The advances in baking are because I finally make things without recipes now! Well, some things. I've made a few batches of double chocolate cookies, a batch of regular chocolate chip cookies, some sort of oatmeal trail mix cookies, and a mexican chocolate cake with mexican chocolate frosting, all without recipes!
Here is the chocolate cake recipe though...supposedly the most clicked on chocolate cake recipe on epicurious.com
Double Chocolate Layer Cake
from Gourmet
3 oz. semi-sweet chocolate, chopped into pieces
1 1/2 cups hot freshly brewed coffee
3 c. sugar
2 1/2 c. all purpose flour
1 1/2 c. unsweetened cocoa powder
2 t. baking soda
3/4 t. baking powder
1 1/4 t. salt
3 large eggs
3/4 c. veg oil
1 1/2 c. well-shaken buttermilk
3/4 t. vanilla
Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Line two 10x2 cake rounds with parchment paper and grease sides.
Finely chop chocolate and in a bowl combine with hot coffee. Let mixture stand, stirring occasionally, until chocolate is melted and mixture is smooth.
Into a large bowl sift together sugar, flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. In another large bowl with an electric mixer beat eggs until thickened slightly and lemon colored (about 3 minutes with a standing mixer or 5 minutes with a hand-held mixer). Slowly add oil, buttermilk, vanilla and melted chocolate mixture to eggs, beating until combined well. Add sugar mixture and beat on medium speed until just combined well. Divide batter between pans and bake in middle of oven until a tester inserted in center comes out clean, 1 hour to 1 hour and 10 minutes.
Cool layers completely in pans on racks. Run a thin knife around edges of pans and invert layers onto racks. Carefully remove wax paper and cool layers completely. Cake layers may be made 1 day ahead and kept, wrapped well in plastic wrap, at room temperature. (I also freeze them wrapped for up to a week and they are still great!)
Enjoy!
