Apple Walnut Cake

INGREDIENTS:
4 c apples, cored and chopped
2 c white sugar
3 eggs
1/2 c vegetable oil
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 c all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking soda
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp salt
1 c chopped walnuts

DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 350F (175C). Grease and flour a 10 inch Bundt pan. Combine apples and sugar. Make sure apples are measured exactly or cake will be too heavy and mushy. Let stand a few minutes.
In a large bowl, beat eggs slightly, then beat in oil and vanilla. Mix in flour, soda, cinnamon and salt. Stir in apple mixture and chopped walnuts. Pour batter into prepared pan.
Bake in the preheated oven for 60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Let cool in pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack and cool completely.

Vanilla Caramel Filling:

2 tbsp butter
3/4 c sugar
1 c cream
6 tbsp caramelized sugar
1 tsp vanilla

Directions:
melt butter, sugar and cream together until it threads.
Add caramelized sugar and vanilla.
Cool and fill on cake.

How to caramelize sugar:.
Melt sugar in a fry pan, stirring constantly, until a golden brown.
Add to mixture at once or it will harden.

OR:

1 c butter

2 c sugar

2 tbsp corn syrup

1 c whipping cream

Preparation:

Melt butter in a heavy 3-quart saucepan over medium heat. Add sugar and corn syrup, and cook, stirring constantly, 6 to 8 minutes or until mixture turns a deep caramel color. Gradually add cream, and cook, stirring constantly, 1 to 2 minutes or until smooth. Remove from heat, and let cool. Chill 2 hours or until thickened and spreading consistency.

Carrot Cake

3 c all-purpose flour
2 1/2 c sugar
1 tbsp baking soda
1 tbsp cinnamon
1 tsp salt
4 large eggs
1 1/2 c salad oil
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 c packed shredded carrots
2 c chopped walnuts
120 oz can crushed pineapple (w/juice)

Preheat oven to 350F. Grease and flour two 10-inch roundcake pans. In a large bowl with a spoon, mix flour, sugar,baking soda, cinnamon and salt. In a small bowl, with a fork, beat eggs slightly. Stir in saladoil and vanilla extract. Stir egg mixture, shredded carrots,walnuts and crushed pineapple into flour mixture just untilflour is moistened. Pour batter into pans. Bake 40-45 minutes until toothpickcomes out clean. Cool cake in pans on wire racks for10 minutes. Remove cake from pans; cool completely onracks. When cake is cool, frost with Creamy Cheese Frosting (below).

Creamy Cheese Frosting:
In large bowl, with mixer at medium speed, beat 12 oz packages of cream cheese (softened), 1/2 c butter (softened), 1 tbs.lemon juice and 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract until smooth.Gradually beat in 5 1/2 c confectioners' sugar until smooth.

Black Forest Cake

Ingredients:

For The Cake:

6 ounces bittersweet chocolate, cut into bits

6 tbsp unsalted butter

1 tsp vanilla extract

l/3 c water

6 large eggs, at rm temp

1 c granulated sugar

1 c cake flour

1/2 tsp salt

For The Filling:

2 lbs canned cherries, drained, reserving the juice

l/3 c granulated sugar

5 tsp cornstarch

2 tbsp cherry liqueur or brandy

For The Syrup:

1/2 c granulated sugar

1/2 c water

l/4 c cherry liqueur or brandy

For The Chocolate Whipped Cream Topping:

l pack (1/4 oz./7g) unflavored gelatin

3 tbsp cherry liqueur or brandy

3 c well-chilled heavy cream

3/4 c unsweetened cocoa powder

1/3 c confectioners' sugar, sifted

l tsp vanilla extract

For Garnish:

1-1/2 c chocolate shavings or chocolate curls

Maraschino cherries

Instructions:

To Make the Cake:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (180 C). Butter three 7-inch cake pans, line them with wax paper and butter and flour the paper. In the top of a double boiler set over simmering water melt the chocolate with the butter, vanilla and water, stirring until smooth. Remove the pan from heat. Into a bowl sift together the flour and salt. In a bowl with an electric mixer beat the eggs with the sugar for 5 to 10 minutes, or until batter ribbons when beaters are lifted. Fold flour mixture into egg mixture until just combined and fold in chocolate mixture gently but thoroughly. Pour batter into pans, smoothing the tops, and bake for 10 to 15 minutes, or until cake tester inserted in center comes out clean. Let cool in pans 5 minutes. Run knife around edge of pans and invert onto racks to cool completely.

To Make the Filling:

In a saucepan combine reserved cherry juice, sugar and cornstarch. Bring mixture to a boil over moderate heat, stirring, and simmer, stirring, for 1 to 2 minutes, or until thickened. Stir in cherries and kirsch, transfer to a bowl and let cool. Filling may be made 1 day in advance and kept covered and chilled.

