Chocolate Mocha Cake

Espresso Cake: 2 layer or sheet cake

Writer Elizabeth Berg's favorite chocolate cake, which she clipped from Parents magazine and printed  in her book Escaping into the Open.

• 1-3/4 cups flour
• 2 cups sugar
• 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 2 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup brewed espresso coffee (or a cup of strong black coffee)
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 1 tsp vanilla

1. Thoroughly grease and flour two 9-inch layer cake pans or one 9 x 13 inch pan.
2. If your pans are not non-stick, line with parchment paper, grease and flour.
3. This moist cake will stick to the pan if the pan is not well-prepared.
4. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
5. Combine flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder and salt in the large bowl of an electric mixer.
6. Add eggs, coffee, buttermilk, oil and vanilla.
7. Beat 2 minutes at medium speed.
8. Batter will be quite thin.
9. Pour batter into prepared pan(s).
10. Bake in preheated 350 degree oven for 35-40 minutes.
11. When baked, cake will start to pull away from the sides of the pan.
12. A wooden pick inserted in the center of each layer will come out clean.
13. Remove from pans onto a cooling rack to cool completely before icing.
14. If serving plain, top with vanilla ice cream or caramel sauce.

Chocolate Heaven Cake: 3 layer

American cookbook writer and bakery owner Cheryl Day says this is the first cake she ever made with her grandmother and is still the best cake she's ever tasted; it's an amazing cake if you use unsweetened chocolate that is 99% cocoa.

If you're not going to use really high-quality chocolate, but you have high-quality cocoa, I'd suggest substituting the cocoa powder. I use Rodelle Gourmet Baking Cocoa (Dutch dark chocolate). To substitute, use 3 Tbsp of cocoa + 1 Tbsp butter (or shortening) for every ounce of chocolate specified. I would add the cocoa to the hot coffee in this recipe and add the melted butter to the canola oil mixture.

Note: Dutch-processed cocoa lacks acidity so if you substitute cocoa for chocolate in the recipe make sure you don't use lactose-free sour cream in the cake because baking soda requires the presence of an acid to work. If you must use lactose-free sour cream, try substituting baking powder for the baking soda but you'll have to use three times the baking powder  (4-1/2 tsp. baking powder instead of 1-1/2 tsp baking soda.) Substitutions can be tricky but you can risk experimenting if you're not baking the cake for a special occasion.

• 3 cups cake flour
• 4 cups white granulated sugar
• 1-1/2 tsp baking soda
• 9 oz. unsweetened chocolate (with 99% cocoa content), finely chopped
• 2 cups hot freshly brewed coffee
• 1 Tbsp pure vanilla extract
• 4 large eggs, at room temperature
• 1 cup canola oil
• 1 cup sour cream, at room temperature
• 1 recipe Chocolate Buttercream (recipe follows)

1. Position a rack in the lower third of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F.
2. Butter three 9x2 inch round cake pans. Line bottoms with parchment and butter it as well. Lightly dust pans with flour, tapping on the counter to shake out excess flour.
3. Fit stand mixer with paddle attachment (or use handheld mixer with a large mixing bowl).
4. Combine flour, sugar, baking soda, salt. Let mixer run on low speed 2-3 minutes to aerate the flour.
5. Put chocolate in a medium bowl and pour in hot coffee and vanilla. Let stand about 2 minutes to melt chocolate, then stir until smooth.
6. In another medium bowl, whisk eggs and oil together until thick, satiny and light in colour. Whisk in sour cream, don't overmix, leave some visible streaks of white. Pour in melted chocolate mixture and mix until just combined. 
7. Add the chocolate-sour cream mixture to the dry ingredients in thirds, mixing on medium speed until well blended.
8. Remove bowl from mixer and use a rubber spatula to incorporate any ingredients still at the bottom of the bowl, making sure the batter is completely mixed.
9. Divide batter evenly among the prepared pans and smooth the tops with the spatula.
10. Tap pans firmly on the countertop to remove any air bubbles from the batter.
11. Place pans in preheated 350 degree F oven and bake 40-50 minutes, until centre springs back a little when touched and a cake tester inserted in the centre comes out clean. Cake will have slight cracks on top. Let cool 20 minutes, then remove from pans and cool completely on a wire rack.
12. To assemble cake: level tops of two of the cake layers with a serrated knife so they're flat. Place one layer cut side down on a flat serving plate. Using an offset spatula, spread the top with a big dollop of frosting. Place second cake layer cut side down ad spread top with another big dollop of frosting. Place the final layer on top, right side up, and frost top and sides with remaining frosting.
13. Frosted cake can be stored in am airtight container at room temperature up to 2 days.

Chocolate Buttercream for 3-layer Cake (Makes about 7 cups)

• 9 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped
• 3/4 pound (3 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 2 Tbsp whole milk
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 2-1/2 to 3 cups confectioners' (icing) sugar, sifted

1. Put the chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over a simmering saucepan of water. Don't let the bottom of the bowl touch the water. Stir occasionally until the chocolate is completely melted.
2. Set the chocolate aside to cool to room temperature.
3. Using the paddle attachment on stand mixer, beat the butter on medium speed until smooth and creamy.
4. Add milk, mixing until completely blended.
5. Add cooed chocolate and mix until completely incorporated, 2 to 3 minutes, scraping down sides of bowl with a rubber spatula as necessary.
6. Add vanilla and beat just until mixed.
7. With  mixer on low speed, gradually add 2-1/2 cups icing sugar and continue beating, adding more sugar as needed, until a creamy, silky frosting consistency is reached.
8. Frosting can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature up to 2 days.