Grandma Syme's Chocolate Cake

Since tomorrow is Memorial Day and not all of us can make it to Moroni, I'm posting this recipe so you can bring a little Moroni, a little family history, to your own home.

I asked Mom if this was indeed a recipe Grandma Bardella made up or just one we associate with her. She didn't know. But Mom did write out the steps better which I hope I captured below.

Grandma Syme's Chocolate Cake

In a large bowl beat together with hand mixer
2 cups sugar
1 cup shortening or butter
4 eggs
1 tsp vanilla

In a separate bowl whisk together
1 cup flour
2 tsp soda
1 tsp salt
6 T cocoa

Add dry mixture to butter/sugar mixture and blend together.

Then add
1 cup buttermilk

Then add
1 1/2 cups flour
1 cup boiling water a little at a time

Beat until smooth. Batter is much runnier than a cake mix batter. Pour into greased 9x13 pan and bake at 350 for 40-45 minutes.

Chocolate Caramel Cake

Baking spray that contains flour can be used to grease and flour the pans. Both natural and Dutch-processed cocoa will work in this recipe. When taking the temperature of the caramel in steps 3 and 4, remove the pot from the heat and tilt the pan to one side. Use your thermometer to stir the caramel back and forth to equalize hot and cool spots and make sure you are getting an accurate reading.

Cake

1 1/2 cups (7.5 ounces) flour
3/4 cup (2.25 ounces) cocoa powder
1 1/2 cups (10 1/2 ounces) granulated sugar
1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda
3/4 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup vegetable oil
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Caramel Filling

1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
1/4 cup corn syrup
1/4 cup water
1 cup heavy cream
8 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 8 pieces
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 teaspoon salt

Frosting
16 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup powdered sugar
1/2 cup (1.5 ounces) cocoa powder
Pinch salt
1/2 cup light corn syrup
3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
6 ounces bittersweet chocolate, melted and cooled

INSTRUCTIONS

1. 1. FOR THE CAKE: Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 325 degrees. Grease two 9-inch round cake pans, line with parchment paper, grease parchment, and flour pans. Sift flour and cocoa into large bowl. Whisk in sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Whisk buttermilk, water, oil, eggs, and vanilla together in second bowl. Whisk buttermilk mixture into flour mixture until smooth batter forms. Divide batter evenly between prepared pans and smooth tops with rubber spatula.

   2. Bake until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, 22 to 28 minutes, switching and rotating pans halfway through baking. Let cakes cool in pans on wire rack for 15 minutes. Remove cakes from pans, discarding parchment, and let cool completely on rack, at least 2 hours.

   3. FOR THE CARAMEL FILLING: Lightly grease 8-inch square baking pan. Combine sugar, corn syrup, and water in medium saucepan. Bring to boil over medium-high heat and cook, without stirring, until mixture is amber colored, 8 to 10 minutes. Reduce heat to low and continue to cook, swirling saucepan occasionally, until dark amber, 2 to 5 minutes longer. (Caramel will register between 375 and 380 degrees.)

   4. Off heat, carefully stir in cream, butter, vanilla, and salt (mixture will bubble and steam). Return saucepan to medium heat and cook, stirring frequently, until smooth and caramel reaches 240 to 245 degrees, 3 to 5 minutes. Carefully transfer caramel to prepared pan and let cool until just warm to touch (100 to 105 degrees), 20 to 30 minutes.

   5. FOR THE FROSTING: Process butter, sugar, cocoa, and salt in food processor until smooth, about 30 seconds, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Add corn syrup and vanilla and process until just combined, 5 to 10 seconds. Scrape down sides of bowl, then add chocolate and pulse until smooth and creamy, 10 to 15 seconds. (Frosting can be made 3 hours in advance. For longer storage, cover and refrigerate frosting. Let stand at room temperature for 1 hour before using.)

   6. Using long serrated knife, score 1 horizontal line around sides of each cake layer; then, following scored lines, cut each layer into 2 even layers. 7. Using rubber spatula or large spoon, transfer 1/3 of caramel to center of 1 cake layer and use small offset spatula to spread over surface, leaving 1/2-inch border around edge. Repeat with remaining caramel and 2 of remaining cake layers. (Three of your cake layers should be topped with caramel.)

