13 May 2017- Feature Recipe Of The Week
This recipe is from the March 2016 posting of 'Just A Pinch' recipes. It was a Blue Ribbon Winner in the 2016 World Food Championship. The Garam Masala spice blend adds an incredible flavor to this absolutely delicious, moist cake. The original recipe was done as cupcakes, but here it is made as a cake. Either way you cook it - it is a wonderfully different chocolate experience. It makes for a truly special dessert with a big 'wow' factor - a great treat for any chocolate lover.
Ingredients:
Cake-
2 cups flour
2 cups granulated sugar
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa (powder)
1 cup boiling water
2 eggs (room temperature)
1 cup buttermilk
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup butter, softened
2 tsp Garam Masala, spice blend
Frosting-
1 cup butter, softened
1/3 cup Caramel sauce
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
Chocolate Icing:
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate bits
1 tsp heavy cream
Final Topping: 1/2 cup chopped salted almonds
Directions- For the cake: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. With cooking spray, spray sides and bottom of a 9 x 13 inch pan. In a medium bowl, mix together the flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. In a small bowl, combine the cocoa and water. Whisk until smooth and set aside. In a large bowl mix together until smooth the egg, buttermilk, vanilla and butter. Add the cocoa mixture to the egg mixture and combine. Add the dry ingredient mixture and then add the Garam Masala. Mix well until all is combined. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake in the preheated oven for about 30 minutes or until a knife inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Cool the cake completely before frosting. For the frosting: combine the butter, caramel sauce, salt and powdered sugar in a medium bowl. Mix until smooth, light and fluffy. Frost the cooled cake with this frosting. For the icing: melt the chocolate chips in the microwave (heat for increments of 30 seconds until melted). Add the cream and mix well. Drizzle the icing over the frosted cake. Top the cake with the chopped almonds.
