My Favorite Chocolate Cake

Normally I’m not a cake person—I have no problem turning it down and I rarely ever make it because most of my kids feel the same way.   Most cakes seem dry and flavorless to me.  Until this one.   A good friend made chocolate cake for a girls’ luncheon.  Knowing she ate a gluten-free diet, I had to ask, “Maren, how come you made a cake you can’t even eat?”  She assured me it was gluten free, so I wondered what kind of flour she used.  “Oh, there’s no flour in the recipe—and no butter or oil, either.  The secret ingredient is garbanzo beans.”  I was intrigued.  I had to taste it.  And then I devoured the whole piece.  It’s moist and fudgy, rich and delicious.  So much for my take-it-or-leave-it attitude about cake.  When I make this cake, it takes all my will-power to stop at one piece.   At least I’m getting some protein and fiber along with my chocolate fix!

Chocolate Garbanzo Cake

1 1/2 c. chocolate chips (I use 60% cacao)
2 cans garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
6 eggs
1 1/2 c. sugar
2 T. cocoa powder
1 T. lemon juice
1 1/2 t. baking powder
3/4 t. baking soda
1 t. vanilla

In a small bowl, melt the chocolate in the microwave for about 2 minutes on 50% power, stirring frequently until smooth.  In a blender, blend the beans and  eggs until creamy.  Add remaining ingredients, including the melted chocolate and blend well.  If your blender is not big enough, pour into a bowl to mix.  Put batter into a greased and floured 13x9 pan and bake at 350 for about 40-45 minutes, until a toothpick in center comes out with moist crumbs—don’t overbake.  Frost with your favorite frosting when cool.
Chocolate Frosting:

1/4 c. butter
4 c. powdered sugar
1/4 c. cocoa powder
1/4 c. milk
1 1/2 t. vanilla

Beat until creamy and spreadable.

Frozen Yogurt…made from powdered milk!

This yogurt is amazing—it tastes like the yogurt served at Red Mango, or other similar yogurt chains.  I found the recipe on this blog.   She insists upon using whole milk yogurt.  However, I made homemade yogurt from powdered milk (recipe found on this site), strained it, and then made the recipe as directed.  (Yes, it takes a few steps but it’s not hard.  You just have to plan ahead—that’s the hard part for me sometimes!)  We loved it!  It tastes creamy and rich—you won’t believe you started with nonfat dry milk.  I’m planning to make this recipe lots this summer!

Vanilla Frozen Yogurt

3 cups strained yogurt (see below) or Greek-style yogurt
3/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Mix together the yogurt, sugar, and vanilla. Stir until the sugar is completely dissolved. Refrigerate 1 hour.
Freeze in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer's instructions.  Serve immediately or place in freezer to ripen.
Variation:  Lime or Lemon Frozen Yogurt—add 1 t. grated lime (or lemon) zest and ½ c. lime (or lemon) juice and increase the sugar to 1 cup (add more if you like it sweeter, but I love it a little tart)

Note:  To make 1 cup of strained yogurt, line a mesh strainer with a few layers of cheese cloth. then scrape 16 ounces or 2 cups of plain whole-milk yogurt into the cheesecloth. Gather the ends and fold them over the yogurt, then refrigerate for at least 6 hours. So, for the above recipe start with and strain 6 cups of yogurt.
Makes about 1 quart.

Pumpkin Fluff Dip

This dip is so easy to stir together for fall parties. It's light and not too sweet.

Ingredients

• 1 (3.4 ounce) package instant vanilla pudding mix
  
• 1 (15 ounce) can solid pack pumpkin
  
• 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
  
• 1 (8 ounce) container frozen whipped topping, thawed

Directions
In a large bowl, mix together instant vanilla pudding mix, pumpkin and pumpkin pie spice. Fold in the thawed frozen whipped topping. Chill in the refrigerator for several hours until serving.

Serve with gingersnaps, vanilla wafers, graham crackers, or apples.

