Sunday, February 10, 2008

Lovely Chocolate Cake


I've made more crappy chocolate cakes than I can count. They've fallen in the middle, had tough edges, come out dry and crumbly, and fallen apart while frosting. But now I've found a recipe that really works. It's dark, moist, soft, and flavorful. I was so happy I called Ed into the kitchen and was like "Look! Look!". If only I could get that same excitement over a well-cleaned bathroom.


Devil's Food Cake with Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting

3/4 c. unsalted butter, room temp
3/4 c. shortening
3/4 c. Dutch process cocoa powder
3/4 c. hot water
3/4 c. sour cream
2 c. cake flour
1 c. all purpose flour
1 t. baking soda
1/2 t. salt
2 1/4 c. sugar
4 ex. lg. eggs, room temp
1 T. vanilla

Note about pans: the orignal recipe calls for two, 9"x 2" pans. I don't have cake pans that are 2" high, so I used three 8" x 1.5" pans and it worked out great.
Grease your pans and line bottom w/parchment paper. Grease the parchment and flour pan.
In a medium bowl, whisk cocoa with hot water until smooth. Whisk in sour cream; let cool. Into a medium bowl, sift together flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
In bowl of an electric mixer fitted w/paddle attachment, beat butter and shortening until smooth and light. Add sugar and beat until light and fluffy, 3 to 4 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, beating to combine after each; scrape down sides of bowl as needed. Beat in vanilla.
With mixer on low speed, add flour mixture in two parts, alternating with the cocoa mixture and beginning and ending with the flour; beat until combined. (Be sure to scrape down bowl w/spatula to make sure everthing's mixed in.)
Divide batter between prepared pans; smooth with an offset spatula. Bake 40-50 minutes, until toothpick comes out clean. Put pans on cooling rack and cool in pans 15 minutes. Invert cakes onto rack; peel off parchment. Reinvert cakes and let cool completely, top sides up.
Using a serrated knife, trim tops of cake layers and eat the trimmings like a five-year-old. Congratulate yourself on making such a great cake. Stack & frost w/your favorite chocolate frosting, or use recipe below.

Chocolate cream cheese frosting

Now I just made this one up because I didn't have the cream for the Ganache called for in the orignal recipe.

1 pkg cream cheese, room temp
6 t. soft butter
pinch salt
1 t. vanilla (or more)
a few T. milk or cream
enough powdered sugar for a good consistency. (I don't know, maybe 6-7 cups?)
cocoa powder - about 1/2 c. or so
Blend everything together, adding either more milk or powdered sugar to desired consistency.

3 comments:

Jessica said...

Loved the cake, by the way..Can't wait to see come visit on Friday...

Amy said...

Looks really good! I love chocolate and more chocolate! I would have to eat this with my sister. Nobody else in my family likes that much chocolate.

E, Me & I said...

Okay, this sounds soooo good. Emmanuel and I will try and make this. THANK YOU!!!!!!!