Black and White Gooey Butter Cake

During the Fall, I tend to gravitate to mouthwatering, decadent treats. My motto has always been, “The sweeter, the better!” A friend of mine suggested that I try the recipe for this extravagant Black and White Gooey Butter Cake. Curious to try my first cake from scratch, I was up to the challenge!

This cake is made up of two layers, a dark chocolate base, with a creamy topping. I found the original recipe for this Southern influenced treat on the following website: EvilShenanigans

I experimented with the recipe a little, as seen below.

Cake Base:

1 1/2 cups of cake flour
2/3 cup Hershey’s Cocoa – Special Dark Blend *
1 teaspoon of baking powder
1/2 teaspoon of baking soda
1/2 teaspoon of salt
1 1/2 cups of sugar
1 stick of butter (melted)
2 eggs
2 teaspoons of vanilla

*The original recipe called for Dutch-processed cocoa powder. The Hershey’s Cocoa has Natural and Dutch cocoa blended in.

Cake Topping:

1 stick of butter (room temperature)
1 block of cream cheese (room temperature)
2 eggs
1 teaspoon of vanilla
4 cups of powdered sugar
1/2 cup of Toll House Premier White Morsels (melted)

Pre-heat your oven to 350° and begin preparing the cake base.

In a large mixing bowl, combine your cake flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, salt and sugar. Blend all the ingredients thoroughly (I used an electric beater).

Now, add your melted butter, eggs, and vanilla to the bowl, and mix until a dark, stiff dough forms. Place the dough into a long baking pan and spread evenly. I used my hands to adequately spread the dough.

 

For the cake topping, cream the butter and cream cheese in your large bowl until thoroughly mixed. One at a time, add each egg until well blended. Your topping will have a yellowish hue. Now, add the vanilla, powdered sugar, and melted morsels. Thoroughly mix the ingredients.

Next, pour your creamy topping over the cake base and spread evenly.

Bake the butter cake for 40-45 minutes, or until the topping is golden, with the center being slightly loose. Cool the cake at room temperature for about an hour, then chill in the refrigerator for two or more hours. It’s ready to serve!

What I love about this cake is its contrast between light and dark, and various textures. The base of the cake is reminiscent of Oreo cookie crust used in cheesecake, while the topping is buttery, sweet, and most of all, gooey!

This is a perfect dessert for any event, but be warned, it’s addictive!

Vegetarian Roast Duck (“Mock Duck”) w/ Brussels Sprouts

I first tasted roast duck at one of my favorite Chinese restaurants a few years ago. Not as tender as chicken, and a lot more oily, it became one my favorite meats. Since then, I have opted for leaner meat choices, and more vegetarian options, so this recipe caught my eye! A close friend of mine introduced me to what her family calls, mock duck, which is made out of bean curd.

Along with the vegetarian roast duck, we prepared delicious brussels sprouts.

 Ingredients: (Recipe will serve 4 people)

•  2 packets of bean curd sheets
• 2 pounds of brussels sprouts
• 1/2 Cup of Chopped Onions
• Natural Soy Sauce
• Garlic Powder
• Onion Powder
• Sea Salt
• Pepper

The hardest ingredient to find for this recipe, may be the bean curd sheets. Bean curd sheets, also known as tofu skin, are commonly used in Chinese and vegetarian dishes. It is a product of soy, which is rich in calcium, iron, and most of all, protein. I was able to find my sheets at a market in Philadelphia’s Chinatown.

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1- The first step for this dish, is to remove the bean curd sheets from their packages. When unfolded, each sheet is circular in shape (Image 1).

2- Next, rip each sheet into small squares, no bigger than a slice of cheese. (Note, this will take a bit of time. You may want to divide each sheet into quarters, and rip them individually)

3- While ripping your sheets, place each square into a large bowl of water. Continue to add more water to the bowl to saturate the squares (Image 2).

4- When all of your bean curd squares have become a pastey white color, place them into a strainer to drain (Make sure the bean curd sheets are dry).

5- Now, in a separate bowl, season the squares to taste with garlic powder, onion powder, sea salt, and soy sauce. (Because the bean curd has a bland taste, use a generous amount of seasonings for flavor).

6- Massage the seasonings into the squares so that they are fully saturated. Place the seasoned bean curd into a large oven-safe casserole dish (Image 4).

7- Cook the bean curd on 375° for about 45-50 minutes, or until golden.

The texture of the roast “duck” will be crunchy on the top, with the inside being tender, and flavorful due to the absorption of seasonings!

 

 Brussels Sprouts:

• 1-Carefully halve each one once or twice with a straight-edge knife, after removing the stems.
• 2- In a saucepan, heat a tablespoon of oil over a medium flame and sautée your chopped onions.
• 3- Mix the brussels sprouts into the onions, and over low heat, cook for 7-10 minutes, until the leaves are tender and bright green. (Frequently turn the brussels sprouts, and season them with pepper and garlic powder for taste).

Serve the vegetarian roast duck hot out of the oven with the brussels sprouts for a nourishing meal!

If you’re in the Philly area, and have trouble finding the bean curd sheets, contact me!