I LOVE chocolate cake! (Heck! I pretty much love chocolate anything). I am also a bit of a baking snob, and as such I am ashamed to admit that until recently I usually made my chocolate cake from a box mix. (GASP). Just as the Animators Wife asked with her brownies I too asked myself, why can't I get my from scratch recipe to come out as moist as the box mix?!
Inevitably whatever recipe I made at home came out a bit dry, did not have enough chocolate taste, or had both issues. As you can imagine on and off I have played with different recipes trying to find the "secret" to a moist and oh so chocolatey cake of my very own making. Some of the nifty things I discovered along the way and have included in this recipe are coffee, sour cream, and room temperature.
The coffee actually brings out and intensifies the taste of the chocolate in the mix! Sour Cream used in combination with buttermilk helps the cake retain its moisture and still allows you to use butter in the batter vs oil. Last but not least room temperature eggs, sour cream, and butter milk. This was a new concept for me, but the room temperature ingredients actually combine better into the batter then cold ones right out of the fridge!
One last note, the chocolate butter cream recipe I have included is actually from the Wilton website (I have included the link below.) It is my ultimate go to chocolate frosting recipe and really I can find no room for improvment.
http://www.wilton.com/recipe/Chocolate-Buttercream-Icing
So here it is brought to life, my dream come true: a recipe for very chocolatey moist chocolate cake.
| Moist Chocolate Cake | |
| 2 1/2 cups cake flour 1 3/4 cups cocoa powder 2 teaspoons baking soda 1/2 teaspoon baking powder 1/2 teaspoon salt 2 sticks unsalted butter @ room temp 2 cups granulated sugar 3 large eggs @ room temp 3 teaspoons vanilla extract 1 1/2 cups buttermilk @ room temp 3/4 cup sour cream @ room temp 1/2 a cup of strong brewed coffee @ room temp Equipment: mixing bowls hand or stand mixer sifter Cake pan or cupcake pan of your choice |
Chocolate Butter Cream 1/2 cup vegetable shortening 1 stick butter @ room temp Three 1 oz. unsweetened chocolate squares, melted 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 4 cups confectioners sugar 3-4 tablespoons milk |
| Directions Place the rack in the middle of the oven and set the temperature to 350 degrees. Lightly coat your baking pan with either a non-stick spray or lightly grease and flour. In a large bowl sift together the cake flour, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, and salt-twice. (Why twice? It ensures that everything is thoroughly combined and there are no possible lumps). In your mixing bowl or stand mixer beat the butter and sugar together on high until fluffy and well combined. Add the eggs one at a time letting each egg fully incorporate. Continue to beat for 5-6 minutes on medium speed. Set the mixer to its lowest setting and add about a third of the flour/cocoa mixture. Next beat in the buttermilk and vanilla, then another third of the flour/cocoa mixture. Beat in the coffee and the sour cream and finish with the remaining flour/cocoa. Pour the batter into your prepared pan filling it just over half way. NOTE* This recipe make a LOT of batter. You can bake two 9 inch rounds, three 8-inch rounds, one or two 9X13 pan (Depending how thick you want the cake), or up to 36 cupcakes. Cooking times are as follows:
Let the cake rest in the pan for 2-3 minutes before turning out onto a cooling rack. While the cake cools you can make the frosting. Instructions taken from Wilton website: In large bowl, cream shortening and butter with electric mixer. Add chocolate and vanilla. Gradually add sugar, one cup at a time, beating well on medium speed. Scrape sides and bottom of bowl often. When all sugar has been mixed in, icing will appear dry. Add milk and beat at medium speed until light and fluffy. I would start with a small bit of the milk and test your consistency as you add more. You want the frosting to be stiff but smooth enough to spread without tearing your cake up as you do so. I would keep the frosting in the fridge until the cake is completely cool and ready to frost. Re-whip it before spreading. |
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| Yield: two 9 inch rounds three 8-inch rounds one or two 9X13 pan (Depending how thick you want the cake) up to 36 cupcakes. |
Calories per serving: 330, assuming 24 servings total |
Invite some friends over, take a slice to your neighbor, bring some to work for a co-worker cause once you have a slice of this cake you're going to want to eat the whole thing ;)
This looks so good, Cake Mama! Interesting theory on the room temperature ingredients. I might have to try that with some of my baking.
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