Chocolate Chip Date Cake

This cake has been a Dunn family favorite for many years. When I was little, I thought it was called "Chocolate Chip Date Cake" because it was something to eat when you went out on a date. As I got older, I realized that there are actually dates in the batter, and they are the secret to its moist consistency and good taste. It is a great chocolate cake that is delicious, and not super-sweet. I've added pictures to my recipe (a la "Pioneer Woman Cooks") because I had made this cake wrong for so many years, and then finally, after talking to my mom one day after another failed attempt, I realized what I was doing that was making it not quite as I remembered it growing up. So, forgive my feeble attempts to be creative or funny with my pictures, but I didn't want the same mistake to happen to anyone else! Ok, so let's get started!

The "cast of characters": sugar, flour, vanilla, chopped pecans, chopped dates (found by the raisins in the grocery store), chocolate chips, cocoa, eggs, butter, baking soda, and boiling water (not pictured.)

Start by taking 1 cup chopped dates and putting it in a bowl

then add 1 tsp. baking soda

and 1 cup boiling water

and let stand for 40 minutes. Go for a walk, go play with your kids, watch some "Oprah", whatever.

In the meantime, add 1 Tbsp. cocoa to 1 cup sugar.

Mix well.

Then cream the sugar/cocoa mixture with 1 cup (2 sticks) of butter. Don't even think about substituting it with something else, and heaven forbid, lower in fat.

Add 2 eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition.

Then add 1 & 3/4 cups flour, gradually.

Your batter should be pretty thick after you've added the flour.

Now, here comes the key part (and the thing I had been doing wrong for so long): Add the dates, with the liquid, to the batter. For so long I had been just adding the dates, sometimes straining it, and wondering why my cake was so dry and didn't ever taste like my mom's. The liquid and the plump dates make your cake so moist and good. Oh, and don't worry if you're not a big date fan; you can't even taste them in the cake, they just help with the consistency of the cake.
Now add 1 tsp. real vanilla

and 1/2 cup chocolate chips, and 1/2 cup chopped pecans to the batter. Mix gently.

Now grease and flour an oblong cake pan, this one is 13x9.


Spread the gooey yummy batter in the pan evenly.

Now add another 1/2 cup chocolate chips to the top,

and 1/2 cup chopped pecans to the top.

Bake at 325 for 30 minutes until a toothpick or knife comes out clean.

Let cool and cut into pieces and serve. This cake is really good warm with some vanilla ice cream, and needs no icing! Enjoy!

Chocolate Crinkle Cookies

Again, from Stephanie at www.nieniedialogues.com

ingredients:
2 cups sugar
3/4 cup vegetable oil
3/4 cup hershey's cocoa powder
4 eggs
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
powdered sugar

directions:
in a large mixing bowl, combine sugar & oil. add cocoa; blend well. beat in eggs and vanilla. combine flour, baking powder & salt; add to cocoa mixture blending well. cover; chill at least 6 hours. heat oven to 350. shape dough into 1 inch balls. roll in powdered sugar. place 2 inches apart on greased cookie sheet. bake 12 to 14 minutes or until almost no indentation remains when touched. remove from cookie sheet; cool on wire rack. makes 4 dozen.

Banana Chocolate Chip Bread

• This recipe is from Nie Nie.  I make it all the time.
• 
  
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, at room temperature, plus more for pan
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 1/2 cups whole-wheat flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup mashed very ripe bananas
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 cup chocolate chips (if desired)

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees;. Butter a 9-by-5-by-3-inch loaf pan; set aside. In an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, and beat to incorporate.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt. Add to the butter mixture, and mix until just combined. Add bananas, sour cream, and vanilla; mix to combine. Stir in chocolate chips and pour into prepared pan.
3. Bake until a cake tester inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean, about 1 hour 10 minutes. Let rest in pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a rack to cool.

Embassy Brownies

I got this recipe from a cookbook in the International Ward when I was serving in Brussels, Belgium on my mission.  I LOVE brownies that use real melted chocolate, whether it be unsweetened or semisweet, because unlike cocoa, I think it just makes it more rich and chocolatey and decadent.  This one also has a little bit of Hershey's syrup in it to send it over the top.  Joleen Jardine, I've never met you, but thank you for this wonderful recipe!

