Cakes
If you're looking for a good cake recipe, today's post is sure to please. Check out the Rocky Road Cake, the Black Forest Layer Cake, and any of the other yummy cake recipes here. Enjoy!
CHOCOLATE CHURCH CAKE
This comes from Lisa Donovan in The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. Lisa wrote, "Layer cakes are formative for Southerners: They grace wedding tables, shiva gatherings, quinceañeras, baptisms and funerals. Because of this — and because layer cakes may be as close as some will ever get to a holy experience — they’re often called church cakes. This chocolate one is a perfectly moist and stacked rendition of a pudding cake, with just the right amount of richness from the frosting. This formula needs no alterations, but there’s no sense in breaking the tradition of Southern bakers, who personalize recipes as a point of pride. Add pulverized praline to the center, or cinnamon or instant-coffee granules to the batter. Don’t be afraid to make it your own. To make it a true church cake, serve it to those you hold in the highest regard, for celebrations or to simply indulge in the good glory of company."
Yield: One 9-inch layger cake; Time: 1 hour, plus cooling
To view this online, go to https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1023117-chocolate-church-cake.
Ingredients
For the Frosting:
1-1/2 cups/ granulated sugar
1-1/2 cups heavy cream
8 ounces unsweetened chocolate
6 ounces grams unsalted butter
1 teaspoon vanilla paste or extract
For the Cake:
Nonstick cooking spray
1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, dark (Dutch-processed) if available, plus more for pans
3-1/2 cups granulated sugar
2-3/4 cups all-purpose flour (see Tip)
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
1-1/2 teaspoons fine salt
3 large eggs, beaten
1-1/2 cups buttermilk, preferably cultured whole buttermilk
3/4 cup/145 grams canola or other neutral oil
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
Preparation
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 3 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.
Tip
You can substitute an equal amount of a gluten-free baking blend.
BLACK FOREST LAYER CAKE
This yumminess is from Betty Crocker, and begins, "If you’re looking for a baking project or beautiful (and wildly delicious!) layered cake for a special occasion, look no further than this Black Forest Layer Cake. Three layers of a moist chocolate cake are separated by a from-scratch cherry filling (made with dark sweet cherries) that’s both rich and tart in its taste, then frosted with a Swiss buttercream frosting and decorated with shaved chocolate and a pile of maraschino cherries. What makes this cake truly special is the “double dam” frosting border! Frosting is piped twice on the outside edge of the cake layer so there’s a thick layer of buttercream that holds in the cherry filling. The end result is a dramatic black and white look and a touch of extra Swiss buttercream for frosting lovers. This cake is an absolute stunner, and it will reward the baker and the guests alike!"
Prep Time: 1 hour 30 minutes; Total Time: 3 hours 30 minutes; Servings: 12
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
Cake
2 cups Gold Medal™ all-purpose flour
1-1/4 teaspoons baking powder
1-1/4 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup unsweetened baking cocoa
1-1/4 cups water
2/3 cup butter, softened
1-1/3 cups sugar
3 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
Cherry Filling
1/2 cup sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/3 cup water
1-1/4 cups frozen dark sweet cherries, thawed, drained, coarsely chopped
1 tablespoon butter
Frosting
6 egg whites
1-1/2 cups sugar
1-1/2 cups butter, softened and cut into 1-inch pieces
2 teaspoons vanilla
Decorations
1/2 cup shaved semisweet chocolate baking bar (about 1 oz)
1/2 cup maraschino cherries with stems, well drained and patted dry
Directions
Heat oven to 350°F. Spray bottoms and sides of 3 (8-inch) round cake pans with cooking spray; line with cooking parchment paper.
In small bowl, mix flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. In another small bowl, beat baking cocoa and 1-1/4 cups water with whisk until well blended. Set both bowls aside.
In bowl of electric stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, beat 2/3 cup softened butter and 1-1/3 cups sugar on medium speed 2 to 3 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally, until light and fluffy. Reduce speed to low; beat in eggs, one at a time, just until smooth. Beat in 2 teaspoons vanilla. On low speed, beat in one-third of the flour mixture, then half of the cocoa mixture, beating well after each addition, just until smooth. Repeat with flour mixture and cocoa mixture, ending with flour mixture. Scrape side of bowl occasionally. Pour 1-2/3 cups batter in each pan; spread evenly. Tap pans on counter 2 to 3 times to eliminate air bubbles from batter.
