Chocolate Chip Layer Cake
Chocolate Chip Layer Cake
This cake batter is made with two eggs, two yolks, brown sugar (no white sugar) and buttermilk, ingredients that give the cake an incredibly rich flavor and beautiful texture. For this recipe, it's imperative to use miniature chocolate chips (big chocolate chips will sink). This cake works because the batter is thick enough to hold up those lightweight, little chips.This recipe is by Reeni Pisano; adapted from "Tate's Bake Shop: Baking For Friends" by Kathleen King. This recipe was originally published in The Baltimore Sun.
Prep Time
25
minutes
Cook Time
35
minutes
Servings
10
Total time: 1 hour
Ingredients
- softened butter and flour for the pans
- 3 1/2 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 cup buttermilk
- 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
- 2 cup firmly packed light or dark brown sugar
- 16 tablespoon (1/2 pound) unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 2 large eggs plus 2 large egg yolks, at room temperature
- 1 1/2 cups (9 ounces) miniature chocolate chips, such as ghirardelli
- 1/2 cup light heavy cream
- 1/2 cup butter, softened
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 teaspoon espresso powder, optional
- 4 cup confectioner's sugar, sifted
Directions
- Step 1: Preheat oven to 350 F with an oven rack in the center. Butter and flour the sides of two 9-by-3-inch round cake or springform pans, or three 8-by-2-inch round pans and line the bottoms with parchment paper.
- Step 2: In a medium bowl, whisk together 3 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour, 2 teaspoons baking powder, 1 teaspoon baking soda and 1 teaspoon salt. Set aside.
- Step 3: Measure 2 cups buttermilk with a glass measuring cup and add 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract to it. Set aside.
- Step 4: In a large mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, beat together 2 cups firmly packed light or dark brown sugar and 16 tablespoons (1/2 pound) room-temperature unsalted butter. Beat on medium speed for 4 minutes.
- Step 5: Add 2 large eggs plus 2 large egg yolks (at room temperature), one at a time, beating well after each addition.
- Step 6: On low speed, add the flour mixture in thirds, alternating with buttermilk in two equal additions. Beat until smooth after each addition and scrape down the sides of the bowl a few times.
- Step 7: Gently fold in 1 1/2 cups (9 ounces) miniature chocolate chips.
- Step 8: Divide the batter among the prepared pans and smooth out the tops. Scoop up the batter with a 1-cup measure to get them as even as possible. (If using regular cake pans, don't overfill them. Use excess to make cupcakes and place a baking sheet on your bottom rack to catch any drips.)
- Step 9: Bake until wooden toothpick in centers of cakes comes out clean, about 38 to 40 minutes for the 9-inch pans and 30 to 34 minutes for the 8-inch size.
- Step 10: Cool on wire racks for 10 to 15 minutes, then run a butter knife around the edges and turn out from the pans, or remove the rings if using springform pans. Turn cakes right side up and cool completely on wire racks.
- Step 1: In a small saucepan over medium heat, heat 1/2 cup light heavy cream until it starts to bubble around the edges. Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly.
- Step 2: In a medium mixing bowl on medium speed, beat 1/2 cup softened butter, 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1/2 cup sifted unsweetened cocoa powder, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 2 teaspoons espresso powder (optional), 1/3 cup of the warm cream and 2 cups sifted confectioner's sugar. Beat until smooth.
- Step 3: Gradually add the remaining 2 cups confectioner's sugar, beating on medium speed until smooth and fluffy, about 5 to 6 minutes.
- Step 4: If the frosting seems too thick to spread, beat in the remaining warm cream a teaspoon at a time, until you reach a spreadable consistency. Frost the cake right away.