   8. Line edges of cake platter with 4 strips of parchment to keep platter clean. Place 1 caramel-covered cake layer on platter. Top with second caramel-covered layer. Repeat with third caramel-covered layer and top with final layer. Spread frosting evenly over sides and top of cake. Carefully remove parchment strips. Let cake stand for at least 1 hour. (Cake can be made 2 days in advance and refrigerated. Let stand at room temperature for at least 5 hours before serving.) Sprinkle with coarse sea salt, if using. Cut and serve.

From America's Test Kitchen

Moroni Funeral Brownies

That's not what these are called but that's the kind of brownie recipe I was looking for and these fit the bill.  Remember the last funeral in Sanpete County you went to? A large spread of desserts lovingly donated by the Moroni Relief Society? Somewhere among that table is a cookie sheet full of frosted brownies. These are those brownies.  They're originally Lunch Lady Brownies but that moniker conjures no fond memories as I never had brownies like this at school, only funerals. 

Anyway, enough about Moroni (oh the marinated turkey!)  It is an entirely different brownie experience eating these warm and gooey out of the oven than the next day completely set. Eat them both ways but set is the Moroni Brownie. Here's the recipe.

Moroni Funeral Brownies
Ingredients:
1 cup salted butter, melted
1/2 cup cocoa

2 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups sugar
4 eggs

4 teaspoons vanilla

1 cup chopped nuts (optional)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Using a mixer, blend melted butter and cocoa until smooth. Add flour and sugar; beat together. Mix in eggs and vanilla (and nuts if you are using them) and mix until combined (be sure not to over mix).
Pour batter into a greased 9x13" baking pan. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean
Let the brownies cool for about 10-20 minutes and then frost while still warm.

Frosting:
1/4 cup salted butter, softened
1/4 cup milk
1/4 cup cocoa
3 cups powdered sugar
dash of salt

Mix all ingredients together and frost as desired. 

Chocolate Melting Cake

This is something you can make when you're craving chocolate and eggs are on sale.  I half the recipe and just make 4 cakes.

1 3/4 c. chocolate chips

1 3/4 c. butter

9 large eggs

1/2 c. sugar

2/3 c. flour

Preheat oven to 400.

Melt chocolate chips and butter in the microwave or in a saucepan on the stove.

Mix half of eggs and sugar in large bowl.  Add flour.  Add remaining eggs and sugar.  Add chocolate/butter mixture. Mix well.

Pour into 8 greased and floured ramekins. (I bought mine at Walmart for like a dollar each.  Or you could use a muffin tin I guess.  Or any little oven safe bowls.)

Bake for 8-12 minutes or until cake is done on edges but still gooey in center.  Top with a large scoop of vanilla ice cream. You may need a glass of milk too.



Brownies

These are fantastic!

Ingredients

• 1 cup butter
• 2 cups white sugar
• 4 eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour a 9x13 inch pan.
2. In a large saucepan, melt butter. Remove from heat, and stir in sugar, eggs, and vanilla. Beat in cocoa, flour, salt, and baking powder. Spread batter into prepared pan.
3. Bake in preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes. Do not overcook.

Chocolate Eclair Bars

1 ½ sticks butter
1 ½ cups water
1 ½ cups flour
6 eggs, slightly beaten

In pan, combine butter and water. Bring to a boil. Remove from heat; add flour. Stir until it forms a ball. Add beaten eggs a little at a time. Stir until smooth. Spray large cookie sheet. Spread dough on sheet and bake at 400 for 25 minutes. Let cool completely.

Topping
8 oz cream cheese
3 tablespoons milk
2 pkg vanilla instant pudding
3 cups milk
8 oz cool whip
Mrs Richardson’s hot fudge topping

Mix cream cheese with 3 tablespoons milk Beat until smooth. In another bowl, beat pudding and 3 cups milk. Mix the cream cheese in and fold in the cool whip. Spread over the crust and drizzle hot fudge topping across the top.