Finding the Best Chocolate Cake Recipe (Part 1)

[Patrick S]

Ok, here's a couple of pictures of the Hershey's recipe, from waaay back. I believe I made this for a b-day party. This was baked in a tube pan.

[meredithla]

Meredith,

What did you use for cocoa and/or chocolate in the various recipes?  I have to think that would have some effect on the flavor.  Or did they all use the same product?

How come I never get invited to chocolate cake taste-offs? 

Fern

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I used Hershey's cocoa on all of the recipes except for the Martha Stewart cake which called for Dutch Process cocoa. There I used Droste. All other ingredients for each cake were from the same source and I made them all on the same day.

[meredithla]

I got a little discouraged when I ran into that problem when we tried to do the "Best Of" series here. The same recipe turned out different in each persons hands here too. The best we could do was attempt to vote and count how many people chose which recipe was their favorite. I never really could declare a obvious winner in any of our testing. The majority was usually by a pretty close margin, barely able to be labeled a majority.

I've made most of the cakes you did and I can honestly say I got different results.

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That's what I found so interesting about doing this. I, too, thought there would be a clear winner but there wasn't. And I'm certainly not saying my results are definitive.

I have a small home-based custom cake business and wondered if I could find the best chocolate cake recipe to use. My lesson learned was taste is individual. I also believe with cake it very much involves sense memory--what taste brings you back to your childhood?

So I won't have my one "go to" recipe. I will choose which recipe to use based on the texture I need, the assembly method and the fillings and icings, etc. It was fun for my tasters too who realized "I can't believe how different chocolate can taste!"

[Dailey]

well, i first read this thread awhile back and always planned on making this cake but really never got around to it, plus i really love the "perfect all-american chocolate cake" from the cake bible and usually used it for all my chocolate cakes.

anyways, i made scott's cake (followed the recipe to a tee) a few days ago and tried it today, it's sooo darn good! the first thing i thought of when i cut it was that it reminded me of velvet. the crumb was tight and incredibly moist. it really amazed me considering some people said theirs came out dry. i had the opposite results, it came out so moist that if it were any more moist, it would have been overkill. at any rate, i am thrilled with the results and i will definitley be making this cake again.

*just wanted to add that i always used the powered buttermilk

Edited September 26, 2005 by Dailey (log)

[oli]

At another site (FC) for some years now, Sue B.'s Moist Chocolate Cake, has been the default chocolate cake. Many different cakes were tried and this one was won and since then most everyone who tries it, agrees. The only other cake that occasionally ties with Sue B is Spago's. So there you have it, 2 cakes that have gone through strenuous, vigorous trial by fire tests, with old time chocolate lovers leaving with chocolate crumbs on their shirts.

[Patrick S]

At another site (FC) for some years now, Sue B.'s Moist Chocolate Cake, has been the default chocolate cake.  Many different cakes were tried and this one was won and since then most everyone who tries it, agrees.

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Is this the recipe you're referring to?

[Dailey]

oli,

out of curiousity, was scott's "chocolate fudge cake" or RBL's "perfect all-american chocolate cake" included in the taste test? i would be interested in trying sue b's cake if it beat out those two! also, what does FC stand for? thanks!

[Wendy DeBord]

At another site (FC) for some years now, Sue B.'s Moist Chocolate Cake, has been the default chocolate cake.  Many different cakes were tried and this one was won and since then most everyone who tries it, agrees. The only other cake that occasionally ties with Sue B is Spago's.  So there you have it, 2 cakes that have gone through strenuous, vigorous trial by fire tests, with old time chocolate lovers leaving with chocolate crumbs on their shirts.

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Well we have many serious bakers that enjoy both eG and FC. I have previously been active at FC myself.........so I "think" I understand the references. It could be argued that our site has more professional bakers then FC.......... but I know that means little because great bakers aren't all professional bakers.

So to double check myself I went back this morning and searched thru their forum looking for any testing between the Sue B cake and the Wooley cake...........I couldn't find any. To the best of my knowledge our site has far more bakers then FC! So I think it's fair to say we had alot of chocolate crumbs on our shirts too.

