When the snow was coming down on Sunday night, I got in the mood for hot chocolate. I had bought a giant tin of Ghrardelli unsweetened cocoa for one of the Martha Stewart recipes I tried over Valentine's Day and knew there was a recipe for delicious hot chocolate on the back. So I pulled the tin down and started copying the instructions down when another recipe caught my eye: Ghirardelli Grand Fudge Cake with Ghirardelli Buttercream Frosting. Reading the name alone made my mouth start to water. I knew I had all of the baking essentials on hand from various other things that I'd been making, so I decided to give the fudge cake a try.The cake was easy to make and within an hour I had a giant sheet cake and a huge bowl of buttercream frosting. The recipe is written for a layer cake - two 9" rounds and enough frosting to cover the top and sides of both layers. I don't have round cake pans so I just improvised and baked it in my giant rectangular glass baking dish. After waiting for the cake to cool and frosting it, it was after 10pm so I covered it and put it in the fridge for the next day (I did sneak plenty of frosting so... my chocolate cravings were satisfied.)
The next day I had the cake for breakfast and it was FABULOUS. It was rich and moist and delicious. I knew that my roommates and I would NEVER be able to eat the whole cake before it went bad, so I decided to cut it up into squares and bring it into work. It was a huge success! Everyone loved it and I went home with empty tupperware (always the goal!) So, I figured I would share the recipe on here in case anyone needs a delicious and easy to make chocolate cake that will serve about 30 people! (Obviously, you can just buy a tin of the Ghirardelli unsweetened cocoa - pictured above - and the recipe will be right on there.)
GHIRARDELLI GRAND FUDGE CAKE
2 cups all purpose flour
3/4 cup Ghirardelli Unsweetened Cocoa
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup butter or margarine, softened
1-3/4 cups sugar
2 tsp vanilla
2 large eggs
1-1/3 cup milk
Preheat oven to 350F. Grease and lightly flour two 9" x 1-1/2" round cake pans. In a medium bowl, combine flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt; set aside. In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar on medium high spead until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes. Reduce speed to low add vanilla and eggs one at a time, scraping bowl after each addition. Alternately add flour mixture and milk (starting and ending with flour mixture), while mixing on low speed. Continue to mix until smooth. Pour into prepared pans. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until toothpick inserted into center of cake comes out clean.
GHIRARDELLI BUTTERCREAM FROSTING
6 Tbsp butter, softened
2-2/3 cups confectioners' sugar
1/2 cup Ghirardelli Unsweetened Cocoa
1/3 cup milk
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
In bowl, beat butter until light and fluffy. In a separate bowl, mix confectioners' sugar with cocoa. Blend sugar mixture with butter alternately with milk, beating well after each addition. Beat until smooth. Blend in vanilla.
Oh how I wish this recipe was mine! It's so good!
Posts
