Incredible Yes Incredible Chocolate Cake Food

THE BEST CHOCOLATE CAKE

Steps:

• For the cake: Arrange a rack in the center of oven and preheat to 350 degrees F. Lightly coat two 9-inch round cake pans with nonstick cooking spray. Line the bottoms with parchment paper rounds and lightly coat the paper with nonstick spray. Dust the bottom and sides of each pan with Dutch-process cocoa powder, tapping out excess.
• Sift the cocoa powder, flour, baking soda and baking powder into the bowl of a stand mixer. Beat on low speed to combine. Add the eggs, egg yolks, brown sugar, sour cream, oil, vanilla, salt and 1 cup of hot water. Beat on medium speed until completely smooth, about 3 minutes.
• Scrape the batter evenly into the prepared pans. Smooth the tops. Bake, rotating the pans halfway through, until a tester inserted into the centers comes out clean, 35 to 45 minutes. Transfer the pans to a wire rack and let the cakes cool for 30 minutes. Run a knife around the sides of the cakes and invert onto the wire rack. Remove the parchment and let the cakes cool completely.
• Trim the domes of the cake rounds with a large serrated knife so the tops are flat.
• For the frosting: Melt the chocolate in a medium heatproof bowl set over simmering water in a medium saucepan. Remove from the simmering water and let it cool to room temperature, about 30 minutes.
• Beat the butter and salt in a large bowl with an electric mixer on high speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Reduce the speed to low, drizzle in the chocolate and beat until completely blended. Gradually beat in the confectioners' sugar, cocoa powder and vanilla. Increase the speed to high and beat until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
• To assemble the cake: Place one cake, cut-side down, on a platter. Spread 1 1/2 cups of the frosting evenly over the top. Place the remaining cake, cut-side down, on top. Spread the top with 1 1/2 cups of the frosting. Frost the sides of the cake with 3/4 cup of the frosting and smooth out completely to make an even crumb coat. (It's ok if some of the cake shows through. This is just a base layer.) Refrigerate for 30 minutes to let the frosting set.
• Spread the remaining frosting over the top and sides, swirling decoratively.

INCREDIBLE (YES, INCREDIBLE) CHOCOLATE CAKE

Steps:

• CAKE:.
• Preheat oven to 350°F and spray two 9" round layer pans with pan AND place a parchment circle on the bottom of each pan to make sure the cake doesn't stick.
• In a double boiler (you can do this slowly in the microwave if you feel confident), combine the butter, chocolate and coffee powder.
• Stir until mixture is smooth.
• Transfer to a large bowl and stir in sugar.
• In a small bowl, mix eggs and sour cream until well blended.
• Combine flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt.
• Alternately blend egg mixture and dry ingredients into chocolate mixture. Stir until the batter is smooth.
• Divide batter evenly and bake for 30 minutes.
• GANACHE: In a small saucepan, combine the heavy cream and butter.
• Stir over medium heat until butter melts and the mixture comes to a very gentle boil.
• Remove from the heat.
• Put chips into a food processor and start it, pouring the hot cream mixture through the feed tube. Process until smooth.
• Let stand in a bowl until cooled.
• DO NOT cool in the refrigerator.
• BUTTERCREAM: In the top of a double boiler (or in the microwave if you feel comfortable doing it), melt the chocolates.
• Stir until smooth.
• Remove from heat and cool.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer combine the egg whie and sugar.
• Set the bowl over hot, not simmering water.
• Do not let the water touch the bottom of the bowl.
• I have put a terry cloth dishtowel in the bottom of a large stock pot, then added some water. As long as the bowl is touching mostly towel, the eggs haven't "cooked"- you can also put a small wire rack at the bottom of the pot, making sure the water doesn't touch the bowl.
• Whisk the egg/sugar mixture until it is warm (about 110°) and all the sugar granules have been COMPLETELY dissolved.
• Transfer the bowl to the electric mixer and beat at medium speed for abut 5 minutes, until it is cool and has formed into a thick meringue.
• One tablespoon at a time, add the butter, beating completely until each piece is incorporated after each addition.
• Add the melted chocolate and rum.
• Continue beating for a few seconds until the buttercream is thick and smooth.
• ASSEMBLY: Place one of the cake layers on a cake plate or cardboard cake round.
• Then take four 2" widestrips of waxed paper and place them in a square shape under all four sides of the cake. This will "catch" any of the fluid ganache that drips down.
• Spread the top of this layer with the raspberry preserves, stopping about 1" from the edge, all around.
• You don't want the preserves to interfere with the chocolate ganache coating.
• Starting around the edge, lay dollops of the buttercream on top of the cake and spread it inward, covering the entire area of the top of the layer.
• Top with the second layer.
• Now is your opportunity to make your cake even by pressing down any high spots.
• This may result in some of the preserves or buttercream oozing out of the sides.
• Scrape tht away and if preserves are coming out of the sides, use additional buttercream to "spackle" that area.
• Any exposed preserves will tend to resist the ganache, leaving an exposed area.
• Using a metal offset spatula, spread the ganache evenly over the top and sides of the cake.
• There will be plenty of ganache, so pour an ample amount on the top of the cake, guiding it toward and down the sides.
• Scrape up any ganache that collects on the waxed paper strips and reuse it.
• Once the cake's top and sides are completely covered; set aside.
• You should remove the waxed paper strips once the ganache has solidified a bit in the refrigerator. You will have left over ganache. You can refrigerate it and put it into a piping bag. There will definitely be plenty to pipe rosettes or a full swag onto the bottom of the cake-- and them some.
• Be prepared to be showered with compliments on your culinary victory.