Chocolate Birthday Cake And Double Chocolate Sour Cream Frosting Recipes

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit/170 degrees Celsius. Grease a 9-inch/23-centimeter round springform pan with butter and line with parchment paper, then set aside.
• Make the cake: Place butter, chocolate and hot coffee in a large heatproof bowl and mix well until everything is melted, combined and smooth. Whisk in sugar by hand until dissolved. Add eggs and vanilla extract and whisk again until thoroughly combined and smooth. Sift flour, cocoa powder and salt together into a bowl and then whisk this into the melted chocolate mixture. The batter here is liquid, but don't think you have missed something; this is how it should be.
• Pour batter into the prepared pan and bake for 1 hour, or until the cake is cooked and a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean or with just a few dry crumbs attached. The top will form a crust and crack a little, but don't worry, this is expected. Leave the cake to cool for 20 minutes before removing from the pan, then set aside until completely cool.
• Make the chocolate ganache, if desired: Place chocolate pieces in a food processor, process until fine and set aside. Combine cream and corn syrup in a small pan and place over medium-high heat. As soon as bubbles begin to appear (just before it comes to a boil), remove from the heat. Get the food processor running again, with the chocolate still inside, and pour in the hot cream in a steady stream. Process for 10 seconds, then add butter. Continue to process until mixture is shiny and smooth. (You can also make the ganache by hand; just make sure the chocolate is chopped fairly finely before adding the cream mixture. Stir with a wooden spoon until almost melted, then add the butter. Stir again until the ganache is smooth.)
• Use a rubber spatula to scrape the ganache into a bowl and cover with plastic wrap, with the plastic actually touching the top of the ganache. Set aside until it has set to the consistency you want. If you want a thin layer to spread over the cake, it can be poured over while liquid so that you get an even, light and shiny coating. For a thicker ganache with a spreading consistency, leave it for about 2 hours at room temperature. (The ganache can be stored at room temperature, providing it's not too warm, for 3 days or kept in the fridge for up to 2 weeks. It can also be frozen, although it will lose a bit of its shine when defrosted.)
• Make the espresso cinnamon mascarpone cream, if desired: Place all the ingredients in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Beat for 1 to 2 minutes, until soft peaks form.
• Peel the parchment from the cake and discard. Transfer to a serving platter and spread the ganache, if using, on top of the cake. Slice into wedges, divide the cake among plates and, if using, spoon the mascarpone cream alongside. With or without icing, the cake will keep well for 4 to 5 days in an airtight container.

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 325°F.
• Grease and flour the insides of two 14-14.5 ounce cans.
• Place the cans on a baking sheet, and set aside.
• Whisk the buttermilk, egg yolk, and vanilla together in a small bowl.
• Gradually pour the melted butter into the buttermilk mixture, whisking constantly.
• Sift the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt into a medium-size mixing bowl; add sugar, and then whisk to blend well.
• Add the buttermilk mixture and whisk just until the dry ingredients are moistened.
• Divide the batter between the prepared cans.
• Bake the cakes until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 25 to 30 minutes.
• Place the cans to a wire rack to cool for 15 minutes.
• Run a knife around the edge of each can and invert them to release the cakes.
• Turn the cakes upright and let them cool completely on the rack.
• Meanwhile, make the frosting: Place chocolate in the top of a double boiler set over simmering water, and heat, stirring occasionally, until melted. (May also do this in the microwave.).
• Let the chocolate mixture cool for 5 minutes. Then add the sour cream, vanilla, and salt, and whisk to blend well.
• Let the frosting cool to room temperature, stirring it occasionally.
• When frosting and cakes have cooled, cut each cake in half horizontally.
• Spread a layer of frosting about 1/2 inch thick on the cut side of one cake half, then stack the other half on top of it.
• Frost the top and sides of the cake.
• Repeat with the remaining cake and frosting.
• Store the cakes in the refrigerator in an airtight container, bringing them back to room temperature before serving.

Steps:

• For the cake: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Position a rack in the center of the oven. Grease the cake pans with 1 tablespoon butter, then dust with 1 tablespoon cocoa powder, tapping out any extra. Set aside.
• In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder and remaining 1 1/2 cups cocoa powder. Set aside.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the sugar and remaining 3 sticks butter on medium speed until light and fluffy, 5 to 8 minutes. Add the vanilla, then beat in the eggs one at a time. On low speed, add the salt directly to the wet ingredients, then add half of the flour mixture and mix until just combined. Add the sour cream and mix until just combined. Remove the bowl from the mixer and gently incorporate the remaining flour mixture with a rubber spatula. Do not overmix. Fold in the chocolate chips.
• Spread half of the batter in each of the prepared pans. Tap the pans lightly on the counter so that the batter settles. Place the pans on the center rack of the oven and bake until a tester or small knife inserted in the center emerges clean, 40 to 50 minutes. Cool for at least 30 minutes. Unmold onto a rack. Cool to room temperature, 1 1/2 to 2 hours more.
• Mix together the bourbon and the simple syrup in a bowl. Set aside.
• For the frosting: In a medium pot, bring the heavy cream to a simmer. In a medium oven-safe bowl, combine the chocolate and sugar. Place the bowl on top of the pot with the heavy cream to melt. Once the cream is simmering, pour it over the chocolate mixture and stir until all of the chocolate has melted and you have a glossy ganache. Gently stir in the vanilla, followed by the butter pieces. Set aside to let cool to room temperature.
• Transfer the chocolate mixture to the clean bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Whip the frosting for 1 to 2 minutes to lighten the texture.
• Put the cake layers on a baking sheet fitted with a wire rack. Using a pastry brush, brush about half the bourbon mixture on each cake layer. Frost the top of the bottom layer, then stack the other layer on top. Frost the top and sides of the cake.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour three 9-inch round baking pans.
• Dissolve cocoa powder in boiling water in a bowl; set aside to cool completely.
• Beat white sugar and canola oil together in a bowl with an electric mixer until smooth; add eggs, one at time, beating well after each addition. Stir vanilla extract into creamed mixture.
• Sift flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt together in a separate bowl. Mix flour mixture and sour cream alternately into the creamed mixture. Beat cocoa mixture into batter until incorporated. Pour batter into the prepared baking pans.
• Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted in the center of each cake comes out clean, 30 to 35 minutes. Cool in the pans for 10 minutes before removing to cool completely on a wire rack. Wrap cakes in plastic wrap and store in refrigerator.
• Beat butter in a bowl with an electric mixer until creamy and smooth; scrape down sides of bowl with a rubber spatula. Mix confectioners' sugar, 1/2 cup at a time, into the creamed butter until sugar is incorporated. Add salt and beat on medium-high until frosting is light and fluffy, about 5 minutes.
• Place one cake on a serving plate; spread 1/4 the frosting on the top of cake. Place second cake on the frosting layer; spread 1/4 the frosting on second cake. Place the third cake atop the second cake. Spread the remaining frosting on the top cake and around sides of entire layer cake.

Steps:

• Melt chocolate and the butter together. Let cool and blend in the sour cream, vanilla, and salt. Gradually add the confectioner's sugar until the frosting is of spreading consistency, beat well.

Steps:

• Dissolve cocoa in boiling water; cool. In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy, 5-7 minutes. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla. Combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt; gradually add to creamed mixture alternately with sour cream, beating well after each addition. Add cocoa mixture and mix well. , Pour into 3 greased and floured 9-in. round baking pans. Bake at 350° until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 30-35 minutes. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks to cool completely. , In a microwave, melt chocolate chips and butter; stir until smooth. Cool for 5 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl. Beat in sour cream and vanilla. Add confectioners' sugar; beat until light and fluffy. Spread between layers and over top and sides of cake. If desired, decorate with sprinkles. Store in the refrigerator.

Steps:

• Center a rack in the oven, and preheat it to 350. Butter the interiors of two 9-inch round cake pans, dust with a little cocoa powder and tap out the excess. Sift together the flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
• Working with an electric mixer (use the paddle, if you have one), beat the butter and sugar together on medium speed for 3 minutes, until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one by one, and beat for a minute after each goes in; beat in the vanilla. Reduce the speed to low, and add the dry ingredients in 3 additions and the buttermilk in 2 (start and finish with the dry, and don't worry if the buttermilk makes the batter look slightly curdled). Mix in the melted chocolate. Divide the batter evenly between the pans.
• Bake for 24 to 28 minutes, until a tester poked into the center of the cakes comes out clean. Transfer to racks, let rest 5 minutes and then run a blunt knife around the edges of the pans. Unmold the cakes onto the racks, and cool to room temperature.
• Make the frosting: Sift together the confectioners' sugar and cocoa powder. Using an electric mixer (with the paddle, if available), beat the sugar, cocoa, salt and butter on high speed until fluffy. On low speed, add the chocolate. When it's almost incorporated, beat in the buttermilk. It's best to use the frosting immediately.
• If necessary, just before you're ready to frost the cakes, slice a sliver off the top of each layer to create a flat surface. To assemble, place one cake layer, top up, on a serving platter, and cover with frosting. Top with the second layer, top down, jiggling it into the frosting to hold it in place. Frost the top and sides of the cake - go sleek or swirly. If you're using decorations, scatter them over the cake. Chill for at least 1 hour (or for up to 1 day); bring to room temperature before serving.