Ingredients

• 2-1/4 cups cake flour (not self-rising)
• 1-1/2 cups sugar
• 1 tbsp. baking powder
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 6 eggs, separated
• 3/4 cup cold water
• 2 tsp. vanilla
• 2 tsp. fresh lemon juice
• 1/2 tsp. cream of tartar
• 2 ozs. semisweet chocolate, grated (about 2/3 cup)
• DRIZZLE:
• 2 ozs. semisweet chocolate, melted

Directions

Heat oven to 325 degrees. Sift together cake flour, sugar, baking powder and salt into large bowl. Whisk oil, egg yolks, water, vanilla, and lemon juice in second bowl. Stir oil mixture into flour mixture until smooth.

Beat whites and cream of tartar in clean bowl on medium speed until foamy; increase speed to high; beat until stiff peaks form, about 3 mins. Fold one-third of whites into flour mixture. Fold in remaining whites and grated chocolate. Gently scrape into ungreased 10″ tube pan.

Bake at 325 for 55-60 minutes or until top springs back when lightly pressed with fingertip. Invert pan; let cake cool completely. When cool, run thin spatula around edge of pan and center tube. Remove cake from pan; place on serving dish. Drizzle melted chocolate over top; let stand to harden.

Ingredients

• 1 c. butter
• 2/3 c. white sugar
• 2/3 c. brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 t. vanilla
• 1 t. baking powder
• 1/4 t. nutmeg
• 1 c. flour
• 1 t. cinnamon
• 2 c. oatmeal
• 2 c. chocolate chips, divided

Directions

Beat butter, sugars and eggs until fluffy. Stir in vanilla. Blend in dry ingredients and most of the chocolate chips. Spread into 9-by-13-inch pan. Sprinkle with the rest of the chocolate chips. Bake at 350° for 25 minutes.

Ingredients

• Unsalted butter or unflavored vegetable cooking spray, for greasing the pan
• 3 cups all-purpose flour, plus exra for dusting the pan
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 pound (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 2 cups sugar
• 6 large eggs, at room temperature
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 cup sour cream, at room temperature
• 1 1/2 cups (9 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 325 F. Grease a 10-inch tube pan with removable bottom, dust it with flour, and tap out the excess.
2. Combine the flour and baking soda in a bowl. Stir well, and set it aside.
3. Cream the butter and sugar with an electric mixer on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well and scraping the bowl after each addition. Then beat in the vanilla until smooth.
4. Reduce the speed to low and add the flour mixture in four additions, alternating the with the sour cream in three additions, beginning and ending with the flour. Fold in the chocolate chips.
5. Scrape the batter into the prepared tube pan, and bake on the center oven rack until a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean, 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 hours. Allow the cake to cool completely in the pan set on a wire rack.
6. Run a knife around the center tube and the sides of the pan, and lift the tube from the outer pan. Gently slide the knife between the bottom of the cake and the pan, and lift the cake off the pan. Cut the cake into slices, and serve.

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 cup flour
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 1/2 tablespoons cocoa
• 1/2 cup walnuts chopped
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 cup cocoa
• 1 1/4 boiling water

Directions

Cream sugar and butter and add 1/2 cup milk. Add flour, salt, baking powder, 1 1/2 T. cocoa and mix well. Pour into iron skillet that has been slightly greased or sprayed. Sprinkle with nuts (optional). Mix together 1/2 cup sugar, 1/2 cup brown sugar, 1/4 cup cocoa, and 1 1/4 cup boiling water and pour over batter in skillet. Bake at 350º oven for 30 minutes. Let cool in pan until warm and spoon from skillet. Top with vanilla ice cream.

Ingredients

• 12 vanilla wafers
• 1 (8oz) pkg cream cheese, soft
• 1 (3oz) pkg cream cheese, soft
• 3 oz bittersweet or semi-sweet chocolate, melted and cooled
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 2 egg yolks
• 3 Tbl chocolate liqueur, apricot brandy or milk
• 1 Tbl milk
• 1 1/2 tsp vanilla
• 1/3 cup finely chopped dried cherries or dried apricots
• small whole or sliced strawberries or chocolate shavings (optional)

Directions

Line twelve 2 1/2 inch muffin cups with foil bake cups. Place 1 wafer in the bottom of each muffin cup. Set aside.

For filling, in a medium mixing bowl, beat cream cheese and chocolate with an electric mixer until combined. Beat in sugar, egg yolks, liqueur, milk and vanilla just until combined (do not overbeat). Stir in dried cherries. Spoon filling into each prepared cup.

Bake individual cheesecakes at 350(F) for about 20 minutes or until set. Cool the cheesecakes in muffin pan on a wire rack for 5 minutes. Center may dip slightly as they cool. Remove cheesecakes from pans. Cool on wire rack for 1 hour. Cover and chill for 4 to 24 hours.

If you are taking these on a picnic, tote them in an insulated cooler with ice packs. Serve within 2 hours of packing them in the cooler. If you like, garnish with strawberries or chocolate shavings.

makes 12 mini cheesecakes

Source: Midwest Living – August 2005