The Most Moist Chocolate Cake

3 years ago, when Code Boyfriend's birthday was coming up, I asked him what kind of cake he wanted.

He said he wanted an extremely moist, dense, chocolate cake.

So, I scoured the internet for the most moist chocolate cake and I think I've found it. After making it once, I have never felt the need to look for another chocolate cake.

I've made this recipe at least 6 times, including as Code Boyfriend's birthday cake three years running. He never wants anything else.

I will give you fair warning. Frosting this cake will make you want to cry. Making the cake so moist makes it nearly impossible to frost without getting crumbs in the frosting.

You'll scream, you'll cry, and then... you'll taste it. And all that hatred will go away. 

I think this cake would be great frosted with whipped cream, allowing the chocolate flavor to stand for itself. Code Boyfriend has a very strong attachment to vanilla butter cream.

If you are going to frost with butter cream, make sure it's very soft butter cream. Mine was very stiff and it wouldn't go on nicely. After 45 minutes of struggling with it, I swore I'd use whipped cream next year.

Adapted from Tricia's Kitchen.

The World's Most Moist Chocolate Cake

• 2 Cups of Sugar
• 1 Cup of Vegetable Oil
• 2 Eggs
• 1 Cup of Milk 
• 1 Cup of Hot Coffee
• 2 Teaspoons of Vanilla Extract
• 3/4 of a Cup of Cocoa Powder  
• 2 Cups of Flour
• 2 Tablespoons of Corn Starch
• 1 Teaspoon of Salt
• 1 Teaspoon of Baking Powder
• 2 Teaspoons of Baking Soda
• 1/2 Cup of Sour Cream

 Combine sugar and oil in a mixer. Add 2 eggs slowly. Add milk, coffee, and vanilla.

Combine flour, cocoa powder, corn starch, salt, baking powder, and baking soda in a separate bowl.

Slowly, incorporate the dry ingredients into the wet ones.

Mix in the sour cream. Make sure to do this completely, or you will have streaks of white in your chocolate cake. 

This batter will be extremely watery. The first time I made this cake, I thought it was never going to bake up. But it does.

Pour into 2-9 inch round cake pans lined with parchment paper.

Bake in a 325 degree oven for 40-50 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clear.

Seriously, try this cake! You'll never go back!   

Chocolate Custard Cupcake Pies

 I told you! I told you I'd get the post about the Chocolate Custard Cupcake Pies up today. And I will.

But I've got two finals tomorrow, one the day after, and a lab report due, so please bear with my briefness today.

The Hooks and Needles Eboard party was a great success. I think I may be able to do this whole leadership thing after all.

It is, however, exhausting...

So, less whining, more pies.

 Chocolate Custard Cupcake Pies

• 2 Pillsbury Frozen Pie Crusts
• 1 Batch of Chocolate Custard (I talked about that yesterday--right here.) 

Cut circles of defrosted pie dough slightly larger than your muffin tin.

Push these into a greased muffin tin. 
 
Now, here's where you should not be like me. Poke holes with a fork in the bottom of each of your mini pie crusts, and bake as the packages instructs for a fruit pie.

They bottoms of the crusts will not cook with the custard. I had to finish mine in a frying pan. Don't be like me, pre-bake.

After the crusts come out,  ladle your custard mixture in to each tiny little pie crust.

Place your muffin tin into a roasting pan full of water (or any other large, oven safe dish that your muffin tin will fit into. Be sure to check before you pour the custard to make sure you have something that will fit) and bake at 300 degrees for 35 minutes, or until they jiggle without sloshing.

Bring to room temperature and then stick the entire muffin tin in the fridge.

Once cooled for about an hour, you should be able to take your tiny pies out by running a knife around the edge of the muffin tin and using a spoon to pull the pie out.

I think they came out great... they'd be in better shape if I pre-baked.

Oh well. Lesson learned. They were still very tasty.

Chocolate Custard and Pie Crust Cookies

Today, I made mini chocolate custard pies. But tomorrow's post will be about that.

Today, I'll give the custard in the pies its day in the sun.

I made Paula Deen's Baked Chocolate Custard. I should have strained it. It would have looked so much less grainy had I strained it. It is still delicious. 

 I also didn't use the hot cream to melt the chocolate. When heating the cream mixture, I added the chocolate chips to the saucepan. It think this does a better job at melting the chocolate chips than pouring the hot cream over them, but that's just me.

 I really do like the way these cookies came out. They are great for dipping in the custard, or pretty much anything else you can imagine.