Bake 18 to 22 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes; remove from pans to cooling racks. Cool completely, about 1 hour.
Meanwhile, in 1-quart saucepan, beat 1/2 cup sugar and the cornstarch with whisk. Beat in 1/3 cup water until smooth. Stir in chopped cherries. On medium-high heat, heat cherry mixture to boiling; boil 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat; stir in 1 tablespoon butter. Pour into small bowl. Refrigerate uncovered at least 1 hour.
In medium glass or metal bowl, beat egg whites and 1-1/2 cups sugar with whisk until blended. Set over pan of simmering water, beating occasionally, 16 to 20 minutes or until sugar has dissolved and egg mixture reaches 160°F. Remove from heat; pour into bowl of electric stand mixer fitted with whisk attachment. Beat on high speed 2 to 3 minutes or until glossy peaks form and bowl has cooled to feel slightly warm. Still on high speed, slowly add 1-1/2 cups butter, one piece at a time, scraping side of bowl occasionally, until mixture is smooth, thick and shiny, 12 to 14 minutes. Beat in 2 teaspoons vanilla. If mixture separates, beat until smooth.
Fit decorating bag with 1/2-inch round piping tip; fill with frosting. Place one cake layer on serving plate. Pipe a thick frosting border around top edge of cake layer. Pipe a second border just inside the first border. Spread 2/3 cup of the cherry filling over top of cake inside borders. Top with second cake layer; repeat borders and filling. Place third cake layer on top. Frost side and top of cake with remaining frosting. Press shaved chocolate around bottom half of cake. Refrigerate 1 hour.
When ready to serve, mound maraschino cherries in center of cake. Store loosely covered in refrigerator.
Expert Tips
We tested this recipe with an electric stand mixer. An electric hand mixer may also be used, but for the frosting, start on low and gradually increase speed, ensuring the mixer’s motor can handle it; the beating time may take a little longer.
To make shaved chocolate for this recipe, we used a 62% cacao semisweet chocolate baking bar. Use a vegetable peeler to shave chocolate easily.
Soft butter is important in this recipe. To soften butter, cut in small pieces, and leave at room temperature. A faster method is to microwave butter in 5-second increments at 50% (Medium), turning the butter frequently so butter is softened but not melted.
Black Forest cakes typically have brandy in the cherry filling. Stir in 2 tablespoons brandy when adding the butter to the cherry filling, if desired.
If crumbs get in the frosting while frosting the cake, scrape off your icing spatula into a separate bowl so as not to get crumbs on the frosted cake.
A turntable is helpful when decorating a cake. You can build your cake on the flat surface, and it allows you to turn the cake as you frost, which makes it easier to decorate.
To keep your serving plate clean while frosting the cake, place strips of waxed paper around edge of plate. Remove after frosting, and decorating is complete.
There are different types of buttercream: Simple or American (butter and powdered sugar), Decorator's (typically using shortening and powdered sugar), French (egg yolks, sugar syrup and butter), Italian (sugar syrup, egg whites and butter) and Swiss (egg whites and sugar heated, and lots of butter)!
Making Swiss buttercream is a process that takes some patience. Heat egg whites and sugar in a double boiler until it reaches 160°F. Put egg-sugar mixture in a mixer fitted with whisk attachment, and beat until cooled. Slowly add 1-1/2 cups butter piece by piece so butter is nearly emulsified into the mixture. Take your time doing this! It will look like soft white meringue until the butter takes hold and becomes frosting. (It will not have frosting texture until nearly the last piece of butter is added.)
There are two types of cherries—sweet and sour. Sour cherries, also called pie cherries, tart cherries or tart red cherries make wonderful pies. Sweet cherries are great for eating fresh, but not for pies. Maraschino cherries are preserved sweetened cherries and are perfect for this cake. We used frozen dark sweet cherries to avoid the process of pitting.
ROCKY ROAD CAKE
I was taking a speech class at a local junior college. One week we had to give a demonstration speech; one lady demonstrated how to make this cake, passing out copies of the recipe along with pieces of cake. It’s absolutely delicious. The icing can be used on almost any kind of cake; it would be really good on carrot cake!
Note: This recipe can be found in my e-cookbook, Off the Wall Cooking, which I'm currently updating (along with photos).
