Ultimate Chocolate Cake Recipes

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• Grease and flour 3- 9 inch cake pans.
• Mix cocoa and boiling water, stir until smooth, set aside to cool.
• Sift dry ingredients together, set aside.
• In a large bowl beat butter sugar, eggs and vanilla together.
• Alternately beat in the dry ingredients and the chocolate mixture.
• Beat just until blended, do not overmix.
• Pour batter into the three greased pans and bake for about 30 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean.
• Remove cakes from oven and allow them to set for 3-5 minutes.
• Remove from pans and cool completely on a wire rack before frosting.
• Prepare filling by beating together cream, confectioner's sugar and vanilla until stiff.
• Set aside.
• Prepare frosting by melting the butter and chocolates together over low heat.
• Stir in the cream and mix until smooth.
• Remove the pan from the heat and place it in a large bowl filled with ice.
• Using an electric hand held mixer or a whisk (trust me, the electric mixer will be much easier), beat in the confectioner's sugar until the frosting holds a stiff shape.
• Chill.
• Before you put the cake together, make sure that everything has completely cooled.
• Divide the filling in two and spread it between the layers.
• Frost sides and top with the chocolate icing.
• Don't worry if some of the filling oozes out the sides while you are frosting them, just mix it into the frosting.

Steps:

• Scratch: Grease and flour bottoms of 2 (9") layer cake pans. Mix first 4 ingredients; set aside. In large bowl with mixer at high speed beat next 3 ingredients 3 minutes or until light and fluffy. At low speed beat in mayonnaise .Add flour mixture in 4 additions alternately with water, beginning and ending with flour. Pour into pans. Bake in 350 oven 30-35 minutes or until cake tester inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans 10 minutes. Remove; cool on racks. Frost. Makes 2 (9") layers.
• From A Mix: Grease and flour bottoms of 2 (9") layer cake pans. In large bowl with mixer at low speed beat together cake mix and cocoa. Add remaining ingredients; beat just until blended. Beat at medium speed 2 minute. Pour into pans. Bake as directed in scratch recipe at above. Frost. Makes 2 (9") layers.
• The Ultimate Chocolate Frosting: In small bowl with mixer at medium speed beat 6 tablespoons margarine to soften. Add 3/4 cup Hershey's cocoa and 3 1/2 cups of confectioners sugar alternately with 6-7 tablespoons of milk. Beat until of spreading consistency, adding an additional 1 tablespoon milk, if needed. Add 1 teaspoon vanilla. Makes 2 3/4 cups.

Steps:

• For the cake: Arrange a rack in the center of oven and preheat to 350 degrees F. Lightly coat two 9-inch round cake pans with nonstick cooking spray. Line the bottoms with parchment paper rounds and lightly coat the paper with nonstick spray. Dust the bottom and sides of each pan with Dutch-process cocoa powder, tapping out excess.
• Sift the cocoa powder, flour, baking soda and baking powder into the bowl of a stand mixer. Beat on low speed to combine. Add the eggs, egg yolks, brown sugar, sour cream, oil, vanilla, salt and 1 cup of hot water. Beat on medium speed until completely smooth, about 3 minutes.
• Scrape the batter evenly into the prepared pans. Smooth the tops. Bake, rotating the pans halfway through, until a tester inserted into the centers comes out clean, 35 to 45 minutes. Transfer the pans to a wire rack and let the cakes cool for 30 minutes. Run a knife around the sides of the cakes and invert onto the wire rack. Remove the parchment and let the cakes cool completely.
• Trim the domes of the cake rounds with a large serrated knife so the tops are flat.
• For the frosting: Melt the chocolate in a medium heatproof bowl set over simmering water in a medium saucepan. Remove from the simmering water and let it cool to room temperature, about 30 minutes.
• Beat the butter and salt in a large bowl with an electric mixer on high speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Reduce the speed to low, drizzle in the chocolate and beat until completely blended. Gradually beat in the confectioners' sugar, cocoa powder and vanilla. Increase the speed to high and beat until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
• To assemble the cake: Place one cake, cut-side down, on a platter. Spread 1 1/2 cups of the frosting evenly over the top. Place the remaining cake, cut-side down, on top. Spread the top with 1 1/2 cups of the frosting. Frost the sides of the cake with 3/4 cup of the frosting and smooth out completely to make an even crumb coat. (It's ok if some of the cake shows through. This is just a base layer.) Refrigerate for 30 minutes to let the frosting set.
• Spread the remaining frosting over the top and sides, swirling decoratively.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°. Line three 9-in. round baking pans with waxed paper; grease and flour the pans and paper. Set aside., In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy, 5-7 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla. Combine the flour, cocoa, baking soda, salt and baking powder; add to the creamed mixture alternately with milk, beating well after each addition., Transfer to prepared pans. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 20-25 minutes. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks to cool completely., For frosting, in a small heavy saucepan, melt chips and butter over low heat. Transfer to a large bowl; cool for 5 minutes. Stir in sour cream. Gradually beat in confectioners' sugar until smooth. Spread between layers and over top and sides of cake. If desired, top with chocolate curls. Refrigerate leftovers.

