? For Scratch Bakers Re: Chocolate Cake Recipe Preferences

Decorating By confectionsofahousewife Updated 14 Apr 2011 , 7:36pm by LindaF144a

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confectionsofahousewife Posted 12 Aug 2010 , 2:19am
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Quote:
Originally Posted by LorienSkye

I just wanted to chime in on this because I truly believe I have an exceptional scratch chocolate recipe. I've posted it here before and others have chimed in that they love it as well. It is EXTREMELY similar to the Hershey's recipe that others here have commented on:

Divine Dark Chocolate Cake:

1 3/4 c Flour
3/4 c. Hershey's Special Dark Cocoa
1 c Granulated Sugar
1 c Brown Sugar
1 1/2 T. Baking Powder
1 1/2 T. Baking Soda
1 t. Salt
2 eggs
1 1/4 c. Buttermilk
1/4 c. Vegetable Oil
1 T. Vanilla Extract
1 c. HOT Dark coffee (The darker the coffee, the more rich the chocolate flavor is what I have found)

Bake at 350 for 35 minutes for two 8" rounds. I nearly always double this recipe as it doesn't quite get two 2" layers (they generally come up a little short). This cake is everything it should be- rich chocolate taste, dense enough for carving and stacking, and super moist. My most popular flavor.

~Skye




I'll definitely try this one too. I've been meaning to try adding brown sugar to a chocolate cake recipe to see how it went. In my mind it would give a really nice flavor! This one seems very similar also to the epicurious recipe although at first glance the ratios of ingredients are a little different. Lorien I think you were the one that turned me on to the scratch white cake recipe that I use and love!

Oddly, after all this complaining, I carved my atv cake this afternoon and it went fairly well. The cake was definitely sticking to my fingers and knife but as long as I dipped it in hot water frequently it did okay. It woudl have been difficult to carve any really fine details. Then I took the cake scraps over to my in laws house for dinner and realized how much people really do love that recipe! And its such a dark color, it looks great next to white buttercream.

The only other thing I want to know about regarding the epicurious recipe is does it sink in the middle for the rest of you? It does for me which results in shorter layers because i have to level below the center dip.

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crobbins18 Posted 12 Aug 2010 , 2:27am
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Maria925

For those that sub coffee for the water...does it give the cake a coffee flavor at all or just enhance the chocolate? I'm just curious as I've never tried this.




It enhances the flavor of the cocoa...I could not taste the coffee...but the chocolaty taste was fantastic :O)

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JaeRodriguez Posted 12 Aug 2010 , 2:27am
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Maria I can tell you from experience the coffee just enhances the chocolate flavor you can't taste it in the epicurious recipe!

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revel Posted 12 Aug 2010 , 2:34am
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This is the recipe i use its very good! And good for carving!

For cake layers:
13/4 cups unsweetened cocoa powder (not Dutch-process)
13/4 cups boiling water
4 ounces fine-quality bittersweet chocolate (not unsweetened), chopped
one 8-ounce container sour cream
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon vanilla
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
3 3/4 sticks (1 3/4 cups plus 2 tablespoons) unsalted butter, softened
1 3/4 cups granulated sugar
3/4 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
5 large eggs

Make cake layers:
Preheat oven to 350° F. and line 2 buttered 7- by 2-inch round cake pans and 2 buttered 9- by 2-inch round cake pans with rounds of wax paper. Butter paper and dust pans with flour, knocking out excess.

Put cocoa powder in a bowl and whisk in boiling water in a stream until smooth. Stir in chopped chocolate and let stand 5 minutes. Stir mixture until smooth and chocolate is melted and cool mixture. Whisk in sour cream and vanilla.

Into a bowl sift together flour, baking soda, and salt. In large bowl of a standing electric mixer beat together butter and sugars until light and fluffy and add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition and scraping down side of bowl. Reduce speed to low and add flour mixture and cocoa mixture alternately in batches, beginning and ending with flour mixture and beating until batter is combined well.

Pour 2 cups batter into each 7-inch pan and smooth tops. Divide remaining batter between 9-inch pans (about 33/4 cups each) and smooth tops. In middle and lower thirds of oven arrange one 9-inch layer and one 7-inch layer on each rack, putting 7-inch layers in front part of oven. Bake 7-inch layers 25 to 30 minutes and 9-inch layers 35 to 40 minutes, or until a tester comes out with crumbs adhering. Run a thin knife around edges of pans and invert cakes onto racks. Peel off paper and cool cakes completely. Cake layers may be made 2 days ahead and kept at cool room temperature, wrapped well in plastic wrap, or 2 weeks ahead and frozen, wrapped well in plastic wrap and foil. Defrost cake layers (without unwrapping) at room temperature.

