Ina Garten's Chocolate Cake
User Reviews
4.8
Ina Garten's Chocolate Cake
Description
Ina Garten's Chocolate Cake recipe combines traditional cake ingredients with the addition of hot coffee and buttermilk to deepen the chocolate flavor and produce a tender, moist crumb. The batter is thin due to the coffee, but it bakes into a soft, rich cake after 35 minutes in the oven. Two 8-inch rounds are prepared, cooled, and layered with a chocolate frosting.
The frosting is made by melting semisweet chocolate and blending it with butter, powdered sugar, sour cream, salt, and vanilla to achieve a smooth, spreadable consistency. The sour cream enriches the frosting's texture, balancing the sweetness while adding silkiness.
This cake serves well as a dessert for gatherings, offering a dense yet soft chocolate experience. The coffee flavor enhances the chocolate without being detectable, making it approachable even for those who avoid coffee flavors.
Common issues include batter thinness and cake sinking or drying out, which can be mitigated by using fresh leaveners, avoiding overmixing, and monitoring baking times carefully. The frosting may benefit from chilling if too runny and requires proper mixing temperatures for best texture. A crumb coat is recommended for a clean frost finish.
Ingredients
Dry Ingredients
- 1 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 3/4 cup cocoa powder
- 2 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp salt
Wet Ingredients
- 1 cup buttermilk alternative: half-and-half works fine
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 2 egg large
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 cup coffee hot
For the frosting
- 6 ounces semisweet chocolate chopped
- 1 cup unsalted butter 2 sticks, room temperature
- 3 cups powdered sugar sifted
- 1 salt pinch
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup sour cream
Instructions
For the cake
- Preheat oven to 350F. Butter two 8-inch round cake pans and line the bottoms with parchment paper discs.
- Whisk all the dry ingredients together well in a large bowl.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together all the wet ingredients EXCEPT the coffee.
- Slowly add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients, mixing as you go. Once incorporated, add the hot coffee, and mix everything until there are no pockets of dry flour left. The batter will be very thin.
- Divide the batter between the two cake pans, and bake for 35 minutes until risen and a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out without wet batter clinging to it.
- Allow the cakes to partially cool in the pans, then turn out onto a cooling rack to completely cool before frosting. The cakes can be made a day or two ahead and kept in the refrigerator before frosting.
For the frosting
- Melt the chocolate in a double boiler or in the microwave using short bursts. Stir until smooth and set aside to cool slightly.
- Beat the room temperature butter in the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment for a couple minutes until smooth and noticeably paler in color. Slowly add the powdered sugar, salt, and vanilla, beating on a low-medium speed until everything is smooth.
- Whisk the sour cream into the partially cooled melted chocolate. This both cools down the chocolate and warms up the sour cream so that both are more-or-less room temperature before adding to the butter mixture.
- Add the chocolate and sour cream mixture to the mixer bowl and beat on low speed until everything is smooth and combined.
- If your frosting seems a little too loose, you can refrigerate it for 10-15 minutes to allow it to firm up a little bit. Then give it a good stir before frosting the cake.
Notes
- The cake batter is thin due to buttermilk and coffee; this is normal and produces moist results.
- Ensure fresh baking soda and powder to avoid sinking centers; bake until a toothpick comes out clean.
- Check oven temperature to prevent overbaking and drying; a light spring back to touch indicates doneness.
- Butter and parchment line pans for clean removal; cool cakes partially before turning out.
- If frosting is runny, chill and stir; ensure melted chocolate is warm, not hot, to avoid separation.
- For smooth frosting, use a crumb coat: a thin frosting layer chilled before final frosting application.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 16servings
Amount Per Serving
Calories 498 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 498kcal | 25% |
| Carbohydrates | 67g | 22% |
| Protein | 4g | 8% |
| Fat | 26g | 40% |
| Saturated Fat | 17g | 85% |
| Trans Fat | 1g | 50% |
| Cholesterol | 57mg | 19% |
| Sodium | 316mg | 13% |
| Potassium | 205mg | 4% |
| Fiber | 3g | 12% |
| Sugar | 52g | 104% |
| Vitamin A | 459IU | 9% |
| Vitamin C | 1mg | 1% |
| Calcium | 57mg | 6% |
| Iron | 2mg | 11% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
4.8
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