Tasty and Easy Recipes

Ingredients:
1/2 cup water
1 cup sugar
1 pound good quality bittersweet chocolate, chopped
2 sticks unsalted butter or margarine, cut up
7 large eggs, at room temperature
Softly whipped cream or creme fraiche
Fresh raspberries, for garnish

Method:
Preheat oven to 325°F. Grease bottom and side of 9″ springform pan. Line bottom of pan with parchment paper (I used wax paper).
Dust side of pan with sugar). Set pan on wide sheet of heavy-duty foil and tightly wrap foil up outside of pan to prevent water from leaking in during baking.
In 4-quart saucepan, heat water and 1/2 cup sugar over medium-high heat until sugar completely dissolves, stirring occasionally. Add chocolate and butter/margarine to mixture in saucepan; stir constantly until melted.
Remove pan from heat; cool chocolate mixture slightly, about 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, in large bowl, with mixer at high speed, beat eggs with remaining 1/2 cup sugar, 6 to 8 minutes or until mixture thickens and triples in volume. With wire whisk, fold warm chocolate mixture into egg mixture until completely blended.
Pour batter into prepared springform pan; place in large (17″x11-1/2″) roasting pan and set on oven rack. Pour enough boiling water into roasting pan to come halfway up side of springform pan.
Bake cake 30 to 35 minutes or until edge begins to set and a thin crust forms on top. Carefully remove spring form pan from water bath and place on wire rack. Cool cake to room temperature. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

About 30 minutes before serving, run sharp knife around edge of pan to loosen cake; remove foil and side of pan. Invert cake onto waxed paper; peel off parchment. Turn cake right side up onto platter. Serve with whipped cream and berries.

Ingredients:
1 cup coconut
1 cup chopped nuts
3/4 cup chocolate chips
1/2 cup butter
1 tsp. vanilla
1 (8 oz.) package cream cheese
2 cups powdered sugar
1 package German Chocolate cake mix, plus ingredients on package

Method:
Grease 9″x13″ pan, sprinkle nuts and coconut on bottom of pan.
Mix cake mix as directed on package and pour over nuts and coconut. Mix cream cheese, powdered sugar, butter, and vanilla. Spread over batter, sprinkle with chocolate chips. Bake at 350°F for 50 minutes or until done using toothpick test.

Ingredients:
Cake:
2 cups sugar
1-3/4 cups all purpose flour
3/4 cup regular cocoa or European-style cocoa
1-1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1-1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1 cup milk or substitute
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup boiling water

One-Bowl Butter Cream Frosting:
6 tablespoons butter or margarine, softened
2-2/3 cups powdered sugar
1/2 cup cocoa
1/3 cup milk or substitute
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Method:
Heat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour two 9″ round baking pans or one 13″x9″x2″ baking pan.
In a large mixing bowl, stir together sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add eggs, milk, oil, and vanilla; beat on medium speed of electric mixer for 2 minutes.
Remove from mixer; stir in boiling water (batter will be thin). Pour into prepared pans.
Bake 30 to 35 minutes for round pans, 35 to 40 minutes for rectangular pan or until wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes; remove from pans to wire racks.
Cool completely. (Cake may be left in rectangular pan if desired).

Make One-Bowl Butter cream Frosting:
In a small mixer bowl, beat butter. Add powdered sugar and cocoa alternately with milk; beat to spreading consistency (additional milk may be needed).
Blend in vanilla. Frost cake.