Old School Dark Chocolate Cake Food

DARK CHOCOLATE CAKE I

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease 3 - 9 inch round cake pans. In medium bowl, pour boiling water over cocoa, and whisk until smooth. Let mixture cool. Sift together flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt; set aside.
• In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs one at time, then stir in vanilla. Add the flour mixture alternately with the cocoa mixture. Spread batter evenly between the 3 prepared pans.
• Bake in preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes. Allow to cool.

OLD-FASHIONED CHOCOLATE CAKE WITH COCOA FROSTING

Steps:

• Make cake:
• Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter and flour three 9-inch-diameter cake pans with 1 1/2-inch-high sides. Sift first 5 ingredients into medium bowl. Mix water, oil and vanilla in large bowl. Whisk in dry ingredients. Divide batter among pans. Sprinkle 1/2 cup chocolate chips over batter in each pan.
• Bake cakes until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 25 minutes. Cool cakes in pans on racks 15 minutes. Cut around pan sides to loosen cakes. Turn cakes out; cool completely.
• Make frosting:
• Beat butter in large bowl until fluffy. Gradually beat in 3 cups sugar. Beat in 6 tablespoons milk and vanilla. Add cocoa and remaining 2 cups sugar; beat until blended, thinning with more milk if necessary.
• Place 1 cake layer, chocolate-chips side up, on platter. Spread 2/3 cup frosting over. Top with second cake layer, chocolate-chips side up. Spread 2/3 cup frosting over. Top with remaining cake layer, chocolate-chips side down. Spread frosting over sides and top of cake. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover with cake dome; let stand at room temperature.)

OLD FASHIONED CHOCOLATE CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour a 9x13 inch pan. In a saucepan, melt 1 cup of butter. Stir in 1 cup water and 4 tablespoons cocoa powder. Remove from heat and set aside.
• In a medium bowl, dissolve the baking soda in 1/2 cup of buttermilk. Stir in the eggs and vanilla. Mix in the cooled cocoa mixture.
• In a large bowl, sift together the flour, sugar, cinnamon and salt. Make a well in the center and pour in the cocoa buttermilk mixture. Stir until blended. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Ice the cake with Buttermilk Pecan Icing while it's still warm.
• For the icing: In a large saucepan, melt 1/2 cup butter with 4 tablespoons cocoa. Stir in 1/3 cup buttermilk, and heat until almost boiling. Stir in confectioners' sugar, vanilla, salt and pecans. Remove from heat. Mix well and pour over warm cake.

DEEP DARK CHOCOLATE CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• Grease and flour one 13 x 9-inch baking pan.
• If you want a layer cake, use two 9-inch pans.
• In large bowl, stir together sugar, flour, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder and salt.
• Add eggs, buttermilk, coffee (if making with instant, use 2 tsp to make 1 cup), oil and vanilla; beat on medium speed of electric mixer 2 minutes. Batter will be thin.
• Pour into prepared pan.
• Bake until cake tester inserted in centre comes out clean (30-35 minutes for round pans, 35-40 minutes for rectangular pans).
• Cool 10 minutes; (if using 9-inch round cake pans, remove from pan) and cool on wire racks.
• Cool completely, then frost with your favourite vanilla icing.

DARK CHOCOLATE CAKE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F.
• Grease and flour two 9 inch round baking pans or one 13x9 inch pan.
• In large mixer bowl, stir together dry ingredients.
• Add eggs, milk, oil, and vanilla; beat on medium speed for 2 minutes.
• Stir in boiling water by hand (batter will be thin). NOTE: I have tried it with 1/2 cup, 2/3 cup and 3/4 cup boiling water and we prefer it with less than 1 cup water. I usually use between 2/3 & 3/4 cups. The cake is still very moist but it doesn't seem to "fall" as much as it cools. This might have to do with our high humidity or brand of flour or other factors so I don't know if it will work for everyone.
• Pour into prepared pan.
• Bake 30 to 35 minutes for round 9-inch pans, 35 to 40 minutes for rectangular pan or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. (Do not use 8-inch pans or the batter will overflow.).
• Because they have a tendency to overflow if you fill them more than 2/3 full, I usually get about 27-28 cupcakes per batch. Bake for approximately 18-20 minutes.
• Cool 10 minutes; remove from pan to wire racks.
• Please note: baking cocoa isn't hot chocolate drink mix! Baking cocoa contains no sugar and it is found on the baking aisle. Chocolate drink mixes that you add to milk or water to drink WILL NOT work in this recipe.

