My Take on the Epicurious.com Double Chocolate Layer Cake

A community recipe by SamIAm

Not tested or verified by Nigella.com

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Introduction

This is a famous chocolate cake found on the Epicurious.com website that I have baked and changed to what I think is an even better end result! This cake is INSURMOUNTABLE! The BEST!

Ingredients

Serves: 12-14

For the Cake Layers

⅓ cup fine-quality semi-sweet chocolate (such as Callebaut)
1½ cups hot, brewed coffee (I use filter coffee)
3 cups sugar
2½ cups all-purpose flour
1½ cups unsweetened cocoa powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
¾ teaspoon baking powder
1¼ teaspoons salt
3 eggs
¾ cup vegetable oil
1½ cups natural yogurt
¾ teaspoon vanilla

For the Ganache Frosting

11½ ounces semi-sweet chocolate (fine-quality such as Callebaut)
1½ cups heavy cream
3 tablespoons sugar
3 tablespoons light corn syrup
6 ounces unsalted butter

Method

My Take on the Epicurious.com Double Chocolate Layer Cake is a community recipe submitted by SamIAm and has not been tested by Nigella.com so we are not able to answer questions regarding this recipe.

You will need two 26 cm cheesecake springform pans.

Make cake layers

Preheat oven to 300°F. and grease pans. Line bottoms with rounds of wax paper and grease paper.
Finely chop chocolate and in a bowl combine with hot coffee. Let mixture stand, stirring occasionally, until chocolate is melted and mixture is smooth.
Into a large bowl sift together sugar, flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
In another large bowl with an electric mixer beat eggs until thickened slightly and lemon colored (about 3 minutes with a standing mixer or 5 minutes with a hand-held mixer).
Slowly add oil, natural yogurt, vanilla, and melted chocolate mixture to eggs, beating until combined well. Add sugar mixture and beat on medium speed until just combined well.
Divide batter between pans and bake in middle of oven until a tester inserted in center comes out clean, start checking after 50 minutes, you can give it up to 1 hour, one hour and a 10 minuutes to bake. Cool layers completely in pans on racks. Run a thin knife around edges of pans and invert layers onto racks. Carefully remove wax paper and cool layers completely. Cake layers may be made 1 day ahead and kept, wrapped well in plastic wrap, at room temperature.

Make frosting

Finely chop chocolate. In a saucepan bring cream, sugar, and corn syrup to a boil over moderately low heat, whisking until sugar is dissolved.
Remove pan from heat and add chocolate, whisking until chocolate is melted. Cut butter into pieces and add to frosting, whisking until smooth.
Transfer frosting to a bowl and cool, stirring occasionally, until spreadable (depending on chocolate used, it may be necessary to chill frosting to spreadable consistency). Spread frosting between cake layers and over top and sides.

Additional Information

Cake keeps, covered and chilled, 3 days. Bring cake to room temperature before serving.

I start off by making the frosting and once it has cooled down, I put it in the fridge. By the time the cake has baked and cooled, the frosting is the right consistency. If the frosting has become too hard, mix it well and wait on it at room temperature for a while. I ALWAYS keep this cake at room temperature, that is when it is at its best. I made the frosting 1-1/2 times what it was to make a comfortable spread. My cake in my oven usually bakes at around 55 minutes. This makes a hefty tall cake suitable for Birthday parties. The coffee in the recipe is there to enhance the chocolate flavor and not to give it a coffee taste. The Calbeau Chocolate recommended is in the 54 to 64% coco range.