http://forum.cakecentral.com/cake-decorating-ftopicp-1846221.html#1846221

I posted all three recipes in the recipe forum. The link is above. One think to consider is make sure the vanilla cognac and the white chocolate are served at room temperature. They have high butter content and may seem dry and crumbly when served too cold( The butter solidifies). The chocolate cake( which is the same one used by a lot of CCers) is oil based and so is less finicky in general and would be the first cake I would recommend if you're not an habitual scratch baker. I also made a chocolate cake with Guiness in it today that I really liked. It was very moist and tasty!

Guiness Cake


2 cups Guinness
2 cups (4 sticks) unsalted butter
1 1/2 cups unsweetened cocoa powder (preferably Dutch-process)

4 cups all purpose flour
4 cups sugar
1 tablespoon baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
4 large eggs
1 1/3 cups sour cream

For cake:
Preheat oven to 325°F. Butter three 8-inch round cake pans with 2-inch-high sides. Line with parchment paper. Butter paper. Bring 2 cups stout and 2 cups butter to simmer in heavy large saucepan over medium heat. Add cocoa powder and whisk until mixture is smooth. Cool slightly.

Whisk flour, sugar, baking soda, and 1 1/2 teaspoons salt in large bowl to blend. Using electric mixer, beat eggs and sour cream in another large bowl to blend. Add stout-chocolate mixture to egg mixture and beat just to combine. Add flour mixture and beat briefly on slow speed. Using rubber spatula, fold batter until completely combined. Divide batter equally among prepared pans. Bake cakes until tester inserted into center of cakes comes out clean, about 35 minutes. Transfer cakes to rack; cool 10 minutes. Turn cakes out onto rack and cool completely.

Thanks so much for sharing your recipes, can´t wait to try them!!!!

Wow, great tips! Thanks!

Thanks!! I'm going to try them

Thank You!!!!! I'll try them

Many, many thanks for the recipes!!
(These are the no cal, no carb, no fat recipes, right??) : )

Thanks for the recipes, I grew up a bake from scrath and I have only started to use boxes since my kids have come along simply for ease. But when I want a real cake or something real special I do it from scratch, there is no substitute.

Thanks again for the recipes.

Thank you txkat!! I'll be trying them soon! Although I have no idea what Guiness is.......................

thanks for the recipies!! Guiness is a type of beer, but not American so the taste is different. Someone please correct me if I don't have it exactly as it should be described. I'm not a beer conosseur!!

Thank you for posting your recipes!! I can't wait to try them

Those sound really good....would you please share your recipe?!

Thanks txkat!!! I can't wait to try the recipes!

I'll have to make the Guinness cake for DH ... Guinness is his favorite kind of beer! Off topic, but kind of funny ... DH has this drink every once in a while (with his buddies) called an Irish Car Bomb ... it's a glass of Guinness, and you drop a shot glass of Bailey's Irish Cream in the glass and drink it all at once. He swears that it tastes just like chocolate milk! I say YUCK! I don't like beer, and if I want chocolate milk, I'll drink chocolate milk!

Guiness is an Irish Stout. It's very dark, almost black and is thick.

Thank you VERY much for your help and sending me this recipe. It sounds greatand I can't wait to try it!

Thanks so much txkat! I know that it's hard sometimes to give away "trade secrets" so to speak, and I understand that, so I really appreciate your willingness to share! I can't wait to try them! Thanks again!

Thanks so much txkat for sharing with all of us!!! I can't wait to try the recipes.

Great thread. Thank you all!

I too am pretty much a mix baker. I'm going to try the cognac cake next week. I'd be really interested in what everyone who tries the recipes think.

For the record, last Friday I tried to make a recipe that Daisey gave me. Fiasco!! But on a good note, the taste and texture of the cake were very good. Thanks Daisey.