The Best American Chocolate Layer Cake Recipe
Summary
Preparation Time25 MinCooking Time30 Min
Ready In55 MinDifficulty LevelMedium
Health IndexJust EnjoyServings12
Main IngredientChocolate
Ingredients
| Boiling water | 1 1/3 Cup (16 tbs) | |
| 3/4 cup Dutch-processed unsweetened cocoa powder | ||
| 4 eggs, at room temperature | ||
| Vanilla | 1 1/2 Teaspoon | |
| Cake flour | 3 1/4 Cup (16 tbs), sifted | |
| Sugar | 2 Cup (16 tbs) | |
| Baking powder | 2 Tablespoon | |
| Salt | 1 1/2 Teaspoon | |
| Unsalted butter | 1 Cup (16 tbs), softened | |
| Semi-sweet chocolate | 1 pound (Fudge Frosting:) | |
| Heavy cream | 2 Cup (16 tbs) (Fudge Frosting:) | |
| Walnuts | 1 Cup (16 tbs), coarsely chopped (Fudge Frosting:) | |
Directions
1. Preheat the oven to moderate (350°). Grease three 9-inch round layer-cake pans. Line the bottoms with wax paper rounds. Grease the paper. Flour the pans.
2. Whisk together the boiling water and the cocoa in a small bowl until smooth. Cool the mixture to room temperature.
3. Combine the eggs and the vanilla in a second small bowl. Lightly whisk in one-quarter of the cooled cocoa mixture.
4. Combine the cake flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in a large mixing bowl. Mix on low speed for 1 minute or until blended.
5. Add the remaining three-quarters cocoa mixture and the butter to the dry ingredients. Beat at medium-speed for 1 1/2 minutes, scraping down the side of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Add the egg-cocoa mixture in thirds, beating at medium-high speed for 20 seconds after each addition. Pour the batter into the prepared pans.
6. Bake the cakes in the preheated moderate oven (350°) for 20 to 30 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted near the centers comes out clean; the cakes should not shrink from the pan sides. Cool the cakes in the pans on wire racks for 10 minutes. Loosen the sides of the cakes gentiy with a spatula. Invert the cakes onto lightly greased wire racks to finish cooling. Remove the wax paper.
7. Prepare the Fudge Frosting: Chop the chocolate very fine in a food processor. Heat the cream in a saucepan until bubbles appear around the edge. With the processor motor running, add the hot cream to the chocolate in a steady stream. Process until the mixture is smooth. Transfer the mixture to a bowl. Let cool at room temperature until the frosting is a good spreading consistency. Do not stir the frosting while it is cooling.
8. To assemble the cake: Spread the frosting between the 3 layers, sprinkling each layer with 1/4 cup of the chopped nuts. Frost the top and the sides of the cake. Decorate with the remaining nuts.
2. Whisk together the boiling water and the cocoa in a small bowl until smooth. Cool the mixture to room temperature.
3. Combine the eggs and the vanilla in a second small bowl. Lightly whisk in one-quarter of the cooled cocoa mixture.
4. Combine the cake flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in a large mixing bowl. Mix on low speed for 1 minute or until blended.
5. Add the remaining three-quarters cocoa mixture and the butter to the dry ingredients. Beat at medium-speed for 1 1/2 minutes, scraping down the side of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Add the egg-cocoa mixture in thirds, beating at medium-high speed for 20 seconds after each addition. Pour the batter into the prepared pans.
6. Bake the cakes in the preheated moderate oven (350°) for 20 to 30 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted near the centers comes out clean; the cakes should not shrink from the pan sides. Cool the cakes in the pans on wire racks for 10 minutes. Loosen the sides of the cakes gentiy with a spatula. Invert the cakes onto lightly greased wire racks to finish cooling. Remove the wax paper.
7. Prepare the Fudge Frosting: Chop the chocolate very fine in a food processor. Heat the cream in a saucepan until bubbles appear around the edge. With the processor motor running, add the hot cream to the chocolate in a steady stream. Process until the mixture is smooth. Transfer the mixture to a bowl. Let cool at room temperature until the frosting is a good spreading consistency. Do not stir the frosting while it is cooling.
8. To assemble the cake: Spread the frosting between the 3 layers, sprinkling each layer with 1/4 cup of the chopped nuts. Frost the top and the sides of the cake. Decorate with the remaining nuts.
Chef