Ingredients
1 C chopped nuts
4 eggs
1 C raisins
1 C mayonnaise
1 C mini-marshmallows
1 C water
6 oz. package of chocolate
1 package (18.25 oz) Devil’s Food cake mix w/pudding
Directions
Grease and flour 2 9" pans. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix first four ingredients in medium-size bowl. In large bowl at low speed, mix cake mix, eggs, may and water until blended. Increase speed to medium & beat for 2 minutes. Stir in nut mixture. Pour into greased and floured pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 50 minutes. Cool in pan 15 minutes on cooling rack.
ICING (for Rocky Road Cake)
1 tsp. vanilla
1 stick butter
8 oz. cream cheese
1 box confectioners sugar
Place ingredients in bowl and cream together. When cake is cool, ice. ENJOY!
DENSE AND DELICIOUS CHOCOLATE CAKE
This is from the October 2006 issue of Vegetarian Times (page 31), and begins, “Wow the chocolate lovers in your life with this fudgy creation that’s as easy to whip up as a cake mix.” Makes 10 servings.
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
Chocolate Cake
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup sugar
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 cup low-fat buttermilk
1 large egg
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 cup brewed espresso or strong coffee
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
Fudge Glaze
2 Tbs. low-fat buttermilk
2 Tbs. cocoa powder
2 Tbs. unsalted butter
1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
Preparation
Preheat oven to 400F. Coat 9-inch round springform pan with cooking spray. Combine flour, sugar, and baking soda in bowl. Whisk together buttermilk, egg, and vanilla in separate bowl.
Combine espresso and cocoa in large saucepan. Add butter, and bring to a boil over medium-high heat, whisking constantly. Remove from heat, and stir in dry ingredients. Add buttermilk mixture, and whisk until smooth.
Pour batter into prepared pan, and bake 15 to 20 minutes, or until top looks dry but toothpick inserted in center comes out moist.
Meanwhile, make Fudge Glaze: Combine buttermilk, cocoa powder, and butter in medium saucepan, and bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Remove from heat, and stir in sugar and vanilla.
Pierce holes all over cake with skewer or fork. Spread glaze over cake with spatula. Let stand 5 minutes before unmolding, and serve.
KENTUCKY BUTTER CAKE
This recipe is from Nell Lewis and adapted by Margaux Laskey on The New York Times cooking site, as well as in "Briliant Baking" cooking suppliment on Sunday, February 20, 2022. Margaux wrote, "If you think you don’t need another Bundt cake recipe, this one exists to prove you wrong. Adapted from Nell Lewis of Platte City, Mo., who entered the Pillsbury Bake-Off contest in 1963, it is a favorite of food bloggers and Pinterest lovers alike. On the surface, it’s not that different from your typical pound cake, but what makes it special is a vanilla-scented, buttery sugar glaze that’s poured over the still-warm cake. Left to sit for several hours before unmolding, the glaze soaks into the cake, making it incredibly tender and rich while leaving behind a delightful sugary crust. There are a lot of variations out there — some with bourbon in place of the vanilla, others with sherry — so feel free to play around."
Yield: 10 to 12 servings; Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
You can view this online at https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1020431-kentucky-butter-cake.
Ingredients
For the cake:
1 cup unsalted butter (2 sticks), softened, plus more for greasing the pan
3 cups all-purpose unbleached flour, plus more for dusting the pan
Nonstick cooking spray (optional)
2 cups granulated sugar
1 cup buttermilk (see Tip)
4 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon fine sea salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
For the butter sauce:
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup unsalted butter
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Confectioners’ sugar, for sprinkling (optional)
Preparation
Heat oven to 325 degrees. Generously butter and flour (or spray with nonstick cooking spray) a 10-inch tube pan or a 12-cup bundt pan.
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, or using a handheld mixer, combine the remaining cake ingredients and beat for 3 minutes at medium speed. Pour into prepared pan, level with a spatula and bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 60 to 70 minutes.
Shortly before the cake is done baking, make the butter sauce: Combine the granulated sugar, butter and vanilla with 3 tablespoons water in a saucepan over low heat until the butter just melts. (Do not let the mixture boil, as you do not want the sugar to completely dissolve.)
