Dark Chocolate Chiffon Cake

 

Dark Chocolate Chiffon Cake

I’ve been working on the fourth book in the Baking Magic series that will be available early in April. My Dark Chocolate Chiffon Cake recipe has always been one of the top posts here on the Best Baking Recipes blog and I have recently had requests to re-post it. If you like this recipe, please let me know (press like below). Also, if you enjoy baking cakes, I am excited to let you know that I’ve been working on the fourth book in the Baking Magic series, Cake Magic, that will be available early in April. I’ll be sure to let you all know when it is available. In the meantime, enjoy this very moist and chocolatey Dark Chocolate Chiffon Cake.

Dark Chocolate Chiffon Cake – The Queen of Cakes – with Mocha Frosting

Legend has it that chiffon cakes were developed in complete secrecy by the Home Economists at Betty Crocker Kitchens in 1948. At the time, it was the first new type of cake developed in a hundred years. The Home Economists were able to marry a butter cake and a sponge cake that resulted in the Queen of Cakes. Light, airy, moist and tender, chiffon cakes are the perfect cake for any occasion. This cake uses vegetable oil for richness and baking powder as a leavener in addition to stiffly beaten egg whites which allows the cake to bake high and light. Since its debut to the world, cooks have been experimenting with variations. While a chiffon cake can be baked in a variety of pans including rectangular, square or bread pans, I still prefer the 10 × 4-inch tube pan for this recipe.

The following is my favorite recipe for chocolate chiffon cake which I often use as the basis for a spectacular Black Forest Torte (more on that in a later post). Be sure that the eggs are at room temperature when you start.

INGREDIENTS:

1/2 cup  good quality dark cocoa (I like Callebaut cocoa)

3/4 cup boiling water

1 3/4 cups cake flour

1 3/4 cups granulated sugar

3 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup vegetable oil or canola oil

1 teaspoon vanilla

7 eggs, separated

1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar

Preheat oven: 325°F.

METHOD:

1. Separate eggs and let eggs come to room temperature while you assemble and measure the ingredients. Mix the cocoa and boiling water and let cool to room temperature.
2. Whisk together the dry ingredients – flour, sugar, baking powder, salt-  in a large mixing bowl. Make a well in the center.
3. In a smaller bowl, whisk together the vegetable oil, egg yolks, vanilla, and cooled cocoa liquid.
4. Pour liquid ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix with a wooden spoon until smooth. Set aside.
5. In a large beater bowl using an electric mixer, beat together the egg whites and cream of tartar until very stiff peaks form when the beaters are lifted. Beat at high speed.  Gently fold one-third of the chocolate batter into the stiffly beaten egg whites, using an over and under motion, just until the mixture is blended. Fold in the remaining batter gently until no more bits of egg white are visible.
6. Pour into an ungreased 10 × 4-inch tube pan and bake at 325°F. about 60 minutes until the cake springs back when lightly touched or a cake tester comes out cleanly.
7. Turn cake pan upside down and place tube over a small glass or bottle and let cool completely. Before inverting cake onto a serving plate, run a knife around the outside edges and around the center tube to loosen cake.

Tip:If the cake does not want to come out of the pan easily, firmly hit the edge of the pan on a counter top or cutting board and it should slip out easily.

Mocha Icing:

1/4 cup butter or margarine

2 tablespoons milk

1/4 cup strong cold coffee

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 tablespoons cocoa

4 cups sifted icing sugar

Cream butter or margarine. Add milk, cold coffee, vanilla and cocoa. Blend well. Gradually beat in 4 cups of icing sugar until it is of spreading consistency.  Ice top and sides of chiffon cake. This cake serves 12 easily.

 

Tags: chiffon cake, chocolate chiffon cake, dark chocolate, mocha frosting

Category: Cakes & Tortes