ISO: one layer cakes

[ewatkins]

I would like some recipes for "small" cakes , chocolate or yellow. We are 2 adults and 2 kids and if I make a real 2 layer cake, I will end up throwing the rest out so we don't gorge. The recipe doesn't have to be light--this is for a b'day cake! But I would like it to fit in an 8 in. round or square pan. I am leery of just trying to halve a traditional recipe.

[emilycat]

ewatkins,

It seems to me that since you typically bake a cake in two 8- or 9-inch layer pans, halving the recipe and baking it all in one would essentially be the same thing. I'm sure you could just do that with any of your favorite recipes.

[mightyh]

There was a chocolate walnut cake in march or april that got great reviews--it was only one layer.

[Grace]

Here are two we like a lot:

CookWare(tm) from Cooking Light(r)

Easy Chocolate Cake

SOURCE: Carmella Kapraun (my college roommate's mother!) YEAR: PAGE:

INGREDIENTS FOR 8 SERVINGS:
1-1/2 cups flour
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup cocoa
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1/3 cup oil
1 tsp. vinegar
1 tsp. vanilla
1 cup water

INSTRUCTIONS:
Sift cocoa into a large bowl. Combine with other dry ingredients. Combine
liquid ingredients in another small bowl. Add to dry ingredients, stirring
until almost smooth. Pour into greased 8 or 9 inch cake pan.

Bake at 350º for 25 to 30 minutes
CookWare(tm) from Cooking Light(r)

Chocolate Chip and Espresso Cake

SOURCE: Prevention YEAR: February 2000 PAGE: 169

INGREDIENTS FOR 9 SERVINGS:
1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1/2 cup Dutch-process cocoa powder
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/8 tsp. salt
3/4 cup dark brown sugar
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
1/3 cup 1% milk
1/4 cup instant nonfat dry milk
1 tsp. instant espresso powder
1 lg egg
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/3 cup semisweet mini-morsel chips

INSTRUCTIONS:
1. Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees.
Lightly spray and 8" x 8" nonstick baking dish wil oil.

2. Whisk the flour, cocoa, bakiing powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium
bowl. Set aside.

3. In another medium bowl, beat the brown sugar, applesauce, 1% milk, nonfat
dry milk, espresso powder, egg and vanilla extract at high speed of an
electric mixer until frothy, about 2 minutes.

4. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour in the milk
mixture. Using a spoon, stir just until moistened. (There should be wisps of
flour remaining.) Add the chocolate chips and stir just until the flour is
incorporated. Do not overmix. Using a gentle touch, spread the batter in the
prepared pan.

5. Bake until the sides of the cake begin to pull away from the pan, about 25
minutes. (The center of the cake may seem underdone.) Do not overbake. Cool
in the pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Invert onto the rack and cool
completely.

Makes 9 servings

NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION:
Per serving: 179 cal, 5g protein, 38g carbohydrate, 3g fat, 2g fiber, 129 mg
sodium

[makedah]

ewatkins, yours is a very good idea. I like to bake but I live alone and don't want to have a huge cake that I have to consume in a matter of days. Nor do I have the charity to give most of it away. So, I don't bake cakes anymore.

There's always upside down cakes (although I've never made or eaten one). And I've seen several gingerbread recipes for 8x8 pans.

I read in Cooking Light (in a story about 2-person desserts) that it can be risky to halve a cake recipe because the proportions of leavening might get thrown out of wack. However, I understand that lots of cakes freeze well, so you could make the full recipe of your favorite layer cake, eat one layer and freeze the other unfrosted layer(s).

[laden]

I have the same problem when I make desserts and I love to bake so....

Sometimes I freeze portions. I also love to take leftovers to work. (It gives me great pride to get complimented all day long on what I brought in.) Also I like to take desserts to family gatherings, then if there are any leftovers they're manageable.

[JennieL]

The Choloate walnut cake is terrific. I've made it twice and gotten rave reviews.

[AD]

Usually, all recipes can be equally as good when cut in half. However, there are variables that make it difficult. I don't cut it if there are an uneven number (1,3,5 etc.) of eggs or egg whites. That is the only thing I feel would make a significant difference. Also, I couldn't say what to do if there is 1/8 tsp. or less of any ingredient. Sometimes, mixing methods seem strange with smaller amounts (creaming small amounts of butter and sugar in a large mixer seems odd), but it usually works.

On a side note, I have cut the Angel Biscuit recipe (my CL ALL-TIME favorite) in half every time I've made it with no problems.

[JillC]

CL had an article on cupcakes with several different recipes. These all can be made in a 9x9 pan (there were instructions on changing the baking time if you do this). My husband and I have no problem finishing off this size cake in a few days. We love the chocolate and peanut butter cakes/frostings and the banana cupcakes with cream cheese frosting have gotten rave reviews.
Here's a link to the thread: http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/Forum1/HTML/000837.html
I've also made CL's Chocolate Fire Cake-which is a one layer cake. It's very good.
All of the above are also very easy.
Jill

[Hoosier65]

I have a really great little cake recipe, Hot Milk Cake, just one hitch, I can't find it. I will keep searching, I have so many cookbooks and places I keep recipes I just know it's here some place. I'll post it as soon as I find it.

[Vanessa]

April's issue has a buttermilk apple cake (one layer) also do a search since CL crumb cakes are yummy and made in 8 inch pans.
The upside down cakes are easy and made in smaller pans.