Cooking For Engineers

[cuddlestt]

do you notice the dark line that forms at the bottom of the first layer and the top of the second layer (i am guessing you flipped the bottom layer so the top of the cake was at the bottom of the bottom layer - right?). To prevent that from happening and to get a fluffier and slightly lighter cake, do not let the butter soften or the eggs come too much to room temperature. Let the butter be slightly cold still and start to cream the butter and sugar, you will be surprised with the difference it makes. Cream the butter (cut in into 1 inch cubes when slightly cold) and sugar for about 10-15 minutes, seems like alot but try it and you'll see.

will try your recipe, it looks delicious!! :-)

[Starrfade]

There are (at least) two ways to make a more level cake without having to lose some of the finished product. The first is to leave a divet in the middle of the batter before putting it in the oven, and the second is to weigh down your layers before assembling them into your finished cake (with a small cake a heavy cutting board is enough, with something the size of the bottom of a wedding cake, use some weights on the board).

[Deborah]

I find most butter icing/frosting too sweet, so I add the juice of half a large lemon when mixing it.

I also decide on my top cake (the flatter of the two!) and spread what will be its inside (lower) side with a tart jam like apricot - not wholefruit, just nicely spreadable to a uniform depth. Then I spread the upper layer of my bottom cake with butter icing, sandwich them together and put the rest of the butter icing on top.

Everyone I know enjoys this method.

[clare]

Whenever making a creamed method cake, I add half the flour, then half the liquid, then 1/4 flour, 1/2 liquid followed by the remaining flour. Why? Because this way, more flour blends into the fat prior to adding liquids. This seems to result in a more moist cake. Thanks for the site--it's great!

[Rochelle]

I used dutched cocoa for this cake recipe [much easier to find than natural cocoa where I live] despite the fact that it is supposedly not acidic enough for leavening like baking soda [which requires an acid to work]. The result was excellent - light texture with sufficient rise. Perhaps the chocolate provided enough acid or the dutched cocoa is still somewhat acidic? Cooks Illustrated once tried both dutched cocoa and natural [nonalkalinized] cocoa in various recipes with baking soda & baking powder; their results were usually better flavor with dutched cocoa and no less rise than natural cocoa with all the baking soda recipes.

So I would recommend trying this recipe with dutched cocoa and see which type you prefer. You need not be cautious about it.

[malvinadny]

Chocolate cake is my all time favourite.Chocolate cake is made with chocolate or it can be made with other ingredients, also. These ingredients include fudge, vanilla creme, and other sweeteners.These adds taste and good flavour to the cake and make it more delightful..