Poppy's Grapefruit Bread

If you are not a grapefruit eater, like myself, you might be inclined to pass on this recipe.  BUT DON'T!  Stop what you are doing, write down the needed ingredients, get in your car and head to the store now.  You won't regret it.  I promise.  I named this "Poppy's Grapefruit Bread" because I made it for my father (the boys call him "Poppy").  He loves grapefruit.  I never could stand the stuff - too sour.  I tried to drink the stuff for a diet once... lasted one day.  Yuck!  Just made me want chocolate all the more.  But it smelled so good as I was mixing the batter that I just had to give it a taste.  Oh, my.  And then I sliced into the finished product.  Oh my goodness, you have to try it, too.


Poppy's Grapefruit Bread

• 5 large eggs, room temperature
• 3 Tbl poppy seeds
• 2 Tbl grated grapefruit peel (I use a microplane.)
• 1/2 cup grapefruit juice
• 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 2/3 cup sugar, separated
• 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 2 cups cake flour, sifted
• 2 cups confectioner's sugar

At least one hour before assembling ingredients, set out eggs and butter to come to room temperature.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Coat a 5x9 loaf pan with baking spray.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, poppy seeds, grapefruit peel and vanilla.  In a small bowl, whisk together 1/3 cup sugar with 1/4 cup grapefruit juice until sugar dissolves.  Using an electric mixer, beat butter on medium until creamy, about 30 seconds.  Increase speed to high, gradually adding in remaining 1 1/3 cups of sugar  and the salt; beat for 3 to 5 minutes until light and fluffy.  Slowly add egg mixture and sugar mixture, 2 tablespoons at a time.  Decrease speed to low and mix in flour in 3 parts until just combined.  Scrape batter into prepared pan.  Bake for 60 to 70 minutes.  Let cool for 1 hour.  Meanwhile, whisk together confectioner's sugar and the remaining 1/4 cup grapefruit juice.  Drizzle over the top.  Slice.  Serve.  Mmmm.

Seriously, The Best Cake I Ever Made...

I'm no Trish McGath, owner of One Eleven Cakery, but this weekend I made the best stinkin (expression, not smelly) cake in the world.  Now my husband disagrees, slightly:  he thinks that my chocolate mousse cake is the best, but this one runs a very close second. 

I made it for my father-in-law's birthday.  He requested a chocolate cake with white icing.  I found the recipe for this one and it was titled "Chocolate Shadow Cake".  It requires three layer cakes according to the directions, but my layer cake recipe only provided two.  The frosting was very simple to make.  And you can't go wrong pouring chocolate over the top of anything.
I think in the future I'll go to the trouble of making an extra set of layer cakes just so I can have a larger piece.  And I won't be afraid to pile on ALL the frosting next time either.

Here are the recipes...

Chocolate Layer Cake

• 1/2 cup Hershey's natural cocoa powder
• 2 tsp instant espresso or instant coffee
• 1 cup boiling water
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 12 Tbs unsalted butter, softened
• 1 1/4 cups sugar
• 2 large eggs, room temperature
• 1 1/4 cups all purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Coat two 8 inch cake pans w/ Pam for baking.

Mix cocoa and instant coffee in small bowl; add boiling water and mix until smooth.  Cool to room temperature, then stir in vanilla.

Beat butter in mixer at medium-high speed until smooth and shiny, about 30 seconds.  Gradually sprinkle in sugar; beat until mixture is fluffy and almost white, 3 to 5 minutes.  Add eggs one at a time, beating 1 full minute after each addition.

Whisk flour, baking soda, and salt in medium bowl.  With mixer at lowest speed, add 1/3 of dry ingredients to batter followed with 1/3 cocoa mixture.  Mix until ingredients are mostly incorporated.  Repeat process two more times.  Scrape down sides of bowl, then beat until batter is shiny, about 15 seconds.

Divide batter evenly between pans.  Bake for 23 to 30 minutes.

Chocolate Shadow Cake

• 4 large egg whites
• 3 Tbs water
• 1 1/4 cups sugar
• 1 tsp cream of tartar
• Pinch of salt
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 3 (8 inch) chocolate cake rounds
• 4 oz bittersweet chocolate, chopped
• 4 Tbs unsalted butter
• 2 Tbs light corn syrup

Whisk egg whites, water, sugar, cream of tartar, and salt in large heat-resistant bowl set over medium saucepan filled with 1/2 inch of barely simmering water (don't let bowl touch water).   With hand-held mixer on medium-high speed, carefully beat egg white mixture to stiff peaks, 6 to 8 minutes.  Remove bowl from heat, add vanilla, and continue to beat until icing is very thick and stiff and cooled to room temperature, about 8 minutes.

Spread 1 cup icing on bottom cake layer.  Repeat with second cake layer and additional 1 cup icing.  Top with final cake layer and spread top and sides with remaining icing.

Place chocolate, butter, and corn syrup in large heat-resistant bowl set over medium sauce pan filled with 1/2 inch of barely simmering water (don't let bowl touch water).  Stir until melted and smooth, then remove bowl from heat and let cool 5 minutes.  Spoon 1/4 cup chocolate mixture over top of cake and then drizzle remaining glaze along top edge of cake, allowing it to drip about half-way down the sides.

"Revival" Brownies

I came across this recipe as I was getting ready to bake treats for the revival meeting.  It's original title was "Knock You Naked", but of course I can't go around calling them that.  So after being told by several tasters that one bite of these delicious brownies brought revival to their soul, I decided to call them "Revival" brownies, but my husband calls them turtle brownies.  Doesn't matter what you call them, they are delicious!

Chocolate Chip Scones

Here is a must-share recipe.  I stole this one from my mother-in-law.  They are fabulous, easy to make, and a real crowd pleaser.  I made them recently for our SS class breakfast and all the husbands were raving about them.  Plus, I just love to say "scone."  Makes me feel rich and British and named "Kate."  And when you tell people that you've made scones they are like, "Wow!  Really?"  So definitely make these!

Chocolate Mousse Cake

Chocolate Mousse Cake