I'm Loving Chocolate Cake
I always treat my kids to a special cake on their birthday. Whatever they want.
And this is what my daughter chose!
©Suzanne Nieman Brown
It's my go-to chocolate cake with my go-to cream cheese icing. So basic, but really the most decadently delicious thing ever! The cake is like a mix between a dense brownie and cake. And the cream cheese is not too sweet.
Especially with all the chocolate shavings and abstract chocolate art courtesy of my hubbie. Cool, huh?
Suz's Rich Chocolate Cake
Makes 2 x 9-inch cakes
INGREDIENTS
12 tablespoons Butter, unsalted, room temp
1 3/4 cup Sugar
4 Eggs
3 teaspoons Vanilla Extract
2 cups Milk, skim
2 1/2 cups Flour (Hungarian Unbleached works great at high-altitude)
1 1/2 teaspoons Baking Powder
1/2 teaspoon Salt
1 cup Cocoa Powder, dutch-processed is best
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Line the bottoms of 2 x 9-inch pans with parchment and coat bottom and sides with cooking spray.
3. Beat butter in a mixer on medium speed until fluffy. Add sugar and beat.
4. Add eggs one at a time, mixing well.
5. Combine vanilla and milk.
6. Measure out flour, baking powder, and salt.
7. With mixer set on low, slowly add 1/4 of flour mix and mix well. Add 1/4 of milk/vanilla and mix. Alternate flour and milk mixtures until all is incorporated.
8. Add cocoa powder, and mix.
9. Divide between prepared pans. Bake 18 - 25 minutes, until no longer wobbly.
Also makes great cupcakes! Enjoy!
Cream Cheese Icing
Makes enough to ice a 2 x 9-inch layer cake.
INGREDIENTS
12 tablespoons Butter, room temp
12 ounces Cream Cheese (I use light), room temp
3 tablespoons Vanilla Extract
4-5 cups Powdered Sugar
1. Using the whisk on your mixer, whip the cream cheese and butter for 3-5 minutes until fluffy.
2. Add vanilla.
3. Slowly add in the powdered sugar to however sweet you like your icing.
Store in refrigerator. Icing will harden so you may want to take out about 30 minutes before serving.