Shannon
Best Chocolate Cake
For the cake:
1 cup boiling water
3/4 cup unsweetened natural cocoa powder
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
2 cups granulated sugar
½ Cup butter, at room temperature
3 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups buttermilk
For the chocolate frosting:
4 cups confectioners’ sugar
4 ounces unsweetened chocolate
4 Tablespoons of butter
½ cup heavy cream, plus more to make frosting nice and spreadable (3-4 Tablespoons more usually)
Directions:
To make the cake, preheat an oven to 350°F. Lightly butter and flour two 9-inch round cake pans. Line the bottom of each pan with a round of parchment paper.
In a small heatproof bowl, whisk together the boiling water and cocoa powder until smooth. Let cool completely.
In a bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
In a large bowl, using a handheld mixer, beat together the granulated sugar and butter on medium-high speed until the mixture is light in color and texture, about 3 minutes. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, then beat in the vanilla and the cooled cocoa mixture.
Reduce the speed to low and add the flour mixture in 3 additions, alternating with the buttermilk and beginning and ending with the flour mixture. Beat until smooth, stopping the mixer occasionally to scrape down the sides of the bowl. Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans and smooth the tops.
Bake the cakes until they begin to pull away from the sides of the pans, 35 to 40 minutes. Transfer the pans to wire racks and let cool for 15 minutes. Run a knife around the inside of each pan to release the cake. Invert the pans onto the racks, lift off the pans and peel the parchment paper off the cakes. Turn the cakes right side up and let cool completely.
Meanwhile, make the chocolate frosting: In a heatproof bowl, melt butter and chocolate in microwave. Add ½ cup cream and then the confectioners sugar. Add a little more cream about 1 Tablespoon at a time until the frosting is nice and spreadable.
Place 1 cake layer, bottom side up, on a cake plate. Using an icing spatula, spread the top of the layer with about ½ cup of the frosting. Place the second layer, top side down, on top of the first layer. Frost the top and then the sides with the remaining frosting. Slice the cake into thick wedges and serve. Serves 10.
Variation: For chocolate cupcakes, line 24 muffin cups with paper liners. Spoon the batter into the prepared cups. Bake until the tops spring back when pressed in the center, 20 to 25 minutes. Let the cupcakes cool before frosting.
Print Recipe:Best Chocolate Layer Cake
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| Grease, flour and place parchment paper in two 9 in |
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| In a small heatproof bowl combine 1 cup boiling water and cocoa. |
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| Combine sugar and butter and beat for about 3 minutes. |
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| In another bowl combine flour, salt and baking soda. Set aside. |
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| Add eggs to butter mixture one at a time. |
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| Add cooled cocoa mixture and vanilla. |
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| Add flour in three additions alternately with the buttermilk in 2 additions. Beginning and ending with the flour mixture. |
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| Scrape bowl as needed. beat until nice and smooth. |
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| Divide batter between the two pans. |
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| Bake in 350 degree oven for about 35-40 minutes or until a tooth pick comes out clean. |
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| Remove cakes from oven and allow to cool on a rack for about 15-20 minutes. |
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| Invert pans onto cooling racks. Peel off parchment paper. Allow to cool completely before frosting. |
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| Melt chocolate and butter in a heatproof bowl in the microwave. Watch carefully as butter and chocolate burn fast. |
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| In a bowl add confectioners sugar and 1/2 cup cream. |
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| Add chocolate mixture and blend until smooth. Add more cream as needed a tablespoon at a time to make a nice spreadable frosting. |
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| Place cooled cake on platter. Top with about a half a cup of frosting. Place second cake on top. I forgot to take pictures of the whole process. Whoops!! |
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| Frost the entire cake. |
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