Brown Velvet Cake & Icing

Brown Velvet Cake

I saw this recipe in a 1952 cookbook from the “Ladies of the three Methodist churches on Dunkinsville (Ohio) charge – Dunkinsville, Jacksonville and Cedar Mills” – my father's first pastorate while he was attending college. When I made the cake I made a few changes to make it simpler. There was a butterscotch icing recipe that accompanied this recipe, but I changed it, too. I added a little cocoa, decreased the sugar (hard to believe considering the amount of sugar in this cake & icing), used butter instead of shortening - and changed the name to “Brown Velvet Icing” The cake is very good – but very sweet.

2 cups brown sugar

½ cup sour cream

2 egg yolks

4 Tablespoons hot water

2 ¼ cups cake flour

½ teaspoon vanilla

½ cup shortening

½ cup water

5 teaspoons cocoa

¼ teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon soda

2 egg whites

Cream together the brown sugar and shortening. Add the sour cream and ½ cup water and mix well. Add 2 well beaten egg yolks. Combine cocoa with the hot water to make a paste and add. Mix together flour, salt and soda and combine with the other ingredients. Last, fold in stiffly beaten egg whites to which vanilla has been added. Pour into 2 layer pans and bake 30 minutes at 350 degree oven. Be careful not to overcook.

Brown Velvet Icing

2 cups brown sugar

1 stick butter (1/2 cup)

½ cup milk

2 teaspoons cocoa

½ teaspoon salt

2 ½ cups powdered sugar

Combine brown sugar, cocoa, shortening, butter and salt in pan; bring to a boil; add milk and boil 3 minutes. Cool and add powdered sugar and beat until thick.

Fudge Sauce

I made this last December when we had a Christmas party at our house. I bought a box of frozen cream puffs from Sam's and served this fudge sauce in a dish beside the cream puffs. Oh my goodness! It was WONDERFUL! I could have eaten it all by myself. Just phenomenal! The recipe comes from my oldest sister, Janice.

FUDGE SAUCE

1/2 cup cocoa (or 5 squares chocolate)
2 cups sugar
1 stick butter
dash of salt

Melt the above ingredients together over low heat.

Add: 1 can evaporated milk (13 oz.)
Bring to a boil, but don't boil. Store in refrigerator.

Mexican Chocolate Pecan Riches

My brother-in-law, Gilbert, sent me this recipe. I haven't tried it yet, but Gilbert swears this is delicious! He tells me that one of ladies who is a good cook in his department makes this for their monthly birthday celebrations. I wondered where the "Mexican" part of the recipe comes from, and he explained that the blending of cinnamon and chocolate - along with the pecans is a distinctly Mexican combination. If you give the recipe a try, let me know how it turns out.

MEXICAN CHOCOLATE PECAN RICHES


3 squares (1oz each) unsweetened baking chocolate
1/3 c. butter or margarine
4 eggs
1½ c. sugar
1 c. light corn syrup
1 ½ t. vanilla
Dash cinnamon
1 1/3 c. pecan halves (can add more)

In top of double boiler or in heavy saucepan over low heat, melt chocolate and butter; set aside to cool. In large bowl beat eggs to blend, then beat in sugar, corn syrup, chocolate mixture, vanilla & cinnamon. Stir in pecans. Pour into greased 2 qt, 2 inch deep baking dish. Place in pan with ½ inch hot water. Bake in preheated oven at 350 degrees for 40 minutes or until just set. Remove from water, cool thoroughly on rack. Spoon into dessert dishes. Makes 8 generous servings.

Chocolate Meringue Pie

This is a recipe I’ve had for almost forty years. It is the quintessential, absolutely perfect combination of chocolately deliciousness. I first got this recipe back in 1969 shortly after RT and I were married. The recipe came from his mother, Lillian, and I asked her for the recipe after tasting the pie for the first time after that Thanksgiving dinner many many years ago. It is my absolute top favorite pie. Give it a try.

Chocolate Meringue Pie

1 cup sugar

2 Tablespoons cornstarch

2 Tablespoons flour

4 Tablespoons cocoa

2 egg yolks (save whites for meringue)

1 1/2 cups milk

1 cooked pie shell

Place dry ingredients, milk and eggs into a small saucepan. Mix well and cook on medium heat until thick, stirring constantly. Pour into a cooked pie shell. Cool.

Meringue: Beat the two egg whies until stiff. Fold in 1/4 cup sugar and mix until dissolved. Spread the meringue on top of the cooled pie. Pop into a 350 oven for about ten minutes to brown the meringue.

Easy Brownie Dessert

This will look and taste like something that was complicated and took a long time. However, it is quick and easy.

EASY Brownie Dessert

1 box brownie mix (any kind)

1 pkg. instant chocolate pudding

1 small container whipped topping

1/2 cup crumbled toffee (You can find Heath Bar toffee crumbles next to chocolate chips in the grocery store.)

Follow the package directions to make and bake the brownies. Cool.

Follow the package directions to make the pudding.

Spread the pudding on top of the brownies in the pan. Spread the whipped topping on top of the pudding. Sprinkle the crumbled toffee pieces on top. Cut into squares and serve.

Variation: You can add a “kick” to this dessert by mixing a couple tablespoons of Kahlua to the pudding.

Variation: You can make it look fancier by putting it into a clear trifle bowl. First spread a layer of pudding on the bottom. Then break up the brownies and use half to make a layer of brownie pieces, then a layer of half the remaining pudding, and next a layer of half the whipped topping. Then another layer of brownie, pudding and whipped topping. Sprinkle the toffee pieces on top. Voila!

Variation: You can also experiment with various types of brownie mix and pudding flavors. However, you just can’t beat CHOCOLATE!