ASB Basics: Favorite Chocolate Cake

Ina Gaten's "Beatty's Chocolate Cake" is the best chocolate cake I've ever had. Moist and light with a deep chocolate flavor, it's everything you want in your chocolate cake. Above all else, it's SO easy to make; just requires some siftin' and whiskin'. This is her recipe scaled up sightly to make three layers rather than two–I think three--layer cakes are much more impressive than two. This cake does not even need cake flour, it's so delicate and light even without it.

Adapted from: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/beattys-chocolate-cake-recipe

Ingredients for a 3 layer 8" or 9" cake:

• 2--3/4 cups (360g) all-purpose flour + 3 tbsp for flouring pans

• 3 cups (600g) sugar

• 1 cup + 2 tbsp (95g) unsweetened cocoa powder (high quality dutch process is best, but natural works too for this recipe)

• 1 tablespoon baking soda

• 1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder

• 1-1/2 teaspoons salt

• 1-1/2 cups (360ml) buttermilk (full fat)

• 3/4 cup (148g) neutral oil, such as canola, avocado, grapeseed

• 3 eggs

• 1-1/2 tsp vanilla extract

• 1-1/2 cups (360ml) hot brewed coffee

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 350° F.

2. To prepare your three 8" or 9" pans, spray with non-stick cooking spray, place a round of parchment paper on the bottom (here is how to cut a circle out of parchment), spray again, and flour the pans by shaking a few tbsps of flour around the pan and tapping the excess into the sink.

3. Sift together the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt into a medium-sized mixing bowl

4. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, oil, eggs, and vanilla.

5. Add the flour mixture to the buttermilk mixture and whisk to combine.

6. Pour in the coffee while whisking.

7. Divide among the three pans and bake 35-40 mins until the cakes spring back when lightly touched.

8. Cool in the pans for 30 minutes then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.

9. Frost with buttercream and use my tips for cake decorating success. Enjoy!