Fresh Fiction Blog | The Mystery Writers of America Cookbook Excerpt: James Patterson's Grandma’s Killer Chocolate Cake

Mystery lovers can now cook up trouble with the dangerously delicious recipes in THE MYSTERY WRITERS OF AMERICA COOKBOOK: Wickedly Good Meals and Desserts to Die For. Get caught red-handed in the kitchen baking this recipe from #1 New York Times bestselling author James Patterson.

Grandma's Killer Cake

Chocolate Cake_Patterson_credit Steve Legato

Recipe & Excerpt

Here’s one “killer” Alex Cross always loves to catch—Grandma’s Killer Cake! A special family recipe dating from the 1940s, this decadent cake seems to get better with age; it is tastier on day two. And you need to be a good detective around the house after it has been made, sitting there in its glass-domed cake stand, staring back at you with deadly temptation, because a piece seems to mysteriously disappear every time I go into the kitchen. Not to be caught red-handed, so looms the “Killer Cake Killer”!

YIELD: 1 SINGLE- LAYER 9-BY-12 INCH CAKE OR 1 DOUBLE LAYER 9-INCH CAKE

CAKE

-2⁄3 cup butter 
-2 cups granulated sugar
-2 eggs 
-2 cups flour 
-1 1⁄3 cups buttermilk
-1 1⁄3 teaspoons baking soda dissolved in 2 ⁄ 5 cup hot water
-3 1⁄2 squares bitter chocolate, melted gently
-1 teaspoon vanilla extract

FROSTING

-1⁄2 cup butter 
-3 squares bitter chocolate
-2 cups granulated sugar
-2⁄3 cup milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
-1 teaspoon almond extract

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Cream butter and sugar together. Add eggs.  

2. Blend in flour and buttermilk in alternating additions, starting and ending with the flour. Add baking soda mixture, followed by chocolate and vanilla extract.  

3. Pour batter into one 9-by-12-inch pan or two round 9-inch springform pans. Bake for 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Remove from oven and let cool.  

4. Combine all frosting ingredients in a saucepan, bring to a full boil, and boil for 2 minutes. Let cool. You can put saucepan on ice if necessary to cool quickly.  

5. Remove the cake from the pan, frost, and serve.  

James Patterson has sold 300 million books worldwide, including the Alex Cross, Michael Bennett, Women’s Murder Club, Maximum Ride, and Middle School series. He supports getting kids reading through scholarship, Book Bucks programs, book donations, and his website, readkiddoread.com. He lives in Palm Beach with his wife, Sue, and his son, Jack.

Excerpted from THE MYSTERY WRITERS OF AMERICA COOKBOOK edited by Kate White. Reprinted with permission from Quirk Books. Photo credit: Steve Legato.

Giveaway

Readers, what dessert mysteriously disappears in your kitchen? Leave a comment below to be entered to win a copy of THE MYSTERY WRITERS OF AMERICA COOKBOOK. US addresses only.

About THE MYSTERY WRITERS OF AMERICA COOKBOOK

Hard-boiled breakfasts, thrilling entrees, cozy desserts, and more--this illustrated cookbook features more than 100 recipes from legendary mystery authors. Whether you're planning a sinister dinner party or whipping up some comfort food perfect for a day of writing, you'll find plenty to savor in this cunning collection. Full-color photography is featured throughout, along with mischievous sidebars revealing the links between food and foul play. Contributors include Lee Child, Mary Higgins Clark, Harlan Coben, Nelson DeMille, Gillian Flynn, Sue Grafton, Charlaine Harris, James Patterson, Louise Penny, Scott Turow, and many more.

Comments

Apple crumble. It is a near miracle to have it intact between
getting it out of the oven and serving it for a dessert at our
house.
(G. Bisbjerg 12:53pm March 30, 2015)

Love this idea, and would love to win a copy. Can't wait to
try some of the recipes.
(B Tritt 4:03pm March 30, 2015)

Pie - any kind of pie. Between my husband and son, no pie stands a chance!
(Janis Milford 4:24pm March 30, 2015)

Well the mystery at my house is why am I in the kitchen.
However, I do make desserts as my sweet tooth insist. I can
make a killer of a Red Velvet cake and it turns up missing all
too quickly.
(Margie Whitten 9:13pm March 30, 2015)

No one ever knows what happened to my black bottom strawberry pie. It just disappears.
(Kirsten Kimball 9:44pm March 30, 2015)

Any kind of cookie disappears like magic.
(Jacqueline Wyllys 11:03pm March 30, 2015)

I'm afraid ALL desserts disappear almost instantly unless I stand guard. Only birthday cakes survive until dinner.
(Sharon Mitchell 2:33am March 31, 2015)

Carrot Cake it's the best. Would love to win this book. Wont to try the recipes.
(Linda Hall 2:53am March 31, 2015)

My dad's jam-jam's, My mom's jumbo raisin cookies, and my chocolate chip cookies :)
(Holly Loch 4:51am March 31, 2015)

All are desserts magically dissappear. LOL. Cookies go the
fastest. That cake sounds devine.
(Sue Brandes 6:51am March 31, 2015)

Any time I bake a cake, it's gone, because I use home-made
buttercream frosting that's to die for (no pun intended)!!
My brownies go quickly as well. So do my cookies -
especially at Christmas, and most of the time, people wait
outside the stove to grab them as they come out of the
oven!! Can't wait to read your book, since there are a lot
of my favorite Authors in it!!
(Peggy Roberson 9:55am March 31, 2015)

Cookies. Cookies always disappear in twos & threes, never singly.
(Kristine Murphy 10:44am March 31, 2015)

