Wednesday, August 26, 2009

Brandy-Pecan Choc Fudge & Banana Cakes

1. BRANDY-PECAN CHOCOLATE FUDGE CAKE

Made these for M, a good friend of mine who is back visiting from the US. The original recipe from Nancy Baggett's "All-American Dessert Book" calls for Bourbon but I used Brandy instead. I made slight adjustments and simplified the baking steps as below.

The intro in the book took the words right out of my mouth when I was savoring a piece of this cake. "This is an immensely rewarding cake - moist, tender and very chocolatey on the inside, with a glossy, gooey fudge layer on the outside."

chocfudge1

For the cake:
- 6 oz semisweet chocolate, roughly chopped
- 8 tbsp butter
- 2 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 tbsp brandy, combined with 2 tbsp hot water
- 1 1/2 tbsp cocoa powder
- 2/3 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup chopped pecans
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 3 oz semisweet chocolate, roughly chopped
- 7 large eggs, at room temperature

1. In a bowl over a double boiler, melt the chocolate, butter and vanilla. Remove from the heat, stir in the brandy-water mixture, then the cocoa powder until the mixture is well-blended.
2. In a food processor, combine sugar and pecans till the nuts are ground to a powder.
3. In a food processor, process the flour and 3 oz chocolate till the chocolate is fine and well-blended with the flour.
4. In a large bowl, beat all the eggs and sugar/pecan mixture (no. 2) on medium to high speed till the mixture becomes frothy, lightened and nearly doubled in volume. Remove 1 cup and stir into the melted chocolate mixture (no. 1) till well-blended.
5. Combine everything into the egg mixture, using a whisk, stir and mix until well-combined. Bake in a 21-22cm springform pan for 25-30 mins at around 150 deg C.

chocfudge2

For the choc fudge glaze:
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- 1 cup sugar
- 3 tbsp light corn syrup
- 2 tbsp butter
- 4 1/2 oz unsweetened chocolate, roughly chopped
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Over a double boiler, combine everything to melt over low heat. Gently stir until the glaze is completely smooth and thickens to your liking. Let it cool for a while and pour over the completely cooled cake. Use a spatula to gently spread the glaze over the sides.


2. MOIST BANANA CAKE


This is a recipe given by my 4th sister to me a few years ago. It's really moist and delicious!

bananacake

- 250 g banana
- 250 g all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp bicarbonate soda
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 4 tbsp milk
- 3 eggs
- 180 g butter
- 150 g sugar

1. Cream butter and sugar together till it is light and creamy.
2. Add in an egg at a time, mixing till well-blended after each egg addition.
3. Add in the mashed banana and mix well.
4. Add in the flour, alternate with the milk. Mix the batter until everything is well-combined. Bake at 150 deg C for 45 mins or until skewer comes out clean.


Cheers!

35 comments:

  1. Wowza! That chocolate cake looks absolutely sinful...I want some! And I love the simplicity of the banana cake, too...it looks moist and delicious :)

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  2. so yummy!! lately i dont dare to make cakes cus i am getting chubby! :( Moreover, still very "stress" with the swiss rolls which i have failed at least 5 times! :((

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  3. Hi there! Thanks so much for visting my blog! I love yours! It all looks soo yummy! The chocolate fudge cake is decadent. I will have to try this!

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  4. The choc cake looks absolutely scrumptious!
    Friends near and far are dear to our hearts.

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  5. such a coincidence... we baked alsmot the samething. Mine was like your 2 in 1. I baked a layered banana chocolate cake for my daughter's birthday! :-p

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  6. Wow, you've got a new blogskin, very nice!:) The choc fudge cake also looks so moist and yum!

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  7. I love them both! Friends are the best =)

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  8. The chocolate cake is so decadent, love the addition of brandy! The banana cake looks moist and delicious! Yum!

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  9. Yum! The chocolate cake looks so nice and fudgy!

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  10. Hahaha! I like this M! I would bake for her too!
    and those cakes looks CRRRAAZZZY delish!

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  11. hi *girlichef*, would love to give you a piece of both. my door's open, just hop onto a plane :)

    hi "cookingpractice*, you don't look chubby at all. even if you think you are, doesn't matter, life's too short to worry about it. don't give up on yr swissrolls! battle on!! :D

    hi *Slywia*, yes, do try the choc fudge. you won't regret it. :)

    hi *Keats*, thanks & like you have it on yr blog, Friends are like bras coz they give the support you need ;)

    hi *Wendy*, looks like clever minds think alike. haha!

    hi "Anncoo*, yummylicious indeed! i must try yr tiramisu recipe one day :D

    hi *Cooking Gallery*, thanks..i researched & researched into how to design a header like that & finally did it. ;)

    hi *pigpigscorner*, choc cakes and good friends are things a girl can't live without :D

    hi *5 star foodie*, the brandy does add to the aroma & sinfulness of the cake. :D

    hi *Chef Fresco*, yes it's really fudgy & nice :D

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  12. hi *blurpandslurp*, thanks! you'll like M even more if you get to experience her craziness. :D

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  13. Can a chocolate cake get any more delicious?? YUM Figtreeapps

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  14. I'm dying for that chocolate cake!!!

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  15. The chocolate cake looks sinfully delicious!

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  16. Very decadent, luscious, simply irresistible! The ultimate chocolate cake!

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  17. Two scrumptious cakes! Irresistible!

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  18. Wow, the choc. cake look so luscious. I wish it jump out of the screen for me to eat :)

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  19. Wow! The fudge glaze looks decadent!

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  20. The chocolate cake looks so fudgy! And, the glaze looks just perfect.

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  21. wow.. the chocolate fudge looks really tempting..

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  22. wow!! your chocolate rice is so rich and moist!! wish can have one right now!! I so afraid to bake chocolate cake wt fudge,dunno how to pipe the fudge and guess it's quite messy,right?

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  23. your cake looks really rich and indulgent :)

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  24. You are a lucky girl to have such wonderful friends in your life!

    I have never in my life used 7 eggs in a recipe! I can tell from the photo that this cake is out of this world good!!

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  25. OOOHHH!! That chocolate c ake looks decadent!! And there is nothing I love more than banana bread. Yummy post!

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  26. Both the recipes looks delicious, will surely try Banana Cake.

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  27. Hi *Everyone*, thank you so very much for all your comments :D

    p/s *Beachlover*, i didn't pipe the choc fudge glaze but just pour & spread over the top. you can do it too!

    p/s *the ungourmet*..haha, yes it does use that many eggs but the result is worth it.

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  28. The chocolate cake lookes delicious, and so does that banana cake! Now I'm craving the both of them . . . together!

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  29. Indeed, that is one moist banana cake! WOW. What I'd give to dig into a slice of that!

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  30. I have tried the banana cake. It is so moist and delicious. My other half loves it. Thanks for sharing the recipe

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  31. Hi there, finally you made good use of your mixer! Oh hurry up and keep up the good work...! Congrats!

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  32. The chocolate cake looks freaking amazing! Nicely done!

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  33. Hi *Everyone*, thank you so much for all your comments...such a joy reading them all :)

    p/s *Kitchen Cookalong*.. hey glad you tried & liked the banana cake. i used 'pisang raja' which is the best. good recipes are meant to be shared :)

    p/s Little Space*, actually the cakes were made a few hrs before i bought my KA, so still haven't use my KA yet :D.

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  34. I tried the moist banana cake recipe today after visiting your site for the first time. Very good recipe indeed !! Thanks so much for sharing.

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