A Classic Dark Chocolate Cake

Photo: taste.com.au

Let the baking begin. It was my first time making a traditional chocolate cake from scratch, but I didn't let that stop me and neither should you. Look how easy/breezy.

After checking a few sources, I used the recipe off the side of a Hersey's Unsweetened Cocoa canister. The chocolate company was established in 1894. I tweaked the ingredients a little bit for the benefit of real chocolate lovers:

Dark Chocolate Cake

Ingredients:

Cocoa, in all its glorious forms: beans, powder; a chocolate bar

1 ½ cups sugar
2 cups all purpose flour
¾ cup dark unsweetened cocoa
2 teaspoons instant coffee granules
1 ½ teaspoons baking soda
1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
1 cup buttermilk
½ cup olive oil
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup boiling water

optional: 2 melted squares of gourmet (or Baker's) dark chocolate bar (if you have it)

Directions:
1) Put the ingredients, one by one, into a mixing bowl while beating with an electric mixer until blended (about 2 minutes). You don't want to over mix this cake. Expect a thin batter.
2) Pour the batter into two 9-inch greased baking pans (or three-8-inch baking pans).
3. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes at 350 degree F in the oven.
4. Remove the pans from the oven and let cool for 10 minutes before removing the cake from the pans to cool completely.

Next select a frosting ...

Chocolate Ganache Frosting

Ingredients:
8 ounces of good semisweet chocolate chips, or pieces
1 ½ cups heavy cream (or you can substitute ½ cup of condensed milk, which also works. Naturally, the fatty heavy cream tastes better.)
Choose one flavor: 1 teaspoon instant coffee granules, or 1 teaspoon real vanilla

Directions:
1. Heat the cream in a pan on a stove top until it just begins to simmer.
2. Remove from the heat. Add the chocolate (and coffee or vanilla). Allow the chocolate to melt.
3. Whisk thoroughly. (If I want to thicken the ganache because I've used too much condensed milk, I will return the pot to the stove to simmer it on a low flame while whisking continuously.)
4. Let the mixture sit at room temperature until it thickens and cools.
3. Frost the layers and sides of the cake.

Or you can make a Chocolate Butter Cream Frosting: Blend together: 1 stick of melted butter, 1/3 cup milk, ⅔ cup of dark cocoa powder; choose one flavor: 1 teaspoon vanilla, or 1 teaspoon of instant coffee; and add about 3 cups of confectionery sugar until you get a thick, spreadable frosting. Baker's tip: Double Frost your cake: Frost the cake, refrigerator it, then frost it again. That's how professional bakers make cakes look so scrumptious. Add the chocolate shavings, if you wish!

For an intense chocolate flavor, as well as, the health benefits of anti-oxidants, try using organic raw cocoa powder in lieu of a commercial processed cocoa powder.

Invite friends over ... and serve.

You may also enjoy:
A Fancy Vanilla Cake
A Dream Pumpkin Cake
Homemade Granola Is Better
Cinnamon Streusel Coffee Cake