How To Melt Chocolate Without Burning It
A double boiler is a common method for melting chocolate without burning it. You might have to play around with combinations of pans and bowls to find the perfect fit but it works perfectly fine. While melting chocolate, make sure the water does not touch the bottom of the bowl. Remove chocolate from the heat as soon as it is melted, it is possible to overheat chocolate and in that case, it will break.
Another option is to melt the chocolate in the microwave stirring every 30 seconds. If choosing the microwave option, I suggest placing chocolate into a plastic container as it is much easier to burn it in a glass container.
Either way, aim to use good quality chocolate with high cocoa content eg. both in terms of texture also taste point of view. Low-quality chocolate might already break at the melting stage and become greasy.
The Best Vanilla Cake Recipe
Dessert 45 mins
This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.
This is the Best Vanilla Cake Recipe Ive ever tasted! So delicious, its quick and easy to make! Made from scratch, this cake is perfect for every occasion!
If you have been looking for a fluffy, moist and delicious not to mention quick and easy vanilla cake, here it isThe Best Vanilla Cake Recipe! Its the recipe that many of you requested by emailing, commenting, and messaging me for some time. As promised, here is the recipe that I think is the very best vanilla cake Ive ever tasted!
And topped with Chocolate Buttercream Frosting? Oh my word! It is perfection!
Coffee Or Spice Grinder
You will also need a coffee or spice grinder for grinding your toasted espresso beans. Many people love to freshly grind their coffee and that grinder is also excellent to use for your espresso powder. I use a small burr style conical grinder often for grinding coffee beans for making coffee. So if you have one on hand, I highly recommend it for grinding your espresso beans for your espresso powder. I have a dedicated grinder that I use for making my espresso powder since I use it so often in my baking. It was fairly inexpensive and does a wonderful job evenly grinding my espresso beans in just a few seconds.
Also Check: Pastry Glam Pie Glitter Black Sneakers
Step By Step Instructions
This recipe is SO EASY and you can make it all with a bowl and a whisk no mixer required if you dont have one!
- STEP 1). Combine dry ingredients. Sift flour, cocoa, baking powder and baking soda into a large bowl. Add both sugars and salt and whisk to blend well, pressing out any lumps of brown sugar.
- STEP 2). Combine wet ingredients. Combine eggs, oil, sour cream and vanilla in a medium bowl and whisk to blend well.
- STEP 3). Mix wet and dry ingredients. Pour the wet ingredients into the bowl with the dry ingredients and mix with a whisk or an electric hand mixer on medium-low until blended. It will be thick and somewhat dry.
- STEP 4). Mix in hot coffee. Add the hot coffee gradually in two stages to minimize clumps forming and beat until evenly combined and the batter smooth.
- STEP 5). Bake. Divide batter evenly between the prepared pans and bake for 30-33 minutes until cakes spring back when pressed gently and a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean. Transfer pans to a wire rack and let cool for 15 minutes before inverting onto the rack to cool completely.
The Worlds Best Chocolate Cake Recipe Ever
The Worlds Best Chocolate Cake Recipe Ever, Because Your Family Deserves the Best!
Ive been deep-diving into chocolate recipes and I found this and I posted it on my blog. It explains how to give your chocolate cake a special kick and how you can customize your recipe to be gluten-free, dairy-free, and egg-free, and even modify it into cupcakes or a chocolate sheet cake!
You can read it here:
Let me know what do you think, looking for your comments.
You May Like: Purina One Large Breed Dog Food 40 Lbs
Dark Chocolate Vs Milk Chocolate
Its important to note that this recipe uses dark chocolate for a reason. Because were adding cream, butter, and powdered sugar to the chocolate, the flavor gets diluted just a bit. If you use milk chocolate chips instead of dark chocolate chips, youre going to lose a lot of the chocolate flavor. Additionally, the buttercream will simply taste overly sweet. Now, dont get me wrong I love all things sweet, but its important to have balance. The dark chocolate in the layers and the buttercream help provide a balance to the sweetness because dark cocoa is bittersweet. However, the cake and buttercream frosting dont taste bittersweet because weve added other ingredients to them .
So trust me on this one. Use dark chocolate!
How I Tested The Cakes
Every cake was made on the same day and exactly as written. I didnt take any creative liberties and tried to replicate the steps as faithfully as I could. If a recipe specifically called for a certain brand of ingredient to be used, I used it. I wanted it to be a fair competition and I was diligent about keeping things consistent.
I also grabbed some of my friends to taste the cakes to see what they thought. Surprisingly there was a lot of agreement in our opinions, and we all came away with a lot of tricks for better cake-baking.
Read Also: Pie Five Garden City Ks
How I Chose My Four Chocolate Cake Contenders
Because there are so many kinds of chocolate cake , I decided to stick to classic two-layer cakes coated in just chocolate frosting. I avoided recipes with additional flavors like fruits or spices.
