Chocolate Cake

This is...probably the soul of chocolate goodness.

I made it one day as a romantic Just Because surprise for Michael. 

It's dense and moist and perfect. I wouldn't make a chocolate cake if it were even slightly "dry." 

This cake is committed to absolute chocolateyness.

You know how people say the way to a man's heart is through the stomach?

I think there's a definite pathway to my heart labeled Chocolate.

Chocolate Cake

printable version

3/4 cup butter

3 eggs

2 cups all-purpose flour

3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1 tsp baking soda

3/4 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

2 cups sugar

2 tsp vanilla

1 1/2 cups milk

Now follow the directions carefully. This is homemade cake, and it's slightly particular in its science.

1. Allow butter and eggs to stand at room temperature for 30 minutes (or bring egg to room temp by letting sit in cup of warm water--it has to be room temp for it to emulsify properly with other ingredients! And don't overheat the butter, make sure it's room temp, too!). 
2. Grease bottoms of two 8x8x2-inch square or 9x1.5-inch round cake pans. Line bottoms of pans with waxed paper (you can trace the pan for the right size). OR grease on 13x9x2-inch baking pan. Set pan(s) aside.
3. In a medium bowl stir together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt; set aside.
4. Preheat oven to 350*F. In a large mixing bowl beat butter with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds (yes, count). GRADUALLY add sugar, 1/4 CUP AT A TIME, beating on medium speed until well combined. Scrape sides of bowl; beat 2 minutes. 
5. Add eggs ONE AT A TIME, beating after each addition. Beat in vanilla. ALTERNATELY add flour mixture and milk to butter mixture, beating on low speed after each addition just until combined. Beat on medium to high speed for 20 seconds more (yes, count again). Spread into prepared pans. 
6. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes for 8-inch pans and 13x9 pan, 30 to 35 minutes for 9-inch pans (until a wooden toothpick inserted near center comes out clean). 
7. Cool cake layers in pans on wire racks for 10 minutes. Be patient. 
8. Remove layers from pans. Peel off waxed paper. Cool thoroughly on racks-- really. (With 9x13, just let it cool and leave it in the pan, of course). 

For the amazing finish, which is essential to making this cake adventure sinfully chocolate, frost with ganache. 

Yes, mmm, ganache. 

Ganache

As long as I can make ganache, 

I'll maintain pride in my cooking panache.

:) I think chocolate makes me silly. 

Ganache

printable version

1 cup whipping cream (half pint)

12 oz. (2 cups) semisweet chocolate chips 

(you can use milk chocolate or bittersweet, but this is the best)

In a medium saucepan, bring whipping cream just to boiling over medium-high heat. 

Remove from heat. Add chocolate but DO NOT STIR. 

Let stand 5 minutes, then stir until smooth. Cool 15 minutes. 

This frosts an 8- or 9-inch layer cake (double for thicker amounts of frosting).

Variation: Truffle Frosting

 Prepare Ganache as above, except double ingredients and use milk chocolate pieces only (NOT semisweet or bittersweet). 

Instead of cooling for 15 minutes, transfer to a large mixing bowl, cover and chill overnight. 

Beat with an electric mixer on medium speed about 30 seconds or until fluffy and of spreading consistency. 

This frosts tops and sides of two 8- or 9-inch cake layers.

GOURMET

You have to try my salmon recipe. And then even better, you have to try it with a layer of thin-sliced raw almonds under the pesto mayo. WOW! WOW! It was perfect, it was amazing. How can I convince you?
I do not like weird crunchy things with dishes when the crunch seems to interrupt. I don't like M&Ms in my ice cream...I don't really even like sprinkles in it. I don't like fruit blobs in my yogurt. I've only recently come to not mind celery in my soup. Maybe you don't care, but that's why it's important to use thin-sliced almonds. They're not quite slivers, don't get almond splinters or anything. When they roasted under the sauce on the salmon, they softened enough that they simply added a deluxe chew to the dish, and the flavor was incredible.

*NOTE: since this is such a forgiving dish, you could technically mix the almonds into the sauce before spreading it on the salmon. The reason I wouldn't is I think the almonds wouldn't soften QUITE as much, and their flavor wouldn't seep into the salmon QUITE as well. But I'm absolutely certain it would still be really delicious. (Just don't put the almonds on TOP of the sauce because they will turn black within seconds. In which case, you scrape it all off and try again...like I said, it's a forgiving dish! I know. I've learned).*

That's what we made for my birthday dinner, a repeat of Michael's birthday dinner (differences: didn't blend side dishes, had pre-made rice so didn't add cinnamon, used a little more sauce, bla bla, I just went with it). It's just so good...a favorite for both of us! Here's the full menu:

• Salmon Pesto Mayo with Almonds (just pack them on the salmon in a somewhat generous layer, then spoon the sauce over; it will probably spill on the sides a bit, doesn't matter)
• Rice (make sure you use butter and salt when you cook it-- you can even add a sprinkle of cinnamon for a subtle, mysterious hint of luxury)
• Freshly sliced avacado (when it's cold it's an even awesomer blend with the salmon flavor. You can eat it separate, or you can dish the slices onto your rice, or you can take a bite of it with the salmon-- it's all good)
• Sauteed mushrooms
• Some kind of romantically sparkling drink (we used pear this time-- yum!)

Maybe a professional chef would tell me that these foods don't go together. But that chef would probably change their mind after tasting it all, because all these foods have a sultry, buttery taste that's contrasting enough between them all to add variety but close enough to keep the meal as one delicious experience from taste to taste. It's amazing, I'm serious. The avacado smooths into the salmon flavors and just...ahhh...and the rice butters it up with a warm new texture, and the sauteed mushrooms are the perfect touch for romance. Of course, the salmon tops it all. It is so, so, sooooo fantastic.

Also? This is all really fast and easy. Especially if you made the rice ahead of time (if not, rice cooks in about 20 minutes) (for all you rice-cooker-addicts, I will do a post of how to make rice...yeah, I'm not kidding).
The salmon, depending on its thickness, broils in about ten minutes, usually less.
The avacado? You slice it.
The sauteed mushrooms take something like...I don't know, less than ten minutes.
Ding! That's it!

The only thing not on the menu this time around was the glazed pineapple. That's okay. But it's a really wonderful dessert to top it all off.
But...and please don't get tired of me for saying this, I can hardly help myself...I didn't even feel like I needed dessert because the flavors were so delicious and perfect that I wanted them to sit in my mouth all evening. Mmmm.