Vanilla Cognac, White Chocolate & Double Chocolate Cakes

Baking By snarkybaker Updated 30 Jan 2009 , 3:52am by mcdonald

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snarkybaker Posted 21 Mar 2007 , 11:28pm
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After my scratch versus boxes post, I got so many requests for recipes that I decided to put them up for anyone who's interested. I have to admit, I am rather nervous since two of the three recipes might be considered a little fussy for a novice scratch baker, and I am a dreadful recipe writer.

White Chocolate cake:

6 oz. excellent quality white chocolate
5 oz. unsalted butter at room temperature
3/4 c. sugar
6 eggs, separated at room temperature
1/2 c. cake flour sifted, then measured
3 T. almond flour

Preheat oven to 300. Line 2 8x2 inch pans with parchment paper and butter. Melt chocolate and set aside. Cream butter with about 1/2 of the sugar until fluffy and nearly white in colour, about 2 minutes. Make sure to stop and scrape the bowl at least twice. Add egg yolks one at a time, mixing after each addition until yolk is well encorporated. When all of the eggs are added, continue to beat until the mixture is no longer grainy and the sugar is dissolved, about 3 minutes. Pour in the white chocolate, which should be cooled to no more than 95 degrees. Mix until smooth and glossy. Set Aside.

Blend the almond flour with the cake flour with a wisk in a small bowl. Fold into the eggs and chocolate mixture.

Beat the egg whites with the remaining sugar on medium high speed with a whisk attachment until soft peaks form . DO NOT OVER BEAT.

Fold egg whites into chocolate mixture using 1+3 method. ( Add one quarter of the egg whites initially to lighten chocolate batter, then fold in other 3/4 very gently) Do NOT OVERMIX

Spread evenly into two pans. Bake for approx. 30 minutes, but begin testing for doneness at 32.

This cake is delicious when moistened with a syrup of vanilla bean and Godiva white chocolate liquor or white creme de cocoa.

Vanilla Cognac Cake

This is such a great cake. For really stellar flavor I use Navan, which is a cognac infused with Madagascar vanilla. http://www.navanworld.com/navan.htm
It has almost the exact same amount of alcohol as vanilla extract, so while the 1/4c. in the recipe may seem like a lot, the alcohol bakes away and you're left with a simply awesome taste.


4 egg yolks
2/3 c.sour cream
2 T vanilla extract
1/4 c. Vanilla Cognac
2 c. cake flour ( sifted, then measured)
1 c. sugar
1/2 t. baking powder
1/2 t. baking soda
1/2 t. salt
6 oz. unsalted butter at room temperature

In a small bowl wisk, vanilla, cognac and 1/3 of the sour cream together.

In your mixer bowl, with the paddle attachment, place all of your dry ingredients, and mix briefly to combine. Add butter and the remaining sour cream, and mix on low speed until combined. Then adjust your mixer to medium speed and blend for about 2 minutes. Scrape down the sides, and add your egg yolf mixture in three batches, beating for 30 seconds and scraping the bowl after each addition.

Bake in a 9 inch springform pan lined with parchment at 300 for about 35 minutes. The cake should be flat ( no domed top) and just nder 2 inches tall.

Double Chocolate Cake

This recipe makes a lot of cake.

3 ounces fine-quality semisweet chocolate ( about 50% cocoa solids)

1 1/2 cups hot brewed coffee
3 cups sugar
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups unsweetened cocoa powder (not Dutch process)
2 teaspoons baking soda
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
3 large eggs
3/4 cup vegetable oil
1 1/2 cups well-shaken buttermilk
3/4 teaspoon vanilla

Preheat oven to 300°F. and grease pans. Line bottoms with rounds of wax paper and grease paper.

Finely chop chocolate and in a bowl combine with hot coffee. Let mixture stand, stirring occasionally, until chocolate is melted and mixture is smooth.

