Easy Chocolate Bundt Cake with Raspberry Sauce

Easy Chocolate Bundt Cake

with Raspberry Sauce

1  8-oz. pkg  Cream Cheese, softened

1  Cup  Sour Cream

1/2 Cup  Warm Water and 1 teaspoon Instant Coffee, mixed well

2  Eggs

1  15-16 oz.  Chocolate Cake Mix -any kind

1 pkg (4-serving size)  instant Chocolate Pudding (yes, even if the cake mix has pudding in it)

1  Cup  Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips

Mix Cream Cheese, Sour Cream, Coffee Mixture, and Eggs in mixer on medium speed until well blended.  Add Chocolate Cake mix  and Pudding mix gradually, beating after each addition.  Fold in Chocolate Chips--batter will be very stiff.  Pour into well-greased Bundt pan; bake at 325* for 1 hour, or until tester comes out clean.  Cool upside down on cooling rack; invert onto serving plate.  Sprinkle with Powdered Sugar; slice and drizzle with Raspberry Sauce.  Serves 16-18.  Freezes very well!

Raspberry Sauce:

2  (10-oz)  bags  Frozen Raspberries, thawed and undrained

1  Tablespoon  Cornstarch

1/2  Cup  Sugar

Combine all ingredients in blender; bend until well mixed.  Drizzle over Chocolate Cake.

We served this rich, moist cake at our Secret Sister Luncheon last week.  The Raspberry Sauce is a fresh, vibrant red which looks beautiful on the cake.  Because it is not cooked it stands out especially well against the dark cake.  We put a squirt of Whipped Cream and three fresh raspberries on each slice as garnish.  The cake recipe comes the Southern' Fixin's cookbook, page 336, and the Raspberry Sauce is from the Far Above Rubies cookbook, page 261.

"For Thou wilt light my candle;

the Lord, my God,

will lighten my darkness.

For by Thee I have run through a troop;

and by my God have I leaped over a wall.

As for God, His way is perfect;

the word of the Lord is proved;

He is a shield to all those who trust in Him."

Psalm 18:28-30  

Mocha Sweet Rolls

Mocha Sweet Rolls

2  packages  Dry Yeast
2-1/2 Cups Warm Coffee
3/4 Cup Butter, melted
3/4 Cup Sugar

2-1/2 teaspoons Salt

2 Eggs, well beaten

8 to 8-1/2 Cups Flour

Melted Butter, about 1/4- to 1/3 cup

Instant Hot Cocoa mix (I used Nestle brand)

Mocha Buttercream Frosting:

1-1/2 Cups Butter, softened

4 Cups Powdered Sugar

2 Tablespoons Instant Coffee, dissolved in

2 Tablespoons Milk

1 teaspoon Vanilla 

In a large mixing bowl, combine the Yeast, Coffee, Butter, Sugar, and Salt; let set to proof for 5-10 minutes.  Beat in Eggs.  Stir in Flour and beat until smooth.  Cover and let rise until doubled, about one hour, or refrigerate overnight.  Punch down dough and knead briefly (if refrigerated, allow to come to room temperature first, about 30 minutes).  Divide dough into two equal portions and roll into a 12" x 18" rectangle.  Brush well with melted Butter and sprinkle lightly with Hot Cocoa mix.  Roll up dough, cut into 12 rolls and place in well-greased 9x13 pan; repeat with remaining dough.  Let rise until doubled, 30-45 minutes.  Bake at 350* for 20-22 minutes and golden brown.  Frost while slightly warm, using Mocha Buttercream -or- a glaze made from powdered sugar and coffee.  Must serve warm, with the frosting all melts and gooey and running down the sides or the sweet rolls.  Serves 24, or maybe just 12, or you might want to just hide them in the freezer for your afternoon pick-me-up...

For the Mocha Buttercream Frosting:

Cream Butter at medium speed in mixer; gradually add Powdered Sugar, beating until light and fluffy.  Add in Coffee/Milk mixture and Vanilla, beating until desired consistency is achieved.  Yield: 3 cups.

"For the Word of God is living,

And powerful,

And sharper than any two-edged sword,

Piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit,

And of the joints and marrow,

And is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart....

Let us, therefore,

Come boldly unto the 

Throne of Grace,

That we may obtain Mercy,

And find Grace to help in time of trouble."

Hebrews 4:12, 16

 

I know it, I know it.

I've been hearing you in the back of my head for the last month:

"Where's that Mocha Sweet Roll recipe you promised us on Facebook back at Christmas?!"

You'd think it wouldn't take me so long, should it...

Mmm-hmm.

I didn't think it would take so long, either.

Honestly? Our computer has been just about ready to crash and I've been scared to download any photos to it, fearing that it might be that proverbial straw, breaking that camel of a computer's back.  We did order a new one--back before Christmas.

Just took it out of the box this past weekend.

It didn't work.

Seriously.

After almost two hours on the phone with the tech support, well,

the manufacturer is overnighting us a new hard drive.

Should be here tomorrow.

So, I'm doing this post on my husband's iPad.

Please forgive my wonky formatting.

And hopefully, (hopefully!),

I'll be back to posting regularly soon.

Thanks for your patience--I really have missed you.

Coconut Curry Chicken

Coconut Curry Chicken

3  Potatoes, cubed into 6 or 8 pieces each

1  small  Onion, chopped

4  (4-oz.)  boneless, skinless Chicken Breast halves

1  Cup  Coconut Milk

4  teaspoons  Curry Powder

1  clove  Garlic, crushed

1  teaspoon  Chicken Boullion

1/4  teaspoon  Salt

1/4  teaspoon  Pepper

 1/2  Cup  Frozen Green Peas

2  Cups  Hot Cooked Rice

For Garnish: 1/4-Cup sliced Green Onions, Raisins, Flaked Coconut, chopped unsalted Peanuts

Place the Potatoes and Onion in a 3- to 4-quart slow cooker.

Brown the Chicken Breasts in a non-stick skillet; transfer to slow cooker.

In a small bowl, combine the Coconut Milk, Curry Powder, Garlic, Chicken Boullion, Salt, and Pepper; pour over Potatoes, Onion, and Chicken.  Cover and cook on High for 3 hours or Low for 5 hours.  Stir in the Peas; heat until hot through.  Serve over Hot Rice; top with Garnish.  Serves 6.

This is really yummy!  I like it for Sunday Dinner as it is simple to prepare before Church.  I'll throw the Peas in the slow cooker when we come home, and everything is ready when the rice is done cooking.  Try serving Naan with this for an easy introduction to Indian food.  

"...earnestly contend for the Faith

which was once delivered unto the saints."

Jude, verse 3

This recipe is from the Healthy Cooking magazine, issue unknown.  Nutrition Facts: 1 Serving, without Garnish, using Light Coconut Milk: 396 Calories, 11 g Fat (7 g saturated Fat), 63 mg Cholesterol, 309 mg Sodium, 43 g Carbohydrate, 3 g Fiber, 27 g Protein.