Our Favorite Chocolate Cake Recipe (a PSA)

Okay guys, I have a special announcement. The very first Woks of Life Public Service Announcement, that is. But first, let me begin with a story. When Sarah and I were growing up, we were big fans of the movie Matilda. For all you 90s babies out there, you probably remember the (in)famous scene wherein Miss Trunchbull forces chubby little Bruce to consume a monster chocolate cake in one sitting as a cruel (and fattening) punishment. The children watch in abject horror as Bruce somehow downs fistful after fistful of deliciously moist chocolate cake, freshly baked by the lunch lady from hell, until he’s just about ready to blow chunks. Until, that is, Matilda takes up a rallying cry, getting the students to chant Bruce’s name and helping him triumphantly finish the entire dessert, even licking the platter for good measure. Well. It may sound odd, but that chocolate cake really was my schema for what chocolate cake *should be*. Many chocolate cakes have crossed my path since first watching Matilda, and the only one that has lived up to the cake to which Bruce owes his glory is this one: the Chocolate Cake recipe from none other than Ina Garten’s Barefoot Contessa at Home—or more accurately, from Ina Garten’s friend’s grandmother, Beatty. Over the years, I’ve enjoyed Beatty’s chocolate cake many many times. It’s my de facto birthday cake and my rainy day cake, and anyone we make it for raves about it/becomes completely addicted. How is it so good, you ask? Beatty’s brilliant secret was the addition of hot brewed coffee into the batter. It makes the cake almost impossibly moist and intensifies the chocolate flavors. Now. If you find yourself facing an intolerable chocolate cake craving, you might head into your local corner of the internet looking for “best ever chocolate cake recipes.” And you’ll find plenty of them—oh yes, plenty of photos of moist, chocolate cake with perfect chocolatey frosting. Not too light, not too dense, with the perfect crumb and lovely chocolate buttercream. All boasting the same key secret: Hot. Brewed. Coffee. These internet sources will often claim ownership of their chocolate cake recipes, when they bear a suspiciously identical resemblance to old Beatty’s creation. So we decided to drop this recipe onto this blog in an only slightly modified form with total credit for Beatty, because this is legitimately our absolute FAVORITE chocolate cake in the universe.

Our Favorite Chocolate Cake: Recipe Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and butter two 8-inch round cake pans. Grab some parchment paper and trace two outlines of the cake pan. Cut out the outlines (Perfect circles, voilá!) and place a sheet of parchment into each of your pans. Then butter and flour the pans again with the parchment paper in the bottom. Disclaimer here: in the past I’ve said, “parchment paper be damned!” and simply gone ahead with buttering and flouring the pans. That being said, however, Ina is right—results are far more foolproof and much less messy with the parchment paper. Bottom line: lack of parchment paper is NOT a dealbreaker here, but it really helps if you want that extra insurance when you’re flipping over that pan and praying the cake comes out clean. Sift the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, and salt into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, and mix on low speed until combined. In a separate bowl or large measuring cup, combine the buttermilk, oil, eggs, and vanilla. With the mixer on low speed, slowly add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients. Now grab your brewed coffee, and with the mixer still on low, slowly add the coffee. Mix just to combine, scraping the bottom of the bowl with a spatula to make sure everything’s thoroughly mixed. The resulting batter will be quite thin. Divide the batter evenly between the two pans and bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean. Let the cakes cool in the pans for 30 minutes, and then (carefully) turn them out onto a cooling rack to cool completely. If you didn’t use the parchment paper, definitely grab a butter knife to loosen the cakes first. The moist crumb makes these guys pretty delicate. And remember—mauled cakes can always be patched with frosting, and ugly cake tastes just as good as pretty cake. While the cakes are cooling, prepare your chocolate frosting. Measure out your chocolate (if using bars, chop into pieces first) and place in a heat-proof bowl set over a small pot of simmering water. Stir until just melted and set aside until cooled to room temperature. Another cheat—it can be a little warm. Your frosting will be safe. While that’s happening, use your electric mixer + paddle attachment to beat 2 sticks of butter on medium-high speed until light yellow and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the egg yolk and vanilla and continue beating for 3 minutes. With the mixer on low, gradually add the confectioners’ sugar. The original chocolate cake recipe says to sift it—but really, just beat the frosting a little longer to get rid of any clumps! Continue to beat at medium speed, scraping down the bowl as necessary, until the frosting is smooth and creamy. Then add in the chocolate and beat until combined. Be careful not to over-whip the frosting. At this point, you can dissolve the instant coffee powder in 2 teaspoons of hot water, and add it into the frosting. We enjoy the pure unadulterated chocolate buttercream without this additional step, but you do you. Now, to frost the cake! Place the first cake layer on a flat plate or cake pedestal. Ina says flat side up. I say whichever the less mauled side is should be facing up. With a butter knife or offset spatula, spread with frosting—a little more than a ¼-inch thick. Carefully place the second layer on top, and spread the frosting evenly on the top and sides of the cake. There you have it—the BEST chocolate cake recipe. EVER. With a few helpful tips and cheats to make sure you get the best results possible! Uh…PLATE CHANGE! (Pretty sure someone grabbed the stunt cake and started eating it, so we had to take more photos with a new slice. This chocolate cake will do that to ya.)