Wednesday, January 23, 2008

The Most Amazing Chocolate Cake-Ever


Ever since my Barefoot Contessa At Home Cookbook came, I have been eyeing, the recipe for Beatty's Chocolate cake and looking for a perfect occasion to make it. I set out to make it for my Mother-in-law's birthday last weekend, only to discover I only had about 1/2 cup sugar in my cabinet and I couldn't get to the store. This week, when I decided to take over the play date meeting for a friend who was sick, I new this was the recipe I wanted to make. I have to say this was one of the best chocolate cake's I have ever had. I previously made the Hershey's Perfectly Chocolate Cake. It was good but didn't blow me away. This cake was perfection. The coffee subtly but perfectly enhances the chocolate flavor and results in a moist and delicious cake. This will be my standard chocolate cake. Ina recommends using good cocoa powder and chocolate. I used both Ghiradelli chocolate and Ghiradelli cocoa powder. I also recommend Scharffen Berger
chocolate and cocoa powder.

Beatty's Chocolate Cake
As adapted from the Barefoot Contessa at Home

Butter, for greasing the pans
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for pans
2 cups sugar
3/4 cups good cocoa powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup buttermilk, shaken
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 extra-large eggs, at room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup freshly brewed hot coffee
Chocolate Buttercream, recipe follows
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. 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 the 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 mixer still on low, add the coffee and stir just to combine, scraping the bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Pour the batter into the 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 1 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.

Chocolate Frosting:
6 ounces good semisweet chocolate (recommended: Callebaut)
1/2 pound (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 extra-large egg yolk, at room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups sifted confectioners' sugar
1 tablespoon instant coffee powder

Chop the chocolate and place it in a heat-proof bowl set over a pan of simmering water. Stir until just melted and set aside until cooled to room temperature.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter on medium-high speed until light yellow and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the egg yolk and vanilla and continue beating for 3 minutes. Turn the mixer to low, gradually add the confectioners' sugar, then beat at medium speed, scraping down the bowl as necessary, until smooth and creamy. Dissolve the coffee powder in 2 teaspoons of the hottest tap water. On low speed, add the chocolate and coffee to the butter mixture and mix until blended. Don't whip! Spread immediately on the cooled cake.


1 comment:

Kathy Walker said...

I followed your suggestion and I have copied the frosting you used. I just didn't like the original frosting. Thanks!