Chocolate Cake, My Way

Welcome back!

I’m a baker first, cook second.  I’ve been searching for a chocolate cake recipe for a very… long… time.  I’ve made no secret that I’m a Barefoot Contessa fan, and I own nearly every cookbook she’s written.  I love how simple the recipes are, not to mention they are delish.

Sometimes I just can’t leave well enough alone. I like to mess with recipes and make them just that much more healthy.  This one is no exception.  I traded out a little less than half of the flour for whole wheat pastry flour, which is something I use nearly every time I bake.  I also traded out the eggs for egg whites, and cut back the sugar a bit.  Lastly I replaced the vegetable oil with canola oil.  Does it taste just as good?  Oh yes.

We took this cake to my neighbor’s house for a dinner party last weekend.  They said two things:  “I don’t think you could get any more chocolate in this cake.  This is the best chocolate cake I’ve ever eaten!”  Mmmm…. chocolate…  See what you think. 

Chocolate Cake, My Way

1 cup all-purpose unbleached flour, plus more for pans
3/4 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1 3/4 cups sugar
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup buttermilk, shaken
1/2 cup canola oil
4 egg whites (large eggs)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup fresh brewed decaf coffee

Preheat oven to 350 F degrees.  Spray two 8-inch round cake pans with canola oil.  Line bottoms with parchment paper, spray again and flour pans.

Sift dry ingredients together (flour through kosher salt) into large mixing bowl.  Mix ingredients together thoroughly on low speed with paddle attachment.  In another large bowl, mix together buttermilk, canola oil, egg whites and vanilla.  Using low speed, slowly add wet ingredients to dry.  Once combined, slowly add coffee until just combined (scrape bottom of the bowl once).

Pour batter into prepared pans and bake for 35-40 minutes, until knife comes out clean.   Cool cake in pans for 30 minutes, gently move to wire racks to cool completely.

[Psst... you can also make mini cupcakes like I did here: use paper liners and only cook them for 15 minutes, or until a toothpick or skewer comes out clean.]

*This recipe was adapted from “Beatty’s Chocolate Cake” from the cookbook, Barefoot Contessa at Home

Chocolate Cocoa Frosting

3 cups powdered sugar
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 cup butter, softened
1/4 cup vegan margarine, softened
3-4 tablespoons soy creamer (plain)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Sift sugar and cocoa together into large bowl. In large mixing bowl, combine 1 cup of sugar mixture with butter, margarine and 1 tablespoon of creamer.  Continue adding another cup of sugar mixture and tablespoon of creamer, beating well each time.  Beat until frosting is fluffy, and then beat in vanilla.

Adapted from this Chocolate Frosting recipe on Food Network.

Tagged as: Barefoot Contessa, cake, chocolate, Chocolate Cake