Page 211 - Chocolate Cake Doctor

S H E E T C A K E S 193

1. Place a rack in the center of the oven
and preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly R
mist a 13- by 9-inch pan with vegetable
oil spray, then dust with flour. Shake the Cake Mix Doctor says
out the excess flour. Set the pan aside.
You can just as well fold grated
2. Carefully rub the chocolate along the
chocolate instead of melted chocolate
largest holes of a cheese grater to make
into the cake batter. But rather than
1 tablespoon grated chocolate; set it grate that much chocolate on a grater
aside. Break the remaining chocolate (and chance scraped knuckles), use a
into 5 or 6 pieces and place them in a food processor.With the motor
small glass bowl. Microwave for 1 running, drop pieces of the chocolate
minute at high power. Stir to melt any through the feed tube, one at a time;
remaining lumps. process until ground. Reserve 1
tablespoon for the garnish, and fold the
3. Place the cake mix, eggnog, brandy,
remainder into the batter instead of
oil, eggs, vanilla, nutmeg, and melted
the melted chocolate. When grating the
chocolate in a large mixing bowl. Blend
chocolate with a cheese grater, be sure
with an electric mixer on low speed for it is a little soft to make the job easier
30 seconds. Stop the machine and on your knuckles!
scrape down the sides of the bowl with a Feel free to substitute bourbon or
rubber spatula. Increase the mixer rum for the brandy in this recipe.
speed to medium and beat 2 minutes
more, scraping the sides down again if
needed. The batter should look well
combined. Pour the batter into the pre- around the edge of the cake, and invert
pared pan, smoothing it out with the it onto a serving platter to cool com-
rubber spatula. Place the pan in the pletely, 20 minutes.
oven.
5. Meanwhile, prepare the frosting:
4. Bake the cake until it springs back Place the butter and 1 cup of the confec-
when lightly pressed with your finger, 38 tioners’ sugar in a large mixing bowl.
to 42 minutes. Remove the pan from the Blend with an electric mixer on low
oven and place it on a wire rack to cool speed for 30 seconds to incorporate.
for 10 minutes. Run a sharp knife Stop the machine and add the remaining