I think in a previous post we had established I had entirely too much inventory in my faux baking center, so after I shook the cobwebs out of my head this morning I decided it would be a good day to bake. It was overcast and dreary, and I had not planned on going anywhere specific anyway, so I commenced baking. (I didn't mention I have kefir running out of my ears right now and needed to use it, so that was the biggest motivator for the baking frenzy)
I started looking for a recipe that firstly used kefir, and secondly would not be too decadent, which might be an oxymoron since any recipe touting kefir as in ingredient is going to be a healthier variation. I found this recipe for Chocolate Cake here and thought I would give it a try. I am writing the recipe with the changes I made and the taste test obviously used those changes.
Chocolate Cake
1 1/2 cup flour (I used 1/2 unbleached AP flour and 1/2 whole wheat pastry flour)
3/4 cup sugar (I used turbinado sugar)
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 cup oil (I used melted coconut oil)
1/4 cup unsweetened apple sauce
1 cup Kefir or buttermilk
1/2 cup orange juice
1 teaspoon orange extract
Preheat oven to 375F.
Butter an 8-inch cake springform pan and dust it with cocoa powder.
In a large bowl whisk together the dry ingredients
Add the remaining ingredients and beat until the batter is smooth and free of lumps. (Just for giggles I beat it with a wooden spoon and counted strokes. It took a little over 500 to get a smooth batter)
Pour the batter into the pan and bake for about 45 minutes. Use the toothpick test to check for doneness (Tooth pick inserted into the middle of the cake is crumb and goo free)
After the cake is cool make the glaze.
2 tablespoons cocoa powder
1/4 cup confectioners sugar
1/2 teaspoon orange extract
enough hot water to make heavy syrupy glaze (I used maybe 2 teaspoons)
Spoon the glaze over the top of the cake. After a few minutes it will "set" and be easy to cut.
Obviously this is not a traditional cake and it is anything but light. TheHub really did like it though. In fact, I served him a slice before I took the picture of it, and he was back for slice number 2 and couldn't wait for the photo. He wanted it right then. I tried a piece about the size and depth of a postage stamp just so I could describe the flavor. It was dense and a little gummy. I could taste the apple sauce, but I knew it was in there. TheHub did not notice it at all..
The cake itself is very attractive and it is said we eat first with our eyes. The chocolate/orange combo is very nice and flavorful, but I had an issue with the consistency. I am a tactile eater and even with the tiny bit I tried I didn't care for it. I will try this again using eggs rather than the applesauce, which should lighten it a little. So I guess I will give this a 3 out of 5 stars as it is and will update this another day.
I started looking for a recipe that firstly used kefir, and secondly would not be too decadent, which might be an oxymoron since any recipe touting kefir as in ingredient is going to be a healthier variation. I found this recipe for Chocolate Cake here and thought I would give it a try. I am writing the recipe with the changes I made and the taste test obviously used those changes.
1 1/2 cup flour (I used 1/2 unbleached AP flour and 1/2 whole wheat pastry flour)
3/4 cup sugar (I used turbinado sugar)
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 cup oil (I used melted coconut oil)
1/4 cup unsweetened apple sauce
1 cup Kefir or buttermilk
1/2 cup orange juice
1 teaspoon orange extract
Preheat oven to 375F.
Butter an 8-inch cake springform pan and dust it with cocoa powder.
In a large bowl whisk together the dry ingredients
Add the remaining ingredients and beat until the batter is smooth and free of lumps. (Just for giggles I beat it with a wooden spoon and counted strokes. It took a little over 500 to get a smooth batter)
Pour the batter into the pan and bake for about 45 minutes. Use the toothpick test to check for doneness (Tooth pick inserted into the middle of the cake is crumb and goo free)
After the cake is cool make the glaze.
2 tablespoons cocoa powder
1/4 cup confectioners sugar
1/2 teaspoon orange extract
enough hot water to make heavy syrupy glaze (I used maybe 2 teaspoons)
Spoon the glaze over the top of the cake. After a few minutes it will "set" and be easy to cut.
Obviously this is not a traditional cake and it is anything but light. TheHub really did like it though. In fact, I served him a slice before I took the picture of it, and he was back for slice number 2 and couldn't wait for the photo. He wanted it right then. I tried a piece about the size and depth of a postage stamp just so I could describe the flavor. It was dense and a little gummy. I could taste the apple sauce, but I knew it was in there. TheHub did not notice it at all..
The cake itself is very attractive and it is said we eat first with our eyes. The chocolate/orange combo is very nice and flavorful, but I had an issue with the consistency. I am a tactile eater and even with the tiny bit I tried I didn't care for it. I will try this again using eggs rather than the applesauce, which should lighten it a little. So I guess I will give this a 3 out of 5 stars as it is and will update this another day.
Looks yummy! I personally love dense chocolate cakes, although I'm usually on the fence about baked goods with applesauce for some reason.
ReplyDeleteI love dense chocolate also but this was gummy rather than fudgy. I will try again and use an egg or two and see what happens,
ReplyDeleteThat looks just wonderful. I love baking too but at the moment I'm freezing the stuff for when my family comes out in May. I doubt that that would freeze though - I'll have to have a go at it just before they come out. Anna
ReplyDeleteI think it would freeze without the glaze, but by this recipe I am not sure it would be worth freezing. I am going to monkey around with it to see if I can work out a dense cake with no gum mines.
DeleteI should plan some baking also. I took all of the various kinds of flour from my mother's house and it's just been sitting in the freezer. Time to use it up. But probably not today because the weather is supposed to be warm.
ReplyDeleteI am in the using process too. I need to critically use stuff rather than acquire right now.
DeleteChocolate cake is my favorite!
ReplyDeleteThat looks really yummy. I think I'd agree with your review as the gumminess would be a bit of a turn off. I also think orange and chocolate go together really well.
Anything chocolate is my favorite! This just wasn't my favorite chocolate cake but the chocolate and orange flavored worked very well.
DeleteThe cook/chef is always her/his worst critic. My husband and I have realized that over time as we both cook. It looks very tasty!
ReplyDeleteYou're probably right, but there was something that I was not overly fond of with this cake. I think a little recipe revamping is all it would take. It really is a pretty little cake.
DeleteIt certainly looks lovely. Maybe it needs to be eaten with a bit of ice cream or custard to mask the gumminess.
ReplyDeleteMaybe, but I am not going to be the one eating it. I love chocolate but it is not calling to me!
DeleteI love deep chocolate cake but I would eat the entire thing.
ReplyDeleteI do too normally but this one did not sing to me like chocolate usually does. In fact I am trying to decide if I freeze the remaining cake or just toss it.
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