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OLD-FASHIONED CHOCOLATE CAKE
Makes one 8-inch layer cake
1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter, plus more for pans
2 2/3 cups sugar
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
4 cups cake flour, plus more for pans
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 1/3 cup milk
11 large egg whites
Pinch of salt
Chocolate Frosting (recipe follows)
1. Heat the oven to 350°. Butter and flour two 8-by-3-inch cake pans. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, on medium speed, cream together the butter, sugar, and vanilla until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
2. Sift together the flour and baking powder. On low speed, add the dry ingredients, alternating with the milk, starting and ending with flour; scrape down sides twice.
3. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whisk the egg whites with pinch of salt on high speed until stiff peaks form, 3 to 5 minutes. Whisk in a large spoonful of the beaten whites into the batter to lighten the mixture. Fold in the lightened batter into the remaining egg whites. Divide the batter equally among the prepared pans. Bake until golden brown and a cake tester inserted into the center comes clean, about 1 hour 5 minutes. Remove the pans to a rack to cool for 5 minutes. Invert cakes onto wire rack to cool completely.
4. If cakes are not level, use a serrated knife to trim tops off. Carefully slice each cake horizontally into three equal layers, about 3/4 inch thick. (You will have six layers.) To assemble, place one sliced layer on an 8-inch cardboard cake round. Spread with 1/2 cup frosting. Repeat with remaining layers, placing the final layer bottom-side up. Cover cake with remaining frosting. Serve immediately.
CHOCOLATE FROSTING
Makes 6 cups
24 ounces Nestlé semisweet chocolate morsels
4 cups heavy cream
1 teaspoon light corn syrup
1. Place the chocolate morsels and cream in a large heavy saucepan. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly with a rubber spatula, until combined and thickened, between 20 and 25 minutes. Increase heat to medium low; cook, stirring, 3 minutes more. Remove pan from heat.
2. Stir in corn syrup. Transfer frosting to a large metal bowl. Chill until cool enough to spread, about 2 hours, stirring every 15 to 20 minutes. Use immediately.
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CHOCOLATE BUTTER CAKE
FOR PREPARING THE CAKE PANS:
2 tablespoons butter, at room temperature
Parchment paper or wax paper
2-3 tablespoons granulated sugar
FOR MAKING THE CAKE BATTER:
8 eggs
8 ounces semisweet chocolate
2 1/2 cups (10 1/2 ounces) powdered sugar
14 tablespoons (1 3/4 sticks) butter, at room temperature
Preliminaries: Preheat oven to 325 degrees. You will need 2 9-inch round cake pans at least 1 1/2 inches deep.
To prepare the pans, smear the inside of each with 1/2 tablespoon of butter. Line the bottoms with rounds of parchment paper or wax paper cut to fit, then smear the paper with the remaining butter. Roll granulated sugar around the inside of each pan to coat evenly, then knock out the excess.
1. To make the cake batter, separate the eggs, dropping the yolks into one large bowl and the whites into another bowl.
2. Melt the chocolate in a double boiler or microwave oven, then set aside to cool for a moment.
3. With a wire whisk or electric mixer, beat the egg yolks for several seconds, then add 1 cup of the powdered sugar and continue beating for about 3 minutes, until the mixture is quite thick and pale yellow. Add melted chocolate and whisk until blended. Set aside.
4. Put butter in a large bowl and, with a whisk or electric mixer, beat for a minute or so, until smooth. Add 3/4 cup of the remaining powdered sugar and continue beating until butter mixture is soft and fluffy, about the consistency of mayonnaise. Add the butter to the chocolate mixture and, with a rubber spatula or wooden spoon, stir until completely blended. Set aside.
5. With an electric mixer, beat the egg whites until they are foamy and have about quadrupled in volume. Add remaining 3/4 cup of powdered sugar and continue beating until whites stand in soft peaks that droop distinctly when beater is lifted. Stir half the whites into the chocolate
mixture, then scoop the remaining whites on top and fold them in with a rubber spatula. Divide the batter between the prepared pans; they should be no more than 2/3 full.
6. Bake 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into each cake comes out with just a few moist crumbs on it, but no raw batter. Turn off the oven and leave the cakes in it for 1 hour. They will sink in the center and crack on top. Remove from oven and slide a knife blade around the edge of the cakes to loosen. Invert each cake onto a large, flat plate. To remove, give a couple of sharp, downward jerks, then lift off the pan and peel off the paper.
Presentation: Serve warm or at room temperature with vanilla ice cream if desired.
Yield: 12 servings