DEEP, DARK CHOCOLATE CAKE

Steps:

• Arrange a shelf in the lower third of the oven, place a baking stone on it, and preheat the oven to 350°F/177°C.
• Spray VERY GENEROUSLY a 13 x 9 x 2-inch (33 x 23 x 5-cm) rectangular pan or two 9 x 2-inch (23 x 5-cm) round cake pans with nonstick cooking spray. Line the bottom of the round pans with parchment and spray on top of the parchment. With the rectangular pan, line and extend up the long sides with a piece of Release foil or parchment sprayed lightly with nonstick cooking spray.
• In a heavy saucepan, stir together the sugar, salt, cocoa, and baking soda. In another saucepan, bring 1 cup (237 ml) water to a boil. Stirring constantly, pour boiling water a little at a time into the cocoa mixture. It will bubble up at first and then get dark and thicken. Stir the cocoa mixture briskly. Place on the heat and bring back to a boil. Turn off the heat and allow to stand in the hot saucepan for at least 10 minutes.
• Pour the hot cocoa mixture into a mixing bowl. Add the oil and vanilla and beat on low speed for about 10 seconds. On low speed, beat the flour into the batter and then, with a minimum of beating, beat in the egg yolks, whole eggs, and buttermilk. This is a thin batter. Pour the batter into the prepared pan or pans. Place in the oven on the stone and bake until the center feels springy to the touch, about 25 minutes for round layers or 35 minutes for the sheet cake. Allow to cool in the pan for about 10 minutes on a rack. Run a thin knife around the edge and jar the edge of the pan to loosen. Invert onto the serving platter. Cool completely before icing.

OLD SCHOOL DARK CHOCOLATE CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Prepare two 8 or 9 inch round cake pans by greasing thoroughly.
• Cream the sugar and butter or margarine thoroughly.
• Beat the eggs well then add to batter and mix together.
• Sift the flour before measuring, then sift again with baking soda and baking powder.
• Add to the butter mixture alternating with sour milk.
• Do not overbeat.
• Dissolve the cocoa in the hot water then add to batter and stir just until well combined.
• Pour batter into prepared cake pans.
• Bake in oven for aproximately 25 minutes. Check for doneness after 22 minutes.
• Remove pans from oven and set on cake rake to cool for ten minutes.
• Turn cakes out of pan and continue cooling on rack until completely cool. Fill and frost as per your favourite recipe.
• This can also be baked in a bundt pan for approximately 45 minutes.

DARK CHOCOLATE CAKE

Steps:

• For the cake: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter three 9-inch cake pans and dust with cocoa powder, shaking off the excess.
• Mix the chocolate into the hot coffee in a medium bowl and stir to melt. Set aside to cool completely.
• In another bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and baking powder. Set aside.
• Combine the sugar, oil, salt and vanilla in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on medium speed, 3 to 5 minutes. (This batter is fluid and tends to get lumps; mix carefully with the paddle, or even use the whisk attachment on low speed to avoid lumps.) With the mixer on low speed, add the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Scrape the bowl and continue mixing on medium-low speed until fully incorporated, 2 to 3 minutes. (Don't worry about overmixing at this stage; you need to make sure the batter base is fully mixed.)
• Stir the buttermilk into the coffee mixture. In alternating batches, add the flour and buttermilk mixtures to the batter base. Mix until just combined, being careful not to overmix. The batter should be thick but fluid. Stir or mix by hand to get rid of any lumps; strain if you feel compelled.
• Divide the batter among the prepared cake pans. Bake until a toothpick comes out clean or with just a few crumbs, 20 to 30 minutes. Let cool completely.
• For the toffee: Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Combine the butter, sugar and salt in a heavy-bottom saucepan fitted with a candy thermometer. Heat over medium-high heat to 300 degrees F (the hard crack stage), 7 to 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla extract. Pour over the prepared baking sheet and let cool completely. Break into small pieces, then process into a powder using a food processor or coffee grinder.
• For the buttercream: Combine 339 grams of the sugar, the water, corn syrup and salt in a heavy saucepan fitted with a candy thermometer. Heat over medium-low heat until the sugar dissolves. Increase the heat to medium, being careful not to let the flames go up the sides of the saucepan. The target temperature for the syrup is 250 degrees F.
• Meanwhile, combine the egg whites and cream of tartar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. When the syrup has reached 230 degrees F, run the mixer on medium speed until the egg whites get frothy. Sprinkle the remaining 30 grams sugar into the egg whites and continue to whip on medium speed. (The egg whites should increases in size and form soft peaks by the time syrup reaches 250 degrees F.) Once the syrup reaches 250 degrees F, increase the mixer to high speed and carefully pour the hot syrup down the side of the bowl, being sure not to hit the whip. Whip the mixture until it has cooled to room temperature, 5 to 10 minutes.
• Replace the whisk with the paddle attachment. Gradually beat in the butter, a few cubes at a time, on medium-low speed. Mix until the buttercream comes together, then mix in the vanilla bean paste.
• Mix 3 to 4 ounces of the powdered toffee into 1 cup of the buttercream and set aside.
• For the chocolate feuilletine crunch: Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Melt the dark chocolate and milk chocolate in a double boiler. Remove from the heat and mix in the feuilletine. Spread on the prepared baking sheet and let cool. Crumble into bite-size pieces. Set aside.
• To assemble the cake: Set one cake layer on a serving plate. Spread with a thin, even layer (about 1/4 inch) of the buttercream, then spread with a thin, even layer (1/8 to 1/4 inch) of the toffee-buttercream mixture. Top with feuilletine crunch. Repeat with the remaining layers. Cover the cake with the remaining buttercream.

