Dark Velvet Cake

If there was ever a time for a decadent chocolate dessert, it’s valentine’s day! This cake looks quite exotic and could possibly be the chocolate cake of your dreams. With four layers of chocolate cake, filled with silky chocolate black buttercream, who could ask for anything more? By using black cocoa (found online, or Hershey’s Special Dark will do in a pinch), the cake doesn’t need to have a lot of chocolate in it to make a big flavour impact.

INGREDIENTS:

CAKE

1 ¾ cups cake flour

1 ½ cups firmly packed brown sugar

1 cup black cocoa (or Hershey’s Special Dark)

2 tsp baking soda

1 tsp baking powder

2 eggs (room temperature)

1 cup buttermilk

1 cup coffee, expresso or hot water

1/2 cup neutral flavoured oil (avocado, canola, corn, vegetable)

2 tsp vanilla extract

3 ½ oz / 100 g dark chocolate, finely chopped

FROSTING

13 oz / 375 g butter, room temperature

7 oz / 190 g icing sugar

4 fl oz / 115 ml room temperature water

3/4 cup black cocoa (or Hershey’s Special Dark)

1 tsp vanilla extract

DECORATION black cherries black berries raspberries festive sprinkles

DIRECTIONS:

1. Butter and line 2 – 8 inch (4 in high) round tins. Preheat oven to 325F.

2. Whisk the sugar, flour, cocoa, baking soda and baking powder in a large bowl.

3. In a separate bowl, measure the buttermilk, oil and vanilla, beat in the eggs and then the water. Mix gently into the flour mixture in 3-4 increments along with the chopped chocolate.

4. Divide among the two tins and bake for 30 minutes.

5. For the frosting: Using a mixer equipped with a beater attachment, cream the butter, sugar and cocoa together on low speed for 1 minute, then increase to medium-low 3 minutes. Add the water and vanilla in at low speed and beat on medium low for 5 minutes or until the sugar does not feel gritty between your fingers.

6. Trim to level the top off the cakes and then slice each cake evenly in half horizontally. Covering and lightly freezing the cake layers will make them easier to ice. Spread buttercream frosting between each layer of cake and then coat with more frosting to finish (reserve some frosting for decoration).

7. Using a piping bag with a fluted tip, fill with frosting and pipe rosettes around the edge of the cake. Then top and decorate with fruit and sprinkles.

CHERYL J. MORRISON, Broker Cell: 705.446.4672 | Office: 705.445.5454 realestate4seasons.com | chestnutpark.com

Chestnut Park® Real Estate Limited, Brokerage

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