One Bowl Chocolate Cake

This rich, moist cake was a hit at my son's birthday, and it only takes a few minutes to prepare the batter.  I frosted it with "Creamy Chocolate Frosting." It has a dense, rich consistency since it has a minimal amount of flour. My mouth may or may not be watering right now as I think about it. I will tell you that this cake didn't last long.

My baby ate every last crumb.  No wasting any of this good stuff!

Prep: 20 min

Cook: 30 min

Ready In: 1 hour

Ingredients:

2 cups white sugar

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

2 eggs

1 cup milk

1/2 cup vegetable oil

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 cup boiling water

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Grease and flour two nine inch round pans.

2.  In a large bowl, stir together the sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt.  Add the eggs, milk, oil and vanilla, mix for 2 minutes on medium speed of mixer.  Stir in the boiling water last.  Batter will be thin.  Pour evenly into the prepared pans.  

3.  Bake 30 to 35 minutes in the preheated oven, until the cake tests done with a toothpick.  To reduce dome shaped top, press down on top of cake with a dish towel to flatten.  This allows for more even stacking for the two layers, without the top one cracking.  Cool in the pans for 10 minutes, then remove to a wire rack to cool completely.  

*Recipe from allrecipes.com:  "One Bowl Chocolate Cake III"

Creamy Chocolate Frosting

This is my favorite home-made frosting.  It's smooth, creamy, and not too dark.  It will frost, but not fill, an 8 or 9 inch double layer cake.  I like to double it and put the remaining amount on graham crackers as an added bonus.  So to chocolate lovers everywhere: You've gotta' try this one!

Ingredients:
2 3/4 cups powdered sugar
6 Tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
6 Tablespoons butter
5 Tablespoons evaporated milk (or regular milk)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:
1.  In a medium bowl, sift together the powdered sugar and cocoa, and set aside.
2.  In a large bowl, cream butter until smooth, then gradually beat in the sugar mixture alternately with milk.  Blend in vanilla. Beat until light and fluffy.  If necessary, adjust consistency with more milk or sugar.

*Recipe from allrecipes.com.

Yams with Nutmeg Struesel

I love yams, and I've tried them prepared a lot of ways, but this is by far the most delicious.  It's always a hit. Sorry, there's no picture because it was consumed too quickly.

Ingredients:

3 pounds yams, untrimmed

1 1/4 cups flour

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 tsp kosher salt

1 stick butter, melted

1/3 cup sugar

Juice of one lemon

1 tsp kosher salt

1 tsp grated lemon zest

3 Tbsp. water

Directions:

1. Boil yams whole in salted water until tender when pierced, about 40 minutes. Drain and let cool. 

2. Mix together flour, sugar, salt and melted butter to make large crumbs. 

3. Peel and slice cooled, cooked yams in 1/2 inch slices. Layer in a buttered baking dish. 

4. Bring to a boil the remaining ingredients and pour over the yam slices.  Sprinkle with the streusel crumbs and bake at 400 degrees F for 30 minutes, until browned and bubbly.