Chocolate ganache buttercream frosting is whipped until fluffy and then topped with a dark chocolate drip glaze in this 1960’s Bakers Chocolate recipe.  Using chocolate squares instead of cocoa powder, this frosting has an unparalleled deep rich chocolate flavor.  

A while back I came across this magazine clipping that my mother had saved many years ago.  I had acquired it along with numerous other recipes and kitchen items after my mothers passing.  I remember as a young boy watching my mom make this cake and just how elaborate I thought it was.

Lately I have found myself interested in retro recipes from the 50’s and 60’s.  People enjoyed hosting cocktail parties offering their company extravagantly decorated plates of finger foods and garnished drinks.  Invitations were sent, furniture was arranged, beautiful appetizers were strategically placed, and highballs were served.  With a stack of lp’s on the hifi changer, the well dressed guests tossed back a few cocktails, enjoyed a nibble or two, and had some laughs.  And of course no gathering would be complete without a dessert that looked as though it came right out of a magazine.

I will admit the cake turned out quite well but I did rush the glaze just a bit.  I was concerned that the chocolate was setting up too much in the pan.  While it seemed cool enough, a bit more ran off the cake than I would have liked.  I will certainly make this again, just allowing the glaze a bit more time to cool before pouring.

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Chocolate-on-Chocolate Frosting

Cocoa could never make a frosting like this because cocoa has most of its chocolate richness removed. Only Baker’s Unsweetened Chocolate will do!

Course Cakes

Cuisine American

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes minutes

Temper chocolate 20 minutes minutes

Total Time 50 minutes minutes

Author Christoph

Ingredients

Creamy Chocolate Under-frosting

• ½ cup butter, 1 stick
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 pound un-sifted confectioners’ sugar, 4 ½ cups
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 4 squares Baker’s Unsweetened Chocolate, melted over hot water
• ¼ cup milk

Deep Chocolate Over-Glaze

• ½ cup sugar
• ¼ cup water
• 2 squares Baker’s Unsweetened Chocolate, melted over hot water
• 1 teaspoon butter
• 1 Tablespoon milk

Instructions

Under-frosting

• Cream butter until soft. Beat in the salt and about 1 ½ cups of the sugar.
• Then add egg, vanilla, and melted chocolate; blend well. Beat in remaining sugar alternately with the milk, beat after each addition until smooth.
• Use to fill and frost three 8-inch cake layers, spreading ½ cup between each layer and on top and the remaining frosting around the sides of the cake. Then top with chocolate glaze.

Over-Glaze

• In a small saucepan, combine sugar and water. Bring to a boil and boil ½ minute, stirring constantly. Slowly stir in chocolate, then stir in butter. Slowly beat in milk. Beat until of spreading consistency. While glaze is still warm, pour onto top of frosted cake. Spread to edges and drizzle over sides at intervals. Let stand until glaze is set before cutting.

Notes

Making this icing is a bit involved but well worth the time.  The over-glaze is a bit tricky. 

I was concerned that it was getting to stiff to pour however I should have let it cool just a bit more to get a better dripping effect.

Because of the time involved making the frosting I used a box cake.  If you are going to make a cake from scratch I would bake it the day before in the interest of time.

If you love chocolate like I do, then I am sure you will agree that there are few things better than chocolate cake. I am not talking about a fluffy cake mix chocolate cake. I am speaking of the kind of cake that is moist and dense, not too sweet. The cake that has a dark, deep, rich, pure chocolate flavor that melts in your mouth and dances on your tongue. A real I sold my soul to the devil kind of chocolate cake that makes you think you died and went to heaven. If that sounds like your kind of dessert, then you will be happy to know that this one definitely hits all the right buttons, an absolute chocoholics dream come true!

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Death by Chocolate Cake

A chocoholics dream come true. Chocolate and more chocolate is what this cake is all about.

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 1 hour hour

Total Time 1 hour hour 20 minutes minutes

Servings 16

Author Christoph

Ingredients

Cake

• 2 cups sugar
• 1 cup strong-brewed coffee
• 5 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped
• ½ cup butter
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 6 ounces vanilla yogurt
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten
• 1 teaspoon vinegar
• ¾ cup white baking chips

Chocolate Ganache

• 9 ounces dark chocolate chips, Ghiradelli, or other premium chocolate
• 1 cup heavy whipping cream
• 1 ounce Kahlua, optional

Instructions

Cake

• Heat oven to 325° F.  Grease and flour a 10-inch fluted tube pan, set aside
• In a large saucepan combine sugar, coffee, unsweetened chocolate, and butter. Heat while stirring over medium-low until the chocolate and butter are melted. Heat this mixture only long enough to completely melt the chocolate and butter. Do not boil, we are not melting sugar and making candy, the sauce should appear granular.
• Remove from heat and cool (since we are going to be adding egg to this mixture, it is extremely important to allow the sauce to cool down somewhat. Scrambled eggs would not be a good thing here).
• In a small bowl combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt; set aside.
• Tip: When baking, mix your dry ingredients flour, baking powder, soda, salt, powdered spices together with a whisk in a separate bowl. This accomplishes two things, one it combines the ingredients without overworking the batter, and it sifts the flour.
• Stir yogurt, eggs, and vinegar into chocolate mixture in saucepan. Gradually add flour mixture, stirring just until combined (Vinegar is added to assist the leavening ingredients in this very heavy cake, but will add no taste. Do not be surprised to see the batter bubble, it is the vinegar doing its job).
• Fold in the white baking chips and pour into the prepared pan.
• Bake for 50 to 60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. (Because this is such a dense cake be sure to test the cake in several places. I like to use a wooden skewer instead of a tooth pick to make sure the cake is done all the way through).
• Cool in pan on a wire rack for 15 minutes. Remove from pan. Cool completely on rack

Chocolate Ganache

• Place the chocolate chips in a mixing bowl.
• In a small sauce pan over medium-high heat warm the cream until it is almost ready to boil. (Do not boil). Pour the hot cream into the bowl of chips and mix until all of the chocolate is melted and becomes smooth (the residual heat from the cream will melt the chocolate).
• Finish the ganache by stirring in the Kahlua.

Assemble

• Pour the ganache over the cooled cake while the chocolate is still warm. It will flow easily and become smooth. As the chocolate cools it will set up and will keep its shiny appearance.
• I finished this cake with some white, light, and milk chocolate that I drizzled over the cake after the ganache had set up. I tempered the chocolates one at a time and used a small plastic bag with the corner cut off to pipe on the finishing touches.

Notes

Use a good quality chocolate for your ganache. Rum is also commonly added instead of Kahlua. This is totally a preference, and most certainly can be omitted. However if you are adding liquor, be sure to do so after the chocolate is completely melted and incorporated into the cream.

Ganache is easy to make and delicious, and can be used in many ways. One way is as a warm sauce-like glaze as described here. Another application is to allow the ganache to complete cool (room temp not refrigerated), and then whisk it into a spreadable frosting. Thicker versions are commonly used for fillings in pastries and truffles, or thinned as a sauce.