Chocolate Birthday Cake, Two Layer

My mom would now say her favourite chocolate cake is one from a cake mix, because in her nineties, all the movement involved in baking is harder. To use a cake mix, see instructions that follows the scratch recipe.

This chocolate butter cake is a dense butter cake that tastes like a chocolate bar. It's from a book my mom was given for her birthday in the late 1980s, Rose Levy Bernbaum's The Cake Bible, the best instructional cake baking book. Bernbaum invented the "Perfect All-American Chocolate Butter Cake."  A cake made with butter will have a more dense texture than a cake made with vegetable oil. 

Bernbaum advises weighing all your ingredients to get the best results. I confess I never do this, my kitchen scale is wonky. So I measure with measuring cups and spoons, making sure to level the ingredients and taking care not to scoop flour out of the bag. Always spoon flour into a measuring cup. 

I fill and frost the cake with chocolate buttercream icing.

Tips: Measure the unsalted butter and cut it when it's cold. Leave the 1 cup needed to soften on the counter the night before or a few hours before you start, unless it's very hot in your kitchen. Take the 3 eggs out of the fridge at least a half-hour before you start baking so they are also at room temperature. Mix the cocoa and boiling water first, so it has time to cool to room temperature. Mixing cocoa powder with hot water brings out its flavour. 

If you refrigerate the frosted cake before serving, it will harden. Take the decorated cake out of the fridge  a half-hour before serving so it will be easier to cut and to enhance the chocolate flavours.

Perfect Chocolate Butter Cake

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup + 3 Tbsp (63 grams) unsweetened Dutch processed cocoa, lightly spooned into the measuring cup.
• 1 liquid cup boiling water
• 3 large eggs at room temperature
• 2-1/4 tsp (9 grams) real vanilla extract
• 2-1/4 cups + 2 Tbsp (235 grams) sifted cake flour
• 1-1/2 cups (300 grams) white granulated sugar
• 1 Tbsp (15 grams) baking powder
• 3/4 tsp (5 grams) table salt
• 1 cup (227 grams) unsalted butter (must be softened to room temperature on the counter)

1. Prepare two 9" round cake pans: grease the insides, line the bottoms with parchment or wax paper, and then grease and flour the pans again. Also grease 2 wire cooling racks.
2. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
3. In a medium bowl, using a whisk, whisk together the cocoa and boiling water until smooth. Set aside and let sit to cool to room temperature.
4. In another bowl, lightly combine the 3 large eggs, 1/4 of the cooled cocoa mixture, and 2-1/4 tsp vanilla.
5. In your large mixer bowl, mix on low speed for 30 seconds to blend: flour,  sugar, baking powder and salt.
6. Add the butter and remaining cocoa mixture. Mix on low speed until the dry ingredients are moistened.
7. Increase the mixer speed to medium if using a stand mixer (high speed if using a hand mixer).
8. Beat the batter 1-1/2 minutes to aerate and develop the cake's structure.
9. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
10. Gradually add the egg mixture (the eggs + vanilla + 1/4 of the cocoa) in 3 batches, beating for 20 seconds after each addition to incorporate the ingredients and strengthen the structure. Scrape down the sides.
11. With a baking spatula, scrape the batter into the prepared pans and smooth the surface. The pans will be about 1/2 full.
12. If you have cake wraps (fabric strips placed on the outside of a cake pan so that layers don't bake in a dome-shape) wet and place them on the cake pans. (If you don't, you can even the cake layers after they have baked and cooled by levelling with a sharp serrated knife or an adjustable wire cake leveller.)
13. Bake the layers 25 to 35 minutes or until a tester inserted near the centre comes out clean and the cake springs back when pressed lightly in the centre. The cakes should start to shrink from the sides of the pans only after removal from the oven. Let the cakes cool in the pans on un-greased racks for 10 minutes.
14. Loosen the sides with a small metal spatula or straight knife, and invert cake layers onto greased wire racks. To prevent splitting, re-invert so the tops are up. Cool completely before wrapping the layers airtight if not frosting the cooled layers soon.
15. Fill and frost with your favourite chocolate frosting or see the recipe below.
16. This cake is best served at room temperature.

