I bake constantly. Mainly because I love to give the baked goods as gifts. My mother bought me the cookbook below as a gift and I use it so much that the book is in scary shape (the spine is broken, the pages batter splattered, with some sections falling out of the book). Thought I had better input some of my favourite recipes into my computer files before the book is no longer usable!
This cake is absolutely decadent in its richness, but unbelievably easy to make. I've included my 'cheats' below.
The Horseradish Grill’s Chocolate Chocolate Cake (from Nick Malgieri’s “Chocolate” cookbook)
Cake Batter:
2 cups sugar
1.5 cups flour
1/2 tsp. salt
3/4 tsp. baking soda
4 oz. unsweetened chocolate, cut into /4 inch pieces
1 cup double-strength hot brewed coffee
2 large eggs, at room temp.
1/2 cup veg. oil
1.5 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 cup sour cream
Chocolate Butter Frosting:
1 cup heavy cream
8 T. (1 stick) unsalted butter
1/3 cup sugar
1/4 tsp. salt (I omit)
16 oz. semisweet chocolate, cut into ¼ inch pieces (I use Nestle semisweet chips)
1/4 cup double-strength brewed coffee (I omit)
1 tsp vanilla extract
Two 9-inch round pans, 2 inches deep. Butter and the bottoms lined with parchment or wax paper.
1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees
2. In a mixing bowl, stir together sugar, flour, salt and baking soda and set aside. Meanwhile, place the cut up chocolate in a bowl and pour the hot coffee over it. Let stand a few minutes until it melts, then mix until mixture is smooth.
3. In a large mixing bowl, whisk the eggs until liquid, then whisk the oil, vanilla, and sour cream, one at a time. Whisk the chocolate and coffee mixture into the chocolate batter; whisk smooth.
4. Use a rubber spatula to fold a third of the flour mixture into the chocolate batter. Repeat until all dry ingredients are incorporated. (Okay – I cheat. I actually skip the first part of step 2 and after step 3 I then add the dry ingredients, using an electric beater to incorporate everything together)
5. Divide the batter between the prepared pans and smooth the tops. Bake the cake about 30 minutes, or until well risen and a toothpick inserted in the center emerges clean. Cool cakes in pans on racks for 5 minutes, then invert each onto a rack, peel off paper, and invert again onto other racks to cool right side up (I use one rack). (I typically make the cake ahead and freeze until ready to use. I also frost when the cake is still frozen).
6. To make frosting, combine the cream, butter, sugar and salt in a saucepan and bring to a simmer over low heat. Remove from heat and whisk once to make sure better is melted, then add chocolate. Shake pan to make sure all the chocolate is covered, then allow to stand 5 minutes. Whisk frosting smooth and whisk in coffee and vanilla. (okay – I cheat here too. I just melt all this on the lowest setting on my gas range (the flames pulse on and off)). Scrape the frosting into a bowl and chill it until it is of spreading consistency (the pan goes into the fridge here – no extra bowl to clean) (check often starting after 20 minutes) Frost Cake.
This cake is absolutely decadent in its richness, but unbelievably easy to make. I've included my 'cheats' below.
The Horseradish Grill’s Chocolate Chocolate Cake (from Nick Malgieri’s “Chocolate” cookbook)
Cake Batter:
2 cups sugar
1.5 cups flour
1/2 tsp. salt
3/4 tsp. baking soda
4 oz. unsweetened chocolate, cut into /4 inch pieces
1 cup double-strength hot brewed coffee
2 large eggs, at room temp.
1/2 cup veg. oil
1.5 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 cup sour cream
Chocolate Butter Frosting:
1 cup heavy cream
8 T. (1 stick) unsalted butter
1/3 cup sugar
1/4 tsp. salt (I omit)
16 oz. semisweet chocolate, cut into ¼ inch pieces (I use Nestle semisweet chips)
1/4 cup double-strength brewed coffee (I omit)
1 tsp vanilla extract
Two 9-inch round pans, 2 inches deep. Butter and the bottoms lined with parchment or wax paper.
1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees
2. In a mixing bowl, stir together sugar, flour, salt and baking soda and set aside. Meanwhile, place the cut up chocolate in a bowl and pour the hot coffee over it. Let stand a few minutes until it melts, then mix until mixture is smooth.
3. In a large mixing bowl, whisk the eggs until liquid, then whisk the oil, vanilla, and sour cream, one at a time. Whisk the chocolate and coffee mixture into the chocolate batter; whisk smooth.
4. Use a rubber spatula to fold a third of the flour mixture into the chocolate batter. Repeat until all dry ingredients are incorporated. (Okay – I cheat. I actually skip the first part of step 2 and after step 3 I then add the dry ingredients, using an electric beater to incorporate everything together)
5. Divide the batter between the prepared pans and smooth the tops. Bake the cake about 30 minutes, or until well risen and a toothpick inserted in the center emerges clean. Cool cakes in pans on racks for 5 minutes, then invert each onto a rack, peel off paper, and invert again onto other racks to cool right side up (I use one rack). (I typically make the cake ahead and freeze until ready to use. I also frost when the cake is still frozen).
6. To make frosting, combine the cream, butter, sugar and salt in a saucepan and bring to a simmer over low heat. Remove from heat and whisk once to make sure better is melted, then add chocolate. Shake pan to make sure all the chocolate is covered, then allow to stand 5 minutes. Whisk frosting smooth and whisk in coffee and vanilla. (okay – I cheat here too. I just melt all this on the lowest setting on my gas range (the flames pulse on and off)). Scrape the frosting into a bowl and chill it until it is of spreading consistency (the pan goes into the fridge here – no extra bowl to clean) (check often starting after 20 minutes) Frost Cake.