Chocolate Cake

★★★★☆
Prep: 20 mins (est.) Cook: 1h 16m (est.) Serves: 12

Ingredients

  • Cake
  • 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour (414 ml)
  • 2 cups granulated sugar (473 ml)
  • 3/4 cup good quality cocoa powder, such as Valrhona (177 ml)
  • 2 tsp baking soda (9.9 ml)
  • 1 tsp baking powder (4.9 ml)
  • 1 tsp kosher salt (4.9 ml)
  • 1 cup buttermilk, shaken (237 ml)
  • 1 1/2 cups vegetable oil (355 ml)
  • 2 extra-large eggs, at room temperature
  • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract (4.9 ml)
  • 1 cup freshly brewed hot coffee (237 ml)
  • Chocolate Buttercream Frosting
  • 6 ounces good semisweet chocolate, such as Valrhona (170 g)
  • 1 1/2 pounds (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature (680 g)
  • 1 extra-large egg yolk, at room temperature
  • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract (4.9 ml)
  • 1 1/2 cups sifted confectioners' sugar (355 ml)
  • 1 Tbsp instant coffee granules, such as Nescafe (14.8 ml)

Instructions

  1. Make the cake: Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Butter two 8-inch round cake pans. Line with parchment paper, then butter and flour the pans.
  2. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, sift together flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Mix on low speed until combined.
  3. In another bowl, combine buttermilk, oil, eggs, and vanilla. With the mixer on low speed, slowly add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients.
  4. With the mixer still on low, add hot coffee and stir just to combine, scraping the bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Pour the batter evenly into the prepared pans and bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean.
  5. Cool the cakes in the pans for 30 minutes, then turn them out onto a cooling rack and cool completely.
  6. Make the frosting: Chop chocolate and place in a heat-proof bowl set over a pan of simmering water. Stir until just melted and set aside until cooled to room temperature.
  7. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter on medium-high speed until light yellow and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the egg yolk and vanilla and continue beating for 3 minutes.
  8. Turn the mixer to low speed and gradually add confectioners' sugar. Then beat at medium speed, scraping down the bowl as necessary, until smooth and creamy.
  9. Dissolve instant coffee in 2 tsp hot tap water. On low speed, add melted chocolate and coffee mixture to the butter mixture and mix until blended. Do not overmix.
  10. Assemble the cake: Place one cake layer, flat side up, on a serving plate. With a knife or offset spatula, spread a thin layer of frosting on the top only. Place the second layer on top, flat side up, and frost sides, then top of cake.
  11. Cut into wedges and serve at room temperature.
  12. Notes:
  13. For cupcakes, reduce the baking time to 25-30 minutes.
  14. Use good quality semisweet chocolate, such as Valrhona. You can also use bittersweet chocolate, but do not use chocolate chips because they have stabilizers.
Wine Pairing: Medium Red (Pinot Noir) — Pinot Noir
· Family
Cake, Vegetarian