As soon as the cake comes out of the oven, leave the cake in its pan and gently poke it all the way through 15 to 20 times with a long wooden skewer or a long-tined fork. Slowly pour warm butter sauce over the cake. Let cool for at least 3 hours before unmolding from pan. Just before serving, sprinkle with confectioners’ sugar, if desired.
Tip
If you don’t have buttermilk, measure out 1 cup of whole milk and remove 1 tablespoon. Add 1 tablespoon white vinegar to the remaining milk and stir to combine. Let sit for 10 minutes, then stir gently before using in the recipe as you would buttermilk.
VEGAN TOFU CHOCOLATE CAKE
This is from Ashley Adams on The Spruce Eats. Ashley wrote, "Prepared with silken tofu in place of the eggs and butter called for in traditional recipes, this chocolate cake is one of the healthiest around, yet still so tasty. Frost with whatever dairy-free frosting suits the occasion.
"Although many recipes that call for silken tofu require that you drain the liquid from the box before using, for this recipe just open the box and pour both the liquid and tofu into the blender as directed in Step 3.
"This recipe makes one two-layer 9-inch cake."
Prep Time: 10 minutes; Cook Time: 30 minutes; Total Time: 40 minutes; Servings: 4; Yield: 1 cake
To view this online, go to https://www.thespruceeats.com/vegan-chocolate-cake-1000681.
Ingredients
1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cups unsweetened cocoa powder
1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1-1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 (12.3-ounce) box firm silken tofu
1-1/4 cups maple syrup
3 tablespoons canola oil
1 cup almond milk
1/3 cup boiling water
Directions
Gather the ingredients.
Preheat the oven to 350 F. Lightly oil or grease (with dairy-free soy margarine) 2 (9-inch) round cake pans. Set aside.
Sift together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium-sized mixing bowl. Set aside.
Process the tofu in a blender until creamy. Add the maple syrup and oil and process until smooth.
Stir the tofu mixture and almond milk into the dry ingredients. Add the boiling water and continue to stir until the batter is just combined. (The batter should be fairly smooth but will still have some lumps in it.)
Pour the batter into the prepared pans and bake for about 25 to 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cakes comes out clean.
Allow the cakes to cool in the pans for about 15 to 20 minutes on a wire cooling rack before removing from the pans to finish cooling on the cooling rack. Once cakes are completely cool, frost with a dairy-free frosting.
CHOCOLATE CHURCH CAKE
This comes from Lisa Donovan in The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. Lisa wrote, "Layer cakes are formative for Southerners: They grace wedding tables, shiva gatherings, quinceañeras, baptisms and funerals. Because of this — and because layer cakes may be as close as some will ever get to a holy experience — they’re often called church cakes. This chocolate one is a perfectly moist and stacked rendition of a pudding cake, with just the right amount of richness from the frosting. This formula needs no alterations, but there’s no sense in breaking the tradition of Southern bakers, who personalize recipes as a point of pride. Add pulverized praline to the center, or cinnamon or instant-coffee granules to the batter. Don’t be afraid to make it your own. To make it a true church cake, serve it to those you hold in the highest regard, for celebrations or to simply indulge in the good glory of company."
Yield: One 9-inch layger cake; Time: 1 hour, plus cooling
To view this online, go to https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1023117-chocolate-church-cake.
Ingredients
For the Frosting:
1-1/2 cups/ granulated sugar
1-1/2 cups heavy cream
8 ounces unsweetened chocolate
6 ounces grams unsalted butter
1 teaspoon vanilla paste or extract
For the Cake:
Nonstick cooking spray
1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, dark (Dutch-processed) if available, plus more for pans
3-1/2 cups granulated sugar
2-3/4 cups all-purpose flour (see Tip)
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
1-1/2 teaspoons fine salt
3 large eggs, beaten
1-1/2 cups buttermilk, preferably cultured whole buttermilk
3/4 cup/145 grams canola or other neutral oil
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
Preparation
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 3 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.
Tip
You can substitute an equal amount of a gluten-free baking blend.
BLACK FOREST LAYER CAKE
This yumminess is from Betty Crocker, and begins, "If you’re looking for a baking project or beautiful (and wildly delicious!) layered cake for a special occasion, look no further than this Black Forest Layer Cake. Three layers of a moist chocolate cake are separated by a from-scratch cherry filling (made with dark sweet cherries) that’s both rich and tart in its taste, then frosted with a Swiss buttercream frosting and decorated with shaved chocolate and a pile of maraschino cherries. What makes this cake truly special is the “double dam” frosting border! Frosting is piped twice on the outside edge of the cake layer so there’s a thick layer of buttercream that holds in the cherry filling. The end result is a dramatic black and white look and a touch of extra Swiss buttercream for frosting lovers. This cake is an absolute stunner, and it will reward the baker and the guests alike!"
