Ultimate Chocolate Cake. Really.

Everyone has recipes that are personal to them. It's either a specific flavor combination of a carrot cake that hits all your buttons just right, or an imperfect cookie texture that's exactly like grandma used to make. The more I read cookbooks, the more I realize that everyone's trying to reinterpret recipes to fit their personal taste. As much as Jamie Oliver tries to tell me that he's made the 'Ultimate' cheeseburger, roast chicken, Bakewell tart, etc., I'm not buying it - it's just one that he's really into.

So it is rare that I consider a recipe the quintessential for that food. Having said all that, here is the Archetype of Chocolate Cake.

This is the chocolate cake you've been thinking of since you read the title. This is the cake from Roald Dahl's Matilda. It's the granddaddy of every chocolate cake, ever.  

Of course, such a cake is no secret. It's apparently the most-reviewed recipe on epicurious.com and it's just a matter of time before the commenters join together, apply for tax exempt status and form a religion wherein melted chocolate plays a crucial role. I'd join them.

The dough is gorgeously glossy and looks like a thick chocolate pudding. It bakes up into a dense, intensely dark and not too sweet cake. It's moist, but not fragile and one of the best things about it is that it freezes well, so you can attempt tricky multi-layered cakes with it, you know, those tiered affairs that take a few days to assemble. 

There's no reason to make this cake now, dangerous hings happen when this baby is made without the appropriate number of guests to feed. Don't even bookmark this page. Someday, in the not too far future, when you need a chocolate cake recipe, you will find it. It's that big of a deal.

***

Because my sweet tooth is not what it used to be, I reduced the sugar amount in the recipe slightly, I've even gone as low as 2 cups sometimes. Please feel free to refer to the original recipe for the full amount, but considering you are going to slather the whole thing in ungodly amounts of sugar and butter (in acceptable frosting form) I say keep it sugar-lite. 

Now, for the frosting, ...this is awkward. I haven't found the Sundance Kid to this Butch Cassidy of a cake yet. The frosting I made is good, the original is great. This sour cream version might be interesting (can you tell that Deb Perelman is my frosting guru?), as would cutting this in thin layers and using whipped cream for frosting, icebox-style. For god's sake, open a Pillsbury frosting can and smear that on top. 

Layered Chocolate Cake
adapted from Gourmet

Ingredients
3 ounces fine-quality semisweet chocolate
1 1/2 cups hot brewed coffee (use instant!)
2 1/4 cups sugar
2 teaspoons baking soda
3/4 baking powder
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
3 large eggs
3/4 cups vegetable oil (a scant 3/4 cup, otherwise cake verges on oily)
1 1/2 cups well-shaken buttermilk
3/4 teaspoon vanilla

Instructions

• You will need two 10 by 2 inch round cake pans. 
• Preheat oven to 300F. Line pan bottoms with rounds of baking paper. 
• Finely chop the chocolate and in a bowl, combine with hot coffee. Let mixture stand, stirring occasionally, until chocolate is melted and the mix is smooth.
• Sift together the cocoa (always sift cocoa, it's non-negotiable!), flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder and salt. In another, larger bowl, beat the eggs with a mixer until thickened slightly and lemon colored. Add the buttermilk, vanilla, oil, and lastly, the melted chocolate mixture. Beat all until combined well. Add the flour mix and beat until just combined. Divide batter between pans and bake in the middle of the oven until a tester inserted in center comes out clean - 1 hour to 1 hour and 10 minutes. (If you're making 3 layers, start checking doneness around the 40 - 45 minute mark.)
• Cool layers in pans on racks. Run a thin knife around the edges of pans and invert layers onto racks. Remove the wax paper and cool completely. Cake layers can be made 1 day ahead and kept, wrapped well in plastic, at room temperature. OR freeze the buggers.
• Frost at your leisure.