Your Favorite Sturdy Scratch Chocolate Cake

Baking By Tempi Updated 22 Jan 2019 , 8:58pm by -K8memphis

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Tempi Posted 12 Jan 2019 , 8:28pm
post #1 of 15

Please share your favorite 100% scratch made sturdy chocolate cake recipe.  I've tried several and have yet to find one I'm in love with like the white cake recipe I use.  I have a very moist and decadent chocolate cake recipe that I use for cupcakes and basic frosted 2 layer cakes,  but is not at all good for carving and will not stand up under fondant.  Thanks in advance!!!

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-K8memphis Posted 13 Jan 2019 , 9:31pm
post #2 of 15

I haven't made this in a long time -- but I think this might work for you

https://www.thedailymeal.com/recipes/chocolate-fudge-cake-recipe

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Tempi Posted 14 Jan 2019 , 3:59pm
post #3 of 15

Thank you!  It's worth giving a go. 

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Freckles0829 Posted 14 Jan 2019 , 4:31pm
post #4 of 15

I am a fan of this one...https://howtocakeit.com/products/yos-ultimate-chocolate-cake...but I typically use hot coffee instead of hot water because it really amps up the chocolate flavor.

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Tempi Posted 14 Jan 2019 , 7:06pm
post #5 of 15

Thank you Freckles!  Looks great.  Do you really cream the butter & sugar 8 minutes?  I have learned through experience to not stray too far from the recipe if you want the proper end result;  but one recipe that I used had me beat the batter on medium for 4 minutes and then again for 5 minutes.  The cake almost fell like a brick.  It tasted good but was just too dense.  I wondered if that had anything to do with it.

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Freckles0829 Posted 14 Jan 2019 , 7:53pm
post #6 of 15

Yup I do.  I was surprised to see how much lighter and creamier the butter and sugar was compared to what I previously thought creamed butter and sugar looked like (when you only cream it for a couple minutes on high).  Now if it called for me to beat the entire batter for 8 minutes I would be a little wary because that could cause the flour to form elastic-like gluten strands which will lead to a dense cake.

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Tempi Posted 14 Jan 2019 , 8:04pm
post #7 of 15

Yes that makes perfect sense because that is exactly what happened!   I will give this one a shot too!  It's nice to have that go-to recipe for each type of application.  Hopefully one of these will be it.  Thank you both!!

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-K8memphis Posted 14 Jan 2019 , 8:28pm
post #8 of 15

fyi -- the other recipe is toba garrett's

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TheElegantEmerald Posted 17 Jan 2019 , 11:21pm
post #9 of 15

My FAVORITE FAVORITE chocolate cake recipe is from bakedbree.com.  It is a Mexican chocolate cake recipe (which on its own is to die for), but I omit the balsamic, cinnamon, and cayenne to make a normal chocolate cake.  It has never turned out dry and is very sturdy!

Link: https://bakedbree.com/mexican-chocolate-cake-with-mascarpone-frosting

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Tempi Posted 18 Jan 2019 , 6:23pm
post #10 of 15

Thank you all for sharing!  I have no baking obligations this weekend so I'm going to make some trial cakes based on your recipes.

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Tempi Posted 21 Jan 2019 , 6:38pm
post #11 of 15

Hi Freckles...I tried your recipe this weekend because I had all of the ingredients.  It was very moist & delicious but not unlike my regular recipe, it was not very sturdy.   Just curious if you had the same experience or if I may be missing a detail?   I noted that this recipe like the one I use calls for 2 cups of water (mine calls for 1).  I noticed that K8's recipe does not call for water.  Could this be the difference in the recipes and the type of cake that turns out?  K8 I'm going to try yours this week.  I have to get some semi-sweet chocolate to melt.  I was all out!  

Thanks for any and all advice!



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-K8memphis Posted 21 Jan 2019 , 8:19pm
post #12 of 15

tempi -- it's toba garrett's recipe -- she's a world famous decorator -- but yeah I posted it for you blush

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Tempi Posted 21 Jan 2019 , 8:51pm
post #13 of 15

Well, I surely appreciate it.  Thank you!

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Freckles0829 Posted 22 Jan 2019 , 1:30pm
post #14 of 15

I find the cake to be pretty sturdy.  I used it in my Natty Boh beer can cake (in my picture gallery) and that cake was 8 layers of cake (1 inch thick) all covered in fondant and it held up beautifully.  The recipe is from Yolanda Gampp from the You Tube channel How to Cake It and she uses it all the time for all the cakes she creates, both stacked and carved.  Are you looking for more of a pound cake like texture?

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-K8memphis Posted 22 Jan 2019 , 8:58pm
post #15 of 15

I know you said 100% scratch but my favorite sturdier choco cake is cake mix plus melted ice cream pls eggs -- wonderful stuff from the cake mix dr


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