Last Call

Let them eat cake

Even if Marie Antionette didn’t actually utter those words, nothing signifies ultimate decadence more than chocolate cake. The most important ingredient in chocolate cake is cocoa powder, which has been around since 1828 when Dutch chocolatier Conrad van Houten invented a process for extracting coca butter from the ground bean. Dutch process cocoa is mellow and subtle, making it a nice choice for delicate cakes. Natural unsweetened cocoa powder (like Hershey’s) is bitter and best used when an intense chocolate flavor is desired. It’s a good choice for brownies and cookies.  There are enough differences between the two types of cocoa that they shouldn’t be substituted for one another in recipes.

30-Minute Chocolate Cake
2 cups flour
2 cups sugar
2 sticks butter, unsalted
¼ cup Hershey’s or other unsweetened, natural cocoa powder
1 cup water
½ cup buttermilk
2 eggs
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. vanilla

Mix together flour and sugar. In a saucepan, combine butter, cocoa, and water. Bring to a boil and pour over the flour mixture. Stir until just combined. Add remaining ingredients and mix. Bake in greased 11 x 15-inch pan for 20 mins. at 400 degrees.

Icing
1 stick butter
¼ cup cocoa powder (same used for cake)
6 Tbsp. milk
1 box powdered sugar (1 lb)
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup nuts, optional

10 minutes before cake is done, put butter, cocoa and milk in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Remove from heat and add remaining ingredients. Beat well and spread on cake while the cake is still hot.


Chocolate Cake (Cover of the February issue)                                                              
14 eggs, room temperature
1 lb granulated sugar
12 oz cake flour
4 oz cocoa powder, unsweetened
2 Tbsp baking powder
10 oz shortening, room temp
1 cup milk
2 tsp vanilla
butter and flour for pan preparation


1.  Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Butter and flour two 10-inch cake pans. Set aside.
2.  Into a medium bowl, sift cake flour, cocoa powder, and baking powder
3.  Add eggs and sugar to mixing bowl, follow with the sifted mixture. With the whip attachment, mix on low speed until the mixture is incorporated. 
4.  Add the shortening and whip at high speed for 2 minutes, scrape sides of bowl as needed. Lower speed and incorporate the milk and vanilla, continue to mix for another minute.
5.  Divide the batter between the prepared pans. Bake for 20 minutes, or until the center springs back from a light touch.

Once the cakes have completely cooled they can be trimmed and iced with any desired icing. Properly  wrapped cakes can be refrigerated for a couple days before icing.