Prep Time: 1 hour 30 minutes; Total Time: 3 hours 30 minutes; Servings: 12
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
Cake
2 cups Gold Medal™ all-purpose flour
1-1/4 teaspoons baking powder
1-1/4 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup unsweetened baking cocoa
1-1/4 cups water
2/3 cup butter, softened
1-1/3 cups sugar
3 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
Cherry Filling
1/2 cup sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/3 cup water
1-1/4 cups frozen dark sweet cherries, thawed, drained, coarsely chopped
1 tablespoon butter
Frosting
6 egg whites
1-1/2 cups sugar
1-1/2 cups butter, softened and cut into 1-inch pieces
2 teaspoons vanilla
Decorations
1/2 cup shaved semisweet chocolate baking bar (about 1 oz)
1/2 cup maraschino cherries with stems, well drained and patted dry
Directions
Heat oven to 350°F. Spray bottoms and sides of 3 (8-inch) round cake pans with cooking spray; line with cooking parchment paper.
In small bowl, mix flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. In another small bowl, beat baking cocoa and 1-1/4 cups water with whisk until well blended. Set both bowls aside.
In bowl of electric stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, beat 2/3 cup softened butter and 1-1/3 cups sugar on medium speed 2 to 3 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally, until light and fluffy. Reduce speed to low; beat in eggs, one at a time, just until smooth. Beat in 2 teaspoons vanilla. On low speed, beat in one-third of the flour mixture, then half of the cocoa mixture, beating well after each addition, just until smooth. Repeat with flour mixture and cocoa mixture, ending with flour mixture. Scrape side of bowl occasionally. Pour 1-2/3 cups batter in each pan; spread evenly. Tap pans on counter 2 to 3 times to eliminate air bubbles from batter.
Bake 18 to 22 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes; remove from pans to cooling racks. Cool completely, about 1 hour.
Meanwhile, in 1-quart saucepan, beat 1/2 cup sugar and the cornstarch with whisk. Beat in 1/3 cup water until smooth. Stir in chopped cherries. On medium-high heat, heat cherry mixture to boiling; boil 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat; stir in 1 tablespoon butter. Pour into small bowl. Refrigerate uncovered at least 1 hour.
In medium glass or metal bowl, beat egg whites and 1-1/2 cups sugar with whisk until blended. Set over pan of simmering water, beating occasionally, 16 to 20 minutes or until sugar has dissolved and egg mixture reaches 160°F. Remove from heat; pour into bowl of electric stand mixer fitted with whisk attachment. Beat on high speed 2 to 3 minutes or until glossy peaks form and bowl has cooled to feel slightly warm. Still on high speed, slowly add 1-1/2 cups butter, one piece at a time, scraping side of bowl occasionally, until mixture is smooth, thick and shiny, 12 to 14 minutes. Beat in 2 teaspoons vanilla. If mixture separates, beat until smooth.
Fit decorating bag with 1/2-inch round piping tip; fill with frosting. Place one cake layer on serving plate. Pipe a thick frosting border around top edge of cake layer. Pipe a second border just inside the first border. Spread 2/3 cup of the cherry filling over top of cake inside borders. Top with second cake layer; repeat borders and filling. Place third cake layer on top. Frost side and top of cake with remaining frosting. Press shaved chocolate around bottom half of cake. Refrigerate 1 hour.
When ready to serve, mound maraschino cherries in center of cake. Store loosely covered in refrigerator.
Expert Tips
We tested this recipe with an electric stand mixer. An electric hand mixer may also be used, but for the frosting, start on low and gradually increase speed, ensuring the mixer’s motor can handle it; the beating time may take a little longer.
To make shaved chocolate for this recipe, we used a 62% cacao semisweet chocolate baking bar. Use a vegetable peeler to shave chocolate easily.
Soft butter is important in this recipe. To soften butter, cut in small pieces, and leave at room temperature. A faster method is to microwave butter in 5-second increments at 50% (Medium), turning the butter frequently so butter is softened but not melted.
