Outstanding Chocolate Cake
Submitted by bob3410
From-scratch chocolate cake with melted unsweetened chocolate, cake flour, and iced water, topped with a whipped chocolate frosting beaten over ice until fluffy and light.
YIELD
16 servingsPREP
20 minCOOK
35 minREADY
70 minThis old-fashioned chocolate cake is built the traditional way: creamed butter and sugar, eggs added one at a time, melted chocolate blended in, then dry ingredients alternated with baking soda dissolved in iced water. No shortcuts, and the result is a tender, deeply chocolatey crumb that justifies every step.
Iced water is the unusual ingredient here. It reacts with the baking soda to create extra lift, and the cold temperature keeps the batter from getting too warm after the melted chocolate goes in. This gives the cake a finer, more velvety texture than hot water would.
The whipped chocolate frosting is a showstopper: melted chocolate, butter, confectioners sugar, egg, milk, and vanilla beaten over an ice bath until light and fluffy with soft peaks. It’s lighter than a buttercream and spreads like a dream.
Kitchen Tips
- Cool the melted chocolate before adding to the batter. Hot chocolate can melt the creamed butter and deflate the mixture.
- Sift the cake flour, baking powder, and salt together before adding. Sifting makes a real difference with cake flour.
- Beat the frosting over ice for the full 5 minutes. Stopping early means a runny frosting that won’t hold on the cake.
Variations
- Bake in two 9-inch round pans for a layer cake instead of a sheet cake. Reduce baking time to about 25 minutes.
- Add a teaspoon of espresso powder to the batter for a deeper, more complex chocolate flavor.
- Dust the frosted cake with cocoa powder or chocolate shavings for decoration.
Ingredients
Directions
Sift together cake, baking powder and salt; set aside.
Cream together butter and sugar in mixing bowl until light and fluffy, using electric mixer at medium speed.
Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
Blend in vanilla and cooled chocolate, mixing well.
Combine baking soda and iced water; stir until baking soda is dissolved.
Add dry ingredients alternately with iced water mixture to creamed mixture, beating well after each addition.
Pour patter into greased 13×9×2 inch baking pan.
Bake in 350℉ (180℃) F oven for 35 minutes or until cake tests done.
Cool in pan on rack 10 minutes.
Remove from pan.
Cool on rack.
Frost sides and top of cake with whipped chocolate frosting.
Cut in squares.
WHIPPED CHOCOLATE FROSTING Combine 2 (1ounce) squares unsweetened chocolate and 2 tablespoons butter or regular margarine in small saucepan.
Heat over low heat until chocolate and butter are melted.
Cool slightly.
Combine cooled chocolate mixture, 1 cup sifted confectioners sugar, 1 egg, ⅛ teaspoon salt, ¼ cup milk and 1 teaspoon vanilla in metal mixing bowl.
Set bowl in another bowl filled with ice cubes and water.
Beat with electric mixer at high speed until mixture becomes light and fluffy, and forms soft peaks, about 5 minutes.
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