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Maria925 Posted 12 Aug 2010 , 2:34am
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Thanks...I will have to try the coffee. I've been using a Martha Stewart Devil's Food recipe (slightly altered) and it is very good chocolate cake, & moist, but it could use a little "kick" icon_smile.gif

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JaeRodriguez Posted 12 Aug 2010 , 2:34am
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Confections it doesn't sink in the middle for me that's weird! I agree about the color being great! It's a beautiful color cake!

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confectionsofahousewife Posted 12 Aug 2010 , 1:05pm
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Yeah i don't know why mine sink in the middle. Linda?
Revel, that sounds like a great recipe too! I want to try it. Chocolate cake anyone?

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Bskinne Posted 12 Aug 2010 , 1:23pm
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LindaF144a Posted 12 Aug 2010 , 1:33pm
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Quote:
Originally Posted by LorienSkye

JaeRodriguez-
Sorry I didn't mention that. It's a "throw it all in the bowl and turn on the paddle" type of recipe. That's probably why I love it so much- I can't seem to mess it up! I will mention, this batter is extremey runny. You will definitely think you added too much of something, but I promise it will rise beautifully. Happy Baking!




Even better! I think I need to make some today! But I just put myself on a baking diet for 5 lbs. I have better get running this morning so I can bake sooner!

Cindy -

I have put coffee in cake. It doesn't overpower it, just enhances the chocolate flavor. I also think it depends on the coffee used. Once I used a strong coffee and then made it stronger than usual to get a very strong coffee. You could subtly taste the coffee flavor. If I had used the coffee I drink, which is milder, than the one my DH drinks I don't think I would have detected a coffee taste at all. Another time I used some instant coffee from Starbucks and didn't notice a coffee taste at all. I have bought some flavored coffee to try next time and see if I get that flavor into the chocolate cake.

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Motorhead Posted 12 Aug 2010 , 1:38pm
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my go to chocolate cake (especially for carving!!) is a chocolate guiness cake. i will post the recepie as soon as i get home tonight. it has a beautiful texture and taste, it's perfect for carving. it's what i used for my guitar cake and my ukrainian cake! But i would be interested in trying the Hershy's recipe! thumbs_up.gif

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LindaF144a Posted 12 Aug 2010 , 1:46pm
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Quote:
Originally Posted by confectionsofahousewife

Yeah i don't know why mine sink in the middle. Linda?
Revel, that sounds like a great recipe too! I want to try it. Chocolate cake anyone?




I sunken cake or cupcake is the most disheartening thing for me. Seriously, it can ruin my whole day if that happens. I usually have to make another batch right away to lift my spirits. You think this is crazy, try being one my kids or hubby! icon_wink.gif

Usually there are two reasons why I get something sunken. Too much sugar in the recipe, or underbaked. I always make sure the sugar matches the flour in weight. However, if you have enough structure built in with eggs or use hi-ratio shortening in a cake, you can go higher in the sugar/flour ratio. I don't use hi-ratio shortening because I can't get it locally. Cakelove uses almost 200% sugar to flour but he has a nice structure built with the eggs. His butter cakes are dense also.

I have not made this cake recipe you mention. But two things stick out. The sugar/flour ratio is higher. It is made with oil and you are supposed to be able to use a higher sugar/flour ratio with oil. Oil is an emulsifier. But it also uses semisweet chocolate which is also sweetened and there is sugar in that also.

So:
1. Back off on the sugar a bit? Not too sure how much, it will be trial and error. Maybe 1/3.

OR

2. Use unsweetened melted chocolate and see if that makes a difference.

3. The way it is put together is different than your traditional creaming method or the two stage method. Make sure you really get the eggs beaten well to that thickened stage.

There are two things you experiment with and try.

First try putting the sugar and eggs together and beating them till they are nice and creamy and expanded. About 3 - 5 minutes ish. This is done in some brownie recipes and it makes a cake like brownie. I use this method to make a half moon cooking recipe that MIL gave me and I get a fluffier cookie.

Secondly there was another poster who had a problem with sunken cake in her recipe. I don't remember her name. But she said one day she accidentally forget to put in the sugar so having nothing to lose she put in last after everything else was done, just mixed it in by hand and her cakes stop sinking in the middle. Now she does for all her cakes. What the heck, try that and see what happens.