Cake Mix Chocolate Birthday Cake

This is the cake I made for a short-notice celebration of my grandson's first "Hearing Birthday," the anniversary of the activation of his cochlear implants. His favourite colour is yellow and I keep a treat-size box of Smarties in my Babysitting Bag, so the cake was decorated with several Smarties, and the Smarties on his slice were yellow.

1. Purchase a two-layer chocolate cake mix. I recently used Betty Crocker Super-Moist and it turned out well.
2. If the instructions say to grease the pans only and you're using aluminum pans instead of non-stick, always grease and flour the pans. Cut a parchment paper round for the bottom of the pans. For a higher cake with impact, use 8" round pans. For a lower cake (cuts more slices) use 9" round pans.
3. To avoid having white-flour residue on the cake, you can use cocoa powder to "flour" the cake pans, but don't do this with bitter cocoa powder.  If frosting the top and sides of the cake you won't see any white flour residue anyway.
4. Substitute melted, cooled butter for the oil in the recipe and milk for the water in the recipe, for a tastier and denser cake. A denser cake will hold more frosting and a buttercream filling. A lighter cake should have a lighter frosting and filling (made from whipped shortening.)
5. Mix and bake as instructed. Cool cake in pans for ten minutes then remove from pans to cool completely on racks.
6. Wrap cooled layers in plastic wrap if not filling and frosting immediately.
7. When almost ready to frost the cake, chill the layers (to keep butter frosting from melting, especially if it's a very warm in the kitchen.)
8. Make frosting.
9. Level off the top of the bottom layer of the cake by slicing with along knife. Add a thin "crumb coat" of frosting to the top layer. You can also add a thin crumb coat on the side of the layer.
10. If using a whipped cream based filling with frosting on sides and top, do this to keep the whipped cream from oozing out the sides. Scoop some of the frosting into a piping bag fitted with a number 5 piping tip. Pipe a ridge of frosting on the outside of the layer to keep the filling from spilling over the sides when you add the top layer.  Refrigerate to set the frosting while you make the filling. Fill the cake with frosting instead if you can't refrigerate the cake.
11. Spread filling (see recipe below) on the bottom layer, to the piped ridge. Because this is a whipped cream filling, the cake requires refrigeration.
12. Put the top layer on the filling. Pipe  frosting in any gaps between layers. Spread frosting on the top of the cake and sides.
13. If there is frosting left in the piping tube, pipe rosettes on top of the cake or blobs and insert Smarties in the blobs to decorate. Smarties can also be dotted evenly along the bottom sides of the cake for a child's birthday party.
14. Frosting can harden on a refrigerated cake so remove the cake from the fridge half an hour before you want to cut it so it slices more easily.

Chocolate Frosting

• 1 cup unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
• 3-1/2 cups icing sugar
• 1/2 cup sifted Dutch processed cocoa powder
• 3-4 Tbsp heavy cream or whole milk
• 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1/8 tsp salt (omit if using salted butter)
• Smarties (optional for decorating cake)

1. In a medium bowl, whisk together icing sugar, cocoa powder and salt (if using). Set aside.
2. Stir together the cream or milk and vanilla.
3. Whip butter in a large bowl of stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (not the whipping attachment). Beat on. medium-high about 2 minutes until soft and creamy.
4. Turn mixer to low speed. Slowly add sugar/cocoa mixture to the butter, alternating with 3 Tbsp of cream or milk and vanilla.
5. Once combined, increase mixer speed to medium-high. Beat 3-5 minutes until light, smooth and fluffy, stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
6. If frosting is too thick, mix in an extra teaspoon of cream or milk.
7. If frosting is too thin, add 1-2 Tbsp more icing sugar.