Black Forest cakes typically have brandy in the cherry filling. Stir in 2 tablespoons brandy when adding the butter to the cherry filling, if desired.
If crumbs get in the frosting while frosting the cake, scrape off your icing spatula into a separate bowl so as not to get crumbs on the frosted cake.
A turntable is helpful when decorating a cake. You can build your cake on the flat surface, and it allows you to turn the cake as you frost, which makes it easier to decorate.
To keep your serving plate clean while frosting the cake, place strips of waxed paper around edge of plate. Remove after frosting, and decorating is complete.
There are different types of buttercream: Simple or American (butter and powdered sugar), Decorator's (typically using shortening and powdered sugar), French (egg yolks, sugar syrup and butter), Italian (sugar syrup, egg whites and butter) and Swiss (egg whites and sugar heated, and lots of butter)!
Making Swiss buttercream is a process that takes some patience. Heat egg whites and sugar in a double boiler until it reaches 160°F. Put egg-sugar mixture in a mixer fitted with whisk attachment, and beat until cooled. Slowly add 1-1/2 cups butter piece by piece so butter is nearly emulsified into the mixture. Take your time doing this! It will look like soft white meringue until the butter takes hold and becomes frosting. (It will not have frosting texture until nearly the last piece of butter is added.)
There are two types of cherries—sweet and sour. Sour cherries, also called pie cherries, tart cherries or tart red cherries make wonderful pies. Sweet cherries are great for eating fresh, but not for pies. Maraschino cherries are preserved sweetened cherries and are perfect for this cake. We used frozen dark sweet cherries to avoid the process of pitting.
ROCKY ROAD CAKE
I was taking a speech class at a local junior college. One week we had to give a demonstration speech; one lady demonstrated how to make this cake, passing out copies of the recipe along with pieces of cake. It’s absolutely delicious. The icing can be used on almost any kind of cake; it would be really good on carrot cake!
Note: This recipe can be found in my e-cookbook, Off the Wall Cooking, which I'm currently updating (along with photos).
Ingredients
1 C chopped nuts
4 eggs
1 C raisins
1 C mayonnaise
1 C mini-marshmallows
1 C water
6 oz. package of chocolate
1 package (18.25 oz) Devil’s Food cake mix w/pudding
Directions
Grease and flour 2 9" pans. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix first four ingredients in medium-size bowl. In large bowl at low speed, mix cake mix, eggs, may and water until blended. Increase speed to medium & beat for 2 minutes. Stir in nut mixture. Pour into greased and floured pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 50 minutes. Cool in pan 15 minutes on cooling rack.
ICING (for Rocky Road Cake)
1 tsp. vanilla
1 stick butter
8 oz. cream cheese
1 box confectioners sugar
Place ingredients in bowl and cream together. When cake is cool, ice. ENJOY!
DENSE AND DELICIOUS CHOCOLATE CAKE
This is from the October 2006 issue of Vegetarian Times (page 31), and begins, “Wow the chocolate lovers in your life with this fudgy creation that’s as easy to whip up as a cake mix.” Makes 10 servings.
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
Chocolate Cake
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup sugar
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 cup low-fat buttermilk
1 large egg
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 cup brewed espresso or strong coffee
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
Fudge Glaze
2 Tbs. low-fat buttermilk
2 Tbs. cocoa powder
2 Tbs. unsalted butter
1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
Preparation
Preheat oven to 400F. Coat 9-inch round springform pan with cooking spray. Combine flour, sugar, and baking soda in bowl. Whisk together buttermilk, egg, and vanilla in separate bowl.
Combine espresso and cocoa in large saucepan. Add butter, and bring to a boil over medium-high heat, whisking constantly. Remove from heat, and stir in dry ingredients. Add buttermilk mixture, and whisk until smooth.
Pour batter into prepared pan, and bake 15 to 20 minutes, or until top looks dry but toothpick inserted in center comes out moist.
Meanwhile, make Fudge Glaze: Combine buttermilk, cocoa powder, and butter in medium saucepan, and bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Remove from heat, and stir in sugar and vanilla.
Pierce holes all over cake with skewer or fork. Spread glaze over cake with spatula. Let stand 5 minutes before unmolding, and serve.