May you never have a sunken cake, and know that I feel your pain! thumbs_up.gif

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LindaF144a Posted 12 Aug 2010 , 1:54pm
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I forgot to mention there is a high amount of liquid also. This could be causing the sunken middle issue also. 3 cups of combined liquid with the coffee and buttermilk or 25.5 ounces. You could try and take out about 4 ounces and see if that helps. Btween that and the eggs the total weight is 30.75 ounces. As long as you keep the total liquid to match the weight of the sugar, you can change that out. The weight of the sugar is 21 ounces.

I read somewhere that the bigger the cake pan the less liquid you need. And I have found this to be true in my personal experience. So keep that in mind when choosing a pan size for the recipe.

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Motorhead Posted 12 Aug 2010 , 2:37pm
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Cake
  2 cups stout (such as Guinness)
  2 cups (4 sticks) unsalted butter
  1 1/2 cups unsweetened cocoa powder (preferably Dutch-process)
  4 cups all purpose flour
  4 cups sugar
  1 tablespoon baking soda
  1 1/2 teaspoons salt
  4 large eggs
  1 1/3 cups sour cream
Icing
  2 cups whipping cream
  1 pound bittersweet (not unsweetened) or semisweet chocolate, chopped
Preparation
For cake:
Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter three 8-inch round cake pans with 2-inch-high sides. Line with parchment paper. Butter paper. Bring 2 cups stout and 2 cups butter to simmer in heavy large saucepan over medium heat. Add cocoa powder and whisk until mixture is smooth. Cool slightly.
Whisk flour, sugar, baking soda, and 1 1/2 teaspoons salt in large bowl to blend. Using electric mixer, beat eggs and sour cream in another large bowl to blend. Add stout-chocolate mixture to egg mixture and beat just to combine. Add flour mixture and beat briefly on slow speed. Using rubber spatula, fold batter until completely combined. Divide batter equally among prepared pans. Bake cakes until tester inserted into center of cakes comes out clean, about 35 minutes. Transfer cakes to rack; cool 10 minutes. Turn cakes out onto rack and cool completely.

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JaeRodriguez Posted 12 Aug 2010 , 4:26pm
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Oh, what am I going to do! People stop posting these amazing recipes before I have 10 chocolate cakes on my hands with nibbles out of all of them! :]]]

I don't know which one to try first! I guess I'll stick with Skye's because I am a sucker for brown sugar! :]

Linda, maybe the high level of liquid in the cake makes it sticky too? And if you make one of these, post results for us! I would be making mine right now but I've got to wait until the babies wake up and go to the grocery store! :]

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LindaF144a Posted 12 Aug 2010 , 4:37pm
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Quote:
Originally Posted by JaeRodriguez

Oh, what am I going to do! People stop posting these amazing recipes before I have 10 chocolate cakes on my hands with nibbles out of all of them! :]]]

I don't know which one to try first! I guess I'll stick with Skye's because I am a sucker for brown sugar! :]

Linda, maybe the high level of liquid in the cake makes it sticky too? And if you make one of these, post results for us! I would be making mine right now but I've got to wait until the babies wake up and go to the grocery store! :]




I don't have an answer for this.

The only time I get sticky cake tops is when I store them before frosting and cover them somehow - either in a container or saran wrap. But I figure I'm going to frost it so no one will know.

Do you mean after it comes out of the oven and is cooling? I have no experience with that part. Sorry.

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confectionsofahousewife Posted 12 Aug 2010 , 6:03pm
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Linda you are a wealth of knowledge! I truly wish you lived closer so we could get together and experiment. I too have wondered about the excess liquid in the recipe. It is super runny but I thought maybe all chocolate cakes are that way. I have tried using unsweetend chocolate vs. semisweet (purely because that was what I had on hand) and I didn't find a noticeable difference. You mentioned pan size which reminded me that when I baked the other day I got a better dome and not as much sinking from the two 9x13s that I baked vs. the 6 and 8 inch rounds. Not sure what that means. Maybe I'll try baking it longer. I do have trouble telling when its done. It will spring back nicely on the edges but still seem a little sticky when I test it in the center with a toothpick.
Motorhead- I love guinness chocolate cake. I actually use that epicurious recipe that I posted and just substitute 1.5c guinnes for the coffee. It doesn't change the flavor much but just enough to make a difference.

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JaeRodriguez Posted 12 Aug 2010 , 6:18pm
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I mean how wet the cake seems, gummy, goopy, sticky. icon_razz.gif When you try to torte it sticks to your hands and sometimes smears on the knife! Lol I know that this sounds disgusting but once the cake is iced and ganached it's amazing! :] Fudgy is the word I would use!

