Raspberry Chocolate Tea Cake

[Edith K. Thurmond]

The following makes a beautiful and delicious presentation for luncheons, showers, teas, etc. where women are present. I have served it at birthday parties with both men and women and everyone liked it. There are substitutions that I always use to make it a bit more 'body-friendly' but it is given below as originally printed. Thanks to good friend, Wendy B., for introducing this at a birthday luncheon, then blessing me with a copy of this excellent cookbook which was a favorite of the Six Forks cooking club in Plano, TX.


Raspberry Chocolate Tea Cake

6 ounces semi-sweetened chocolate, melted and cooled
1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
2/3 cup sugar
3 eggs
1/2 cup sifted cake flour
Raspberry jam
Confectioner's sugar
Whisk together chocolate and butter.
Add sugar and then beat in eggs, one at a time.
Pour into a buttered 9-inch cake pan that has been lined with waxed or parchment paper and buttered again.
Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes. The cake will rise slightly then sink in the center.
Cook cake in the pan. This is a dense and moist cake.
Invert onto serving plate and remove parchment paper.
Chill one hour and spread top with raspberry jam.
Sprinkle with confectioner's sugar.
Serve on a cut glass or china cake stand.
Surround cake with fresh flowers interspersed with fresh raspberries.
ENJOY!Serves: 8-10

Recipe taken from Beyond Parsley cookbook by the Junior League of Kansas City, Missouri.

[Sara Sheppard]

I wonder how blackberry jam would be? I'm very partial to black berries.

Thanks for the receipe, sounds delicious.

Sara

[Dana Grant]

I wonder how blackberry jam would be? I'm very partial to black berries.

Thanks for the receipe, sounds delicious.

Sara

Sara -- I wonder how it would be with white chocolate and blackberry jam?

I have a very special birthday coming up, and this sounds like something that would be very pretty and delicious, as well.

As a florist, I have created several fresh-flower wedding cake toppers, and I can imagine that this cake would look lovely surrounded by fresh flowers and blackberries OR raspberries --

Great recipe, Edith, I look forward to trying it in a few different ways!

And of course, I'll take pictures!! LOL

Dana

[Rosalie Ross]

This sounds wonderful Edie, and I have the perfect cake dish for it too. What a yummy recipe. Great for a get to gether with family for birthdays, teas, and special occasions. Adult of course. What kind of flowers make it even more special? Rosalie:basic01
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The Joy of the Lord is our strength:basic03

[Edith K. Thurmond]

What kind of flowers make it even more special? Rosalie:basic01


Rosalie, just about any flower that is blooming is what I have used: small daisies, small roses, or whatever flower looks good on the plate and with raspberry and chocolate hues. Colors used so far are mostly white, pinks, lighter green. Just let your imagination take flight.

There is a most unusual story about a quiet, summer birthday luncheon in a home planned in honor of a dear friend who had serious health concerns. Only three of us were in the plans but it turned out to be a fabulous day that no one could have envisioned. Instead of a quiet luncheon in a home in Plano, it lasted until almost midnight with two people (Dennis and Drexell) driving down, impromptu, from OKC since they loved the honoree and 10 others coming from Plano - several of them teens. The teens entertained themselves playing poole and swimming but that made them VERY hungry.

That one layer cake was all I had made but somehow it kept feeding everyone to our amazement. It is a rich cake so a bit goes a long way. One of the men asked me why I hadn't made more to which I reminded him that HE crashed the party. I had only made enough food for 3 ladies for lunch and we ended up with 15 people. I was scrounging around for anything in the pantry, fridge and freezer as we, also, ate dinner and then had popcorn for late-night snacks. It was a huge mish-mash of many foods and the day was saved by the jars of La Madeleine tomato-basil soup and French bread from the freezer.

It was the most fabulous birthday of any ever attended for anyone and took on a life of its own. People who were there still reference it. The fellowship was superb and God made that a most memorable day for the honoree. The OKC guests departed for home at midnight while the Plano residents merely drove a short distance. It was great fun.

Good to see you post and continued blessings to you!

[Edith K. Thurmond]

I wonder how blackberry jam would be? I'm very partial to black berries.

Thanks for the receipe, sounds delicious.

Sara

Not sure how it would taste but the colors would not be as appealing.

:basic04

[Edith K. Thurmond]

Sara -- I wonder how it would be with white chocolate and blackberry jam? It would look pretty for sure; especially if green leaves were included with the flowers.

I have a very special birthday coming up, and this sounds like something that would be very pretty and delicious, as well. Happy Birthday!

As a florist, I have created several fresh-flower wedding cake toppers, and I can imagine that this cake would look lovely surrounded by fresh flowers and blackberries OR raspberries --

Great recipe, Edith, I look forward to trying it in a few different ways!
I did the same - not to make it taste better but to make it a bit healthier.

And of course, I'll take pictures!! LOL

Dana

.....

[Sara Sheppard]

Not sure how it would taste but the colors would not be as appealing.

:basic04


Good point, which is part of the point...the presentation. :) Dana's idea with the white chocolate might be very good. We'll see.

Sara

[Dana Grant]

...Happy Birthday..

*smiling*

Well, it DOES include my birthday -- but......

One of my clients and his wife -- who have been friends since they were 7 years old and married for 38 years !-- will both turn 65 in August, and I will turn the magical 50 in August.......

