Valentine's Day and the V-Day weekend means chocolate chocolate chocolate! So here's my rendition of every ones favorite chocolate cake with The Ultimate Chocolate Cake. Using a ready made cake mix from the box is always quicker and easier, but sometimes we would like to try baking desserts from scratch with equally the same quickness and ease. This chocolate cake took no special ingredients nor did it take hours in the kitchen. However for a finer quality cake, you can buy gourmet chocolate powder from brands such as Guittard, Callebaut or Scharffen Berger.
Heres what to do and not to do. The only difficulty I had was forgetting the baking soda, and in doing so; as you can see the cake did not rise as it should nor was it light and fluffy. It was more dense. Using baking soda, requires acidic ingredient in order to work properly and to avoid an alkaline flavor in the cake. The acidic ingredient can be natural cocoa (which is Not Dutch-processed and is lighter in color), orange juice, lemon juice or sour cream. And that is why some chocolate recipes ask for Buttermilk. In making this mistake, I learned what ingredients to use when making a chocolate cake. Chocolate cakes can be made with cocoa if your wondering, but also a combination of chocolate and cocoa may produce better results.
2 cups boiling water or (1 cup boiling water & 1 cup buttermilk)
1 cup unsweetened Hersey cocoa powder (not Dutch-processed)
2 1/2 cup of all-purpose flour or (2 1/2 cups of cake flour)
2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
2 1/4 cups of white sugar
4 eggs
1 cup of butter, softened or ( 1 cup of vegetable oil)
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1. Preheat oven to 350F. Pour boiling water over cocoa powder, whisk until smooth and let cool. Sift together flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt; set aside.
2. Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in one egg at a time, then stir in vanilla.
3. Add flour mixture alternately with cocoa mixture. Spread batter evenly between 3 prepared pans.
4. Bake in preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes or until inserted toothpick in the center comes out clean. Let cool completely before frosting.
Chocolate Buttercream:
1/2 cup solid vegetable shortening
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened
3/4 cup cocoa or three 1 0z unsweetened chocolate squares
1 tsp clear vanilla extract
4 cups of sifted confectioners sugar
3-4 tbsp milk
(Makes about 3 cups of icing)
1. Cream butter and shortening together with an electric mixer. Add vanilla and cocoa. Gradually add sugar, one cup at a time beating well on medium speed and add milk one tablespoon at a time until light and fluffy. For a thin consistency add 3-4 more tbsp of milk, water or light corn syrup. Cover with a damp cloth until ready to use. Re-whip before using.
Refrigerate in an airtight container. Icing can be stored for up to 2 weeks.
Heres what to do and not to do. The only difficulty I had was forgetting the baking soda, and in doing so; as you can see the cake did not rise as it should nor was it light and fluffy. It was more dense. Using baking soda, requires acidic ingredient in order to work properly and to avoid an alkaline flavor in the cake. The acidic ingredient can be natural cocoa (which is Not Dutch-processed and is lighter in color), orange juice, lemon juice or sour cream. And that is why some chocolate recipes ask for Buttermilk. In making this mistake, I learned what ingredients to use when making a chocolate cake. Chocolate cakes can be made with cocoa if your wondering, but also a combination of chocolate and cocoa may produce better results.
2 cups boiling water or (1 cup boiling water & 1 cup buttermilk)
1 cup unsweetened Hersey cocoa powder (not Dutch-processed)
2 1/2 cup of all-purpose flour or (2 1/2 cups of cake flour)
2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
2 1/4 cups of white sugar
4 eggs
1 cup of butter, softened or ( 1 cup of vegetable oil)
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1. Preheat oven to 350F. Pour boiling water over cocoa powder, whisk until smooth and let cool. Sift together flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt; set aside.
2. Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in one egg at a time, then stir in vanilla.
3. Add flour mixture alternately with cocoa mixture. Spread batter evenly between 3 prepared pans.
4. Bake in preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes or until inserted toothpick in the center comes out clean. Let cool completely before frosting.
Chocolate Buttercream:
1/2 cup solid vegetable shortening
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened
3/4 cup cocoa or three 1 0z unsweetened chocolate squares
1 tsp clear vanilla extract
4 cups of sifted confectioners sugar
3-4 tbsp milk
(Makes about 3 cups of icing)
1. Cream butter and shortening together with an electric mixer. Add vanilla and cocoa. Gradually add sugar, one cup at a time beating well on medium speed and add milk one tablespoon at a time until light and fluffy. For a thin consistency add 3-4 more tbsp of milk, water or light corn syrup. Cover with a damp cloth until ready to use. Re-whip before using.
Refrigerate in an airtight container. Icing can be stored for up to 2 weeks.
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