Chocolate Cake with Fudge Frosting in 10 minutes

You know when you have that "gotta have chocolate" feeling? Yeah. Me too.

I was a bit hesitant about making this chocolate cake, but I tell you "gotta have chocolate" won out.

Using my silicone steamer this Chocolate cake with Fudge Frosting took about 10 minutes to make!

When we were enjoying this chocolaty treat, brainstorming away decided that next time adding chocolate chips would make it super decadent.

To make the Chocolate Cake:

Supplies:
-1/2 cup flour
-1/2 cup sugar
-1/4 cup cocoa
-1/2 tsp baking powder
-couple shakes of salt
-2 eggs
-1/3 cup unsweetened applesauce
-1/3 cup milk
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- cinnamon to taste (I used about 1 tsp)

Method:
Step 1: Oil your steamer including the lid (learned that the hard way)
Step 2: Mix dry ingredients together in a large mixing bowl
Step 3: Mix wet ingredients together in a medium mixing bowl
Step 4: Stir wet ingredient mixture into dry and pour into oiled steamer
Step 5: Microwave for 4-6 minutes or until a wooden toothpick comes out clean

To remove run a knife around the edges and tip on to a plate, allow it to cool mostly before icing.
Next time I also plan on reducing the sugar in the cake, to allow for more delicious frosting. If you'd like to do the same thing check out this advice on how to replace sugar in baking recipes.

To make the Fudge Frosting:

Supplies:
- 1/2 cup room temperature butter
- 2/3 cup cocoa
- 1 cup icing sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- about 1/4 cup - 1/3 cup milk

Method:
Step 1: I used my food processor, but you could use an electric mixer and bowl. Add butter, cocoa, icing sugar, vanilla, and a drizzle of milk.
Step 2: As you are processing/ mixing continue to drizzle in milk until all ingredients are smoothly mixed together and the icing is a thin or think as you like.
Step 3: Using a spatula, rub this chocolaty goodness all over the Chocolate Cake

Steamer, cocoa, vanilla, baking power, salt and spatula available for order from victoriadelorme.myepicure.com

DOUBLE YUM!!

Chicken Tajine: Dinner in 30

This dish was a home run! Epicure's Tajine package spices list all the ingredients needed, and have clear directions on the how to. Basically it's a little bit of chopping, a little bit of simmering, and a whole lot of flavor. I served this over quinoa. 

The surprising thing about this dish (to me) is it has both dates and olives and it was a hit in our house. Using the entire package makes huge amount, and I found that freezing it worked well for take to work frozen lunches.

As I didn't want to run to the store this particular day I used what I had on hand, it varied from the exact directions on the package but turned out great!

Supplies:

Tajine

-2 boneless skinless chicken breasts cut into strips

-1 can (14 oz) of drained and rinsed chickpeas 

-1 pouch Tajine Recipe Seasoning Mix 

-3 cups cold water

-1/3 cup sliced olives (I just sliced green olives that were stuffed with pimento, cause that's what I had on hand)

-1/2 cup sliced dates 

-Juice of 1 lemon

Quinoa

-2 cup water

-3/4 cup quinoa

Method:

Step 1: Brown chicken in a little oil (I used coconut, maybe 1 tbsp) then add chickpeas. 

Step 2: In a separate pot bring 2 cups water to boil, add quinoa, cover and lower heat for about 20 minutes.

Step 3: Dissolve water and seasoning mix in a bowl, pour this over chickpeas and chicken. Bring to a simmer.

Step 4: Stir in olives and dates, lower heat and simmer for 25 minutes

Step 5: Serve over quinoa

To freeze just layer cooled quinoa on bottom and cooled Tajine in a freezer proof container.