Cake:
2 cups dried breadcrumbs
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 butter
1/2 cup chopped pecans
32 ounces cream cheese softened
1 cup granulated sugar
5 jumbo eggs shelled and warmed in microwave 2 minutes
6 ounces white chocolate melted
1/4 cup cornstarch
1 tablespoon vanilla
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 pint raspberries

Topping:
1/4 cup cornstarch
3/4 cup sugar
1 pint raspberries
1/2 cup water

Method

1. Mix bread crumbs, sugar and cinnamon in spring form pan.
2. Put butter and pecans in ceramic bowl and place in microwave for 2 minutes on high.
3. Add to crumbs then mix and pat on bottom and sides of pan.
4. Cream the cheese until light then add sugar and beat again.
5. Add eggs one at a time beating after each.
6. Add cornstarch, vanilla, cream and mix well.
7. Add chocolate and mix well.
8. Stir in raspberries gently or drop in carefully after pouring batter into pan.
9. Pour into pan then place in preheated oven in pan of water on bottom rack.
10. Bake for 35 minutes.

Cake:
1 cup granulated sugar
1-3/4 up cake flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 squares semisweet chocolate
5 ounce bottle maraschino cherries sliced
1/2 cup butter softened
1 cup sour milk
1 egg beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 cup pecans chopped

Frosting:
1-1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup water
1 tablespoon white corn syrup
2 unbeaten egg whites
1 teaspoon vanilla

Method

1. Sift together sugar, flour, salt and soda.
2. Melt chocolate in some of the maraschino juice.
3. Add butter, milk, melted chocolate, egg and vanilla then mix thoroughly.
4. Add cherries and nuts.
5. Dust two cake pans with a mixture of flour and chocolate.
6. Divide batter between the two pans and bake at 350 for 25 minutes.
7. Fill the bottom of a double boiler with water and bring to a simmer.
8. Combine sugar, water, corn syrup and egg whites in the top of the double boiler.
9. Place the top portion of the double boiler over the bottom and beat the mixture with a rotary beater for 10 minutes or until peaks form.
10. Remove double boiler from heat and blend in vanilla.
11. Place one layer of the cooled cake onto a pedestal cake stand and cover with frosting.
12. Place other layer on top and anchor with toothpicks.
13. Ice it using all the frosting.

Cake:
1 3/4 cups plain flour
1/2 cup Baking Cocoa
2 Tbsp baking powder
1 cup sugar
125g butter
2 Tbsp golden syrup
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups milk
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp vanilla

Filling:
250g crème fraiche
2 Tbsp icing sugar
1/2 cup Cooking Chocolate, roughly chopped
1/2 cup Marshmallows, quartered
1/4 cup red glacé cherries, chopped
1/4 cup brazil nuts, chopped

Icing:
200g Cooking Chocolate, broken into pieces
1/2 cup cream

Method

1. Prepare cakes. Preheat oven to 180°C. Line the bases of two 20 cm round tins with baking paper.
2. Sift flour, cocoa, and baking powder into a large bowl; add sugar.
3. Melt butter and golden syrup together.
4. Whisk eggs and stir in milk, baking soda and vanilla.
5. Add melted butter mixture and milk mixture to dry ingredients.
6. Beat at medium speed with an electric mixer for 1 minute, or stir together until well combined.
7. Divide mixture between the two tins. Bake in preheated oven for 25 – 30 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean. Leave in tins on a rack for 5 minutes then turn out and remove lining paper.
8. While the cake is cooking, prepare the filling and icing.
9. To make filling, combine all the filling ingredients in a bowl. Set aside.
10. To make icing, combine cooking chocolate and cream in heatproof bowl, place over simmering water, stir until melted and smooth. Alternatively place cooking chocolate and cream in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on medium, stirring every minute until melted and smooth. Refrigerate 30 minutes until thick.
11. When cakes are cold, sandwich them together with the filling. Spread the icing over the top and sides of cake. If desired, decorate with toasted slivered almonds.

Topping:
1 egg white, ligtly beaten
1 cup ricotta cheese
1/4 c sugar
1 tbs cold brewed coffee
2 tsp grated orange peel
1/2 c mini semisweet chocolate chips

Batter:
1 c sugar
1/2 c cold brewed coffee
1/3 c canola oil
1/3 c orange jice
1 egg
1 egg white
1 tbs cider vinegar
1 tbs vanilla extract
1 cup all purpose flour
1/2 c whole wheat flour
1/3 c baking cocoa
1/2 tsp salt

Method

1. In a small bowl, combine the topping ingredients; set aside
2. In a large bowl, combine the first 8 batter ingredients; beat until well blended. Combine the flours, cocoa, baking powder, salt; gradually beat into sugar mixture until blended.
3. Transfer to a 13x9x2 inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. Top with heaping tablespoons of ricotta mixture; cut through the batter with a knife to swirl.
4. Bake at 350 for 25-30 min or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool on wire rack, referigerate any left overs.

