Special-Occasion Chocolate Cake

Name: Special-Occasion Chocolate Cake
Prep time: 1 h 5 min
Cook time: 1 h 5 min
Total time: 1 h 5 min
Yield: 12
Cuisine: Global
Ingredients: 177 milliliters sliced almonds, toasted; 118 milliliters baking cocoa; 1 teaspoons baking powder; 2 teaspoons baking soda; 237 milliliters butter, softened; 946 milliliters confectioners sugar; 4 eggs; 651 milliliters all-purpose flour; 237 milliliters heavy whipping cream; 59 milliliters 2% milk; 1 teaspoons salt; 283 grams semisweet chocolate, chopped; 2 Tbsps sugar; 2 teaspoons vanilla extract; 473 milliliters boiling water

You can never have too many dessert recipes, so give Special-Occasion Chocolate Cake a try. This recipe serves 12. One portion of this dish contains around 9g of protein, 37g of fat, and a total of 674 calories. This recipe covers 14% of your daily requirements of vitamins and minerals. Head to the store and pick up semisweet chocolate, baking soda, baking powder, and a few other things to make it today. From preparation to the plate, this recipe takes around 1 hour and 5 minutes. Special-Occasion White Cake, Special-Occasion Orange Layer Cake, and Special Occasion Salad are very similar to this recipe.

Instructions

In a small bowl, combine cocoa and water; set aside. In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy.

Ingredients you will need

Butter

Cocoa Powder

Cream

Sugar

Water

Equipment you will use

Bowl

Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla.

Ingredients you will need

Vanilla

Egg

Combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt; add to creamed mixture alternately with cocoa mixture, beating well after each addition.

Ingredients you will need

Baking Soda

Cocoa Powder

All Purpose Flour

Salt

Pour into three greased and floured 9-in. round baking pans.

Equipment you will use

Baking Pan

Bake at 350° for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks to cool completely.

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Toothpicks

Oven

For ganache, place chocolate in a small bowl. In a small heavy saucepan over low heat, bring cream and sugar to a boil.

Ingredients you will need

Chocolate

Cream

Sugar

Equipment you will use

Sauce Pan

Bowl

Pour over chocolate; whisk gently until smooth. Refrigerate for 35-45 minutes or until ganache begins to thicken, stirring occasionally.

Ingredients you will need

Chocolate

Equipment you will use

Whisk

For frosting, in a large bowl, beat butter until fluffy.

Ingredients you will need

Frosting

Butter

Equipment you will use

Bowl

Add the confectioners' sugar, cocoa, milk and vanilla; beat until smooth.

Ingredients you will need

Powdered Sugar

Vanilla

Cocoa Powder

Milk

Place one cake layer on a serving plate; spread with 1 cup frosting. Top with second layer and 1 cup ganache; sprinkle with 1/2 cup almonds. Top with third layer; frost top and sides of cake. Warm ganache until pourable; pour over cake, allowing some to drape down the sides.

Ingredients you will need

Frosting

Almonds

Spread

Sprinkle with remaining almonds. Refrigerate until serving.

Ingredients you will need

Almonds

Equipment

Ingredients

Servings:

177milliliters

sliced almonds, toasted 118milliliters

baking cocoa 1teaspoons

baking powder 2teaspoons

baking soda 237milliliters

butter, softened 946milliliters

confectioners' sugar 4

eggs 651milliliters

all-purpose flour 237milliliters

heavy whipping cream 59milliliters

2% milk 1teaspoons

salt 283grams

semisweet chocolate, chopped 2Tbsps

sugar 2teaspoons

vanilla extract 473milliliters

boiling water

Recommended wine: Cream Sherry, Port, Moscato Dasti

Chocolate Cake works really well with Cream Sherry, Port, and Moscato d'Asti. A common wine pairing rule is to make sure your wine is sweeter than your food. Delicate desserts go well with Moscato d'Asti, nutty desserts with cream sherry, and caramel or chocolate desserts pair well with port. One wine you could try is NV Solera Cream Sherry. It has 4.5 out of 5 stars and a bottle costs about 17 dollars.

NV Solera Cream Sherry

The Solera Cream Sherry has a brilliant amber and deep copper hue. With butterscotch and pecan aromas, the sweet salted nut and brown spice aromas carry a complex caramel accent. A sweet entry leads to a rounded, lush, moderately full-bodied palate with a lengthy, flavorful finish.