Wednesday, August 24, 2011

Rich Chocolate Cake {Recipe}

This chocolate cake recipe takes a few extra steps and a little more time than using a box mix. But the results are definitely worth it. It is a decadent, rich cake that will have everyone begging you for the recipe.

What You Need:
6 oz. chopped unsweetened chocolate
¾ cup whole milk
1 ½ cups brown sugar
½ cup unsalted butter at room temperature
3 eggs at room temperature
1 ½ tsp. vanilla
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. salt
3 ½ Tbsp. cocoa powder
1 ½ tsp. baking powder
½ tsp. baking soda
¾ cup buttermilk + ¼ cup water at room temperature


This recipe makes one 9x13 sheet cake, two 8- or 9-inch round layers, or approximately 24 cupcakes.
Preheat oven to 325F.
Grease cake pan with shortening, line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper, or prepare cupcake pan with paper liners.

In a small saucepan over medium-low heat, combine the chopped chocolate with the milk and ¾ cup of the brown sugar. Stir constantly to prevent the chocolate from sticking to the bottom of the pan.

When all of the chocolate is melted, remove pan from heat and let cool to lukewarm.

In a medium bowl, sift together flour, salt, cocoa powder, baking powder and baking soda. Sift it again, two more times. (This helps to better incorporate the cocoa powder so you don't get any white streaks in the cake. You can see in the photo above how it is not well mixed after one sifting.)

In a mixing bowl, cream the butter and remaining ¾ cup brown sugar until light and fluffy, about 3-5 minutes.
In a small bowl, beat eggs and vanilla with a fork or wire whisk. Slowly add to the butter mixture. Beat another 1-2 minutes until well-combined.

Add half of the flour mixture to the mixing bowl. Mix at low speed until just combined.

Add the melted chocolate mixture. Mix.
Add the rest of the flour mixture. Mix.

Finally, combine the buttermilk and the water in a measuring cup. Add the buttermilk mixture and mix until just combined. (If you want, you can substitute cooled black coffee for the water.)

Pour batter into prepared pan(s). Bake on center rack of 325F oven for 25-30 minutes (15-20 minutes for the cupcakes) or until toothpick inserted near the center comes out with few crumbs on it.

Immediately place pan on cooling rack. If you do not plan to serve the cake straight from the cake pan, after 10 minutes, invert the cake onto a cooling rack to cool. (If the cake has a large dome, level before inverting or do not cool on its top.)

Top with frosting. I recommend my chocolate ganache icing or cream cheese icing.

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10 comments:

  1. Hey Beki,I want to make this cake next week. What is the filling you used? Was it a chocolate buttercream frosting? Thanks

    ReplyDelete
  2. Stacy, I filled it with a whipped ganache... check out the tutorial here: http://bekicookscakesblog.blogspot.com/2011/08/chocolate-lovers-cake.html
    Good luck! I LOVE this cake!!!
    - Beki

    ReplyDelete
  3. Becki hope you are there to reply to this..... :-) In your photo it looks more than 2 layers, did you cook twice the recepie or did you slice the 2 layers in half???????????please pleaase help...
    Merry Christmas
    Jue :-)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Jue,
      I did slice each of the two layers in half. Good eye!
      Good luck!!
      - Beki

      Delete
  4. Can't thank you enough for your help....... I was wondering what you filled it with but I can see from the iast comment posted also asked this question, you replied whipped ganache..... is the receipe still on the same link....
    Tremendous thanks, can't wait to sink my teeth in to it , looks scrumptious.......it will be the cake of the day on christmas day, the centre attraction, I have no doubts what so ever that it will be a massive hit, on every ones tonges.......LITTERALY.....Thank you so so very much
    Jue :-)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yup, whipped ganache:
      http://bekicookscakesblog.blogspot.com/2011/08/chocolate-lovers-cake.html
      Or French Silk Pie filling:
      http://bekicookscakesblog.blogspot.com/2012/01/most-ridiculous-chocolate-cake-ever.html

      Enjoy!!
      - Beki

      Delete
  5. Thank you, really really truly......one last message I promise, which from your experience would be the best???? Need your advise badly....! The top is covered in ganache icing, correct? I can't thank you enough for your help....sorry to be of a pain....thank you
    Jue :-)

    ReplyDelete
  6. Thank you for the recipe. I made this for our son's birthday and was very delicious. I used white Caster Sugar, non-Dutch cocoa powder and the dark chocolate bars from Giddy YoYo as I had them on hand. Yummy!

    ReplyDelete
  7. great. Looks delicious. I really like how you took a picture of every step

    ReplyDelete

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