BLACK CHOCOLATE CAKE

Steps:

• Make the cake: Preheat the oven to 350˚. Brush the bottoms and sides of two 9-inch round cake pans with vegetable oil and dust with flour, tapping out the excess. Whisk the flour, cocoa powder, salt, baking soda and baking powder in a medium bowl. In a separate medium bowl, combine the chopped chocolate and instant coffee; pour in the boiling water and let stand 5 minutes, then whisk until smooth. Combine the sour cream, vegetable oil and vanilla in a liquid measuring cup (it will look curdled).
• Beat the eggs and sugar in a large bowl with a mixer on medium speed until combined. Increase the speed to medium high and beat until light and fluffy, 4 to 5 minutes. Reduce the mixer speed to low and slowly add the coffee-chocolate mixture; beat until combined. Beat in the flour mixture in three batches, alternating with the sour cream mixture in two batches, until just incorporated. (Keep the mixer on low as you add the ingredients, then increase the speed to medium briefly between additions to beat out the lumps.) The batter should look like hot fudge.
• Divide the batter between the prepared pans. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the centers comes out clean, 35 to 45 minutes. Let cool 15 minutes in the pans, then run a knife around the edges and remove the cakes to a rack to cool completely.
• Meanwhile, make the frosting: Whisk the eggs, 1/4 cup milk, the sugar, cocoa powder, cornstarch and salt in a medium bowl until smooth (the mixture will be thick). Heat the remaining 1 1/4 cups milk in a saucepan over medium heat until just steaming. Gradually whisk the hot milk into the egg mixture, then pour the entire mixture into the pan. Bring to a boil, whisking (the mixture will become thick like pudding very quickly). Continue cooking 30 to 60 more seconds to thicken further, whisking vigorously, then remove from the heat. Pour into a bowl and press a piece of plastic wrap directly onto the surface. Refrigerate until cold, 3 to 4 hours.
• Put the chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl and microwave in 30-second intervals until melted; let cool slightly. Beat the butter in a large bowl with a mixer on medium-high speed until light and creamy, 3 to 5 minutes. Stir the cocoa pudding mixture to loosen, then gradually beat into the butter mixture, beating well after each addition. Beat in the melted chocolate. Continue beating, scraping down the sides of the bowl, until fluffy, 1 to 2 minutes.
• Trim off the domed tops of the cakes with a long serrated knife. Put one cake layer on a platter. Spread 1 cup frosting on top, then top with the other cake layer. Spread the remaining frosting over the top and sides of the cake. Refrigerate 1 hour before serving.

FUDGY DARK CHOCOLATE CAKE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 190C/fan 170C/gas 5. Butter two 20cm sandwich tins and line with non-stick baking paper. In a large bowl, beat all the cake ingredients together until you have a smooth, soft batter.
• Divide the mixture between the tins, smooth the surface with a spatula or the back of a spoon, then bake for about 20 mins until golden and the cake springs back when pressed. Turn onto a cooling rack and leave to cool completely.
• For the fudge frosting, heat the cream until it just begins to boil. Take off the heat and add butter, honey and chocolate (broken into pieces).
• Leave to melt for 5 mins, then stir briefly to combine - don't over-mix or it will lose its shine. Sandwich the cakes with a third of the just-warm frosting and spread the rest over the top and sides. Top with shaved or grated chocolate, if you like.