So we are planning a special party for all three of us during the month of August because of the milestone birthdays we will all reach during the month.....I thought this cake would make a lovely dessert for our dinner. I'm planning to have the dinner party in my home.

I'll have to try it both ways first, though, won't I? *smiling* I won't get to eat more than a bite or so, but I'll have to splurge on the night of the birthday celebration party.

I'll have to have friends in for a "taste test" before the big night!

[BobHunt]

you got my mouth watering on that one, our whole family is big on raspberries, red ones! Our favorite thirst quencher is Raspberry Gingerale made by Seagrams. For some reason that quenches my thirst more than anything else.

[Dana Grant]

EDIT:
Well, I am editing my original post by re-writing the whole thing!! I was concerned about the amount of flour called for in the recipe; for some reason it didn't seem to be enough. However, I was completely wrong to be concerned, and the cake turned out beautifully!! Nice and moist -- needs to be cooled, and now all I have to do is add the jam and decorate it with the strawberries and confectioner sugar.

So, TOMORROW I will let you know how it tasted at our house!!

Happy Father's Day!

[Andrea Larabee]

EDIT:
Well, I am editing my original post by re-writing the whole thing!! I was concerned about the amount of flour called for in the recipe; for some reason it didn't seem to be enough. However, I was completely wrong to be concerned, and the cake turned out beautifully!! Nice and moist -- needs to be cooled, and now all I have to do is add the jam and decorate it with the strawberries and confectioner sugar.

So, TOMORROW I will let you know how it tasted at our house!!

Happy Father's Day!

I have seen beautiful flourless chocolate cakes. Now those blow my mind. I'm looking forward to hearing how the cake turned out!

[Dana Grant]

I have seen beautiful flourless chocolate cakes. Now those blow my mind. I'm looking forward to hearing how the cake turned out!


The cake turned out beautifully! I used strawberry jam and decorated it with fresh strawberries (so it would look more masculine than flowers), and then sprinkled it with confectioner sugar.

It was a hit with my husband, most definitely! He kept cutting off small slivers of it and eating it......LOL Tyler did not like the richness of it, nor did Lindsey (they are not ones to like sweets all that much). I liked it, but I'm also not a fan of dark or semi-sweet chocolate (this is a good thing; I shouldn't even be eating it AT ALL, but I had to have ONE slice!!!). However, I think most people would love it. I did love the texture and moistness of the cake. I think I will like it better with the white chocolate (I'm going to try that next time).

However, it is VERY easy to make and a great addition to any special occasion luncheon or tea or whatever. It has definitely earned a place in my recipe box! I printed it out with the NazNet picture heading and everything!!

Thanks, Edith, for a very pretty cake!!


Dana

[Edith K. Thurmond]

The cake turned out beautifully! I used strawberry jam and decorated it with fresh strawberries (so it would look more masculine than flowers), and then sprinkled it with confectioner sugar.

It was a hit with my husband, most definitely! He kept cutting off small slivers of it and eating it......LOL Tyler did not like the richness of it, nor did Lindsey (they are not ones to like sweets all that much). I liked it, but I'm also not a fan of dark or semi-sweet chocolate (this is a good thing; I shouldn't even be eating it AT ALL, but I had to have ONE slice!!!). However, I think most people would love it. I did love the texture and moistness of the cake. I think I will like it better with the white chocolate (I'm going to try that next time).

However, it is VERY easy to make and a great addition to any special occasion luncheon or tea or whatever. It has definitely earned a place in my recipe box! I printed it out with the NazNet picture heading and everything!!

Thanks, Edith, for a very pretty cake!!


Dana

You are welcome!

Dana, I have had out-of-town company today (several persons) and I made this cake which they ate just a bit ago and everyone enjoyed it. First time, though, that it did not sink in the middle at all. The Moser-Roth Premium Dark Chocolate (70% cocoa) from Aldi's was what I used and I think it made a better cake than other 'fine' chocolate used in the past. Also, I used a premium blue agave for sweetner and a "just fruit" spread for the topping. This time I used the strawberries because I didn't have time to locate the fresh raspberries and it was beautiful with some green leaves added for extra color.

Blessings,

[Dana Grant]

You are welcome!

Dana, I have had out-of-town company today (several persons) and I made this cake which they ate just a bit ago and everyone enjoyed it. First time, though, that it did not sink in the middle at all. The Moser-Roth Premium Dark Chocolate (70% cocoa) from Aldi's was what I used and I think it made a better cake than other 'fine' chocolate used in the past. Also, I used a premium blue agave for sweetner and a "just fruit" spread for the topping. This time I used the strawberries because I didn't have time to locate the fresh raspberries and it was beautiful with some green leaves added for extra color.

Blessings,

Mine did not sink in the middle, as well! I was looking for it to do that, but it didn't. I wonder if the dry weather has anything to do with that. However, due to time restraints, I made the cake the night before and covered it overnight before adding the jam and berries, and by morning it had become so moist, it was wonderful. The texture is pretty much perfect. I'll probably keep the recipe around to make when I need something in a hurry, as it is so easy and also so easy to make beautiful, as well.

Again, thanks, Edith. I don't bake cakes normally, because I don't eat them. So, this is a nice, SMALL, cake -- perfect. I'll let everyone know how the white chocolate turns out!!

[Jim Franklin]

I can't wait until I can make that recipe but I guess I will have to. Bob, Raspberry drinks are a favorite of mine as well. I do like raspberry iced tea.