Contest Winning Moist Chocolate Cake Recipes

SANDY'S CHOCOLATE CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°. Grease and flour three 9-in. round baking pans., In a large bowl, cream butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy, 5-7 minutes. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla. In another bowl, whisk flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt; add to creamed mixture alternately with sour cream, beating well after each addition. Stir in water until blended., Transfer to prepared pans. Bake until a toothpick comes out clean, 30-35 minutes. Cool in pans 10 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool completely., For frosting, in a metal bowl over simmering water, melt butter and chocolates; stir until smooth. Cool slightly., In a large bowl, combine confectioners' sugar, sour cream and vanilla. Add chocolate mixture; beat until smooth. Spread frosting between layers and over top and sides of cake. Refrigerate leftovers.

CONTEST-WINNING CHOCOLATE POTATO CAKE

Steps:

• In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add 1 egg at a time, beating well after each addition. Add potatoes and vanilla. Combine the flour, cocoa and baking soda; gradually add to creamed mixture alternately with milk, beating well after each addition. Stir in nuts. , Pour into 2 greased and floured 9-in. round baking pans. Bake at 350° until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 25-30 minutes. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks to cool completely., For icing, in a saucepan over low heat, cook butter and brown sugar until butter is melted and mixture is smooth. Stir in evaporated milk; bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Remove from the heat; cool to room temperature. Stir in confectioners' sugar and vanilla until smooth. Spread between layers and over top of cake.

CONTEST-WINNING MOIST CHOCOLATE CAKE

Steps:

• In a large bowl, combine the first 6 ingredients. Add the eggs, coffee, buttermilk, oil and vanilla; beat on medium speed for 2 minutes (batter will be thin). Pour into a greased and floured 10-in. fluted tube pan., Bake at 350° for 45-50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pan to a wire rack to cool completely. Dust with confectioners' sugar.

MOIST CHOCOLATE CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325°. Sift together dry ingredients in a bowl. Add oil, coffee and milk; mix at medium speed 1 minute. Add eggs and vanilla; beat 2 minutes longer. (Batter will be thin.) , Pour into 2 greased and floured 9-in. round baking pans (or two 8-in. round baking pans and 6 muffin cups). , Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 25-30 minutes. Cool 10 minutes before removing from pans. Cool on wire racks. , Meanwhile, for icing, combine milk and flour in a saucepan; cook until thick. Cover and refrigerate. , In a bowl, beat butter, shortening, sugar and vanilla until creamy. Add chilled milk mixture and beat 10 minutes. Frost cooled cake. If desired, dust with additional cocoa.

AWARD-WINNING CHOCOLATE CAKE RECIPE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
• Arrange rack in center of oven. Butter the bottom and sides of a 9 by 2-inch round cake pan and line the bottom with parchment paper.
• Melt butter and semisweet chocolate chips over double boiler until smooth; cool slightly. Meanwhile, with a hand mixer or in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whip attachment, whip eggs and salt on medium speed until doubled in volume, about 5 minutes.
• Gently fold, in thirds, whipped eggs into melted chocolate.
• Pour batter into prepared cake pan and place pan in water bath. Bake until the cake pulls away from the sides of the pan and is set in the center, about 40 minutes. Remove pan from water bath to a cooling rack and cool cake completely in pan. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.
• To remove cake, dip the bottom and halfway up the sides of the pan in warm water and run a thin metal spatula around the inside of the pan. Invert onto a plate to unmold, remove parchment paper.
• To prepare ganache, bring heavy cream to a simmer and pour over milk chocolate chips. Stir gently until smooth; cool slightly.
• Pour ganache over top of cake and spread with an offset spatula to evenly cover. (There will be some ganache leftover.).
• Chill cake until ganache sets, about 30 minutes. To garnish, use vegetable peeler or grater to grate white chocolate bar into curls or shavings onto top of cake.
• * Note: It's recommended that the cake be refrigerated overnight before frosting.