Joined: Mar 05, 2009
Posts: 442
Location: Providence, RI
Posted:
Thu Jul 02, 2009 5:27 am
Hi Everyone. Welcome to the Great Scratch-Off...Chocolate Cakes for the month of July!
TIMEFRAME: July 4th:
-All Chocolate Cake Recipes should be in for entry into the Scratch-Off.
July 5th:
-A list of recipes will then be edited into this post. Each tester should indicate in this thread which recipes they will test by copying the most recent list, adding their name beside the recipes they will test, and posting the updated list in this thread. (We encourage sign up by July 7 so that we can make sure all recipes are covered for testing. Though latecomers are always welcome)
July 31st: All results must be posted, including pictures, if possible.
August 5th: The results will be tabulated and a winner will be chosen. We can choose someone to be the tabulator.
GUIDELINES:
1. Please try to have entries in by the deadline for each month.
2. Please limit your submissions to two entries. This will keep the final number of recipes manageable. This way, with fewer recipes, each recipe will end up being tested by more than one person so each can get a broader range of bakers/opinions.
2. Each participant must try at least 2 recipes.
3. We should try to have all recipes sampled by at least one other person.
4. If someone posts more than one recipe into scratch off, then at least one of their recipes must be chosen.
5. Please have your "results" posts in by the deadline to have your input included.
6. Be honest, but not cruel, with your critique of the recipe.
7. Please follow the recipe and don't make substitutions for ingredients. The recipes can be halved, cut in thirds, or quartered if needed. But mention this in your results if you do it.
8. Recipe must be for a cake that is meant for torting, stacking, decorating, etc.. So, no ‘Double Gooey Crumblooey Molten Squish with Crazy Glaze” cakes please.
9. Cakes should be judged primarily on a sample without filling or frosting, to get a true sense of the cake itself. This is important particularly with flavored cakes like chocolate, where you really want to be able to tell if there is a distinct chocolate flavor, without influence from a ganache filling. I think it’s also important for gauging moistness. Cakes may also be secondarily tested with filling/frosting as long as they are primarily tested without.
Judging Criteria
1. Flavor
2. Texture/Crumb
3. Moistness
3. Ease of Recipe
4. Cost of Recipe
5. Ability to convert into cupcakes
After you comment on all these characteristics, give the recipe an overall score ranging from "0" for Terrible to "10" for Excellent . You can make a suggestion on how the recipe can be improved, if needed, if you want.
All right, Ladies and Gents, get ready to fire up your ovens!
Last edited by artscallion on Thu Jul 02, 2009 9:13 am; edited 1 time in total
Eisskween Frequent Member
Joined: Jul 31, 2008
Posts: 461
Location: In my own little world, everyone knows me here.
Birthday: Apr 04
Posted:
Thu Jul 02, 2009 5:35 am
Can we submit recipes, or is it just to judge recipes already submitted? Please forgive me, it's early.
Enjoy your day!
artscallion Frequent Member
Joined: Mar 05, 2009
Posts: 442
Location: Providence, RI
Posted:
Thu Jul 02, 2009 5:41 am
Recipe submissions can still be made through the end of the day on Saturday, July 4th, Eisskween.
AKA_cupcakeshoppe Forum Fanatic
Joined: Feb 10, 2008
Posts: 1810
Location: Pinas!
Birthday: Oct 08
Posted:
Thu Jul 02, 2009 8:29 am
artscallion, thanks for starting this thread!
Should we re-submit recipes on this thread?
I don't know if you read my suggestion to limit the recipe submission to 2 per person so we can have more people try out the same recipes for a better outcome/result.
artscallion Frequent Member
Joined: Mar 05, 2009
Posts: 442
Location: Providence, RI
Posted:
Thu Jul 02, 2009 8:45 am
That suggestion does makes sense, AKA. I must have missed that post. I'll add that to the 'guidelines'.
And I guess it would be a good idea to keep the submissions all in one place (this thread) so testers have easy access to them. Though once the final list is complied, I'll probably either link to, or post, each recipe all in one post.
maryjsgirl Forum Fanatic
Joined: Mar 03, 2007
Posts: 1140
Location: far away from your fear mongering
Posted:
Thu Jul 02, 2009 10:27 am
Here is the double chocolate layer cake from Epicurious.com. This has been my go to chocolate cake. It is very moist and makes nice cupcakes also. The first time I made it I used instant coffee. I absolutely hate coffee, but everyone swears you can't taste it. I actually did taste it! So now when I make it I only add half the amount of instant coffee crystals to the boiling water.
