Beatty's Chocolate Cake

Cute party theme (including cake banner) all done by Kat!

It is true.  I have officially gone into school recovery mode - doing the things I have missed.  I baked cakes for two events this past week.  When I am baking for events I am extra careful.  I sift the flour a little more....I watch the oven a little more....it is probably good for me!  Brody has learned the phrase "get out of the kitchen" (as I point to his spot on the rug).  He was a good sport.  I spent too much time at first tripping over him and making sure I didn't drop cocoa (aka doggie poison) on the floor. 

I mentioned this cake in earlier post about Katharyn's baby shower.  That was the first time I made this cake.  It was such a hit it returned for Louis' first bday.  It is now my go-to chocolate cake recipe.  It is a moist chocolate cake.  I am not super crazy about buttercream icings (such as this one....in fact...i wont even list the one I did on this blog).  Next time I plan on trying it with cream cheese icing. 

I hate to even let the cat out of the bag but it has ONE CUP of coffee in the recipe.  It wigs people out if they don't like coffee but I PROMISE it is the secret ingredent (to my red velvet recipe too, actually).  It makes the cakes SUPER MOIST.   Credit does to Ina Garten and with about 1500 reviews and 5 stars on the Food Network website, you can't go wrong! 

Beatty's Chocolate Cake

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 (honestly, i used Hershey)
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 cup buttermilk, shaken (the smallest of containers I found was 2 cups worth)
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 2 extra-large eggs, at room temperature
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 cup freshly brewed hot coffee (Keurig makes the perfect one cup amount)

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. (I read of people using 9 inch pans with no problem. In fact, it may help the sinking that happens easily when overbeating?)
• 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.  (My kitchenaid made a MESS doing this...the bowl was not large enough so beware!)
• 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. (I literally did mine for 36 minutes...note to self....my oven is cooking MUCH faster on the right side).
• Cool in the pans for 30 minutes, then turn out onto a cooling rack and cool completely.