Dangerously good chocolate cake for Valentine’s Day

Posted by Dana McMahan on February 12, 2008

I wouldn’t say we get particularly into Valentines Day in our house, though I will certainly use it as an excuse for a fabulous meal. However, whether I buy into it or not, I found the following email from Self.com just wrong:

Show your Valentine how much you care by baking a warm chocolate cake with rich cream sauce. This recipe from Canyon Ranch in Tucson, Arizona, calls for lowfat milk and nonfat yogurt, making this 139-calorie dessert only feel like a splurge!

How about, if instead of counting calories on a day that’s about love, lust and your heart’s desire, we joyfully devour a dangerously good chocolate cake? (How dangerous? So incredibly good and addictive that I make it maybe once a year)

Dangerously good chocolate cake for Valentine’s Day

2 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups sugar
½ tsp salt
1 cup water
1 cup (2 sticks) butter (You read that right. Two sticks. And no fake butter allowed!)
3 generous Tbsp cocoa powder
2 eggs, well beaten
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Sift flour, measure and resift with sugar and salt.

In a medium saucepan the butter, water and cocoa to a boil

Pour this mixture over the flour and sugar mixture and stir.

In another bowl mix together eggs, soda, buttermilk and vanilla. Add to the cake batter and mix well.
Pour batter into a buttered and floured shallow pan (15 1/2″ x 10 1/2″ x 1″) and bake 20 minutes (or longer if it looks too wobbly or your dish is deeper) at 350 degrees F.

Remove from oven and leave in the pan.

Top with your favorite icing recipe as soon as you pull it from the oven. I like it with a white vanilla icing dusted with cinnamon. (Try this recipe -- I usually make mine up as I go, adjusting until it tastes great)

Dish a big decadent slab to share with your loved one (or enjoy it yourself in the company of your pet, TV, record or book.)

And if you insist on the low cal cake, take your virtuous self on over to Epicurious for warm chocolate cakes with coffee creme anglaise.

Ça vaut le voyage,
Dana

TAGS: Cake, Cake From Scratch, Chocolate, Valentines Day
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[ READER COMMENTS ]

1. 1

   Irene said:

   Um, I can't wait to try this! I agree...forget the low cal! If you're going to enjoy dessert, enjoy it! :)

   Posted at 02:10 PM, on February 12 2008

1. 2

   Brenda Bowling said:

   hmmmmm, sounds vaguely familiar and delicious I am sure.

   Posted at 03:28 PM, on February 13 2008

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