Chocolate Gift Box Cake Recipes

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour two 9 inch cake pans.
• Use the first set of ingredients to make the cake. In a medium bowl, stir together the sugar, flour, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Add the eggs, milk, oil and vanilla, mix for 3 minutes with an electric mixer. Stir in the boiling water by hand. Pour evenly into the two prepared pans.
• Bake for 30 to 35 minutes in the preheated oven, until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to cool completely.
• To make the frosting, use the second set of ingredients. Cream butter until light and fluffy. Stir in the cocoa and confectioners' sugar alternately with the milk and vanilla. Beat to a spreading consistency.
• Split the layers of cooled cake horizontally, cover the top of each layer with frosting, then stack them onto a serving plate. Frost the outside of the cake.

Steps:

• Spray a 12-by-2-inch heart-shaped cake pan with nonstick spray. Use the pan to trace a heart onto a piece of parchment. Cut out the heart and line the bottom of the pan with it.
• Prepare one of the cake mixes according to the package instructions. Pour the cake batter into the prepared cake pan and bake according to the package instructions for a 9-by-13-inch pan or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cool, then remove from the pan.
• Line two 12-cup (or one 24-cup) mini cupcake tins with brown or black mini cupcake liners. Prepare the second cake mix according to the package instruction. Add about 1 tablespoon of batter to each cupcake liner. Bake until a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean, 5 to 8 minutes. Let cool, then remove the cupcakes from the tins. Use any leftover batter to make more cupcakes.
• Melt the white chocolate in a double boiler. Set aside.
• Using a serrated knife, slice off the domed top of the heart cake to create a flat even surface. You want the final height of the cake to be about 1 inch. Save any cake scraps to make cake pops. Place a 16-inch round cake board on top of the cake and flip upside down so the parchment paper is on top. Carefully remove the parchment paper and discard. Cut some strips of parchment paper and slide them under the cake a little bit to cover the cake board; this will help keep the cake board clean when you frost the cakes. Set the cake aside.
• Carefully dip the top of 16 mini cupcakes into the Chocolate Ganache to cover each cupcake to the paper liner. Carefully dip the tops of the remaining 8 mini cupcakes into the melted white chocolate. Let set for about 5 minutes.
• For the 16 ganache-coated cupcakes: Top 3 with 3 chocolate-covered espresso beans and 3 with white chocolate shavings; drizzle 3 with melted white chocolate; dip 4 in the cocoa powder and top 3 with red heart sprinkles. For the 8 white chocolate-topped cupcakes: Top 4 with pink heart sprinkles and 4 with a pinch of chopped pistachios. Feel free to mix it up and do any combination of these decorations.
• Frost the entire cake with the red frosting. Remove the parchment paper strips and discard. Cut the icing sheet into 1 1/2-inch-wide strips to go around the heart cake; the strips should come up about 1/2 inch above the surface of the cake. You will need 4 strips to make it around the entire heart cake; the fourth strip will need to be shorter, so cut it to fit cleanly between the end of the first and third strips. Carefully press the icing strips around the cake to form the rim of the box. Arrange the cupcake "candies" inside the box on top of the cake.
• In a small pot, bring the cream to a simmer.
• Put the chocolate chips in a small bowl. Pour over the hot cream and let stand for 2 minutes. Wish until blended and smooth. Whisk in the corn syrup. Let stand before using until the consistency is similar to pancake batter.

Steps:

• Sterilize 2 (1 pint) straight sided wide mouth canning jars, lids and rings by boiling for 10 minutes. Keep the lids and rings in the hot water until needed. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C)
• In a small bowl, mix flour, sugar, baking soda and cinnamon. Set aside.
• In a medium saucepan, combine butter, water and cocoa powder. Heat and stir until butter is melted and mixture is well blended. Pour into a large bowl.
• Stir in Flour mixture and blend. Add buttermilk, egg and vanilla and beat by hand until smooth. Stir in nuts.
• Distribute evenly into the 2 prepared canning jars. Place the jars on a cookie sheet and bake at 325 degrees F (165 degrees C) for 35 to 40 minutes or until toothpick inserted deep into center of cake comes out clean.
• Using heavy oven mitts, remove cakes from oven one at a time. Place a lid, then a ring onto the jars and screw them down tightly. Place the jars on the counter and listen for them to "ping" as they seal. If you miss the "ping", wait until they are completely cool and press on the top of the lid. If it doesn't move at all, it's sealed.