What is the best Chocolate Cake?

Several years ago, I spent a summer creating the best Chocolate Cake recipe. I must have baked dozens of cakes… friends and family were gracious enough to test out every one. At the end of the summer, I entered my cake in a baking competition at the Puyallup Fair. Although I didn’t win, my dad still made a point of going to look at my cake in the fair’s display case. :)

Since then, I have studied, practiced, and learned more about baking… specifically baking with chocolate (my favorite ingredient). The “best” recipe has transformed many times, and will probably continue to evolve as I discover more about baking! As of right now, this is my recipe for Chocolate Cake. I think it is divine! The cake itself is light, fluffy, and soft with an airy buttercream filling and a decadent chocolate cream cheese frosting. Remember, if you use quality ingredients, you will yield a quality cake!

Notes on Ingredients: I love valrhona chocolate… try for at least 60 or 70%. The coffee in the chocolate cake brings out the flavor of the chocolate. Same thing with the fleur de sel… salt helps you taste the chocolate, even in the frosting! Purchasing real fleur de sel is TOTALLY worth the cost. Whipping the egg whites and then folding them in the batter just before baking will help give your cake a lighter, fluffier texture. Remember to use real vanilla extract. I like Tahitian vanilla extract for frostings because you can really taste its fruity undertones.

CHOCOLATE CAKE
Ingredients:
½ C. butter, room temperature
1 C. sugar
1 C. brown sugar
4 eggs, separated
6 oz. good quality dark chocolate, melted and cooled
½ C. buttermilk
2 ¼ C. cake flour
¼ C. cocoa powder
1 ½ tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. fleur de sel (French sea salt)
½ C. coffee
½ C. water

Directions:
In a small bowl, combine the dry ingredients: cake flour, cocoa powder, soda, powder, and salt. Set aside. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour the bottoms and sides of two 9-inch round cake pans. Line each pan with parchment paper if possible.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, combine butter and sugars. Add egg yolks, one at a time. (Set aside egg whites for later.) Next add the cooled chocolate, and then the buttermilk, slowly. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl, and mix until well combined.

Next combine the coffee and water. Add the liquids and the dry ingredients, alternately, starting and ending with the dry ingredients.

Transfer the cake batter to a large bowl and set aside. Wash and dry the bowl for your electric mixer. Switch to the wire whisk on your mixer. Put the egg whites in the bowl of the electric mixer and whip on medium-high speed until stiff peaks form. Get the cake batter and slowly fold in the egg whites, about a cup or so at a time, until combined.

Pour the cake batter into the prepared pans, dividing it evenly. Tap the pans to spread the mixture and fill any air pockets. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 30 to 35 minutes, or until a cake tester comes out clean. Cool cakes completely, then frost with Buttercream Filling and Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting (recipes to follow).


BUTTERCREAM FILLING

Ingredients:
1 stick unsalted butter, room temperature
3 Tbsp. cocoa powder
1 tsp. Tahitian vanilla extract
1/3 C. whipping cream
2 C. (more or less) powdered sugar
Directions:
In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat butter on medium speed, about one minute. Add the cocoa powder and mix until combined. Then add vanilla and whipping cream. Beat mixture, scraping down sides of bowl to incorporate. On medium-high speed, whip the mixture for one minute. Then add the powdered sugar. Beat for another minute (or more) until light and fluffy.


CHOCOLATE CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

Ingredients:
1 – 8oz pkg cream cheese, room temperature
¼ C. unsalted butter (half a stick), room temperature
5 oz. good quality chocolate, melted and cooled
1 tsp. Tahitian vanilla extract
¼ tsp. fleur de sel (French sea salt)
2 Tbsp. cocoa powder
3-4 C. powdered sugar
Directions:
In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese and butter on medium speed at least one minute. Slowly add the chocolate, mixing well. Add the vanilla, salt, and cocoa powder and mix to combine. Add the powdered sugar about one cup at a time, beating for at least half a minute after each cup. Add enough powdered sugar until you reach the desired consistency. This frosting is heavy, dense, and extremely rich.