April 27, 2012 11:32 ET

President’s Council on Fitness, Sports & Nutrition Announces 2012 Lifetime Achievement Award Recipients

The recipe for this Glazed Fudge Cake comes from a co-worker and friend back in the day when I was working at a kitchen specialty shop in Chicago.

I have to admit it was a dream job in some ways (not monetarily, of course), but in the respect that I was working at a job completely immersed in my passion…cooking!

Not only did I get to see and touch all the latest in cookware, bakeware, small appliances, kitchen gadgets, cookbooks, cutlery, gourmet food items, and more, I was expected to spend my time talking/selling to our customers who for the most part shared a similar passion.  So I get paid to talk, and  I must talk about food…not a problem!

Our regular customers became friends, and there was a constant  sharing and exchange of recipes, and culinary tips that was ongoing between all of us.  The Glazed Fudge Cake below is one of the many benefits I received from my days at Chef’s Catalog, The Store, in Highland Grove, a northwest suburb of Chicago.  The Chef’s Catalog still is in circulation today.  The store in Highland Grove is no longer open.

I made many good friends there, honed some of my culinary skills, and worked with a small group of women who really made it a joy to go to work. 

This cake is a bit unique in that the cake batter and glaze are  prepared using a food processor rather than an electric mixer.  Provided you have all your ingredients ready it is a surprisingly quick cake to make.  It is a deliciously moist cake and the glaze is velvety smooth. 

Glazed Fudge Cake (from my friend Judy Lesser, source unknown)

(Makes one 9-inch cake)

1 and 1/4 cups plus 1 tablespoon cake flour (5 and 1/4 ounces, 150g)

1 and 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

3/4 teaspoon baking soda

3/4 teaspoon salt

3 ounces (85g) unsweetened chocolate, broken into pieces

1 and 3/4 cups sugar (12 and 1/4 ounces, 350g)

1/2 cup (120ml) boiling water

3 large eggs

1 and 1/2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa

2 and 1/4 sitcks unsalted butter (9 ounces total, 255g), softened and cut into 8 pieces

3/4 cup (180ml) sour cream

1 and 1/2 tablespoons dark rum, or Chambord Liqueur

3 tablespoons seedless raspberry preserve

Chocolate Fudge Glaze (recipe follows)

Fifteen minute before baking, place rack in center of oven and preheat to 325 degrees F.  Butter a 9-inch springform pan.  Fit the bottom with a circle of parchment paper and butter the paper.

Metal Blade:  Process flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt for 3 seconds: remove and reserve.  Process chocolate and 1/2 cup of sugar until chocolate is as fine as sugar-about 1 minute.  Turn on machine, pour boiling water through the feed tube and process until the chocolate is melted.  Add eggs, cocoa, and remaining sugar and process for 1 minute.  Add sour cream and rum (or Chambord) and process for 5 seconds.  Spoon the reserved dry ingredients onto the batter in a circle and pulse just until the flour disappears-3 or 4 times.  Do not overprocess.

Transfer to the prepared pan and bake until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean-about 1 hour and 15 minutes.  Cake will just begin to pull away from sides of pan.  Let cool to room temperature in pan on wire rack.  When cool, remove from pan.

In small saucepan, heat preserves until melted.

Cut four 2-inch strips of waxed paper and arrange on serving plate; they keep plate clean as you work.  Place cake topside down on plate, and carefully remove the bottom of the pan, and the parchment paper.  Spread the surface with preserves. 

Spread 1/4 cup of the Chocolate Glaze on top of the preserves.  Use a long thin spatula to spread the top and sides with about 3/4 cup of the glaze.

Optional:  Spoon remaining glaze into a pastry bag fitted with a star tip and pipe small rosettes around top edge of cake.  Serve at room temperature.

Chocolate Fudge Glaze

1/4 cup (60ml) water

4 tablespoons unsalted butter

6 ounces (170g) sweet cooking chocolate, broken into pieces

1/2 cup confectioners, sugar (2 ounces, 55g)

1 and 1/2 tablespoons dark rum (or Chambord Liqueur)

Pinch of salt

Bring water and butter to boil in a small saucepan.  Keep at simmer until needed.

Metal Blade:  Pulse the chocolate with confectioners’ sugar 5 times, then process continuously until chocolate is as fine as sugar.  With machine running, pour water and butter through the feed tube and process until chocolate is melted, stopping once to scrape the work bowl.  Add the rum or Chambord and salt and process for 5 seconds.

Before using, let set at room temperature or in refrigerator just until slightly thickened and no longer runny, but still flowing.

 

Coconut Layer Cake (adapted from Fannie Farmer’s Fresh Coconut Cake)

3 cups all purpose flour, plus extra for dusting the pans

1 tablespoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature, plus extra for greasing pans

2 cups sugar

4 large eggs

1 cup whole milk (flavored with 1 teaspoon coconut extract)

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1- 1 and 1/2 large package Baker’s coconut

For the Cake:

Sift flour, baking powder, and salt together.  Grease and lightly flour three 9 inch cake pans. Cut a piece of parchment paper to fit the bottom of each pan, and grease and flour it as well. In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter and sugar, using an electric mixer.  Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition.  The mixture should be smooth and creamy.

Using a spoon, add 1/3 of the flour and fold into the batter with 1/3 of the milk.  Repeat until flour and milk are incorporated. It is important that ingredients be folded in;  batter should not be beaten after flour has been introduced.  Stir in vanilla.  Distribute batter evenly among the three cake pans.  Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for about 30 minutes, or until layers are golden brown and spring back when gently pressed in the middle.

