Craving Chocolate

I know that I am not the only woman who craves chocolate when the hormones are running high!  Well, let's be honest, the hormones don't have to be out of whack to crave the chocolate, they just have to be present...and that is always with me!  I have had a huge hankering for chocolate cake, and not just any cake...Beatty's Chocolate Cake!

Several months ago, I was looking for a chocolate cake recipe and found, what has become my go-to chocolate cake recipe.  It is super moist and chocolaty, plus with the frosting...oh, the combination is explosive!





Just looking at this picture makes me salivate!

 It's what I am craving RIGHT NOW!  I am going to share the recipe with you and go make it for dessert tonight.  I am planning on eating a slice before then, though. Ha!

Beatty's Chocolate Cake w/ Chocolate Buttercream {Recipe}

Slightly adapted from Ina Garten

Ingredients

• Butter, for greasing the pans
• 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for pans
• 2 cups sugar
• 3/4 cups good cocoa powder
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 cup buttermilk, shaken (I use cream)
• 1/2 cup oil (I use a combination of olive and coconut)
• 2 extra-large eggs, at room temperature
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 cup freshly brewed hot coffee
• Chocolate Buttercream, recipe follows

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter two 8-inch x 2-inch round cake pans. Line with parchment paper, then butter and flour the pans.

Sift the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, and salt into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment and mix on low speed until combined. In another bowl, combine the buttermilk, oil, eggs, and vanilla. With the mixer on low speed, slowly add the wet ingredients to the dry. With mixer still on low, add the coffee and stir just to combine, scraping the bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Pour the batter into the prepared pans and bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until a cake tester comes out clean. Cool in the pans for 30 minutes, then turn them out onto a cooling rack and cool completely.
Place 1 layer, flat side up, on a flat plate or cake pedestal. With a knife or offset spatula, spread the top with frosting. Place the second layer on top, rounded side up, and spread the frosting evenly on the top and sides of the cake.

Chocolate Frosting

• 6 ounces good semisweet chocolate
• 1/2 pound (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1 extra-large egg yolk, at room temperature
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 1/4 cups sifted confectioners' sugar
• 1 tablespoon instant coffee powder

Chop the chocolate and place it in a heat-proof bowl set over a pan of simmering water. Stir until just melted and set aside until cooled to room temperature.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter on medium-high speed until light yellow and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the egg yolk and vanilla and continue beating for 3 minutes. Turn the mixer to low, gradually add the confectioners' sugar, then beat at medium speed, scraping down the bowl as necessary, until smooth and creamy. Dissolve the coffee powder in 2 teaspoons of the hottest tap water. On low speed, add the chocolate and coffee to the butter mixture and mix until blended. Don't whip! Spread immediately on the cooled cake.

NOTE: Last time I made this cake recipe into cupcakes and didn't need as much frosting, so I cut the buttercream recipe in half, didn't add the yolk or the instant coffee and it was still fabulous!

This cake is actually easy to make and the frosting is also a cinch!  Now I can hardly stand to wait another second to make it.  It just goes to show you I have absolutely ZERO will-power!

Do you need something to make you feel a little bit better about giving into your craving and consuming chocolate?  There are studies that have shown that eating chocolate reduces risk of stroke in women, prevents heart disease, lowers risk of miscarriage and more!  So no more feeling guilty; indulging a little can be a good thing!