Very Moist Chocolate Layer Cake
The recipes my grandmother passed down are simple and durable, having survived repeat performances at all manner of family gatherings. A special place is reserved for this chocolate layer cake. It delivers a velvety crumb, an honest chocolate taste, and a rich icing. It is a cake from my family's heart. —Robbin Gourley, from "Chocolate Cake" (September/October 1994)
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Credit: Todd Coleman
INGREDIENTS
FOR THE CAKE1 cup milk
4 oz. unsweetened chocolate, finely chopped
2 cups flour
½ tsp. kosher salt
1 tsp. baking soda
1 cup dark brown sugar
1 cup sugar
1 cup vegetable shortening
3 large eggs
1 tsp. vanilla extract
FOR THE ICING
2 oz. unsweetened chocolate, finely chopped
2 cups sugar
½ cup milk
¼ cup light corn syrup
8 tbsp. unsalted butter
¼ tsp. kosher salt
1 tsp. vanilla extract
INSTRUCTIONS
1. For the cake: Bring milk to a boil in a 1-qt. saucepan. Remove from heat, add chocolate, and cover; set aside for 5 minutes. Stir until smooth. Heat oven to 350°. Grease and flour three 9" cake pans; set aside. Whisk together flour and salt in large bowl; set aside. Dissolve baking soda in ⅓ cup hot water; set aside.2. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle, beat both sugars and shortening until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each, until smooth. Add flour and chocolate mixtures alternately, beginning and ending with flour mixture, and beat until smooth. Beat in soda water and vanilla. Divide batter evenly among pans, and smooth tops. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the middle of the cakes comes out clean, about 30 minutes. Let cool for 10 minutes, then invert cakes onto a wire rack to cool completely.
3. For the icing: Heat chocolate, sugar, milk, corn syrup, butter, and salt in a saucepan over medium-high heat; attach a candy thermometer to side of pan, and cook until mixture thickens and reaches 220° on thermometer.
4. Pour icing into a mixing bowl; beat on medium speed of a hand mixer until slightly cooled. Add vanilla, increase speed to high, and beat until consistency of frosting. Working quickly, place 1 cake on a cake stand; spread about ½ cup icing on top. Cover with second cake; spread with ½ cup icing. Cover with last cake, and spread icing over top and sides of cakes. Let cool to set icing before cutting and serving.
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Hello potluck!
Hello MISTY BROWN,
NASTY? The only thing nasty here is you.
You should take a chill pill, read the reviews of others and then read yours.
It's ok not to like something, but get off your high horse, the only thing trashy here is your review.
The icing is a classic cooked icing. If you are used to buttercream and not a classic cooked icing, that might throw you...just sayin'. Mine came out great.
In the past we have made killer good cakes from that ol' trusty recipe that was on the Hershey Cocoa can as well.
In truth, my finished cake looks VERY homemade, nothing wrong with that of course, to present our friends with food that looks like it was made with our own two hands and a bit of love. The icing was a first for me and I did not trust what my thermometer was telling me because it was at the specified temperature very quickly. Then, after beating the icing it was a bit of a leap of faith to go ahead and put it on the cake.
In the end, I cut the cake too soon and the icing was running all over, but once completely cooled, the icing firmed up nicely.
There are as many different opinions about chocolate cake as there are chocolate cakes but this one had a good old fashioned goodness to it that I like -and it seems that nobody can stop eating it, as slices keep disappearing in the night.
I'm looking forward to making it again, incorporating what I learned the first time around.