PERSPECTIVES/ THE CONSULTING GROUP, LLC
  • Home
    • Who We Serve
    • How We Work
    • Services >
      • Concept Development
      • Strategic Planning
      • Brand Development
      • Operations
      • HACCP / Food Safety
      • Menu / Product Development
      • Marketing / Research
      • Design
      • Market Planning / Site Analysis
  • Why Perspectives?
    • About Us
    • Principals
    • Mission Statement
    • Code of Ethics
  • Clients
    • Testimonials
    • Client List
  • Contact Us
    • Phone, Address & Contact
  • Covid-19 Survival Guide

Cooking Lesson #50— Chocolate Pandemic Cake

6/9/2020

0 Comments

 
Picture

How you doin’? I started writing this post a few weeks ago, when the unemployment counts were heading sharply up. Last week’s surprisingly good report on that front doesn’t mean we’re out of the woods by any stretch, but it was a ray of sunshine in an otherwise pretty bleak week. I reached back in our files to bring back this Chocolate Depression Cake, but perhaps we can update (vegan) it and call it the Chocolate Pandemic Cake. We are all concerned about our health and our budgets. It’s a sign of the time.

Many of the standard ingredients used in baking chocolate cakes like butter, milk and eggs were in limited financial reach and supply during the Great Depression. We are finding some of that right now in our own grocery stores.  But, then as now, people found workarounds, so they didn’t have to give up their ration of chocolate cake. Even without those ingredients in this recipe, it still delivers on big chocolate flavor and a moist, fudgy texture.

I’ve replaced the butter with oil and cut down on the typical amount of sugar. It’s still a great chocolate cake only a tad less sweet. This recipe is more about the chemistry of the ingredients than the art of baking—so follow the recipe carefully. Because there are not any eggs, butter or milk the cake is suitable for a vegan diet—hip-hip hooray! 

Prep time:  10 minutes
Bake time:  35 to 40 minutes
Yield:  8 to 10 servings
 
Ingredients:
3/4 cup whole-grain pastry flour
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder + 1 tablespoon for dusting
1-1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup cold water
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1/3 cup canola oil or other neutral-flavored oil (or butter, if you please)
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
3/4 cup mini dark chocolate chips
3 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar, for dusting
whipped topping (optional)
 
Directions:
  1. Preheat an oven to 350°F.
  2. Spray and dust an 8-inch square baking pan with one tablespoon of cocoa powder.
  3. Sift together the whole-grain pastry flour, all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt in a large bowl.
  4. Combine the water and vinegars in a small bowl.
  5. Make a well in the center of the flour mixture; pour the oil and the vanilla extract in the well.
  6. Pour the water-vinegar mixture over the dry ingredients; stir to form a smooth batter.
  7. Fold in the chocolate chips.
  8. Pour the batter into the prepared pan.
  9. Bake on the middle rack for 35 to 40 minutes, until a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean.
  10. Transfer the pan to a wire rack for the cake to cool.
  11. Before serving, dust the top of the cooled cake lightly with confectioners’ sugar and/or a spritz or a dollop of whipped topping.

ChefSecret:  Dusting your sprayed pan with cocoa powder instead of flour prevents white streaks on the sides of your chocolate cake.

#Dessert #ChocolateCake #Baking #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup #QuarantineKitchen #Covid19 #Vegan

0 Comments

Your comment will be posted after it is approved.


Leave a Reply.

    Picture

    For over 4 decades collaboration and vision have been the cornerstones of our approach to developing innovative solutions. We fuel innovation, uncover opportunities, discover trends and embrace sustainability, turning imaginative ideas into profitable realities.

    We are expert in the following areas: Strategic Planning, Concept and Brand Development, Market Research, Operations Systems Planning, Operations Programming, Menu Planning & Inventory Optimization, Product Development, Training Programs, HACCP / Sanitation / Food Safety, Co-Packer Evaluation & Coordination, Food Processing & Facility Plant Design.

    Categories

    All
    Appetizers
    Baking
    Beef
    B'Fast/Brunch
    Chicken
    Cocktails
    Dessert
    Dinner
    Entrees
    Gluten Free
    Gluten-Free
    Happy Hour
    Health & Beauty
    Healthy Recipes
    Holiday Recipes
    Instant Pot
    Instant-pot
    Keto
    Kids
    Lunch
    Lunch/Brunch
    Pets
    Pork
    Salads
    Sauces
    Seafood
    Sides
    Snacks
    Soups
    Sous Vide
    Special Edition
    Turkey
    Veal
    Vegetarian

    RSS Feed

    Archives

    March 2023
    February 2023
    January 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020

www.perspectives-la.com
Copyright © 2021 Perspectives/The Consulting Group, LLC  | Henderson, NV 89052 |   310-477-8877
  • Home
    • Who We Serve
    • How We Work
    • Services >
      • Concept Development
      • Strategic Planning
      • Brand Development
      • Operations
      • HACCP / Food Safety
      • Menu / Product Development
      • Marketing / Research
      • Design
      • Market Planning / Site Analysis
  • Why Perspectives?
    • About Us
    • Principals
    • Mission Statement
    • Code of Ethics
  • Clients
    • Testimonials
    • Client List
  • Contact Us
    • Phone, Address & Contact
  • Covid-19 Survival Guide