Chocolate Chip Coffee Cake

Gâteau au Yaourt

***For step by step instructions with photos go here!

Gâteau au Yaourt
Recipe courtesy of Chocolate & Zucchini

2 eggs
250ml (1 cup) whole milk plain unsweetened yogurt (if you use two 125ml or 4oz tubs, you can use them to measure out the rest of the ingredients)
200g (1 cup) sugar (you can use an empty tub of yogurt and measure the equivalent of 2 yogurt tubs if you used the 125ml or 4oz kind)
80ml (1/3 cup) vegetable oil (or a bit less than 1 yogurt tub)
2 cups all-purpose flour (or 4 yogurt tubs)
1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon pure vanilla paste/extract

Preheat the oven to 180° C (350° F), line the bottom of a round 25-cm (10-inch) cake pan with parchment paper and grease the sides. In a large mixing-bowl, gently combine the yogurt, eggs, sugar, vanilla, oil, and rum. In another bowl, sift together the flour and baking powder. Add the flour mixture into the yogurt mixture, and blend together -- don't overwork the dough. Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan, and bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until the top is golden brown and a cake tester comes out clean. Let stand for ten minutes, and transfer onto a rack to cool.

 
French Yogurt Cake with Lemon

Recipe courtesy of Rose's Recipes

1 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
2 tsp. baking powder
pinch of salt
1 cup granulated sugar
2 tsp. grated lemon zest (from 1-2 lemons)
1/2 cup plain yogurt
3 large eggs
1/4 t vanilla (optional)
1/2 cup canola oil

For the glaze:
Juice from 2 lemons
1/4 cup powdered sugar

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease and flour a 9x2 round cake pan (or use a 8 1/2 x 4 1/2 loaf pan).
Whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt.
In another bowl, rub the zest into the sugar with your fingertips until the sugar is moist and fragrant.
Add the yogurt, eggs, and vanilla to the sugar and mix until well blended.
Add the dry ingredients, mixing until just combined.
Add the oil, and stir until smooth.
Bake for 30-35 minutes, until the cake is springy to the touch and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Cool cake on a rack for about 20 minutes; then turn it out of the pan to cool completely.
When the cake is cooled, combine the lemon juice and powdered sugar in a small bowl and spoon it gently over the cake. The glaze will be thin and will soak in like a syrup.

Notes: We enjoyed the lemon version and served it with real whipped cream - so delicious! Fresh berries would have been great also! In addition to the lemon glaze we dusted powdered sugar on top.

Chocolate Cheesecake

Another recipe Jay got from a co-worker.

2 lbs. (4 packages) cream cheese, softened

16 oz. sour cream

12 oz. semi-sweet chocolate chips, melted

9 oz. chocolate cookies (Oreos, teddy grahams and graham crackers work well)

1 stick butter, melted

4 eggs

1 cup sugar

1 tbsp. vanilla or almond extract


Crush chocolate cookies until sand-consistency. Add melted butter and mix together. Press into bottom of 10-inch spring form pan to form crust.

Whip together cream cheese and sugar until blended. Mix in eggs, sour cream and extract until blended. Add in melted chocolate, then continue mixing until thoroughly blended.

Pour mixture onto crust into spring form pan. Bake at 300 degrees for 1 hour 25 minutes. Let cool for about 1 hour at room temperature, then move into refrigerator for another 3-4 hours.

Honey Chocolate Cake

Photo: Lois Stogdill


Visited my sister in Tucson today and the cousins were having so much fun playing that she suggested we make a cake. This is the one we made, it looks like a lot of work but it really takes no time to put this cake together.

Peanut filling:
2 cups frozen whipped topping thawed, Cool whip
1/2 cup honey roasted peanuts, Emerald
1/4 cup dry instant vanilla pudding and pie filling, Jello-O
2 tablespoons honey, Sue Bee

Combine all ingredients, stir until well mixed, cover with plastic wrap and chill until ready to use.

Honey Chocolate cake:
1 package (18.25 ounce) butter recipe chocolate cake mix, Betty Crocker
1 cup low fat chocolate milk, Nesquick
1 stick (1/2 cup) butter, softened
3 eggs
1/4 cup honey, Sue Bee

Preheat oven to 350 spray two 8 inch round cake pans. In a large bowl or mixer combine all ingredients on low speed for 30 seconds then beat for 2 minutes on medium speed. Pour batter into prepared cake pans. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in centers comes out clean. Cool cakes for 10 minutes.

Honey chocolate icing:
1 package (10 ounce) dark chocolate chips, Nestle Chocolatier
1 cup whipping cream
1/2 cup honey, Sue Bee
fresh mint sprig (optional)

Place chocolate chips in medium bowl and set aside. In a small saucepan combine whipping cream and honey, cook over medium heat just until boiling. Pour cream mixture over chocolate chips, stir with rubber spatula until completely smooth. Cool to room temperature.