Chocolate Wedding Cakes

Who doesn’t like rich, moist, chocolate wedding cakes? This dessert was popularized at the end of the 19th Century and is popular internationally. It may be the most commonly served dessert at birthday parties and nuptials.

Ingredients vary depending on the recipe but usually include a combination of eggs, sugar, cocoa powder, chocolate, butter or oil, salt, and baking soda. Water or milk is also used. Other additions and variations may include sour cream, buttermilk, fruit juices, or syrups. Bakers use vanilla extracts, liqueurs like Kahlua, or flavored liquids like coffee or peppermint to bring out different properties in the flavor. A variety of toppings, icings and glazes can also be used, as well as spices.

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Traditional approaches to the recipe are still popular and are also a basis for other dessert varieties such as Black Forest and German, which includes coconut, pecans, and caramelized cream.

Kara from Sutter Creek, CA submitted the following recipe.

Chocolate Wedding Cakes Dream
Originally from Epicurious.com
Serves 12 to 14

Chef Ed Kasky used Callebaut semisweet chocolate for the cake and Guittard French-vanilla chocolate for the frosting, but any fine-quality semisweet chocolate will produce a wonderful result in either.

INGREDIENTS

• 3 ounces fine-quality semisweet chocolate such as Callebaut
• 1 1/2 cups hot brewed coffee
• 3 cups sugar
• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 cups unsweetened cocoa powder (not Dutch process)
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 1/4 teaspoons salt
• 3 large eggs
• 3/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1 1/2 cups well-shaken buttermilk
• 3/4 teaspoon vanilla

For ganache frosting

• 1 pound fine-quality semisweet chocolate such as Callebaut
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 2 tablespoons light corn syrup
• 1/2 stick (1/4 cup) unsalted butter

Special equipment

• Two 10- by 2-inch round cake pans

DIRECTIONS

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, buttermilk, 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, 1 hour to 1 hour and 10 minutes.

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.

Enjoy!

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