Cold Water Chocolate Cake
Submitted by whatafarce
Cold water chocolate cake with melted unsweetened chocolate, butter, and a splash of cold water for an exceptionally tender, light crumb. A heritage two-layer cake recipe.
YIELD
1 cakePREP
15 minCOOK
25 minREADY
45 minCold water chocolate cake gets its name from the unusual final step: a full cup of cold water beaten into the batter at the end. That cold water is what gives this cake its signature tender, almost cottony crumb. The water thins the batter and produces a lighter cake with more lift, while the cold temperature helps the gluten relax for a softer texture.
Use cake flour, not all-purpose. The lower protein content of cake flour is essential to the soft texture this recipe is known for. All-purpose flour gives a tougher, more bread-like cake.
Melt the unsweetened chocolate and let it cool before adding to the batter. Hot chocolate cooks the eggs on contact, leaving you with scrambled streaks. Cooled chocolate folds in smoothly. Don’t substitute cocoa powder; the recipe is calibrated for the higher fat content of melted bar chocolate, which is part of what keeps the crumb tender.
Don’t overbake. 20 to 25 minutes for two 8-inch layers. The toothpick should come out with a few moist crumbs, not bone dry. Overbaked chocolate cake turns dry fast, especially with cake flour, which has less moisture-holding capacity than all-purpose.
Cool only five minutes in the pans before turning out. Longer and the steam softens the bottom crust and the cake sticks; shorter and it tears under its own weight on release.
Pro Tips
- Sift the cake flour, baking soda, and salt together before adding. Cake flour clumps easily and uneven distribution gives uneven texture.
- Beat the cold water in last and only until smooth. Overbeating develops gluten and undoes the tenderness the cold water is supposed to create.
- Frost only when the cake is completely cool. Warm cake melts buttercream into a sliding mess.
Variations
- Use brewed coffee instead of cold water for a mocha cake with deeper chocolate flavor.
- Frost with chocolate buttercream, peanut butter frosting, or a classic seven-minute frosting depending on your mood.
- Add 1 teaspoon of espresso powder to the dry ingredients for chocolate flavor amplification without coffee notes.
Ingredients
Directions
Cream butter and slowly mix in sugar, beating until light and fluffy.
Add eggs and vanilla, mixing well.
Add chocolate and combine thoroughly.
Mix flour, baking soda and salt together and add to butter mixture, mixing well.
Add cold water and beat until smooth. Pour batter into 2 buttered and floured 8 inch cake pans.
Bake at 350℉ (180℃). until toothpick inserted in center of cake comes out clean, about 20 to 25 minutes.
Cool in pans for 5 minutes, then turn out onto racks to cool completely before frosting.
Comments
really nice recipe, v quick and easy to make
must try
one of my favorites!
Great, moist, dark chocolate. Smaller 8” cake. I’ve made this for over 20 years since I found it in the LA Times. It has been my grandson’s birthday request for many years, with cooked Caramel frosting.