Beattys Chocolate Cake Barefoot Contessa Food

BEATTY'S CHOCOLATE CAKE (BAREFOOT CONTESSA)

Steps:

• Chocolate Buttercream, recipe follows
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter 2 (8-inch) round cake pans. Line with parchment paper, then butter and flour the pans.
• Sift the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, and salt into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment and mix on low speed until combined. In another bowl, combine the buttermilk, oil, eggs, and vanilla. With the mixer on low speed, slowly add the wet ingredients to the dry. With mixer still on low, add the coffee and stir just to combine, scraping the bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Pour the batter into the prepared pans and bake for 35 to 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.
• Place 1 layer, flat side up, on a flat plate or cake pedestal. With a knife or offset spatula, spread the top with frosting. Place the second layer on top, rounded side up, and spread the frosting evenly on the top and sides of the cake.
• Next make the 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 the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter on medium-high speed until light yellow and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the egg yolk and vanilla and continue beating for 3 minutes. Turn the mixer to low, gradually add the confectioners' sugar, then beat at medium speed, scraping 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! Spread immediately on the cooled cake.

BITTERSWEET CHOCOLATE CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter and flour an 8-inch springform pan.
• Place a large heatproof bowl over a pot of simmering water, making sure the water doesn't touch the bowl. Put the butter and chocolate in the bowl, stirring occasionally, until the chocolate melts. Take the bowl off the heat and set aside.
• First, whisk the sugar into the chocolate mixture, then whisk in the eggs, coffee, and salt, whisking until the mixture is combined and smooth. Sprinkle on the flour and fold it in with a rubber spatula until it's incorporated.
• Pour the batter into the prepared pan and place it on a sheet pan. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes (see Cook's Note), until the top puffs up and cracks and the cake doesn't wobble when you jiggle the pan. (A toothpick will not come out clean.) Remove from the oven and cool completely on a baking rack. The cake will deflate as it cools. Run a small knife around the cake and remove the sides of the pan. Cut the cake in wedges and serve warm or at room temperature with sweetened whipped cream, vanilla ice cream, or crème fraîche.

DECADENT (GLUTEN-FREE!) CHOCOLATE CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Grease an 8-inch springform pan and line the bottom with parchment paper.
• Place the one pound of chocolate in a large heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water and stir occasionally until the chocolate is melted. Off the heat, immediately stir in the butter, flour, sugar, coffee granules and salt with a rubber spatula. Whisk in the egg yolks until smooth.
• Place the egg whites in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment and beat until they form soft peaks. Scrape the egg whites into the chocolate mixture and fold them in very carefully with a rubber spatula, just until combined. Scrape the mixture into the prepared pan, smooth the top and bake for 15 minutes exactly. (Be sure your oven temperature is accurate!)
• Turn the oven off and leave the cake in the oven, leaving the door slightly ajar. Allow the cake to cool in the oven for 1 hour. The cake will sink in the middle.
• Carefully release the sides of the pan and slide the cake onto a flat serving plate or cake stand. Place the 3 ounces of chocolate and the heavy cream in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water and heat just until the chocolate melts, stirring occasionally. Add a drop of cream if the mixture is too thick to pour. Pour the chocolate onto the sunken part of the cake, leaving the edge unfrosted. Allow to cool and serve warm or at room temperature with a scoop of ice cream.

BEATTY'S CHOCOLATE CAKE WITH CHOCOLATE FROSTING

Steps:

• CHOCOLATE CAKE:.
• Preheat oven to 350ºF.
• Grease with butter or margarine, two 8" round cake pans. Line with parchment paper, then grease with butter or margarine the parchment paper and flour the pans.
• Sift the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, and salt into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment and mix on low speed until combined.
• In another bowl, combine the buttermilk, oil, eggs and vanilla.
• 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, scraping the bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula.
• Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 35-40 minutes, until a cake tester comes out clean.
• Cool in pans for 30 minutes, then turn them out onto a cooling rack and cool completely.
• Place one layer, flat side up, on a flat plate or cake pedestal.
• With a knife or offset spatula, spread the top with frosting. Place the second layer on top, rounded side up, and spread the frosting evenly on the top and sides of the cake.
• CHOCOLATE FROSTING:.
• Chop the chocolate and place in a heat-proof bowl set over a pan of simmering water.
• Stir until just melted and set aside until cooled at room temperature.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter or margarine on medium-high speed until light yellow and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
• Add the egg yolk and vanilla and continue beating for 3 minutes.
• Turn the mixer to low, gradually add the confectioners" sugar, then beat at medium speed, scraping 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.
• DO NOT WHIP !
• Spread immediately on the cooled cake.
• E N J O Y !

CHOCOLATE BUTTERCREAM CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter and flour a 12 by 18 by 1 1/2-inch sheet pan.
• In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugars on high speed until light, approximately 5 minutes. Add the eggs and vanilla and mix well. Combine the buttermilk, sour cream, and coffee. On low speed, add the flour mixture and the buttermilk mixture alternately in thirds, beginning with the buttermilk mixture and ending with the flour mixture. Mix the batter only until blended.
• Pour the batter into the prepared sheet pan, smooth the top with a spatula, and bake in the center of the oven for 25 to 30 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool to room temperature before frosting.
• 2 cups sugar
• 2/3 cup water
• 6 extra-large egg whites, at room temperature
• 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
• 1 1/4 pounds (5 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 3 tablespoons Triple Sec or other orange liqueur
• 1 tablespoon orange food coloring
• Combine the sugar with 2/3 cup water in a medium heavy-bottomed saucepan and, without stirring, bring to a boil. Cover the saucepan and allow the mixture to boil until the sugar dissolves. Uncover and continue boiling until the mixture reaches 240 degrees F on a candy thermometer. Pour the syrup into a heat-proof measuring cup.
• Place the egg whites and cream of tartar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment and beat on high speed until the eggs form stiff peaks. With the mixer on high speed, slowly pour the syrup into the egg whites. Continue beating on high speed until the mixture is absolutely at room temperature, about 10 to 15 minutes.
• With the mixer on medium speed, add the butter, 1 tablespoon at a time, and then add the vanilla and liqueur. (If the mixture becomes runny, the meringue was too warm and the butter melted. Chill slightly and beat again.) Add the food coloring and combine.
• Yield: 6 cups