Mmmm . . . What better way to celebrate a birthday than the chocolatiest most decadent cake imaginable??

Yesterday was Carrie Coon’s birthday, “Honey” in Broadway’s Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf.   I imagine she just signed up for a chocolate cake on James’ “Birthday Information Form” that first day of rehearsal, never expecting that she would get treated to this:

BTW, James tells me that the reason behind the name of the cake is that he experimented with 16 varieties of Chocolate Layer Cake before finally settling on this one as the ne plus ultra.  How lucky are we to know someone who would experiment with chocolate cakes that thoroughly.

Happy birthday, Honey!!

Triple Layer Double Decadence Death By Chocolate No. 17

 Ingredients:

1/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1.4 cup bittersweet chocolate chips
1 1/2 cups hot coffee or espresso
3 cups sugar
2 1/2 cups flour
1 1/2 cups cocoa powder (not dutch process). James likes to use 1/4 cup of black cocoa as part of that 1/2 cups
2 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp baking powder
1 1/4 tsp salt
3 large eggs
3/4 cup canola or vegetable oil
1 1/2 cups buttermilk. If you don’t have buttermilk, use 1 1/2 cups whole milk (minus 2 Tablespoons) mixed with 1 1/2 Tablespoons of vinegar.
1 tsp vanilla

Ganache Icing
2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 cup heavy cream
2 Tbsp sugar
2 Tbsp light corn syrup
1/4 cup butter

Method:
1.  Preheat oven to 300. Spray three 9” round cake pans with cooking spray. Line bottoms with parchment and spray again.

2.  Combine chips and hot coffee. Let it stand and whisk occasionally until chocolate is melted. In a large bowl whisk together sugar, flour, cocoa, baking power, baking soda and salt. In another large bowl  beat eggs until thick and yellow (3-5 minutes), slowly add oil, buttermilk, vanilla and chocolate mixture to the eggs beating until well combined. Add dry ingredients and beat on medium until JUST combined.

3.  Divide batter between pans and bake in the middle of the oven until a toothpick comes out clean- 40-50 minutes.

For ganache icing
1.  In saucepan whisk together cream, sugar and corn syrup. Bring to boil over medium heat whisking until sugar is dissolved. Remove pan from heat and add chocolate chips, whisking until chocolate is melted and mixture is smooth. Cut butter into 3 pieces. Add to mixture, whisking after each addition until smooth.

2.  Chill for 45- 60 minutes until spreadable. If it is in the refrigerator too long, just bring back to room temperature before frosting.

3.  Keep cake covered and chilled. Bring to room temperature before serving. Amazing!!!!

James’ note: “I use a cake comb on the sides of the cake when frosting to give it linear texture.”

Of course you do James, of course you do!

Tagged: "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf", birthday, cake, Chocolate