Chocolate Cream Filling

• 1 cup (240 ml) cold whipping cream (35% MF)
• 2 Tbsp cocoa powder, sifted
• 2 Tbsp instant milk powder
• 2-3 Tbsp powdered icing sugar
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1. Chill mixing bowl and whisk attachment in fridge or freezer 10-15 minutes.
2. In a separate small bowl, whisk together sifted cocoa powder, instant milk powder and icing sugar so there are no clumps.
3. Pour 1 cup cold whipping cream and vanilla extract into the chilled mixer bowl.
4. Whip on medium-high speed with an electric mixer until cream starts to thicken and hold soft trails.
5. Slowly add the cocoa/milk powder/sugar mixture into the cream while continuing to whip on medium-high speed.
6. Continue whipping just until stiff peaks form.
7. Use the chocolate whipped cream immediately as a middle layer for the cake.

Chocolate Coca-Cola Cake for Dave's 31st Birthday

Dave sent me this recipe from Southern Living because he wants this cake for his birthday in the fall. I'm posting it here now so I don't lose it. The reviews say there's too much batter for the two 9-inch cake pans specified in the recipe, so I've changed it to 3. Reviewers have baked the cake in either three 8-inch or three 9-inch pans with good results.

Update: The cake turned out great. The icing is very sweet and there will be a lot of icing on the cake if you use it all. Serve thin slices or be ready for a sugar rush.

• 2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for pans
• 1-1/2 cups (9 oz) semisweet chocolate chips
• 1 cup white granulated sugar
• 1 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1/2 cup softened butter
• 3 large eggs at room temperature
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 8-oz container sour cream
• 1 cup cola soft drink (with sugar, not diet)
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Coat 3 (8 or 9 inch) round baking pans with cooking spray and dust with flour.
3. Microwave chocolate chips in a microwavable bowl on medium (50% power) about 2 minutes, stopping to stir every 30 seconds, until melted and smooth.
4. Beat white sugar, brown sugar and butter with a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment on medium speed about 4 minutes or until well blended.
5. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating until just blended after each addition.
6. Add melted chocolate, beating until just blended.
7. Sift together flour, baking soda and salt into a bowl. Stir.
8. Gradually add flour mixture to butter mixture alternately with sour cream, beginning and ending with flour mixture, beating on low speed until just blended after each addition.
9. Place cola in a microwavable cup.
10. Microwave on HIGH until hot, about 45 seconds.
11. Gradually add cola to flour-butter mixture in a slow, steady stream, beating on low speed until just blended.
12. Beat in vanilla.
13. Pour batter evenly into prepared pans.
14. Bake in preheated oven until a wooden pick inserted in center of cakes comes out clean, 33 to 36 minutes.
15. Cool in pans on wire racks 10 minutes.
16. Remove cakes from pans.
17. Transfer to wire racks and cool completely, about 1 hour.
18. Make the frosting.

Fudgy Cola Frosting

Makes about 3-1/2 cups

• 1 cup softened butter
• 6 cups unsifted powdered sugar
• 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 3-6 Tbsp cola soft drink (with sugar, not diet) as needed

1. Beat butter with an electric mixer on medium speed until creamy, about 2 minutes.
2. Sift together powdered sugar, cocoa and salt in a bowl.
3. Stir together vanilla and 5 Tbsp of cola in a small bowl.
4. Add powdered sugar mixture to butter alternately with vanilla mixture, beginning and ending with powdered sugar mixture, beating on low speed until just blended after each addition.
5. Beat in remaining 1 Tbsp cola to mixture, 1 teaspoon at a time, if needed, until desired consistency is reached.
6. Spread Fudgy Cola Frosting between completely cooled cake layers and on top and sides of cake.

Optional: decorate top of iced cake with assorted sizes of...

• white sugar pearls