Soo.. in the past few weeks I've started a new job, been cramming in christmas shopping, and have had to do atleast one cake a week for the past 5 weeks.. whether it be for family, or a customer (I did my second paid cake last week!! ). Anyway, considering I just started this hobby this summer.. I was in over my head!

Well last night I was behind on my baking for a cake i'm making for our holiday Christmas party at work. I decided to make the "double chocolate layer cake" that I always make and seriously think it may be the best thing I've ever tasted in my life... I recommend ALL to make it! Well I started baking at around 10 am and what do you know.. everytime I reached for an ingredient, I was out of it So after two trips to the local store, I finally finished around 1 and froze the layers. At around 6pm I took them out..leveled them.. and yelled for my brother to eat some cake scraps. From the brother that last time he ate the cake said "this should be illegal it's so good.." this time he proclaimed "this shit sucks." Haha only a brother! Anyway, I decided to taste it and you know what.. it did taste HORRIBLE! I am positive I measured everything out perfectly.. and the only thing I did differently is made homemade buttermilk opposed to going to the store to buy some.

Do you think the chocolate could be old? I used Hershey's unsweetened cocoa. The cake that usually is super chocolaty.. tasted almost bittersweet and more like a red velvet cake than a deep chocolate cake

So.. since I want this cake to hopefully get me future orders.. I restarted the baking completely. I ended up making a yellow version of the wacs.. and going to bed around 2am... and getting up for work at 530!

Ughhh.. just needed to vent! Oh yeah.. and always double check to see if you have your ingredients on stock

I have no idea if homemade buttermilk makes a difference over comercial. I suppose it may, but I rather doubt it would change the cake completely. You said you were "positive" you measured everything correctly, but it almost sounds to me like perhaps there wasn't enough sugar? Did you double the rcipe and forget to double your sugar?.....Been there done worse.....! I'm real sorry that happened. I know all too well the torture of mishaps, especially when you're already behind the eightball, as it were. Good luck with the rest of your holliday "adventures" and I hope all turns out perfectly from here on out!!!

when i was a wee little girl, my mother taught me how to bake....
1. get out all of your ingredients
2. after you have added each ingredient, put it away.

this ensures that you have everything you need before you start, and that you have indeed added all the ingredients, AND, when you are done , all you have to do is clean up the mixer bowl...
now, i would like to say this always works, but alas, if you have orange juice as an ingredient out, you go put a load of wash in , come back and same husband has 'had a glass of oj', then you may need to run to the store for more.

Best wishes for trouble free baking next time

My chocolate cake for my cousins graduation overflowed in the pan during baking and then fell apart - the day before grad! I ended up modifing a box mix. I was very dissapointed I couldn't show it off as it was my first extended family cake... it happens.

You can't beat a wasc so I am sure everyone will love it... Valentines is next so that would be the perfect time for the double chocolate, BTW I'm curious - do you think you can share the recipe or link for it? I've got what I think is a killer chocolate cake but I'd love a chance to make it better!

Sweetisome You're right.. I probably didn't measure out everything properly. You can never be too sure.

And Kacialexa.. I should have stuck to the fundamentals of baking! I'm going to return to that method as I did when i was a little girl! We all learn.. and relearn from our mistakes!

And moniquea.. here is the link : http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Double-Chocolate-Layer-Cake-101275

I'm telling you .. it's AMAZING. Absolutely amazing. It makes a pretty big batch as well. I usually do it in 2 10inch pans, or 3 8 inch pans. I hate chocolate cake usually but this cake is to die for.

Awww, Honey, that is TERRIBLE ! When you are tired already, all you need is to have things go HORRIBLY WRONG...... it's a good thing you had a "taster" handy though..... what if you had served it !!

What about the eggs???... or Milk?

That cake is good It was on GMA a while ago. I think they said it was the most googled chocolate cake recipe. If I make chocolate cake it's this one or the fudge brownie cake recipe from Scott Woolley (thanks ceshell for posting that ) I LOVE chocolate cake and both recipes are good, but the 2nd one is more chocolaty , and that can never be bad

I have found that if I bake when I am stressed I always forget something. Most recently I put a cake in the oven without the sugar. Thankfully I decided to lick the beater and realized, so managed to get the cake out of the oven within seconds of going in. So managed to add the sugar and save the cake.

I have soured milk by adding vinegar many times over the years and it works as well as store bought buttermilk. Now, however I keep a can of dry buttermilk in my pantry. It's great to have on hand. Maybe you mis-measured your chocolate or the sugar. I can't tell you how many times I've melted butter in the micro and then totally forgotten to take it out and add it to my recipe. UGH!! As I plan my holiday baking in this probably my most hectic holiday season I pray for a clear mind so I won't botch anything I'm planning to give as gifts. LOL

I ordered the bake and give pans, they're very pretty, from King Arthur Flour last week and will start making my darn good chocolate cakes with dark ganache icing very soon. I have a feeling I'm going to be totally in love with ganache before I'm through. And I already love the stuff!

Happy Baking!!
Carol

Thanks everyone for your input. I'm guessing that I didn't measure the cocoa correctly? Overall it just wasn't chocolaty.. and I mean.. that is a verrryy chocolaty cake! Do you think I should sift the cocoa prior to measuring it? I also sift after.. but I know some recipes call for it to be sifted before, and others after. I usually assume afterward if it doesn't clearly state "Sift then measure"

Hmmm.

I'm so bummed. I am almost scared to make it again! It's a pricey cake and it's killed my confidence in it. Boo

Btw, Happy Holiday's Everyone! And I hope you all don't have any baking disasters.. but maybe a few 'humped' cakes so you can eat plenty of cake scraps.. hehe.

I run a whisk through it before I measure it. I make this cake all the time too and the only thing I can think is maybe you didn't add enough sugar. Or maybe you swapped the amounts of the BS and BP?? I can make this cake without looking at a recipe I've made it so many times.. but I still look to be doubley sure.

Here's to no more mishaps.. nothign sucks more. I made this cake once and it sunk in the middle horrible.. but the re-bake went great and it's been a dear ever since. I have no idea what went wrong to this day.

Oh what a bummer that it didn't turn out Sounds like a delicious recipe looking at it. I can empathize with the finding out you are out of something right in the middle of making it! Ugh I swear I check and double check before I run to the store and then I completely forget something sometimes!

Hope your 2nd cake turned out awesome!