consistency.

2 pairs of anxious hands waiting to finish the cake!

“the yummiest and most softest (she meant moist) chocolate cake i ever had” : According to my 6 yr old!

“me too!” : my almost 4 yr old backing his sis!

and it was finished in 15mts time. DH was saying thank god i came early today other wise i would have never seen this! LOL! This is one of my favorite cakes now. I halved the recipe as i was doing it for the first time, but next time i’ll do the full recipe.

Here is the recipe.

• 2 cups sugar
• 1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup HERSHEY’S Cocoa
• 1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1-1/2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup milk
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 cup boiling water

1. Heat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour two 9-inch round baking pans.

2. Stir together sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt in large bowl. Add eggs, milk, oil and vanilla; beat on medium speed of mixer 2 minutes. Stir in boiling water (batter will be thin). Pour batter into prepared pans.

3. Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes; remove from pans to wire racks. Cool completely. Frost with “PERFECTLY CHOCOLATE” CHOCOLATE FROSTING. 10 to 12 servings.

VARIATIONS:
ONE-PAN CAKE: Grease and flour 13x9x2-inch baking pan. Heat oven to 350° F. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake 35 to 40 minutes. Cool completely. Frost.

THREE LAYER CAKE: Grease and flour three 8-inch round baking pans. Heat oven to 350°F. Pour batter into prepared pans. Bake 30 to 35 minutes. Cool 10 minutes; remove from pans to wire racks. Cool completely. Frost.

BUNDT CAKE: Grease and flour 12-cup Bundt pan. Heat oven to 350°F. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake 50 to 55 minutes. Cool 15 minutes; remove from pan to wire rack. Cool completely. Frost.

CUPCAKES: Line muffin cups (2-1/2 inches in diameter) with paper bake cups. Heat oven to 350°F. Fill cups 2/3 full with batter. Bake 22 to 25 minutes. Cool completely. Frost. About 30 cupcakes.

“PERFECTLY CHOCOLATE” CHOCOLATE FROSTING

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter or margarine2/3 cup HERSHEY’S Cocoa3 cups powdered sugar1/3 cup milk1 teaspoon vanilla extractMelt butter. Stir in cocoa. Alternately add powdered sugar and milk, beating to spreading consistency. Add small amount additional milk, if needed. Stir in vanilla. About 2 cups frosting.

Some recipes strike on me instantly. Especially when i see those which has the ingredients ready at home and which has a new flavor i just want to make it right away! I saw this recipe in A Charmed Life at 2 pm by tea time i was having this cake hot and fresh from the oven!

Here goes the recipe.

French Yogurt Cake

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup plain whole-milk yogurt
1 cup sugar
3 large eggs
1 teaspoon (packed) finely grated lemon peel
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup vegetable oil

Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 350°F. Generously butter 8 1/2×4 1/2×2 1/2-inch metal loaf pan. Sift flour, baking powder, and salt into medium bowl. Combine yogurt, sugar, eggs, lemon peel, and vanilla in large bowl; whisk until well blended. Gradually whisk in dry ingredients. Using rubber spatula, fold in oil. Transfer batter to prepared pan. Place pan on baking sheet.

Place cake on baking sheet in oven and bake until cake begins to pull away from sides of pan and tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 50 minutes. Cool cake in pan on rack 5 minutes. Cut around pan sides to loosen cake. Turn cake out onto rack. Turn cake upright on rack and cool completely. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Wrap and store at room temperature.)

I wouldn’t say this is the best cake ever but if you have no time and want something instant for your kids who keep on demanding something or the other during their holidays this is for you! Both of them liked it but didn’t ask for more like they would do if i have baked a cake. LOL! This is a easy breezy tea time/milk time snack for your kids

4 tbsp flour

4 tbsp sugar

1 egg

3 tbsp milk

3 tbsp oil

1 tbsp chocolate chips

• Grease the mug well with oil.
• Combine all the dry ingredients.
• Add the wet ingredients one by one to it.
• Mix well. There should be no lumps.
• Microwave at high for 3 mts. The time can be less in ur microwave so depending on it adjust the timing.
• Enjoy!

If anyone asks me what will i cook for myself the answer anytime would be cakes! or something baked. i reallly love the smell spreading in my kitchen. When i saw this first in Smitten Kitchen i wanted to make it right away. I love raspberries the sour taste mixed with the sweetness of the cake. But unfortunately all berries are very expensive in Singapore  I used frozen this time but i think next time i’ll try it with fresh. I made this cake only for me but rest of my family finished it! LOL! A real hit and i think i’ll make this more often.

Recipe from Smitten Kitchen

1 cup (130 grams) all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon (2 grams) baking powder

1/2 teaspoon (2 grams) baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 stick (56 grams) unsalted butter, softened

2/3 cup (146 grams) plus 1 1/2 tablespoons (22 grams) sugar, divided

1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest (optional)

1 large (57 grams) egg

1/2 cup well-shaken buttermilk**

1 cup fresh raspberries (about 5 oz) (i used frozen and thawed it to room temp.)

Preheat oven to 400°F with rack in middle. Butter and flour a 9-inch round cake pan.

Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt and set aside. In a larger bowl, beat butter and 2/3 cup (146 grams) sugar with an electric mixer at medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, about two minutes, then beat in vanilla and zest, if using. Add egg and beat well.

At low speed, mix in flour mixture in three batches, alternating with buttermilk, beginning and ending with flour, and mixing until just combined.Spoon batter into cake pan, smoothing top. Scatter (see Note) raspberries evenly over top and sprinkle with remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons (22 grams) sugar.

Bake until cake is golden and a wooden pick inserted into center comes out clean, 20 to 25 minutes. Cool in pan 10 minutes, then turn out onto a rack and cool to warm, 10 to 15 minutes more. Invert onto a plate.

** Make your own buttermilk:  Add one tablespoon of vinegar or lemon juice to one cup of milk and let it sit for about 10 minutes.

My post goes to Cooking for Yourself Event

When i saw this cake for the first time in Farida’s blog i already fell in love with it!! it was something so different and unique!!! If i saw this in a bakery or somewhr else i wouldnt even imagine that i can also bake something like this!