If I recall correctly we did talk about the Spago chiffon cake as a great chocolate chiffon cake in the original thread that began this best of chocolate cake series. I've made that make many times, and still do use it for some applications. I think it makes the best cake roll. But I don't think it's as versitale as the Wooley cake. Being a chiffon it's lightness of structure makes it very hard to use in all applications.

I don't think I've made the Sue B cake yet. So I will have to do that. I was under the impression that Samaki/CookieMonster has........ and that's why she brought up mention of the Wooley cake at Fine Cooking, to tell others the Wooley cake was even better. But unforunately, I couldn't find a post where she says that, to confirm my thoughts.

In the end I think we all agree that there is no "best chocolate cake", we all have preferences that prevent us from coming to a unanimous consensous. Sooooooo, try as many as you can over time, seek your own ideal of perfection.........then tell us what you think.

In addition, Mean Chef is an active member at FC and that should definately be the correct Sue B recipe you found Patrick.

Dailey, FC is Fine Cooking a magazine published by Tauton. They have a chat forum online here. Also I believe that I can say the majority of members here would not include the RBL recipe you mentioned in a "best of" list of chocolate cakes.

[oli]

At another site (FC) for some years now, Sue B.'s Moist Chocolate Cake, has been the default chocolate cake.  Many different cakes were tried and this one was won and since then most everyone who tries it, agrees.

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Is this the recipe you're referring to?

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Yes

[oli]

oli,

  out of curiousity, was scott's "chocolate fudge cake" or RBL's "perfect all-american chocolate cake" included in the taste test?  i would be interested in trying sue b's cake if it beat out those two!   also, what does FC stand for?  thanks!

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You know its been some years now, I'd have to go over the discussions to tell you.

FC stands for Fine Cooking, available on your newstand.

[DragonflyDesserts]

I also have found the recipe on the back of the Hershey's cocoa can to be my favorite recipe, with 2 variations: I use cake flour, adding the additional flour you need to make the conversion, and I replace 1/4 cup of the milk with sour cream. Oh, and also, I mix it a bit differently, adding the boiling water to the cocoa to bring out the flavor more. If anyone is interested in the exact recipe and mixing method just let me know.

[mignardise]

Sure............would love to see the exact recipe and mixing method...if you don't mind posting it. Thank you for sharing.

[Steven Blaski]

At another site (FC) for some years now, Sue B.'s Moist Chocolate Cake, has been the default chocolate cake.  Many different cakes were tried and this one was won and since then most everyone who tries it, agrees.

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Is this the recipe you're referring to?

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I'd like to give Sue B's cake a try, but I have a couple of questions for those who have made it: what kind of cocoa did you use -- natural or dutched? And for the "2 cups flour" - is that dip&sweep or spoon&sweep (this is a pet peeve of mine -- recipes that don't specify -- damn, I wish we could banish volume measurements!).

Thanks!

[CanadianBakin']

There was some discussion of the Sue B chocolate cake in the chocolate cake thread about the Wooley thread, so I thought I'd pull this one up for new discussions about new chocolate cakes we like.

Here's my favourite chocolate cake. I don't use the frosting recipe, though.

(From Epicurious)

Thanks for posting this Ling! I've been meaning to for awhile but haven't had time and also don't have a digital camera so I'm glad you were able. I'm going to second Ling's vote for this cake being the best! It's so moist and dark and versatile. I've done 6"cake, 9"cakes, cupcakes, mini-cupcakes, 9x13... And even if I over bake it slightly, it's still moist.

[Steven Blaski]

Thanks for the recipe, Ling! What's your favorite buttercream (or other frosting) for this cake?

[Ling]

Well, it's a fairly "new" favourite--my old favourite (old as of last month) was a Martha Stewart recipe. With the Epicurious recipe, I did an Italian caramel buttercream, Valrhona ganache, almond and pecan dacquoise. Chocolate mirror glaze.

Italian caramel buttercream:

5 egg whites, 1 cup dark brown sugar, 1/2 cup water and 1lb butter and vanilla extract. Standard procedure. Most recipes I've seen only call for 3 whites to 1 lb. of butter, but I like the extra airiness the 5 whites give.

[sanrensho]

it reminded me a lot of a cake from the Cake Bible I tried ages ago -- rich, crumbly, fine texture.

Which Cake Bible recipe would that be?