Brownies disappear very rapidly. The cake looks delectable.
(Sharon Berger 11:50am March 31, 2015)

Can't keep my flour less peanut butter cookies for more than
a couple days.
(Jordan Grubich 1:04pm March 31, 2015)

My coconut pineapple ice cream disappears faster than you can say chocolate cake!
(Susan Coster 4:35pm March 31, 2015)

Brownies! Especially with the marshmallow chocolate/peanut butter/rice krispie topping.
(Eileen Pelletier 5:43pm March 31, 2015)

We are dessert lovers but my Red Velvet Cake with Cream
Cheese Icing is one that doesn't last long
(Connie Saunders 6:50pm March 31, 2015)

Oh my...many of my favorite author's have contributed to this
book..Jame Patterson, Harlon Coben, Lee Child, Sue Grafton, etc.
Need to try their favorite recipes.
(Nancy Hoptar 9:12pm March 31, 2015)

I would have to say that chocolate chip cookies disappear.
(Sarah Bauman 9:15pm March 31, 2015)

Apple pie, any cake and all the ice cream disappears. LOL
(Marcy Shuler 9:41pm March 31, 2015)

This book has a lot of great authors that I
love. I want to read all their yummy recipes.
Grandma's Killer Cake, I could die for a piece
of that.
I like to bake cookies and make deserts.
Everyone loves my Snickerdoodle Cookies. I
will have to say they are great. Along with my
Cheesecake made from scratch.
(Sherry Cockerham 9:41pm March 31, 2015)

That would be every dessert :) It doesn't matter, we love dessert.
(Leni Kaye 9:55pm March 31, 2015)

Love this cookbook....
Cheesecake does not last here, seldom any leftovers and
when I do, it's just after breakfast that I notice.
(Ruth Bousquet 10:16pm March 31, 2015)

Turn-of-the-century Red Velvet Cake with homemade frosting.
(Andrea Roland 10:18pm March 31, 2015)

My carrot cake cupcakes. They are a family favorite and are
gone as soon as I finish making them. Grandma's cake looks
fabulous. YUM!!!
Jane
(Jane Frisch 10:32pm March 31, 2015)

I love chocolate cake, chocolate brownies - this cake recipe looks like a great one to try.
(Connie Sahn 10:41pm March 31, 2015)

The desserts that mysteriously disappear from my kitchen are
Blonde Brownies and Burgundy Berry Pie. My Burgundy Berry
Pie even Won the Prize at the Texas Secretary of State
Office where I worked many years in the Corporations
Section. I love that Grandma's Killer Chocolate Cake. Makes
me think of Death by Chocolate. Congrats on this book: THE
MYSTERY WRITERS OF AMERICA COOKBOOK. I would love to win and
read and obtain the fantastic recipes from this wonderful
book. Thank You very much. Cecilia Dunbar Hernandez CECE
(Cecilia Dunbar Hernandez 11:12pm March 31, 2015)

Cookies. I'll make a ton of cookies, and they'll start
disappear like an army of mice came in and carted them off!
This cake looks delicious, I would love to win a copy of
this book!
(Sara Doyle 11:20pm March 31, 2015)

Double chocolate fudge brownies are gone in a flash.
(Diane Pernick 11:34pm March 31, 2015)

when my daughter makes her delicious chocolate chip cookies! they are gone in
a flash! they blame me but its my husband who 'mysteriously' sneaks them.
(Marygrace Monteleone 12:50pm April 1, 2015)

The recipes sound amazing; but my fave is for James
Patterson's grandma's chocolate cake. Thank you for the
chance, would love to try all of the recipes.
(Nancy Wolfe 12:11pm April 1, 2015)

When the kids were young and at home....cookies disappeared as
fast as they came out of the oven (hint...the oldest kid, my
husband was the main culprit!)
(Kimberley Coover 5:48pm April 1, 2015)

Any Sweet baked goods but especially my cinnamon rolls!
(Teresa Decker 6:07pm April 1, 2015)

Excellent recipe and awesome giveaway. Yahoooo!!!!
(Tiffany Miles 6:18pm April 1, 2015)

A chocolate cake to die for, I'll get the coffee.
(Sally Lincoln 9:03pm April 1, 2015)

Any chocolate in our home is gone within minutes. Cake is
great with any kind of drink.
(Sherrie Wood 9:34pm April 1, 2015)

My coconut cream pie . I would love to have this book .I'm keeping my fingers crossed . Thanks for this chance .
(Joan Thrasher 9:56pm April 1, 2015)

nuts - just a few here, just a few there, pretty soon they're all gone!
(Beth Fuller 11:08pm April 1, 2015)

Brownies disappear almost immediately. It seems that everyone is
magically home when they come out of the oven.
(Michelle Whitwam 11:43pm April 1, 2015)

my specialty is to die for cheesecake, i especially like the turtle version with fudge,caramel,and pecan layers. any cheesecake, however, lasts just about half the time it took to make it,LOL ps i want to make this cheesecake for james, i have such a crush on him. (shhhh)
(Sue Hieber 3:16pm April 3, 2015)

Rhubard Delight; my kids named this recipe years ago. I make
it from the rhubarb from my garden and it is my own recipe.
I love the books that have recipes and I make them.
This chocolate cake sounds sooo good.
(Leona Olson 7:46pm April 3, 2015)

I love this, I wish I had a special desert. Thank you, I need
this.
(Sharon Sommer 10:29pm April 3, 2015)

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The Mystery Writers of America Cookbook Excerpt: James Patterson's Grandma’s Killer Chocolate Cake

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The Mystery Writers of America Cookbook Excerpt: James Patterson's Grandma’s Killer Chocolate Cake

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Grandma's Killer Cake

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