Last updated on July 3rd, 2013
I HOPE YOU’RE HUNGRY, because I’ve made you a chocolate cake. A chocolate cake that is naturally-moist, euphorically-dense, and decadently-delicious. One bite and you’ll hear angels sing. I certainly did. Here’s the recipe in photographic steps, followed by a copy-and-paste version:
Chocolate Layer Cake with Milk Chocolate Frosting
Adapted from Gourmet Magazine; step-by-step instructions by Kevin Lee Jacobs
The cake:
2 cups all purpose flour
2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (not Dutch-process)
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter, softened
1 cup packed dark brown sugar
3/4 cup granulated sugar
4 large eggs at room temperature for 30 minutes
2 oz unsweetened chocolate, melted and cooled
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
1 1/2 cups well-shaken buttermilk
To start, place a wire-mesh sieve over a mixing bowl…
Then, repeatedly tap your hand against the side of the sieve. The ingredients will fall into the bowl in a fine, powdery heap. Nifty, huh?
And what about the little clumps of cocoa or baking powder that remain in the sieve? Just rub them with your finger, and these, too, will get sifted into the bowl.
Personally, I think sifting dry ingredients is a fun job. You might have a different opinion.
Now grab a 4-oz bar of good-quality unsweetened chocolate…
And break it in half. The other half of the bar will be used later, when we make the frosting.
Break the chocolate into smallish bits, and place them in a microwavable cup. Then microwave on “high” for 90 seconds or so, until chocolate melts. Set aside.
Meanwhile, take two 9-inch by 2-inch cake pans, and coat them with butter and flour. Or, even easier, spray them with non-stick “Baking” spray. Baking spray contains flour.
To insure the cake will unmold without a hitch, line each pan with a cut-out round of either wax paper or parchment paper (I used parchment). Lightly coat the paper with with butter and flour, or, if you are lazy like me, with baking-spray.
Now hook up the paddle attachment to your standing mixer. We’ve got some creamin’ to do.
Scoop the softened butter into the mixer’s work-bowl.
Blend them on medium-high speed until light and fluffy — about 3-4 minutes.
One at a time, beat in the room-temperature eggs…
Now, bit by bit, and with the mixer running at low-speed, add a little of the flour mixture…
And a little of the buttermilk.
Continue adding the flour mixture and buttermilk in alternating batches until combined.
Divide the batter between the two prepared cake pans. A rubber spatula will help you to spread the batter evenly.
Bake in the preheated 350 degree oven until a toothpick inserted in the center of each pan comes out clean — about 25-35 minutes. My oven, which is gas-fueled, required the full 35 minutes.
Oh. While the cake is baking, be sure to lick the paddle attachment.
Cool the layers on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Then run a thin knife along the edge of each pan, and invert the cakes onto a rack. Remove the paper top.
Let the layers cool completely before attempting to frost.
This will require all the willpower you can muster.
And by the way, you can frost these layers with any delicious frosting you like. But if you want to make the Milk Chocolate Frosting from Gourmet Magazine, here’s the recipe:
Milk Chocolate Frosting
2/3 cup whole milk
3 large egg yolks
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon all-purpose flour
1 1/3 cups confectioners sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 sticks (1 1/2 cups) unsalted butter, cut into tablespoon pieces and softened
8 oz milk chocolate, melted and cooled
2 oz unsweetened chocolate, melted and cooled
First, melt the two types of chocolate. I poured my milk chocolate bits and broken up unsweetened chocolate into a glass cup, and heated them in the microwave for 90 seconds.
They came out looking like…something I wanted to drink.
Whisk together the egg yolks, flour, salt, and 1/3 cup of confectioners sugar in a bowl.
Bit by bit, whisk in the hot milk.
Transfer the milk mixture to a saucepan, and, while continuously whisking, bring to a boil over moderate heat. Remove from heat when the mixture forms a thick custard, as pictured above.
Scoop the custard into a large bowl, and cover with buttered (or non-stick-sprayed) wax paper. Let cool for 45 minutes.
And during those 45 minutes, you will probably ask yourself why, on earth, you decided to make this frosting. Wouldn’t it have been easier to simply dust the cake with confectioners sugar?
But this frosting is truly delicious, folks. It’s worth the work. And the wait.
Beat the vanilla and the remaining confectioners sugar into the custard until they are well-combined.
