Glossy Chocolate Cake Food

GLOSSY CHOCOLATE CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 160c.
• Grease and flour a deep 20cm round cake tin (or 24-36 cup cake tins), set aside.
• Combine butter, chocolate, sugar, water, liqueur and coffee in a medium saucepan, stir over low heat until chocolate melts.
• Transfer to a large bowl. Sift in the flours and cocoa powder.
• Stir in the eggs, one at a time.
• Pour into pan, bake at 160c for 1 1/2 hours.
• Stand for 30 minutes and transfer onto wire racks until cooled.

OLD FASHIONED CHOCOLATE CAKE WITH GLOSSY CHOCOLATE ICING

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 with rack in the center.
• Spray two 8" round cake pans with nonstick spray.
• Whisk dry cake ingredients together in a large mixing bowl.
• Combine water, oil, vinegar, instant coffee granules, and vanilla in a large measuring cup.
• Add to the dry ingredients and whisk until combined- a few lumps are ok.
• Divide batter between the two pans (about 3 cups each), then bake until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean (35- 40 min).
• Cool cakes for 15 minutes on a rack, then invert them onto the rack.
• Leave upside down until completely cooled before frosting them.
• To make icing, melt butter in large saucepan over medium heat.
• Stir in sugar, cocoa, and salt- the mixture will be thick/grainy.
• Combine cream, sour cream and coffee granules in a large measuring cup, mixing until smooth.
• Gradually add cream mixture to chocolate until blended and smooth.
• Cook until sugar has dissolved, and mixture is smooth and hot to the touch.
• DO NOT BOIL.
• Take mixture off the heat, and add vanilla.
• Cool at room temperature until spreadable (up to three hours).
• If it isn't getting thick enough to be spreadable, put in the refrigerator until thick enough to spread.
• If it gets too thick to spread easily, warm gently in the microwave until it's just right (20 seconds or so, repeat if necessary).
• Stir well, and ice cake, frosting first layer, then placing second layer on top, and icing the top and then the sides.

GLAZED CHOCOLATE LAYER CAKE

Steps:

• Make cake: Preheat oven to 450 degrees, with racks in upper and lower thirds. Coat two 10 1/2-by-15 1/2-inch jelly-roll baking pans with cooking spray. Line with parchment paper; coat with cooking spray. Dust with flour, tapping out excess. In a bowl, whisk together flour and teaspoon salt.
• In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat eggs, yolks, and sugar on medium-high, 2 minutes; increase speed to high and beat until pale and thick, 5 minutes. Sift flour mixture over egg mixture; with a large rubber spatula, fold together until almost blended. Pour butter down side of bowl, folding to combine. Divide batter between pans; smooth with a table knife. Immediately transfer pans to oven and bake until cakes are golden brown and springy when pressed, 6 to 7 minutes, rotating pans halfway through. Let cool completely.
• Make filling: In a large bowl, stir together egg yolks, mascarpone, sugar, cocoa, orange zest (if using), and pinch of salt. In another large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat egg whites and pinch of salt until soft peaks form. With a large rubber spatula, fold one-third whites into mascarpone mixture; fold in remainder.
• Invert cakes onto a work surface and gently peel off parchment. Using a serrated knife, trim cakes to measure 10 by 15 inches, then cut each crosswise into thirds. Place 1 cake layer, golden side up, on a platter; brush with brandy and spread with 1 cup filling. Repeat with remaining cake, brandy, and filling, ending with a layer of brandy-brushed cake. Refrigerate until set, about 30 minutes.
• Make Chocolate Glaze. Pour over top of cake and spread so it drips down sides (or spread along sides). Cover and refrigerate 1 hour (or up to 2 days).

GLOSSY GERMAN CHOCOLATE CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• Line the bottoms of three 9 inch round cake pans with wax paper.
• Microwave the chocolate and water in a large bowl on high for 1 1/2 to 2 minutes or until chocolate is almost melted, stirring halfway through heating time. Stir until chocolate is completely melted.
• Sift together flour, baking soda and salt; set aside.
• Beat butter and sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy.
• Add egg yolks, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
• Stir in chocolate mixture and vanilla.
• Add flour mixture alternately with buttermilk, beating after each addition until smooth.
• Beat egg whites in another bowl with electric mixer on high speed until stiff peaks for.
• Do not over beat. Gently stir into batter. Do not over mix.
• Pour into prepared cake pans.
• Bake 30 minutes or until cake springs back when lightly touched in the center. Immediately run spatula between cakes and sides of pans. Cool 15 minutes. Remove from pans; remove wax paper.
• Cool completely on wire racks.
• Spread coconut pecan frosting between layers and over the top of cake.
• TAKE NOTE- Substitution for 4 ounce of German sweet chocolate: - 4 ounce bittersweet or semisweet chocolate plus 2 tablespoons granulated white sugar.