Cowtown Chocolate Cake

Cowtown Chocolate Cake
Source: Maida Heatter's Cakes (Andrews & McMeel Publishing, 2011 ed.), pg. 78 and Maida Heatter's Book of Great American Desserts, Knopf, 1985, pg. 114.

It has been awhile since I've made a chocolate cake. That is an odd statement since I absolutely love chocolate cakes (or anything chocolate for that matter). A few weeks ago I made this cake which hails from Fort Worth, Texas (aka "Cowtown"). It is wonderfully dense and fudgy and the icing is a wonderful soft icing that stays soft. 

Watch your baking time carefully. When I took the cake out of the oven (about 20-25 minutes) it looked dry and I was sure I had overbaked. However, it just appears that way and it was fine and actually quite moist. 

1 1/2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (preferably Dutch-process)
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. powdered (not granular) instant coffee or expresso
5 oz. unsweetened chocolate
4 oz. (1 stick) unsalted butter (softened)
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 cup light brown sugar, firmly packed
1 cup white sugar
3 eggs, separated
1 1/4 cups buttermilk

You can get the full directions here. 

Be sure to sift several times!

 

Icing

1 cup whipping cream
1 cup sugar
4 1/2 oz. unsweetened chocolate
Pinch of salt
4 oz. (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into slices
1 tsp. vanilla extract

In a medium saucepan, stir the cream and sugar over medium heat until it comes to a boil. Reduce the heat and let the mixture simmer for 6 minutes, stirring occasionally. 

Remove the pan from the heat and add the chocolate, stirring until melted. Add the salt, butter and vanilla and stir until the butter is melted and the mixture is smooth.

Place the pan in a large bowl of ice water and scrape the bottom constantly for a few minutes with a rubber spatula until the icing is cool and slightly thickened. Transfer the mixture to a small bowl and beat with an electric mixer at high speed for a few minutes until the icing is thick enough to hold its shape.

Spread the icing between the cake layers and around the sides.