6 oz. semi-sweet chocolate
1/4 cup chocolate syrup
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 tsp. vanilla
2 large eggs, slightly beaten
3/4 cup granulated sugar
Pinch (about 1/8 tsp) salt
1/2 cup all-purpose flour

Preheat oven to 350.  Butter and flour an 8" square baking pan.  Melt chocolate in a small, heavy saucepan over very low heat, stirring constantly.  Stir in the syrup.  Remove the pan from heat and add the butter.  Make sure the butter is really room temperature, because if it's slightly cold it will have lumps and it won't mix very well into the melted chocolate.  Beat until the mixture is smooth.  Stir in the eggs and vanilla and mix thoroughly (it's also better if your eggs are room temperature too, otherwise you can temper them with some warm chocolate so you don't end up with scrambled eggs.)  Sift together the sugar, flour and salt.  Add this to the chocolate mixture and blend thoroughly.  Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake in the preheated oven until just cooked, about 30 min (adjust according to your oven.)  Allow the brownies to cool completely in the pan; cut into squares and transfer to a serving plate.

my hubbys favorite cookies ever

these cookies are kinda a spin off of my favorite chocolate chip cookie recipe, they are sooo yummy and easy!!



oreo cookies and cream cookies...

1cup softened butter
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup white sugar
2 eggs
1 lg package oreo pudding
2 1/2 cup flour
1 tsp soda
1/2 tsp salt
2 cups chocolate chips
4 cookies and cream candy bars crushed

mix butter and sugars until well combined, then add eggs one at a time beating well after each. then add pudding.

mix flour soda salt in a separate bowl and then add to creamed mixture.
add chocolate chips and candy bars.

bake 350* for 8-10 mins.

Mississippi Mud Cake

This is one of my favorite cakes. It is not for the faint of heart. It is a gooey, sweet, sticky mess but you will lick it up and beg for more. And please, share it. With all the butter and sugar in it your thighs will thank you. Here it is:

1 package (18.25 ounces) plain devil's food cake mix
8 Tbsp. (1 stick) butter or margarine, melted
1 1/2 cups buttermilk (if you don't have buttermilk, just add 3 tsp. white vinegar to 1 1/2 cups milk)
2 large eggs
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1 jar (7 ounces) marshmellow creme or 1 1/2 cups mini marshmellows
Chocolate Pan Frosting (recipe below)
1 cup chopped toasted pecans

1. Preheat oven to 350. Lightly mist a 13 x 9 inch baking pan with vegetable oil spray. Set aside.
2. Place the cake mix, melted butter, buttermilk, eggs and vanilla in a large mixing bowl and blend on low speed for 1 minute. Stop and scrape down pan. Then blend on medium about 2 minutes more until the batter is blended and light and fluffy. Pour it into prepared pan.
3. Bake the cake until it springs back when lightly pressed with your finger, about 40 to 42 min. Remove the pan from oven and place on wire rack to cool. Spread the warm cake with the marshellow creme or mini marshmellows.
4. Prepare the chocolate pan frosting.
5. Pour the hot frosting on top of the marshellow creme and spread it out with a spatula so the frosting reaches the edges of the cake. Scatter the top with toasted pecans. Cool the cake for 20 minutes before serving.
Note: To toast pecans, preheat oven to about 325. Spread the pecans on a baking sheet in an even layer, and place in oven for about 5 minutes or so, just until you can smell them and they're not burnt.
This cake can also be stored, covered at room temp. for up to 1 week. Or freeze it, wrapped in foil, for up to 6 months. Thaw the cake on the counter overnight before serving.

Chocolate Pan Frosting:
8 Tbsp. (1 stick) butter
4 Tbsp. unsweetened cocoa powder
1/3 cup whole milk
4 cups confectioner's sugar, sifted
1. Place the butter in a medium saucepan and melt over low heat, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in cocoa powder and milk. Let the mixture come just to a boil, stirring, and then remove the pan from the heat. Stir in confectioner's sugar until the frosting is thickened and smooth.
2. Pour the warm frosting over the top of a cooled cake of your choice, spreading it with a spatula so that it reaches all the sides of the cake. Work quickly because this frosting goes on best while still warm.

COLLEEN'S BROWNIES

COLLEEN’S BROWNIES (These are yummy)

3 SQUARES BLUE BONNET MARGERINE OR BUTTER
3/4 CUP COCOA
MELT TOGETHER
MIX:
5 EGGS
3 CUPS SUGAR
ADD:
2 CUPS FLOUR
3/4 TEAS. SALT
1/2 TEAS. BAKING POWDER
1 1/2 TEAS. VANILLA
ADD MELTED MIXTURE AND
1 CUP CHOCOLATE CHIPS
GREESE AND FLOUR PAN
COOK AT 350’ FOR 30 MINUTES OR TILL DONE
WHILE STILL HOT SPREAD MARSHMALLOW CREAM AND LET COOL BEFORE ADDING FROSTING


FROSTING
MELT 3/4 CUP MARGARINE
2 TBLS. COCOA
2 1/2 CUP POWDERED SUGAR
ADD CANNED MILK
ADD 1 TEAS. VANILLASPREAD OVER MARSHMALLOW CREAM

mint chocolate chip cookies

1 box white cake mix

2eggs

1/3 c oil

1TBS mint extract

green food coloring

1 bag semi sweet chocolate chips





roll into balls and bake at 350 for 7-9 mins



these are best frozen...



