Entertaining with Chef Eddie

The Great Holiday Escape

With the pressure of the holidays upon us, sometimes it’s good to get away from the constant tension that comes with this time of year. That’s what we did last week at one of my Culinary Courses. The Great Escape evening did not feature cookies, appetizers or holiday recipes, just a great menu from Taos, New Mexico that included Mexican Chocolate Cake for dessert.

For those of you who aren’t yet feeling the holiday anxiety crunch, keep in mind that Mexican Chocolate Cake does contain cinnamon. For added festiveness my recipe includes a variation with a touch of brandy, and my recipe for the deep chocolate glaze has Kahlua in it. Both the cake and glaze are easy to make, with little time and fuss required.

So, whether you welcome the spirit of the holidays or need an escape yourself, this easy to make cake can adorn your holiday table or become a focal point for your own great escape party.

Have fun with this recipe, and don’t be afraid to make it your own!

Mexican Chocolate Cake (printable) Cake: 1 1/4 cups flour 3/4 cup sugar 1/4 cup cornstarch 3 Tbsp. cocoa 1/2 tsp. baking soda 1 tsp. cinnamon 1/2 tsp. salt 1/3 cup oil 1 Tbsp. vinegar 1 tsp. vanilla extract 1 cup cold water OR 1/4 cup brandy and 3/4 cup cold water Instructions Cake: In medium bowl, mix dry ingredients until thoroughly blended. In a blender, mix the wet ingredients then pour into the dry ingredients. Pour batter into a 9" cake pan coated with vegetable oil. Bake for 30 - 35 minutes until toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Leave in the pan for five minutes to cool on a rack, then invert onto rack to finish cooling. Cover with glaze. Yield: Makes one 9-inch layer. May double ingredients to make a layer cake.

Glaze: 2 Tbsp. cocoa 1 Tbsp. oil 1 Tbsp. corn syrup 2 Tbsp. Kahlua 1 tsp. water 1/2 tsp. cinnamon 1 cup confectioners' sugar Glaze: Combine all but confectioners' sugar in a small saucepan and stir over low heat until smooth. Gradually beat in sugar until smooth and shiny.     Schedule a visit and join one of our culinary courses - Chef Eddie offers great menus and lots of fun!

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