Cake

To boost the reputation of the much-maligned fruitcake, I wanted to create a version quite different from those sticky, oversweet loaves riddled with iridescent fruit and soggy pecans. This recipe was my answer: an exceptionally moist loaf, chockablock with freshly toasted nuts, perky dried cherries, and a double wallop of chocolate flavor, courtesy of cocoa powder and lots of chocolate chips. I was glad that my modern-tasting fruitcake made converts out of those who tried it. But I didn’t expect that so many would want to give it a traditional soaking of spirits to preserve the cake. I set to work and experimented a few times, but I had a hunch that something was amiss when I noticed some movement underneath the gauze wrapping. I unwrapped the cake and . . . well, let’s just say I discovered I was only one of the many creatures who enjoy this fruitcake. That was the end of my experiments. Instead, I just use kirsch-flavored glaze that can be added at the last minute.

Inspiration can strike at the strangest times and in the most unlikely places. I was in the men’s room at Racines, a restaurant in Paris. While I was momentarily preoccupied with other things, my mind wandered and I scanned the wall facing me, which was plastered with poems and drawings from local artists. Much to my surprise, in the midst of it all was a recipe for chocolate cake. When I returned to my table, I noticed a chocolate cake with the same name on the menu, so I ordered it. It was so delicious that I excused myself again, this time taking a pad of paper and pen with me. At the restaurant, the cake is baked with a handful of cocoa nibs strewn over the top. Cocoa nibs are unsweetened roasted bits of cocoa beans; they’re pretty widely available nowadays. Their slightly bitter chocolate crunch makes a big difference in the flavor and texture of the cake, but you can leave them off if you can’t find them.

I’m not a fan of fancy, complicated desserts, but I am a fan of anything delicious—especially when it involves caramelized nuts, chocolate ganache, and Cognac-flavored crème fraîche, as this cake does. True, this recipe requires a few steps to gather the components, but slicing layers of nutty meringue and spreading layers of crackly praline cream never feels like work to me. Like all good things, marjolaine is worth the effort. To make things easy, instead of laborious buttercream, I make a simple crème fraîche–based icing, which adds a distinctive tangy flavor and isn’t so rich. You can make the praline and the meringue days in advance, and the marjolaine should be assembled at least a day before it is served to give the flavors a chance to marry, so you can stage out the preparation. It’s really not difficult to assemble once you’ve gotten the components organized. And I guarantee, when you proudly glide a slick layer of chocolate ganache over the top and then take that first bite, you’ll be congratulating yourself on a job well done.

I developed this recipe because I’d been asked by a restaurant to come up with an idiotproof chocolate dessert. Since the cake I created was impossible to mess up, I called it Chocolate Idiot Cake (behind everyone’s back, of course). A few years later, I made it in another restaurant and someone commented that the surface of the cake looked lunar, so it was christened with a kinder, gentler name: Chocolate Orbit Cake. Not that any of you out there is an idiot, but this is the perfect cake for any baker who may not be a rocket scientist in the kitchen. No matter what you call it, it’ll surely launch anyone who takes a bite into chocolate heaven.

This Chocolate Pavé is an adaptation of a recipe by Lindsey Shere, co-owner and executive pastry chef at Chez Panisse when the restaurant opened, who taught me much of what I know about baking and desserts. Of all the things I learned, the most important lesson was how to appreciate a killer-good chocolate cake just as it is, without dressing it up with fancy swoops and swirls of frosting or layering it with creams or fillings. When I once expressed dismay that I hadn’t learned how to make all those fancy, frilly desserts during my tenure with her, she replied, “Why would you want to? They usually don’t taste good.” Pavé means “paving stone” in French. This cake is traditionally baked in a square pan so it can be cut into rectangles, creating edible slabs that are delectably rich. After one soft, moist, luscious bite, they’ll remind you of paving stones only in appearance.

This blueberry topping can also be used over ice cream or yogurt.

Okay, so why are these called Hopsie’s Cupcakes? Because they’re made with lots of garden veggies, like zucchini and carrots, and that’s what our pet bunny, Hopsie, loves to eat. My daughter, Sofia, told me during our testing of this recipe that these would be great for Hopsie. She, of course, loves them because they’re made with the stuff that Hopsie eats.

This is favorite autumn recipe that I like to serve at Halloween or Thanksgiving get-togethers. The little ones just love these moist, spicy cupcakes. They’re delicious with fat-free yogurt frosting, too.

I get raves when I make this cheesecake, and I’m sure you will, too.

This dense moist and delicious cake was a favorite at my restaurant, Sprouts. In scaling down the recipe (which made lots of cakes), I got down to these measurements. You’ll have a little batter left over for cupcakes. It’s great to freeze them for when the cake is all gone.

This low-fat vegan cake is incredibly delicious served warm from the oven and topped with a cool lemon tofu crème. Using fresh ginger makes a great difference in its taste. I prefer this cake without the nuts and raisins, but others enjoy the texture and sweetness they add. Either way, this flavorful cake is sure to become a favorite of yours

The texture of this cake is that of angel food cake, but made with whole grains, it has more substance than the white version.

This is a special vegan cake that’s an impressive dessert for dinner guests. The custard and fruit make a delightful topping that’s fat-free and looks like you toiled for hours over it.

A most flavorful flourless cake that’s airy light in texture but rich and intense in taste.

You have to have a great carrot cake recipe to go to now and again. This one fits the bill—supermoist and loaded with goodies. Cut back on the fat even further by trying the Fat-Free Vanilla Yogurt Frosting (page 107) on this cake.

I think this is my favorite chocolate dessert. It has all my favorites: it’s chocolate, it’s warm, and it’s great with ice cream. The combination of dense, not-too-sweet chocolate cake with tangy raspberry sauce and creamy cool ice cream can’t be beaten. Use an excellent quality chocolate since it’s the main event here.

You’ll go to this recipe again and again when you want a classic chocolate cake.

The hardest recipe for me to develop was a really light yellow cake that was still nutritious, moist, and delicious. Well, here it is, and it’s gluten-free to boot. Without the food coloring, the frosting will be a pale lavender color.

One of my favorite grains to eat is quinoa. It contains all the amino acids required to make a complete protein. Plus, it’s high in fiber. In baking, though, the flour can be tricky to work with due to its distinctive flavor. Not in this recipe. The quinoa is no match for the rich chocolate flavor and aroma in this superprotein cupcake that’s moist and fudgy. P.S.: They’re gluten-free and low-fat, too.

This is a whole grain, sugar-free version of a classic sponge cake. It’s light, contains no butter or oil, and freezes wonderfully. You can make the pastry cream up to 3 days in advance.