Common Sense Agriculture's Blog

Blackout Cake

Prep: 30 minutes, Cook: 35 to 40 minutes, Serves: 12 to 16

This is a moist, dark chocolate cake, sure to be enjoyed by those who live on chocolate J

1 ½ sticks of softened butter

3 cups of sugar

3 eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

4 (1 ounce) squares unsweetened chocolate, melted

3 cups flour

3 teaspoons baking soda

½ teaspoon salt

¾ cup buttermilk

1 1/3 cups boiling water

1. Preheat oven to 350. Grease two 9” round pans. Dust with flour and tap out the excess.
2. In a large bowl, beat together butter and sugar with an electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy, 1 to 2 minutes. Add eggs and vanilla and beat until well blended. Add chocolate and beat 1 to 2 minutes.
3. Mix together flour, baking soda and salt. Add to chocolate mixture in two additions alternately with the buttermilk. Beat until well blended. With mixer on low-speed, add boiling water and beat until smooth (the batter will be thin). Pour batter into prepared pans.
4. Bake 35 to 40 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted in center comes out clean. Let cool in pans 10 to 15 minutes, then unmold onto racks and let cool completely.
5. Cover a cake layer on top. Frost top and sides of cake with remaining ganache. Refrigerate cake 3 to 4 hours, or until ganache is firm, before serving.

Chocolate Ganache

Prep: 5 minutes, Cook: 3 minutes, Chill: 1 to 1 ½ hours

Makes enough to fill and frost a 2 layer 9” cake.

18 ounces semisweet chocolate chips

1 ½ cups heavy cream

2 tablespoons butter, cut up

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1. In a 2 quart glass bowl, combine chocolate chips and heavy cream. Heat in a microwave on High for 3 minutes or until melted and smooth when stirred. Stir in butter and vanilla.
2. Cover and refrigerate 1 to 1 ½ hours or until ganache holds its shape and is thick enough to spread on cake.

Both of these recipes are from Natalie Haughton’s “365 Great Chocolate Desserts.”