Confections, my toothpick never comes out "clean" with this cake either, I've only made it in the 8 and 9 inch pans.

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LindaF144a Posted 12 Aug 2010 , 6:26pm
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I'm trying to remember where I read this. When I find it I'll post the name of the book.

Actually you should get different results if it is a smaller pan. You need more liquid in a smaller pan than a larger pan. So you should get worst results with the 9 x 13 than the smaller rounds.

This is interesting. You are going to make where I am going to have to make this cake, aren't you? My instincts tell me I am going to want to change the process of how it is mixed. But I'll try and stick to the letter of the recipe for the first go around. How does a 9" round sound. I bought some new pans I have been wanting to try.

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LindaF144a Posted 12 Aug 2010 , 6:29pm
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I just saw that the recipe calls for 2 10" round pans. I'll have to check and see if I have that size. I've been wanting to buy that size, I just can't remember what is in the stash anymore!

Has anybody used it in 10" pans?

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confectionsofahousewife Posted 12 Aug 2010 , 8:17pm
post #51 of 281
Quote:
Originally Posted by LindaF144


Actually you should get different results if it is a smaller pan. You need more liquid in a smaller pan than a larger pan. So you should get worst results with the 9 x 13 than the smaller rounds.




I know! I expected more sinking in the 9x13 but nope. Go figure. I don't know if I could get two 10 inch rounds out of this. Maybe two nines. Its a little too much for two eights (found that out the hard way when the pans overflowed in the oven!). One recipe was perfect for a 9x13 though. I hope you try it Linda, I'd be very curious about your thoughts!

JaeRodriguez, fudgy is the exact word! It does smear on the knife too. I had that problem when I carved the cake yesterday. The toothpick not coming out clean is exactly why I have such a problem knowing when its done. It always bakes for at least an hour.

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cakegroove Posted 12 Aug 2010 , 8:35pm
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(said while pounding fists on table): HERSHEY! HERSHEY! HERSHEY!

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LindaF144a Posted 12 Aug 2010 , 8:39pm
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Quote:
Originally Posted by cakegroove

(said while pounding fists on table): HERSHEY! HERSHEY! HERSHEY!




What about it? icon_wink.gif

Seriously, my son lives near Hershey park. We went to Chocolate World and bought all sorts of goodies, including some Hershey baking chocolate and some Sherfer-Berger or whatever it's called.

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julzs71 Posted 12 Aug 2010 , 8:41pm
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the guiness cake recipe before is truly an awesome cake.
I dont like the hershey one. It's too fluffy and not chocolaty enough or rich. Something. It's not horrible.

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cakegroove Posted 12 Aug 2010 , 8:43pm
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My Hershey cakes are pretty dense and the icing is very fudgey...? Dunno...my interest is peaked on several other alternatives though...I have a 14 day break from cakes. I might squeeze a couple of them in for sampling icon_smile.gif

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JaeRodriguez Posted 13 Aug 2010 , 1:56am
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Linda, PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE try this recipe! :]]

It's an amazing cake but if you do try it, you'll see what we're talking about I think, once you're torting especially. Sticky, gummy cake! haha

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JaeRodriguez Posted 13 Aug 2010 , 2:00am
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confections- everytime I make the cake I am thinking "did I bake it this long last time!?!"

Maybe Linda will make it and help us tweak it! hehe

ok guys, so I figure what I love about it is the fudgy VERY chocolate taste, and if the Hershey's isn't a death by chocolate cake it wont work for me!

Skye, if you're still reading is yours like this? maybe I'll try the guiness sub coffee... arg I don't know!

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LorienSkye Posted 13 Aug 2010 , 6:26am
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LOL @ JaeRodriquez......

The recipe I use is extreeeemely chocolatey. I love the Hershey's special dark cocoa and using a really good quality dark coffee. I think it just really kicks the rich indulgent chocolate taste up a couple of notches. Truly, though, just experiment to find what suits your tastes best!

The recipe I posted is the perfect base cake for a german chocolate cake. Another combo that is my #1 customer favorite is this cake paired with cookies and cream filling. I've also been wanting to experiment with this recipe and flavored liquer filling, but the area of Alaska where I live is a totally dry community, so I'll have to wait until I go into Anchorage and can pick up a bottle of Frangelico, Grand Marnier, Amaretto......Mmmmmm.

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JaeRodriguez Posted 13 Aug 2010 , 11:56am
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Ok Skye, you just sold me! icon_smile.gif

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JaeRodriguez Posted 13 Aug 2010 , 11:59am
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Is that cake flour or AP? And does the type of brown sugar matter?

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