Celebrate National Chocolate Cake Day with recipes from DINE

Monday, January 27 is National Chocolate Cake Day; a deliciously little known holiday with a big pay-off!  We can’t think of a better way to improve on Monday than chocolate cake! To celebrate we’ve presented some the best chocolate cake recipes from Distinctive Inns of New England. We’re willing to bet if you visit any of the 11 DINE inns on Monday, you’ll find something chocolate!  Try one of these chocolate cake recipes, and let us help you improve on your Monday!

Chesterfield Inn Chocolate Tissimo Cake

Chesterfield-ChocoTissimoCakeIngredients:

20 oz. semi-sweet chocolate

1 lb. unsalted butter

14 oz. granulated sugar

15 eggs, separated

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1 tbl. Grand Marnier

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Melt chocolate in double boiler.  Cool slightly.

Cream butter and sugar.  Add cooled chocolate mixture.  Blend well.

Add yolks, one at a time, beating well after each addition.  Add vanilla and Grand Marnier.

In separate bowl, beat egg whites just until stiff, but not dry.  Fold egg whites into chocolate-egg-butter mixture until completely incorporated.  Reserve two cups of batter.  Keep reserved batter covered, at room temperature.

Butter and then sprinkle with sugar, the bottom of a 10 inch springform pan.  Pour remaining batter into pan.

Bake for 55 minutes.  As cake cools, it will sink in middle.  When cool, spread reserved batter in depression in center. Makes one 10 inch cake.

Here’s one with a surprise ingredient!

Rich Chocolate Beet Cake ~ A Decadent Dessert Recipe from Rabbit Hill Inn

Says Rabbit Hill Inn, hear us out on this one! If you like rich chocolate decadence – this is it! Don’t be turned off by the beets! Chocolate and beet have been making culinary music together for many a year. You must try it to believe it! If you wish to embrace the sweet beet just a bit more, try the Beet Sorbet recipe (seen below). This cake & sorbet combo is terrific.  Pastry Chef, Phyllis had fun plating this dessert. She whimsically calls it “The Heart Beat”. As a bonus… it’s a heavenly gluten free chocolate dessert recipe, and makes a great Valentine’s Day dessert too!

Red-heart-beet dessert -RHIStep one

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup water

2 Tbsp Vanilla

Combine & bring to boil in a sauce pan. Remove from heat.

Step Two

8 oz unsweetened bakers chocolate – chopped

4 oz semi-sweet chocolate – chopped

1 cup butter

> In a double boiler, melt  these 3 ingredients together until smooth

Step Three

5 eggs

1/2 cup sugar

1 cup cooked shredded beets

In a large bowl – Beat eggs and sugar until thick and yellow. Add beets. Combine all three steps into the large mixing bowl. Mix until smooth.

Place batter in a lined and oiled 8″ pan. Bake in a water bath at 350 for 25 minutes (or until just set). Cool. Then refrigerate until firm.  Cut cake into desired shape (like the heart shape seen above).

Beet Sorbet Recipe – Food processor needed

Step one – prepare simple syrup

2 cups water

10 oz sugar

1/2 cup corn syrup

Combine and boil for a few seconds. Remove from heat and cool

Step Two

8 oz beets, previously cooked

1 cup of simple syrup (from recipe above)

1 cup water

1/2 tsp lemon juice

Puree until smooth. Then strain.

Spoon puree into desired ice cream form for preferred shape. Freeze in your ice cream freezer as per directions. If you do not have an ice cream freezer, simply pour puree mixture into a steel pan, cover w/ plastic wrap, and freeze (3-4 hours). Remove from freezer and keep at room temperature until partially thawed. Process in a food processor to break up the sorbet and give it texture. If you have a mold, use it now, or refreeze in pan for 2 hours, then use a scoop or spoon to form.

Add a serving of this sorbet to your plated chocolate cake.

If chocolate, beets and Grand Marnier are not in your cupboards, leave the cooking to us! Your New England romantic getaway is just a click away.  Visit the DINE availability calendar and book your next winter getaway.