Wellesley Chocolate Cake Recipes

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour two 9 inch round pans. Sift flour, baking soda and salt together 3 times and set aside.
• In a small saucepan, heat water, chocolate and 1/2 cup sugar, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes. Remove from heat and cool to lukewarm.
• Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add 3 eggs, one at a time, beating thoroughly after each egg. Add half of flour mixture and beat until smooth. Add milk and remaining flour mixture alternately in 2 parts. Beat smooth after each addition. Add vanilla and chocolate mixture. Blend well.
• Divide batter into two 9 inch pans. Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 35 to 40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean.

Steps:

• Make the cupcakes:
• Preheat the oven to 375°F. In a metal bowl set over a pan of barely simmering water melt the chocolate with the water, stirring, until the mixture is smooth and remove the bowl from the heat. In a bowl whisk the butter with the brown sugar until the mixture is blended well and whisk in the yolk and the chocolate mixture. Onto a sheet of wax paper sift together the flour, the baking powder, and the salt and add the flour mixture to the chocolate mixture in batches alternately with the milk, stirring well after each addition. Stir in the vanilla, divide the batter among 6 paper-lined 1/2-cup muffin tins, and bake the cupcakes in the middle of the oven for 18 to 20 minutes, or until a tester comes out clean. Transfer the cupcakes to a rack and let them cool.
• Make the frosting while the cupcakes are baking:
• In a metal bowl set over a pan of barely simmering water melt the chocolate with the butter, stirring, until the mixture is smooth and remove the bowl from the heat. Stir in the confectioners' sugar, 2 teaspoons of the milk, and the vanilla and blend the frosting well (the frosting will thicken as it stands). When the cupcakes are cool, thin the frosting to the desired consistency with the additional milk, stirring in the milk drop by drop.
• Spread each cupcake with some of the frosting.

Steps:

• FOR THE FUDGE CAKE: Melt chocolate in water in saucepan over very low heat, stirring constantly until smooth. Add 1/2 cup of the sugar; cook and stir 2 minutes longer. Cool.
• Mix flour, soda and salt in a bowl.
• Cream butter. Gradually beat in remaining 1 1/4 cups sugar and continue beating until light and fluffy.
• Add eggs, one at a time, beating thoroughly after each. Alternately add flour mixture and milk, beating after each addition until smooth. Blend in vanilla and melted chocolate mixture.
• Pour into 2 greased and floured 9-inch layer pans. Bake at 350°F for 30 to 35 minutes, or until cake tester inserted in centers comes out clean. Cool in pans 10 minutes. Remove from pans and finish cooling on racks. Spread frosting between layers and over top and sides. Garnish with chopped nuts, if desired.
• FOR THE FUDGE FROSTING: Melt chocolate with butter over very low heat, stirring constantly until smooth. Remove from heat. Combine sugar, salt, milk and vanilla. Add chocolate, blending well. If necessary, let stand until of spreading consistency, stirring occasionally. Spread quickly, adding a small amount of additional milk if frosting thickens. Makes about 2 1/2 cups, or enough to cover tops and sides of two 8 or 9 inch layers, the top and sides of one 9-inch square or 13 x 9 inch cake, or the tops of 24 cupcakes.
• Baker's Book of Chocolate Riches.