RUTH REICHL'S GIANT CHOCOLATE CAKE
In her new book, "My Kitchen Year: 136 Recipes That Saved My Life," Ruth Reichl calls this the cake that cures everything. The recipe produces a large stacked rectangular layer cake with whipped cream cheese in the frosting to add lightness and stability. The cake is very tender, based on a technique she first started using when she was a cook at the Swallow, a restaurant collective in Berkeley, Calif.
Provided by Kim Severson
Categories cakes, dessert
Time 1h30m
Yield 20 to 25 servings
Number Of Ingredients 15
Steps:
- Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter two large rectangular baking pans (13 by 9 by 2 inches) and line them with waxed or parchment paper. Butter the paper and dust the pans with cocoa (you could use flour, but cocoa adds color and flavor).
- Measure the cocoa powder into a bowl, and whisk in 1 1/2 cups of boiling water until it is smooth, dark and so glossy it reminds you of chocolate pudding. Whisk in the milk and vanilla. In another bowl, whisk the flour with the baking soda and 3/4 teaspoon salt.
- Put the butter into the bowl of a stand mixer and beat in the sugars until it is light, fluffy and the color of coffee with cream (about 5 minutes). One at a time, add the eggs, beating for about 20 seconds after each before adding the next. On low speed, beat in the flour mixture in 3 batches and the cocoa mixture in 2, alternating flour-cocoa-flour-cocoa-flour.
- Pour half of the batter into each pan and smooth the tops. Bake in the middle of the oven until a tester comes out clean, 25 to 35 minutes. Let the pans rest on cooling racks for 2 minutes, then turn the cakes onto racks to cool completely before frosting.
- Make the frosting: Chop the chocolate and melt it in a double boiler. Let it cool so that you can comfortably put your finger in it. While it's cooling, mix the butter with the whipped cream cheese. Add the chocolate, the vanilla and a dash of salt, and mix in the confectioners' sugar until it looks like frosting, at least 5 minutes. Assemble the cake, spreading about a third of the frosting on one of the cooled layers, then putting the second layer on top and frosting the assembled cake.
Nutrition Facts : @context http, Calories 453, UnsaturatedFat 8 grams, Carbohydrate 52 grams, Fat 26 grams, Fiber 4 grams, Protein 7 grams, SaturatedFat 16 grams, Sodium 260 milligrams, Sugar 42 grams, TransFat 1 gram
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Kai Crowell
[email protected]This cake was delicious! The cake was moist and chocolatey, and the frosting was rich and creamy. I would definitely make this cake again.
Fawziya Abdul latif
[email protected]This cake was a bit too dense for my taste, but the flavor was great. I think I would try using a different recipe next time.
Krystal Crawford
[email protected]I loved this cake! It was so moist and chocolatey, and the frosting was the perfect amount of sweetness. I will definitely be making this cake again.
Zakariya Haruna
[email protected]This cake was easy to make and it turned out great! The cake was moist and chocolatey, and the frosting was rich and creamy. I would definitely make this cake again.
Eduardo Olivos
[email protected]This cake was delicious! It was moist and chocolatey, and the frosting was rich and creamy. I would definitely make this cake again.
Jamie and Sara and Jellybean Church
[email protected]I made this cake for a potluck and it was a hit! Everyone loved it. The cake was moist and chocolatey, and the frosting was rich and creamy. I will definitely be making this cake again.
Great Monny
[email protected]This cake was a bit too sweet for my taste, but it was still very good. I think I would use less sugar next time. Overall, it was a good chocolate cake.
Oyat Atara
[email protected]I've never been a fan of chocolate cake, but this one changed my mind. It was so moist and fluffy, and the frosting was the perfect amount of sweetness. I will definitely be making this cake again.
Bila Qazi
[email protected]The cake was very easy to make. The hardest part was waiting for it to cool before frosting it. The cake was moist and chocolatey, and the frosting was rich and creamy. Overall, it was a delicious cake that I would definitely make again.
Mahesh Mahesh
[email protected]This cake was easy to make and it turned out great! I used a 9x13 pan and it was the perfect size. The cake was moist and chocolatey, and the frosting was rich and creamy. I will definitely be making this cake again.
Carlos R
[email protected]I made this cake for my husband's birthday and he loved it! He said it was the best chocolate cake he's ever had. I'm so glad I found this recipe.
Saili Maya
[email protected]This cake was a little too dense for my taste, but the flavor was great. I think I would try using a different recipe next time.
Rajput Puju
[email protected]I've made this cake several times now and it always turns out perfect. It's so easy to make and it's always a crowd-pleaser. I love that it's not too sweet, so it's perfect for any occasion.
Dildar Ali
[email protected]This cake was a hit at my party! Everyone loved it and asked for the recipe. It was moist, rich, and chocolatey, with just the right amount of sweetness. I will definitely be making this cake again.