A Southern Grace: facing the first frost

October 19, 2009

facing the first frost

Yum

There was frost covering my windshield every morning last week. The vile, bitter cold has officially arrived, and I'm not happy about it.


Aside from contributing to my misery, cold weather also triggers another reaction--a craving for hot chocolate. I have in my possession about five winters' worth of mixes, including interesting (and delicious) flavors like chocolate hazelnut and mint chocolate. The second I saw Peabody's post about a cake making use of hot chocolate mix, I set out to make a batch for myself.

Since I'd be taking these baked goodies to work, I chose to use my least favorite hot chocolate flavor in the cake. Any guesses as to which flavor I don't particularly like? If you guessed chocolate raspberry, you win! I usually like the combination, but that artificial raspberry flavoring is just downright nasty. I doubted my co-workers would mind--I'm seriously convinced they'll eat anything.



This was a groovy cake. The chocolate chips sank to the bottom (even though I floured them) and the marshmallows migrated to the top, forming a sticky, crusty shell. The cake itself was the teeniest bit dry and would certainly have benefited from Peabody's glaze, but since I wanted to make it eat-and-run-friendly, I skipped that part. If you ask me, this is the best possible use for raspberry-flavored hot chocolate mix--it seemed to make the faux flavor much more tolerable. Dare I say it? Tasty, even.

Hot Chocolate Cake (with a Hint of Not-Real Raspberry)
(based heavily on
this recipe)
1/2 cup butter or margarine, at room temperature
1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
2 eggs
1 egg yolk
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup hot chocolate mix
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 cup mini marshmallows

Preheat oven to 350F. Spray a pan of mini-loaf molds.
In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the eggs and egg yolk one at a time, beating between each addition.
In a small bowl, sift together the hot chocolate mix, flour, salt, and baking powder. In another small bowl, mix together the buttermilk and vanilla.
Blend half of the dry ingredients into the creamed mixture. Add the buttermilk mixture and beat. Mix in the rest of the dry ingredients until just combined. Coat the chocolate chips and marshmallows with flour and fold into the batter.
Divide the batter evenly among the molds. Bake for 45-50 minutes, or until a cake tester comes out clean.

63 comments:

Julia said...

I have the same trouble --- getting the mix-ins to stay mixed in. But it sounds like (and looks like) it turned out better for the crispy top! Looks yummy to me....

Lisa-Marie said...

Hi Grace! Do you think if I use good quality instant hot chocolate it will work?

Lorraine @ Not Quite Nigella said...

OH isn't that annoying when the bits sink to the bottom. But the good part is eating the bottom which is chock full of bits! :P

Palidor said...

Oooh, what a great idea to use hot chocolate mix for baking!

Lindsey@pickyeatings said...

We had snow last night. This girl is not so happy about that. And I have been consuming hot cocoa and mulled cider in large proportions lately as well.

shaz said...

I dare say there's a hot chocolate mix floating around in the back of my pantry that would benefit from this treatment. The top of your cake looks sooo good, I'd peel it off and eat it first ;p

lisa is cooking said...

I like that the marshmallows floated to the top, and I really like the idea of hot chocolate in a cake. Sounds fantastic!

Kathy Walker said...

Interesting idea to use hot chocolate mix...I do have some tucked away for our first cold day.

Rosa's Yummy Yums said...

That cake looks so scrumptious! Here, we've already had frost...

Cheers,

Rosa

kat said...

Oh I know those not so great hot chocolate mixes you speak of. This seems like a great use for them

Jennifer said...

Wow another person who cant stand the chocolate/raspberry combo! I thought I was the only one in the universe!

oneordinaryday said...

You're so funny. I'm sure it was tasty, artificial raspberry flavoring and all!

Half Baked said...

Great idea. I like that the marshmallow floated up to the top just like hot chocolate:)

ali @ gimme some oven said...

LOVE this idea! i'm totally giving it a try. :)

Ingrid_3Bs said...

I hate when the mix-ins sink despite following all the suggestions for them not to and LOVE when the marshmallows float to the top and get toasty melty good!
~ingrid

Paula said...

Hot. Chocolate. Cake!!! With Marshmallows? My children will worship you as a goddess. Man, you take the best up close photos, ever, too!

Maria said...

I am not excited for winter, but I do love this cake!

Dolce said...

I find that in these types of cakes, I only fold half of the chocolate chips (or blueberries for eg.) and sprinkle the batter with the rest, so not everything is sinking to the bottom :)

That being said, it's freezing in NY right now and I could use a hot chocolate cake!

La Bella Cooks said...

Oooh, I love cold weather! I hate it when the chocolate chips sink anyway, but that never keeps me from indulging!

Barbara said...

Well, we finally got a taste of your cold weather. It was 50° last night and didn't get out of the 60's yesterday. Loving this!!!! Now by tomorrow it will be back in the 80's. I'm fine with that as long as we are through with the 90's and humidity until next summer.
Those are delectable photos, Grace! You take such great close-ups! I kind of like it when things rise to the top and get gooey/crunchy. Ditto chips at the bottom. Must be fun to scrape the empty pan!

Jessica@Foodmayhem said...

Haha...this reminds me of my brother and his gf. I was about to throw out a failed experiment and they took it and ate all of it in one sitting. I guess all food bloggers need a couple of "those" friends and family.

Melanie said...

Ha - I love the "not-real raspberry" description. I also love hot chocolate. Love, love it. And dare I say, I actually enjoy the chocolate raspberry kind. Although this cake does look like a worthy place for it as well.

