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old fashioned chocolate cake

Ganieda avatar
Recipe by
Karen Feinen
@Ganieda
Rochester, NY

Basic old fashioned chocolate cake with a chocolate ganache frosting. Make the frosting first so it can chill while you're making the cake.

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yield 12 serving(s)
prep time 10 Min
cook time 30 Min
method Bake

Ingredients For old fashioned chocolate cake

  • CHOCOLATE GANACHE
  • 12 oz
    (2 cups) semisweet chocolate chips
  • 2 c
    heavy (whipping) cream
  • CAKE
  • 2 c
    all-purpose flour
  • 2 c
    granulated sugar
  • 1 tsp
    baking soda
  • 1 c
    water
  • 1/4 c
    unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1 c
    (2 sticks) unsalted butter
  • 1/2 c
    plain yogurt or buttermilk
  • 2 lg
    eggs
  • 1 tsp
    vanilla extract
  • for garnish: chocolate curls (see note) and confectioner's sugar

How To Make old fashioned chocolate cake

  • 1
    CHOCOLATE GANACHE: Put chocolate chips into a large (not plastic) bowl. Bring cream to a boil in a medium saucepan. Pour cream over chocolate and stir until melted and smooth. Refrigerate 2 hours or until firm enough to spread.
  • 2
    Adjust racks to divide oven in thirds. Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease three 8-inch layer cake pans. Line bottoms with parchment; grease parchment.
  • 3
    CAKE: Mix flour, sugar and baking soda in a large bowl.
  • 4
    Put water and cocoa powder into a saucepan. Add butter in small chunks. Stir over medium heat until mixture comes to a boil and the butter melts.
  • 5
    Pour over flour mixture and beat with whisk or electric mixer until blended.
  • 6
    Beat in yogurt, eggs and vanilla until blended. Batter will be thin.
  • 7
    Pour into prepared pans. Stagger pans on oven racks and bake, switching position of pans once to ensure even layers, 25 - 30 minutes until a pick inserted in center of cakes comes out clean.
  • 8
    Cool in pans on wire rack 10 minutes. Invert cakes on rack and peel off paper. Turn cakes right side up and cool completely.
  • 9
    Place 1 layer on serving plate. Spread with 1/2 cup frosting. Repeat with second layer. Spread remaining frosting over sides and top of cake.
  • 10
    Garnish with chocolate curls, then dust with confectioner's sugar.
  • 11
    NOTE FOR CURLS: Hold a bar or square of semisweet chocolate in your hands until barely softened. Slowly and firmly pull a swivel blade vegetable peeler across chocolate to make curls.
  • Last Step: Don't forget to share! Make all your friends drool by posting a picture of your finished recipe on your favorite social network. And don't forget to tag Just A Pinch and include #justapinchrecipes so we can see it too!
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