1/3 cup butter
1 cup semisweet chocolate pieces divided
1/2 cup port wine divided
2 eggs separated
1/2 cup granulated sugar divided
1/2 cup flour
1 pint basket fresh strawberries stemmed and sliced
1 cup whipping cream whipped and sweetened

Method

1. In double boiler over simmering water melt butter and 1/2 cup of the chocolate in 1/3 cup of the port. Stir and cool.
2. In mixer bowl beat egg yolks with 6 tablespoons of the sugar until thick and pale. Gradually beat in chocolate mixture. Mix in flour and remaining chocolate.
3. In another bowl beat egg whites with remaining sugar just until stiff then gradually fold into chocolate batter to blend.
4. Pour into greased and floured 9-inch round layer cake pan and bake at 325 F for 30 minutes. Cool in pan 5 minutes then loosen and invert onto plate.
5. With back of spoon press shallow indentation into centre of cake. Toss strawberries with remaining port then spoon into centre of cake. Pipe or spoon whipped cream around edge.

9 (1 ounce) squares bittersweet chocolate
2/3 cup unsalted butter
3 eggs
3/4 cup white sugar
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cup finely ground almonds
1/2 cup prunes, pitted and chopped
1/2 cup brandy
3 tablespoons water

Method

1. Soak prunes overnight in brandy. Melt chocolate and butter or margarine with water.
2. In a large bowl, beat egg yolks and sugar until pale. Stir in chocolate mixture. Gently mix in flour and ground nuts. Stir in prunes.
3. In another bowl, beat egg whites to stiff peaks. Carefully fold into cake mixture. Pour into a greased 9 inch round cake tin.
4. Bake at 375 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 30 – 40 minutes. Remove from oven, and cool on a wire rack. Frost with Chocolate Ganache Frosting.

Cake:
1/4 pound unsalted butter at room temperature
1 cup sugar
2 extra-large eggs at room temperature
1/8 cup grated orange zest (2 large oranges)
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour plus 1 tablespoon
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
3 ounces buttermilk at room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup good semisweet chocolate chunks

For the syrup:
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup freshly squeezed orange juice

For the ganache:
4 ounces good semisweet chocolate chips
1/4 cup heavy cream
1/2 teaspoon instant coffee granules

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour 6 individual serving baking molds, such as the flexible non stick 100 percent silicone molds.
2. Cream the butter and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment for about 5 minutes, or until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, 1 at a time, then the orange zest.
3. Sift together 1 1/2 cups flour, the baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl. In another bowl, combine the orange juice, buttermilk, and vanilla. Add the flour and buttermilk mixtures alternately in thirds to the creamed butter, beginning and ending with the flour. Toss the chocolate chunks with 1 tablespoon flour and add to the batter. Pour into the pans, smooth the tops, and bake for 30 minutes, until a cake tester comes out clean. Let the cakes cool in the molds on a wire rack for 10 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, make the syrup. In a small saucepan over medium-low heat, cook the sugar with the orange juice until the sugar dissolves. Remove the cake from the pans, put them on a rack over a tray, and spoon the orange syrup over the cakes. Allow the cakes to cool completely.
5. For the ganache, melt the chocolate, heavy cream, and coffee in the top of a double boiler over simmering water until smooth and warm, stirring occasionally. Drizzle over the top of the cakes.

1 oz semisweet chocolate, melted
1 tbsp hot fudge sundae sauce, room temperature
1 box plain chocolate cake mix (not fudge or devil’s food, without pudding)
1 cup eggnog
1/3 cup orange juice
1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 tsp cloves

Method

1. Heat the oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Lightly grease a 13 x 9-inch pan and dust with flour. Set the pan aside.
3. Place the all ingredients in a large mixing bowl.
4. Blend with an electric mixer on low speed for 30 seconds.
5. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula.
6. Increase the mixer speed to medium and beat 2 minutes more, scraping the sides down again if needed.
7. Pour the batter into the prepared pan.
8. Bake 38 to 42 minutes.
9. Remove the pan from the oven and cool for 10 minutes.
10. Invert it onto a serving platter to cool completely.

2 cups orange sections
1/2 cup orange juice
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
1-2/3 cups flour
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 cup walnuts chopped
6 ounces semisweet chocolate chips

Method

1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. Peel and section oranges then cut into small pieces.
3. Combine orange pieces and orange juice.
4. Beat eggs then add oranges, vanilla and almond extract.
5. Mix well.
6. Sift dry ingredients together and add all at once then pour into greased and floured rectangular pan.
7. Combine brown sugar, chocolate chips and nuts then sprinkle on top of cake and bake for 45 minutes

Egg replacer for 2 eggs
1 cup soy milk
½ cup prune puree
2 tsp vanilla
1 cup boiling water
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 cup flour
¾ cup whole-wheat flour
3/4 cup cocoa
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
¾ cup fresh mint, minced

Method

1. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a 13 x 9 cake pan.
2. Mix together the egg replacer, soy milk, prunes, vanilla and water.
3. In a separate bowl, combine the sugar, flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt.
4. Slowly add to the wet ingredients and stir to combine. Add the fresh mint.
5. Pour into cake pan and bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean.