Rich Chocolate Cake

I'm on a chocolate kick tonight...this is one of my Nana's recipe's and is great for those chocolate addicts (it even has a bit of a caffeine kick!).

Ingredients

• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 1 3/4 cup all purpose flour
• 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa
• 2 tsp. baking soda
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 1 tsp. salt
• 2 large eggs
• 1 cup very strong black coffee
• 1 cup buttermilk or sour milk (I have used regular whole milk and it tasted just fine)
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour a 13"x9"x2" glass baking pan.
2. Combine dry ingredients in a large bowl.
3. Add the remaining ingredients and beat with an electric mixer at medium speed for about 2 minutes or until fully combined.
4. Pour into the pan and bake in a preheated oven until a knife inserted in the middle of the cake comes out clean, about 35-40 minutes.

Trust me, you don't need icing with this one! But you might need a glass of milk.

Chocolate Souffles

Sorry, no pictures right now folks. I will post one as soon as I make these again (maybe this weekend...)

Ingredients

• 7 ounces finely chopped bittersweet or semisweet chocolate
• 1tsp cinnamon
• 4 tbsp unsalted butter, plus additional for preparing the molds, room temperature
• 1 1/2 tsp high quality vanilla extract
• 3 large egg yolks
• 3 tbsp warm water
• 1/2 cup sugar, plus 2 tbsp for preparing molds
• 8 large egg whites, room temperature
• 1/2 tsp fresh lemon juice
• Confectioners' (powdered) sugar for garnish

Directions

1. Brush 6 (6-ounce) ramekins with soft butter, then coat with sugar. Put the prepared ramekins in the freezer. (You can do this the day before.)
2. Set an over rack on one of the lowest racks in your oven and preheat to 400 degrees F.
3. Put the chocolate and butter in a medium heatproof bowl. Bring a saucepan filled with an inch or so of water to a very slow simmer; set the bowl over, but not touching, the water. Stir the chocolate occasionally until melted and smooth. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla extract and cinnamon. Set aside.
4. Combine the egg yolks and warm water in the bowl of a standing mixer or large bowl and beat until frothy. Gradually add 2 tbsp sugar, and continue beating until ribbons form, about 5 minutes.
5. Very lightly fold the yolks into the chocolate mixture.
6. Remove prepared ramekins from freezer.
7. Put the egg whites in the bowl of a standing mixer, or large non-reactive bowl, add the lemon juice. Beat on medium until frothy; then gradually add the remaining 1/2 cup of sugar and increase speed to high. Beat until the whites hold a stiff but not dry peak.
8. In a deep baking pan (like what you would cook a turkey in), fill it with 1/2"-1" warm water. Set aside.
9. Quickly, fold about a third of the egg whites into the chocolate to lighten; then fold in remaining whites until blended. Gently spoon the souffle mixture into the ramekins, leveling off the surface with a straight edge and scraping any excess mixture off the sides.
10. Place ramekins into the water bath and immediately bake until the souffle rises about 1 1/2 inches from the ramekins, and the tops are touched with brown, about 18 to 20 minutes. Remove from oven, dust with confectioners' sugar and serve immediately.

These are best if served straight out of the oven!