Monday 30 July 2007

CHOCOLATE LAYER CAKE

(FROM BAREFOOT CONTESSA)
1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour, plus more for the pans
2 cups sugar
¾ cup cocoa powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup buttermilk, shaken
½ cup vegetable oil
2 large eggs, at room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup freshly brewed hot coffee

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter 2 8-inch round cake pans. Line with parchment paper, then butter and flour the pans.

Sift the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, and salt into bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment and mix on low speed until combined. In another bowl, combine the buttermilk, oil, eggs and vanilla. With the mixer on low speed, slowly add the wet ingredients to the dry.

With the mixer still on low, add the coffee and stir just to combine, scraping the bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula.

Pour batter into prepared pans and bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until a cake tester comes out clean. Cool in the pans for 30 minutes, then turn them out onto a cooling rack and cool completely.

Place one layer, flat side up, on a flat plate or cake pedestal. With a knife or offset spatula, spread the top with frosting. Place the second layer on top, rounded side up, and spread the frosting evenly on the top and sides of the cake.

12 comments:

islandgirl4ever2 said...

I was just at Bakerella's last night and she posted this same cake... You have to check out her photos... Makes you want to jump through the computer and on to her side!!!! GREAT recipe... I just made it yesterday, without the coffee ... DELISH!!!

Unknown said...

How many regular sized cupcakes does this recipe make? How far do you fill up the wells in the cupcake pan? Do you adjust time/temperature for cupcakes?

Cakebrain said...

Casey,
Use whatever cupcake pans you have and adjust the time accordingly. I generally take out two muffin tins (of 12 each) and just fill 2/3rds full until I run out of batter. I start checking/watching the cupcakes at the 15 minute mark for large cupcakes and much sooner for smaller ones. When the cupcakes look done, check with a toothpick.

Lorena said...

Leesa,
This recipe can be doubled to make a bigger cake?
I appreciate your response.

Cakebrain said...

Lorena,
I'm not Leesa, but if you're asking me, you can double the recipe. I would not use a bigger pan, but I'd make a double batch and bake it twice. As Rose Levy Beranbaum says, the proportions change of leavener when you double a recipe and at the same time try to bake it in a larger pan. You need to check out her Cake Bible before you use a larger pan. Same pan sizes and baking 2 separate batches should be okay though.

Anonymous said...

This recipe is nearly identical to one of my favorite cake recipes, so I tried it tonight with cupcakes, and I had the same problem I often do with my other recipe. The flavor is excellent, and they're moist, but they tend to fall/droop in the middle. They're cooked properly, not over or underdone, but this is a constant problem with this recipe. Is it just me? Has anyone else had this issue?

Cakebrain said...

Anonymous,
If it isn't underdone (toothpick test), and you say it sags, have you checked the expiry date on your baking powder?

Anonymous said...

You know, I haven't checked it, so thanks for the reminder. Maybe it could be something as simple as that.

Anonymous said...

Hi!
If I leave out the coffee, will I need to replace it with something else? I feel as if I may compromise the moisture of the cake if I omit one of the wet ingredients :(
Thanks!

Cakebrain said...

Anonymous,
If you omit the coffee you indeed will compromise the cake's texture. Perhaps you can just use hot water but I haven't tried it.

Kittykat said...

I made this batter 25 cuppies! & damn it was sooo good! My family & friends love it! Delish & moist!

Cakebrain said...

Kittykat,
I was just thinking of making these tomorrow! It is such an economical recipe too! So glad you liked the recipe too!

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