Tunnel of Fudge Cake

Posted on November 17, 2014 by Ann Roth

Years ago, I cut this recipe out of our now-defunct, and dearly missed daily morning pager, the Seattle Post-Intelligencer (http://www.seattlepi.com/). The paper has since moved online, but I really liked reading the hard copy over breakfast and coffee. Anyway… I finally got around to trying this recipe. Wow. Scrumptious, and rich, with a lovely, fudgy center. The directions are a bit wonky in places (I mean, if the mixing bowl doesn’t feel cool, stop mixing and place in the freezer for 5 minutes? Give me a break!) , so I made a few changes.

Note: the amount of sugar in this thing is staggering. I worried that it would taste too sweet. But it came out just right. I will definitely make this one again.

Tunnel of Fudge Cake

Adapted from a recipe by Shirley O. Corriher

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Generously grease a Bundt pan.

1 cup softened butter (original recipe called for more, but 1 cup is enough!)

3/4 cup brown sugar, packed

1 cup white sugar

1 tsp vanilla

1/3 c vegetable oil

2 egg yolks

4 whole eggs

2 cups confectioners sugar (I used scant cups)

2 1/4 cup all purpose, unbleached flour (I avoid the bleached stuff–who wants to ingest anything that has been bleached?)

1/2 tsp salt

3/4 cup cocoa powder

In a bowl, mix together flour, and salt; set aside.

In mixer, cream butter and sugar and beat until airy. Add eggs and yolks and mix for about 20 seconds. Add vanilla and oil. Mix for about 30 seconds; add flour mixture. Mix until incorporated; add confectioners sugar and cocoa powder. When incorporated, pour into prepared Bundt pan. Bake about 38-45 minutes. Note: Because of the gooey center, there is no way to insert a toothpick to see if done. I have a convection oven, and baked for 38 minutes.

Place on a wire rack and let cool in the pan for 30 minutes. Then gently press on the top with the palm of your hand to eliminate the air pocket that formed while baking. Cool in the pan for 2-3 hours; then invert pan onto a serving platter to finish cooling. Or serve warm.

Until next time, and droolingly yours,

Ann

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Scones: They do the body good.

Posted on November 14, 2014 by Ann Roth

You may recall that about a month ago, I made pumpkin puree from sugar pumpkins. The puree went into the freezer for later. The other day, I thawed some and made pumpkin scones.

Scones, baking in the oven

They smelled great, and I couldn’t wait to taste one.

The finished product

I wasn’t disappointed. These babies are buttery and flavorful.–all around delicious!

Here is the recipe, courtesy of Joy of Baking. com. http://www.joyofbaking.com/

Pumpkin Scones

Makes 8 scones– I doubled the recipe and froze the extras for later.

Ingredients:
2 cups all purpose flour
1/3 cup light or dark brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces
1/3 cup raisins
1/4 cup chopped pecans or walnuts (optional)
1/3 – 1/2 cup buttermilk (in doubling the recipe, I used 2/3 cup)
1/2 cup fresh or canned pure pumpkin (if using canned pumpkin make sure there are no spices or sugar added)
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Egg Wash:
No need to double this– it was more than enough for my doubled recipe
1 large egg
1 tablespoon milk or cream

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F and place rack in the center of the oven. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, spices, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Cut the butter into small pieces and blend into the flour mixture with a pastry blender or two knives. The mixture should look like coarse crumbs. Stir in the raisins and pecans, if using. In a separate bowl mix together the buttermilk, pumpkin puree and vanilla and then add the buttermilk mixture to the flour mixture. Mix just until the dough comes together. Do not over mix.

Transfer to a lightly floured surface and knead dough gently four or five times and then pat the dough into a circle that is about 7 inches round and about 1 1/2 inches thick. Using a table knife, cut circle in half, then cut each half into 4 pie-shaped wedges (triangles). If the triangles are too big, feel free to halve them. Place the scones on the baking sheet. Brush the tops with the egg wash.

Bake for about 20 minutes or until golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Transfer to a wire rack to cool. Or give in and have one hot from the oven! I did. 🙂

Until next time, and happy eating,

Ann

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Recipe: Pumpkin Chocolate Tea Bread

Posted on October 3, 2014 by Ann Roth

I love to bake in the fall and winter. The house always smells so good! This is a delicious, easy to make recipe that my family loves.

Pumpkin Chocolate Tea Bread

8 tablespoons (1 stick) butter
1 cup sugar
3 eggs, room temperature
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup pumpkin puree
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon cinnamon
Heaping 1/4 teaspoon ginger
1/8 teaspoon each cloves and nutmeg
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
1 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350F. Butter and flour a 9×5″ loaf pan.
In a small saucepan, melt the butter, then whisk in the sugar, eggs, vanilla, and pumpkin.
In a separate bowl, whisk together all of the remaining ingredients, except for the chocolate, then stir them into the pumpkin mixture until just combined.
Stir in the chocolate chips.
Pour into the prepared pan. Bake in the center of the oven for about an hour, or until a toothpick tester comes out clean. (At this point, I’m busy, licking the pan. Because even the batter is yummy.) Cool for at least 10 minutes.
To remove the loaf from the pan, run an offset spatula around the edge, then invert it onto a cooling rack. Turn right side up and serve in thick slices.

Until Monday, and wishing you baking aromas that make your mouth water,

Ann

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