Steps:

• Place rack in middle of the oven. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter two 8-by-2-inch round cake pans. Line with parchment paper. Butter the parchment, and dust with cocoa powder; tap out excess. Sift cocoa; whisk in boiling coffee and milk. Let cool. Sift together cake flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
• Using a rubber spatula, mix the butter in a large bowl until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Gradually add sugar and vanilla. Add the eggs one at a time, stirring well after each addition. Pour in the cooled cocoa mixture. Mix until fully incorporated.
• Add the sifted dry ingredients to the chocolate mixture, stirring until just combined. Pour the batter into the prepared pans (about 4 cups in each pan). Bake for 20 minutes, rotate the pans, and bake for an additional 15 minutes, until a cake tester comes out clean when inserted into the center.
• Remove the cakes from the oven, and allow to cool in pans for 15 minutes on a cooling rack. Carefully run a small offset spatula around the edge of the cakes to loosen them from the pan. Remove cakes from pans, and invert onto a wire rack. Let cool completely, about 1 hour.
• To assemble, using a serrated knife, level the top surface of each cake layer. Place four strips of parchment paper around the perimeter of the cake stand. Spread with 3/4 cup of frosting. Top with the remaining layer, bottom side up. Using a swirling motion, cover the outside of cake with the remaining frosting. Remove parchment-paper strips.

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 160C/fan 140C/gas 3. Butter and line a 20cm round cake tin (7.5cm deep).
• Put 200g chopped dark chocolate in a medium pan with 200g butter.
• Mix 1 tbsp instant coffee granules into 125ml cold water and pour into the pan.
• Warm through over a low heat just until everything is melted - don't overheat. Or melt in the microwave for about 5 minutes, stirring halfway through.
• Mix 85g self-raising flour, 85g plain flour, ¼ tsp bicarbonate of soda, 200g light muscovado sugar, 200g golden caster sugar and 25g cocoa powder, and squash out any lumps.
• Beat 3 medium eggs with 75ml buttermilk.
• Pour the melted chocolate mixture and the egg mixture into the flour mixture and stir everything to a smooth, quite runny consistency.
• Pour this into the tin and bake for 1hr 25 - 1hr 30 mins. If you push a skewer into the centre it should come out clean and the top should feel firm (don't worry if it cracks a bit).
• Leave to cool in the tin (don't worry if it dips slightly), then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely. Cut the cold cake horizontally into three.
• To make the ganache, put 200g chopped dark chocolate in a bowl. Pour 300ml double cream into a pan, add 2 tbsp golden caster sugar and heat until it is about to boil.
• Take off the heat and pour it over the chocolate. Stir until the chocolate has melted and the mixture is smooth. Cool until it is a little thicker but still pourable.
• Sandwich the layers together with just a little of the ganache. Pour the rest over the cake letting it fall down the sides and smooth over any gaps with a palette knife.
• Decorate with 50g grated chocolate or 100g chocolate curls. The cake keeps moist and gooey for 3-4 days.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour two 9 inch cake pans.
• Use the first set of ingredients to make the cake. In a medium bowl, stir together the sugar, flour, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Add the eggs, milk, oil and vanilla, mix for 3 minutes with an electric mixer. Stir in the boiling water by hand. Pour evenly into the two prepared pans.
• Bake for 30 to 35 minutes in the preheated oven, until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to cool completely.
• To make the frosting, use the second set of ingredients. Cream butter until light and fluffy. Stir in the cocoa and confectioners' sugar alternately with the milk and vanilla. Beat to a spreading consistency.
• Split the layers of cooled cake horizontally, cover the top of each layer with frosting, then stack them onto a serving plate. Frost the outside of the cake.