Into a large bowl sift together sugar, flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. In another large bowl with an electric mixer beat eggs until thickened slightly and lemon colored (about 3 minutes with a standing mixer or 5 minutes with a hand-held mixer). Slowly add oil, buttermilk, vanilla, and melted chocolate mixture to eggs, beating until combined well. Add sugar mixture and beat on medium speed until just combined well. Divide batter between pans and bake in middle of oven until a tester inserted in center comes out clean, 1 hour to 1 hour and 10 minutes.

Cool layers completely in pans on racks. Run a thin knife around edges of pans and invert layers onto racks. Carefully remove wax paper and cool layers completely. Cake layers may be made 1 day ahead and kept, wrapped well in plastic wrap, at room temperature.

86 replies
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JoJo40 Posted 22 Mar 2007 , 12:16am
post #2 of 87

Txkat, Do I grind almonds to make almond flour or is almond flour available some where? I will definitely try these recipes and let you know my thoughts. Thanks so much.

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jen1977 Posted 22 Mar 2007 , 1:25am
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Sound delicious!

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kendraanne Posted 22 Mar 2007 , 1:31am
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Thank you so much for the recipes!!! icon_biggrin.gif

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jackieaugusto Posted 22 Mar 2007 , 1:34am
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Thank you so much and I apologize if I started the feeding frenzy! When you mentioned cognac and cake you got my attention!! Thanks! jackie

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Annalisa Posted 22 Mar 2007 , 1:36am
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Thank you so much for posting the recepies. I really wanted them but was too embarresed to ask.

Anna

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PoodleDoodle Posted 22 Mar 2007 , 1:37am
post #7 of 87

I use the same Double Chocolate Cake recipe. You can't go wrong with it. I get so many compliment on this cake. It goes well with a ganache filling, chocolate raspberry creamcheese or just plain ole buttercream. I absolutely love it. As a matter of fact, I have 2 uniced cakes in my frig.

Thanks for the recipes and for doing the "taste test".

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Tomoore Posted 22 Mar 2007 , 1:46am
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Quote:
Originally Posted by JoJo40

Txkat, Do I grind almonds to make almond flour or is almond flour available some where? I will definitely try these recipes and let you know my thoughts. Thanks so much.




bump...i'm curious too!

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ckkerber Posted 22 Mar 2007 , 1:47am
post #9 of 87

Thank you! It's so awesome of you to share these.

I, too, have never heard of almond flour so if you could enlighten me I'd appreciate it!

Thanks again!

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c_spady Posted 22 Mar 2007 , 1:51am
post #10 of 87

Thank you for these... my brother in law is getting married next week, so I'm excited to try them!

Also curious about the almond flour...

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MelZ Posted 22 Mar 2007 , 1:53am
post #11 of 87

When I read your other thread I was going to ask for them too, but after what happened on the Spaghetti Cake Instruction thread, I figured you would get swamped with requests.

Thanks for posting them, I can't wait to try them. Guess its time to invite the family over again. lol

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mommytmk Posted 22 Mar 2007 , 1:54am
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Thanks so much for these. All sound soooo yummy!!!!

As for the Almond Flour - you can get it at some finer groccery stores, Whole Foods, Earth Fare and just about any health food store. It is a bit pricy - I paid $14.00 for l lb.

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loveqm Posted 22 Mar 2007 , 2:02am
post #13 of 87

thank you for sharing.... can't wait to try them...

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Narie Posted 22 Mar 2007 , 2:21am
post #14 of 87

Thank you, Txkat. That is very generous of you to share your trade secrets.

Two questions -In the white chocolate cake when do you start testing for doneness? "Bake for approx. 30 minutes, but begin testing for doneness at 32." That doesn't sound quite right.

The other question concerns the Vanilla Cognac Cake. The yolks are wisked with the vanilla, cognac and 1/3 of the sour cream, aren't they?

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neni Posted 22 Mar 2007 , 8:43am
post #15 of 87

Almond flour can be found at Trader Joe's if you have them in your area. I have also made my own by grinding almonds in the food processor, I have never had any problems with doing it this way.
Thank you Txkat for posting the recipes. I can't wait to try them! I love a good cake and the vanilla cognac sounds wonderful!

