Eric really loved this cake! And that worked out perfectly because I made it for him. For his 50th! I took a chance (well, not really because Ina Garten is never too a risky choice). She loves this cake, said it was one of her favorites, and it seemed fairly easy to whip it up before our long car trip to Maine to celebrate. Eric asked for the recipe for Kathy to make (which is always a good sign) and I’m happy to oblige. He was curious as to why he liked it so much – and we agreed in the end, that it was the coffee that put him over the edge from happiness to bliss (and thirds!) Anyway, this is delicious. Do not over bake.
beatty’s chocolate cake (from Barefoot Contessa at Home by Ina Garten):
1 3/4 cup all purpose flour (rem to read about flour measurement in baking tips)
2 cups sugar
3/4 cup good cocoa powder (I used Valrhona)
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup buttermilk (shake first)
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 extra large eggs at room temp (I used large eggs and worked out well)
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup freshly brewed hot coffee
chocolate frosting –
6 oz good semisweet chocolate such as Callebaut, Valrhona, Guittard
1/2 pound (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temp
1 extra large egg yolk (or pasteurized egg if raw scares you)
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups sifted confectioners’ sugar
1 tablespoon instant coffee powder
pinch kosher salt
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter two 8×2 inch round cake pans. Line with parchment and butter again. Flour too if you feel like it.
Sift the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder and salt into the bowl of an electric mixer. With the paddle attachment mix on the lowest speed to combing.
Mix together the buttermilk, oil, eggs and vanilla extract. With the mixer on low add the wet ingredients to the dry and mix until combined. Then add the hot coffee and mix until almost combined. Finish mixing with a spatula and fold to combine. Pour into cake pans and bake for 30-40 m. You must check at 30 m. Then continue to check every 5 to 3 to 2 minutes until cake is just done. This step prob most important as you want a moist cake.
Let cool in pans, then run a knife around the edges – invert the pan, pull off the parchment and invert to right side up again. Let cool completely before frosting the cake.
For the frosting, melt the chocolate in a bowl over a pot of barely simmering water. Once melted remover from heat. Do not cook it.
Beat butter on medium high speed with paddle attachment until light and fluffy about 3-5 minutes. Add the egg yolk and vanilla and continue beating for another 3-4 minutes.
Turn the mixer to low and add the confectioners’ sugar and salt – then beat at medium speed (scraping the bowl here and there) until smooth and creamy.
Dissolve the coffee into 2 teaspoons of the hottest tap water. Add the melted chocolate and coffee to the mixture and beat until combined. Do not whip. Spread on cooled cake and enjoy –
