Best Chocolate Cake Yet

 

There is something about pushing the fork through a layer of cake and a stripe of rich frosting... It's texture, it's chocolate-y goodness, and with a glass of milk it's ... miraculous! I finally found the best chocolate cake recipe in (get this!) the "Retro Recipe" section of Texas Co-op Power Magazine. It features a recipe contest every month for local readers. This cake won $500. in the May 2019 contest! So, I would like to thank Mrs. Rose D. for layer cake recipe, with kudos to my friend, Sybill O. for the amazing frosting. 

Note: You will need 3 8-inch cake pans. If you only have 9-inch pans, just use 2.

Chocolate Cake:

2 oz. Bakers German Sweet Chocolate

2 oz. Bakers Semisweet chocolate (or1/3 C Ghirardelli or Nestle chocolate chips) 

1/3 C strong brewed coffee
2 C flour
1/3 C good baking cocoa (I recommend Droste--or Nestle works fine)
1 t baking soda
1/2 t salt
1 C butter at room temperature
2 C sugar
4 large eggs at room temperature, separated
1 t vanilla
1 C buttermilk 

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter or spray 3 8-inch round cake pans. Line the bottoms with buttered wax paper or baking parchment. Microwave chocolate and coffee in a medium bowl on High1 1/2 minutes, until chocolate is almost melted. Stir after one minute. Microwave another half minute, remove and stir until completely melted. Whisk together the flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt in another medium bowl, set aside. In a large bowl, with an electric mixer, cream the butter and sugars on high speed until light and fluffy, approx. 5 minutes Add the egg yolks (just the yellow part) one at a time, beating well after each addition. Blend in vanilla and melted chocolate buttermilk mixture alternately in thirds, beginning with the buttermilk mixture. and ending with the flour mixture.

Mix the batter only until blended. In a separate bowl, beat the egg whites on high speed until stiff peaks form, and gently fold into the batter.  

Divide batter between three pans and smooth the tops with a spatula. Bake on the middle rack of the oven for 25 to 30 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes on a rack, remove from the pans and allow to finish cooling. Then frost with my favorite frosting. The recipe is from TV chef Alton Brown.

Perfect Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting:

12 oz. cream cheese (at room temperature)

1 C sifted cocoa (use anything except Hershey's)

1 stick butter (softened)

1 1/2 t. vanilla

6 C sifted powdered sugar

Directions: Mix first 3 ingredients at medium speed until creamy. Add vanilla. Gradually add 6 C sifted powdered sugar, 2 C at a time and thoroughly combine. Let frosting "rest" two hours before serving, either on or off the cake. The "rest" takes away any bitter taste from the cocoa. Don't worry. You really can't taste the cream cheese. It just provides a luxurious, creamy texture.