Thanks. I wish Id never made it because I CRAVE it and Im not pregnant. This will be my go to recipe from now on. I riffed off your frosting to make rocky road frosting by adding mini marshmallows and chopped toasted pecans. Does it take longer to eat as little squares or should I just do my usual with your cakes and pies and scoff the lot at a sitting. Thanks and happy early Mothers Day to you! 1/2 cup (4 ounces or 115 grams) unsalted butter, at room temperature As it should be.). The first time I did it, I gave you a were not worthy bow b/c I had been stuck in a Swiss Meringue Buttercream nightmare. Perfect size cake for two people. Recipes. Tonight! This is what makes you, YOU!! Ive made this version and the red wine version and both are moist and perfectly chocolatey delightfully eat-em-up good! Alexandra You probably can, but I think youll be surprised at how not terribly sweet this cake is, despite the seemingly large amount. ug that looks amazing!! Try it again and see if it succeeds this time! Maybe its not as pretty but it worked really well- maybe this is helpful to someone with the same dilemma. Required fields are marked *. Stephanie, if you cut up your butter into little pieces and let it sit while you measure out your dry ingredients it will often soften up even more. Thanks. What a treat for a weeknight! its very hot here today so unfortunately i had to refrigerate it, much to the detriment of the cake. Hi I am trying to figure out how to adapt this to fit a 10.5 inch cake pan. Jennie. A combination of too much flour, too little cocoa and too much heat or time in the oven will certainly dry out baked goods. Id use flour or cornstarch instead of cocoa (or half of each) and white instead of brown sugar. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Spray a 9 by 2-inch spring form pan with nonstick spray. Find that I need to let the butter milk warm bit at room temperature or it hardens the butter when mixed in and makes it lumpy. Especially because I could make it and then end up suddenly repulsed by it. I dont even like frosting but Im drooling at the sight of yours! And Im a sucker for any cake with those confetti sprinkles on it. I also recently had a strawberry buttercream that was delicious; I suspect they just took a quick vanilla buttercream and beat in a spoonful or two of strawberry jam. To make the soft gooey layer, in a small bowl, whisk together the corn syrup or golden syrup with the milk or cream, and vanilla. So good though for such a quick cake! And I have a prediction,,,you will be having a girl!! Just did it in a 913 and working on the frosting now! :) Do you have a suggestion which of your fabulous chocolate cakes might best survive the two-day mailing across country? Thank you! Would the cake be able to take the weight of the ganache? It actually tasted like chocolate, unlike most bakery cakes that just taste brown. ), I decided to make this cake instead! The chocolate cake by which all other chocolate cakes are judged. i love your blog thank you for posting & for all the inspirations! You want to make sure this gets really blended/whipped, so youll probably want to scrape down the bowl and blade a lot. Love the photos of this oneI can smell it and taste it! ahh, you just need to adjust it this way: the speckling is a *feature* rather than a detriment. This resulted in thick, tall slices of cake with still a substantial but not ridiculous amount of insanely rich frosting. Plus, if its sitting under frosting the whole time, the frosting will slowly soak into the cake. Thank you! Thanks! @Anna #216, I had to bake mine almost 20 extra minutes even though my thermometer read 360*F. I did use an 8 round instead of square, and it was nonstick. Cake was good too, even though Im not a die hard chocolate lover. I made this in two 6 rounds and it was a perfect little layer cake. It came out and was amazingly not burnt (I suspect my oven is a bit underpowered.) And the frosting is superb and so quick. I wonder if you weighed your dry ingredients? I added on at least another 5 minutes, and maybe more, for the baking time. Aprx. I love the ratio of frosting to cake in this, and that it still manages to not be too sweet. Or maybe get one of these? I dont like a lot of icing on my cake. :D. I did swap the buttermilk for full-fat yogurt and then also added coffee (2 tablespoon of instant coffee mixed with 4 tablespoons of hot water), whose liquid was intended to replace some the liquid from the buttermilk. Score!). And as the cake was baking in the oven, I discovered I did not have any unsweetened chocolate. I saw the title and that you started