When I first made this cake a year ago, I decided there was no reason to ever make a different chocolate cake– it’s THAT good. The recipe is Ina Garten’s Beatty’s Chocolate Cake and I generally make it in one pan and slice it in half because I don’t have two of the same pan.
Because we were going to be in Delaware for the party, I decided to bake the cake at home and make the frosting there. I wasn’t able to sift the powdered sugar for the frosting, so there were some lumps in the frosting but it still tasted great. However, at home I would definitely sift it to get a nice smooth texture. As usual with this cake, it was a huge hit for the big birthday and one of our friends was inspired to make it for her boyfriend’s birthday next week!
Ina Garten’s Beatty’s Chocolate Cake
butter or oil for greasing the pan
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups sugar
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 extra large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup hot coffee
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and grease a 10″ round pan. Line the bottom with a parchment paper round the size of the pan and butter and flour the pan.
Sift the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda and powder, and salt into a large bowl. In another bowl, combine the buttermilk, oil, eggs, and vanilla. Slowly add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients while mixing with a hand mixer or stand mixer. Add the coffee and stir to combine, making sure everything is incorporated.
Pour into the pan and bake for 30-40 minutes, until a knife or toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool in the pan and then turn out onto cooling rack.
Chocolate Buttercream Frosting
6 ounces semi-sweet chocolate
2 sticks butter, room temperature
1 egg yolk
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/4 cup sifted powdered sugar
1 tablespoon instant coffee powder
Melt the chocolate in a heat-proof bowl over a pan of boiling water. Make sure the water isn’t touching the bowl. Stir and watch it closely because it can burn easily. Cool to room temperature.
Beat the butter until light and fluffy with a mixer. Add the egg yolk and vanilla and continue to mix for another 3 minutes. Turn the mixer to low and add the confectioners sugar slowly. Dissolve the coffee powder in 2 tablespoons of hot tap water and add to the frosting along with the chocolate.
To assemble the cake, slice the cake in half carefully (horizontally). Put one half on the cake plate and scoop 1/3 of the frosting on top and spread. Put the second half on top and scoop the remaining frosting on top. Slowly spread out the frosting evenly down along the slides and turn the cake as you work it down the sides.