* 3 ounces fine-quality semisweet chocolate such as Callebaut
Make cake layers:
Preheat oven to 300°F. and grease pans. Line bottoms with rounds of wax paper and grease paper.
Finely chop chocolate and in a bowl combine with hot coffee. Let mixture stand, stirring occasionally, until chocolate is melted and mixture is smooth.
Into a large bowl sift together sugar, flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. In another large bowl with an electric mixer beat eggs until thickened slightly and lemon colored (about 3 minutes with a standing mixer or 5 minutes with a hand-held mixer). Slowly add oil, buttermilk, vanilla, and melted chocolate mixture to eggs, beating until combined well. Add sugar mixture and beat on medium speed until just combined well. Divide batter between pans and bake in middle of oven until a tester inserted in center comes out clean, 1 hour to 1 hour and 10 minutes.
Cool layers completely in pans on racks. Run a thin knife around edges of pans and invert layers onto racks. Carefully remove wax paper and cool layers completely. Cake layers may be made 1 day ahead and kept, wrapped well in plastic wrap, at room temperature.
artscallion Frequent Member
Joined: Mar 05, 2009
Posts: 442
Location: Providence, RI
Posted:
Thu Jul 02, 2009 11:15 am
In the interest of limiting things to two submissions per person, I've taken the liberty of cutting MoreCakePlz's list of links down to the two that seem to fit the challenge best, Chocolate Coke Cake and Giant Chocolate Cake, This eliminates the cakes that aren't intended for torting/stacking/decorating (though they all look delicious and I'll certainly try them on my own. Thanks!)
As for the Hershy's Black Magic similarity issue. Any suggestions? Should we just stick with the original? The variations could have been made just so they could copy them and call them their own...OR because they actually make the recipe better. Thoughts?
And again...I don't own this. So any decisions I'm making are just in the interest of gettin' the job rollin'. But please feel free to shout out if you feel differently on something. I won't take offense. And I hope no one takes offense if I steamroll ahead.
My list so far...
Scott Clark Woolley’s Fudge Brownie Cake
Planet Cake’s Chocolate Mud Cake
Hershey’s Black Magic Cake
- Wicked Wanda's Chocolate Cake
- Deep Dark Chocolate Cake
Deluxe Chocolate Cake - Softasilk
Chocolate Coke Cake
Giant Chocolate Cake
maryjsgirl''s Double Chocolate Layer Cake
Toba Garett, Chocolate fudge cake
Sylvia Weinstock's Chocolate Fudge Cake
The Whimsical Bakehouse's Chocolate Butter Cake
Last edited by artscallion on Thu Jul 02, 2009 12:07 pm; edited 2 times in total
majormichel Frequent Member
Joined: Apr 22, 2005
Posts: 456
Location: Nova Scotia but from the Bahamas
Birthday: Apr 23
Posted:
Thu Jul 02, 2009 11:52 am
I recommend Toba Garett, Chocolate fudge cake. This is to die for. Its the best, this is all I use. This cake makes more than (2) 8 inches cake, for me I usually make one 9x13 and about 10-12 cupcakes.
This is the best chocolate cake ever. It's delicious to the last crumb.
Ingredients
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/4 cups (285 g) granulated sugar
3/4 cup (170 g) dark brown sugar, packed
1 cup (110 g) Dutch processed cocoa powder
2 1/4 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 tsp salt
2 1/4 cups (18 fl oz or 540 ml) buttermilk
1 cup (230 g) unsalted butter, room temperature
2 large eggs
1 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
6 oz (168 g) melted semisweet fine quality chocolate
1. Heat oven to 350°F (175°C). Butter and parchment line two 8x2-inch (20x5-cm) baking pans.
2. Measure all ingredients (except the chocolate) into a large mixer bowl.
3. Blend for 30 seconds on LOW speed, scraping bowl constantly.
4. Blend in the melted chocolate and beat 3 minutes on HIGH speed, scraping the bowl.
5. Spoon into the pans and level them well with an offset spatula.
6. Bake layers for 45 to 50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
Storage: Double wrap the cake in plastic wrap. It will keep in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks or in the freezer for up to 2 months.
