December 8, 2009

CHOCOLATE CAKE



I live for Chocolate Cake.  This is not your ordinary Betty Crocker Cake here.  Be warned.  It is a Cake so deep, so rich and Chocolatey that you will be licking the plate then going back for a second piece.  It's the type of Cake that needs a big glass of cold Milk to follow it.  If you are on a diet or the type of person that eats a Mint Tic-Tac for dessert so you can stay thin, skip this recipe!  Better yet skip my whole blog!   This Chocolate Cake is beyond amazing and worth every calorie.  If you are going to have dessert it should be the best tasting and worth the effort.  Make and eat this Chocolate Cake and you are Cooking The Amazing!




See below for Black Forest Cake, Turtle Caramel Cake, and Oreo Cake recipes.



Who wouldn't want this amazing Chocolate Cake on their birthday? 



1 c  Baking Cocoa Powder
1 1/2 c  Sugar
1/2 c  Brown Sugar, dark, packed
1 3/4 c  Cake Flour (Can substitute all purpose flour)
1 t  Fine Sea Salt
1 1/4 t  Baking Soda
1 1/4 t  Baking Powder
3  Eggs, large
2 c  Buttermilk
1/2 c  Sour Cream
1/2 c  Vegetable Oil
1 T  Vanilla Extract

Butter to grease cake pans
Total Prep and Cooking Time: Approx. 1 hr 10 mins






1. Preheat oven 350 degrees.


2. Butter two, 9 inch cake pans (or three 8 inch cake pans which gives more layer but thinner cake sections) and line the bottoms with parchment paper, buttering the parchment paper on top also.  Or butter one 13 x 9 baking dish. Or to make cupcakes, use paper liners unbuttered. Darker metal cake pans cook best.


3. Combine in a large bowl, all the dry ingredients : Cocoa Powder, Sugar, Brown Sugar, Cake Flour, Baking Soda, Baking Powder, Salt. Sift through a fine mesh strainer until well combined for the lightest Cake.  Then whisk to ensure it is well mixed.

4. Using a hand mixer or KitchenAid combine the Eggs, Buttermilk, Sour Cream, Oil, and Vanilla Extract in a medium bowl and mix well.  It will look curdled.  Use all room temperature ingredients for the fluffiest Cake.



5. Add dry ingredients to the Egg, Milk and Oil mixture then mix with the hand mixer or KitchenAid for 1 minute, no longer. Over mixing creates a tough cake. The batter will be thin.


6. Let the mixed cake batter sit for 1 minute so the flour can absorb the liquid. It will look soupy thin.


7. Pour the batter in even amounts into the prepared cake pans which should be on a cookie sheet for easy transfer. Bake in center of the oven.


8. Bake at 350 degrees in center of your oven.  9 inch cake pans bake for 30-35 mins. or until a toothpick comes out clean.  Bake the three 8 inch cake pans for 28-32 minutes.  Bake the  13 X 9 baking pan for 45-50 minuites. Cupcakes bake for 21-25 mins. ***Fill cupcake liners 1/2 full or they will over flow.*** Don't over bake.

9
. Allow to cool 60 minutes before removing from pans. And cool completely before icing. For best results in appearance refrigerate the cakes before icing for about 30 mins. This cake is very moist and fragile. Hide cracks with icing. The cakes, when baked, will only fill about 3/4 of the cake pan and not come to the top.

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                      Chocolate Butter Cream Icing




See Ganache recipe and Butter Cream Icing recipe for 2 Chocolate Icing recipes.  



How to ice your Chocolate Cake:

1.  Place your baked and cooled Chocolate Cake layer on a plate or cardboard cake board (available online and at Michael's Craft Store).

2.  Place about 1/4 of the Icing on the center of the Cake and spread it out evenly to 1/4th inch of the edge.

3.  Add your next layer of Cake but place it upside down so the top is the flat side of the Cake and repeat icing with 1/4th of the Icing.

4.  Add the third layer of Cake, also upside down and place 1/4th of the Icing on top.  Ice all the way to the edge this time.

5.  Use the last 1/4th of the Icing and work it into the sides of the cake evenly all the way around.

6.  Dip a butter knife or an offset spatula into a glass of hot water then wipe it dry with a towel to smooth the Icing on top and the sides.  The hot knife will melt the Icing as you glide your knife across making a smooth appearance.






          
              German Chocolate Cake
Or for German Chocolate Cake use Coconut Pecan Icing.

TIP: Use a GOOD quality Vanilla Extract and Cocoa for the optimum flavor.  It makes a difference.


MORE RECIPES

Chocolate Cupcakes With Raspberry Butter Cream Icing
Go to the  Butter Cream Icing recipe to make this delicious Raspberry Butter Cream Icing.

Amazing Chocolate Cake Recipes

BLACK FOREST CAKE
  1. Prepare the Chocolate Cake recipe above.
  2. Prepare the Whipped Cream recipe.
  3. Prepare the whipped GANACHE recipe.
  4. 2 Cans of Cherry Pie Filling
  5. After cakes have cooled, layer cakes, alternating with whipped Ganache, canned Cherry Pie Filling, then Whipped Cream.
  6. Cover the cake with Whipped cream or unwhipped Ganache.
  7. Decorate with chocolate shavings and cherries or to be overly decadent, cherry cordial chocolate candies.



TURTLE CARAMEL CAKE




  1.  Prepare the Chocolate Cake recipe above.
  2. Prepare the Caramel recipe.
  3. Prepare the Chocolate Butter Cream recipe.
  4. 1 c of Pecan pieces.   1/2 c whole pecans.
  5. Allow the cakes to cool then layer, alternating with Chocolate Butter Cream, Caramel, and pecans.
  6. Ice the cake with Chocolate Butter Cream Icing and whole pecans drizzled in Caramel allowing to drizzle over the sides. 




OREO CAKE


  1. Prepare the Chocolate Cake recipe above.
  2. Prepare the Whipped Cream recipe.
  3. Prepare the Ganache recipe.
  4. 1 package of Oreo cookies.
  5. 1 package of Nabisco Famous Chocolate Wafer cookies.
  6. Allow cake layers to cool.
  7. Finely Crush all Oreo Cookies except 8 whole cookies to use as decoration later.  Use a food processor or place in a large baggie and roll with a rolling pin.
  8. Mix all Whipped Cream with the crushed Oreos until well mixed.
  9. Layer cake with Ganache then Oreo Whipped Cream then cake, etc.
  10. Ice the cake with the Ganache by pouring it over cake allowing it to run over sides then cover sides with a box of crushed Nabisco Chocolate Wafers.
  11. Top the cake with Whipped Cream and the 8 whole Oreo cookies.
  12. Refrigerate for 1 hour to firm up then remove and allow to come to room temperature before serving.














2 comments:

Mary J. said...

OMG! I love this cake recipe! so moist and so good!

Panettone said...

Great tutorial and beautiful cake! I love fondant so much, but have never had the guts to make enough to cover a whole cake...! Thanks for the tip on the corners. :)