Lighthouse Chocolate Fudge Cake: National Lighthouse Day

Today is National Lighthouse Day. I've always been fascinated by Lighthouses, not just because of how they important they are to ships at sea, but because of the 'odd' (to a kid) living arrangements. As a kid I wondered "Who lived in the Lighthouse? Did they have kids? Did the children go to school? Was the Lighthouse isolated from the community? And, what about the kitchen? Was there gas and electricity? Running water?" 

Most of my early lighthouse experiences were down the shore in New Jersey -- Cape May, Brigantine, and Barnegat, but since childhood I've visited Lighthouses all over the U.S. Living in Northern California, I've visited the Lighthouse on the Rock (Alcatraz), Fort Point, and East Brother Island (lighthouse keeper job comes up often. This lighthouse operates as a B&B), Pigeon Point, Ano Nuevo (near the elephant seal breeding ground), and Point Montaro. 
 

I also loved Lighthouses in Books and Movies. I'm a mystery fan--check out my other blog: www.mysteryfanfare.com, and lighthouses sometimes feature in dramatic endings, although I recently read a crime novel in which the lighthouse and its keepers set the opening scene and tenor of the story. 

Anyway, in honor of today's holiday--Lighthouse Day--here's a chocolate recipe for Chocolate Fudge Cake from Becky Sue Epstein and Ed Jackson's American Lighthouse Cookbook. This cookbook on my shelf, of course, and I highly recommend it. The cookbook is a culinary journey across America, visiting 47 lighthouses, dozes of essays about them and over 300 recipes from eight coastal regions of the U.S.

Chocolate Fudge Cake 
Grosse Point Lighthouse, Illinois

Ingredients
2 cups cake flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
2 ounces sweet baking chocolate
2 ounces unsweetened baking chocolate
9 Tbsp unsalted butter, softened, divided
1-1/8 cup sugar
2 extra-large eggs
2 1/2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar  (this is what really makes this recipe!)
Cocoa Frosting (recipe follows)

Directions
Preheat oven to 325ºF. Butter 2 (9-inch round) cake pans with 1 Tbsp butter.
Mix dry ingredients in  bowl.
Melt chocolate in microwave on medium heat or in double boiler.
In electric mixer, cream together 8 Tbsp butter and sugar until fluffy. Add eggs, 1 at time, beating well after each addition. Pour in vinegar and melted chocolate, and mix well.
Slowly add flour mixture, mixing until fully incorporated.
Spread batter into prepared cake pans.
Bake 30 minutes, or until inserted toothpick comes out clean. Do not overbake. 
Unmold the cakes.
Place 1 layer so bottom is facing up on platter. Spread 1/4 cup Cocoa Frosting on top of this layer. Place  second layer on top so tbottoms of layers are together, and frost  entire cake with remaining

Cocoa Frosting 

Ingredients
3 cups powdered sugar
2 Tbsp butter, softened 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa
2–4 Tbsp milk

Directions
In electric mixer, stir together sugar, butter, vanilla, and cocoa. Add milk, a little at time, until desired consistency for frosting.

Cartoon of the Day: Fudged Fudge Cake

 

CHOCOLATE PECAN BROWNIE FUDGE CAKE: Passover

Here's a great recipe that's perfect for Passover. Recipe first appeared in the L.A. Times on April 14, 2011 and again in August 2012.

Instead of flour, the recipe calls for ground blanched almonds. Almond and chocolate go very well together. The almond flour gives the following cake a nutty flavor that is complemented by the Pecans! This cake is simple to make and easy to enjoy! Just an FYI, it doesn't rise very high. Add some fresh whipped cream if you need to. I particularly like the crunchy top of this cake and the fudge-y insides.

Notes on special ingredients:

Almond Flour: Almond flour is readily available where I live, as well as online, but you can grind your own. Use a hand grinder (a clean coffee grinder) or blender. Don't use a food processor or you might end up making oil. If you use a blender, do it in small increments, about 1/2 cup at a time.

Turbinado Sugar: Turbinado sugar is a sugar cane-based, minimally refined sugar. It's medium brown in color and has large crystals. It's often mistaken for traditional brown sugar because of its light brown color, but it's made in a different way. It contains more moisture than regular white or brown sugar, so get some for your pantry. If you don't have it, and you want to make this cake today, you can substitute granulated sugar.

