April 17, 2013

Double Chocolate Layer Cake

Do you know what the best thing is when you cook and learn new recipes alongside your grandmother?  You also get to teach her new recipes.  While at home, grandma Vicki and I made an old favorite, revisited a classic, baked a popular pie, and gave my grandma’s pork roast recipe a facelift.  But I also lured my grandma into baking together my spectacular-special-occasion-go-to chocolate cake.




The first time I ever made Barefoot Contessa’s Double-Chocolate Layer Cake was for Adrian’s 30th birthday; we were smitten at first bite, including myself especially since I’m not that much of a dedicated chocolate eater.  But this cake was something special.  I instantly knew that I had to share this recipe with my grandmother.  So, I took the recipe with me on my trip home and right before boarding our flight to Europe, I also grabbed the anniversary edition of Food & Wine magazine.  Thumbing through the magazine I stumbled upon the magazine’s pick for Best Chocolate Dessert – Barefoot Contessa’s Double-Chocolate Layer Cake.  I was stoked!  I knew I discovered a winner and was not looking for validation; but it’s funny how the choice of a renowned magazine can suddenly give you an extra boost of confidence that you indeed selected a special recipe!  
 




The first time I made this cake was also the first time I had ever tackled a two layer cake.  Back then, I was still rather tentative at undertaking such an ambitious baking project and the timing was questionable to say the least.  I knew I wanted to make something special for Adrian’s birthday, but to try something new on such a memorable occasion could have been a calamity into making.  Just the sole thought of failure made me break out into a sweat.  But it was a coup!  In the end, this ambitious baking project was a breeze to complete and a pleasantly soothing chocolaty experience.  The best part – my grandma and my entire family in Romania loved this cake.





This cake will forever change your perspective on chocolate cakes.  It’s so dazzling and imposing that it makes you swoon just staring at it; it’s moist and light, silky and fudgy, and the good bit of caffeine kick will easily make you skip that extra cup of coffee.  You can also give the cake a more festive treatment like my grandmother’s signature decoration that you can easily achieve by gliding the tip of a fork through the frosting; or you can leave it unadorned just with the old fashioned messy look.  Embellished or not, you’ll go for seconds in a heartbeat!   

       


Double-Chocolate Layer Cake
Adapted from Beatty’s Chocolate Cake by Barefoot Contessa

Makes: 10-12 servings

Ingredients for the Cake:

·         Butter, for greasing the pans
·         1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour, plus more for the pans
·         2 cups sugar
·         ¾ cups cocoa powder
·         2 teaspoons baking soda
·         1 teaspoon baking powder
·         1 teaspoon salt
·         1 cup buttermilk, shaken; OR 1 cup sour cream
·         ½ cup vegetable oil
·         2 large eggs, at room temperature
·         1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
·         1 cup freshly brewed hot coffee




Ingredients for the Chocolate Frosting:

·         6 ounces semisweet chocolate
·         2 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature
·         1 large egg yolk, at room temperature
·         1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
·         1 ¼ cups sifted confectioners’ sugar
·         1 Tablespoon instant coffee powder





Instructions for the Cake:

Preheat the oven to 350°F.  Butter two 8-inch x 2-inch round cake pans.  (I used two 9-inch x 2-inch round cake pans and the result was beautiful.)  Line with parchment paper, then butter and flour the pans. 




In a large bowl, sift the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.  Mix until combined.  Using an electric hand mixer, combine the buttermilk (or sour cream), oil, eggs, and vanilla in another bowl.  With the mixer on low speed, slowly add the wet ingredients to the dry.  With the mixer still on low, add the coffee and stir just to combine, scrapping the bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula.  Pour the batter into the prepared pans and bake for 35-40 minutes, until a cake tester comes out clean.  Cool in the pans for 30 minutes, then turn them out onto a cooling rack and cool completely.




Instructions for the Chocolate Frosting:

Chop the chocolate and place it in a heat-proof bowl set over a pan of simmering water.  Stir until just melted and set aside until cooled to room temperature. 




In a large bowl, using an electric hand mixer, beat the butter on medium-high speed until light yellow and fluffy, about 3 minutes.  Add the egg yolk and vanilla extract and continue beating for 3 minutes.  Turn the mixer to low, gradually add the confectioners’ sugar, then beat at medium speed, scrapping down the bowl as necessary, until smooth and creamy.  Dissolve the coffee powder in 2 teaspoons of the hottest tap water.  On low speed, add the chocolate and coffee to the butter mixture and mix until blended.  Don’t whip!  



Place 1 layer of the cake, flat side up, on a flat plate or cake pedestal.  With a knife or offset spatula, evenly spread the top with one-third of the frosting.  Place the second layer on top, rounded side up, and spread the remaining frosting over the top and sides of the cake.




Poftă Bună! (Bon Appétit!)     

22 comments:

  1. This cake looks utterly perfect, so chocolatey and indulgent! Wow :D
    And definitely, I reckon I would go for 3rd or 4ths!

    Cheers
    Choc Chip Uru

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    1. Thank you so much, Uru! I definitely went for 3rd and 4ths and so did my husband! :D

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  2. How fantastic does this cake look! Love Ina!

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    1. Thanks so much! I love Ina, too – she's the best! :)

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  3. This cake looks like THE PERFECT chocolate cake-intense, moist, fudgy, mmmm

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    1. Thanks so much Kayle for the wonderful comment! This cake was indeed perfect! :)

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  4. This cake looks so good I wish I had a slice right now!

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    1. Hi Jenny! Thank you for stopping by and leaving such a nice comment! :)

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  5. Gorgeous!! I have always wanted to experiment with baking cakes, but I don't want to have an entire cake in my kitchen afterwards :P

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    1. So true! Once this cake lands in your kitchen you can't but devour it :D Thanks so much, Alex!

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  6. lol, the barefoot contessa's chocolate cake was first layer cake i ever made as well!! we are cake twins! it really is wonderful! your's looks absolutely delicious :)

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    1. Lol :D you're so right; we're indeed cake twins – love it! And it was absolutely delicious :)

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  7. Hi Dana,

    I have made this cake before but just as a single layer cake... It is so moist and delicious. I would highly recommend this recipe too!!!

    Zoe

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    1. Hi Zoe! Thanks so much! I think this is one of those special recipes you just need to have in your repertoire :)

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  8. Hi Dana! My husband and kids loved this recipe! They said it was the best chocolate cake that I've ever made :) Laura

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    1. Hi Laura! Yaaayy! :D So happy to hear that your husband and kids loved this chocolate cake! And I totally agree – this is the best chocolate cake I've ever made, too :)

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  9. That really is a beautiful looking cake. I think chocolate cakes made with sour cream or buttermilk really are the best - they have great texture and are so moist xx

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    1. Thank you so much for the wonderful comment! I also think that sour cream or buttermilk bring that extra zing and great texture to a cake :)

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  10. Ooh you can see how soft and delicious that cake is from the slicing photo! :o

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    1. Ooh – you're so nice. Thank you so much, Lorraine! Truly appreciate it :)

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  11. Ohh my goodness. I've always made Smitten Kitchen's double chocolate layer cake when I make a chocolate cake, but this looks FABULOUS! I think you just may have sold me :)

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    1. Hi Erika! Thanks so much for stopping by and for the lovely comment! I know Smitten Kitchen's double chocolate layer cake and I think this is just as fabulous :D

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