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Trusted Contributor
Posts: 1,448
Registered: ‎05-14-2011

Re: Forever in search of the perfect chocolate cake batter recipe.

Aw, nuts, now I want to bake this cake! I'm in NY and it's snowing and will snow all day. DH just said, "please, no baking, I'll just eat too much". I guess I'll make soup instead.
Honored Contributor
Posts: 14,967
Registered: ‎05-23-2015

Re: Forever in search of the perfect chocolate cake batter recipe.

When you just need a smaller cake, 8" or 9"  single layer, try googling wacky cake. It is a rich, moist cake with few ingredients. I'm a chocolate lover, and this cake hits the spot.

" You are entitled to your opinion. But you are not entitled to your own facts."
Daniel Patrick Moynihan
Honored Contributor
Posts: 17,491
Registered: ‎03-10-2010

Re: Forever in search of the perfect chocolate cake batter recipe.

The thing with people who love boxed cake mixes is that it has an expected taste.  I know that when I make a scratch cake, people are underwhelmed.  

 

I find that using the box as a base and then perking it up with Cake Mix Doctor recipes is the happy medium.  

 

For myself, I always make scratch cake, muffines, cookies, etc.  When I'm making a decorated cake for an event, I always use a box mix recipe from Cake Mix Doctor.

 

 

===================================
QVC Shopper - 1993

# IAMTEAMWEN
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Posts: 2,035
Registered: ‎06-29-2015

Re: Forever in search of the perfect chocolate cake batter recipe.

[ Edited ]

@house_cat, add my recomendation the the pile! You can't go wrong w/ the back-of-the-can Hershey's chocolate cake.

 

When we were kids, my mom always made that cake in a 13X9, and brought it along whenever we'd go to the beach...so we called it 'beach cake'.

After I had my own kids, and would make that cake, I just called it 'beach cake', not chocolate cake.

Fast forward.

About 10 years ago, my married son called me and said that his wife had just made a beach cake! He recognized it by the texture and taste, & thought it was nutty that the recipe had found its way to Hershey's. LOL!

 

Muddling through...
Respected Contributor
Posts: 4,010
Registered: ‎08-29-2010

Re: Forever in search of the perfect chocolate cake batter recipe.

Here is the recipe I use.  The only cocoa in the recipe is used to coat the baking pans (in lieu of flour, which leaves white tracks on the cake layers). This recipe makes for a moist, three layer, dark chocolate cake.

 

Buttermilk Devil’s Food Cake
Family Circle magazine | January 15, 1985 | page 130

 

Bake at 375º for 25 to 30 minutes.

Makes 10 servings at 88¢ each  (in 1985)

 

Unsweetened cocoa powder
2 1/4 cups sifted cake flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
½ cup (1 stick) butter
2 ½ cups firmly packed light brown sugar
3 eggs
3 ½ squares (1 ounce each) unsweetened chocolate, melted
½ cup buttermilk
1 cup boiling water
2 1/4 teaspoons vanilla

Sour Cream Frosting (recipe follows)

 

Preheat oven to moderate (375º). Butter three 9-inch round layer-cake pans. Line bottom with wax paper circles*; butter paper; lightly dust bottom and sides with unsweetened cocoa powder.

 

Sift together flour, baking soda and salt onto piece of wax paper. Set aside.

 

Beat butter in large bowl until light and smooth. Slowly beat in sugar until fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each. Blend in melted chocolate.

 

Mix flour alternately with buttermilk into butter mixture, beginning and ending with flour, until well blended. Stir in boiling water and vanilla. Pour into prepared pans, dividing equally. (Mrs. G. here:  The batter will be thin.)

 

Bake in preheated moderate oven (375º) for 25 to 30 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool cakes in pans on racks 5 minutes. Turn out cakes on racks. Remove wax paper; cool.

Place a cake layer on serving platter. Spread evenly with some of the Sour Cream Frosting. Repeat with remaining 2 layers and some of the frosting. Frost sides of cake.

 

*Mrs. G's note: Wax paper leaves wax on the bottom of the cake layer, creating a slightly crunchy crust. I suggest using parchment instead.

 

Sour Cream Frosting
Melt 15 squares (1 ounce each) semisweet chocolate in top of double boiler over hot, not boiling, water. Remove from heat. Beat in 1 ½ cups dairy sour cream, 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla and a pinch of salt. Beat until creamy and holds its shape.

Strive for respect instead of attention. It lasts longer.
Respected Contributor
Posts: 4,758
Registered: ‎03-12-2010

Re: Forever in search of the perfect chocolate cake batter recipe.

A flourless chocolate cake is very moist and chocolately. Consider trying one of those.
Respected Contributor
Posts: 4,758
Registered: ‎03-12-2010

Re: Forever in search of the perfect chocolate cake batter recipe.

Respected Contributor
Posts: 4,010
Registered: ‎08-29-2010

Re: Forever in search of the perfect chocolate cake batter recipe.

[ Edited ]

@Tigriss wrote:
A flourless chocolate cake* is very moist and chocolately. Consider trying one of those.

Maida Heatter's most popular recipe.

 

*Edited by Mrs. G. to add:  Not a Devil's Food Cake, however.

Strive for respect instead of attention. It lasts longer.
Esteemed Contributor
Posts: 5,295
Registered: ‎06-06-2011

Re: Forever in search of the perfect chocolate cake batter recipe.

@house_cat  Heart

 

youresofunny.gif

Women and cats will do as they please, and men and dogs should relax and get used to the idea-Robert A. Heinlein
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Posts: 9,861
Registered: ‎03-09-2010

Re: Forever in search of the perfect chocolate cake batter recipe.

@sabatini

 

That's such a cute family story. It's endearing how our kids take our words as fact when they are young.

 

@IamMrsG

 

Thank you. 

I copied that recipe and will try it in my "test kitchen", lol.

 

@Tigriss and others who recommended the flourless cakes - thank you, but I had a taste of one of those years ago, followed by a terrible migraine. It turned me off to them completely, though I know most people like them.  I rarely eat chocolate, for that reason, but I bake it for my husband.  

~ house cat ~