Leslie said...

I hate when stuff sinks to the bottom!!
And I know the FAKE raspberry flavor your are talking about....YUCK

George Gaston said...

Grace... Down South we had a light frost this morning, also. So, that means pulling on some socks; which I hate to do and then fixing a huge cup of piping hot coco. I know that a slice of this wonderful sounding cake would taste might good with it & warm the soul. Thanks, I'll give it a try.

Pam said...

I am not a fan of raspberry hot chocolate either...I like my plain and simple.

The cake does indeed look tasty.

Donna-FFW said...

Like the idea of hot chocolate mix in the cake. It certainly looks tasty and moist, surprised it was a tad dry. I so love the sound of this though, I want to try it.

Katie said...

Way to go. I don't like any flavored Hot Chocolate, Just give me plain regular old Chocolate unless we are talking Mexican Hot Chocolate with Abuelita, then that is a different story.

The Blonde Duck said...

I'm sure all your delights are so good that no one could resist!

vanillasugarblog said...

girl now listen, don't hate me, I hate hot chocolate. BUT I would use it in a cake, so there. Don't get me wrong I am a true chocoholic, but just hate drinking hot cocoa. But I remember Peabody's post and wanted to tr it. I love the crust though.

Juliana said...

I never had flavored hot chocolate, interesting that you use the mix to bake cake...it is new to me:-) I think I would like since I like the combination of chocolate and raspberries :-)

Anonymous said...

Looks so yummy! Perfect for a cold rainy day.

Mimi said...

That is probably the best use for hot chocolate mix. Your cake looks very tasty, perfect for the after school crowd around here.
Mimi

eatme_delicious said...

Mmmmmmm I would not at all mind that sticky crusty shell caused by the marshmallows! This looks delicious.

Susie said...

Marshmallows in a cake.....yum! Now I really need to go get some cake for my afternoon break!

♥peachkins♥ said...

yummy!

maybelle's mom said...

i keep wondering about this cake since I first read about it. tempted even more now to make it.

noble pig said...

How yummy is this...but I love the cold...embrace it!!! Easy for me to say huh?

Albany Jane said...

How creative are you?!

I also detest chocolate + fruit pairings, especially in situations like this, where the 'fruit' is questionable.

Cookie baker Lynn said...

I bought some hot cocoa with raspberry flavor one time. Euwww. It was so bad. I'm glad you found a way to redeem it.

Anonymous said...

Great idea to put a hot chocolate mix to a good use and make a cake!

When you get a chance to have a filet mignon definitely have it with some kind of cream sauce. But be careful, once you taste a filet you may not want to come back to any other cuts - like us, we are so super spoiled :)

Mansi said...

Just got here from Lorraine's blog. nice idea to use choco mix there:) I came over to invite you for my sweet celebration contest running on my blog.

it'd be great if you could participate!

Marjie said...

Just what you need on a frosty morning. Be thankful we didn't suffer snow.

Robin said...

Now that's using your noggin'. Get rid of the yucky stuff and turn it into something yummy!

Unknown said...

You gotta love those co-worker guinea pigs!!! Makes it so much more fun to make those not so thigh friendly recipes..hee hee. Your cake sounds wonderful...especially the floating marshmallows LOL

Rebeca said...

how fab! it's just soooo full of deliciousness!

that's my least fave hot choco flavor too :)

Jacque said...

LOL, that's right, save the least favorite ingredients for the co-workers! Yea, something about an office makes food taste extra good... maybe it's the thought of something to break up the routine. Something different... anything to avoid work! (laughing) Your cake does look good and I'll bet it tasted darned good (for real) too :)

Jaime said...

yum... this looks delicious. my coworkers will eat anything too :)

MaryBeth said...

I say wow... Grace this looks wonderful my friend

LilSis said...

My family would have been so happy if I would have made something like this when we lived in the bitter cold Upstate NY. It looks yummy!

Lori said...

Looks like ooey, gooey, sticky, chewy yumminess! I haven't been tp Peabody's site in like, forever, so thank you for the link.

Cate O'Malley said...

I hate when the chips sink to the bottom too, but hey, as long as it tastes good going down, right? Looks like a great sweet treat on the go.

Foodie with Little Thyme! said...

Love it! What a great way to use hot chocolate!

Gloria Baker said...

This look amazing Grace! and delicious! xx gloria

La Cuisine d'Helene said...

Can I be your neighbor? You always have amazing desserts.

Lyndas recipe box said...

Yum, I love hot chocolate, marshmallows and chocolate chips; together in a cake sounds good to me...you have such amazing ideas!

Jillian said...

I love the idea of the marshmallows in this! Yum!

Jeanne said...

Mmmm. And I love recipes that use up unloved store cupboard inhabitants!!

Vera said...

I love these "fluffy innards"!

Sophie said...

I don't think I've ever had raspberry hot chocolate, but cool way to use it! Of course your co-workers would like this, so many yummy layers.

Unknown said...

I send everything to work with my mum and dad even the bad things and its gone in about 10 minutes. People are desperate I geuss. But this looks good, I have never tried different flavorerd hot cocoas.

Teanna said...

Oh WOW! Hot chocolate cake! That is the coolest dessert ever! Gorgeous job! I like how you described the marshmallows rising to the top to form that crust!

Peter M said...

Ever moist cake ala Grace!

kellypea said...

A hot chocolate cake? I'm so outtatheloop on this snarf it all down right out of the oven cake thang. Very cool idea.