World Chocolate Day today

Happy World Chocolate Day. Yes. This picture is cocoa beans.
Celebrate by making a recipe from Tastes & Treasures II. How about Eddie Basha's Chocolate Cake page 179 or Terrie's All-American Brownies page 170?
Book available at Zak's Chocolates in Scottsdale or HistoricalLeague.org/SHOP or Amazon.com

Cathy Shumard and Jana Bommersbach

Cathy Shumard talked with Jana Bommersbach at the Women's Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony. Needless to say, Jana bought a book! It was exciting to hear that Jana is telling the story of Eddie Basha and his chocolate cake in her next book, due out in December. The recipe for this delicious cake is in Tastes & Treasures II.

Tasting Party Desserts

When we talk about Tasting Parties, the desserts are often left out of the conversation. Not so at Cathy Shumard's home June 30. This was a feast for the eyes, mouthwatering for the taste buds and yummy in the tummy. Enough of those silly sayings - the desserts were outstanding.  All these recipes have been assembled for Tastes & Treasures cookbook Volume II. Historymaker Eddie Basha's widow, Nadine, sent us his favorite Chocolate Cake. Bonnie Newhoff baked it to perfection! Historymaker Mark Wilmer's daughters sent us a decadent Raspberry Torte. Cathy Shumard did a fabulous job re-creating it. The buttery rich shortbread is from The Spicery in Our 1895 Home. A big Thank You to Jan Murray for baking it.

Leslie Christiansen and Cathy Shumard serve up desserts

Flourless Chocolate Cake with Black Beans

Canned pumpkin and black beans in a chocolate cake??? Try it and see how yummy it is. AND you can't taste the beans.
Tastes & Treasures cookbook also has several recipes for Chocolate Cake.

Flourless Chocolate Cake


Ingredients: 

One 15-oz. can black beans, drained and rinsed

1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder 

1/2 cup (about 4 large) egg whites 

1/3 cup unsweetened applesauce 

1/3 cup canned pure pumpkin 

1/4 cup Truvia spoonable calorie-free sweetener (or another no-calorie granulated sweetener 

1 1/2 tsp. baking powder 

1 tsp. vanilla extract 

1/4 tsp. salt 

3 tbsp. mini semi-sweet chocolate chips 


Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a 9" round cake pan with foil, and generously spray with nonstick spray. 


Place all ingredients except chocolate chips in a food processor. Puree until completely smooth and uniform. 

Fold in 1 tbsp. chocolate chips. 


Spread mixture into the baking pan, and smooth out the top. 

Evenly top with remaining 2 tbsp. chocolate chips, and lightly press into the batter. 


Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out mostly clean, 35 - 40 minutes. 

Let cool completely, about 1 hour. 

Refrigerate leftovers. (This cake tastes great chilled.) 


MAKES 8 SERVINGS
Thanks to Hungry Girl for recipe.

Flourless Candy Cane Chocolate Cake

Forget the cookies. This may be what Santa wants with his milk this year.

Santa would also like the Chocolate Icebox Cake on page 80 in Tastes & Treasures.

Flourless Candy Cane Chocolate Cake
Ingredients:
One 15-oz. can black beans, drained and rinsed 

1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder 

1/2 cup (about 4 large) egg whites 

1/3 cup unsweetened applesauce 

1/3 cup canned pure pumpkin
1/4 cup Truvia spoonable calorie-free sweetener (or another no-calorie granulated sweetener
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder 

1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/4 tsp. salt 

1/8 tsp. peppermint extract
1 tbsp. mini semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 full-sized candy cane (or 3 minis), crushed

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a 9" round cake pan with foil, and generously spray with nonstick spray. 


Place all ingredients except chocolate chips and candy canes in a food processor. Puree until completely smooth and uniform. 

Fold in chocolate chips.
Transfer mixture into the cake pan, and smooth out the top. 

Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out mostly clean, 35 - 40 minutes. 
Immediately sprinkle with crushed candy cane(s).

Let cool completely, about 1 hour. 

Refrigerate leftovers. (This cake tastes great chilled.) 

MAKES 8 SERVINGS

Thanks to Hungry Girl for the recipe.

Earthquake cake

With a name like this, who can resist? Chocolate, nuts, coconut . . . all in one moist, delicious cake. We also love Chocolate Icebox Cake from historic El Chorro Lodge found in Tastes & Treasures cookbook on page 80.

Earthquake Cake
Ingredients:
1 Cup Flaked Coconut
1 Cup chopped Pecans
1 Box German Chocolate Cake Mix
1 (8 oz.) package cream cheese
4 cups confectioners’ sugar
½ cup butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Chocolate Chips

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease the bottom and sides of one 9 x 13 inch baking pan.
2. Layer coconut and pecans in the bottom of pan.
3. Prepare cake mix according to package instructions and pour over pecans and coconut.
4. Combine cream cheese, butter or margarine, vanilla and confectioner’s sugar and beat until smooth. Pour over cake mix. Use a knife to "marble" the two layers.
5. Bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes or more - check it to make sure the bottom part is cooked with the toothpick test - so the toothpick does not have gooey cake on it from the bottom.
Sprinkle a handful of chocolate chips on top to the hot cake after you remove it from the oven.

Thanks to Hillbilly recipes

Mississippi Mud Cake

Tastes & Treasures Cookbook has amazing dessert recipes. This is another great chocolate dessert recipe.

MISSISSIPPI MUD CAKE

Ingredients:
1 cup butter, melted
2 cups sugar
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa
4 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups coarsely chopped pecans, toasted
1 (10.5-ounce) bag miniature marshmallows

Chocolate Frosting
Ingredients:
1 (16-ounce) package powdered sugar, sifted
1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup butter, softened
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa
Preparation
Beat all ingredients at medium speed with an electric mixer until smooth.

Directions:

Whisk together melted butter and next 5 ingredients in a large bowl. Stir in flour and chopped pecans. Pour batter into a greased and floured 15- x 10-inch jellyroll pan.
Bake at 350° for 20 to 25 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean.

Remove from oven; top warm cake evenly with marshmallows. Return to oven, and bake 5 minutes. Drizzle Chocolate Frosting over warm cake. Cool completely.

Receive from
Southern Living
JUNE 2004

Chocolate Version of Pumpkin Pie Cake

The following is Bonnie Newhoff's version -
"It is pretty much the same recipe but substituting two cans of cherry pie filling, the kind with the extra cherries, and using chocolate cake instead. I add a little almond extract to the cherry filling, a squeeze of lemon and a sprinkle of cinnamon to freshen it and then after the dry chocolate cake mix and butter, sprinkle chocolate chips over all instead of nuts. The baking time is the same."

PUMPKIN PIE CAKE
3 eggs
1 cup sugar
1 can (12 ounces) evaporated milk
1 can ( 30 ounces) pumpkin pie filling mix (must use flavored pie filling,
not pure pumpkin)
1 box (about 18 ounces) yellow cake mix
1 cup (2 sticks) melted butter
1 cup chopped pecans
Whipped cream for garnish

Heat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, whisk the eggs, sugar, evaporated milk and pumpkin pie filling mix. Pour into a greased 9 by 13 inch pan. Sprinkle dry cake mix over batter. Drizzle melted butter over cake mix. Cover with chopped pecans. Bake 60 to 70 minutes, being careful not to let pecans burn. Can cover with aluminum foil near end if pecans start to get too brown.
Cake may still move slightly in the middle when done (like pumpkin pie). It sets up as it cools. Cool completely. Cake is better if made the day before serving or at least in the morning if you plan to serve in the evening. Garnish with whipped cream, if desired.
Makes 8 servings.