BEAT THE HEAT! FRESH UP WITH 7-UP (Chocolate Cake!)

We're on our 6th day of a Heat Wave aka Heat Dome here in the San Francisco Bay Area. Triple digits in my location. 

Here's an advertisement from July 5, 1948! "Beat the Heat! "fresh up" with Seven-Up! Family days at the Beach. Mom packs the picnic basket" Dad drives; and the kids fill the cooler with 7-Up. Seems like a lot of 7-Up from the photo. But they all look like they're having fun at the Beach -- with 7-Up.

Another way of enjoying 7-Up, a very Retro carbonated beverage, is to use it as the leavening agent in a chocolate bundt cake. I've posted 7-Up Chocolate Cake recipes, but this is an easy 'from scratch" recipe. As I mentioned, the 7-Up is the leavening agent. Enjoy! 

I'm headed to the Beach. This cake travels well! Try to beat the heat this holiday weekend! 

7-Up Chocolate Cake

Ingredients
2 cups unsalted butter, softened
2 tsp pure vanilla
3 cups sugar
5 eggs
1 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 cup DARK cocoa
1 cup 7-Up
1 cup dark chocolate chips  (or a cup of dark chocolate broken into chunks)
 
Directions
Cream butter.
Add sugar and vanilla and beat until light and fluffy.
Add eggs, beating well after each one.
Stir in salt, flour and cocoa. Blend thoroughly.
Add 7-UP.
Fold in chocolate chips or chunks.
Bake in greased and floured Bundt pan for 60 minutes (or until tester comes clean).
Cool on wire rack. 

Optional: Glaze when cooled with dark chocolate Dobash Frosting. 

Dobash Frosting
1 1/2 cup water
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup butter
1/2 cup Ghirardelli cocoa
pinch of salt

Combine all in saucepan and bring to a boil.
Add 1/2 cup water to make a paste. Stir into cocoa mixture with whisk over heat until it thickens. Pour while hot over cake and spread.

CHOCOLATE BUNDT CAKE with SWEET WALNUT LAYER: National Walnut Day

Today is National Walnut Day, and you can't go wrong with this versatile nut! Here walnuts are used as the sweet layer in this Chocolate Bundt Cake. I first saw this recipe on Fine Cooking. I made a few changes, but the essence is there. I'm sure you'll make a few changes, too. The original recipe called for plain yogurt. I've made this bundt cake with Greek yogurt...a little tangy, but very tasty, but actually I prefer sour cream for richness. Try it both ways and see what you think!

Chocolate Bundt Cake with  Sweet Walnut Layer

Ingredients

Cake
1 1/4 cups all purpose four
3/4 cup dark cocoa
Dash of Salt
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
2 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted
2 Tbsp canola oil
2 eggs
2 egg whites
1 1/2 cups sour cream
2 tsp vanilla extract
3/4 cup sugar
3 ounces of dark chocolate (70-85% cacao) I like it really dark
1 Tbsp powdered sugar-optional

Walnut Layer
1/3 cup chopped walnuts
1/3 cup dark brown sugar
2 tbsp unsalted butter, melted

Directions
Preheat oven to 350.
Oil bundt pan.
Whisk in bowl flour, cocoa, salt, baking powder, and soda. Then sift into another bowl.
In a different bowl, whisk melted butter and oil, and then add eggs and egg whites. Fold in sour cream, vanilla extract, and sugar.
Melt chocolate in double boiler or saucepan over saucepan over simmering water.
Fold chocolate into batter.
Add dry ingredients and stir until combined. Do not overmix.
Mix melted butter, walnuts, and brown sugar together.
Pour half batter into pan and place walnut layer on top of batter.
Fill with remaining batter.
Bake 35-45 minutes, until toothpick comes out clean.
Cool on wire rack in pan for 15 minutes and then, flip over on rack.
Top with powder sugar (optional)

Chocolate Bundt Cake with Pomegranate Champagne Glaze

New Year's Eve. Today is also Champagne Day, so pop some corks early and make this  Chocolate Cake with Champagne Glaze?  Pretty and tasty, and a great way to celebrate. Happy New Year!

Chocolate Bundt Cake with Champagne Pomegranate Glaze

Chocolate Bundt Cake

Ingredients
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1-1/2 cups water
2 Tbsp Instant Coffee Granules
8 ounces dark chocolate (60-70%), chopped, divided
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1 cup sweet butter, softened
1 tsp Madagascar vanilla
3 large eggs

Directions
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
Grease 10-inch Bundt pan.
Combine flour, baking soda and baking powder in small bowl. Bring water and coffee granules to a boil in small saucepan; remove from heat. Add 6 ounces chocolate; stir until smooth.
Beat sugar, butter, and vanilla extract in large mixer bowl until creamy. Add eggs; beat on high speed for 5 minutes. Beat in flour mixture alternately with chocolate mixture. Pour into prepared Bundt pan.
Bake for 50 to 60 minutes or until long wooden pick inserted in cake comes out clean.
Cool in pan on wire rack for 30 minutes. Invert onto wire rack to cool completely. Place on plate. Brush cake with glaze.

Champagne Pomegranate Glaze

Ingredients
1 cup sugar
1 cup champagne
1/3 cup pomegranate juice
1/3 cup pomegranate seeds

Directions
While cake is baking, combine sugar, champagne, and pomegranate juice in medium saucepan. Bring to boil while stirring. Reduce heat, add seeds, and simmer 20-30 minutes.
Transfer to bowl and let cool (will thicken as it cools).
Brush cake with glaze.

BEAT THE HEAT! FRESH UP WITH 7-Up (Chocolate Cake!)

Love this Beat the Heat! "fresh up" with Seven-Up! Great Ad from July 5, 1948! Family days at the Beach. Mom packs the picnic basket, Dad drives, and the kids fill the cooler with 7-Up. Seems like a lot of 7-Up from the photo. But they all look like they're having fun at the Beach--with 7-Up.

Another way of enjoying 7-Up, a very retro carbonated beverage, is to use it as a leavening agent in a chocolate bundt cake. I've posted 7-Up Chocolate Cake recipes for my Mad Men Marathon, but this is a 'from scratch" easy recipe. I usuallAs I mentioned, the 7-Up is the leavening agent. Enjoy! Try to beat the heat!

7-Up Chocolate Cake

Ingredients
2 cups butter, softened
2 tsp Madagascar vanilla
3 cups sugar
5 eggs
1 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 cup DARK cocoa
1 cup 7-Up
1 cup dark chocolate chips  (or a cup of dark chocolate broken into chunks)
 
Directions
Cream butter.
Add sugar and vanilla and beat until light and fluffy.
Add eggs, beating well after each one.
Stir in salt, flour and cocoa. Blend thoroughly.
Add 7-UP.
Fold in chocolate chips or chunks.
Bake in greased and floured Bundt pan for 60 minutes (or until tester comes clean).
Cool on wire rack. 

Optional: Glaze when cooled with dark chocolate Dobash Frosting. 

Dobash Frosting
1 1/2 cup water
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup butter
1/2 cup Ghirardelli cocoa
pinch of salt

Combine all in saucepan and bring to a boil.
Add 1/2 cup water to make a paste. Stir into cocoa mixture with whisk over heat until it thickens. Pour while hot over cake and spread.