Description
From "Food Editor's Hometown Favorites" edited by Barbara Gibbs Ostmann and Jane Baker. You've got to love a cookbook featuring the best original recipes as submitted by food writers or food editors. Really, it doesn't get any better than that. Since these recipes are from writers and editors, many do include a description of the recipe.
This chocolate cake is rich and delicious. You won't have to mess with parchment paper, because this cake recipe bakes in a loaf tin. It might be hard to tell from my image, but that's not a caramel frosting. No, it's bathed in a lovely chocolate frosting that uses a full egg (not just the egg whites or yolk). Opt for pasteurized eggs if you so desire.
I originally planned to swap out the hot water with coffee, but I completely forgot that plan once I started baking. The cake is fantastic as is. You'll get several pieces out of the loaf cake, since it is a bit rich.
Ingredients
Brownstone Front Chocolate Cake
- 2 cups All-Purpose Flour
- 1 teaspoon Baking Soda
- 1/8 teaspoon Salt
- 2 1-ounce Squares Baking Chocolate (Unsweetened )
- 1 cup Boiling Water
- 1/2 cup Unsalted Butter (Softened (note, I typically use salted butter))
- 1 3/4 cups Light Brown Sugar, Firmly Packed
- 2 Large Eggs
- 1/2 cup Sour Cream
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
Brownstone Front Cake Chocolate Frosting
- 2 1-ounce Squares Chocolate (Unsweetened)
- 2 Tablespoons Butter (Softened)
- 1/2 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- Pinch Salt ((pinch = less than 1/8 teaspoon))
- 1 to 1 1/2 cups Powdered Sugar
- 1 Large Egg (Or pasteurized egg equivalent )
- 1/4 cup Milk (start with less than 1/4 cup. Add up to 1/4 cup Milk if necessary.)
Instructions
For Brownstone Front Cake
- 325* oven
- Grease 9 x 5 x 3 loaf pan and set aside.
- Combine Flour, Baking Soda, and Salt in a bowl. Whisk together. Set aside.
- Set Chocolate in a small bowl. Pour the boiling water over the Chocolate. Set aside.
- In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream Butter and Sugar until soft, fluffy, and lightened in color.
- Slowly add Brown Sugar in increments and beat until creamy after each addition.
- Add the Eggs and Vanilla Extract and beat until combined.
- Add the Flour mixture alternately with the Sour Cream. Begin and end with the Flour.
- Stir in the chocolate mixture until blended.
- Pour the batter (it will be thin) into the prepared pan.
- Bake 325* for 50 to 60 minutes or until a cake tester inserted in the middle comes out with a few not dry crumbs. Jess Note: My cake took much longer to bake.
- Cool 10 minutes in the pan. Then, turn out onto a cooling rack to cool to room temperature.
- Frost with the chocolate frosting.
Chocolate Frosting Recipe
- Melt the chocolate over hot, not boiling, water.
- Beat together the Butter, Vanilla Extract, and Salt in a separate bowl.
- Beat in the Powdered Sugar, in small amounts at a time.
- Then, beat in an Egg, a smaller amount of the Milk (under the 1/4 cup), and the Melted Chocolate.
- Beat until smooth and creamy. Add more Milk or a little more Powdered Sugar if the consistency is too soft.
- Spoon the frosting over the cooled cake. Serve.
- Prep Time: 18 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour
- Category: Dessert
- Cuisine: American