Cocoa Layer Cake Recipes

COCOA-BUTTERMILK LAYER CAKE

Steps:

• Prep the cake materials: Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 350 F. Butter two 9 x 2-inch round cake pans with a pastry brush, dust the interiors with flour, tap out the excess and line the bottoms with rounds of parchment or wax paper. Put the pans on a baking sheet.
• For the cake: Whisk together the flour, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Set aside. Beat the butter until soft and creamy in a stand mixer, preferably fitted with a paddle attachment, or with a hand mixer in a large bowl. Add the sugar and beat until it is thoroughly blended with the butter, about 2 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl halfway through for even mixing. Add the eggs yolks one at a time, then the eggs one at a time, beating for 1 minute after each addition and scraping down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed. Beat in the vanilla.
• Reduce the mixer speed to low. Beginning with the dry ingredients, alternate adding the dry ingredients and the buttermilk; add the dry ingredients in 3 portions and the buttermilk in 2. Mix only until each new batch is blended into the batter (i.e., do not overmix). Scrape down the bowl and, if you want, add the melted chocolate, folding it in with a rubber spatula. Divide the batter between the cake pans. Bake for 26-30 minutes, or until the cakes feel springy to the touch and start to pull away from the sides of the pans.
• For the chocolate malt buttercream: Add the chocolate and half the brown sugar to a heatproof bowl; set the bowl over a saucepan of simmering water to temper (melt) the chocolate and sugar, making sure the bowl doesn't touch the water. Meanwhile, whisk the malt powder and cocoa together in a small bowl; add 3 tablespoons of boiling water and whisk until smooth. Set aside.
• In the stand mixer, preferably fitted with the paddle attachment, or with a hand mixer in a large bowl, beat the butter on medium speed until soft and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add the remaining brown sugar and beat until well blended, about 2-3 minutes. Beat in the salt and vanilla extract, then reduce the mixer speed to low.
• When the chocolate and sugar are melted, remove heatproof bowl from the saucepan. Whisking the melted chocolate gently, gradually pour in the malt-cocoa mixture and stir to thoroughly incorporate: it should be dark, smooth, and glossy. Add this chocolate mixture to the stand mixer and mix until smooth, pausing to scrape down the bowl. Still working on low speed, gradually add the confectioners' sugar. When all the sugar is in, raise the mixer speed to medium and beat for a couple of minutes. If the frosting is too thin, pop it in the fridge for a few minutes.
• Remove the cakes from the oven; transfer to racks and cool for about 5 minutes. Run a knife around the sides of the cakes, unmold them, and peel off the paper liners. Invert and cool to room temperature right side up. (Note: Once the layers are cooled, they can be wrapped airtight and left at room temperature overnight or kept frozen for up to 2 months.)
• Assemble the cake: Place one layer on a cardboard round or a cake plate protected by strips of wax or parchment paper. Frost the top of the layer, then cover with the second layer of cake. Frost the top and sides (optional) of the cake, smoothing the buttercream for a sleek look or using a spatula, knife, or spoon to swirl it for a more exuberant look. Remove the paper strips after the cake is frosted. Refrigerate the cake for at least 1 hour (or for up to 1 day, if that's more convenient) to set the frosting, then bring it to room temperature before serving.

COCOA CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°. In a large bowl, whisk flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda and salt. Using a spoon, make 3 wells in the dry ingredients. Pour oil into the first, vinegar into another and vanilla into the third. Slowly pour water over all. Beat on low speed until thoroughly combined (batter will be thin). , Pour into a greased 8-in. square baking dish. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 30-35 minutes. Cool in pan on a wire rack. Dust with confectioners' sugar.

EASY COCOA 1-LAYER CAKE

Steps:

• Stir dry ingredients together in a bowl.
• Cream butter and sugar in another bowl, add eggs, vanilla and water.
• Mix in dry ingredients.
• Mix well.
• Bake in preheated 350 oven in buttered and floured (or cocoa'd) 9 inch cake pan for about an hour or til cake tests done with a toothpick.
• Cool in pan for an hour then remove to rack and sift powdered sugar over top.

COCOA LAYER CAKE

Steps:

• Position 1 rack in top 1/3 and 1 rack in bottom 1/3 of oven and preheat to 350 degrees. Butter three 9" cake pans with 1 1/2" sides. Line with parchment paper rounds and butter parchment.
• Whisk cocoa and 1/2 cup warm water in small bowl. Whisk butter and 1/2 cup water in second small bowl.
• Sift flour, baking soda, and 1/4 teaspoons salt into medium bowl.
• Using electric mixer, beat both sugars and butter in large bowl until pale yellow and fluffly (will appear granular), about 5 minutes. With mixer running, gradually add beaten eggs, then beat until smooth and fluffly, about 15 seconds. Add cocoa mixture; beat to blend. Add flour mixture in 3 additions alternately with buttermilk mixture in 2 additions, beating to blend after each addition. Divide batter amoung pans (about 1 3/4 cups each).
• Bake cakes until tester comes out clean, reversing pans halfway through baking, about 18 minutes. Cool completely in pans on racks.
• Frosting: Melt butter in medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir in sugar, cocoa, expresso powder, and 1/2 tsp (scant) salt. Gradually stir in cream. Stir until mixturer is very hot and just begins to simmer at edges. Reduce heat to low; stir 1 minute to let flavors blend. Transfer to medium bowl; stir in vanilla (will resemble chocolate sauce). Chill until just thickened, stirring occasionally, about 1 1/2 hours. Let stand at room temperature.
• Run knife around cake sides. Carefully iinvert 1 cake onto plate (cakes will be very tender); peel off parchment. Spread with 1/2 cup frosting. Invert second cake onto palm of hand. Position cake 2 inches above frosted cake layer. Carefully slide cake onto first cake layer. Peel off parchment. Spread cake with 1/2 cup frosting. Repeat with third cake layer. Spread remaining frosting on sides and top of cake.
• Can be made one day ahead. Cover with cake dome' let stand at room temperature.