Special Chocolate Cake Recipes

SPECIAL-OCCASION CHOCOLATE CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°. In a small bowl, combine cocoa and water; set aside to cool completely. In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy, 5-7 minutes. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla. Whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt; add to creamed mixture alternately with cocoa mixture, beating well after each addition. , Pour into three greased and floured 9-in. round baking pans. Bake 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 ganache, place chocolate in a bowl. In a small heavy saucepan over low heat, bring cream and sugar to a boil. Pour over chocolate; whisk gently until smooth. Allow to cool until it reaches a spreadable consistency, stirring occasionally., For frosting, in a large bowl, beat butter until fluffy. Add the confectioners' sugar, cocoa, milk and vanilla; beat until smooth., Place 1 cake layer on a serving plate; spread with 1 cup frosting. Top with second layer and 1 cup ganache; sprinkle with 1/2 cup almonds. Top with third layer; frost top and sides of cake. Warm ganache until pourable; pour over cake, allowing some to drape down the sides. Sprinkle with remaining almonds. Refrigerate until serving.

SPECIAL CHOCOLATE CAKE I

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Combine and sift together 2 cups flour, 2 cups sugar, cocoa, salt, baking soda and baking powder. In a small bowl, blend together eggs, oil, 1 cup milk and 1 teaspoon vanilla; combine with dry ingredients. Mix thoroughly and then stir in one cup cold coffee (may use instant coffee). Batter will be very thin but it bakes into a rich, dark, moist cake.
• Pour into a greased 9 x 13 inch pan. Bake for about 40 minutes.
• To Make Whipped Cream Frosting: Combine 1/4 cup flour and 1 cup milk, adding milk slowly and beating until smooth. Set over moderate heat and stir constantly until thickened. Set aside to chill completely. Combine 1 1/2 cups confectioners sugar with 1/2 cup butter and 1/2 cup shortening beating until light and fluffy; stir in well cooled flour-milk mixture and beat at high speed until thick and creamy. Add 1 teaspoon vanilla and beat until thoroughly combined. Spread frosting over cooled cake. Enjoy!

GRANDPOP'S SPECIAL CHOCOLATE CAKE

Steps:

• In a large bowl, sift together flour, sugar, cocoa, baking powder, soda, and salt.
• Add oil, milk, vanilla, coffee, and eggs; beat well. Batter will be thin. Pour into two 9 inch greased and floured round pans.
• Bake at 325 degrees F (165 degrees C) for 25 minutes, or when top springs back when done. Cool layers on wire racks.

BUMPY CAKE

Steps:

• For the cake: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 9-by-13-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
• Whisk the cocoa powder and instant espresso in a large bowl. Pour in the vegetable oil, water, milk and vanilla extract and whisk until smooth. Add the baking soda, baking powder, salt and eggs and whisk until smooth. Whisk in the granulated sugar until well combined. Fold in the flour until smooth. Pour the batter into the prepared baking dish. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out with just a few crumbs, 33 to 35 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely in the dish, about 1 hour. Freeze until hardened, about 1 hour.
• For the buttercream: Meanwhile, fit a piping bag with a 1/2-inch round tip. Combine the sugar, butter and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or in a large bowl if using a handheld mixer). Mix on low speed until mostly incorporated. Add the vanilla, increase the speed to medium high and mix until smooth and thick but pliable. Adjust the consistency if needed by mixing in the milk. Transfer the buttercream to the piping bag. If the buttercream has become too soft and warm, refrigerate until chilled, about 10 minutes.
• With a short side of the cake dish facing you, pipe 7 rows of buttercream crosswise on the cake 1 to 1 1/2 inches apart. Return the cake to the freezer until the buttercream is very cold, about 30 minutes.
• For the fudge frosting: Whisk the confectioners' sugar, buttermilk and vanilla in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the cocoa powder, corn syrup and salt and bring to a boil, whisking constantly. Fit the saucepan with a candy thermometer, reduce the heat to medium low and cook until the mixture reaches 240 degrees F. Remove the saucepan from the heat and add the butter a few pieces at a time, whisking constantly, until the frosting is smooth. Let cool slightly, about 10 minutes.
• Pour half of the fudge frosting over the buttercream rows, tilting the dish slightly so that the entire surface is covered and the fudge drips down the sides of the cake. Return the dish to the freezer until the fudge hardens, about 10 minutes. Repeat frosting with the remaining fudge and refrigerate the cake for 20 minutes to let the fudge harden before serving. Be sure to use a sharp knife to cut the cake; the fudge is sticky, especially around the edges of the cake. The cake can be stored, covered, in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.

CHOCOLATETOWN SPECIAL CAKE (CHOCOLATE CAKE)

Steps:

• In small bowl combine cocoa and boiling water, set aside. Heat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Grease and flour 2 9-inch round pans. (Don't use 8-inch pans or they will overflow!).
• Cream shortening, sugar, and vanilla until light and fluffy.
• Add eggs, beat well.
• Combine flour, baking soda and salt; add alternately with buttermilk to creamed mixture. Blend in cocoa mixture. Pour into prepared pans.
• Bake for 35-40 minutes or until they test done. Cool and frost with a icing of your choice.