Hi,

I made two cakes recently from the same recipe.

The first time I used the recipe:

Callebaut dark and Santander Espresso Chocolate (http://www.chocolat.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=677)

Also used
Hazelnut oil
Ghirardelli Cocoa powder
1 extra egg yolk
1/3 cup LESS sugar
size 8" pan
325 or 350 degree oven.



Second time I cooked cake..
Semi-Sweet Chocolate
Vegetable Oil
Hershey's cocoa
size 10" pan
300 degree oven.

First time, the cake came out like fudge almost. At first I didn't like it be later, I really did. That cake stayed fresh for over a week. REALLY fresh. Moist, and like eating a fudge cake. Not fudge, but fluffy fudge.

Second time, the cake came out dry. Not Genoise dry, but wasn't heavenly.

Will an extra yolk add that much creaminess? If you can think of anything else that would cause the cakes to be vastly differently, please let me know.

Also, I might mention I used another oven. I realize the temperature was different, but I would have thought the higher temperature oven would have dried out the cake. Not the reverse.

ps: My stove popped and am short a stove until the new one is delivered this weekend. (Hopefully)

Recipe Ingredient List as published by baker

3 ounces fine-quality semisweet chocolate such as Callebaut

1 1/2 cups hot brewed coffee
3 cups sugar
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups unsweetened cocoa powder (not Dutch process)
2 teaspoons baking soda
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
3 large eggs
3/4 cup vegetable oil
1 1/2 cups well-shaken buttermilk
3/4 teaspoon vanilla

Another question...

If my baking powder was cut in half... wouldn't that make the cake rise a little less?

Oven temperature, pan size and baking time will have definite impact on your product. To compare the differences, you have to make only one change at a time. You also have to be meticulous in making sure all other factors are the same. Preheating the oven, mixing time, temperature of the ingredients will all effect the results.