Hi, 

My question is about chocolate cake recipes. I tried Hershey's Chocolate cake recipe and Ina Garten's Beatty Chocolate cake recipe. Both turned out bitter. I tried changing Cocoa powder too. Tried Hershey's, Nestle and another good cocoa powder brand. 

What can be the the reason? I read somewhere that an aluminium related ingredient in the baking powder can be the culprit... 

anyone have experienced this?

Hum........that's a tough one. I can't think of any reason that should happen. I am familiar with those recipes and have baked them myself in aluminum pans and not had that result.

The only thing I can guess it might be, is your coffee in the recipe. Perhaps it was too strong. Did you taste the coffee before using it?

Did other people taste those cakes and notice the bitterness too? You might be one of those super tasters who have more taste buds on your tongue and can detect flavors more than other people.

AI just looked at the recipes, both use milk instead of water. In the Cake Bible, Rose gives a reason as to why you should use water rather than milk. Buuuut, the book is aaaall the way down stairs and I'm all bundled in bed. Otherwise I'd give you a reason...lol

Try to find a recipe using water instead. I use the cake bible chocolate butter. Love it.

Even the double chocolate cake recipe from Epicurious tastes a tad bit bitter to me...it's still amazing, and sold well at my shop...but I always noticed it. It has both strongly brewed coffee and buttermilk, as well as bp and bs.

HTH.

AOk...as per the Cake Bible...."water replaces the milk because in a chocolate cake, milk protein brings out the bitterness in chocolate and ties up flavor-whereas water allows for quick release of full chocolate flavor."