I will admit… I like the convenience of a boxed cake mix. I am a very busy mom and sometimes Miss Crocker and I get busy in the kitchen together. On those crunched for time days, must have a dessert days, don’t want to use a million dishes days…Betty Crocker is just short of a Godsend in my book. At roughly $1.50 a box, who could argue with me? Hopefully these occasions are the only occasions that I’m considered cheap and easy.
There are times though when a boxed cake mix just will not do. There are some recipes that you just couldn’t replicate by using a boxed cake mix. Two recipes come to mind… The Malt Ball Cake that I made recently and the Double Chocolate Layer Cake that I compared to Dr McDreamy. Those were cakes like no other… moist, rich, delicious, and unique.
So…what makes me decide whether to use a boxed mix or a from scratch recipe? Usually, it is an enticing picture….a mouth watering description… a recipe with a unique ingredient that makes my taste buds tingle. This is exactly what happened when I was reading the March 2007 issue of Food and Wine magazine and came across Ina Garten’s recipe for a Double Chocolate Layer Cake. The huge picture on page 165 had my mouth watering. Ina’s description of it being the “most fabulous chocolate cake that I’ve ever made” had my interest peaked as well. The unique ingredient was coffee…how intrigued I was!
I made the cake this afternoon for a party we are attending tonight. If you are a batter taster like me…be prepared. The batter and frosting alone are well worth all the raves. This cake is everything it promises to be… a unique twist on a standard rich and delicious chocolate cake. The coffee in the batter and in the frosting add just enough twist to the flavor of the cake that you will want to be coming back for more.
So…cheap and easy I may be, but I can clean up well and bring a touch of class to a situation when it is needed. If you want to spread your wings some…cut the cord from Betty, give this fantastic recipe a try. It may have you branching out on your own more often.
From Food and Wine Magazine, March 2007 issue:
Double Chocolate Layer Cake by Ina Garten
Ingredients
CAKE
- 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour plus more for dusting
- 2 cups sugar
- 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 cup freshly brewed hot coffee
FROSTING
- 6 ounces semisweet chocolate coarsely chopped
- 2 sticks 1/2 pound unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1 large egg yolk
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 cup plus 1 tablespoon confectioners’ sugar sifted
- 1 tablespoon instant coffee granules
Instructions
TO MAKE THE CAKE:
- Preheat the oven to 350°. Butter two 8-inch round cake pans and line them with parchment paper; butter the paper. Dust the pans with flour, tapping out any excess.
- In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle, mix the flour with the sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder and salt at low speed. In a medium bowl, whisk the buttermilk with the oil, eggs and vanilla. Slowly beat the buttermilk mixture into the dry ingredients until just incorporated, then slowly beat in the hot coffee until fully incorporated.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pans. Bake for 35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of each cake comes out clean. Let the cakes cool in the pans for 30 minutes, then invert the cakes onto a rack to cool completely. Peel off the parchment paper.
MAKE THE FROSTING:
- In a microwave-safe bowl, heat the chocolate at high power in 30-second intervals, stirring, until most of the chocolate is melted. Stir until completely melted, then set aside to cool to room temperature.
- In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle, beat the butter at medium speed until pale and fluffy. Add the egg yolk and vanilla and beat for 1 minute, scraping down the side of the bowl. At low speed, slowly beat in the confectioners’ sugar, about 1 minute. In a small bowl, dissolve the instant coffee in 2 teaspoons of hot water. Slowly beat the coffee and the cooled chocolate into the butter mixture until just combined.
- Set a cake layer on a plate with the flat side facing up. Evenly spread one-third of the frosting over the cake to the edge. Top with the second cake layer, rounded side up. Spread the remaining frosting over the top and side of the cake. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour before slicing.
Hi Kristen, cake is divine.I rely on the store-bought cake mix too most of the time to save time but it never compares to the real thing.Looks fabulous.I will save this recipe.Thanks.
Looks decadent.
That looks DIVINE! You know I’m loving any cake with COFFEE in it. I’ll HAVE to try that sometime!
I love baking with coffee, and recently, with tea also! Both add an extra something special, and when you pair it with chocolate like you have – oh my! Your cake looks mouth watering.
Oh!! I saw that recipe and it looked SO good!! Yours is beautiful.
Hope you had fun at your party.
Betty Crocker has always been my best friend; we go way back, Betty and I! I guess I’ve been cheap and easy for awhile…perhaps it’s time to venture into the unknown world of cakes from scratch? Your’s looks just too delish!
I am definitely a batter taster…in fact, I usually taste some batter and don’t eat the baked form! On cakes, I too am a cake mix girl. Although there is one cake that will always be made from scratch…raspberry red velvet cake.
Oh, my Betty Crocker has been put down.
That is a fantastic looking double layer. I really enjoy the extra flavor from coffee in a chocolate cake.
Ina’s recipes that I’ve tried have been excellent.
That cake looks awesome! I too, am a batter taster and I must admit that sometimes I make cake just because I want to eat some batter 😉 I’ll give this recipe a try – never tried any Ina Gartner recipes before.
I love Ina! I love how she’s elegant with out an ounce of pretentiousness. P.S. your cake looked DELICIOUS!
oh my gosh, your cake looks so good! Sher just made one last week, my mouth couldn’t stop watering. Now, with yours, please give me a bib!!!
That recipe did look pretty amazing, and chocolate-y! I hope your family knows how fortunate they are!!
I don’t drink coffee, but I love the flavour of it in other things, like cakes!
Yummy, sometimes the extra work is worth it. This looks like one of those times!
I posted my mom’s chocolate cake recipe (with coffee) not too long ago on my blog–hands down my favorite cake of all time 🙂
http://bleedingespresso-sognatrice.blogspot.com/2007/02/whats-cooking-wednesday-chocolate.html
I see that the measurements are slightly different, and mine doesn’t use buttermilk (or any liquid other than the coffee).
Btw, I came here through the Ultimate Blog Party, and I’ll be back 🙂
Kristen, if you are going to take the time to bake from scratch (and sometimes we can’t) this is the perfect choice. Save me a piece. It looks too good.
i know, especially since the mixes ALWAYS work. but i’m glad you had the time to make something wonderful from scracth.
That looks rich and sinful!
I have been dying to make one of Ina’s chocolate cakes. Yours looks absolutely insane. You make me want a nice cold glass of milk with that.
I just made this cake for my birthday (yes I had to make my own cake!). It was absolutely delicious!!!
Just popping by for the Party! You are making me hungry. And the cake looks fabulous!
I’ve been reviewing menu-mailer services and other ways to streamline cooking at home on my blog. Plus I have festive exploding bubbles for the Party. Please come visit!
I need to try this…I love chocolate cake…yum!
If you need another reason to deep-six the box mixes, check out how much trans fats are squeezed into them. Love yourself! Love your heart! Love your kids and say NO to boxed cake mixes!!!
Revolutionise your thinking and remember that it’s really *not* that much more work to make a non-trans, home-made cake!