Potato Starch: No you don't have to make your own! Potato starch is available from Bob's Red Mill, King Arthur Flour, and many other sources. FYI: It is not the same product as potato flour.

CHOCOLATE PECAN BROWNIE FUDGE CAKE

Ingredients
1/3 cup potato starch (see my note above)
1/2 cup finely ground blanched almonds (almond flour-see note above)
1 cup turbinado sugar (in a pinch you can use granulated sugar)
Pinch salt
1/2 cup canola oil
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
3 1/2 ounces good-quality bittersweet chocolate (the very best quality!), melted
1 cup chopped pecans

Directions
Heat oven to 325 degrees. Grease 9-inch round or square baking pan and line with parchment paper so paper extends 2 inches beyond the pan. (Always good to ease the cake out of the pan)
In medium bowl, whisk together potato starch, ground almonds, sugar, and salt.
In small bowl, whisk together oil, eggs, and vanilla. Pour oil mixture over dry ingredients and stir together with wooden spoon until thoroughly combined and smooth. Stir in melted chocolate and chopped pecans. Pour batter into prepared baking pan. Level with frosting spatula dipped in cold water, if necessary.
Bake 25 to 30 minutes until toothpick inserted in center comes out slightly moist but without crumbs.
While still warm, cut into 8 equal pieces, leaving cake in pan. Set aside cake to cool completely, then chill.
Bring cake back to room temperature before lifting out of pan (using parchment 'handles'), and gently separate into portions.
Top with fresh whipped cream and serve!!

"MIX-EASY' HONEY FUDGE CAKE: Retro Recipe for Honey Month

September is Honey Month. Honey and Chocolate go so well together, and I often substitute honey for sugar. This recipe for Swans Down's New "Mix-Easy" Honey Fudge Cake is just perfect! It's not a cake mix recipe--just a 'mix-easy' recipe.

This Retro Ad from April 7, 1947 offers 30 Lucky Winners the possibility of a new "Servel Gas Refrigerator" installed in the winner's home! All they had to do to win was write 25 words about a Swans Down Cake! "Entries will be judged for originality, sincerity, and aptness, not on fancy or elaborate presentation."

Let me know what you think of Swans Down's New "Mix-Easy" Honey Fudge Cake circa 1947.

MARSHMALLOW FUDGE CAKE: Vintage Ad with Recipe "Just in time for Thanksgiving"

I love Vintage Ads with recipes. This Vintage advertisement is from Good Housekeeping November 1926. The recipe for Campfire Fudge Cake is still perfect for Thanksgiving in 2022. And who hasn't had Sweet Potatoes with Marshmallows for Thanksgiving? You might want to try this recipe, too. 

I've always loved the Campfire Brand! So here are three recipes  for your holiday! Marshmallow Fudge Cake, Campfire Apple Mallows, and Sweet Potatoes Southern. Of course the Marshmallow Fudge Cake is the one I'm making! 

Happy Thanksgiving!

MARSHMALLOW FUDGE CAKE: Vintage Thanksgiving Ad & Recipe

I love Vintage Ads with recipes. This one came out in Good Housekeeping November 1926. The recipe for Campfire Fudge Cake is still perfect for Thanksgiving in 2019. And who hasn't had Sweet Potatoes with Marshmallows? Campfire Brand! Three recipes in all for your holiday! Marshmallow Fudge Cake, Campfire Apple Mallows, and Sweet Potatoes Southern. Happy Thanksgiving!

Swans Down's "Mix Easy" Honey Fudge Cake: Retro Ad & Recipe

September is Honey Month. Honey and Chocolate go so well together, and I often substitute honey for sugar. This recipe for Swans Down's New "Mix-Easy" Honey Fudge Cake is just perfect! It's not a cake mix recipe--just a 'mix-easy' recipe.

This Retro Ad from April 7, 1947 offers 30 Lucky Winners the possibility of a new "Servel Gas Refrigerator" installed in their home! All they had to do to win was write 25 words about a Swans Down Cake! "Entries will be judged for originality, sincerity, and aptness, not on fancy or elaborate presentation."

Let me know what you think of Swans Down's New "Mix-Easy" Honey Fudge Cake circa 1947.