I used Pillsbury pie crust, cut out circles and coated them with cinnamon sugar.

Then I placed them on a greased baking sheet in a 350 degree oven for about 15 minutes. About half my tray was golden brown and crispy. The other half was just turning golden.

They are both delicious, but I really need to rotate things in my oven.

Hopefully the Hooks and Needles e-board will enjoy the snack, and I will have more details on that (and the other food for tonight) tomorrow.

Chocolate Sorbet After a Very Long Day

Well, contrary to what every diet ad on tv tells you, getting in shape is hard. Sadly, most of the days I swore I was going to get to the gym, I was exhausted, busy, or just plain didn't want to go. Not a great start, but I hope with time it will get better....

Yeah, I know with time it might get worse, but whatever, at least I'm trying.

My new way of eating is also going very well. The first couple of days were hard, but once I figured out when I needed snacktime (WARNING: Do not approach me if I have missed a snack. It's not pretty) it is going well.

I'm sure all of you read my blog weekly and already know this, but for anyone new, my new way of eating allows me to enjoy dessert once a week. Luckily enough, BF got an ice cream maker for Christmas. :D Soooo many new toys to play with.

Today decided to be the day we needed dessert. Yesterday, BF's flight for an interview got cancelled. As sad as we were about that, we decided to make the most of him being home this weekend. So, I was going to take my car to the mechanic... and it wouldn't start.

The emergency brake was frozen on. Thank you, Rochester.

After calling AAA, I missed both of my classes. I did, however, get a job offer that needs me to be ready for a kick off event tomorrow. Yay, job. Boo, way too much to do this weekend.

On top of that, we had an appointment with an apartment complex, looking for housing next year. I feel like I need to wring out my brain.

So, that's exactly what this is designed to do.

Trust me, if you don't really love chocolate, back away slowly.

Chocolate Sorbet
adapted from the Smitten Kitchen
Makes 1/2 a liter

• 1 Cup + 1 Tablespoon Water 
• 1/2 Cup Sugar
• 6 Tablespoons Cocoa Powder
• Pinch of salt
• 6 Tablespoons of Chocolate Chips
• 1/2 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
• 3 Tablespoons of Dark Rum (Not enough to taste, just enough to stop the sorbet from freezing solid)

In a large saucepan, create a simple syrup from the water and sugar. Mix in the cocoa powder and salt. Allow to boil for 45 seconds, and then remove from the heat. Mix in the chocolate chips and allow to melt. Mix in the vanilla and rum. Move this to the fridge and allow to cool.

Spray the pre-frozen bowl of an ice cream maker with nonstick spray. Wipe down with a paper towel. This allows a very small layer of oil to remain, allowing the sorbet to come out cleanly.

Fill the greased bowl with as much of the chilled sorbet mix as you can. Mine only holds half. Oh well, I'll make the rest later and freeze it.

Freeze according to manufacturers instructions. Mine took almost twice the time it was supposed to, so be patient with it.

When the mixture thickens to the point of soft serve ice cream, it's done. You can either move it into a container to freeze for a harder final product, or....

Eat soft serve sorbet. It's good either way.

Enjoy!

It definitely helped turn mine and BF's day around!

College Christmas Fudge

I am home for the holidays. And it just passed the year anniversary of this blog.

So, I am going to do a post that exemplifies the stated purpose of Once Upon a College Kitchen. A simple, cheap recipe, that can be made easily, but which is also kick-ass.

Although I have not made this fudge in my college kitchen, I believe this fits the bill.

College Christmas Fudge

• 3 cups of Dark Chocolate Chips
• 1- 14 oz can of Sweetened Condensed Milk
• 1/4 teaspoon Salt
• 1 teaspoon of the Extract of your choosing (I used Vanilla, but I believe BF would love this with mint)

Yep, that's it. These 4 ingredients will make smoother, tastier fudge than you can get with all sorts of messing around with marshmallow fluff.  

 Start by covering an 8 by 8 pan with aluminum foil. Don't worry about anything else, the foil will come out just fine. 

Melt the chocolate chips until mostly melted.

 Add the sweetened condensed milk and salt, then stir until combined.  

Once combined, allow the chocolate to melt completely. Mix in vanilla and nuts if you would like. I don't like nuts in my fudge.

 Spread fudge into the foil covered pan, then refrigerate for 20 minutes. Cut into little pieces, this is a very rich fudge.

Enjoy! This a very easy way to make fudge. Great for presents. :)