Recipes

Favorite Chocolate Cake

1 2/3 cups AP flour
1 1/2 cups sugar
2/3 cup VNFC cocoa powder
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups whole milk
1/2 cup shortening
2 TBS butter or margarine
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour 13 X 9 baking pan or 2 round layer pans.
Beat all ingredients in large bowl until well combined. Pour into pans.
Bake 13 X 9 pan 35-40 minutes, round pans 30–35 minutes. Cool. Frost.
Note: For cupcakes, fill paper lined muffin cups half full of batter. Bake 20 minutes.

Chocolate Frosting

1/3 cup margarine or butter, softened
2 oz. melted VNFC unsweetened baking chocolate (cooled)
2 cups powdered confectioner’s sugar
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
2-3 TBS milk

Note: you may substitute 1/3 cup VNFC cocoa powder for the unsweetened baking chocolate.

Microwave Chocolate Cake

This is an incredibly quick moist, delicious, chocolaty dessert!
1/4 cup VNFC cocoa powder
2/3 cup hot water, divided
3/4 cup plus 2 TBS AP flour
1 cup sugar
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 cup plus 2 TBS vegetable oil
1 egg
2 tsp vanilla

Grease round micro-proof baking dish 7 1/4 X 2 1/4 inches or 8 X 1 1/2 inches. Line bottom with plastic wrap.

In a small microwave bowl combine VNF cocoa and 1/3 cup water. Microwave on high 40-50 seconds or until slightly thickened. In medium bowl combine dry ingredients. Add oil, remaining 1/3 cup hot water, egg, vanilla and chocolate mixture; beat until batter is smooth and well blended. Pour batter into prepared pan. Microwave on high 5-6 minutes without turning until cake begins to pull away from sides (some moist spots may remain but will disappear on standing). Let stand 5 minutes. Invert onto serving plate. Peel off plastic; cool and frost.

Sour Cream Chocolate Chip Cake

2 cups AP flour
1 1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 tsps baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 cup sour cream
2/3 cup butter
1 tsp vanilla
3 eggs
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 tsp cinnamon
2 cups VNFC semi-sweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Combine all ingredients except for the last three. Mix on medium speed for 3 minutes. Pour 1/2 of batter into a 9X13 cake pan. Mix 1/2 cup sugar and 1/2 tsp cinnamon. Sprinkle half of the cinnamon and sugar mixture on the batter in cake pan, plus 1 cup of semi-sweet chocolate chips. Add remainder of batter then cinnamon and sugar, and top with 1 cup of semi-sweet chocolate chips.

Bake for 35-45 minutes or when cake tester comes out clean.

Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies

Makes 6 dozen cookies
1 1/4 cups margarine or butter, softened
3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 cups AP flour
1 tsp baking soda
3 cups Quick or Old Fashioned Oats
2 cups VNFC semi-sweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Beat together margarine and sugars until light and fluffy. Beat in egg and vanilla. Gradually add combined flour, baking soda and salt, mixing until thoroughly blended. Stir in oats and chocolate chips. Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls onto un-greased cookie sheet. Bake 9-11 minutes. Cool 1 minute on cookie sheet; remove to wire cooling rack. Store in tightly covered container.

Note: Milk chocolate chips or white chocolate chips can also be used in this recipe or have fun and combine all three!

Brownie Mounds

3 1/3 cups sifted AP flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
2/3 cup margarine or butter, softened
1 1/2 cup sugar
2/3 cup light corn syrup
2 eggs
6 oz VNFC unsweetened baking chocolate, melted and cooled
2 tsp vanilla

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Combine flour, baking powder, and salt. Add softened butter or margarine and sugar. Stir in corn syrup and eggs. Beat until combined. Stir in flour, unsweetened baking chocolate and vanilla. Drop by heaping tablespoonfuls onto greased baking sheet. Bake for 10-12 minutes.

Chewy Chocolate Cookie

Makes 4 1/2 dozen cookies
1 1/4 cups butter or margarine, softened
2 cups sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
2 cups AP flour
3/4 cup VNFC cocoa
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Cream butter and sugar in large bowl. Add eggs and vanilla and blend well. Combine flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt; blend into creamed mixture. Drop by teaspoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheet. Bake for 8-9 minutes, do not overtake. Cookies will be soft. They will puff during baking, flatten upon cooling. Cool on cookie sheet until set, about 1 minute. Remove to wire rack to cool completely.