Then, two tablespoons at a time, beat in the softened butter.
Tip: Beat thoroughly, or you’ll end up — as I did — with bits of butter that are clearly visible in the finished frosting.
Finally, beat in the chocolate.
And please forgive me for taking such a ghastly, unappetizing photo.
And then frost the cake. I won’t get into a cake-frosting tutorial here, because such a tutorial deserves a post of its own.
This Chocolate Layer Cake with Milk Chocolate Frosting is about as delicious as delicious can be. Promise me you’ll try it some time.
Meanwhile, may I offer you a bite?
Here’s a copy-and-paste version of the above recipe:
Chocolate Layer Cake with Milk Chocolate Frosting
Adapted from Gourmet Magazine
The cake:
2 cups all-purpose flour
2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (not Dutch-process)
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter, softened
1 cup packed dark brown sugar
3/4 cup granulated sugar
4 large eggs at room temperature for 30 minutes
2 oz unsweetened chocolate, melted and cooled
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
1 1/2 cups well-shaken buttermilk
The frosting
2/3 cup whole milk
3 large egg yolks
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon all purpose flour
1 1/3 cups confectioners sugar
Pinch of salt
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 sticks (1 1/2 cups) unsalted butter, cut into tablespoon pieces and softened
8 oz milk chocolate, melted and cooled
2 oz unsweetened chocolate, melted and cooledMaking the cake – Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour (or spray with “baking” spray) two 9×2 round cake pans and line bottom of each with a round of parchment or wax paper. Butter and flour (or spray) the paper.
Sift together flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt into a small bowl. Beat together butter and sugars in a large bowl using an electric mixer at medium-high speed until light and fluffy, 3 to 4 minutes in a stand mixer or 4 to 5 minutes with a handheld. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Add chocolate and vanilla and beat until just combined. Reduce speed to low and add flour mixture and buttermilk alternately in 3 batches, beginning with flour mixture and mixing until just combined.
Divide batter between cake pans, spreading evenly, and bake until a wooden pick or skewer inserted in center of each cake layer comes out clean, 25 to 35 minutes.
Cool cake layers in pans on rack 10 minutes. Run a thin knife around edge of each layer, then invert onto racks. Peel off paper and cool layers completely.
Making the frosting – Heat milk in a 1- to 1 1/2-quart heavy saucepan over moderate heat until hot. Whisk together yolks, flour, 1/3 cup confectioners sugar, and a pinch of salt in a bowl, then add hot milk in a stream, whisking. Transfer custard to saucepan and bring to a boil over moderate heat, whisking. Reduce heat and simmer, whisking, 2 minutes (mixture will be very thick), then transfer to a large bowl. Cover surface of custard with a buttered round of wax paper and cool completely, about 45 minutes.
Add vanilla and remaining cup confectioners sugar to custard and beat with cleaned beaters at moderate speed until combined well, then increase speed to medium0-high and beat in butter, 2 tablespoons at a time, until smooth. Add chocolates and beat until combined well.
Brenda Johnson says
Oh that does look divine!!
Marjean says
Yum. That recipe is close to the one my mother got from a neighbor in Durham, NC in 1938, which she wrote on the back of the receipt for my brother’s tricycle they bought at the local hardware store. I make my buttermilk chocolate cake for my birthday and my husband’s – if he chooses it over homemade lemon meringue pie. Your recipe will go into the file box to try in June.
And I agree – there are definitely some times that beaters, spatulas and bowls MUST be licked and chocolate cake with chocolate icing tops the list! YUM!
Tanya Narzt says
Oh, that looks so darn good! Yum yum yum. I think I’d put either some strawberry or raspberry jam in between the layers and go with a dark chocolate frosting if it was all mine though. 😉
I’m a dark chocolate fiend…. Hmmm maybe with a bit of candied lemon peel…. Oh, dear didn’t mean to slobber. Too yummy.
Melissa Horton says
I promise to make this cake!
Cynna says
That’s mean! I’ve been stabbing at my computer screen with a fork but I can’t get to the cake. And I really want a bite of it.
Brenda Johnson says
This cake may have looked divine- but it tasted heavenly!!!! The cake had rich deep chocolate flavor with tender crumb…. and the frosting – while debated over to frost or not frost- just added MORE chocolately fudgy goodness!!!! (I can see where this cake could stand alone unfrosted though and no one would question the choice!) Thanks for sharing Kevin!!!!
