Home Style Chocolate Layer Cake
(Makes two 8-inch round layers, or one 9 x 13-inch cake)

My family likes chocolate cakes with a deep chocolate flavor. This one also has a light texture that melts in your mouth. It is delicious with Chocolate Frosting (recipe follows) but can also be served with the amazingly easy and dependable standby of most professional pastry chefs: Chocolate Ganache. You can dress up this cake by brushing the layers with some liqueur before you spread the filling on them. You can also spread a layer of seedless raspberry jam between layers. Or you can just fill it and frost it with either the frosting or Ganache. It is a versatile and delicious cake. Be careful not to over bake the layers. You don’t want them to dry out.

1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup Dutch process cocoa powder
1/2 cup hot water
2 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped
1-3/4 cups cake flour
1-1/4 cups granulated sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
1-1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 eggs, graded large, at room temperature
1-1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1-1/4 cups buttermilk, at room temperature

Preheat a conventional oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit or a convection oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Spray the pan(s) with non-stick coating, line the bottom(s) with parchment, and butter and flour the parchment and sides. Set a rack so it is in the center of the oven.

Place the butter, cocoa, and water in a 1-quart saucepan and bring it to a boil. Stir with a whisk until it thoroughly mixed, and remove it from the heat. Add the unsweetened chocolate, and stir until it is completely melted.

Measure the flour, sugars, soda, baking powder, and salt into a large mixing bowl, and stir with a large whisk to combine. Whisk the eggs, vanilla and buttermilk in a large measuring cup and add to the chocolate mixture, whisking to blend evenly. Stir the chocolate mixture into the dry ingredients, whisking until evenly blended and smooth. Pour into the prepared pan(s) and bake in the preheated oven 25-30 minutes for layers or 30-35 minutes for a 9 x 13-inch cake. The cake will be done when a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean. Remove the pan(s) from the oven and set on a wire rack to cool for 5 minutes. Then turn the cake(s) out of the pan(s) and flip them so they are right side up. Let the cake(s) cool completely before frosting.

Make the frosting while the layers cool. Allow the layers to cool completely before frosting the cake. Refer to the Tips for This Issue section of this web site for instructions on frosting a cake. Store the frosted cake in a covered cake dish. It will stay fresh for 3 days at room temperature or for 4-5 days in the refrigerator.

Dark Chocolate Frosting
(Makes enough to fill and frost three 8-inch layers or
two 9- inch layers or 30 cupcakes)

While my personal frosting of choice is Ganache, most kids and many adults prefer the sweeter flavor of American style butter frosting. The combination of cocoa and chocolate in this frosting recipe produces a rich, smooth frosting with a dark chocolate color and flavor. It can be used as a frosting or a filling, and can be easily piped for a decorative effect.

2 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped
1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
4 cups confectioners’ sugar (powdered sugar) divided into 2 equal parts
1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
4 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1/4 cup half and half

Set up your mise en place. (See the Helpful Hints section of this web site.) In a microwave-safe container, heat the chocolate until it is almost completely melted. Set it aside and beat the butter and 2 cups of the powdered sugar on high speed until it is smooth and light in color. Add the cocoa, the vanilla the melted chocolate and the half and half and beat on low speed until mixed. Increase the speed and beat on medium for 1 minute. Scrape the bowl and add the remaining powdered sugar. Beat on low to blend, then increase the speed and beat on high speed for 1 minute, until the frosting is fluffy and smooth.

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