Chocolate Drop Cookies

Makes about 4 dozen cookies
1 bag of VNFC chocolate drops
1/2 cup shortening
3/4 cup cream cheese, softened
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup packed light brown sugar
1 egg
2 TBS milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
granulated sugar

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Beat shortening and cream cheese in large bowl until well blended. Add 1/3 cup granulated sugar and brown sugar; beat until fluffy. Add egg, milk and vanilla; beat well. Stir together flour, baking soda and salt. Gradually beat into cream cheese mixture. Shape dough into 1 inch balls. Roll in granulated sugar; place on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 8-10 minutes or until lightly browned. Allow to cool for about 1 minute and then press 1 chocolate drop in center of each cookie. Remove to wire rack to cool completely.

Chocolate Pumpkin Brownies

2/3 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup canned pumpkin
1 egg
2 egg whites
2 TBS cooking oil
1 cup AP flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp VNFC cocoa powder
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp allspice
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/2 cup VNFC semi-sweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and 11 X 7 X 1 1/2 inch baking pan or spray with nonstick coating.
In a large mixing bowl combine brown sugar, pumpkin, the whole egg, egg whites, and oil. Beat with an electric mixer on medium speed until blended. Add flour, baking powder, cocoa powder, cinnamon, allspice, salt, and nutmeg. Beat on low speed until smooth. Stir in semisweet chocolate chips. Pour batter into pan; spread evenly. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until a wooden toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool in pan on a wire rack. Cut into 2 inch squares.

Chocolate Marshmallow Roll

4 oz VNFC unsweetened baking chocolate
1 1/2 cups confectioner’s sugar
2 eggs
1 cup miniature marshmallows
graham cracker crumbs

Melt chocolate in double boiler. Remove from heat then add sugar and eggs and beat well. Add marshmallows, mix well and chill in refrigerator. When chilled divide mixture and shape into 2 long rolls, each about 2 inches in diameter. Roll in graham cracker crumbs, chill; slice into 1/2 inch slices to serve.
Note: using colored miniature marshmallows makes this dessert even more fun.

Sweet Chocolate Pretzels

1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 oz VNFC semi-sweet chocolate chips
2 eggs
1/3 cup unsalted butter, softened
2 TBS light corn syrup
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
2 1/4 cups AP flour
1/2 cup VNFC cocoa powder
1/2 tsp baking powder

For decorating: coarse sugar or VNFC white chocolate baking chips, melted
Using a food processor combine granulated sugar and chocolate. Pulse until chocolate is finely ground. Add eggs, butter, corn syrup and vanilla; pulse until combined. In medium bowl, combine flour, cocoa and baking powder. Add to food processor and process just until combined. Divide dough into 4 equal pieces; wrap each in plastic and press into a disk. Refrigerate 3 hours or up to 1 week.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Grease baking sheets. Working with 1 piece of dough at a time, divide it into 1 inch balls (about 2 level teaspoons of dough). Roll balls with palms to 9 inch ropes. If dough is soft, roll on lightly floured surface. Twist ropes to make a pretzel. If desired, dip in course sugar. Place sugar-side up on prepared baking sheets about 1 inch apart. Bake 10 minutes or until set. Remove to wire racks to cool. Repeat with remaining dough.
Note: If not decorating with sugar, drizzle cooled cookies with melted white chocolate.

Chocolate Velvet Pie

1 9-inch baked pie crust
2 oz VNFC unsweetened chocolate
1 14 oz can sweetened condensed milk
2 eggs, well beaten
1 cup water
2 tsp vanilla extract
whipped cream
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In heavy saucepan over low heat, melt chocolate with sweetened condensed milk; remove from heat. Stir in eggs. Add water and vanilla; mix well. Pour into hot pie crust. Bake for 10 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 300 degrees, bake 20 minutes longer or until set. Cool. Chill thoroughly. Top with whipped cream. Refrigerate any leftovers.