From there, I took a look at the most searched-for recipes. Ina Gartens topped the list, followed by Hersheys, and Martha Stewarts. Though Pioneer Womans recipe also proved extremely popular, I skipped it because its a sheet cake, not a layer cake. Smitten Kitchens cake, which is baked in a single layer in a square pan, met a similar fate. I then did a quick Google search for chocolate cake, which revealed that Add a Pinchs recipe might be the most beloved of them all. Heres a bit more about each.
s recipe is made entirely by hand and doesnt require a mixer. It was the only recipe I found that used butter not vegetable oil so I was curious to see how that would impact the texture and flavor.
I figured the classic Hersheys back-of-the-box chocolate cake was many peoples go-to cake recipe. Its a classic thats been a staple for many years.
The recipe from Add a Pinch had over 2,000 reviews and an average 4.97/5 star rating, so I figured it had to be worth trying. All of the comments online raved about how delicious the cake was, so I was curious to see what all the fuss was about.
How To Make Cake
When making the cake layers, dont forget to follow my go-to tips for getting your cakes to rise and bake well:
- Preheat your oven for 30 minutes prior to baking.
- Use good quality pans like Fat Daddio.
- Spray your pans with nonstick spray and line with parchment paper.
- Dont overmix your cake batter once you add the dry ingredients.
- Use room temperature wet ingredients.
- Use fresh baking powder.
- Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out with a few moist crumbs on it
I also shared the baking process on my the other day. Click the icon below to check it out.
You May Like: Aunt Millie Carb Smart Bread
Make The Chocolate Frosting
Once the cakes have cooled completely, its time to make the frosting and assemble the cake!
- Melt the chocolate: Place the chopped chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl and microwave in 30-second increments on 50% power, stirring after each, until the chocolate is melted and smooth. Set aside and cool to room temperature.
- Beat the butter: Meanwhile, using the whisk attachment of your stand mixer, whip the butter on medium-high speed for 5 minutes, stopping to scrape the bowl once or twice.
- Add powdered sugar: Reduce the speed to medium-low and gradually add the powdered sugar.
- Add vanilla: Once all of the powdered sugar is incorporated, add the vanilla and mix until incorporated.
- Pour in the chocolate: Add in the melted chocolate and whip on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes, scraping the bowl as needed to incorporate all of the chocolate.
The Best Chocolate Cake Ever Recipe
shaved semi-sweet chocolate, for the sides. Preheat oven to 350° F. Butter and flour the bottom and sides of two 9-inch round cake pans. Stir together sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, espresso powder, and salt in large bowl. Add eggs, milk, oil and vanilla beat on medium speed of mixer 2 minutes.
7 ounces dark chocolate , chopped into 3/4-inch pieces 1 1/2 teaspoons instant coffee granules, dissolved in 1 1/2 cups hot water 1 1/4 cups granulated sugar 2 large eggs, lightly beaten 2 teaspoons vanilla extract 1 3/4 cups plus 2 tablespoons all purpose flour 2 3/4 t baking powder
Instructions. Preheat the oven to 200°C/392°F. Break the chocolate into smaller pieces and melt it in a double-boiler . Add the butter cut into pieces and mix well with a whisk to obtain a smooth texture. Pour the mixture into a bowl. Add the sugar and mix well.
Whisk mixture gently until smooth then set aside to cool. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter and flour two 8-inch round cake pans. In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, sugars, salt, and baking soda. Whisk sour cream, oil, eggs, egg yolk, vinegar, and vanilla into the cooled chocolate mixture until smooth.
Instructions. Pre-heat oven to 180C / 350F. Grease a 9 cake pan with oil and set aside. Mix together the dry ingredients flour, cocoa, salt, baking powder, baking soda, coffee powder, and sugar until well combined. Add oil, egg, vanilla, and milk to this and stir well to combine without any lumps.
Also Check: Berdoll Pecan Pie Vending Machine
The Best Chocolate Cake
This is truly the best chocolate cake in the history of ever. So simple and so very decadent, rich, and moist.
If youre looking for a tried-and-true chocolate cake that will not let you down, this is the one.
It has been my go-to recipe for over ten years anytime I need a classic chocolate cake recipe.
How To Make Chocolate Cake
The world famous Hersheys Perfectly Chocolate Cake recipe ticks all your chocolate-loving boxes: EASY, QUICK AND AMAZING RESULTS.
TIPS: Sift the dry ingredients into a large bowl first to get rid of any hard lumps caused during storage, while getting more air into the mixture.
Then add in your wet ingredients. Just keep in mind that the cake batter is VERY thin. Dont be tempted to add more flour as this is what makes the cake super soft and moist.
The ONLY thing you can add to this already perfect cake recipe is a couple teaspoons of instant coffee or espresso for an even deeper chocolate flavour. Of course, this is totally and COMPLETELY optional. You cannot taste the coffee flavour.
Super-fine cake flour can be used if you have it for an even softer crumb but is not necessary.
Read Also: Mrs Anderson’s Pie Weights
How Do You Make The Best Chocolate Cake
- Make sure you preheat your oven before starting. Weve included temperatures for standard AND fan or convention ovens.
