The ‘I Want Chocolate Cake’ Cake
Total Time
1 hour
Prep Time
10 minutes
Cook Time
25 to 35 minutes
Rating
4.5 out of 5 stars
(100)
Ingredients
16 small squares
- Cake
- 6 tablespoons (85 grams) unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 3/4 cup (145 grams) firmly packed dark brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons (25 grams) granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 large egg yolk
- 3/4 cup (175 ml) buttermilk (see Notes for other options)
- 1 teaspoon (5 ml) vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup (41 grams) Dutch cocoa powder
- 1 cup (125 grams) all-purpose flour
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon table or fine sea salt
- Frosting
- 2 ounces (55 grams) unsweetened chocolate, melted and cooled
- 1 1/2 cups (180 grams) powdered sugar (sifted if lumpy)
- 1/2 cup (4 ounces or 115 grams) unsalted butter, at room temperature
- Pinch of fine sea salt (optional)
- 1 tablespoons cream or whole milk
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
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Preparation
Chef’s notes
Red wine chocolate cake, mocha chocolate cake:
You could replace the buttermilk in full with yogurt or sour cream thinned with a little milk or water, with red wine or replace 1/2 cup of it with strong coffee. (Keep 1/4 cup buttermilk so you’ll have an acidic ingredient to wake up the baking soda.)
I don’t have Dutched cocoa:
Dutch-process cocoa differs from natural cocoa in that its acidity has been neutralized to form a darker, nuttier cocoa that I prefer. If you don’t have Dutched but only a regular or natural cocoa, the cake may be less dark in color.
How I like to swirl frosting:
I always use a small offset spatula and the secret is to always push the frosting from the center out, not pull it back. So, push and then make an S-swirl, push and S-swirl, repeat and always quit while you’re ahead (hard, because it’s so fun).
Confetti sprinkles:
I got mine from New York Cake on 22nd Street but, of course, Amazon sells them as well.