Perfect Chocolate Cake with Salted Milk Chocolate Frosting
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This cake has never failed me. It is the perfect combination of silky, delicate texture, rich chocolate flavour and decadent density. It comes together really easily, and bakes up like a dream. Every. Single. Time.
The origins of this decadent chocolate cake:
So this cake is based off of the famous Ina Garten cake, named Beatty’s Chocolate Cake, which can be found in her cookbook Barefoot Contessa: at home. My Mom bought that cookbook of Ina’s years and years ago, and the very first time we made this cake together we both were like…woah. This is it. This is the perfect cake.
I don’t think I’ve ever made another style of chocolate cake since that day. Why would I bother?
How I have improved this recipe over the years:
Over the years, and over the course of the dozens and dozens of chocolate cakes I’ve baked, I’ve started to consistently make the same adjustments to her original recipe time and time again, and that list of ingredients is what I share with you today!
I’ve made this cake so many times. I’ve made it for so many special occasions, I’ve made it just because I was craving something rich and chocolatey, and I’ve made it to impress new friends and family. It works for everything, and can be transformed in so many ways.
But my favourite way to dress up this chocolate cake is with a rich, sweet, and salty buttercream frosting that firms up to the perfect consistency after sitting in the fridge for an hour or two, and creates the most incredible bite of perfect chocolate cake.
The texture of this perfect cake:
The texture of this chocolate cake is like no other - it’s light, because it uses oil instead of butter, but somehow is still dense and fudgey.
The cake itself bakes up so beautifully dark - almost black. It looks gorgeous in contrast to the light chocolate frosting when you slice into the cake.
And this cake has complexity, thanks to the addition of that espresso or brewed coffee at the end. You don’t taste the coffee directly, but it adds an unusual and rich element to the flavour of the cake - really bringing out the richness of the cocoa powder.
Depending on what type of coffee beans you use, the flavour notes of your coffee will impact the flavour of your cake.
The frosting:
The salty milk chocolate frosting truly is the perfect match for this cake. It adds a different type of chocolate richness to the cake that balances perfectly when combined into one big, beautiful layer cake.
The flavour of the salted chocolate frosting with the rich coffee/cocoa cake is reminiscent of a rich and creamy milk chocolate bar to me.
And lastly, this cake is one of those wonderful bakes that just gets moister and more delicious with time - I swear it’s even better on day 2 and 3!
Perfect Chocolate Cake with Salted Milk Chocolate Frosting
Ingredients
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Butter two 8 inch round cake pans.
- Spray with nonstick spray and either line with parchment paper rounds that you've cut out, or sprinkle with flour to prevent sticking.
- In a medium sized bowl or large liquid measuring cup, combine the milk, yogurt, vinegar, oil, eggs and vanilla. Set aside to allow the milk to curdle slightly.
- Combine the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, and salt into a large bowl. Whisk to combine thoroughly.
- Slowly add the wet ingredients to the dry, scraping down the sides of the bowl and mixing until well combined.
- Pour in the hot espresso or brewed coffee, and whisk until the mixture just comes together. The batter will be runnier than your typical cake batter.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pans and bake for 35-40 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean.
- Cool in the pans for a few minutes, then turn them out onto a cooling rack and cool completely.
- Melt your milk chocolate chips in a double boiler, or in the microwave (stopping the microwave to stir every 15 seconds).
- Set your melted chocolate aside to cool slightly.
- Beat room temperature salted butter in a large mixing bowl on high, until light and fluffy.
- Using a spatula, add the melted chocolate to the butter, along with the vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste.
- Slowly incorporate the powdered sugar, making sure to scrape down the edges of the bowl often.
- Beat in the salt, and just enough milk or cream to create the consistency of frosting you like to work with.
- Place one layer, flat side up, on a flat plate or cake stand.
- With a smooth knife or offset spatula, spread the top with frosting.
- Place the second layer on top, rounded side up, and spread the remaining frosting evenly on the top and sides of the cake.
Notes
If you would like to create four layers by cutting each cake round in half, adjust the frosting recipe to make more to fill the additional layers.
This recipe creates beautiful cupcakes, as well! Just adjust the cooking time to check on your cakes earlier.
The coffee really enhances the flavour of the chocolate, and doesn't come through as coffee tasting at all once the cake is baked.
Nutrition Facts
Calories
795.75Fat
42.74 gSat. Fat
19.55 gCarbs
101.88 gFiber
3.72 gNet carbs
98.16 gSugar
75.94 gProtein
7.29 gSodium
1124.23 mgCholesterol
118.74 mgDisclaimer: This nutritional info has been automatically calculated and is not confirmed by a registered dietitian. The value is per serving.
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