KENTUCKY BUTTER CAKE
This recipe is from Nell Lewis and adapted by Margaux Laskey on The New York Times cooking site, as well as in "Briliant Baking" cooking suppliment on Sunday, February 20, 2022. Margaux wrote, "If you think you don’t need another Bundt cake recipe, this one exists to prove you wrong. Adapted from Nell Lewis of Platte City, Mo., who entered the Pillsbury Bake-Off contest in 1963, it is a favorite of food bloggers and Pinterest lovers alike. On the surface, it’s not that different from your typical pound cake, but what makes it special is a vanilla-scented, buttery sugar glaze that’s poured over the still-warm cake. Left to sit for several hours before unmolding, the glaze soaks into the cake, making it incredibly tender and rich while leaving behind a delightful sugary crust. There are a lot of variations out there — some with bourbon in place of the vanilla, others with sherry — so feel free to play around."
Yield: 10 to 12 servings; Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
You can view this online at https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1020431-kentucky-butter-cake.
Ingredients
For the cake:
1 cup unsalted butter (2 sticks), softened, plus more for greasing the pan
3 cups all-purpose unbleached flour, plus more for dusting the pan
Nonstick cooking spray (optional)
2 cups granulated sugar
1 cup buttermilk (see Tip)
4 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon fine sea salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
For the butter sauce:
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup unsalted butter
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Confectioners’ sugar, for sprinkling (optional)
Preparation
Heat oven to 325 degrees. Generously butter and flour (or spray with nonstick cooking spray) a 10-inch tube pan or a 12-cup bundt pan.
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, or using a handheld mixer, combine the remaining cake ingredients and beat for 3 minutes at medium speed. Pour into prepared pan, level with a spatula and bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 60 to 70 minutes.
Shortly before the cake is done baking, make the butter sauce: Combine the granulated sugar, butter and vanilla with 3 tablespoons water in a saucepan over low heat until the butter just melts. (Do not let the mixture boil, as you do not want the sugar to completely dissolve.)
As soon as the cake comes out of the oven, leave the cake in its pan and gently poke it all the way through 15 to 20 times with a long wooden skewer or a long-tined fork. Slowly pour warm butter sauce over the cake. Let cool for at least 3 hours before unmolding from pan. Just before serving, sprinkle with confectioners’ sugar, if desired.
Tip
If you don’t have buttermilk, measure out 1 cup of whole milk and remove 1 tablespoon. Add 1 tablespoon white vinegar to the remaining milk and stir to combine. Let sit for 10 minutes, then stir gently before using in the recipe as you would buttermilk.
VEGAN TOFU CHOCOLATE CAKE
This is from Ashley Adams on The Spruce Eats. Ashley wrote, "Prepared with silken tofu in place of the eggs and butter called for in traditional recipes, this chocolate cake is one of the healthiest around, yet still so tasty. Frost with whatever dairy-free frosting suits the occasion.
"Although many recipes that call for silken tofu require that you drain the liquid from the box before using, for this recipe just open the box and pour both the liquid and tofu into the blender as directed in Step 3.
"This recipe makes one two-layer 9-inch cake."
Prep Time: 10 minutes; Cook Time: 30 minutes; Total Time: 40 minutes; Servings: 4; Yield: 1 cake
To view this online, go to https://www.thespruceeats.com/vegan-chocolate-cake-1000681.
Ingredients
1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cups unsweetened cocoa powder
1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1-1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 (12.3-ounce) box firm silken tofu
1-1/4 cups maple syrup
3 tablespoons canola oil
1 cup almond milk
1/3 cup boiling water
Directions
Gather the ingredients.
Preheat the oven to 350 F. Lightly oil or grease (with dairy-free soy margarine) 2 (9-inch) round cake pans. Set aside.
Sift together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium-sized mixing bowl. Set aside.
Process the tofu in a blender until creamy. Add the maple syrup and oil and process until smooth.
Stir the tofu mixture and almond milk into the dry ingredients. Add the boiling water and continue to stir until the batter is just combined. (The batter should be fairly smooth but will still have some lumps in it.)
Pour the batter into the prepared pans and bake for about 25 to 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cakes comes out clean.
Allow the cakes to cool in the pans for about 15 to 20 minutes on a wire cooling rack before removing from the pans to finish cooling on the cooling rack. Once cakes are completely cool, frost with a dairy-free frosting.
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