yours really late in the day too. Made with a shot of espresso (double strength). I ended up with lots of frosting left over (I should have just made a smaller batch, I knew I didnt want a thick layer) but my biggest issue was that I ended up adding an additional 8-10 minutes to the baking time. It was delicious. Way thicker than any buttercream Ive ever made before. I asked him if we wanted to make the small cake or double it for leftovers and he looked at me like I had 2 heads. INCREDIBLE cake! Weiser bakes with salted butter, "to balance the sweetness and add a salty, savory note." With a bit of sweet and salty, crunchy and chewy in every bite, it's one harmonious cookie. After seeing your video, besides wondering if you could be any more adorable, Im curious if this could be baked in a 99 metal pan? There is a Pin icon at the bottom of each recipe, where it says DO MORE: It will allow you to Pin just that post/recipe. i always leave some out in case of a sudden urge or need to bake or for bread buttering needs, and while its not fridge hard, it is not at all baking soft/room temp. Thank you!! I made this with Hersheys Special Dark Cocoa (they say this is a blend of natural and Dutched cocoas) and it turned out great! Really happy to find a chocolate cake recipe thats not overwhelmed by so much sugar. Thank you; I know its TONS of work. You can also bake it as a lovely loaf. But yes, you can always eat the frosting by itself! Thanks for taking time out to respond so quickly, Deb! Thanks Deb!!! Just so happens I made the everyday chocolate cake in the loaf pan over the weekend for my dads birthday. Hi- Do you think whole wheat pastry flour would work in this recipe? Thank you for the laughs and the chocolate as I wrap up my hell week! I only made the frosting part, but had to comment because it was fantastic and easy. Thanks for sharing! I dont know if thats an issue with my oven (soon to be replaced) or the el cheapo disposable foil cake pan I was using (all the cake pans are of course in a storage box somewhere), but after the intitial 18 minutes, the batter was barely set around the edges; after five more minutes the center was still jiggling like a perfect custard pie; after five *more* minutes it had finally started to puff up and the surface was dry, but the center was still goopy when I tested it. My BFF still uses one, and I find it charming. Just made this and cant wait to dig in! I was going to pick something more complicated, but it is great I did not because: Red wine chocolate cake, mocha chocolate cake: You could replace the buttermilk in full with yogurt or sour cream thinned with a little milk or water, with red wine or replace 1/2 cup of it with strong coffee. I made this cake and topped it with strawberries since I didnt have sprinkles on hand. The frosting is out of this world amazing, but I thought the cake was not that great. ps, is there a sub for the unsweetened chocolate? I just popped by as many bloggers dont respond to questions. Seriously, thank you, I think I may have already written a comment on this recipe, but I have to write one againthis cake is magic! Just wondering if youd any tips on scaling this cake to fit a 15cm tin as used for your Tiny but intense chocolate cake? This cake was fantastic and was so easy to put together. Its just the right size for when you dont want a larger sheet cake sitting around all week. Recipes. You could just heap it like a bakery does. I am quite pleased. I recently doubled a recipe that was originally a 88 or 99 pan and put it in a 913 pan. Thank you for your recipes, despite being fussy, they have (for the most part) been delicious. The five-year-old said, as I was cutting, make sure that I dont just get a sliver!. I agree with Aunt Vixen. THANK YOU!!!! But the choice of recipes plus the use of WEIGHTS for ingredients overpowered me. Chum Yes, it would be delicious. Will definitely make again. For me, I liked it better that way! im 9 years old! my unofficially sanctioned comment is that you probably are overbaking. I love a good simple chocolate cake recipe. It turned grainy or separated or something. Her answer was an unequivocal, Yes! Thanks again. My fiance, who was weirdly unenthusiastic about my plan to make it, was on his way to the kitchen for a second piece before he had even finished the first. Your writing is awesome, the photos are perfectly approachable and I love the process photos. Also the fact that its delicious and practically gone doesnt hurt! Thank you! Can the frosting be made a couple days in advance and refrigerated or is it better the same day? Its a little stressful to work