Recipe for the Month of March 2007
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Dr. Pepper Texas Chocolate Cake
The main ingredient in this outrageous two-layer chocolate cake is Dr. Pepper, one of America’s oldest soft drinks. Dr. Pepper was first made and sold in 1885 at Morrison’s Old Corner Drug Store in Waco, Texas. Just like the state it comes from, this cake is big and impressive. The soft drink’s carbonation gives the layers exceptional rising power, and its special blend of flavorings makes lickin’ the beaters especially appealing.
Ingredients: The Cake The Frosting Preparation:
Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour two 9” round cake pans, tapping out any extra flour.
From the Cookbook Dinosaur Bar-B-Que: An American Roadhouse
By John Stage and Nancy Radke
Photograph by James Scherzi
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2 cups sifted flour
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1 cup sugar
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1 cup dark brown sugar
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1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
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1 ½ teaspoons baking soda
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1 cup Dr. Pepper
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½ cup chocolate chips
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2 large eggs
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1 cup buttermilk
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1 cup vegetable oil
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1 ½ teaspoons vanilla
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¾ cup butter-flavored vegetable shortening
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6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
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4 cups sifted confectioners’ sugar
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¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
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¼ cup Dr. Pepper
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1 1.2 teaspoons vanilla
Sift together the flour, sugar, brown sugar, cocoa, and baking soda into a bowl and set aside. Pour the Dr. Pepper into a saucepan and add the chocolate chips. Heat on low, stirring often, until the chips are just melted. Pull off the heat and set aside.
Combine the eggs, buttermilk, oil, and vanilla in a mixing bowl and mix on medium speed until completely combined, about 2 minutes. With the mixer running, slowly pour in the Dr. Pepper-chocolate mixture and continue beating until combined, about 1 minute.
Drop the mixture speed back to low and gradually add the dry ingredients. Pop the speed back up to medium and beat 2 minutes more. Divide the batter between the 2 pans.
Bake 30 to 35 minutes, or until a toothpick poked into the center comes out clean. Cool the layers in the pans for 10 minutes then run a knife around the edges and flip the pans over onto a cooling rack. Gently lift off the pans and let the cake layers cool completely.
Whip up the frosting. First drop the shortening and butter into a mixing bowl and beat until soft and fluffy. Add the confectioners’ sugar and cocoa and continue mixing until combined. Stir together the Dr. Pepper and vanilla and very slowly pour it into the frosting, beating with the mixer on high speed to thin it down a bit. Continue beating until light and fluffy, about 1 minute.
Set one layer, top down, on a good-looking plate. Smear on 1 cup of the frosting. Grab the other layer and slap it on top of the frosted one. Spread the rest of the frosting all over the top and sides of the cake, making attractive swirls.
Serve and accept the compliments!