Meg, this is how i make it now... turns out amazing every time!! let me know if you bake some!!

Yummy Chocolate Truffles

My sister-in-law made these for my family a year or so ago, and I recently tried making them myself. They are easy, but time consuming. I think they're a great treat to bring to your friends for the holidays!

1 pkg. Oreo's (you can also use mint creme oreo's for a chocolate mint flavored truffle)
1 8 oz. pkg cream cheese, softened
1-2 bags chocolate chips. You can use regular, white chocolate, or both!
spinkles-optional

Put all of oreos in a gallon zip lock bag. Crush in to crumbs with a rolling pin, or potato masher.
Combine oreos and soft cream cheese in a large bowl. Mix well (this will take some muscle!)
Refridgerate for atleast 1 hr.
Form into ping pong sized balls and put back in the fridge to become firm
Melt bag of choc chips over the stove using a double broiler
Dip the balls into the chocolate, completly coating them, then transfer to a cookie sheet
Decorate using sprinkles, or melt alternate chocolate chips and drizzle over the top.
Put back in the fridge until ready to eat.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bread

This recipe is from one of my good friends, Cara Newman. She was my visiting teacher for a while and would make this for me every fall and bring it to my house. It is so yummy!

2 beaten eggs
1 1/3 cup sugar
1 cup pureed or canned pumpkin
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup water
1 2/3 cup flour
1/4 tsp baking powder
1 tsp soda
3/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon
Scant 1/2 tsp ground cloves
About 1/3-1/2 cup chocolate chips
Combine eggs and sugar, mix well. Add pumpkin, oil, and water. Blend thoroughly. Add all dry ingredients and mix well. Pour into greased mini loaf pans about 2/3 full. Bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Individual Chocolate Souffle's

Honestly, no joking, these are DELICIOUS! I love to make them when I want a nice, chocolaty, guilty, treat. You will make yourself sick eating these because you won't be able to eat just one.

1/2 cup (1 stick)butter
1 1/4 cups sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 eggs
2/3 cup milk
1/2 teaspoon powdered instant coffee (I used french vanilla and loved it!)
2/3 cup all-purpose flour
2/3 cup cocoa1
1/2 teaspoons baking powder

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
Grease and sugar eight 6-ounce ramekins. (My friend didn't have ramekins, and used small glass tupperware bowls instead)
In large mixer bowl, beat butter, sugar and vanilla until light and fluffy.
Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
Scald milk. Remove from heat and add powdered coffee, stirring until dissolved.
Stir together flour, cocoa and baking powder. Add alternately with milk mixture to butter mixture. Beat 1 minute on medium.
Divide batter evenly among ramekins.
Place ramekins in 2 8-inch square pans. Pour hot water in bottom of pans to 1/8 inch deep and place pans in oven. Bake for 40-50 minutes or until toothpick inserted comes out clean.
Remove pans from oven and let ramekins stand in water for 5 minutes.
Remove ramekins from water and let cool slightly.
You can serve in dish or invert onto dessert plates.

Chocolate Marshmallow Cookies

I made this for a ward campout we had a few weeks ago and they were a huge hit!

Sift together-
1 3/4 cup flour
3/4 cup cocoa powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
set aside

Cream together-
1 stick softened butter
1 cup sugar
then add -
1/2 cup milk
1 tsp vanilla
mix well

Add flour mixture to this mix, a 1/2 cup at a time, mixing well after each addition. Use a rounded tablespoon to drop mixture onto an ungreased cookie sheet. Cook for 8-10 minutes of 375. Meanwhile, cut 12 marshmallow in half, lengthwise and set aside. When cookies are done, take out of oven and press marshmallow into each center, pressing it down with the flat of a spoon. Put back in oven for 1-3 minutes, until marshmallow softens. Set cookies aside to let cool while you make the icing.

Icing-
Put 3 cups powdered sugar into a medium sized bowl.
In a medium sauce pan melt together-6 tablespoons butter and 4 1/2 tablespoons cocoa powder, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon.
Pour butter chocolate mixture into powdered sugar
Add 6 tablespoons milk, and 3/4 tsp. vanilla
Wisk together.

When cookies have cooled, top entire cookie with chocolate icing. Enjoy!

german chocolate cookies

last night at Bunko a friend made these cookies... they were THE BEST I have ever had! you must try! MUST!

