Carpathian 17 - Dark Celebration

strawberries, cut them) Pour milk into large bowl. Add dry pudding mixes. Beat with wire whisk 2 minutes or until well blended. Gently stir in 1 cup of the whipped topping.
    Place half of the brownie cubes in the 2-quart serving bowl; top with half of the pudding mixture, half of the raspberries and half of the remaining whipped topping. Repeat all layers.
    Refrigerate at least 1 hour or until ready to serve. Store leftover dessert in refrigerator.

    Dark Moist Chocolate Cake
    Submitted by: Brenda Edde
    Englewood, CO

    2 cups sifted flour
    1 cup sugar

    5 tablespoons cocoa
    2 teaspoons baking soda
    1 cup water
    1 cup mayonnaise
    1 teaspoon vanilla

    Sift together all dry ingredients. Mix all liquid ingredients. Pour liquid into dry mixture and blend thoroughly. Pour batter into 9 x 11-inch cake pan. Tip: You should pound pan on counter a couple of times to get air bubbles out . Bake 30 minutes at 375°. I like to frost cake with powdered sugar frosting.

    Chocolate Caramel Diamonds
    Submitted by: Eddie L. Thacker
    Kerrville, TX

    Estimated Times:
    Preparation, 45 minutes
    Cooking, 20 minutes
    Chill, 30 minutes

    YIELDS: 42 SERVINGS

    CAKE
    4 ounces fine-quality bittersweet chocolate (not unsweetened)
    1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter

    1/4 cup sugar
    3 large eggs
    1/4 cup all-purpose flour
    /4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

    GANACHE
    5 ounces fine-quality bittersweet chocolate (not unsweetened)
    1/3 cup sugar
    1/3 cup heavy cream

    CARAMEL TOPPING
    1/4 cup sugar, MELT SLOWLY

    MAKECAKE
    Preheat oven to 375°. Butter a 9-inch square baking pan and line bottom with wax paper.
    Chop chocolate into small pieces. In a double boiler or a metal bowl set over a saucepan of barely simmering water, melt chocolate and butter, stirring until smooth. Remove top of double boiler or bowl from heat and whisk sugar into chocolate mixture. Whisk in eggs 1 at a time until combined well. Sift flour and cocoa powder over chocolate mixture and whisk until just combined. Pour batter into baking pan and bake in middle of oven until a tester comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Cool cake completely in pan on a rack and invert onto a baking sheet lined with wax paper.

    MAKE GANACHE
    Chop chocolate. In a dry heavy saucepan, cook sugar over moderate heat, without stirring, until it begins to melt. Continue to cook sugar, stirring with a fork, until a deep-golden caramel. Remove pan from heat and add cream (mixture will bubble up and steam).
    Simmer mixture, stirring, until caramel dissolves. Remove pan from heat and add chocolate, stirring until mixture is smooth. Pour ganache over top of cake and smooth with a spatula. Chill cake, uncovered, at least 30 minutes and, covered, up to 3 days.

    MAKE TOPPING
    Lightly grease a baking sheet. In a dry small heavy saucepan, cook sugar over moderately low heat, stirring slowly with a fork (to help sugar melt evenly), until a pale-golden caramel. Continue to cook caramel, without stirring, gently swirling pan, until golden. Remove pan from heat and pour caramel onto baking sheet. Cool caramel completely. Pry caramel from baking sheet with your fingers and in a food processor pulse caramel until coarsely ground. Sprinkle the ground caramel evenly over top of cake and with a sharp knife cut cake into 1 1/4-inch diamonds.

    Black "Carpathian" Forest Stuffed Cupcakes
    Submitted by: Tammy Taylor
    Nashville, TN

    Preparation time, 10 minutes
    Total time, 45 minutes

    MAKES 2 DOZEN CUPCAKES

    1 package (2-layer size) chocolate cake mix (the darker, the better) 1 package (8-oz) cream cheese, softened
    1 egg
    2 tablespoon sugar
    1 can (20-oz) cherry pie filling, divided
    1 1/2 cups Cool Whip, thawed

    Preheat oven to 350°. Prepare cake batter as directed on package and set aside. Mix cream cheese, egg and sugar until well blended. Remove 3/4 cup of the pie filling for garnish and set aside. Spoon 2 tablespoons of the cake batter into each of 24 paper-lined medium muffin cups. Top each with 1 tablespoon of the cream cheese mixture and remaining pie filling. Cover each evenly with remaining cake batter. Bake 20-25 minutes.
    Cool 5 minutes and remove from pans to wire rack. Cool completely. Top cupcakes with Cool Whip and remaining pie filling to garnish just before serving. Cupcakes should be stored in tightly covered container in refrigerator for up to 3 days. Great substitute — use Cool Whip Chocolate Whipped Topping .

    Per cupcake:
    Calories, 220
    Carbohydrates, 25 g
    Total fat, 13 g
    Dietary fiber, 1