Ghost Chocolate Cake for Halloween

INGREDIENTS

For the ghosts
2 egg whites
1/2 cup granulated sugar
Pinch of salt

For the cake
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 3/4 dark brown sugar
1/2 dark cocoa powder (I use Cacao Barry Extra Brute)
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2/3 buttermilk 
1/2 cup brewed coffee or espresso
1/2 sunflower oil
2 eggs room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Chocolate frosting

2 egg whites
1/2 cup granulated sugar ( I use light brown sugar)

1/2 cup + 2 tablespoon dark chocolate 70% cocoa, coarsely chopped

1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature

Dark chocolate glaze
1/2 cup dark chocolate (70%)
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
Pinch of salt

DIRECTIONS

To make the ghosts

Preheat oven to 230ºF (110ºC). Whip the eggs white and the pinch of salt in a bowl until stiff peaks form. Whisk in sugar and keep whisking for a couple of mins until the mixture is thick and resembles shaving foam. Put mixture into piping bag, cut a 1.5cm hole. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Squeeze a small circle of whipped egg white, pulling upwards to make a ghost shape. You should get about 20 ghosts. Bake for 1 1/2 hours until crisp. 

To make the cake

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees (180ºC). Grease three 6-inch (15cm) sandwich cake pans with non-stick baking spray.

In a small bowl combine the cocoa powder and brewed coffee until smooth. Set aside.

In a medium bowl, sift the flour, baking soda and salt, mixing well until incorporated. Stir in sugar until combined. 

In a large bowl whisk the eggs, buttermilk, sunflower oil, coffee mixture and vanilla extract until combined, then fold with a rubber spatula the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until smooth.

Divide the batter evenly between the 3 prepared pans (I always use a medium size scoop spoon to divide equal the batter into the pans). 

Bake for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean. Let to cool for about 5 minutes in the pans before turning out onto a wire rack to cool completely.

To make the chocolate frosting

Melt the chocolate in a bowl over a saucepan of simmering water. Remove from heat and set aside.

Combine the sugar, egg whites, and salt a bowl. Set bowl over a saucepan filled with 1-inch of gently simmering water. Whisking gently and constantly, heat mixture until sugar is dissolved and mixture is slightly thickened and foamy and registers 150°F (60ºC) on a candy thermometer or a digital thermometer, about 3 minutes.

Retire the bowl from the heat and whisk with a hand mixer on medium speed until slightly cooled and thickened, about 2 minutes. Add the butter, 1 piece at a time, until smooth and creamy. Add the melted chocolate until combined. Increase speed to medium-high and beat until light, fluffy, and well combined, about 30 seconds, scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary.

To make the chocolate glaze

Coarsely chop the dark chocolate and place it in a saucepan together with butter, over low heat. Stir often until everything is melted. Add a pinch of salt. Let cool to room temperature (but make sure it doesn’t thicken too much, it should still be liquid).

DECORATION

Paint ghosts' eyes with chocolate glazed with a toothpick or skewer.

Fill a piping bag with the chocolate frosting whit a round nozzle. Put some frosting on the plate to avoid the cake turn it out.

 

Place the first cake layer on a plate, then pipe or a layer of frosting on top. Don’t pipe or spread all the way out to the edge as the weight of the cake will make it spread.

Place the second layer on top of the first layer. Pipe a layer of frosting on top. Put the third layer on top. If it is necessary put the cake in the fridge for a few minutes to stabilize.

Pour the glaze over the cake and quickly spread it over the edges of the cake to make it run down the sides.

Put some gosht on top.

Happy halloween!

Recipe inspired from Kanela y Limón, Tarta fantasma de chocolate

Enjoy!!

Blood Orange Upside down Cake

Blood orange means to me love at the first time. I think you will not regret to make this delicious cake.

Serve 8

INGREDIENTS

100g unsalted butter at room temperature, plus extra for the pan
3 tablespoon (24g) Demerara sugar
50ml (3 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon) greek yogurt
2 Blood oranges, washed, cut thinly and deseeds
2 eggs 
2/3 cup (90g) raw cane sugar  
1 teaspoon (5ml) vanilla bean paste
1 cup (130g) all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon (4g) baking powder
1/4 teaspoon (2g) salt
Zest from 1 Blood orange

DIRECTIONS

Place the rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350 F (175ºC). Wash and slice 2 blood oranges thinly. Remove any seeds. Set aside

Set up the spring form pan.

Generously, butter a 23-24 cm (9-9.5-inch) springform pan. 

