Dark Chocolate Cake With Caramel Filling And Marshmallow Frosting

Dark Chocolate Cake With Carmel 

Filling And Marshmallow Frosting 

Servings:10 Recipe by Maureen Abood
This cake is based on one from Cook's Illustrated. There are some options here if you want to simplify: while the recipe calls for slicing each 9-inch cake into two rounds for four total layers, the cake is equally wonderful as two layers, without slicing it (use just 1/3 of the caramel to fill between the two layers). The caramel filling is special, yet that can be replaced with more of the meringue frosting instead.

The cake can be made a day in advance; if you’re making the caramel filling, fill the cake layers, then build and refrigerate the cake, covered with plastic wrap. If you’re not using the caramel filling, just wrap the layers uncut in plastic wrap and refrigerate them for up to one day. Make the frosting and frost the cake the same day it is going to be served. Frosting a cold cake straight from the refrigerator is much easier than frosting a room temperature cake (fewer crumbs).

Ingredients:

Ingredients For The Cake
1 1/2 cups unbleached, all-purpose flour
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (dutch process or natural)
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
3/4 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup neutral oil, such as canola, vegetable, or safflower
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon espresso powder
For The Caramel Filling
1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
1/4 cup light corn syrup
1/4 cup water
1 cup heavy cream
8 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut in 8 pieces
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon orange blossom water
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
For The Marshmallow Filling:
6 egg whites
1 cup granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:

For the cake:

Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and heat the oven to 325 degrees. Grease two 9-inch round cake pans, line with parchment paper, grease parchment, and flour pans. Sift flour and cocoa into a large bowl.

Whisk in sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Whisk buttermilk, water, oil, eggs, vanilla and espresso powder together in a second bowl or large measuring cup. Whisk buttermilk mixture into flour mixture until a smooth batter forms. Divide batter evenly between prepared pans and smooth tops with rubber spatula.

Bake the cake until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, 22 to 28 minutes, switching and rotating pans halfway through baking. Let the cakes cool in pans on wire rack for 15 minutes. Remove cakes from pans, discarding parchment, and let cool completely on rack, at least 2 hours.
For The Caramel Filling

Lightly grease 8-inch square baking pan. Combine sugar, corn syrup, and water in medium saucepan. Bring to boil over medium-high heat and cook, without stirring, until mixture is amber colored, 8 to 10 minutes. Reduce heat to low and continue to cook, swirling saucepan occasionally, until dark amber, 2 to 5 minutes longer. (Caramel will register between 375 and 380 degrees.)

Off heat, carefully stir in cream, butter, vanilla, orange blossom water, and salt (mixture will bubble and steam). Return saucepan to medium heat and cook, stirring frequently, until smooth and caramel reaches 240 to 245 degrees, 3 to 5 minutes. Carefully transfer caramel to prepared pan and let cool until just warm to touch (100 to 105 degrees), 20 to 30 minutes.

For The Marshmallow Filling:

In the bowl of a stand mixer, stir together the egg whites, sugar, cream of tartar, and salt. I use the whisk attachment to stir. Set the bowl over a saucepan of simmering water, making sure that the bowl has some clearance above the water (we're cooking very gently with the residual or steam heat here). Heat, stirring frequently, until the mixture reaches 175 degrees, about 8 minutes. 

Transfer the whites to the stand mixer with the wire whisk attached. Beat, starting slow and increasing the speed steadily, until the mixer is on full. Whip until the stiff, glossy peaks form, 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in the vanilla and beat briefly.

Assemble The Cake:

Using long serrated knife, score 1 horizontal line around sides of each cake layer; then, following scored lines, cut each layer into 2 even layers, or use as two layers.

Using rubber spatula or large spoon, transfer 1/3 of caramel to center of 1 cake layer and use small offset spatula to spread over surface, leaving 1/2-inch border around edge. Repeat with remaining caramel and 2 of remaining cake layers. (Three of your cake layers should be topped with caramel.)

Line edges of a cake stand or platter with 4 strips of parchment to keep the cake platter clean. Place 1 caramel-covered cake layer on platter. Top with second caramel-covered layer. Repeat with third caramel-covered layer and top with final layer. Now you can cover and refrigerate the cake for up to one day.

Spread the marshmallow frosting thickly and evenly over sides and top of cake, making peaks and valleys with an offset spatula or the back of a spoon. Take care not to get chocolate crumbs in the beautiful white meringue. 

Toast the marshmallow by lightly skimming the surface with a culinary torch.

Carefully remove parchment strips. Leave the cake out at room temperature until serving, same (special) day.

