 Pacific Northwest: Taste |
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| Blue Ribbon Chocolate Cake One two-layer cake This cake, which appeared in "In Season: Culinary Adventures of a San Juan Island Chef," takes its name from the fact that it took first prize at the San Juan County Fair. The trick that earned the ribbon may have been the fancy piped-on frosting, which was squeezed through the cut-off corner of a Ziploc bag. |
| 2 1/2 ounces unsweetened chocolate 3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened 2 cups brown sugar 2 eggs 2 1/4 cups flour 1 teaspoon baking soda 1/2 teaspoon salt 1 1/3 cups brewed coffee 1 teaspoon vanilla extract Chocolate frosting (recipe follows) 1. Have all ingredients at room temperature. Grease and flour two 9-inch cake pans, preferably pans with removable bottoms. 2. In a double-boiler, or a stainless-steel bowl set over a pan of barely simmering water, melt chocolate and set aside. In a large mixing bowl, whisk butter with brown sugar until very smooth and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in melted chocolate. 3. In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda and salt. Whisk about 3/4 cup of flour mixture into the butter mixture, then whisk in 1/2 cup of coffee. Add another 3/4 cup flour mixture and another 1/2 cup coffee, stirring well between each addition. Stir in remaining flour mixture, remaining coffee and vanilla extract. 4. Transfer batter to prepared cake pans. In an oven preheated to 350, bake 30 minutes or until cake springs back when pressed lightly in the center. Cool cake on racks before removing from pans. Place one cake round on a cake plate and cover with 1/3 of the frosting. Top with second cake layer. 5. Put half the remaining frosting into a self-sealing food storage bag and snip off about an inch from one corner. Pipe frosting onto sides of the cake in even, overlapping stripes to completely cover the sides. Refill the impromptu pastry bag with the remaining frosting and cover the entire surface of the cake with fanciful whirls to give the cake an impressive looking finish. |