To Make the Syrup:

In a saucepan combine the sugar and water, bring to a simmer, stirring, and simmer until sugar is dissolved. Remove pan from heat and stir in Kirsch. Let cool. To Make the Whipped Cream Topping: In small saucepan combine gelatin and Kirsch and let soften 5 minutes. Gently heat mixture over low heat, stirring, until liquid is clear. Remove from heat. In chilled bowl with chilled beaters beat cream until it holds soft peaks, add sugar, cocoa, and vanilla and beat until it holds stiff peaks. Add gelatin mixture in stream, beating, and beat until it holds stiff peaks.

Assembling the Cake:

Invert one layer of cake onto a cardboard round, brush with some of syrup and spread half cherry filling over it. Spread 1 1/2 cups of whipped cream over cherries, sprinkle with 1/4 cup chocolate shavings and invert second layer of genoise onto cake. Brush with syrup, spread with remaining cherry filling and top with 1 1/2 cups whipped cream, spreading it into an even layer. Sprinkle with 1/4 cup of chocolate shavings and invert third genoise layer onto cake. Brush top with syrup and spread remaining whipped cream over top and sides of cake reserving about 2/3 cup for garnish. Transfer remaining whipped cream to a pastry bag fitted with a large star tip, pipe rosettes decoratively around top and bottom edge of cake and top the rosettes (on top edges of cake) with glaceed cherries. Sprinkle top of cake with remaining chocolate shavings and let cake stand, covered and chilled, for at least 3 hours and up to 8 hours. Store cake in refrigerator.

Chocolate Mousse Cake

Here's two recipe I found in the web that i'll be trying soon for my sisters' birthday. Which one should I try?

CHOCOLATE MOUSSE CAKE

2 c sugar
1 3/4 c flour
3/4 c cocoa
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
2 eggs
1 c milk
1/2 c vegetable oil
2 tsp vanilla
1 c boiling water

Chocolate Mousse

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour 3 (8") round cake pans.
Mix dry ingredients in large mixing bowl. Add eggs, milk, oil, vanilla. Beat on medium speed 2 minutes. Remove from mixer, stir in boiling water (batter will be thin). Pour batter into prepared pans. Bake 30 to 35 minutes. Cool in pan 10 minutes. Remove to wire racks. Prepare chocolate mousse. Fill and frost layers. Refrigerate 1 hour. Also, any left overs.

CHOCOLATE MOUSSE:
1 1/2 tsp unflavored gelatin
3 tbsp cold water
1/4 c + 1 tbsp. boiling water
1 1/2 c sugar
3/4 c cocoa
3 c whipping cream
3 tsp vanilla

Sprinkle gelatin over cold water. Let stand 1 minute to soften. Add boiling water, stir until clear and completely dissolved.

In large mixing bowl mix sugar and cocoa; add whipping cream and vanilla. Beat at medium speed until stiff peaks form. Pour in gelatin mixture and beat until well blended. Refrigerate 30 minutes before frosting cake.

STABILIZED WHIPPED CREAM ICING

1 tsp unflavored gelatin
4 tsp cold water
1 c heavy whipping cream
1/4 c confectioners sugar
1/2 tsp clear vanilla extract
Almond extract, optional

Combine gelatin and cold water in small sauce pan. Let stand until thick. Place over low heat stirring constantly, just until gelatin dissolves.Remove from heat and cool; do not let set. Whip cream, sugar and vanilla until slightly thickened. While beating slowly, gradually add gelatin to whipped cream mixture. Whip at high speed until stiff.

For moist, crumbless cake: 1 heaping tablespoon Miracle Whip1 teaspoon, drop to release air bubbles. Cool completely. Now freeze your cake.When needed, remove from freezer and frost with above icing. You will have a more moist, crumbless cake with a not-so-sweet icing.

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CHOCOLATE MOUSSE CAKE

1 pkg. chocolate cake mix

MOUSSE TOPPING:
1 c. sugar
4 tbsp cornstarch
2 pkg unflavored gelatin
3 tbsp cocoa
3 c milk
4 c whipped topping
1 c miniature chocolate chips
1/2 c chopped nuts

Prepare cake mix according to directions on package. Bake and cool.

Prepare Mousse: Mix sugar, cornstarch, gelatin and cocoa. Stir in milk slowly until well mixed. Cook over medium heat until thickened and mixture comes to a full boil. Cool. When cold, beat well with mixer until fluffy.
Fold in whipped topping, then nuts and chips. Spread over cooled cake and refrigerate. Spread 2 cups whipped topping over mousse and garnish with more chopped nuts and small chocolate chips, if desired. (Or use chocolate curls.)