Chocolate cake

Recipe by Liz Denham, Executive Pastry Chef at Richland Country Club, Nashville, Tennessee, USA

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Yields : 2 four-inch cakes

Ingredients

Chocolate Cake

• 2 cups All-Purpose Flour
• 1 teaspoon Salt
• 1 teaspoon Baking Powder
• 2 teaspoons Baking Soda
• 3/4 cup Cocoa Powder
• 2 cups Sugar
• 1 cup Oil
• 1 cup Hot Coffee
• 1 cup Buttermilk
• 2 Eggs
• 1 teaspoon Vanilla

Chocolate Italian Buttercream

• 4 Egg Whites         
• 1  1/3 cup Sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon Salt
• 16 ounces Butter (room temperature cut into 1 inch pieces)
• 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
• 1/4 teaspoon Cream of Tartar
• 1/3 cup Water
• 1 cup Melted Dark Chocolate

Garnish

• Abstract Tempered Chocolate Pieces, 
• Rosettes of Chocolate Buttercream, 
• Chocolate Truffles, 
• Dusting of Gold (gentle)

Preparation

Chocolate Cake
Mix all of the dry ingredients in a stand mixer with a paddle attachment, add the hot coffee, buttermilk, and oil.

Scrape the sides and add the eggs and vanilla and mix until incorporated. 

Pour into small 4-inch cake rounds lined with parchment paper.

Bake at 350°F for 15-20 minutes or until done in the center. 

Let cool completely, and freeze.

Chocolate Italian Buttercream
Beat the egg whites, salt, and cream of tartar until foamy with a whisk attachment in a stand mixer.

Slowly add 1/3 cup of the sugar until soft peaks form.

In a pot, place the remaining 1 cup of sugar and 1/3 cup of water and heat on medium-low until the sugar melts and becomes clear. Maintain medium-high heat until syrup reaches 235-240°F.

Slowly stream the hot syrup into the mixer. Streaming into the soft peak meringue while whisking continuously. Run mixer until meringue is cool.

Switch to the paddle attachment, add the room temperature butter one piece at a time, and then add the salt and vanilla. 

Stream in the melted dark chocolate to taste. Beat until butter is combined and consistency is fluffy and silky.

Assembly

Place bottom layer cake round on a serving plate and pipe the frosting onto the top of the bottom layer and smooth. 

Place the top layer of chocolate cake onto the frosted bottom and align the sides. 

Frost the outside first, getting smooth sides with a warm offset spatula.

Finish by frosting and smoothing out the top. 
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Complete the cake by decorating with abstract tempered chocolate pieces, rosettes of chocolate buttercream, chocolate truffles, and a gentle dusting of gold.

The Clubhouse at dusk, Image courtesy Richland Country Club, Nashville, Tennessee, USA