with because its so soft (I always pop the rounds right into the freezer so theyre easier to lift) but it is always a hit. Or just double the frosting? Then yesterday I made it again with mini 6 cake rounds. For once the internet has failed me and I would love to see a video of your technique!!! I also did a messier job of splitting the egg than usual, and got a bit of the (second) egg white in there along with the yolk is that likely the source of fluffiness, and doing a cleaner job of egg-splitting next time will take care of it? Just buy the biggest ones they have. Im a big baker so I know how to bake. You can keep it at room temperature if youd like. As was my springform. I will try that recipe for sure. And I think increased the proportion of cocoa, too, I think. I guess it isnt done. Your food aversions made me smile. Ive put it in an 8 inch round, cut in half and created a half layer cake. This this will work as the filling for a wedding cake? Oh thank God, my own baby 2 was demanding exactly this. No one will know that there are a few pieces missing, right? (My co-workers very kindly said that unless the cake leapt up off the plate and attacked them, they were going to love it but I was worried about the texture.) Fingers crossed! You can bake this into 10 to 12 cupcakes! As soon as my daughter took a bite she said Mom, can we make this cake again? The only change we made was using regular non-Dutch cocoa because that is what we had on hand not sure how it changed the flavor because I have only had it this way, which was excellent. The first time, I left out half the flour, so the cupcakes arent very cake-y, but they are delicious (and there are few sins frosting wont hide). Chocolatey, soft-textured but not crumbly, sweet but not overpowering. :) Yes, that was what I meant by uneven. . I actually only made the cake part and I made it into cupcakes. Can I make this in a miniature bundt pan? Ive been halving bundt cakes for years (very easy to do as all ingredients are easy to cut in half and bake in my junior bundt pan), and Id like this smaller chocolate cake (I halve to halve it :) ) but am at a loss. Obviously, I had to test a spoonful or two. Just wanted to check in here and say how delicious this cake is! THanks! Kate Check out overstock.com. This is really embarrassing, but, yesterday when I made the frosting using the food processor (something Ive done a ton of times using this recipe), it curdled on me! In 2008, when Smitten Kitchen was still an infant in blog years, I shared a recipe for my mom's apple cake. Nope, way too dry so I added an extra Tablespoon or so of heavy cream. I guess it just shows what a vast repertoire of recipes you have and how easily searchable they are (kudos to the OCD indexing) Or how obsessed I am with your cakes and breads (ahem) :D. Aisha Its a totally fair question. Thank-you Deb! Thanks. Made it with a plainer dark baking chocolate tonight (OK OK it was Cadburys!!) Simple, rich, delicious, perfect. This cake would feed one of them, maybe 2 if they were forced to share. Oh, and funny how I only noticed the s shapes after I read your notes on how to swirl the frosting ;), I made this last night and it is amazing. I had just about everything I needed to make this in my pantry, but I could only muster half the frosting but it was still excellent. We made this (as cupcakes) when we were quarantined for Halloween, and now were making them for Valentines Day and not in quarantine. Thank you! I noticed that you put less white sugar in this than your Everyday chocolate cake (which I adore). It looks amazing, so Id love to use it for a marbled birthday cake. Do you prefer a particular brand of chocolate for both the Dutch cocoa and the unsweetened chocolate? All of the basic ingredients cheddar cheese, tortillas, and cauliflower can be found in your corner store, and it works just as well if you sub it with a different veggie. Beautiful, btw. I dont have Dutched cocoa: Dutch-process cocoa (generally speaking, its the standard in European brands) differs from natural cocoa (what you have if your cocoa isnt labeled Dutch, or if its an American brand) in that its acidity has been neutralized to form a darker, nuttier cocoa that I prefer. handfulofshadows I dont think theyll be automated because I dont think theres a way to do it the way I want them to look. Im reading this recipe for Emergency chocolate cake while filling my mouth with your Cocoa Brownies from a couple of years ago. Let cool in pan for about 15 minutes, then use a knife to loosen the edges and lift out using parchment to help. So easy to make, this is my forever