This, my friends, is the ultimate in chocolate cake. The basic cake recipe is actually from (believe it or not) the Hershey's Classic Recipes and is without a doubt the best chocolate cake recipe of all times, and the only one you will ever need. This cake has it all. When I first started making this cake I added a chocolate raspberry filling and that quickly became the family favorite. But it gets even better. In the September '08 issue of Bon Appetit I found a recipe for Chocolate Cake with Fleur De Sel Caramel Filling. I finally made this cake yesterday and was blown away. I have made some changes, and used my chocolate cake recipe so that I didn't have to come up with a substitution for the espresso powder called for in the original cake recipe. Make this cake! It is amazing.
Hershey's Perfectly Chocolate Chocolate Cake
2 c sugar
1 3/4 c all-purpose flour
3/4 c cocoa powder
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
2 eggs
1 c milk
1/2 c canola oil
2 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 c boiling water (simply microwave for 2 minutes)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour 2 9-inch round baking pans. Stir together sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in large bowl. Add eggs, milk, oil, and vanilla; beat on medium spread with an electric mixer for 2 minutes. Stir in boiling water. (Batter will be thin!) Pour batter evenly into prepared pans and bake for 30 to 35 minutes. Cool 10 minutes and then remove from pans and cool completely on wire racks.
Perfectly Chocolate Chocolate Frosting
1 stick (1/2 c) unsalted butter
2/3 c cocoa powder
3 c powdered sugar
1/3 c milk
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
Melt butter. Stir in cocoa. Alternately add powdered sugar and mil, beating to spreading consistency. Add additional milk if needed. Stir in vanilla.
Variation - for the raspberry filling (warning: this is not an exact recipe) defrost and drain 1 bag of frozen raspberries. Bring to a simmer with a bit of cornstarch to thicken, sugar, and vanilla to taste. Mash the raspberries while cooking. Allow to cool completely. Combine with some of the chocolate frosting and spread between layers. ***Be sure to cut each layer of cake in half horizontally and spread with frosting or filling. To make this cake properly you need 4 layers, 2 will simply not suffice.***
Variation - Chocolate Ganache Frosting and Fleur De Sel Caramel Filling
Make the Perfectly Chocolate Chocolate Cake as directed.
Ganache - this must be made the night before you serve the cake!
1 1/2 lbs bittersweet chocolate (save yourself the time and simply buy 2 bags of Ghiradelli bittersweet chocolate chips 60% cocoa, this works perfectly and requires no chopping!)
3 c whipping cream
Place chocolate in a large bowl. Bring cream to a simmer in a medium saucepan. Pour cream over chocolate; let soften 1 minute. Whisk until chocolate is smooth. Cool, then cover and chill overnight. Bring to room temperature before using.
Caramel Filling
1 c sugar
1/4 c water
2 Tbs light corn syrup
1/2 c whipping cream
1/4 c unsalted butter, diced
1/4 c creme fraiche (splurge and buy the real thing, but in a pinch you can use sour cream)
1/2 tsp fresh lemon juice
Pinch of fine fleur de sel (fancy schmancy salt which if you can find it in bulk will save you a lot of money because you can just buy 1 teaspoon!)
Stir sugar, water, and corn syrup in a deep medium saucepan over low heat until sugar completely dissolves. (You can test this buy rubbing the mixture between your fingers, when you can no longer feel any graininess you are good to go.) Increase heat to medium; cover pan and cook 4 minutes. Uncover; increase heat to high and boil without stirring until syrup is deep amber, occasionally brushing down pan sides with wet pastry brush. This takes between 3 and 6 minutes, watch it carefully! Remember you want a deep amber color. Remove pan from heat and add cream, mixture will bubble! Whisk in butter, then creme fraiche, lemon juice, and pinch of fleur de sel. Cool completely. **Fleur de sel is very salty, so start with less than you think you need, taste, and add more as needed. You want a salted caramel, but not a salt lick.**
To Assemble: Cut each cake layer in half horizontally. Place 1 layer on platter and spread with 1/2 c room temperature ganache. Spoon 3/4 c ganache into a pastry bag fitted with a 1/4-inch plain round tip. Pipe a ring of ganache around the edge of layer. Spread 1/4 c room temperature caramel filling evenly inside ring. Sprinkle with 1 Tbs toasted chopped almonds. (By the way, you need 1 1/4 c toasted chopped almonds.) Top with second cake layer, and repeat with second and third layers. Top with fourth cake layer, cut side down. Spread remaining ganache over top and sides of cake. Press remaining almonds onto the sides of the cake. Can be made 2 days ahead. Cover with a cake dome and chill. Let cake stand at room temperature 1 hour before serving.
This cake is amazing, but not for the faint of heart. You must indeed be a chocolate lover to fully appreciate the magnificence of this cake. Enjoy!
