Hard Times Chocolate Cake Recipes

Steps:

• Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 325 degrees.
• Brush the inside of an 8-inch square cake pan with oil and sprinkle flour over the pan. Tap out excess.
• Sift together flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda and salt in a large mixing bowl.
• In a small bowl, whisk together egg, oil and vanilla. Stir lemon juice into milk. Add to the egg mixture. Stir in 1/2 cup hot water. Pour into the cocoa mixture and stir until smooth. Turn batter into pan. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit/170 degrees Celsius. Grease a 9-inch/23-centimeter round springform pan with butter and line with parchment paper, then set aside.
• Make the cake: Place butter, chocolate and hot coffee in a large heatproof bowl and mix well until everything is melted, combined and smooth. Whisk in sugar by hand until dissolved. Add eggs and vanilla extract and whisk again until thoroughly combined and smooth. Sift flour, cocoa powder and salt together into a bowl and then whisk this into the melted chocolate mixture. The batter here is liquid, but don't think you have missed something; this is how it should be.
• Pour batter into the prepared pan and bake for 1 hour, or until the cake is cooked and a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean or with just a few dry crumbs attached. The top will form a crust and crack a little, but don't worry, this is expected. Leave the cake to cool for 20 minutes before removing from the pan, then set aside until completely cool.
• Make the chocolate ganache, if desired: Place chocolate pieces in a food processor, process until fine and set aside. Combine cream and corn syrup in a small pan and place over medium-high heat. As soon as bubbles begin to appear (just before it comes to a boil), remove from the heat. Get the food processor running again, with the chocolate still inside, and pour in the hot cream in a steady stream. Process for 10 seconds, then add butter. Continue to process until mixture is shiny and smooth. (You can also make the ganache by hand; just make sure the chocolate is chopped fairly finely before adding the cream mixture. Stir with a wooden spoon until almost melted, then add the butter. Stir again until the ganache is smooth.)
• Use a rubber spatula to scrape the ganache into a bowl and cover with plastic wrap, with the plastic actually touching the top of the ganache. Set aside until it has set to the consistency you want. If you want a thin layer to spread over the cake, it can be poured over while liquid so that you get an even, light and shiny coating. For a thicker ganache with a spreading consistency, leave it for about 2 hours at room temperature. (The ganache can be stored at room temperature, providing it's not too warm, for 3 days or kept in the fridge for up to 2 weeks. It can also be frozen, although it will lose a bit of its shine when defrosted.)
• Make the espresso cinnamon mascarpone cream, if desired: Place all the ingredients in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Beat for 1 to 2 minutes, until soft peaks form.
• Peel the parchment from the cake and discard. Transfer to a serving platter and spread the ganache, if using, on top of the cake. Slice into wedges, divide the cake among plates and, if using, spoon the mascarpone cream alongside. With or without icing, the cake will keep well for 4 to 5 days in an airtight container.

Steps:

• To make the cake, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Dissolve the coffee granules in the boiling water and let cool.
• Lightly grease or spray a 13" x 9" baking dish with nonstick cooking spray and line the bottom with waxed paper.
• In a large bowl, mix together the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
• Whisk the milk with the yogurt until blended and add to the flour mixture along with eggs, oil, vanilla and coffee mixture.
• Beat at medium speed for 2 minutes.
• Pour into the prepared pan.
• Bake for 40 to 45 minutes or until the top springs back when lightly touched.
• Let cool in the pan for 20 minutes.
• Remove from the pan and cool completely on a rack.
• To make the chocolate icing, mix the sugar and cocoa in a small saucepan.
• Whisk in the milk until smooth.
• Over medium heat, bring to a simmer, stirring constantly.
• Continue cooking and stirring for 2 minutes.
• Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla.
• Let cool for 2 hours (the icing thickens as it cools.).
• Spread over the top of the cake.