Caryl says
My favorite step is “Next, lick the beaters.” 🙂
Beverly, zone 6 eastern PA says
Decadently, scrumptiously FABULOUS !
Once again, thanks for such a complete photographic tutorial.
You are a gem!
Gretchen says
Kevin, Dear Heart, you just gave me the perfect birthday gift for a very special 90-year-young lady who happens to be a chocoholic. I’ve made chocolaty things for her in the past, but this one will be over the top!! Thank you.
Joann says
HI KEVIN…..OMG THAT LOOKS SOOO GOOD!!.. I MADE A CHOCOLATE MAYONAISE CAKE THIS MORNING FOR MY GRANDSONS 18TH BIRTHDAY WHICH IS TODAY. THANK YOU FOR ALL THE RECIPES AND THE HUMOR YOU BRING ALONG WITH THEM,. YOU MAKE MY DAY….THANKS AGAIN!!
KimH says
Oh Yummmyyyy!! It tasted marvelous! 🙂
Susi says
I do solemnly promise to make that cake!
Dan B. says
I’ll be right over.
Mary M-S says
OMG! Can’t wait to try it, with my unfortunately but necessary sugar and dairy adaptations. Love that the icing seems adaptable, most aren’t. Have you thought of moving to Indiana?
Morgan says
Food porn at it’s finest, Kevin, thanks! ;)~ Not something I indulge in any longer and still LOVE reading your recipes.
Maggie Lavish says
are those cast iron cake pans???
Janice Foster says
my computer will not let me copy and paste your recipes. can you please send them some
other way. i really enjoy your news letters.
thank you,
janice
Donna B. says
Rules to life: licking the paddle, spatula, and bowl is *always* a requirement.
But I’m a little sad… You never showed us the color of the spatula! Please tell me it was a red one… [I feel for chocolate cake red just goes divine. ♥]
Anywho: Y to the U to the MMMMMMmmmm…
Debbie says
The recipe with photos called for 8 oz of chocolate divided in half. Then it was 2 oz and your photo showed your chocolate package at 4 oz. I used 4 oz for the cake and 4 oz for the frosting before I realized. My cake turned out a bit dry and dense. But all in all wonderful. The frosting was beautiful.
Kevin Lee Jacobs says
Debbie – So glad you caught that, if not in time for your cake-baking! Yes, it is 4 oz unsweetened chocolate, divided in half. Two ounces for cake; two ounces for frosting. (Plus the 8 oz milk chocolate for frosting.) I’ve given myself 40 slaps for the boo-boo, and I’ve made the correction.
Susan in MI says
I tackled this for the dessert for my daughter’s birthday on May, 1. First time I’d ever made a cake without a mix! Will never ever ever go back to using a mix. What was I *not* thinking for all these years? It’s about time I learned how thanks to you, Kevin! Growing up children were not welcome in the kitchen. Fancy that.
There was cake left over so I decided to freeze it in serving pieces. Cut it on the plate separating the pieces before putting it in the freezer topped with an oversized plastic salad serving bowl for about 1/2 hour till the frosting was very firm. Placed the individual pieces in Ziplock Vacuum quart size freezer storage bags and into the freezer they went. They are all gone by now since it’s May 13…but taking them out to thaw on a dessert plate covered lightly covered with plastic wrap lost none of the gooey frosting goodness.
shirley murphy says
That bite was delicious Kevin, now I want more…Shirley
Joel says
I made this recipe last night, and it was a hit. I love that the icing isn’t too sweet.
Kevin Lee Jacobs says
Hi Joel – So glad you tried — and liked — the cake.
Alice says
I made the chocolate cake for Christmas Eve, it is now our favorite chocolate cake :o) Everyone loved it. Thanks so much for sharing this wonderful recipe.
Kevin Lee Jacobs says
Hi Alice – So glad you liked the cake. Music to my ears.
Jo says
Kevin, why do recipes call for unsalted butter? If salted butter was all you had, would it hurt the quality of the recipe? I’ve always wondered…
Johanna says
Looks amazing.
Can I make this cake the night before and store in the fridge / or cool place?
Thanks!
Johanna
Kevin Lee Jacobs says
Hi Johanna – Yes, you can certainly make the cake a day in advance, and keep cool. Enjoy!