- If using springform pans, note that they are NOT 100% leakproof. Very thin cake batters such as this one will leak through the base. To combat this issue, line the base with parchment paper coming up where the sides meets the base to create a cover. Place a baking sheet on the shelf below the cake pan to catch any stray drips. Dont put cake pans directly on the pan as the heat will effect the base of your cakes.
- Let cakes cool COMPLETELY before frosting. You can make this chocolate cake the day before and frost the next day.
What Cake Pan To Use
There are 3 key considerations when choosing the right cake pan size, side, material.
Regarding the size, I am using a rather small diameter but tall cake pan which is size-wise more than enough for a family. The side of the cake pan must be absolutely straight in order to bake a straight side cake. In regards to the material, I recommend stainless steel or aluminum, however, the cake pan preparation is very important in case of both, see my tips further down.
Can I make this Take home Chocolate cake in a smaller pan? Yes, you can but you will need to adjust the quantity as well as baking time
Can I make this Take home Chocolate in a bigger pan? Theoretically yes you can, but since it is a very wet cake, the larger the pan the bigger the risk than it won´t bake properly plus you will need to increase the quantity of the ingredients as well as the baking time
You May Like: How To Make Chicken Pot Pie Filling
Why Is There Coffee In The Cake Can I Omit It
This best chocolate cake recipe calls for strong hot coffee to be added to the batter at the end. This creates a nice silky batter as well as emphasizes the chocolate flavor in the cake! You can also substitute espresso powder if you dont have coffee on hand. I typically use instant coffee mixed with warm water. Dont worry you cannot taste the coffee in this cake. If you are not a fan of coffee you can just use hot water instead!
What Makes This Cake So Moist
Its not more fat! Moisture comes from liquid, not fat. So you can add more butter and more oil, but it will really just make the cake more dense and more tender by shortening the texture. Fat will not make a cake moist as only liquids can add moisture. This cake is moist because of the amount of liquid.
Liquid oil will make the texture very soft, which often gives the perception of moistness
You May Like: Grammy’s Pot Pie Dog Food
How To Make Ahead And Store The Homemade Vanilla Cake:
Both the cake and the chocolate frosting can be made ahead. Allow the cakes to cool completely, wrap them well in plastic wrap and place each layer into a zip top freezer bag. Freeze the cake layers for up to one month.
To frost the cake, simply remove from the freezer and allow to thaw in the refrigerator with wrapping intact. Then, frost the cake once it has completely thawed.
Store the cake at room temperature on the counter. I like to store under a cake dome to keep the cake fresh.
The History Behind The Best Chocolate Cake
A long, long time ago in a blogosphere far, far away, I posted a recipe for an unbelievable chocolate cake. I had fallen in love with the recipe after making it from a Martha Stewart cookbook I checked out from the library.
It quickly and soundly became my favorite chocolate cake. But just like any recipe thats existed online for over ten years, over time, Ive tweaked it to be a bit more user-friendly.
Many of you who already love that original recipe commented over the years how the quantities were a little quirky. And I cant disagree . Additionally, the cake batter quantity filled up two 9-inch pans very full to become extra thick cake layers .
Thanks to your suggestions, Ive tweaked that original recipe to fit standard cake pans, use friendlier ingredient quantities, and still come out as one of the best chocolate cakes of all time. If you can believe it, the old classic has become even more classic thanks to the updates.
Recommended Reading: Key Lime Pie Fragrance Oil
How To Make Dark Chocolate Cake:
No need for a stand mixer. This cake is made in one large bowl. Try to use a heatproof bowl so you can melt the chocolate and unsalted butter in it.
This recipe requires chopped dark chocolate. Make sure you use one you like as this is the flavor of the cake.
Personally I buy the dark chocolate bars from Trader Joes and have been very happy with the results.
Dark chocolate is often categorized as anything that is 70% cocoa solids. The higher the percentage the more bitter the chocolate gets. Want to go lower than that? I would say choose what you like!
How to Chop Chocolate?
There are several ways but what I start with a chefs knife or a strong serrated knife. Begin chopping thin slivers from the corners of the chocolate. Keep turning the bar so you are always working from a manageable corner.
Once the bar is sliced chop those slivers until they are similar in size and able to melt easily.
Ive also seen insrtuctions that tell you to melt the chocolate in a microwave at ten second intervals until it is shiny but still holds its shape and then chop. I have not tried this as it seems a bit dangerous to me.
Another method is to leave the chocolate in the wrapper and hammer away. After the bar is broken up, use your knife to chop.
Take your pick!
What Makes Chocolate Cake Moist
This perfect combination of oil, milk and boiling water makes this recipe stand out without having to use melted chocolate. The fats in the oil, protein in milk and temperature of the water makes the chocolate flavour develop nicely while baking and providing the essentials for that moist crumb youre looking for.
Dont over-mix OR over-bake. This chocolate cake only needs about 30-35 minutes in the oven, or until a wooden skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.
Read Also: American Pie Movie Series Watch Online