Grandma's Chocolate Cake

Grandma's Chocolate Cake
If I had to pick one food that represented my childhood to me, it would be this Chocolate Cake made by my paternal Grandma. This is a very special recipe. It is the cake she made for every single birthday in my family. And even today, long after her passing, it is still a must-have at birthday time! It is a superbly delicious family favorite, and has been a family tradition for well over 50 years.

Ingredients of Grandma's Chocolate Cake
Cake
1 package (4 oz) Baker's German's Sweet Chocolate
1/2 cup hot water
1/2 cup (1-stick) unsalted butter - softened
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup pure cane sugar
2 large eggs - at room temperature
2 1/2 cups cake flour - sifted
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup buttermilk - at room temperature
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Dutch-processed cocoa powder - for dusting pans

Chocolate Frosting of Grandma's Chocolate Cake
1 1/4 cups pure cane sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 cup evaporated milk or heavy cream (I prefer heavy cream)
5 squares (1 oz) Baker's Unsweetened Baking Chocolate
1/2 cup (1-stick) unsalted butter - softened
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Preparation of Grandma's Chocolate Cake
Place oven rack in center position and heat oven to 350 degrees F. Generously butter or grease two 9-inch round cake pans, or a 9-by-13-inch baking pan; dust pans with cocoa powder, knocking out excess; set aside.

Blend chocolate into hot water until melted; set aside to cool. In a large bowl, cream together butter and brown and white sugars with an electric mixer on high speed until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition. Carefully beat in melted chocolate, scraping down the sides of bowl with a spatula as needed. In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt. Add dry ingredients alternately with the buttermilk to the chocolate mixture and beat on low to medium, scraping down the sides of bowl with a spatula as needed, until evenly combined and batter is smooth and glossy. Beat in vanilla. Pour batter into prepared pans and spread evenly.

Bake 9-inch rounds for 30 to 35 minutes, or 9-by-13-inch pan for 35 to 40 minutes, or until a toothpick or cake tester comes out clean and sides are slightly pulling away from edge of pans. When done, remove from oven and let cool in pans on wire rack for 10 minutes. Remove from pans onto a wire rack and let cool completely before frosting.

Chocolate Frosting
Combine sugar, salt and milk in large heavy saucepan. Heat on low, stirring until sugar melts. Raise heat to medium and bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Reduce heat to low; simmer 6 minutes without stirring. Remove from heat. Add chocolate; stirring until chocolate is completely melted. Stir in butter and vanilla, until melted and well combined. Chill until mixture begins to thicken (or if you're short on time, place the bowl over an ice bath). Beat until thick and creamy enough to spread. Makes enough to fill and frost one 2-layer 8- or 9-inch cake. (If making a 9-by-13-inch cake, cut the frosting recipe in half.)

Frost Cake
Before frosting cake, place 4 strips of waxed paper around edge of a cake plate (waxed paper will protect plate as you frost), and brush loose crumbs from sides and edges of cooled layers. Place one layer, rounded side down, on prepared cake plate, spread about 1/2 cup of frosting to within 1/4- inch of edge. Place second layer, rounded side up, on frosted layer. Coat side with very thin layer of frosting to seal in crumbs. Swirl more frosting on side, forming a 1/4-inch ridge above top of cake. Spread remaining frosting over top of cake, just meeting the built-up ridge around side. Make attractive swirls or leave the top smooth for decorations. Remove waxed paper pieces by easing them gently to the left and then the right. Slide each one out the side; don't pull them out. Remove each piece by sliding in the same direction.

Category: Summer Season Food