Birthday Snack Cakes
In celebration of a dear friend's birthday, tradition has it (since I have done this twice now, I can call it that, right?) that she enjoys a bite of chocolate-y goodness on her special day. Since she loves baking and decorating cakes, I am thrilled that she loves this creation of mine so much!
Alexa's Baby Cakes
(adapted from Chocolate Baby Cakes with Chocolate Glaze Recipe: Everyday with Rachel Ray Oct 2006)
Cake Ingredients:
1/2c Ghirardelli semisweet chocolate chips
1/4c 2% milk
2 Tbsp heavy cream
4 Tbsp unsalted butter
1/3c sugar
1/3c plus 1 Tbsp all purpose flour
1/4 tsp baking soda
Pinch of salt
1 large egg
1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
Preheat oven to 275 degrees. In a medium saucepan, melt the chocolate chips, milk, and cream over low heat. Add butter and sugar and stir until smooth. Remove from heat. In a medium bowl, sift together flour, baking soda, and salt. Add the chocolate mixture and stir until smooth. Whisk in egg and vanilla. Spoon the batter into 6 lined and greased muffin cups (I use foil liners and spray them with an olive oil based Pam spray) until two-thirds full. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 25 minutes. Let cool slightly. Gently remove cupcakes and place them upside down on a large platter (or on 6 individual desert plates) and remove foil lining.
Chocolate Glaze Ingredients
1c Ghirardelli semisweet chocolate chips
2 Tbsp unsalted butter
1/2c heavy cream
1/2c crushed heath bars
1/4c shaved Ghirardelli semisweet chocolate cooking bar
In a small saucepan, melt the chocolate chips, butter, and cream over low heat, stirring until combined. Cover each cake with the chocolate glaze. You will have extra glaze, but save it. It makes for a great dipping chocolate for strawberries and pineapples, or a topper for ice cream sundaes! Sprinkle with the crushed health bars and shaves chocolate. Serve warm.
Tip for teens: In redneck style, I place few bars in a ziplock bag and go to town on them with the hammer my dad gave me because mine was to small and girly to knock a hole in the wall. It works great and gets the job done well!