Susan Wassenaar
Double Chocolate Cake with Black Velvet Icing
for the cake:
3 ounces fine-quality semisweet chocolate
1 1/2 cups hot brewed coffee
3 cups sugar
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups unsweetened cocoa powder (not Dutch process)*
2 teaspoons baking soda
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
3 large eggs
3/4 cup vegetable oil
1 1/2 cups well-shaken buttermilk
3/4 teaspoon vanilla
* It turns out that the LCC unsweetened cocoa powder, which I used for this cake, is in fact Dutch processed…I can’t read fine print apparently. I suspect that Dutch-process cocoa (which contains less acid than natural cocoa powder) is OK to use in this recipe because of the large quantity of buttermilk (also an acid) — there needs to be an acid in recipes that call for baking soda because acid activates the baking soda. I did add a note above (at the end of the main entry) explaining the difference between Dutch-process and natural cocoa powders. That might help you make a decision, but I think with this recipe, either Dutch process or natural will work just fine.
for the black velvet icing:
4 oz semi-sweet chocolate
a heaping 1/4 cup of confectioners’ sugar
3 eggs, well beaten
4 tablespoons butter, room temperature
1. Preheat oven to 300°F. and grease pans. Line bottoms with rounds of parchment paper. Finely chop chocolate and in a bowl combine with hot coffee. Let mixture stand, stirring occasionally, until chocolate is melted and mixture is smooth.
2. Into a large bowl sift together sugar, flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. In another large bowl with an electric mixer beat eggs until thickened slightly and lemon colored (about 3 minutes with a standing mixer or 5 minutes with a hand-held mixer). Slowly add oil, buttermilk, vanilla, and melted chocolate mixture to eggs, beating until combined well. Add sugar mixture and beat on medium speed until just combined. Divide batter between pans and bake in middle of oven until a tester inserted in center comes out clean, 1 hour to 1 hour and 10 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, make the icing: In a small saucepan over direct heat set on low, melt the chocolate. Stir in the confectioners’ sugar. Stir in the eggs — a flat bottomed whisk is good for this. (I use a whisk until the ingredients are blended and then switch to a heat-proof spatula.) Cook over low to medium-low until thick. Stir in the butter one tablespoon at a time. Set aside to cool. Transfer to a glass measuring cup with a spout for easy pouring or store in whatever vessel you wish.
4. Cool layers completely in pans on racks. (I removed mine after 10 minutes.) Run a thin knife around edges of pans and invert layers onto racks. Remove parchment paper and cool layers completely. Cake layers may be made 1 day ahead and kept, wrapped well in plastic wrap, at room temperature.
5. If you are making a layer cake, spread icing over one cake layer. Top layer with other cake layer. Pour icing on top of top layer and with an off-set spatula (if you have one) spread it all over the sides. Cake keeps, covered and chilled, 3 days. Bring cake to room temperature before serving. (I just keep mine at room temperature always…no space in the fridge.)
for the cake:
3 ounces fine-quality semisweet chocolate
1 1/2 cups hot brewed coffee
3 cups sugar
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups unsweetened cocoa powder (not Dutch process)*
2 teaspoons baking soda
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
3 large eggs
3/4 cup vegetable oil
1 1/2 cups well-shaken buttermilk
3/4 teaspoon vanilla
* It turns out that the LCC unsweetened cocoa powder, which I used for this cake, is in fact Dutch processed…I can’t read fine print apparently. I suspect that Dutch-process cocoa (which contains less acid than natural cocoa powder) is OK to use in this recipe because of the large quantity of buttermilk (also an acid) — there needs to be an acid in recipes that call for baking soda because acid activates the baking soda. I did add a note above (at the end of the main entry) explaining the difference between Dutch-process and natural cocoa powders. That might help you make a decision, but I think with this recipe, either Dutch process or natural will work just fine.
for the black velvet icing:
4 oz semi-sweet chocolate
a heaping 1/4 cup of confectioners’ sugar
3 eggs, well beaten
4 tablespoons butter, room temperature
1. Preheat oven to 300°F. and grease pans. Line bottoms with rounds of parchment paper. Finely chop chocolate and in a bowl combine with hot coffee. Let mixture stand, stirring occasionally, until chocolate is melted and mixture is smooth.
2. Into a large bowl sift together sugar, flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. In another large bowl with an electric mixer beat eggs until thickened slightly and lemon colored (about 3 minutes with a standing mixer or 5 minutes with a hand-held mixer). Slowly add oil, buttermilk, vanilla, and melted chocolate mixture to eggs, beating until combined well. Add sugar mixture and beat on medium speed until just combined. Divide batter between pans and bake in middle of oven until a tester inserted in center comes out clean, 1 hour to 1 hour and 10 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, make the icing: In a small saucepan over direct heat set on low, melt the chocolate. Stir in the confectioners’ sugar. Stir in the eggs — a flat bottomed whisk is good for this. (I use a whisk until the ingredients are blended and then switch to a heat-proof spatula.) Cook over low to medium-low until thick. Stir in the butter one tablespoon at a time. Set aside to cool. Transfer to a glass measuring cup with a spout for easy pouring or store in whatever vessel you wish.
4. Cool layers completely in pans on racks. (I removed mine after 10 minutes.) Run a thin knife around edges of pans and invert layers onto racks. Remove parchment paper and cool layers completely. Cake layers may be made 1 day ahead and kept, wrapped well in plastic wrap, at room temperature.
5. If you are making a layer cake, spread icing over one cake layer. Top layer with other cake layer. Pour icing on top of top layer and with an off-set spatula (if you have one) spread it all over the sides. Cake keeps, covered and chilled, 3 days. Bring cake to room temperature before serving. (I just keep mine at room temperature always…no space in the fridge.)
