Monday, June 20, 2011

Baking Recipe: For Dad (Moist Dark Chocolate Cake with Chocolate Buttercream)

This is what was left of the cake..
Now that I recall back, I've not had the privilege to back for my dad last year. I know on and off I do cook or bake, but since now that I'm blogging, it has given me more reason to cook and bake. I get to write about it, you get to read about it and not forgetting a pure treat on a weekly basis. A win-win situation after all. And as for the reasons? If you're interested..

1. To blog and share with you tested recipes [didn't I say that earlier?LOLs]
2. To share with you the joy of indulgence
3. Most importantly; is seeing my dad who enjoys what I baked for him and hearing all the sweet sweet compliments.

If you're a chocolate lover, then you will love this recipe. I love this chocolate cake recipe to bits. It's my trusty companion. Apart from the Hershey's Perfect Chocolate Cake recipe. Here's also another cake which I baked a couple months back using Martha's recipe. If you like creme de menthe buttercream with dark chocolate cake recipe, check out my Mr Persnickety Cake .

Whenever I'm craving for a chocolate cake, I either use Martha's or Hershey's recipe. Trust me, they will not fail you. To sum up, the recipe will give you a lusciously dark, moist, aromatic, melt in the mouth chocolate cake.

Recipe:

For the cake
adapted from Martha's Living Magazine
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (for my own cake, I used 3/4 dark cocoa powder + 3/4 dutch cocoa powder)
1 1/2 cups cake flour/ all purpose flour
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp salt
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
3/4 cup warm water
1/2 cup whole milk
1/4 cup sour cream (since I had buttermilk, I substituted with butter milk)
1/3 cup unsalted butter, melted
3/4 tsp pure vanilla extract (for my own, I used approx. 2-3 tsp of vanilla extract)

To prepare dark moist chocolate cake:

1. Preheat over to 350 deg or approx 180 Celsius. Butter or use Wilton's cake release to coat an 8-by-12-inch cake pan. Line bottom with parchment.

2. Lightly whisk using a hand whisk to combine cocoa powder, flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl. Then transfer to your stand mixer's mixing bowl. With a paddle attachment, mix in eggs, warm water, milk, sour cream or buttermilk, butter and vanilla extract. Keep mixing with medium speed until batter is smooth with no lumps.

3. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake for approx. 35-40 minutes or a tester inserted into the center comes out clean. Let cake cool for a bit before transferring onto a wire rack to complete cooling.

For the frosting:

6 ounces semi-sweet chocolate, chopped (or replace it with chocolate chips or buttons)
3/4 cup heavy cream
1 tbsp unsalted butter, room temperature
3/4 stick unsalted butter
1/3 stick salted butter
4 tbsp vegetable shortening
6-7 tbsp powdered sugar
1/2 -1 tsp pure vanilla extract

To prepare frosting:

1. Place chopped chocolate, chocolate chips or buttons in a medium sized bowl. Heat the cream and butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Bring just to a boil.

2. Immediately pour cream over the chocolate and allow to stand for 5 minutes. Stir until smooth. Let the ganache sit at room temperature until slightly firm (approx. 1 hour). With a whisk, whisk and beat the ganache until creamy smooth, light and stiff. Set a side.

3. Attach the paddle attachment of a stand mixer. Beat salted and unsalted butter together with vegetable shortening until light and fluffy. Add in the powdered sugar and continue to mix until well combined.

4. Fold in vanilla extract; and with a rubber spatula fold in whipped chocolate frosting into butter cream mixture. Gently fold and mix until combine. Place cream in refrigerator for about 10-15 minutes to set before spreading over the cake, if chocolate butter cream is too soft.

xx

10 comments:

  1. This will be my next chocolate cake!! I've made Hershey's and we love that, but I'm always on the look for a new recipe :) Yours looks fabulous~

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  2. It looks amazing! I bet it was a HUGE hit!

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  3. Jo-such an absolutely gorgeous and elegant cake you made for your dad for Father's Day!
    Love the glazed strawberries on the top with the coconut flakes, and the cute marzipan sign, as well.
    The recipe is superb. I certainly would love to try the recipe...not expecting, of course that my decoration will be professional like yours, but just hoping for it to turn out, all right!
    xoxo

    BTW- I've comment in the previous two comments...just noticed they did not go through...so sad about that. Google problems still not letting some comment go thru-sorry about that, hope this one will go thru!

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  4. Hi Jo,

    You might be just right about the cardiac arrest thing. The sugary and chocolatey scrumptious goodies are bad for the arteries of the heart literary, trust me I'm a doctor soon. BUT! It's also better to have a happy heart, trust me I'm a human. ;)

    Thanks for poppin by my blog. Sweet Greetings.

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  5. Your cake looks perfect! I'm sure your dad loved it.

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  6. Hi did you add 1 1/2 cups of cocoa powder in your cake?!

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  7. Hi Anonymous! For father's day dinner, I had to make a double thick layer of 9-inches round cake to feed 18 of us. For that I doubled the cocoa powder and the rest of the other ingredients as well. So to answer your question, it is 1 1/2 cup cocoa powder. Thanks for stopping by. Cheers, Jo

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  8. I love the cake recipe. Had been using it, lots of times especially when I bake my cupcakes. Yummy!

    Your cake looks lovely!

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  9. Look's gorgeous!!
    Can you tell me what means 1 stik of butter in grams?
    In our city I found only in grams :(
    Manny thanks!!!!

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    1. Hi Sorina! Thanks for stopping over.. A stick of butter is 4 ounces or 1/2 cup or 8 tablespoons or 113 grams. Hope that helps. Using close to 115-120 grams of butter will not hurt this cake. Do pop over whenever you like. Will be buzzing you over at your blog too. Enjoy!!

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Hey foodies! THANK YOU for leaving me with sweet comments. I hope to inspire you like how you inspire me. Cheers~

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