Thursday Recipe

With today being

National Chocolate Cake Day

I thought I’d get a little more elaborate this time for the recipe post. I’m including facts about cake, chocolate and the day that I got from various places.

Today is...National Chocolate Cake Day!

Cake has been around since the discovery of flour thousands of years ago. Since these ancient times, a variety of cake recipes have emerged throughout the world.

In Medieval England, cakes were flour-based sweet foods described as breads. The words bread and cake were actually interchangeable for sometime among Neolithic villages. In Greece, cakes were heavy and flat and were called "plakous." During the Roman period, cakes were primarily used as an offering to their gods. These types of cakes were also more like a cheesecake or pastry.

Today, cakes, breads, and pastries have all differentiated themselves and each are now in their own baked good categories. Within the cake category of baked goods there are a wide array of sizes, shapes, and flavors of cake. The most popular type of cake though is chocolate. From German, dark, white, and black forest, to even chocolate beer cake, it's difficult to pick just one type of chocolate cake to enjoy.

Celebrate National Chocolate Cake Day by heading to your local bakery or whipping up a chocolate cake in your kitchen. Then enjoy a piece with a nice tall glass of milk. Yum!

And another one.

Chocolate Cake Day

When : Always January 27th

Chocolate Cake Day is a a chocolate lovers delight, and a day to eat cake. Why this a day to "bake your chocolate cake....and eat it, too!"

On this day, a white or yellow cake will not do. Nor, will part chocolate, part white suffice. It must be chocolate, all chocolate. You can make milk chocolate, dark chocolate, fudge, or any other type of chocolate cake.

This day is for you, and all chocolate lovers.

There are three objectives of Chocolate Cake Day: To bake a chocolate cake. To decorate a chocolate cake. And, to eat a chocolate cake. Of course, if you are to busy to bake or decorate a cake, then just eating a chocolate cake will certainly do!

Origin of Chocolate Cake Day:

Our extensive research did not find the creator, or the origin of this day. Perhaps, it was baker. Perhaps, it was a food company. Most likely, it was a chocolate cake...eater!

And I got this from a friend on a Yahoo group.

Useless, yet interesting, Facts

(about chocolate)

 The First Chocolate Bars
The first time chocolate was made into a solid, edible food is believed to be in Mexico sometime in the 1700's. Later, two British companies, Cadbury, and Fry and Sons began to make edible chocolate in the 1840's. 

Choose the Best-Tasting Chocolate Bar
The best-tasting chocolate bar looks shiny and even. It should only smell like chocolate too. Grab a corner of the bar and bend it. A piece should snap off cleanly with few crumbs. It should feel creamy and rich, and melt in your mouth too. 

The Shelf Life of Chocolate
An interesting fact about chocolate is that the shelf life of a chocolate bar is approximately one year. You can place it in a freezer and keep it practically forever, but dark chocolate will turn whitish in color on the outside.

The First Box of Valentine's Day Chocolate
It's no surprise that Richard Cadbury came up with the idea for the first heart-shaped box of chocolates in the year 1861. Seven years later, John Cadbury began mass producing them, and, of course, several companies produce them today. 

Research

An interesting fact about chocolate is that, after much research, it's since been found to contain healthy antioxidants. These can help lower the incidence of getting cancer and heart disease. Eating chocolate can also lower your LDL cholesterol and add beneficial iron and magnesium to your body! 

Chocolate Can Make You Feel Good!
Chocolate contains a chemical known as phenylethylamine. The phenylethylamine, in addition to the sugar, fat and caffeine that's found in chocolate has been shown to release serotonin and endorphins- two known chemicals that make us feel happy!

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And now for a couple of recipes.

Not sure where this one originally came from or the original name of the recipe. I’ve seen it talked about for a while now and finally got my hands on a copy of the recipe.

Coffee Mug Chocolate Cake

4 tablespoons flour
4 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons cocoa
1 egg, beaten
3 tablespoons milk
3 tablespoons oil
3 tablespoons chocolate chips (opt.)(I used 2 Tbsp. chopped nuts instead)
A small splash of vanilla extract(I’m going to try it with mint extract next time)
1 large coffee mug (Microwave Safe)

Add dry ingredients to mug, and mix well.  Add the egg and mix thoroughly.
Pour in the milk and oil and mix well.
Add the chocolate chips (if using) and vanilla extract, and mix again.
Put your mug in the microwave and cook for 3 minutes at 1000 watts or high.
The cake may rise over the top of the mug, but don't be alarmed!
Allow to cool a little, and tip out onto a plate if desired.
EAT ! (this can serve 2 if you want to feel slightly more virtuous).

And why is this the most dangerous cake recipe in the world?
Because now we are all only 5 minutes away from chocolate cake at any time of the day or night!

It doesn’t take long to mix up and cooked well. Here’s my finished cake.

And here’s the second recipe. I’ve had this one for a loooong time. I originally got this from a Home Ec class back in the seventh grade. Obviously it has stood the test of time if I still have it and use it 30 years later.

Snack Cake

1 & 2/3 c. flour                               1 c. water

1 c. packed brown sugar                  1/3 c. oil

1/4 c. cocoa                                    1 tsp. vinegar

1 tsp. baking soda                           1/2 tsp. vanilla

1/2 tsp. salt                                  

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix the first five items in bowl. Stir in the water, oil, vinegar and vanilla. Pour into ungreased 8x8 pan. Bake 35-40 min or til toothpick inserted near center comes out clean. Dust with powered sugar or use frosting, if desired, before serving.

I usually double this and cook it in a 9x13 pan. With kids in the house that is the only way I can get my fair share of it.

Hope you enjoy one or both of these delicious cakes.