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idoweddingcookies Posted 22 Mar 2007 , 9:25am
post #16 of 87

glad to hear you can buy almond flour at Trader Joe's (love that place). I'm going to Folsom, CA in May and will have to pick some up. We don't have Trader Joes here in Canada.
Thanks for posting the receipes, they sound so yummy.

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FromScratch Posted 22 Mar 2007 , 2:06pm
post #17 of 87

Thank you for sharing your recipes.. I am going to be baking up a storm this weekend.. and gaining about 10 pounds.. icon_lol.gif

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cakesbyjess Posted 22 Mar 2007 , 2:52pm
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Thanks so much, txkat!!!! thumbs_up.gifthumbs_up.gif I can't wait to try these!!!!

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sharip35 Posted 22 Mar 2007 , 3:18pm
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Thank you for sharing your recipes, I can't wait to try them out.

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dailey Posted 22 Mar 2007 , 3:29pm
post #20 of 87

i'm going to try the chocolate cake tonight.

my basic chocolate cake is "fudge brownie" by scott wooley and if my customer wants a *really* dense, fudgey cake then i used toba garret's recipe. does anyone know the texture of the choc. cake recipe txkat posted? i'm looking for something that is not as dense as toba's.

and thanks txkat for posting the recipes...the vanilla cognac sounds wonderful.

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justsweet Posted 22 Mar 2007 , 3:40pm
post #21 of 87

thank you for sharing the recipes you use.

take care

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Cookie4 Posted 22 Mar 2007 , 3:41pm
post #22 of 87

Almond flour can be purchased from King Arthur Flours - here's the link:

http://www.kingarthurflour.com/shop/detail.jsp?id=3006

Also, many thanks for posting your recipes - collecting recipes is my passion next to cake decorating. Thanks again.

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Teekakes Posted 23 Mar 2007 , 12:59am
post #23 of 87

Thanks TxKat!! The Vanilla Cognac is first on my list for this weekend of baking. icon_smile.gif

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peacockplace Posted 2 Apr 2007 , 7:38pm
post #24 of 87

Going to try this soon!!! thumbs_up.gifthumbs_up.gif Thanks!

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Daniellemhv Posted 2 Apr 2007 , 7:59pm
post #25 of 87

thanks! they sound so good!

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jill27 Posted 1 May 2007 , 2:50pm
post #26 of 87

txkat,
i would love to try making the white chocolate cake but couldn't find the almond flour yesterday. i wonder if i could just used cake flour instead? would it make a huge difference in the end results? sounds so good : )

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gateaux Posted 1 May 2007 , 6:53pm
post #27 of 87
Quote:
Originally Posted by jill27

txkat,
i would love to try making the white chocolate cake but couldn't find the almond flour yesterday. i wonder if i could just used cake flour instead? would it make a huge difference in the end results? sounds so good : )




Yes there is a huge difference... almond flour is basically almond meal or really really finely crushed almonds. So the structure of the cake would not be the same.
You should be able to find almond flour in your "heathly or organic area " in the grocery store (whatever they call it these days).
I buy mine from different stores it's the Bob Red Mills brand. Just call your local grocers before going out there, they should be able to tell you if they carry it, instead of running about everywhere.

Good Luck.

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snarkybaker Posted 1 May 2007 , 6:55pm
post #28 of 87

Theoretically you could use cake flour, but because of the gluten in wheat flour that is not present in nut flour, the cake will be tougher and not quite as perfectly tender as the original recipe. I would say go ahead and give it a shot, but be especially careful not to overmix, since that is what activates the gluten.

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czyadgrl Posted 1 May 2007 , 7:09pm
post #29 of 87

thanks for posting these!

The cognac vanilla cake sounds delish!

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jill27 Posted 2 May 2007 , 5:18am
post #30 of 87

thanks so much to the both of you for answering my question!

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