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease the bottom only of a 9-by-13-inch cake pan (preferably metal), leaving a 1/4-inch border that remains ungreased. Do not butter the sides of the pan.
• Place a large sifter or a sieve in a large bowl. Add the flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt and sift. Add the sugar and whisk to combine.
• In another large bowl, whisk the eggs, milk, oil and vanilla until combined. Gradually add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and whisk until there are no lumps and the batter is smooth. Carefully pour in the boiling water and stir until combined.
• Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake in the center of the oven until a wooden skewer inserted in the center comes out clean and the cake bounces back when lightly pressed, about 25 to 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile, make the tres leches: In a large bowl, combine the evaporated milk, condensed milk (setting 3 tablespoons aside for the whipped cream), heavy cream and vanilla bean seeds or extract (if using) and whisk to combine. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate if not using immediately.
• Remove the cake from the oven and let stand for 10 minutes. Run a butter knife around the cake's edges. Cool completely.
• While the cake is still in the pan, use a skewer or a fork to poke small holes through the cake to the bottom, about an inch apart. Slowly spoon the tres leches over the top of the cake, giving it time to soak in. Once the liquid is absorbed, repeat until all the tres leches is used. (Toward the end, the tres leches will pool at the edges, but don't worry; it will be absorbed while in the fridge.) Cover the cake with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 5 to 6 hours, preferably overnight.
• When ready to serve, make the whipped cream: Add the reserved condensed milk along with the cream, vanilla and cinnamon (if using) to the bowl of an electric mixer. Beat on medium high until the cream has doubled in volume, forms soft peaks and is light and fluffy. Spread the cake with the cream and sprinkle the chocolate shavings on top. Serve from the pan.

Steps:

• Make the frosting: In a large saucepan, bring sugar and cream to a boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 6 minutes. Meanwhile, chop chocolate and cube butter. After the sugar mixture has simmered for 6 minutes, turn the heat off and add chocolate and butter to the saucepan. Stir until everything is melted. Stir in the vanilla. Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature while you make the cake. Do not stir until it has cooled almost entirely, likely for as long as it will take you to mix and bake the cake.
• Make the cake: Heat oven to 325 degrees. Coat three 9-inch round cake pans with nonstick cooking spray. Cut three rounds of parchment paper to fit the bottom of each pan and line each pan with one. Spray the parchment. Sprinkle the pans with cocoa powder to coat, tapping each pan over the sink or trash can to shake loose any excess.
• Meanwhile, in a very large bowl, whisk the sugar, flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Make a well in the center. Bring 1 1/2 cups water to a boil while you prepare your wet ingredients.
• Whisk the eggs, buttermilk, oil and vanilla in a medium bowl. Pour into the dry mixture and whisk gently until incorporated. It will be a bit clumpy but gently work it in. Pour in the boiling water to loosen the batter and gently whisk to combine, being careful not to splash.
• Divide the batter evenly among the prepared pans. Each pan should hold about 700 grams of batter. (Weighing your batter ensures even cooking and beautiful cake building.) Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few crumbs, 32 to 35 minutes. Set the pans on a wire rack to cool.
• When cakes are cooled, revisit your frosting, whisking to thicken and making sure not to overbeat or add any air or fluff to the frosting. Turn the cakes out of their pans and discard the parchment. Trim any rounded top off of each as evenly as possible.
• Assemble the cake: Scoop about 3/4 cup of frosting on one layer set on a cake plate, then repeat with the second and third layers. You can refrigerate the cake in between frosting each layer to ensure that your frosting is set and firm so that your next layer will be propped up properly. If the frosting is too soft, the next layer will just flatten the filling. Frost the outside of the cake with the remaining frosting, letting it chill as you go if needed. Use an offset spatula or butter knife dipped in hot water and wiped clean to smooth and shine the finished cake. This cake keeps and is best served at room temperature for up to 2 days. It holds remarkably well in the refrigerator for up to one week and can be served cold.

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour a 10-inch springform pan and line the bottom with parchment paper. Set the pan on a square of heavy-duty aluminum foil and bring the foil up around the sides of the pan. Set aside.
• Combine the butter and chocolates in a saucepan and melt over medium heat, whisking until smooth. Transfer to a heatproof measuring cup.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer with the paddle attachment, beat the eggs and sugar for 5 minutes at medium-high speed. With the mixer running, pour in the espresso and beat until blended, then the butter-chocolate mixture, beating until blended.
• Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 55 minutes. (The cake will crack around the rim.) Remove from the oven and cool on a wire rack for about 20 minutes. Cover with plastic wrap or aluminum foil and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes (or up to a month).
• Twelve to 24 hours before serving, take the cake out of the refrigerator. Remove the sides of the pan, slide a metal spatula under the parchment paper and slide the cake onto a serving plate. Serve with whipped cream.

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350*.
• Stir together first 5 ingredients.
• Add flour, sugar, soda and salt.
• Stir until mixed well.
• Pour into greased and floured 9x13 baking pan.
• Bake for 40 minutes.
• Frosting: Beat all ingredients until smooth and creamy.
• Frost completely cooled cake.