National Kahlua Day: Chocolate Kahlua Cake

February 27 is National Kahlua Day. I always loved Auntie Helen's Chocolate Kahlua Cake. She wasn't really my aunt, but she had lots of nephews and nieces whenever she made her Kahlua soaked dark Chocolate Cake. Unbelievably moist! I don't have her recipe, but I've recreated something similar over the years. Never really wrote it down, though. I'm pretty sure she used a box mix like Duncan Hines Chocolate Cake. As you may know from this blog, my recipes aren't always precise (a bit of this, a bit of that). So I went in search of a more accurate recipe!

I was thrilled to find, then, Mary Kennedy's Easy Chocolate Kahlua Cake on Mystery Lovers' Kitchen on Valentine's Day! How special is that!!  If you're not familiar with Mystery Lovers' Kitchen, get acquainted. It's a great site for mystery/foodie cross-over.  The tagline on the site is "Mystery writers cookin up crime.. and recipes.

I know Mary's recipes are terrific. She Guest Blogged here on Dying for Chocolate with her Killer Kahlua Brownie recipe. Mary must really love Kahlua. Well, no suprise. It goes so well with chocolate! Mary Kennedy is the author of Dead Air, the first book in the mystery series featuring clinical psychologist Dr. Maggie Walsh. Mary has a dynamite Chocolate Kahlua Cake recipe. And, this one tastes just like Auntie Helen's!

Mary Kennedy’s Easy Chocolate Kahlua Cake

1 package dark chocolate cake mix (I've used Duncan Hines)

1 small package chocolate instant pudding mix

4 eggs

3/4 cup oil

1/2 C. Kahlua  (or a little more)

1 (16 oz.) container sour cream

1 (12 oz.) package semisweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350° F. Mix all ingredients together. Pour into a well-greased, floured (or sprayed) Bundt pan. Bake 65 to 75 minutes or until a knife or toothpick inserted near center comes out clean. Cool at least 30 minutes. Invert to remove. Sprinkle with powdered sugar to give a finished look.

You can also bake this cake in a 9 x 13-inch pan but reduce the cooking time. (Check the cake in about 40 to 45 minutes, if still liquid in the center, continue baking and checking until done).


Have a great Kahlua Day!!

Photo by Cleo Coyle

Killer Kahlua Brownies from Mary Kennedy, author of Dead Air

Mary Kennedy, a Twitter and Facebook friend, and I share a mutual love of Chocolate and Mysteries. It's funny how the Internet unites people. I also do a team building event called Operation Military Giving through my company TeamBuilding Unlimited, and Mary also sends boxes to the troops with homemade goodies. Worlds Collide. Now Mary's first adult mystery, Dead Air, came out this month from Penguin and Reel Murder will appear in June, so I asked Mary to Guest Blog and share a chocolate recipe. Her Kahlua Brownies are Killer!

Mary Kennedy, author of Dead Air (Penguin, January 2010):

TAKE TWO CHOCOLATE BROWNIES AND CALL ME IN THE MORNING

Like Dr. Maggie Walsh, my heroine in DEAD AIR, I’m a licensed clinical psychologist. Of course, Maggie is a radio show host in sunny Florida and I live and work in not-so-sunny Delaware. But both Maggie and I love chocolate.

Why do we use chocolate for a quick boost, a way of making ourselves feel better? Some scientists believe it’s because chocolate contains a high level of phenylethylamine, which raises dopamine levels in the brain and is related to falling in love.

When I sent a goodie box to the troops in Iraq, I included Janet Rudolph’s wonderful “Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Truffles” along with Kahlua Brownies. And a copy of DEAD AIR, of course. If you’d like to try the Kahlua brownies, they are easy and delicious.

Cook Time: 35 minutes

Ingredients:
3/4 cup cocoa, unsweetened
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
2/3 cup melted butter, divided
1/4 cup boiling water, 1/4 cup Kahlua
2 cups granulated sugar
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup coarsely chopped walnuts or pecans
2 cups (12 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips

Preparation:
Directions for chocolate brownies
In a large bowl, combine cocoa and baking soda; blend in 1/3 cup melted butter. Add boiling water and Kahlua; stir until well blended. Stir in sugar, beaten eggs and remaining 1/3 cup butter. Stir in flour and salt. Stir nuts and the chocolate chips into chocolate brownies batter. Pour chocolate brownie batter into a greased 13x9x2-inch baking pan. Bake at 350° for 35 to 40 minutes or until chocolate brownies are firm and begin to pull away from sides of pan. Cool before cutting into squares.

These are absolutely fabulous!--Janet