I'm going to be making a cake for this weekend, all chocolate: chocolate cake, chocolate filling, chocolate icing.

I'm currently looking for a scratch chocolate cake to try (trying it Friday -- if it fails, I'm going with Chocolate WASC). I'm going to give Sugarshack's chocolate buttercream a try.

For the filling I was thinking of doing this recipe: http://cakecentral.com/recipes/2019/whipped-cream-buttercream-frosting

Though this recipe is not chocolate, I was wondering if this could be altered into chocolate? I don't want to just add cocoa and say there ya go because I've been learning that it doesn't quite always work that way (some cases, I guess it does?), but I think this sounds like it might be nice as a filling.

This recipe states not to refrigerate -- but I'm thinking I may have to refrigerate for freshness (baking either Friday evening or Saturday -- definitely decorating Saturday for Sunday pick up). Do you think this recipe would be okay in the fridge if used as a filling?

I was considering giving ganache a try, but I feel too intimidated by it still. Plus if I have to refrigerate, I'm not quite sure how that will work and if it'll just end up hardening it.


If neither of these will work (due to lack of converting to a chocolate recipe and/or the inability to refrigerate) -- does anyone have any ideas for a good chocolate filling (that can be either refrigerated or left out) that isn't extremely sweet?

I have heard good things about this recipe by the Barefoot Contessa:

http://cakeonthebrain.blogspot.com/2007/07/chocolate-layer-cake.html

I have not personally tried it but, have it bookmarked for my next chocolate cake adventure. I have a note on my print out that it has a moist crumb and, it has 4 stars and over 1000 reviews where it is listed on the Food Network:

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/beattys-chocolate-cake-recipe/index.html

Sorry, I think I might have read your post wrong. Thought you were looking for a scratch chocolate cake recipe to try!

Don't be intimidated by ganache. I will give you my recipe that I got from Southern Living.

1 1/2 cups whipping cream
one 12 ounce package chocolate chips (I use Toll House)
3 TBL butter

Heat whipping cream to scalding. Do not boil. Take off heat and add choc chips. Let melt a bit then stir to complete melting. Whisk in butter with whisk until smooth.

That's it. Let it cool at least 20 minutes and you can whip it in your mixer to make a delicious whipped ganache filling. Use your whisk attachment and be patient. It will eventually whip into a cloud of chocolate yummy-ness! Whip til it forms soft peaks. You can fill your cake with it, or you can frost with it...providing you don't want a crusting frosting or a lot of fondant decor on it. Ganache does not harden when refrigerated. It gets thick but it comes to room temp quickly.

I use the Hershey's chocolate cake recipe on the back of the cocoa box as my go-to chocolate cake. It's delish.

Here is my 2cents... Bettercream frosting (sold at smart&final) comes in chocolate flavor. Its whipped crem frosting that is non dairy based so it does not melt. As far as chocolate cake I agree 100% with carmijok Hershey's chocolate cake is also my go to! It stays delicious for days and I do believe refigerated makes it better-crazy I know.

I agree with the ganache as mentioned earlier. I just tried a moist chocolate cake recipe 2 weeks ago and OMG, it was moist & delicious; so moist I could eat it without any icing! If you're interested, do let me know and I'd be happy to send you the recipe. It is definitely my "go to" chocolate cake/cupcake recipe.

Augurey,
I tried sending you a reply message of your request for the Chocoloate Cake recipe, but it just sat in my outbox; not sure why...but I'm new to this site and maybe I'm doing something wrong. So I thought I would share with all interested by posting this. This cake is so moist, it's heavenly!! If you use this recipe, please do let me know your thoughts! Trust me, you'll get all sorts of raves of this one! Good Luck!!!


SUPER MOIST CHOCOLATE CAKE
2 Cups Flour
2 Cups Sugar
¾ Cup Hershey's Cocoa
2 Teaspoons Baking Soda
2 Eggs (I use large eggs)
1 Teaspoon Salt
1 Cup Buttermilk
1 Cup Mazola Vegetable Oil
1 ½ Teaspoons Vanilla Extract
1 Cup Boiling Water

1. Preheat Oven to 300° F
(This is not a typo! This is a slow bake cake recipe.)

2. Line a 9 x 13 in. pan with parchment paper. (Do not grease/flour due to the hot water; you will have your cake stick to the pan!)

3. Place all the ingredients on the left into a mixing bowl.

4. Mix at medium or medium high speed until all ingredients are blended and smooth.

5. Pour into parchment lined pan.

6. Bake for 1 hr. (Cupcakes 20 min.)

7. Test by sticking in the middle with a knife or toothpic. If it comes out clean... it's done!

8. Allow to cool, remove from pan & let the artistry begin!!

There several outstanding Hershey chocolate cake recipes. My favorite is Black Magic Cake. It really is a solid stand by. If you want a mix based recipe, use the Cake Doctor's Darn Good Chocolate Cake. Both recipes produce an excellent cake that will garner compliments for you.

Wonderful Chocolate buttercream that I also use as filling.

1 1/2 sticks of unsalted butter (room temp)
1/4 stick of crisco
1 teapspoons vanilla
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup heavy whipping cream
3 1/12 cups sifted powdered sugar
1/4 cup of cocoa powder

Cream butter and crisco until fluffy. Add salt and vanilla. Continue mixing. Add 2 cups of powdered sugar. Mixed until combined. Next add whipping cream. After combined, slowly add remaining powdered sugar. Finally, add cocoa. It's delicious! You can use the Viva paper towel method to smooth this as a frosting.

I usually make this recipe x 4

FlourJuice,
I like the sound of your Chocolate BC...I'll have to give that a try; and looking forward to it.

Yay! I hope you love it as much as I do. You can also make the vanilla version by omitting the cocoa and adding that much more powdered sugar.

Oh I'm having a bad cake day.

While I was making my buttercream, I broke my boyfriend's mom's mixer! Yes, I cried.

But went back to mine (I really dislike mine).

I have a question on the ganache. I'm not one of those cool people that has a whisk attachment lol I'm stuck with beaters only, but I still decided to give it a go.

So I made the ganache, and well, my lowly beaters don't move around the bowl and just stay in one place. My bowl doesn't spin either. So I've had my mixer on high, one hand spinning the bowl while whisking with the other hand (and the beaters doing their job).

It's gotten thicker, but I'm not sure if I'll be able to get the consistency that I need -- so I guess I'm wondering if more arm work and power voltage will work in the end or if I'm wasting my time to try and get it to a fluffy consistency?

I think I'm going to invest in a regular hand mixer that has a whisk for these moments.


flourjuice, I'm going to have to try your recipe some time! It looks good!