[chefpeon]

I'm going to try the Sue B. cake. I tried the Woolley one and it didn't suit me much. As far as the perfect chocolate cake goes, I'm still searching. The other day, on a whim, I tried the sour cream chocolate cake recipe from Judy Rosenberg's "Rosie's Bakery All Butter Fresh Cream Sugar Packed No Holds Barred Baking Book". It ALMOST hit the mark for "best chocolate cake". It was moist, and had that perfect crumb I was looking for. But it didn't taste chocolatey enough!

The problem I seem to have with chocolate cakes, is that I get two out of three.....either it's nice and chocolatey, but dry, or nice and moist, but not chocolatey, or moist and chocolatey, but with a weird crumb. I'm trying for the elusive triple crown! Moist, chocolatey, nice crumb!

Actually. I have tasted the perfect chocolate cake. I'd kill for the recipe. In fact, that's probably

what I'd have to resort to, because you know who makes it? My husband's ex-wife. Yep. Hey,

we get along famously...it's all good.....but my husband told me point-blank that his ex isn't about

to hand over her perfect chocolate cake recipe to his new wife the "hot shot pastry chef" (her words). She just LOVES the fact that she makes a better chocolate cake than I do. Talk about torture!!!! That recipe couldn't be farther from my reach if it was on the freakin' moon. Sigh!!!!

[Ling]

Here's my favourite chocolate cake. (It's CanadianBakin's favourite recipe too! ) I don't use the frosting recipe, though. My old favourite recipe was a dark chocolate one by Martha Stewart.

(From Epicurious)

Ingredients:

3 ounces fine-quality semisweet chocolate such as Callebaut

1 1/2 cups hot brewed coffee

3 cups sugar

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/2 cups unsweetened cocoa powder (not Dutch process)

2 teaspoons baking soda

3/4 teaspoon baking powder

1 1/4 teaspoons salt

3 large eggs

3/4 cup vegetable oil

1 1/2 cups well-shaken buttermilk

3/4 teaspoon vanilla

Method

Preheat oven to 300°F. and grease pans. Line bottoms with rounds of wax paper and grease paper.

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.

Here's what the cake looks like out of the oven, cooling. I like how the cake bakes up evenly, and it is rich and moist with a tender crumb. It is not too sweet, and goes nicely with Italian buttercreams.

[Ling]

Actually. I have tasted the perfect chocolate cake. I'd kill for the recipe. In fact, that's probably

what I'd have to resort to, because you know who makes it? My husband's ex-wife. Yep. Hey,

we get along famously...it's all good.....but my husband told me point-blank that his ex isn't about

to hand over her perfect chocolate cake recipe to his new wife the "hot shot pastry chef" (her words). She just LOVES the fact that she makes a better chocolate cake than I do. Talk about torture!!!! That recipe couldn't be farther from my reach if it was on the freakin' moon. Sigh!!!!

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Oh my! Unless she is a culinary professional who makes a living based on her own recipes (which apparently she is not, since she's calling you a hot shot pastry chef), I really don't see the point in withholding recipes. Good food should be shared!

[chefpeon]

Good food should be shared!

I completely agree with that. In fact, if Abra hadn't shared her wonderful choux discovery with me, I'd still be making mediocre cream puffs.

I offered my husband's ex the macaroon recipe she's been drooling over in exchange for the chocolate cake recipe, but no deal!

[Ling]

Aww...wow, what a lady.

Just wanted to add that I prefer the recipe I posted to the Wooley cake, and I also prefer the Martha recipe to the Wooley cake.

[chefpeon]

Just wanted to add that I prefer the recipe I posted to the Wooley cake, and I also prefer the Martha recipe to the Wooley cake.

I'm going to try your recipe too. I like the fact that is has chocolate AND cocoa in it, as well as coffee and buttermilk. Love the pics!

[mignardise]

Ling...........what brand of natural Cocoa do you use?

I too love this cake.

[Ling]

I use Valrhona cocoa powder. I think I was considering Scharffen Berger, but I read a comment on Egullet (I think from PatrickS) who said the SB cocoa is worse than Hershey's! (Hey, you know I've never even checked to see whether it is natural or dutch-processed. Anyone know?)