I've been looking for awhile for a really good chocolate cake recipe, and I think I may have found it! The recipes I've previously found for cake mix + pudding + sour cream have turned out invariably heavy and rubbery, and the other recipes I've tried just, well, haven't quite made it.
But I think this is it: fine textured, moist, rich, soft, and chocolatey. I'm not a chocolate cake fan in general, but this might make me a convert. I made this with a chocolate hazelnut filling (buttercream mixed with Nutella) and it was marvelous. In fact, I'm going right now to get myself another piece.
Chocolate Buttermilk Cake
from The Perfect Cake, by Susan Purdy
2 c. sifted all purpose flour
1.5 tsp baking soda
.25 tsp salt
.25 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
4 oz unsweetend chocolate (1/2 c; 110 g)
1 c. unsalted butter at room temp.
1.75 c granulated sugar
4 large eggs
1.333 c. buttermilk
1 tsp vanilla extract
1. Prepare pans: this makes 7 cups batter, which fills one 2-layer 9 inch cake (serves 8), or one sheet cake 9X13 inches (serves 12). spread solid shortening on bottom and sides of pans, then dust with unsweetened cocoa or flour, tap out excess cocoa or flour.
1b. Position racks in lower third of oven, preheat oven to 325 F.
2. sift together flour, baking soda, salt, and nutmeg. set aside.
3. melt chocolate in double boiler set over hot, not boiling water. remove chocolate from heat, stir to make sure it is completely melted and smooth, and set aside to cool until comfortable to touch.
4. in the large bowl of an electric mixer, cream together the butter and sugar until well blended. stop the mixer and scrape down the bowl and beaters several times. add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
5. with the mixer on low, add the flour mixture and buttermilk alternatively to batter, beginning and ending with flour. stir in the vanilla and cooled chocolate, blending until the color is even. (the cake darkens as it cooks.)
6. turn the mixture into the prepared pans. smooth it level, and spread it slightly from the center toward the edges of the pan so it will rise evenly. Bake in the lower third of the oven for 40-50 min for sheet cake, 35-45 min for layers, or until top is slightly springy to the touch and a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean. leave the cake in its pans on a wire rack for 10 min. top with second rack and invert; lift off pans (when the cake cools, there should be a whoosh! as it releases from the pan and rests on the rack.) cool the cake completely on the rack.
