The Best Chocolate Cake
Adapted from Ina Garten.
Yields: 1 two-layer round chocolate cake
Ingredients
- For the Cake:
- 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 cups sugar
- 3/4 cups cocoa powder
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 2 eggs
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 cup freshly brewed hot coffee
- For the Frosting:
- 6 ounces semisweet chocolate
- 1 cup butter, softened
- 1 egg yolk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 1/4 cups powdered sugar
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease two 9-inch round cake pans, line each with parchment, then grease and flour both.
To the bowl of a stand-mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, add the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Mix on low until combined. In another mixing bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, oil, eggs, and vanilla. With the mixer on low, gradually add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients until smooth. Slowly pour in the hot coffee, mixing to combine, scraping the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed. The batter will be thin and glossy. Pour equal amounts of the batter into the two prepared cake pans. Bake for 35-40 minutes until cooked through in the center. Transfer the cakes to a cooling rack and cool for 30 minutes before turning the cakes out of their pans to cool completely.
To make the frosting:
Set a dry stainless steel or heatproof bowl over a saucepan of boiling water. Break up the chocolate and place it into the bowl to melt, stirring often until smooth. Allow to cool to about room temperature. In the bowl of a stand-mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. add the egg yolk and vanilla. Continue beating for another two minutes. Switch the mixer to low speed and gradually add the powdered sugar. Then, add the melted chocolate, mixing at low speed until combined, scraping the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed.
To assemble the cake:
Place the first cake layer on a cake plate. Using an offset spatula, frost the top. Place the other layer firmly on top of the first. Frost the top and sides of the cake with the remaining frosting.