Steps:

• Set oven to 190c/375f/gas mark 5. Grease the cake tin, then cut out a circle of baking parchment and line the base of the tin with it (20cm/8in).
• Break the chocolate into a bowl. Stand it over a saucepan of simmering water and stir until all the chocolate has malted.
• Cut the butter into small pieces. Add the butter and water to the chocolate and stir until the butter has melted.
• Separate the eggs into two large bowls. Whisk the egg yolks and sugar together until they are thick and creamy.
• Stir the chocolate mixture into the egg yolk mixture. Add the ground almonds, sift in the flour and mix well
• Whisk the egg whites with a pinch of salt until they form stiff peaks. Fold them, gently into the chocolate mixture.
• Put the mixture into the tin. Bake for 40-45 minutes. Cool for around 10-20 minutes then remove the cake and put it onto a wire rack
• MAKING THE TOPPING
• Melt the chocolate in a bowl over a pan of simmering water. Remove from the heat and stir in the soured cream
• Spread the chocolate topping over the top of the cooled cake with a palette knife, then decorate it with flamed almonds.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour a 9x13 inch pan. Sift together the flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
• In a large bowl, cream together the margarine and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then stir in the vanilla. Beat in the flour mixture alternately with the milk, mixing just until incorporated. Pour batter into prepared pan.
• Bake in the preheated oven for 40 to 45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Allow to cool.

Steps:

• Grease and line three 8-inch (20 cm) cake tins with parchment paper.
• In a large bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa powder, salt, baking soda, and baking powder. Set aside.
• In a large glass measuring cup, combine the stout, vanilla, and espresso powder. Set aside.
• In a large mixing bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until it is light and fluffy, about 5 minutes, scraping down the sides occasionally to ensure all the ingredients are being evenly creamed together.
• Beat in the eggs, one at a time, ensuring each egg is fully incorporated before adding the next.
• Add the mayonnaise and beat until the mixture is smooth and creamy.
• Preheat oven to 325˚F (160˚C).
• Alternate adding the prepared dry and wet ingredients to the batter. Starting with about ⅓ of the dry ingredients, beat until incorporated. Then add ⅓ of the liquid ingredients, mixing until the batter comes together. Continue until all the wet and dry ingredients have been incorporated.
• Using a rubber scraper, fold the dark chocolate chunks into the batter.
• Distribute the batter evenly between the 3 prepared cake tins.
• Bake for about 35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
• Place the cakes on a cooling rack and leave to cool for about 10-15 minutes, until the outside of the pan is cool enough to touch.
• Once the cakes have cooled, loosen the edges using a butter knife. Then place a large plate over the tin and invert to release the cake from the pan. Remove the parchment paper from the bottom of the cake and slide the cake back onto the cooling rack to cool completely. Repeat for the remaining two layers.
• While your cakes are cooling, prepare the buttercream.
• In a large bowl, beat together the butter and vanilla.
• Gradually add in the cocoa powder, powdered sugar, and milk, continuously beating until all the ingredients have been incorporated and the frosting is light and fluffy.
• Frost and decorate to your liking.
• Slice and serve.
• Enjoy!