Molly Cookie

Simply Great Chocolate Cake

Jan 18, 2010 Cakes, Chocolate, Coffee, Desserts

I’ve never really been a fan of chocolate cake. I think that my not liking chocolate cake is one of the worst things about me. If I could change it I would. Birthday party after birthday party that I attend I’m continually disappointed when the cake is being cut and as the first slice pulls away, I see that chocolate cake is underneath all of the beautiful frosting. I realize that I’m definitely in the minority, and I would never ask anyone to change their birthday cake just because I don’t like chocolate, but still… it’s a little sad when that happens.

Luckily I have a birthday of my own and I get to request whatever I want on that day, but for the rest of the year I succumb to the majority’s tastes, and lately I’ve been making several chocolate cakes.  I realize the importance of having a good chocolate cake recipe if I’m going to be baking things for other people on a regular basis. Not being a chocolate cake lover, it was hard to choose  a simply great chocolate cake recipe. I searched through books and websites and every chocolate cake recipe I found seemed to have something strange about it. I wanted a simple, great chocolate cake. Finally I found this one by Gale Gand and it seemed to be well received at a friend’s birthday party last weekend. It’s a classic chocolate cake with chocolate frosting, and I think the only way it could have been improved was if I had square cake pans, because square cake pans make cakes more fun.

One good thing about being the baker is that you get to bring whatever you want, so I also threw in some french vanilla cupcakes with strawberry frosting… just in case someone else like me didn’t want chocolate cake. Admittedly a selfish move, but I don’t think anyone really noticed.

Chocolate Layer Cake

by Gale Gand

Ingredients

• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened at room temperature
• 3 cups light brown sugar, packed
• 4 eggs
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 tablespoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3 cups sifted cake flour
• 1 1/3 cups sour cream
• 1 1/2 cups hot coffee

Frosting:

• 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened at room temperature
• 16 ounces cream cheese softened at room temperature
• 8 ounces unsweetened chocolate, melted
• 1/2 cup cooled coffee
• 4 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 6 cups confectioners’ sugar

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour 3 (9-inch) cake pans. Cut 3 circles of waxed paper or parchment paper to fit the bottoms of the pans, then press them in.

In a mixer fitted with a whisk attachment (or using a hand mixer), cream the butter until smooth. Add the sugar and eggs and mix until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the vanilla, cocoa, baking soda and salt and mix. Add 1/2 of the flour, then 1/2 of the sour cream and mix. Repeat with the remaining flour and sour cream. Drizzle in the hot coffee and mix until smooth. The batter will be thin. Pour into the prepared pans and bake until the tops are firm to the touch and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean (a few crumbs are okay), about 35 minutes. Halfway through the baking, quickly rotate the pans in the oven to ensure even baking, but otherwise try not to open the oven. Let cool in the pan 10 minutes. Turn out onto wire racks and let cool completely before frosting.

Frosting: In a mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream the butter and cream cheese together until smooth. Drizzle in the melted chocolate and mix. Add the coffee and vanilla and mix. Add the sugar, 1 cup at a time, mixing after each addition. Mix until well blended and fluffy. To frost the cake, use a spatula to cover 2 of the cake layers with frosting. Stack them together. Flip the third cake layer over and rest it on the top to create a very flat top for the cake. Frost on the sides and top. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Tags: birthday cake, chocolate birthday cake, chocolate cake, chocolate cake with coffee, Gale gand chocolate cake, simple chocolate cake, sour cream chocolate cake