Easter is nearly here, and spring is in the air. We’ll see if Wisconsin decides to spring any more snowstorms on us, but for now here are two more sweet recipes as we move out of the Lenten season.
Chocolate brownie cake is my new favorite chocolate cake. I had some leftover yogurt that I needed to use up, so I surfed the internet looking for a baking recipe that used a good amount of yogurt. I stumbled upon this recipe.
This recipe uses 1 cup of yogurt, which makes this recipe handy when you have extra yogurt that needs to get used up before spoiling. The yogurt is what gives this cake its moistness. It also can cause the center of the cake to sink down while baking. This is not a problem, just make sure that the toothpick comes out clean to verify that it is completely baked.
This recipe calls for Dutch-processed cocoa to help ensure maximum moistness. When I made this cake, I didn’t have enough Dutch-processed cocoa, so I used about half Dutch-processed cocoa and half regular cocoa. It still turned out really moist, so use whichever cocoa you have. Just remember, that if you use only regular cocoa it may be slightly less moist.
I had some extra milk chocolate candy bars, so I used them for the chopped chocolate. I used about 3-4 oz. of chocolate for 1 cake. Chocolate chips will work too. I just like how this cake, while using up leftover yogurt, can also use up those leftover candy bars from the holidays.
Chocolate brownie cake is a very delectable dessert. It has the flavor of a brownie and the texture of a chocolate cake. It is moist and flavorful, and the chopped chocolate takes it to another level. This cake is delicious cold, but can be warmed up if desired.
Rugelach (pronounced roo-guh-laak, according to the Taste of Home) is a traditional Jewish pastry. I found the recipe in the newest Taste of Home magazine and decided to give it a try.
The dough was very easy to mix together, and I decided to add vanilla as a little something extra. It was not in the original recipe, so the vanilla can be omitted.
I ran into some problems when rolling out the dough and shaping the rugelach. It is very sticky, so you may need to stick it in the freezer for a few minutes if it becomes too unmanageable.
Rugelach is a very good little treat. It is rich and buttery and not overly sweet, making it perfect as a little snack or an accompaniment to a hot drink in the morning.
Happy Easter.
Francesca Ullmer, the second child of a large homeschooled family, is from the Krakow area. She enjoys baking, reading, knitting, raising goats, and entering numerous items in the Oconto County Fair.
CHOCOLATE BROWNIE CAKE
1 cup brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 cup plain whole milk yogurt
½ cup oil
1-2 tsp. vanilla extract
¾ tsp. salt
¾ cup unsweetened Dutch-processed cocoa powder
1 cup flour
1 tsp. baking powder
½ tsp. baking soda
½ cup chopped chocolate or chocolate chips, optional
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 8-inch square baking pan with cooking spray and line with a strip of parchment paper that hangs over two of the sides. In a large bowl, whisk the brown sugar and eggs until pale and foamy, about 1 minute. Add the yogurt, oil, vanilla, and salt. Whisk until smooth. Add the cocoa powder and whisk until smooth and incorporated. Add the flour, baking powder, and baking soda. Whisk until smooth. Fold in the chocolate. Pour batter into prepared pan — smooth top. Bake for 30-45 minutes or until toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cool in pan for about 15 minutes. Use the parchment paper to life cake out of pan to cool completely on wire rack.
RUGELACH
1 cup butter, softened
1 package (8 oz.) cream cheese, softened
2 cups flour
½ tsp. salt
½ tsp. vanilla extract
Filling
½-1 cup sugar
2 tbsp. cinnamon
½ cup butter, melted
½ cup finely chopped nuts
In a large bowl, beat the butter and cream cheese until smooth. Stir in vanilla. Combine flour and salt; gradually add to cream cheese mixture and mix well. Divide dough into fourths. Wrap each portion in plastic wrap and refrigerate 1 hour or until easy to handle. Roll out each portion between two sheets of waxed paper into a 12-inch circle. Remove top sheet of waxed paper. Combine sugar and cinnamon. Brush each circle with 1 tbsp. melted butter. Sprinkle each circle with approximately 3 tbsp. cinnamon sugar and 1-2 tbsp. chopped nuts. Using a pizza cutter or pastry wheel, slice dough circles into 8-12 wedges. Roll up wedges from the wide end; place pointed side down 2 inches apart on ungreased baking sheets. Curve ends slightly to form a crescent shape. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown. Place cookies on wire racks to cool. If desired, brush with remaining butter and sprinkle with remaining cinnamon sugar.
Golden brown rugelach are perfect for any time of the day. (Francesca Ullmer)
