Old Fashioned Chocolate Layer Cake
Source: America's Test Kitchen from Cook's Illustrated
Serves 10 to 12
Do not substitute semisweet chocolate chips for the chopped semisweet
chocolate in the frosting—chocolate chips contain less cocoa butter than bar
chocolate and will not melt as readily. For best results, don’t make the
frosting until the cakes are cooled, and use the frosting as soon as it is
ready. If the frosting gets too cold and stiff to spread easily, wrap the mixer
bowl with a towel soaked in hot water and mix on low speed until the
frosting appears creamy and smooth. Refrigerated leftover cake should sit at
room
temperature before serving until the frosting softens.
cake
12 tablespoons unsalted butter, very soft, plus extra for greasing the pans
1 3/4 cups (8 3/4 ounces) unbleached all-purpose flour, plus extra for
dusting the pans
4 ounces unsweetened chocolate, coarsely chopped
1/4 cup (3/4 ounce) Dutch-processed cocoa powder
1/2 cup hot water
1 3/4 cups (12 1/4 ounces) sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup buttermilk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
4 large eggs, plus 2 large egg yolks
frosting
16 ounces semisweet chocolate, finely chopped (see note)
8 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/3 cup sugar
2 tablespoons corn syrup
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 cups cold heavy cream
1. For the cake: Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and heat the
oven to 350 degrees. Grease two 9-inch-round by 2-inch-high cake pans with
softened butter; dust the pans with flour and knock out the excess. Combine
the chocolate, cocoa powder, and hot water in a medium heatproof bowl; set
the bowl over a saucepan containing 1 inch of simmering water and stir with
a heatproof rubber spatula until the chocolate is melted, about 2 minutes.
Add 1/2 cup of the sugar to the chocolate mixture and stir until thick and
glossy, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove the bowl from the heat and set aside to
cool.
2. Whisk the flour, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl. Combine the
buttermilk and vanilla in a small bowl. In the bowl of a standing mixer
fitted with the whisk attachment, whisk the eggs and yolks on medium-low speed
until combined, about 10 seconds. Add the remaining 11/4 cups sugar,
increase the speed to high, and whisk until fluffy and lightened in color, 2
to 3
minutes. Replace the whisk with the paddle attachment. Add the cooled
chocolate mixture to the egg-sugar mixture and mix on medium speed until
thoroughly incorporated, 30 to 45 seconds, pausing to scrape down the sides of
the
bowl with a rubber spatula as needed. Add the softened butter one
tablespoon at a time, mixing about 10 seconds after each addition. Add about
one-third of the flour mixture followed by half of the buttermilk mixture,
mixing
until incorporated after each addition (about 15 seconds). Repeat using
half of the remaining flour mixture and all of the remaining buttermilk
mixture (the batter may appear separated). Scrape down the sides of the bowl
and
add the remaining flour mixture; mix at medium-low speed until the batter
is thoroughly combined, about 15 seconds. Remove the bowl from the mixer
and fold the batter once or twice with a rubber spatula to incorporate any
remaining flour. Divide the batter evenly between the prepared cake pans;
smooth the batter to the edges of the pan with a spatula.
3. Bake the cakes until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out
with a few crumbs attached, 25 to 30 minutes. Cool the cakes in the pans for
15 minutes, then invert onto a wire rack. Cool the cakes to room temperature
before frosting, 45 to 60 minutes.
4. To make the frosting: Melt the chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over a
saucepan containing 1 inch of barely simmering water, stirring
occasionally until smooth. Remove from the heat and set aside. Meanwhile, heat
the
butter in a small saucepan over medium-low heat until melted. Increase the
heat to medium; add the sugar, corn syrup, vanilla, and salt and stir with a
heatproof rubber spatula until the sugar is dissolved, 4 to 5 minutes. Add
the melted chocolate, butter mixture, and cream to the clean bowl of a
standing mixer and stir to thoroughly combine.
5. Place the mixer bowl over an ice bath and stir the mixture constantly
with a rubber spatula until the frosting is thick and just beginning to
harden against the sides of the bowl, 1 to 2 minutes (the frosting should be
at
70 degrees). Place the bowl on a standing mixer fitted with the paddle
attachment and beat on medium-high speed until the frosting is light and
fluffy, 1 to 2 minutes. Stir with a rubber spatula until completely smooth.
6. To frost the cake: Spread a dab of frosting in the center of a
cardboard round cut slightly larger than the cake. Place one cake layer on the
cardboard round. Spread 11/2 cups frosting evenly across the top of the cake
with a spatula. Place the second cake layer on top, then spread the remaining
frosting evenly over the top and sides of the cake. Cut into slices and
serve.
~ Shar ~
Life is unsure, always eat your dessert first. ~Anon
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
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