It is not too often a Chocolate Cake comes around that has me describing it as perfect. And ever since I started making desserts in some of the local restaurants, Chocolate Cake comes around a lot. This Chocolate Birthday Cake does have me using the word perfect so many times. It is made with hot coffee and Kahlua, what girl or chocolate-lover wouldn’t call this perfect?
My husband’s birthday was last weekend, and this was his fifth annual Birthday Cake. I have made it for him every year since we met, and it’s a tradition that will definitely keep on going. He loves it and really looks forward to it every year.
Chocolate and coffee are so lovely together. Coffee enhances the flavor of chocolate, and chocolate compliments coffee perfectly, in my opinion. That combination makes this cake wonderful. Not to mention that the recipe and method is so easy and simple. A mixer is not even needed, as all you really use is two large mixing bowls and a whisk.
This cake has rich chocolate flavor, a lovely velvety texture, and the crumb and consistency is just right, as it’s not too dense and not too light and crumbly. It is perfect for layering, shaping, sculpting, and slicing, which means it would be perfect for a wedding cake with a lot of layers and tiers.
…Notice how many times I use the word perfect? I really can’t help it! You’d think I was trying to sell something here. Well, although I’m not selling anything and getting any richer with this, I hope you print this recipe and give it a try. And I know I talked it up a lot, so you’ll have to let me know your review once you enjoy a slice of this chocolate heaven. =)
::Chocolate (Birthday) Cake::
{from Colette Peters book, Cakes to Dream On, modified slightly}
2 c. AP flour
1 t baking soda
pinch of salt
1 3/4 c. hot coffee
1/4 c. Kahlua
5 oz unsweetened baking chocolate, chopped into small pieces
8 oz unsalted butter, cut into small pieces, then to room temp
1 3/4 c. sugar
2 eggs, at room temp
2 t vanilla
Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F. Coat two 8″ round cake pans with butter and line the bottoms with parchment paper. (Cut parchment in a round to fit inside the bottom of the cake pan.)
In a medium mixing bowl, sift together the flour, soda, and salt. Set aside.
In a large mixing bowl, add in the chopped chocolate, Kahlua, and softened butter. Pour in the hot coffee, make sure it’s very hot. Give it a little stir, cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and let set for about ten minutes until all the mixture is melted. Stir around until smooth. (If you still end up with it not all melted you can set your bowl over a saucepan of gently simmering water and stir the chocolate coffee mixture until it’s all smooth.)
Whisk in the sugar, let the mixture cool completely. Whisk in the dry mix in two batches. Then whisk in the eggs and vanilla.
Pour the batter into the prepared pans and bake for 40-45 minutes, or until a tester comes out of the center clean. Rotate the cake pans after 30 minutes if necessary.
Let the cakes cool completely in their pans, set on a wire rack. After cooling completely, and even letting them refrigerate for a while, you can remove the cakes from the pans. Run a butter knife along the inside edge of the pan, then set a flat plate or small cutting board over the cake pan, invert, and tap gently upside down. When you feel the cake fall down, lift up the pan. Chill the cake layers completely before icing and decorating.
::Cocoa-Kahlua Buttercream::
My basic ratio for Simple Buttercream is 1 lb softened butter for every 2 lbs (about 8 cups) powdered sugar and 1 T vanilla. I use that basic ratio and just go by it’s creamy, fluffy consistency as I make it. Buttercream is often made with an egg, but I do not use any.
1 lb butter, softened/room temp
1 lb, 12 oz powdered sugar (or 7 c.)
1/2 c. cocoa
1 or 1 1/2 T Kahlua
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle, cream the softened butter until it’s light and fluffy. Gradually add in the sugar and the cocoa, scraping down the sides of the bowl as you go. Add in the Kahlua and continue beating until it is light and smooth. Do not chill before using.
To ice the cake, it is good to do a crumb coat on the chilled cake first. Spread icing on the top of one layer, set the other layer on top. Then simply spread on a thin layer of buttercream on the whole stacked cake, not worrying if the icing picks up some crumbs or not. Refrigerate that for a bit, then gently spread on your Cocoa Kahlua Buttercream.
For this buttercream, I got to use some Italian Cocoa that my cousin sent me for Christmas. =)
::Simple Chocolate Ganache::
1 c. chocolate chips (at home I use ghirardelli 60% bittersweet)
1 c. heavy cream
Set the cream in a small saucepan over med-high heat. Set your chocolate in a medium bowl. Once the cream reaches a simmer/light boil, pour it over the chocolate and let set a few minutes. Stir until it’s all melted and smooth. Use as desired in decorating, or pour in a squeeze bottle to drizzle over the cake as you serve it.
I still want to try making this cake with some Grand Marnier in place of the Kahlua. Then layer it with Orange Buttercream, using fresh, concentrated orange juice in the place of vanilla, and adding in some orange zest. I love dark chocolate and orange together.
Cheers and happy baking. =)
cooking all the thyme 