Really good chocolate cake recipe

by kara
(sutter creek)

I bake this cake for every occasion:

Originally from Epicurious.com
Serves 12 to 14

Chef Ed Kasky used 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

• 3 ounces fine-quality semisweet chocolate such as Callebaut
• 1 1/2 cups hot brewed coffee
• 3 cups sugar
• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 cups unsweetened cocoa powder (not Dutch process)
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 1/4 teaspoons salt
• 3 large eggs
• 3/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1 1/2 cups well-shaken buttermilk
• 3/4 teaspoon vanilla

For ganache frosting

• 1 pound fine-quality semisweet chocolate such as Callebaut
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 2 tablespoons light corn syrup
• 1/2 stick (1/4 cup) unsalted butter

Special equipment

• Two 10- by 2-inch round cake pans

DIRECTIONS

Make cake layers:

Preheat oven to 300° F and grease pans. 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 colored (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.

Chocolate Lava Cake Recipe for Baby Shower

by RM
(my couch)

I love chocolate lava cake! I've been using this recipe for years, and plan to use it at a baby shower I'm having for my good friend Mandy this upcoming May.

I found this recipe on grouprecipes.com.

Preheat your oven to 450 degrees F.
grease your molds or a muffin tin that you will use for this recipe(grease very well, because these cakes like to stick)
now, melt your 1 cup chocolate chips along with the 6 tbsp butter in a microwave for 30 seconds, making sure to mix the chocolate after 15 seconds, until its completely melted.
now, to the melted chocolate, add 1 tbsp cocoa powder and salt and leave it aside for 5 minutes to cool it down a bit.
now, while the chocolate mixture in cooling, beat your eggs with the sugar for 3 minutes.
now add your chocolate to the egg mixture and mix fast!
now add the 3 tbsp flour to the mixture.
now, pure the batter in to the 4 greased molds or 5 sections of a muffin tin.
place it in the freezer for 5 minutes.
now take the cakes out of the freezer and put it in the hot oven right away for 10 minutes.(dont over bake. the max time is 15 minutes, no MORE)
take them out of the oven and set on the counter for 10 minutes.
serve them in the molds or on the plate when their warm.