Valentines Chocolate Cake
Valentine’s Day just around the corner and if you are trying to impress your Valentine this chocolate cake is bound to impress your loved one. This one-bowl chocolate cake is really simple to make, you will start with sugar in a bowl then add flour, some salt, and cocoa powder, Make sure to use a dutch process cocoa powder to give you8r cake a richer deeper darker color and flavor.
Add in baking powder to the dry ingredients and baking soda as well. Whisk the dry ingredients together then place it in the stand mixer. Crack in two eggs, buttermilk, water and vegetable oil. Add in vanilla extract for flavor and turn the mixer starting at low speed until creamy and gloss. Have your oven preheated to 350 degrees Fahrenheit then divide the batter evenly on two or three pans and bake for 35 minutes or until a skewer inserted at the center comes out clean.
For the frosting, sift in icing sugar and cocoa powder in a bowl and mix then m together then add softened butter and cream cheese. The cream cheese will add a little bit of tang, beat the mixture together u til well combines then add melted bittersweet chocolate.
Place one of the chocolate layers on a cake stand and add the ganache at the center and spread it then place the second later and adds the ganache on top. You can leave your chocolate cake naked and serve it or decorate with a couple of rosettes then dips some strawberries on a ganache and top on the cake.
If you like white chocolate or milk chocolate, you can dip in that too. For the frosting, you can add pink or any coloring that you want the ganache to have. Enjoy.
Ingredients;
For the cake;
- Unsalted butter, softened, for greasing
- 85g unsweetened Dutch cocoa powder, plus more for the cake tins
- 190g cups all-purpose flour
- 300g sugar
- 1 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 3/4 tsp baking powder
- 3/4 tsp salt
- 2 large eggs
- 180ml cup low-fat buttermilk
- 180ml warm water
- 3 tbsp safflower oil
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
For the frosting;
- 280g icing sugar
- 30g unsweetened cocoa powder
- Pinch of salt
- 170g cream cheese, room temperature
- 165g unsalted butter softened
- 265g bittersweet chocolate, melted and cooled slightly
- 180g creme fraiche, or sour cream
Instructions;
- Preheat oven to 350F/170C. Butter two 8-inch round cake pans (2 inches deep); dust with cocoa.
- Sift cocoa, flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and salt into the bowl of a mixer. Beat on low speed until just combined.
- Raise speed to medium, and add eggs, buttermilk, water, oil, and vanilla. Beat until smooth, about 3 minutes.
- Divide batter between pans. Bake until set and a toothpick inserted into the centers comes out clean, about 35 minutes.
- Let cool for 15 minutes. Turn out from pans. Transfer, faceup, to wire racks. Let cool completely.
- To make the frosting, sift together sugar, cocoa, and salt. Beat cream cheese and butter with a mixer on medium-high speed until smooth.
- Reduce speed to medium-low; gradually add sugar-cocoa mixture, and beat until combined. Pour in chocolate in a slow, steady stream. Add creme fraiche; beat until combined. Spread 2 cups chocolate frosting onto the top of 1 cooled layer of cake.
- Top with remaining layer; frost top and sides with remaining 2 cups frosting.