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Double Chocolate Layer Cake

A community recipe by

Not tested or verified by Nigella.com

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Introduction

This old-fashioned chocolate cake i made for my mother inlaw. i use Callebaut semisweet chocolate for the cake and Guittard French-vanilla chocolate for the frosting, but any fine-quality semisweet chocolate will produce a wonderful result in either.

Ingredients

Serves: 6-8

For the Cake Layers

  • 3 ounces semi-sweet chocolate
  • 1½ cups hot brewed coffee
  • 3 cups sugar
  • 2½ cups all-purpose flour
  • 1½ cups unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 2 teaspoons baking soda
  • 1¼ teaspoons salt
  • 3 eggs
  • ¾ cup vegetable oil
  • 1½ cups well shaken buttermilk
  • ¾ teaspoon vanilla
  • ¾ teaspoon baking powder

For the Ganache Frosting

  • 1 pound semi-sweet chocolate
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 2 tablespoons sugar
  • 2 tablespoons light corn syrup
  • ½ stick unsalted butter

Method

Double Chocolate Layer Cake is a community recipe submitted by helenasmith and has not been tested by Nigella.com so we are not able to answer questions regarding this recipe.

Make cake layers

  • Preheat oven to 300°F and grease 2 x 10 inch round cake pans (2 inches deep). Line bottoms with rounds of wax paper and grease paper.
  • Finely chop chocolate and in a bowl combine with hot coffee. Let mixture stand, stirring occasionally, until chocolate is melted and mixture is smooth.
  • Into a large bowl sift together sugar, flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
  • In another large bowl with an electric mixer beat eggs until thickened slightly and lemon coloured (about 3 minutes with a standing mixer or 5 minutes with a hand-held mixer).
  • Slowly add oil, buttermilk, vanilla, and melted chocolate mixture to eggs, beating until combined well. Add sugar mixture and beat on medium speed until just combined well.
  • Divide batter between pans and bake in middle of oven until a tester inserted in center comes out clean, 1 hour to 1 hour and 10 minutes. Cool layers completely in pans on racks. Run a thin knife around edges of pans and invert layers onto racks. Carefully remove wax paper and cool layers completely. Cake layers may be made 1 day ahead and kept, wrapped well in plastic wrap, at room temperature.
  • Make frosting

  • Finely chop chocolate.
  • In a 1 1/2- to 2-quart saucepan bring cream, sugar, and corn syrup to a boil over moderately low heat, whisking until sugar is dissolved. Remove pan from heat and add chocolate, whisking until chocolate is melted.
  • Cut butter into pieces and add to frosting, whisking until smooth.
  • Transfer frosting to a bowl and cool, stirring occasionally, until spreadable (depending on chocolate used, it may be necessary to chill frosting to spreadable consistency).
  • Spread frosting between cake layers and over top and sides.
  • Cake keeps, covered and chilled, 3 days. Bring cake to room temperature before serving.

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