Santa's not real?!?

Last night I was perusing the web when I came across a discussion forum on the Wilton website. One particular thread was discussing unusual cake flavors. This post caught my eye:

"Hello. I own a bakery and when people request specialty flavors I use Lorann Oils or an extract. The amount depends on how bold you want the flavor to be. I only use DH Moist cakes so I typically use the white mix but for a banana cream I would use a yellow mix, it has a soft creamy taste to it..."

Did you get that? Maybe I should say it again...

"Hello. I own a bakery and when people request specialty flavors I use Lorann Oils or an extract. The amount depends on how bold you want the flavor to be. I only use DH Moist cakes so I typically use the white mix but for a banana cream I would use a yellow mix, it has a soft creamy taste to it..."

Are you kidding me?!? She OWNS a bakery and she uses Duncan Hines boxed cake mix?!? I started freaking out and read it out loud to hubby.

He said, "Wait, don't tell me you really thought that bakeries actually make all their stuff from scratch..."

So I decided to do some research and found this. Everything from cakes to donuts, cookies to croissants, all in an easy-to-use, just-add-water mix. Or if you don't have time to just-add-water, you can purchase the Frozen Ready-To-Sell varieties. Seriously. How many bakeries out there bake Nestle Toll House Break-Apart Sugar Cookie Dough, sprinkle some colored sugar on top, and sell it for $1.50 apiece? Or thaw out some frozen cakes, throw some icing on top, and sell it to you for $900 as a wedding cake?

Deep down, I know that bakers do more than just defrost or just-add-water, and that it is hard work and takes a lot of talent, but still...somehow, it seems like cheating to me.

I'm so heartbroken. I feel like a kid who has just discovered that Santa Claus isn't real.

Chocolate Cake IV

I made this cake for a friend's birthday. It was much easier than it looked and was well worth the work!

Prep: 30 min., Bake: 30 min., Cool: 10 min.

INGREDIENTS:
cooking spray
shortening
1/2 (4 ounce) semisweet chocolate baking bar, chopped
1/2 (4 ounce) bittersweet chocolate baking bar, chopped
1/2 cup butter, softened
2 cups firmly packed light brown sugar
3 large eggs
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 1/4 cups cake flour
2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 cup boiling water
Coffee Liqueur Ganache Icing
Mocha-Chocolate Cream Filling

DIRECTIONS:
Coat 3 (8-inch) round cakepans with cooking spray. Line bottoms of pans with wax paper; grease wax paper with shortening, and set aside.

Melt chocolate in a small saucepan over low heat, stirring until smooth; set aside.

Beat butter at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy. Gradually add sugar, beating until light and fluffy. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating just until yellow disappears after each addition. Stir in melted chocolate and vanilla.

Sift together flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon; add to butter mixture alternately with buttermilk, beating at low speed just until blended, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Stir in boiling water*. Pour batter evenly into prepared pans.

Bake at 350° for 28 to 30 minutes** or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans on wire racks 10 minutes; remove from pans, and cool completely on wire racks.

* Pouring in the boiling water will make the batter very soupy - don't worry! This is normal.
** I used 9-inch round cakepans and they only baked for about 18 to 20 minutes.

ASSEMBLY:
Place 1 cake layer on a serving plate; spread top with 4 tablespoons Coffee Liqueur Ganache Icing. Spread half of Mocha-Chocolate Cream Filling evenly over ganache on cake layer. Top with second cake layer; spread top with 4 tablespoons Coffee Liqueur Ganache Icing and remaining Mocha-Chocolate Cream Filling. Top with remaining cake layer. Spread remaining Coffee Liqueur Ganache Icing on top and sides of cake. Garnish, if desired.

GARNISH:

• Chocolate curls ("Peel" chocolate bar using a standard vegetable peeler)

CREDIT: Florence Neavoll, Salem, Oregon , Southern Living, SEPTEMBER 2005

Coffee Liqueur Ganache Icing

This recipe goes with Chocolate Cake IV.

Prep: 10 min.; Cook: 5 min., Stand: 45 min.

INGREDIENTS:
3 (4-ounce) bittersweet chocolate baking bars, finely chopped
1 1/4 cups whipping cream
1 Tbs. butter
2 Tbs. coffee liqueur (Kahlúa)

DIRECTIONS:
Place chocolate in a bowl. Heat cream in a small saucepan over medium heat just until cream begins to boil. Pour over chocolate in bowl, stirring until smooth. Stir in butter and liqueur. Let stand 45 minutes or until spreading consistency.

YIELD:
Makes 2 cups

CREDIT: Florence Neavoll, Salem, Oregon , Southern Living, SEPTEMBER 2005

Mocha-Chocolate Cream Filling

This recipe goes with Chocolate Cake IV.

Prep: 10 min., Cook: 5 min., Stand: 30 min.

INGREDIENTS:
5 Tbs. all-purpose flour
2 Tbs. unsweetened cocoa
2 Tbs. instant coffee granules
1 cup half-and-half
1 cup butter, softened
1 cup 10X Confectioners Sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract

DIRECTIONS:
Whisk together flour, cocoa, coffee granules, and half-and-half in a small saucepan. Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, 5 minutes or until thickened. Spoon mixture into a small bowl; cover surface of mixture with plastic wrap, pressing wrap onto surface, and let stand 30 minutes or until cool.

Beat butter and sugar at medium speed with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Gradually add cooled cocoa mixture, 1 tablespoon at a time, beating until blended after each addition. Add vanilla, beating until mixture is consistency of whipped cream.

YIELD:
Makes 1 1/2 cups

CREDIT: Florence Neavoll, Salem, Oregon , Southern Living, SEPTEMBER 2005

Too Much Chocolate Cake

This is a favorite of mine. It's a "cheaty" cake, but tastes homemade! It's also fun to experiment a change flavors by using different cake mix flavors.

INGREDIENTS:
1 pkg dark chocolate cake mix
1 (5.9 oz) pkg instant chocolate pudding
1 cup sour cream
3/4 cup vegetable oil
4 eggs, beaten
3/4 cup strong coffee
2 cups semisweet mini chocolate chips

DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 350ºF. In a large bowl, mix together the cake and pudding mixes, sour cream, oil, beaten eggs, and coffee. Stir in the chocolate chips and pour batter into a well-greased 12-cup bundt pan. Bake for 50 to 55 minutes, or until top is springy to the touch and a wooden toothpick inserted comes out clean. Cool cake thoroughly in pan at least an hour and a half before inverting onto a plate.

GARNISH:

• Top with Satiny Chocolate Glaze

CREDIT: Submitted by "Denise" on Allrecipes.com

Satiny Chocolate Glaze

Quick, easy glaze for cakes and cookies. I use it with the Too Much Chocolate Cake recipe.

INGREDIENTS:
3/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips
3 Tbs. butter
1 Tbs. light corn syrup
1/4 tsp. vanilla extract

DIRECTIONS:
STOVE: In a double boiler over hot, but not boiling water, combine chocolate chips, butter and corn syrup. Stir until chips are melted and mixture is smooth, then add vanilla. Spread warm glaze over top of cake, letting it drizzle down the sides.

MICROWAVE: In a microwave-safe bowl, add chocolate chips, butter, and corn syrup and microwave at 50% power for 45 seconds. Stir. Repeat. Stir. Microwave at 15 second intervals if necessary. Add vanilla and stir well.

Pour over cake, cookies, ice-cream, etc. and allow to set.

YIELD:
Makes 1 cup

CREDIT: Submitted by "Ginger" on Allrecipes.com