Last edited by majormichel on Thu Jul 02, 2009 11:58 am; edited 2 times in total
dkelly Forum SuperStar!
Joined: Aug 16, 2008
Posts: 3671
Location: Red Sox Nation
Birthday: Nov 16
Posted:
Thu Jul 02, 2009 12:02 pm
I'd like to try Sylvia Weinstock's Chocolate Fudge Cake
and
The Whimsical Bakehouse's Chocolate Butter Cake
I'll find the recipe's and post them as soon as I have a minute.
giraffe11 Frequent Member
Joined: Sep 09, 2007
Posts: 363
Posted:
Thu Jul 02, 2009 12:09 pm
artscallion wrote:
As for the Hershy's Black Magic similarity issue. Any suggestions? Should we just stick with the original? The variations could have been made just so they could copy them and call them their own...OR because they actually make the recipe better. Thoughts?
There is no variation between the Black Magic and the Deep Dark Chocolate. It is the exact same recipe. Whoever posted it on Recipezar just changed the name to "Deep DarK"
The only variation between Hershey's Black Magic and Wicked Wanda's is that Wicked Wanda's has 1.3 oz less oil. (change 1/2 c to 1/3 c) I am thinking this might not be a bad idea, since my only criticism of the Black Magic is that sometimes it bakes up just too moist. So.....maybe this is an attempt at improvement?
I may try that alteration.
giraffe11 Frequent Member
Joined: Sep 09, 2007
Posts: 363
Posted:
Thu Jul 02, 2009 12:15 pm
If you count Black Magic and Wanda's together as one, we are up to 10 recipes. That didn't take long at all!
I have a question. Is anyone making a summary of the yellow cake scratch-off? Just wondered.....
Back to the chocolate cakes......
artscallion Frequent Member
Joined: Mar 05, 2009
Posts: 442
Location: Providence, RI
Posted:
Thu Jul 02, 2009 12:33 pm
giraffe11 wrote:
I have a question. Is anyone making a summary of the yellow cake scratch-off? Just wondered.....
Lita829's opening post in the yellow cake thread indicates... "July 5th: The results will be tabulated and a winner will be chosen. We can choose someone to be the tabulator. " I remember someone volunteering to tabulate. But don't remember who. And it's such a long thread to search through.
I think we should go with AKA's version of the Hershy's cake, since she posted first and it probably is an attempt at an improvement.
AKA_cupcakeshoppe Forum Fanatic
Joined: Feb 10, 2008
Posts: 1810
Location: Pinas!
Birthday: Oct 08
Posted:
Thu Jul 02, 2009 1:19 pm
Thanks, artscallion and giraffe. I've used that recipe under fondant and for cupcakes. I just love it.
dkelly, am glad you're submitting WBH's chocolate butter cake, I've been wanting to try it out. I just might have a reason to
dkelly Forum SuperStar!
Joined: Aug 16, 2008
Posts: 3671
Location: Red Sox Nation
Birthday: Nov 16
Posted:
Thu Jul 02, 2009 2:03 pm
Ugh...I can't find this recipe on-line, so I'll have to type it out. This is from the "Whimsicalbakehoues fun to make cakes that taste as good as they look" book.
Here goes...............
Whimsical Bakehouse Chocolate Butter Cake
Grease and flour two 10 x 3" round pans. Preheat the oven to 350deg.
In a bowl, combine and whisk until there are no lumps
1cup hot coffee
1cup cocoa powder
Add and whisk until smooth
1cup cold water
On a piece of wax paper, sift together
3 cups cake flour
2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp salt
In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat at high speed until light and fluffy:
Add the dry ingredients alternately to the butter and egg mixture with the cocoa, mixing until smooth.
Pour 3 cups of the batter into one 10 inch pan and the remaining batter into the other 10 inch pan. Bake the less full pan for 20 to 25 minutes and the fuller pan for 30 to 35 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Cool the cakes on a wire rack for 15 to 20 minutes before turning them out of their pans.
Yield 9 cups of batter
sara91 Regular Member
Joined: Apr 21, 2009
Posts: 174
Posted:
Thu Jul 02, 2009 2:11 pm
majormichel, is there a metric measurement for the flour? I am looking forward to trying this recipe. Thanks!!
If anyone else could include metric when posting recipes that would be most helpful. (only if metric measurement is included in the recipe from the author)
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