Devilish Chocolate Cake

Had baked this cake for my husband's birthday and it was my first experience with frosting a cake. Though,it was alot of hard work but the result was a wonderfully beautiful looking birthday cake and the caffeinated frosting just added to the taste. The best compliment came from my husband, he just couldn't wait for the clock to strike 12 and the cake was cut more than an hour before 12 :)

I had made a two layer cake, but whenevr I am going to make it next I will make it a 4 layer cake.

For that 2 cakes would be needed and frosting too will need to be increased.

The Cake and the frosting recipe follows.

Cake Ingredients

• 1-1/2 oz unsweetened chocolate
• 1-1/2 cups all purpose flour
• 1/2 cup unsweetened Dutch process cocoa powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 6 tbsp soft unsalted butter
• 1-1/2 cups sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla essence/extract
• 3/4 cup and 3 tbsp buttermilk [Instructions given below for substituting buttermilk]

Preparation of the Cake

1.  Butter the bottom and sides of the baking pan
2. Line the bottom of each pan with parchment paper and butter the paper.
3. Melt the unsweetened chocolate in microwave. At 40 seconds interval take it out and stir. Keep repeating till it is melted and smooth. Set the chocolate aside to cool slightly while you mix the batter.
4.  Preheat the oven to 175 degrees.
5. Increase the oven temperature to 350 degrees
6. Sift the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder and salt together and set aside.
7. Put the butter in the large bowl of an electric mixer and mix on low speed for 15 seconds. Add the sugar and beat on medium speed for 2 minutes, or until the mixture is fluffy and lightens from yellow to cream color.
8. Beat in the eggs, one at a time. Stop the mixer and scrape the sides of the bowl during this mixing. Beat for 2 more minutes.
9. Decrease the speed to low and mix in the vanilla extract and melted chocolate. Stop the mixer and scrape the sides of the bowl during this mixing.
10. Add the flour mixture and the buttermilk alternately, beginning and ending with the flour mixture (3 flour, 2 buttermilk). Let the mixture absorb the flour before adding more buttermilk. Stop the mixer and scrape the sides of the bowl after the last addition of flour. The batter is ready when the final addition of flour is mixed completely into the batter. If any flour is clinging to the sides of the bowl, stir it into the batter. Pour the batter into the prepared pan or pans and smooth the top of the batter.
11. Bake for about 40 minutes for 9-inch round.
12. To test for doneness, gently press your fingers on the middle of the cake. It should feel firm. If it does, insert a toothpick into the center of the cake. When the toothpick comes out clean, the cake is done.
13. Cool the cake in the baking pan on a wire rack.

Chocolate Fudge Frosting

Ingredients

• 1/4 oz unsalted butter, cut into 6 pieces
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup half-and-half [Instructions given below for substituting Half and half]
• 4 oz semisweet chocolate, chopped
• 4 oz unsweetened chocolate, chopped
• 2 cups icing sugar, sifted
• 1 tsp vanilla essence/extract
• 2 tsp instant decaffeinated coffee dissolved in 1 tbsp water
• Chocolate Sprinklers

Preparation of the  the Fudge Frosting

1. Put the butter, granulated sugar, and half-and-half in a medium saucepan and heat over medium heat until the butter melts and the sugar dissolves, stirring occasionally.
2. Increase the heat to medium-high and simmer the mixture for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Small bubbles will form around the edge of the pan. Remove the saucepan from the heat.
3. Add the semisweet and unsweetened chocolate and stir the mixture until it is smooth and all of the chocolate is melted.
4. Return the saucepan to low heat for 1 minute, if necessary, to melt the chocolate completely.
5. Pour the chocolate mixture into the large bowl of an electric mixer.
6. Add the powdered sugar, vanilla, and dissolved coffee and mix on low speed just to incorporate the powdered sugar.
7. Press plastic wrap onto the surface of the mixture and refrigerate until it is cool to the touch, about 35 minutes. Stir occasionally to ensure the mixture cools throughout. Makes about 2-1/2 cups.
8. Beat the cooled chocolate mixture on medium-high for 1 minute, or until the frosting is creamy and lightens slightly in color.

 This recipe has been inspired from Globalgourmet.com

 Assembling the Cake

1. When the cake has cooled, Cut it into 2 horizontal layers. Use a see-saw manner to cut it evenly.
2. Taking the bottom part, with cut side up, apply the frosting using a metal spatula.
3. Put the 2^nd layer on the frosted first layer with cut side down.
4. Apply the frosting to the sides and the top of the cake.
5. Fill some of the frosting in the icing bag  and make star shaped designs on the edge of the top of the cake
6. Sprinkle Chocolate sprinkles
7. Enjoy !!

 Substitutes

Buttermilk [1 Cup]

1 tablespoon lemon juice or vinegar plus enough milk to make 1 cup (240 ml) (let stand 5-10 minutes)

OR 1 cup (225 grams) plain yogurt

OR 1 cup (225 grams) sour cream

OR 1 cup (240 ml) milk plus 1 1/2 - 1 3/4 teaspoons cream of tartar

Half and Half [1 Cup]

1 tablespoon butter /margarine plus enough milk to make 1 cup (240 ml) (let stand 2 minutes)