I remember the first time I had something other than pumpkin pie for dessert at Thanksgiving, and it BLEW MY MIND. We spent the holiday with another family when I was 12, and for dessert they had pumpkin pie and a chocolate silk pie. It was inconceivable to me that there could even be anything else for dessert besides the standard pumpkin pie, yet here was chocolate! It was a game-changer for me. So while I always look forward to pumpkin pie, I like to make a second dessert too. Believe it or not, there might be someone at your table who doesn’t adore pumpkin pie. For a change of pace, and for those non-pumpkin people, may I suggest Mocha Brownie Torte?
You can, of course, omit the nuts if you have an allergic family member, but I really recommend you leave them in – the walnuts add crunch amidst the dense and chewy brownie. And the frosting? Heck, I’d happily mix up a batch right now to eat with a spoon. I dare say I like the frosting more than ice cream. Yes, it’s that good! To simplify your Thanksgiving day, bake the cakes the night before, cool on racks, and wrap in plastic wrap overnight. The morning of Thanksgiving, frost the cake and let it chill in the fridge while you make the rest of your dinner.
Mocha Brownie Torte
(recipe is courtesy of my Mom’s battered and splattered 1970’s Betty Crocker Cookbook)
Ingredients:
- 1 package (15 oz.) fudge brownie mix
- 1/4 cup water
- 2 eggs
- 1/2 cup chopped walnuts (pecans would be nice too)
- 1 1/2 cups chilled whipping cream
- 1/3 cup packed brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon powdered instant coffee or espresso
- Shaved chocolate for garnish
Directions:
1.) Preheat oven to 350 F. Mix brownie mix, water and eggs. Stir in the nuts. Grease and flour (2) 8-inch cake pans. Divide the brownie mix evenly in the pans.
2.) Bake for 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool in the pans for 5 minutes. Remove the cakes from the pans and let them cool completely on a baking rack.
3.) Chill a big metal bowl and your beaters in the freezer for a while. Pour the whipping cream into the cold bowl and beat with an electric mixer for 2 minutes. Gradually add the brown sugar and powdered coffee. Continue beating until stiff peaks form.
4.) Put one cake down on a serving tray, flattest side down. Top with one cup of the whipped cream frosting. Put the other cake on top of the frosting, so the flattest side is up, and use the rest of the frosting to cover the top and sides of the torte. Grate or shave some dark chocolate over the torte and chill for at least an hour before serving.
Explore, experiment, enjoy! — Dana
To view even more of Dana’s unique recipe, you can visit her at Frugal Girlmet!
