Food and friends are the ultimate soulmates. I don’t say that simply because I like to cook. Food brings people closer through shared experiences, and is a way to show love to one another. I think that’s mainly WHY I like to cook. And of course, coming together for a friend feast doesn’t usually require the most healthful or nutritious food - it’s treat time. Time to remember the friends we’ve lost. Time to revel in a safe and friendly atmosphere while sipping and noshing on fun food. And this cake is FUN.
A quick note about the ingredient list: When it comes to baking, I use a kitchen scale and measure everything in grams instead of measuring cups. It’s more exact and in my experience, yields a much more consistent, successful result.
Also, for this cake and icing, I use black cocoa. It can make them quite dark, but the flavor is rich and deep compared to regular cocoa. It’s the same flour used in one of America’s favorite cookies - Oreos!
INGREDIENTS
Cake
2 cups (240 g) all-purpose flour
2 cups (396 g) sugar
3/4 cup (63 g) unsweetened black cocoa powder
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon espresso powder, homemade or store-bought
1 cup (227 g) milk, or buttermilk
1/2 cup (99 g) vegetable oil, or canola oil, or melted coconut oil
2 large (100 g) eggs
2 teaspoons (9.4 g) vanilla extract
1 cup (227. g) boiling water
Chocolate Buttercream Frosting Recipe, below
INGREDIENTS
Frosting
• 1½ cups (339 g) butter, softened
• 1 cup (84 g) unsweetened black cocoa powder
• 5 cups (567.5 g) confectioner’s sugar
• ½ cup (113.5 g) milk, whole, half and half, or heavy cream preferred
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• ½ teaspoon espresso powder
METHOD
Preheat oven to 350. Prepare two 9-inch cake pans by spraying with baking spray, buttering and lightly flouring
Add flour, sugar, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, salt and espresso powder to a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer. Whisk through to combine or, using your paddle attachment, stir through flour mixture until combined well.
Add milk, vegetable oil, eggs, and vanilla to flour mixture and mix together on medium speed until well combined.
Reduce speed and carefully add boiling water to the cake batter until well combined.
Distribute cake batter evenly between the two prepared cake pans. Bake for 30-35 minutes, until a toothpick or cake tester inserted in the center of the chocolate cake comes out clean.
Remove from the oven and allow to cool for about 10 minutes.
If you have one, remove from the pan and cool completely on a cake/cookie rack.
For The Frosting
Add cocoa powder to a large bowl and whisk through to remove any lumps. Do the same with the confectioner’s sugar in another bowl.
Cream together butter and cocoa powder until well-combined.
Add the confectioner’s sugar and milk to the cocoa mixture by adding 1 cup of confectioner’s sugar followed by about a tablespoon of milk.
After each addition has been combined, turn the mixer onto high speed for about a minute. Repeat until all sugar and milk have been added.
Add vanilla extract and espresso powder and combine well.
If frosting appears too dry, add more milk, a tablespoon at a time until it reaches the right consistency. If it appears to wet and does not hold its form, add more confectioner’s sugar, a tablespoon at a time until it reaches the right consistency.
Skip dinner and have friends over for this yummy cake. Have milk, coffee and hugs ready.
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