I need a really good choc. cake recipe

[ryan840]

Hello all. I've never posted on this board but I need your help. A friend recently talked me into taking the Wilton cake decorating courses (I've only taken 1 and 2 so far) and now I have to make my son's birthday cake. I have never made a cake from scratch, and am up against some BIG competition. Our "cake lady" is widely talked about throughout my entire family- "Ooh, where'd you get this cake" and "Oh, are you bringing a cake lady cake?" I swear my mom has ordered so many cakes from her she single handedly got her out of her house and into a shop! She even refers to herself as the Cake Lady now... OK, maybe we can't take the credit for her success, but you see what I mean- she's good! I have to have a cake that tastes yummy, so does anyone have a super-delish recipe? I also really need an icing recipe- my family and I don't really like the Wilton class buttercream recipe, it's too sweet (even the 1/2 butter 1/2 shortening variation). I really actually need a chocolate and a buttercream frosting recipe that will be stiff enough. Thanks in advance!

[piratesmate]

This is my all-time favorite chocolate cake! It's a dense, heavy cake. It's best with the cooked icing recipe, but I doubt your Wilton lessons will work with that icing.

Clyde’s Chocolate Cake
1½ c water
¾ c shortening
¾ c cocoa
3 c flour
3 c sugar
2¼ tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
3 eggs
¾ c sour milk
1½ tsp vanilla
Cook water, shortening & cocoa until butter melts. Add flour, sugar, soda & salt. Beat 2 minutes. Add eggs & beat 2 more minutes. Add milk & vanilla; beat 2 minutes. Grease a 13x9 pan & dust with cocoa. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes. Ice with Cooked Icing recipe.


Cooked Icing
3 Tbl flour
¾ c milk
¾ c butter
¾ c sugar
¾ tsp vanilla
Cook together flour & milk. Stir constantly until thick; set aside to cool while beating butter. Beat butter 4 minutes. Add sugar & beat 4 more minutes. Add vanilla & flour mixture; beat until smooth. Refrigerate until spreadable.

[ryan840]

Thanks! Hopefully I will get a chance to try it out this weekend. His birthday isn't until August 4th, so I have a little time to experiment. This threads gonna be the death of me, I know it!

ETA- do you use granulated or powdered sugar for the icing?

[piratesmate]

Sorry - the icing uses granulated sugar....if you skip on the time you beat it after adding the sugar you end up with icing that "crunches" a little bit.

You know - there's a mistake there. It should say:
"Cook together flour & milk. Stir constantly until thick; set aside to cool. Beat butter 4 minutes. Add sugar & beat 4 more minutes. Add vanilla & flour mixture; beat until smooth. Refrigerate until spreadable."

The butter/sugar should get light & fluffy before adding the vanilla & flour mixture.

[tnhillbilly]

I just now looked at what I had typed in. sorry about the mistakes in spelling, got in too big a hurry but that is the old Hershey's coco cake from the 50's.

[ryan840]

Thanks again guys, can't wait to try them out! Keep em coming for me.

[luv2nascar]

the best chocolate cake recipe - well at least my family rates it that way.
We are from PA so Hershey's rules here. The frosting is not stiff so will not work for Wilton but it the best chocolate icing I have ever had.



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HERSHEY'S "PERFECTLY CHOCOLATE" Chocolate Cake
Ingredients:
2 cups sugar
1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup HERSHEY'S Cocoa
1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1-1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1 cup milk
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup boiling water
"PERFECTLY CHOCOLATE" CHOCOLATE FROSTING (recipe follows)
Directions:
1. Heat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour two 9-inch round baking pans.

2. Stir together sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt in large bowl. Add eggs, milk, oil and vanilla; beat on medium speed of mixer 2 minutes. Stir in boiling water (batter will be thin). Pour batter into prepared pans.

3. Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes; remove from pans to wire racks. Cool completely. Frost with "PERFECTLY CHOCOLATE" CHOCOLATE FROSTING. 10 to 12 servings.

VARIATIONS:
ONE-PAN CAKE: Grease and flour 13x9x2-inch baking pan. Heat oven to 350° F. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake 35 to 40 minutes. Cool completely. Frost.

THREE LAYER CAKE: Grease and flour three 8-inch round baking pans. Heat oven to 350°F. Pour batter into prepared pans. Bake 30 to 35 minutes. Cool 10 minutes; remove from pans to wire racks. Cool completely. Frost.

BUNDT CAKE: Grease and flour 12-cup Bundt pan. Heat oven to 350°F. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake 50 to 55 minutes. Cool 15 minutes; remove from pan to wire rack. Cool completely. Frost.

CUPCAKES: Line muffin cups (2-1/2 inches in diameter) with paper bake cups. Heat oven to 350°F. Fill cups 2/3 full with batter. Bake 22 to 25 minutes. Cool completely. Frost. About 30 cupcakes.


"PERFECTLY CHOCOLATE" CHOCOLATE FROSTING

1 stick (1/2 cup) butter or margarine
2/3 cup HERSHEY'S Cocoa
3 cups powdered sugar
1/3 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Melt butter. Stir in cocoa. Alternately add powdered sugar and milk, beating to spreading consistency. Add small amount additional milk, if needed. Stir in vanilla. About 2 cups frosting.

[ryan840]

Yummy, thanks!

[soccerchick]

okay, I'm going to go get the stuff to make the hershey's cake. My grandma used to make it for us and I probably haven't had it in 15 years or so.

I have made the Wilton buttercream -- not the class recipe but one from their website -- and added a small can of Ghiradhelli (sp?) chocolate powder to it for chocolate icing -- yum!!! If you want to recipe I can find it and send it tonight.