Cool for about 5 minutes and turn layers out of the pans to cool completely.

FLUFFY WHITE FROSTING

While there are many versions of 7 minute frosting, most do not leave a good deal of room for error.  I discovered this recipe so long ago I no longer know where it came from.  What I do know is that my nickname for it is No-Fail Frosting.  Now who wouldn’t like that ???

The technique is a little different, but produces a result that is not only delicious, but beautiful and  froster -friendly.  You can sprinkle it with coconut as in this recipe, or simply use it as is on your favorite cake.  Once you try it I know you’ll be a believer!

Fluffy White Frosting

In a saucepan combine:

1 cup sugar

1/3 cup water

1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar

dash of salt

Bring to boil, stirring til sugar dissolves.

VERY SLOWLY, add sugar mixture to 2 unbeaten egg whites in mixer bowl, beating constantly with the electric mixer using the wire whisk until stiff peaks form, about 7 minutes.

Beat in 2 teaspoons vanilla or 2 teaspoons coconut extract.

For the Coconut Cake, frost the bottom layer and generously sprinkle with grated or flaked coconut (I use Baker’s).  Top with the second layer, and repeat.  Top with the third layer and frost top and sides.  Cover the cake with coconut, pressing lightly to assure the coconut clings to the frosting.

Note: I suggest making 1 and 1/2 times the recipe for the frosting to ensure you have enough. 

The Jewish New Year known as Rosh Hashanah begins this evening.  It marks the beginning of the Jewish Calendar with this year being 5771.  Over the centuries, it has become associated with many food customs such as eating sweet foods to symbolize hopes for a “Sweet New Year”. 

It is customary to dip apples and challah in honey as a way of ushering in a sweet year.  Challah, the traditional braided egg bread is baked in round loaves for the holiday to represent the continuity of life.

Honey cakes are another popular food eaten during this time.  The cakes are usually made with a variety of spices, although the autumnal ones such as cloves, cinnamon, and allspice are most popular.  The use of orange juice, coffee, tea or even rum in some recipes adds another dimension of flavor.

I have always loved honey cakes, and not just for the flavor.  I have wonderful memories of going to my Bauby’s (Jewish for grand-mother) home after holiday services and sitting in her kitchen and having a slice of honey cake with a cup of tea.  Through the years I always make honey cake, and I always think of her.

Now there are honey cakes and then there are honey cakes.  I must admit, they’re not all as delicious as the two recipes I have posted for you that are pictured above.  Many tend to be dry.  You will not find that with these. 

The Definitive Honey Cake , which comes from a newspaper clipping which has been in my recipe file for many years is a dramatically high and moist cake.  It is made in a tube pan, whereas most honey cakes are usually prepared as loaf cakes. 

The Honey Almond Crunch Cake  comes from “Butter, Sugar, Flour, Eggs”, by Gale Gand.  It is equally as delicious, and moist.  Besides making it in a large loaf pan I have also baked them in mini loaves, wrapped in cellophane and tied with gold ribbon.  For several years Dean and DeLuca sold them during the Jewish New Year.  

Definitive Honey Cake

Definitive Honey Cake (16 servings)

Nonstick cooing spray

3 and 1/2cups all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

4 teaspoons cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon cloves

1/2 teaspoon allspice

1 cup vegetable (or canola) oil

1 cup honey

1 and 1/2 cups granulated sugar

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

3 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup warm coffee

1/2 cup orange juice

1/2 cup shredded, peeled apples (optional)

1/2 cup sliced almonds

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Generously spray a 9- or 10-inch bundt or angel food cake pan with nonstick cooking spray.

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, cloves and allspice.  Make a well in the center and stir in the oil, honey, both sugars, eggs, vanilla, coffee and orange juice.

Using a strong wire whisk or an electric mixer on low speed, mix the ingredients until thoroughly combined, making certain that the dry ingredients are not stuck at the bottom of the bowl.  The batter will be thick but pourable.  Fold in the shredded apples, if using.

Spoon or pour the batter into the prepared pan.  Sprinkle with the almonds.  Place the cake on a baking sheet and bake until done, about 60 to 75 minutes.  The cake is done when it springs back when gently pressed with your fingertips.  Cool for 10 minutes, then place on serving plate.

Honey Almond Crunch Cake

Honey Almond Crunch Cake (12 servings)

7 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

1 cup light brown sugar, packed

1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons honey

1/2 cup sliced almonds, toasted

1 egg

1 cup buttermilk

2 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Thickly butter a 6-cup loaf pan.  Pour in 3 tablespoons of the melted butter, swirl to coat the bottom, and sprinkle in 1/4 cup of the brown sugar.  Drizzle in 2 tablespoons of the honey and sprinkle the almonds evenly over the bottom.

In a large bowl, whisk the egg.  Add the remaining 3/4 cup brown sugar and mix.  Add the remaining 4 tablespoons melted butter and 1/2 cup honey and mix.  Gradually mix in the buttermilk.

In another large bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.  Working in batches, and mixing after each addition, add the dry ingredients to the buttermilk mixture.  Mix until smooth.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan.  Bake until a tester inserted in the middle of the cake comes out dry and almost clean (a few crumbs are okay) 50 to 55 minutes.  Let cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack and let cool until the topping is firm.

Have a happy and sweet new year!