Chocolate Cake Express Recipes

CHOCOLATE ESPRESSO CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°. Coat a 9-in. round baking pan with cooking spray; dust with cocoa, tapping out extra., In a large bowl, beat eggs, egg whites, buttermilk, coffee, oil and vanilla until well blended. In another bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt; gradually beat into egg mixture. Transfer to prepared pan., Bake until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, 15-20 minutes. Cool 10 minutes before removing from pan to a wire rack. Cool completely., In a large saucepan, combine cherry juice, wine, dried cherries, honey and salt; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, until liquid is reduced by half, about 10 minutes. Stir in halved cherries; cook 2 minutes., Mix cornstarch and water until smooth; stir into cherry mixture. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly; cook and stir until thickened, 1-2 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in extract. Cool. Serve cake with cherry sauce and whipped cream.

ESPRESSO CHOCOLATE CAKE

Steps:

• For the cake: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter and flour three 8-inch round cake pans, then line with parchment paper and butter the parchment. Set aside.
• Using an electric mixer, beat together the brown sugar and butter in a mixing bowl. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition, then beat on high speed until light and fluffy.
• In a small bowl, combine the instant espresso with just enough water to make a paste (approximately 1/4 cup); stir until the espresso has dissolved. Combine the flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt in a large bowl.
• Turn the mixer to low speed and add the flour mixture in parts, alternating with the sour cream. Mix in the dissolved espresso. Stir in 1 cup boiling water until just blended. Divide the batter among the prepared pans and bake until a tester inserted in the middle comes out clean, about 35 minutes. Let the cakes cool in the pans for 15 minutes, then turn them out onto racks and allow to cool completely.
• For the vanilla buttercream: Beat the butter and shortening with an electric mixer until fluffy, then slowly add the vanilla. Add in the confectioners' sugar 1 cup at a time, then turn the mixer to medium-high speed and beat for 5 minutes more.
• To assemble: Level off the top of each cake layer with a serrated knife. Smear about 1 tablespoon buttercream on a cake plate to help secure the cake, then top with one of the cake layers. Add approximately 1 cup buttercream and spread it evenly around the top. Add a second cake layer and another cup of buttercream, again spreading all around to cover the top of the cake. Add the final cake layer. Working with small amounts of buttercream, cover the sides and top of the cake. Add interesting patterns with buttercream combs, or texture the outer part with a spatula. Serve immediately or cover to keep fresh.

CHOCOLATE CAKE EXPRESS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 190 C / 375°F.
• Grease and flour a 20 cm cake tin.
• Combine the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, bicarbonate of soda and salt.
• Make a well in the centre of the mixture, and add the vanilla essence, vinegar and oil, then gradually stir in the water.
• Continue stirring until thoroughly blended, but do not over-mix.
• Pour all of the batter into the cake tin, and bake, uncovered, for 35 to 40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the centre of the cake, comes out clean.
• Do not over bake, the secret to this cake is its moistness.
• Cool in the tin on a wire rack for 10 minutes, then transfer the cake from the tin to the rack, to cool completely.
• Sift the icing sugar over the top, and serve.

CHOCOLATE LAYER CAKE WITH SWISS BUTTERCREAM AND GANACHE

Steps:

• Make the cake: Preheat the oven to 350˚ F. Butter and flour two 9-inch round cake pans and line the bottoms with parchment paper. Put the cocoa powder and chocolate in a medium bowl. Add the boiling water and whisk until the chocolate is melted. Whisk in the sour cream until smooth; let cool to room temperature.
• Whisk the flour, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl; set aside. Beat the butter, granulated sugar and brown sugar in a large bowl with a mixer on medium-high speed until fluffy, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, then the vanilla, beating well after each addition. Reduce the mixer speed to low. Beat in the flour mixture in 3 additions, alternating with the cocoa mixture in 2 additions. Finish mixing gently with a rubber spatula, scraping the bottom and sides of the bowl.
• Divide the batter evenly between the cake pans. Tap the pans against the counter to eliminate any air bubbles. Bake until the cakes spring back in the center when gently pressed, 35 to 40 minutes. Let the cakes cool in the pans for 10 minutes, then run an offset spatula around the edges and turn out the cakes onto a rack to cool completely. Remove the parchment.
• Make the frosting: Bring a few inches of water to a simmer in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Whisk the egg whites, granulated sugar and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer. Set the bowl over the saucepan (do not let the bottom of the bowl touch the water); cook, whisking, until the sugar dissolves, the egg whites are frothy and the mixture is warm, 3 to 5 minutes.
• Transfer the bowl to the stand mixer and beat with the whisk attachment on medium-high speed until stiff glossy peaks form and the mixture cools to room temperature, about 5 minutes. With the mixer running, add the butter a few pieces at a time, waiting for them to incorporate before adding more. (The mixture will become liquidy, then it will get thick and shiny once the butter emulsifies. It may also look curdled as you add the butter. It's OK: Keep adding butter and beating.) Add the vanilla and beat until combined and fluffy, 3 to 5 more minutes.
• Cut each cake in half horizontally to create 4 layers. Place 1 layer on a cake stand or serving plate. Spread about 2/3 cup frosting on top, then repeat with the remaining cake layers, spreading more frosting in between them. Spread a thin layer of frosting on the top and sides of the cake (this is the crumb coat - it doesn't have to be perfect), then refrigerate until the frosting sets, about 30 minutes. Spread the remaining frosting all over the top and sides of the cake, smoothing it with a bench scraper.
• Make the ganache: Heat the heavy cream in a saucepan over medium-high heat until steaming, then pour over the chocolate in a small heatproof bowl. Let sit for 5 minutes, then stir until smooth. Set aside until cool but still pourable, 20 to 40 minutes (the time will vary depending on the temperature and bowl). Pour the ganache on top of the cake and spread with a small offset spatula, letting it drip down the sides. Let the ganache set 20 to 30 minutes before slicing.

ELIZABETH'S EXTREME CHOCOLATE LOVER'S CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour two 9-inch pans. Sift together the flour, baking soda and salt. Set aside. In the top of a double boiler, heat 6 ounces chocolate, stirring occasionally, until chocolate is melted and smooth. Remove from heat and allow to cool to lukewarm.
• In a large bowl, cream together the butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then stir in 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla. Stir in the melted chocolate. Beat in the flour mixture alternately with the sour cream. Stir in boiling water (batter will be thin). Pour batter into prepared pans.
• Bake in the preheated oven for 35 to 40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Let cool in pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack and cool completely.
• Make the Chocolate Buttercream Frosting: In the top of a double boiler, heat 6 ounces chocolate, stirring occasionally, until chocolate is melted and smooth. Remove from heat and allow to cool to lukewarm. In a large bowl, whip the butter for about 10 minutes until it is super fluffy, beat in egg yolk. Gradually blend in the confectioners' sugar, alternating with 2 tablespoons vanilla and 2 tablespoons cream, then blend in the melted chocolate. Beat in the softened cream cheese.
• Make the Ganache: In a large saucepan, combine chocolate chips and 1 cup heavy cream. Heat, stirring constantly, until chocolate is melted and smooth. Remove from heat and set aside.
• Assemble the cake: When cake is completely cooled, cover the bottom cake layer with as much ganache as desired. Refrigerate for 5 minutes, or until ganache has set. Spread frosting over the ganache. Cover with top layer of cake. Frost top and sides with buttercream, and garnish with more ganache.