birthday cake. Thank you for sharing the recipe!!!!!!!!!!!! ), but it was reading the word chocolate for, what, maybe the 57th time in one post, while reading the list of ingredients that finally got me. even a day later (made it on day one, frosted it day two) it was starting to dry out. and its better still not as sweet as if Id made it with chocolate chip melts or something like the Green & Blacks milk chocolate and it looks smashing, once again! This was the perfect amount of batter for 12 cupcakes. The frosting was miles high, pillowy, gloriously swirly, and of course perfect with sprinkles. Regarding the time this can be kept: Since my 3-month-old is not ready for cake and my husband was away but I NEEDED to make this I worried it would go bad too soon on the counter (frosting) or get too stale (in the fridge). I have to say, however, that the part about cutting it into 16 pieces made us laugh and laugh and laugh! This post could not be timed more perfectly. All that to say, I enjoyed a piece of your chocolate cake for breakfast enormously. Thanks, Deb!!!!!! Im doing some one bowl plotting for upcoming celebrations. This is the BEST chocolate cake Ive ever made. And in case anyone who ever reads this comment wondered the same thing as me, I actually used two whole eggs, as I didnt want a random egg white floating around that Id have to account for. i did also back off on the sugar this time i didnt measure but i would guestimate about a cup vs 1.5 cups. The Double Chocolate Layer Cake is amazing, as is the Peanut Butter Chocolate Cakes cake layers (although I prefer the Double Layer) but this just wins. Thank you for a spectacular cake. And I really really love the frosting. This is by far my familys favorite cake! :) This cake fed 6 adults and 4 children with two small slices left over, perfect for breakfast the next morning with strong coffee :P. Crystal Im not sure how is the temperature control in your toaster? And so easy to make. Or the book! So easy, I love that its not huge and the batter is deliciousnot that I tasted it ;). This is one of the best cakes I have made in a long time. Had Hersheys cocoa on hand and the cake did not disappoint. The perfect chocolate cake. . Theres enough baking powder in the recipe that Id bet the acid/soda balance is not super-critical. Hi Deb, love your blog and it is my go to for everything cooking-related. Had to make this because I know that I GOTTA HAVE CAKE feeling well even though Im not pregnant. So rich, moist and CHOCOLATEY! Unfortunately I cant tolerate buttercream, though I love it the taste and texture it makes me sick for days. Thank you for this recipe, it was PERFECT and so easy. And its the perfect size for our family. Thank you so much for reminding me of this wonderful cake just in time for my brothers birthday tomorrow!! Blueberry Boy Bait is an all time comfort food around here oldie but a goodie. I substituted buttermilk for greek yogurt and it worked just fine. Thanks for this recipe! whole wheat chocolate oat cookies. Better to make triple the batter and divide it between 4 pans. The baking time was about 35 minutes, all told. Its really easy, a mostly one-bowl cake and frosting. My wifes final verdict on the cake was We have no words followed by Next piece please!. Did you watch the clock and take out the cake when it was barely finished? You never disappoint. Perfect you can have two slices and one for breakfast the next day. Guests arrived and I had to stir the risotto and I forgot all about the cake until almost 40 minutes in. and were talking been on the counter for days. Rich but perfect cut in 16 squares, and hit the chocolate spot. So good! I cant wait. Baby is now 3 months. The result is a perfect pick-me-up cake on a weeknight. Can I sub 2% milk for the cream/whole milk in the frosting? Deb, Charlie Not on my 2nd floor balcony in Manhattan, I hope! Very observant! I still have half of your Moms apple cake in my cake caddy so this will probably have to wait until the weekend but I am definitely making this! Free shipping for many products! I believe its acidic as well, which youll need when using baking soda. I need to make a nice tall chocolate cake for my daughters birthday this weekend. All my friends at work will love me though- if it doesnt make a believer out of me, as they will profit from my experiment. Turns out, the 41 grams of butter I used was from the cake recipe instead of the needed 115 grams. 3. (I dont like super sweet cakes, so I often leave the sides unfrosted.). 