I need a chocolate cake that isn't flat

[hypermom]

I have been doing Atkins since late January and have almost reached my goal -only 5 more pounds to go. My problem is that I have been looking for something to satisfy my desire for a nice thick, fluffy and moist chocolate cake. I have tried various recipes, but they always turn out flat. I want something that tastes like a real cake. Please help. I am in danger of cheating to satisfy my craving.

Thanks!

[Nancy LC]

What are you using for flour? Try to add some wheat gluten to it. You need something to bind the flour together so it'll hold air from the reaction of the baking powder. Other things that help "glue" stuff together include vegetable gums like Xanthan gum. I'm still experimenting with them, so I don't have much advice to give, other than try to replace some of your flour with wheat gluten. It's pretty low-carb.

[hypermom]

I have used chocolate soy flour, almond flour, and vegetable protein powder. I have added wheat gluten to my recipes, and I always end up with a flat pancake.

I think that it rises too fast because there is less weight in some of these flours and in Splenda. I look into the oven and I will have a wonderful tall cake, but when the time is up, the cake has fallen though the edges show where the cake had once risen. I was once a pretty good cook, but I am really having problems adjusting to the LC baking even though I have found tons of recipes.

Thanks for any help you can give! :daze:

Kathy -hypermom

[MoonShadow]

Hiya!
I know JUST how you feel! :cry: I've been trying to figure out how to make a 'real' chocolate cake too! In fact, a 'real' ANY type of cake! Glutenflour or no glutenflour, the darned things raise high as the sky in the owen, and flop down hopelessly the minute I take'em out..

I too used to be a pretty good cook - I 've always loved cooking and especially baking...and now I'm feeling like everything I try just turns out a total disaster... :help:

Luckily most of my dinner-time experiments are going well...it's the baking-thingie that has me in stitches!

I'll be following this post to see if there's someone clever enough to find the ultimate solution to our needs!

Hopeful greetings,
MoonShadow

[Nancy LC]

Here's something I found about cakes falling because of altitude, maybe some of their suggestions would help. You might also try adding some Xanthan gum to the recipe to keep the cell walls from combining into one big cell.

http://www.exploratorium.edu/cooking/icooks/article-3-03.html

[Sharon]

Chocolate Fudge Cake (for a special occasion or a chocolate craving)

2 cups Almond Flour
1.5 cups Splenda
½ cup cocoa
2 tsp. baking soda
1.5 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt

2 eggs
¾ cup cream
1/3 cup chocolate SF syrup
½ cup oil
2 tsp. vanilla

Mix dry ingredients together….whisk “wet” ingredients together. Then add the wet to the dry.

I made mine in a bundt cake pan.

If you don’t have any SF syrup, make your own using:

1 oz. unsweetened chocolate
2 tbsp. unsalted butter
1 tsp. Splenda
1 tsp. White Sugar Twin
A few drops of liquid sweetener

Bake for 30-35 minutes at 350. This doesn’t rise real high, but it has a nice fudgey taste. Don't overcook. It will look a little "oily" when still hot.

I use this to make triffle (using a little fruit and SF pudding).

Store in refrigerator.

[atlee]

I made the Molten Chocolate Cakes from the Atkins Cookbook last night with just a few tweaks. They're little souffle-ish individual cakes, and are very light and fluffy when served right from the oven. Here's the version of the recipe I used:

1 oz unsweetened chocolate
3 tbsp butter
1 1/2 tbsp bake mix
1 egg (room-temperature)
3 pkts Splenda
1 tbsp DaVinci Vanilla Syrup

Preheat oven to 375F.
Melt chocolate and butter togther in double boiler, over lowest heat, or microwave. Set aside and allow to cool, then stir in bake mix.
Beat egg, Splenda, and vanilla syrup together on high until soft peaks form (they will be softer than egg-white soft peaks).
Fold egg into chocolate/butter mixture in three additions, being careful not to break down egg. Divide into 2 greased custard cups or large ramekins.
Bake 8-9 minutes until mixture has risen. A toothpick should come out clean around the edges and coated with batter in the center.
Run a knife around the edges of the cake to loosen, invert onto a plate, and serve warm (topped with whipped cream if you like). Alternately, use the back of a spoon to make a dent in the cake and spoon Vanilla Sauce into it.
Serves 2. 3g carbs per cake after fiber (lower than atkins.com recipe)

Vanilla Sauce1 egg
1/2 c heavy cream
1/4 c Splenda
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

In the top of a double boiler over medium heat, whisk together eggs, cream, and splenda. Cook, stirring constantly, until sauce has thickened. Remove from heat, and stir in vanilla.

[hypermom]

Atlee and Sharon,

Thanks so much! I will try both recipes.

hypermom