Chocolate Craving Cake

Ingredients:

Cake

1 c all-purpose flour
1 c granulated sugar
1/2 c unsweetened cocoa powder
3/4 tsp. baking powder
3/4 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. coarse salt
1 large egg
1/2 c whole milk
1/4 c vegetable oil
2 tsp. McCormick vanilla extract
1/2 c boiling water (you can use coffee here)

Frosting

1 c milk chocolate chips
1/2 c sour cream
1 tsp. McCormick vanilla extract

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line an 8x8-inch glass or ceramic baking dish with parchment paper and spray sides and bottom. If using a metal baking pan, heat oven to 325.

Mix flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in bowl of stand mixer.

Add in egg, milk, oil, and vanilla and mix on low until incorporated. When mixed in increase speed to medium and mix for 2 minutes.

Add in boiling water and gently stir- batter will be very thin.

Pour batter into prepared dish. Bake for 35-40 minutes, or until an inserted toothpick is removed clean.

Cool for 10 minutes in pan, then continue cooling on a rack until room temperature.  While cake is cooling, make the frosting.

In a medium microwave-safe bowl, heat the chocolate chips in the microwave at 50% power in 30-second increments, stirring after each heating, until they are fully melted.

Add the sour cream and vanilla and stir by hand until frosting is well combined and fluffier.
Spread over cooled cake.

King Arthur's Cake-Pan Cake

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup Dutch-process cocoa or natural cocoa
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon espresso powder, optional
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 tablespoon vinegar, cider or white
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 cup cold water

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Tips from our bakers:
While the original, non-dairy version of this recipe calls for water as the liquid, feel free to substitute milk, for a slightly richer cake. Or try cold coffee, for a mocha version; or even 3/4 cup water mixed with 1/4 cup rum, for an "adults only" cake!
Baking gluten-free? Try our recipe for Gluten-Free Cake-Pan Cake.
Note that the picture above shows the cake cut into 9 servings, instead of the 16 servings noted in the nutritional information. We thought it simply looked better cut that way; but we encourage you to serve it in 2" squares, which yields 16 servings.

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Directions:
Preheat your oven to 350°F. Lightly grease an 8" square or 9" round pan that's at least 2" deep. If you don't have a 2"-deep pan in either of those sizes, use a 9" square pan.

Traditional method: Measure all the dry ingredients into the prepared pan. Blend the ingredients together thoroughly with a fork or whisk and scoop out three holes, or indentations. Pour the vanilla into the first hole, the vinegar into the second, and the vegetable oil into the third. Take the cup of water and pour it directly over everything in the pan. Stir all the ingredients together with your fork until well blended.

Updated method: Whisk the dry ingredients together in a medium-sized bowl. Whisk the vanilla, vinegar, vegetable oil, and water in a separate bowl. Pour the wet ingredients into the bowl of dry ingredients, stirring until thoroughly combined. Pour the batter into the prepared pan.

Bake the cake for 30 to 35 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, or with a few moist crumbs clinging to it.

Serve the cake right from the pan; warm from the oven, it's wonderful with a big glass of milk.


Or, once cool, frost the cake with this simple chocolate frosting: Heat 1 1/2 cups chocolate chips with 1/2 cup half and half until the chips melt. Stir until smooth, and pour/spread over the cake. For a non-dairy icing, substitute 1/3 cup cold brewed coffee (or water) for the half and half.

Yield: about 16 servings.

Red Velvet Chocolate Cake

Red Velvet Chocolate Cake

Since I try to feed my family as few preservatives as possible, I usually make baked goods from scratch especially since I bake seldom anymore. This is a tried and true recipe back from the days of before cake mixes.

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Ingredients:

1/2 cup softened butter

1 1/2 cup sugar

2 eggs

2 oz. red coloring

1 Tablespoon white vinegar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 1/4 cup cake flour

2 Tablespoon baking cocoa

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup buttermilk

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Icing:

1 Tablespoon cornstarch

1/2 cup cold water

2 cups butter

2 teaspoons vanilla

3 1/2 cups confectioners sugar

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Cake Directions:

Cream butter and sugar until fluffy. Add eggs one at a time to creamed mixture. Beat in food coloring, vinegar, and vanilla extract. Mix cake flour, cocoa, and baking soda together. Add alternately to creamed mixture with buttermilk. Pour into two prepared layer pans and bake at 350 for 20 to 25 minutes until cake tests done when lightly touched in center of pan and springs back. Cool five minutes in pan and invert to a cooling rack to completely cool before icing.

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Icing Directions:

Dissolve cornstarch in cold water and cook until smooth over medium heat, bringing to a boil. Cook and stir 1 to 2 minutes until "clear". Col completely. Beat butter and vanilla until fluffy. Combine mixtures. Beat in gradually confectioners sugar.