I love chocolate. If there was a detox program for chocolate dependence I would quite possibly check myself in. Every time I get a new cookbook I mentally make a note of all the chocolate desserts and keep them in mind for future occasions, because I cannot, unfortunately, make desserts too often as my tortoise-like metabolism cannot handle it.
This recipe comes from one of Ina Garten’s cookbooks and I had been eyeing it for a while. I actually made this for New Year’s day, which if you have been following my blog realize was a fiesta of gluttony. Oh well, the holidays come but once a year. All the same, as much as I love rich food I am glad that they are over and I can get back to my regular eating habits.
The recipe began with the basic creaming of butter and sugar.
Once that was done I added my eggs and vanilla extract.
The recipe called for prepared coffee but since I didn’t feel like brewing up an entire pot I used some coffee extract. Every time I open this bottle it smells like fresh coffee in the kitchen.
This then got mixed in with some buttermilk.
Cocoa powder. Yeah, I can’t be bothered to sift anything. Maybe if I were having the Queen over for tea I would go through the trouble but not until then.
The milk, cocoa powder and flour were added in alternating batches until they were completely combined.
I had to restrain myself from just eating the cake batter. It was super chocolaty and thick. I think The Husband is the only person on the planet that does not like the taste of raw cake batter or cookie dough.
Before baking.
After baking. I’m not quite sure why it developed a crack. Oh well, at least it was going to be covered in frosting and no one would notice.
For the frosting egg whites and sugar were placed over simmering water until the sugar had dissolved.
Once that was done I added in some cream of tartar and whipped them.
I then added in a criminal amount of softened butter spoonful by spoonful until was all incorporated, hence why it looks so yellow.
Next step was adding in melted chocolate…
and beat the frosting until it was nice and fluffy.
In order to make sure that the two layers sat properly on top of each other I trimmed a bit off the top which is why it looks a little decapitated.
I love frosting cakes. There is just something so fun about smearing great globs of buttercream on a cake.
I decorated the cake simply by adding some chocolate sprinkles on top.
This was really good but oh so rich. A bit too rich for me even; Buttercream is something which can only be eaten in small quantities. I forgot to take a picture when I cut it. Oops, I was a bad blogger. The cake itself was very dense and fudgy but the frosting was a bit light on the chocolate. I think my personal preferences run towards cocoa powder based frostings rather than melted chocolate. I’m glad I made it and everyone really liked it. After the meal was over I safely stowed the leftovers in the freezer to keep them far away so I wouldn’t be tempted.
