Hi, I baked couple of times Ultimate Choclate cake Martha Stewart recepie. The taste of the cake is delicious but it is sooo dense. I am not sure it is suppose to or not? but does not look like by picture it should be dense. I never make any choc cake. I am looking something that should be soft and or want to correct myslef of making Ultimate Choclate cake where I am doing something wrong.
I beat butter and sugar by hand, and followed exact she suggested but never comes out spongy. Any suggestion will be great and much appreciate.

Last, I am looking to make a Gradutaion hat, What should I do?
1 -I am thinking to make a base with making a choclate collar? should I do this?
2-And top just flat drying with melting choclate on parchment paper?
3- Should I add the black in choclate?

suggestion will be appreciation. Thanks!

Hi,

Sorry can't help with the choc cake rece as I'm not at all familiar with it.

But I've done a grad hat before, and I used rice crispies treats for it, covered with black fondant.

HTH!

I don't know, I feel like you could probably get away with adding a little more baking soda.

for the recipe:
recipe never says to cream the butter and sugar, this is the time the cake structure is starting and the fat must be incorported throughout evenly and aerated.
so: cream with a mixer until light and fluffy:
then proceed as recipe.