Tasty Thursday Treats How to Make High Altitude Chocolate Cake

How to Make High Altitude Chocolate Cake

My husband loves to ski. Every year since we’ve been together we’ve taken a ski vacation with his family over his dad’s birthday. Over the years I’ve experimented with elevation baking and I have to say I H-A-T-E it. The trick is to have the right amount of moisture so the baked good doesn’t dry out while it completes the cooking process. Our ski cabin is at 7000 feet. I found a book I liked for people living at any altitude, Pie in the Sky. On HighAltitudeBaking.com you can find recipes for chocolate cake and chocolate chip cookies for cooking at sea level, 3000ft, 5000ft, 7000ft, and 10,000.

But I created my own recipe and it turned out just right for our tastes. If you try to replicate this cake in a lower elevation I’d recommend cooking at 350^oF on the middle rack of the oven for 40-45 minutes.

For the actual cake I used ½ cup less sugar as my in-law side of the family prefers less sweet desserts. You could also omit both the pudding and sour cream and make as directed and I believe it will also turn out tasty. I like using Jell-O pudding mix for its favor but I really dislike all the additives such as all the coloring they use for their mixes. There might be more natural choices, but in the small town of our cabin there is a limited selection at the grocery stores.

Chocolate Cake Recipe

1 cup baking cocoa, plus extra for dusting pans
½ cup Mott’s Natural Applesauce
1 ounce Baker’s Semi-Sweet Chocolate
1 cup butter, softened, plus extra to grease pans
1 ¼ cup heavy whipping cream
2 ½ cups sugar
4 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 ½ cups flour
¼ cup wheat germ
¼ cup ground flaxseed
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoons salt (if unsalted butter, omit if salted butter)
1 cup sour cream or Greek yogurt, as desired
1 package (4 serving size) Jell-O Chocolate Instant Chocolate Pudding mix (you can also substitute devils food, chocolate fudge, white chocolate or any other desired Jell-O Instant Pudding mix flavor)

Chocolate Cake High Altitude Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375^oF. Grease and dust with cocoa two 9-inch round cake pans (or desired size).

2. In a medium bowl combine applesauce and baking cocoa. Set aside.

3. In double boiler melt Baker’s chocolate and butter until smooth. Constantly stirring, slowly add the cream and vanilla. Once completely mixed to a milk chocolate add to the cocoa mixture.

4. In a small bowl combine sour cream with Jell-O pudding mix. Stir until creamy. Add pudding mix to chocolate mix stirring until mixtures are one.

5. In a large boil beat the eggs with sugar. Sift in flour, and add wheat germ, flaxseed, baking powder, and salt (if needed). Stir together to combine, but do not over stir.

6. Cook at 375^oF for 30-35 minutes on bottom rack of oven. Test cake with toothpick or knife which may come out with a little moisture and still be done.

7. Cool cakes in pan for 10 to 15 minutes. Use knife to release from sides and invert onto cooling racks. Allow to cool completely before icing.

Chocolate Frosting Ingredients

4 ounces semi-sweet Baker’s chocolate
¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 tablespoons butter
¼ cup heavy whipping cream, room temperature
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 (8 oz) package Philadelphia cream cheese, room temperature [2 cups confectioners’ sugar]
1/8 teaspoon salt (if unsalted butter, omit if salted butter)

Chocolate Frosting Directions:

1. Melt butter and chocolate together. Stir in cream and vanilla.

2. Beat together cream cheese, sugar, and salt.

3. Combine mixtures until thoroughly mixed.

MAKING
1 package strawberries (or other desired fruit or filling)
[Other filling ideas: milk or white chocolate chips for a five (or both for six) chocolate cake, diced fresh mint for a mint chocolate cake (in which case I’d recommend adding a ½ tablespoon of pure mint extract to the filler frosting), a sprinkle of instant coffee grounds for a choco-mocha cake]

1. Washing strawberries. Set aside. Allow to air dry.

2. Make, bake and cool cake. Make frosting.

3. Cut the cake in half lengthwise. Remove top half gently and frost top of bottom half.

4. Remove greens from strawberries and slice as desired. Place on top of frosting.

5. Return top half of cake by placing on top of strawberry slices.

6. Frost the remainder of the cake as desires. (I personally love a cake completely frosted – top and sides – I like a good frosting to cake ratio with a BIG glass of milk.)

About Summer:

Summer is the President of our Local MOMS Club chapter, she is the mother of two adorable active boys, and is always thinking of ways to help others. She is a friend, a wife, and always busy as all mommies are. She is very active on Facebook, addicted to Geocaching and very interested in organic and green living.

• Tweet