Cherry Love!

I love Comstock Cherries and have made them with Devils Food Cake before but one of my officemates kept suggesting that I make a cherry pie for work and after weeks of these friendly reminders I finally did make one, except work didn't get it!

I didn't really have a recipe to work off of so I took bits and pieces and winged it. The crust I liked but didn't love, it was a little rubbery and I can't figure out if it is something I did or the recipe itself. I also have way too much strudel topping left over - need to come up with some ideas on how to use it.

I followed the recipe for the crust then added 2 cans of Comstack Cherries and then topped it off with the streusel topping. I baked it at 425 for about 30 - 40 minutes, I waited until it was bubbling all around before I turned off the oven and let it sit in the oven for a little bit.

It was yummy piping hot with some vanilla ice cream!






HEALTHIER GRAHAM CRACKER CRUST
(Source: allrecipes.com)

INGREDIENTS:

1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
2 teaspoons unsweetened cocoa powder
3 tablespoons nonfat plain yogurt
2 tablespoons brown sugar


DIRECTIONS:

- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
- In a medium bowl, mix together graham cracker crumbs, cocoa powder, yogurt, and brown sugar.
- Press mixture firmly into a 9 inch pie pan.
- Bake in preheated oven for 5 minutes.


STREUSEL TOPPING
(Source: Martha Stewart's Baking Handbook)

INGREDIENTS:

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
2 1/4 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup unsalted butter, room temperature


DIRECTIONS:

In a medium bowl, combine the flour, sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Cut in the butter using a pastry blender until large, moist clumps form. Unused streusel can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.

Chocolate and Cherries!!

Last weekend my friends and I went to go visit my officemate who just had a beautiful baby girl 3 weeks ago. I asked the new mom what she wanted me to bake and she requested my Devils Food with Comstack Cherries and Chocolate Frosting Cake, I made this cake for work and it was a big hit!

This one was very good too except I didn't have time to let it set in the refrigerator after I frosted it. Since it was almost 100 degrees on Sunday and it sat in the car for awhile it did not look pretty by the time it reached its destination, it split in 1/3 and the chocolate frosting was very melted, but other then not looking pretty it still tasted delicious!!







The Devils Food Cake recipe is the same recipe as my Delicious Ice Cream Cake ; however, this time I baked it in 2 round pans for 25 minutes.

DEVIL'S FOOD CAKE RECIPE
(Source: allrecipes.com)

INGREDIENTS

1 1/2 cups water
2 cups sugar
3/4 cup butter or margarine
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup baking cocoa
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

- In a large saucepan, bring water to a boil. Remove from the heat.
- Stir in sugar and butter until butter is melted.
- Add eggs and vanilla; mix well.
- Combine flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt; add to butter mixture and mix thoroughly.

Pour into 2 round pans for 25 minutes.


CREAMY CHOCOLATE FROSTING
(Source: allrecipes.com)

INGREDIENTS
2 3/4 cups confectioners' sugar
6 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
6 tablespoons butter
5 tablespoons evaporated milk (I used 2%)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

DIRECTIONS
- In a medium bowl, sift together the confectioners' sugar and cocoa, and set aside.
-In a large bowl, cream butter until smooth, then gradually beat in sugar mixture alternately with evaporated milk.
- Blend in vanilla. Beat until light and fluffy. If necessary, adjust consistency with more milk or sugar.


ASSEMBLY

A cool trick I learned is to take some of your frosting and make an edge or a dam on the perimeter of your inside layer to keep the Cherries or any filling from oozing out. Then take a can of cherries, Comstack and Lucky Leaf are popular brands, and spread it around on the inside layer. Then after you assemble the second layer on top frost with the Creamy Chocolate Frosting, for this recipe I ended up making 1 1/2 batches of frosting and I had a little left over.