Old-Fashioned Deep Chocolate Layer Cake
Submitted by wrackless
Old-fashioned deep chocolate layer cake: a three-layer cocoa and buttermilk cake made in a food processor, dark and tender with sour cream chocolate frosting. Weekend bake for special occasions.
YIELD
1 cakePREP
25 minCOOK
25 minREADY
1 hrsThis is an old-fashioned three-layer chocolate cake built in an unexpected tool: a food processor. The steel blade sifts the dry ingredients in 5 seconds flat, whips eggs and sugar thick, and then pulses the alternate additions of flour and buttermilk together without overworking the batter.
The food processor method is why this cake turns out so reliably tender. You get the speed of an electric mixer without the risk of overbeating, which toughens chocolate cakes more than any other mistake. Pulsing means you control every stroke.
The cake itself is cocoa-forward (not melted chocolate) for a clean, deep color and a tender crumb. Buttermilk adds tang and tenderness, and its acidity activates the baking soda for an airy rise. Three 9-inch layers bake in about 24 minutes and cool while you make the sour cream chocolate frosting that pairs with it.
Pro Tips
- Line pan bottoms with parchment and butter the paper. Layer cakes release cleanly only when both the sides and the paper are greased.
- Pulse the flour-and-buttermilk alternations, don’t run the processor continuously. Continuous processing overdevelops gluten and makes the cake tough.
- Check cakes at 22 minutes. Food processor batter can bake faster than hand-mixed due to the finer emulsion.
- Cool in pans for 10 minutes, then invert onto racks. Any longer and condensation sticks the layers to the pans.
- Peel off the paper right after turning out, while the bottom is still slightly warm. Cold paper tears off in pieces and takes cake surface with it.
Variations
Ingredients
Directions
Cool. Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 350℉ (180℃).
Butter three 9-inch diameter cake pans with 1½-inch-high sides.
Line pan bottoms with parchment or waxed paper.
Butter paper. Dust pans with flour; tap out excess.
For cake: Insert Steel Knife.
Place flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt in work bowl.
Process to inchsift, inch about 5 seconds.
Transfer contents of work bowl to large sheet of waxed paper.
Place eggs, then sugar into work bowl.
Process until mixture is thick, about 1 minute.
Add butter and vanilla.
Process until mixture is fluffy, stopping to scrape down sides of work bowl, about 1 minute.
Mix dry ingredients into egg mixture alternately with buttermilk in about 3 additions each, pulsing just to combine each addition.
Divide batter evenly among prepared pans (about 1% cups in each).
Bake until tester inserted in center of cakes comes out clean, about 24 minutes.
Cool cakes in pans on racks 10 minutes.
Run small sharp knife around pan sides to loosen cakes.
Turn out onto rack. Peel off paper.
Cool.
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