Sprinkle the Demerara sugar all over the pan. 

Put the orange slices at the bottom of the pan in one single layer.

Melt the butter in a saucepan over the heat or in a microwave for a few seconds. Combine the melted butter and Greek yogurt. Let to cool.

In a separate bowl sift together the flour, baking powder and salt, mixing well all the ingredients until incorporated. Set aside.

In a large bowl, with an electric mixer whisk the sugar, vanilla bean paste and blood orange zest, until combined.

Then, in a medium speed, whisk in the eggs until combined. For about 2 to 3 minutes.

Reduce speed to low, stir in the flour mixture until incorporated. I recommend you not to over mix in order to have good result.

Finally, turn the electric mixer off, add the Greek yogurt mixture over the batter and fold with a rubber spatula until just combined.

Pour batter into the prepare pan and smooth the top. 

Bake for around 32-36 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Let cool for 5 minutes before inverting the cake onto a plate to cool. 

You can serve it warm or cool. For a delicious treat you can serve it with and vanilla ice cream ball.

This delicious recipe was adapted from Linda Lomelino, Blood orange upside down cake 

Enjoy!!

Lemon Loaf Cake

INGREDIENTS

1 3/4 cups (225g) all-purpose flour
1 1/4 teaspoon (5g) baking powder
1/8 teaspoon (1g) salt
1 1/4 cups (160g) raw cane sugar*
Zest from 3 lemons
4 large eggs at room temperature
1/2 cup (125ml) Greek or plain yogurt 
1/3 cup (80ml) unsalted butter, melted

*I made this cake with raw cane sugar but I think this kind of sugar has a strong molasses taste so another time I will make it mixing two types of sugar (white granulated and raw cane sugar).

DIRECTIONS

Place the rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 325 F (160ºC).

Grease a 8x4 inch loaf pan with a non-stick spray and cover with parchment paper. This way your cake comes out easily.

In a separate bowl sift together the flour and baking powder, mixing well all the ingredients until incorporated. set aside.

In another bowl whisk the sugar and lemon zest until combined. Set aside

In a medium bowl, lightly whisk the eggs and salt just until combined.

Add the sugar mixture into the beaten eggs and whisk all the ingredients just until combined.

Next, stir is the Greek yogurt.

Again, sift the flour mixture over the wet ingredients and whisk until incorporated. I recommend you not to over mix in order to have good result.

Finally, add the melted butter over the batter and whisk until just combined.

Pour batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Chill for at least two hours before baking.

Get the chilled pan from the fridge and bake for around 65-70 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Let cool in a cooling rack before removing from pan.

This delicious recipe was inspired from Conelchef, Cake de limón

Enjoy!!

Pecan Walnut & Chocolate Chip Loaf Cake

INGREDIENTS

1/2 cup (120ml) unsalted butter
1/3 cup pecans
1/3 cup walnuts
1 1/2 cups (190g) all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon (4g) baking powder
1/8 teaspoon (1g) salt
3/4 cups (150g) demerara sugar*
3 large eggs at room temperature
1 teaspoon (5ml) vanilla bean paste (optional)
1/2 cup chocolate finely chopped or chocolate chips 

*I made this cake with Demerara sugar but you can make it with light brown sugar or white granulated sugar as well.

DIRECTIONS

Place the rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350 F (180ºC). Melt the butter into a loaf cake pan (8x4 inch) over low heat.

When the butter is melted retire from heat. Grease all over the pan with a rubber brush, set aside to cool.

Toaste the walnuts and pecans in a skillet or saucepan over medium heat, about 4 to 5 minutes.

Let walnut and pecans cool for a few minutes, transfer the nuts to a wooden board and  finely chop them as much as you want.

In a separate bowl sift together the flour, baking powder and salt, mixing well all the ingredients until incorporated. Set aside.

In another bowl with an electric mixer or by hand whisk the sugar and vanilla, add the eggs one at a time, beating well until each additions, about 2 minutes each.

Reduce speed to low, stir in the flour mixture in two additions until incorporated. Then, stir in the melted butter until combine.

Cut the chocolate or chocolate chips in small pieces.

Fold the chocolate chopped and nuts with a rubber spatula, until incorporated.

Pour batter into prepared pan and smooth the top. 

Bake about 15 minutes to 350º F (180ºC), then reduce heat to 325ºF (160ºC about 45-50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cool in a cooling rack before removing from pan.

This delicious recipe was adapted from Plum cake de avellana y chocolate, El Comidista

Enjoy!!