Pumpkin Cream Cheese Roll

I forgot to take a picture of the pumpkin roll I made for tonight's class! We'll just pretend it was as beautiful as this picture that I borrowed from Libby's website--the same place I found the recipe. I did make a couple of minor changes to the recipe (reduced the butter, added more spices, and used brown sugar instead of white). Try a cake roll soon--it's easier than it looks, right everyone?

Ingredients

• powdered sugar (to sprinkle on towel)
  
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
  
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
  
• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
  
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
  
• 3 large eggs
  
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
  
• 2/3 cup canned pumpkin
  
• 1 cup walnuts, chopped (optional)
  
• 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
  
• 1 cup powdered sugar, sifted
  
• 2 tablespoons butter or margarine, softened
  
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  
• powdered sugar (optional)
  

  Directions
  

1. PREHEAT oven to 375 degrees F. Grease 15 x 10-inch jelly-roll pan; line with wax paper. Grease and flour paper. Sprinkle towel with powdered sugar.
   
2. COMBINE flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves and salt in small bowl. Beat eggs and sugar in large mixer bowl until thick. Beat in pumpkin. Stir in flour mixture. Spread evenly into prepared pan. Sprinkle with nuts.
   
3. BAKE for 13 to 15 minutes or until top of cake springs back when touched. Immediately loosen and turn cake onto prepared towel. Carefully peel off paper. Roll up cake and towel together, starting with narrow end. Cool on wire rack.
   
4. BEAT cream cheese, powdered sugar, butter and vanilla extract in small mixer bowl until smooth. Carefully unroll cake; remove towel. Spread cream cheese mixture over cake. Reroll cake. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate at least one hour. Sprinkle with powdered sugar before serving, if desired.
   
5. This can be made ahead and frozen--wrap in plastic wrap and then in foil. Thaw for about 1 hour before slicing and serving.

Fresh Pumpkin Pie

Making pie from fresh pumpkin or squash puree is a little trickier because the puree is not as thick as the commercially canned pumpkin. I love this recipe because you don't add a can of evaporated milk. You don't add any extra liquids—just the dry milk powder. Brian was skeptical that this pie would turn out because he had just listened to a NPR story about pumpkin pie and the "experts" claimed that the best pies are made from canned pumpkin. They said not to bother cooking your own, because the pie won't have the right consistency. Well, I had to prove them wrong. I just happened to have some leftover pumpkins that we hadn't carved, and I found this recipe on a food storage blog. The pie was great! Brian said he liked it better than the Libby's recipe I usually use. I won't pretend that this is the only recipe I will use from now on, because cooking your own pumpkin is more work. But, if you have some pumpkins or butternut squash (I'm talking to you, Marilyn!) that you want to use, try this recipe.

Ingredients:
3 1/2 C. homemade pumpkin puree
3/4 C. sugar
1/2 t. salt
1 1/2 t. cinnamon
1 t. ginger
1 t. nutmeg
1 t. cloves
3 eggs
1 C. dry non-instant milk
1 9-10 inch deep dish pie shell with edges crimped high--filling is generous

Thoroughly combine all of the above—I used a blender to make sure the powdered milk was completely smooth. Pour into unbaked pie shell. Bake at 400 for 50 minutes or until knife inserted halfway between center and outside comes out clean. Cool.

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Bars

This has been a family favorite for years. I found the recipe on a bag of Ghiradelli chocolate chips and I made a couple of changes to make them a little bit better for you. You’ll never miss the extra fat and sugar, and you won’t notice the whole wheat (if it’s ground finely).

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Bars

½ c. butter, melted (I’ve also used oil with great results)

¾ c. chunky peanut butter

1 ½ c. sugar

3 eggs

2 t. vanilla

2 ½ c. flour (I use soft white wheat, ground)

1 t. baking soda

1 t. salt

12 oz chocolate chips

Cream butter, peanut butter, sugar, egg, and vanilla until well blended. Add flour, baking soda, and salt. Mix well then add chocolate chips. Spread into greased 15 x 10 cookie sheet. Bake 15-18 min. at 350.