Hi Everyone - I am hoping that you all can once again knock this outta the park for me. I need a fabulous chocolate cake recipe for a wedding cake. I can't use pudding or mixes as I live in Ireland and we don't have the wealth of supplies that you all do in the States. I DO have access to chocolate bought in the states (used to live there) and I really believe its far superior in taste to what I can get here.
I have used the hershey's chocolate cake in the past ( the one where you add hot water) but have found that it crumbles under the weight of fondant and BC and its not special enough for a wedding cake.

Thanks so much!!!

I use the Cake Bible's chocolate cake:

200 gm granulated sugar
42 gm cocoa powder (I use Callebaut)
158 gm boiling water
158 gm cake flour
156 gm unsalted butter
1/2 tsp salt
2 1/4 tsp baking powder
2 eggs (100 grams without shells)
6 gm vanilla extract


Mix cocoa powder and boiling water until smooth. Cover and set aside to cool.

Mix dry ingredients (sugar, flour, salt, baking powder)
with butter and 3/4 of cooled cocoa/water mixture and mix slowly to incorporate. Then mix on medium high for 90 seconds, scrape down bowl.

Mix eggs, vanilla, and remaining 1/4 of cooled cocoa mixture, then add in 2 additions to the beaten batter, mixing just until incorporated.

Prepare 2 round 6in diameter pans (2in deep) and divide batter between them. Bake in a preheated oven at 350 degrees for approximately 30 minutes or until tests done.

If you want to make a 9 in round, simply double this recipe.

HTH. I get all kinds of rave reviews on this. It's not verbatim from The Cake Bible, but very close.

Have you tried the Fudge Brownie Cake yet? There is a doctored version of the recipe on p3 of this thread http://www.cakecentral.com/cake-decorating-ftopic-52587-30.html . Ignore the part about it doming and cracking; that info came from egullet and I don't find that to be a problem. It makes great cupcakes too.

I am always going on and on about it, and you can find a few CCers who posted back after making it and said that it was the best chocolate cake they'd ever had. I have definitely covered it in fondant.

Others swear by the Double Chocolate Layer Cake found on epicurious. (I personally didn't think it was chocolatey enough, but it is a popular recipe), the Darn Good Chocolate Cake, and the Guiness Stout cake. All recipes can be found around here somewhere, if you do a search in the forums. Those are just a few off the top of my head!

My sister made this chocolate cake and it was delicious! It is dense too so is good for fondant. I haven't tried the Ferrero filling though ... sounds delicious!
http://www.cakesandmore.org/blog/2008/09/chocolate-mud-cake-with-ferrero-rocher-filling/

Thanks so much everyone. I will get started baking this weekend - all the recipes sound so good - will try them all!