9 Inch Chocolate Cake Food

BASIC CHOCOLATE CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Coat two 9-inch-round cake pans with cooking spray and line the bottoms with parchment paper.
• Whisk the cocoa powder and 1 1/2 cups boiling water in a medium bowl until smooth; set aside. Whisk the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a large bowl until combined. Add the eggs, vegetable oil, sour cream and vanilla and beat with a mixer on medium speed until smooth, about 1 minute. Reduce the mixer speed to low; beat in the cocoa mixture in a steady stream until just combined, then finish mixing with a rubber spatula. (The batter will be thin.)
• Divide the batter between the prepared pans and tap the pans against the counter to help the batter settle. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean, 30 to 40 minutes. Transfer to racks and let cool 10 minutes, then run a knife around the edge of the pans and turn the cakes out onto the racks to cool completely. Remove the parchment. Trim the tops of the cakes with a long serrated knife to make them level, if desired.

FLOURLESS CHOCOLATE CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F and butter the inside of a spring-form pan. Melt the chocolate and butter in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat; stirring frequently until smooth. Stir in the sugar, cocoa powder and salt until all of the lumps are gone. Remove from the heat and let cool for a few minutes.
• Meanwhile, beat the egg whites in a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium-high speed until they form stiff peaks, 2 to 3 minutes.
• Stir the egg yolks into the cooled chocolate mixture, then stir in about a quarter of the whipped egg whites. Scrape this lightened chocolate mixture into the remaining whipped egg whites and gently fold until mostly combined (it's ok if there are some streaks of egg white). Pour into the prepared pan and bake until the center of the cake no longer wiggles, 40 to 45 minutes. Let cool completely in the pan, on a wire rack (the cake will deflate slightly). Unlock the pan and dust the top of the cake with some cocoa powder. Cut into slices and serve with whipped cream.

PERFECT FLOURLESS CHOCOLATE CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325°F.
• Oil and flour a 9-inch springform cake round.
• Cut a piece of wax paper or parchment to fit inside the bottom of the pan, place the paper in the bottom of the pan.
• In a double-boiler on gentle heat, melt the butter and chocolate together until smooth.
• Set aside to cool slightly.
• In a clean mixing bowl (make sure there is no oil residue on the bowl or mixer attachments) beat the egg whites until they become cloudy and frothy; about 30 seconds.
• Continue beating while adding the brown sugar and cream of tartar.
• Beat until stiff peaks form- be careful not to over beat--this is most important!
• If the eggs curdle, throw them away and start over with new egg whites, seriously.
• Whisk the egg yolks and vanilla into the melted chocolate mixture in a large mixing bowl.
• Gently fold the egg whites into the chocolate (start by folding in about 1/3rd of the whites, then gently fold in the remaining whites), the mixture should end up fluffy and light.
• Pour into the prepared pan.
• Wrap the bottom of the pan with foil and place the pan in a deep cooking sheet with about 1/2 to 1 inch of water in it.
• Bake the cake for about 60-70 minutes or until it passes the toothpick test.
• Remove cake from oven and allow to cool for about an hour.
• Gently run a knife around the edge of the pan, and then carefully invert the cake onto a flat plate or other surface.
• Remove the paper from the bottom (now the top) of the cake.
• Invert again onto the final plate for displaying the cake.
• The cake can be eaten right away but it may fall slightly when it is cut- for best results, it should be refrigerated for at least 6 hours before serving.

SPAGO'S CHOCOLATE CHIFFON CAKE

Steps:

• NOTE: Recipe has been printed in various places with 3/4 cups of oil.
• Cake is softer but tends to sink in middle.
• Note: cake can also be made in a bundt pan.
• Position rack in center of oven and preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Butter or coat with vegetable spray and line with parchment round one 9-inch round cake pan.
• Dust with flour, tapping out any excess flour.
• Set aside.
• Sift together 1 cup sugar, the flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
• Set aside.
• In the large bowl of an electric mixer, with paddle or beaters, beat the egg yolks at hight speed.
• Turn speed to low and pour in the oil, water and vanilla.
• Gradually add the sifted ingredients, and when almost incorporated turn speed to medium and beat until well combined.
• Remove bowl from machine.
• In another clean large bowl, with whip or beaters, whip the 6 egg whites until soft peaks form.
• Start on medium speed and raise speed as peaks begin to form.
• Gradually pour in the remaining 1/2 cup sugar and whip until whites are shiny and firm but not stiff.
• With a rubber spatula, fold 1/4 of the whites into the chocolate mixture, then scrape the chocolate mixture back into the whites, quickly folding until completely incorporated.
• Scrape into the prepared pan (Note: do not fill cake pans more than 2/3 full. If you have some batter leftover make cupcakes.) and bake until edges of the cake pull away from the pan and a tester, gently inserted into the center of the cake, comes out clean, about 30 minutes.
• Cool on a rack.
• To remove, run a sharp knife around the inside of the pan to loosen cake.
• Invert onto rack.
• Place 9-inch cardboard round on cake and invert cake onto round.