2. The icing was looking perfect until I walked away from it to give it a good 2 minutes to beat. but how much should I multiply the recipe to make a three layer cake? Also subbed 1/2 coffee 1/2 yoghurt for the buttermilk. He loves chocolate sweets, but Im trying to eat better and curb our snacking especially sweets. It was GREAT! Im going for an Oreo vibe. Even if this recipe is similar to some youve posted in the past, Im glad you did just to see the beautiful pictures. The same thing happened when I tried making the pink lady (strawberry) cake. Mine came out fluffier than I wanted what should I adjust to get it fudgier? Not related to this awesome looking cake, but since you are the queen of all things brown butter- have you tried making Brown butter scones? one note: We only have glass 88 baking dishes, and it required quite a bit more time to bake the cake to done. I am going to purchase a metal 88 as soon as possible! With the Dutch process cocoa this cake is a gorgeous deep devils food color. So, I made the cake. I love reading your recipes, etc, and often print off the recipes. It still looks pretty and the thought that counts :). I also did simple chocolate ganache instead of buttercream frosting. What is you favorite kind to eat? :). I dont know if anyone else experienced this, but I attempted to process it the 1-2 minutes, and something happened to it. This is my go to recipe for weekend baking with my kids. Love this recipe as my go-to birthday cake. Loved this! Delicious! (and Im not even pregnant ;) ) Yes, but it is not needed to make this cake tender/plush. Ill add a note. The first time I doubled the recipe and baked it in a 913 pan baked for about 30 minutes. Not sure if you still think this would be worthwhile, but if you were to do it, I would -totally- use it. We had a lot of fun, and the frosting is the best I have ever had in my entire life (she insisted I write that, its all I could repeat after eating it!). Question: Do you have an opinion on buttercreams that use melted chocolate vs cocoa powder? Divine- super moist and deeply chocolatey! document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); That is SURPRISINGLY little fat in the cake. This frosting looks deliciouscould it be piped, or will it not hold its shape? I cant believe I forgot about it ever, and I gave a lot of catching up to do! Delicious and quick. 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract. O.M.G. They love it and I love that its simple and doesnt leave me with heaps of dishes! Thanks! BTW, I have been following you since nearly the beginning and I feel as if I learned to cook with you. deb, i made this frosting again last week (underneath i confess i made the hersheys chocolate cake recipe as boyperson wanted a more box-mix-like cake), and we ended up not being able to eat the cake right away so we stuck it in the fridge. File > Print on a Mac Make the cake: Heat oven to 350F (175c). I just bought Dutch process thinking, I dont know how this cake could be any better, but Im in! to make a rerun on Sunday. Thank you! Beautiful cake, thank you! It lasted until around 21 weeks with number one, and week 17 with number two. Okay I now have a terrible problem. In most recipes, you can reduce it by 25% without changing a whole lot. Not sure what else I could do if I sifted the sugar and it was still chunky! The sweet frosting with this rich second batch hit the right spot. If so any specific recommendations? ps Rebecca @ DisplacedHousewife, i didnt see your reply until now (i am excited for the eventual SK revamp that includes replies :)) but i have indeed learned that esp with a gas stove again i can leave the butter there when the stove is off and it gets to room temp perfectly! No one will know except us. kids loved it and so did parents who couldnt stop having seconds. @stephanie#133- You can also substitute 3 tablespoons cocoa and one tablespoon butter or shortening for one ounce of unsweetened chocolate. We celebrated National Chocolate Cake day with this recipe, and it did not disappoint! Making this tomorrow morning, definitely. I just want a few slices of cake, enough to last in our house for two or three nights, even when there is no birthday or holiday or cause for celebration in sight. YUM. I want chocolate cake! 1.5 Years Ago: Key Lime Popsicles (still a favorite!) Divine! My daughter made us all pancakes this morning for our Snow Day breakfast, and she has already pulled the ingredients out for this. A couple berries and a tuft of whipped cream are optional, but not really."-- @smittenkitchen. It was really fun making it and i loved making the frosting and cake. Not coconutty tasting at all. Didnt bother to sift even though cocoa was lumpy and it was fine.