1 Cup sugar
1/2 Cup butter
3 egg yolks
1 tsp vanilla
1 Can evaporated milk small can or half a can of the bigger size.
coconut small package 2 1/2 cups ish...
pecans how ever many you want

Stir sugar, butter, yolks and evaporated milk. Cook until bubbled for 10 minutes. Stir occasionally. After cooked add remaining ingredients...coconut, pecans, and vanilla.
Reserve 1 & 1/4 cup of this mixture.

Mix 1 box German Chocolate cake mix, 1/2 Cup melted butter and the reserved of above mixture. Roll into balls and push thumb in middle and put a little of remaining icing mixture in the middle.
Cook at 300-325°F for 10 minutes.

Pizza Factory Chocolate Chip Cookies

I actually got this recipe from Dall a few years back and now someone else gave it to me, I don't know if it is the same or not, but it sure is good!

2 c. butter
1 1/2 c. granulated sugar
2 c. brown sugar
4 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla (real vanilla is best!)
1/2 tsp. almond extract
2 tsp. salt
2 tsp. baking soda
5 1/2 c flour (I keep my flour in the freezer, I don't know why, but it does something magical to cookies, it makes them set up so much better)
1 large box of instant vanilla pudding (french or regular vanilla, they are both good)
3 cups milk chocolate chips

Mix in the order listed, place on a greased cookie sheet. Bake at 375 for 8-10 minutes ( I like my cookies really soft, so I cook them for 8 or 9 min and they are so soft and good, they don't really look all the way done, but after they cool they set up perfectly)

Chocolate Oatmeal Chocolatechip muffin

1/2 c. quick cooking oats
2/3 c. boiling water
1 c. brown sugar
1/4 c. melted butter or marg
1 egg, lightly beaten
2/3 c + 2Tbsp all purpose flour
1 Tbsp. cocoa powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1 pkg chocolate chips semi or milk ( I like to use half of each)

In large bowl, pour boiling water over oats. Let stand for 10 minutes. Stir in brown sugar and butter, mix in egg. In a seperate bowl sift together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. Add flour mixture to batter, mix well. Stir in vanilla and half of the chocolate chips. Grease and flour a cupcake tin, I like the large ones the best. Sprinkle the tops with the remaining chocolate chips. bake at 350 for 18-20 minutes or until a toothpick comes our clean. I like to wrap some in saran wrap and freeze them for later. Great for a grab and go breakfast!

No-Bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars

If you like chocolate peanut butter bars, this is the recipe for you! My friend Jenna brought me dinner after I had my first child, and this was the dessert. They were so good that I've been making them since, but only if I know I can share them. They are super fattening and super good!

2 cups creamy peanut butter, divided
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) butter, softened
2 cups powdered sugar, divided
3 cups graham cracker crumbs
2 cups (12-oz. package) semi-sweet mini morsels, divided
Beat 1 1/4 cups peanut butter and butter in large mixer bowl until creamy. Gradually beat in 1 cup powdered sugar. With hands or wooden spoon, work in remaining powdered sugar, graham cracker crumbs and 1/2 cup morsels. Press evenly into greased 13x9 pan. Smooth top with spatula. Melt remaining peanut butter and remaining morsels in medium saucepan over low heat, stirring constantly until smooth. Spread over graham cracker crust in pan. Chill for at least 1 hour or until chocolate is firm. Cut into bars; store in refrigerator.

Chocolate Mousse

When I get a hankering for some food from my mission, I will make this dessert. It uses the real stuff, not any jello pudding mixes. It's also quick and easy, and can be turned into a chocolate mousse pie with a chocolate or oreo crust and whipped cream!

2 cups (12 oz.) semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla
pinch salt
1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream, heated to boiling point
6 egg yolks
2 egg whites
Whipped cream for garnish (optional)
Combine chocolate, vanilla and salt in blender or food processor fitted with a steel knife blade and mix 30 seconds. Add boiling cream and continue mixing 30 seconds more or until chocolate is completely melted. Add yolks and mix about 5 seconds. Transfer to bowl and allow to cool. Beat egg whites in mixer until soft peaks form. Gently fold into chocolate mixture. Place in serving bowl or wine glasses, cover with plastic wrap, and chill. Serve with whipped cream, if desired.
*Note: If you want to get super fancy, whip up some chocolate curls to put on top. The directions for those are here.

Chocochip cookies

1/3 cup shortening
1/3 cup butter
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
1 3/4 cup flour
1/2 tsp soda
1/2 tsp salt
6 oz chocolate chips


Heat over to 375
Mix shortening, butter, both sugars, egg and vanilla until blended.Then slowly stir in the dry ingredients.Lastly, mix in the chocolate chips.Drop balls of dough on cookie sheet about 2" apart.Bake 8-10 minutes or until brown.