Baking a Chocolate Cake?

Question

for the first time today, i tried making a chocolate cake from scratch. this is the recipe i used:
4 squares BAKER'S Unsweetened Baking Chocolate
1-3/4 cups sugar, divided
1/2 cup water
1-2/3 cups flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter or margarine, softened
3 eggs
3/4 cup milk
1 tsp. vanilla

for some reason, when it was finished baking, it was this shade of really light brown and wasn't sweet at all. it was still good, i was expecting something more chocolate color with more chocolate taste. is there something i can add to the recipe or if anyone knows what i might have done wrong?

Answer 1

If it wasn't sweet enough, maybe add an extra 1/4 to 1/2 cup of extra sugar. If it wasn't chocolately enough, try adding an extra square of baking chocolate. Taste the batter before you bake it, see what you think, and adjust your ingredients accordingly. Keep in mind the batter will probably taste a bit sweeter than the cake will when it is done. Keep track of how much you are adding and write it down so you can re-create it again if you want to.

However, cakes made from scratch typically do not taste or look like cakes that come in a boxed mix. If that's what you were hoping for, then I recommend just sticking with a box mix. Do not try to use a presweetened chocolate. The baking chocolate is only meant for a cocoa flavour and the sugar you add is the sweetener. A semisweet chocolate will most likely not bake the same way as the baking chocolate, which is 100% cacao and does not have any added ingredients (sugar, milk, etc).

Answer 2

Chocolate Layer Cake

Serves 10; Prep time: 45 minutes; Total time: 2 hours

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into small pieces, plus more for pans
4 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped
2 cups granulated sugar
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup sour cream
2 large eggs
1 cup strong coffee, cooled
for the frosting:
1 package (12 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips (2 cups)
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
1/3 cup milk

1. Make cake: Preheat oven to 350°. Butter two 8-inch round cake pans. Line bottom of pans with parchmentpaper rounds; butter parchment. Set pans aside.

2. Heat butter and chocolate in a bowl set over (not in) a pan of simmering water, stirring occasionally, until almost melted. Remove from heat; stir until completely melted.

3. In a medium bowl, whisk together granulated sugar, flour, baking soda, and salt. In a large bowl, combine sour cream and eggs; whisk in coffee. Gradually add dry ingredients then chocolate mixture, stirring until just combined. Divide batter equally among prepared pans.

4. Place pans on same rack in oven; bake, rotating pans halfway through, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs attached, 30 to 35 minutes. Cool in pans 10 minutes; run a knife along edge of cakes, then invert onto a wire rack to cool completely before spreading with chocolate frosting.

Answer 3

You should have used a different chocolate. Instead of unsweet it should have been a semisweet. Also recipes with a cocoa powder along with the chocolate would give a deeper chocolate shade as well as a heightened taste from the two different chocolate blends.

Anyhow heres a Devils Food Cake

2 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
12 Tbs. (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room
temperature
2 cups firmly packed light brown sugar
2 tsp. vanilla extract
4 eggs, at room temperature
1 1/2 cups buttermilk, at room temperature

For the frosting:
12 oz. bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
1 3/4 cups heavy cream
1/2 cup sour cream
Pinch of salt

Preheat an oven to 350 F. Lightly butter the bottoms of two 9 inch round cake pans and line with parchment paper. Lightly butter the paper and the sides of the pans and dust with flour.

In a large bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt; set aside.

In another large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat the butter on medium speed until smooth. Gradually add the brown sugar and continue beating until fluffy. Beat in the vanilla. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.

Reduce the speed to low and add the flour mixture in three additions, alternating with the buttermilk and beginning and ending with the flour, beating after each addition.

Divide the batter between the prepared pans and spread it out evenly. Tap the pans gently on the counter to dispel air pockets. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cake comes out clean, 25 to 30 minutes. Transfer the pans to a wire rack and let cool for 15 minutes. Run a small knife around the inside of each pan to loosen the cakes. Invert onto the rack and lift off the pans, then carefully peel off the parchment paper. Let the cake layers cool completely before frosting.

To make the frosting, in the top pan of a double boiler, combine the chocolate and heavy cream. Set the pan over but not touching barely simmering water in the bottom pan and melt the chocolate, then whisk until well blended. Let cool slightly. Add the sour cream and salt and stir just until blended. Let cool to room temperature, stirring occasionally. Whisk the frosting briefly until lighter in color and thick enough to spread.

To assemble, brush away any loose crumbs from both cake layers. Place one layer, top side down, on a flat serving plate. With an icing spatula, spread about one-third of the frosting evenly on top. Place the other layer, top side down, on the first layer and press gently. Spread a thin layer of frosting over the entire cake to seal in any crumbs, then thickly coat the cake with the remaining frosting. Serve immediately or keep covered at room temperature until ready to serve.

Answer 4

The outside may be pale due to greasing/flouring the pans.

If this was a recipe for German Choc Cake, they are usually lighter and milder than a Devil's Food, for example.

That should have been enough sugar. Are you sure you added all 1+ 3/4 cups of it?

Answer 5

I think that the chocolate squares weren't enough when you mix
in the milk and sugar flour which would tend to lighten it.

Try this one

Deep Dark Chocolate Cake

Ingredients:
2 cups sugar
1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup HERSHEY'S Cocoa or HERSHEY'S SPECIAL DARK 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
ONE-BOWL BUTTERCREAM FROSTING(recipe follows)

Directions:
1. Heat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour two 9-inch round pans
or one 13x9x2-inch baking pan.

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 electric mixer 2 minutes. Stir in boiling water
(batter will be thin). Pour batter into prepared pans.

3. Bake 30 to 35 minutes for round pans, 35 to 40 minutes for
rectangular pan or until wooden pick inserted in center comes
out clean. Cool 10 minutes; remove from pans to wire racks.
Cool completely. (Cake may be left in rectangular pan, if desired.)
Frost with ONE-BOWL BUTTERCREAM FROSTING. 8 to 10 servings.


ONE-BOWL BUTTERCREAM FROSTING
6 tablespoons butter or margarine, softened
2-2/3 cups powdered sugar
1/2 cup HERSHEY'S Cocoa or HERSHEY'S Dutch Processed Cocoa
1/3 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Beat butter in medium bowl. Add powdered sugar and cocoa
alternately with milk, beating to spreading consistency
(additional milk may be needed). Stir in vanilla.
bout 2 cups frosting.

Answer 6

here's a better recipe;

4 ounces unsweetened chocolate
1/2 c. milk
1 c. brown sugar, packed
1/4 tsp. Jamaican allspice
1 egg yolk
2 c. cake flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 c. butter
1 c. superfine sugar
2 egg yolks
3 T. water
1/2 c. milk
1 tsp. vanilla
1 Tbsp. dark rum
2 egg whites, whipped

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease 2 - 9 inch layer cake pans.
Whisk together chocolate, milk, allspice, brown sugar and one egg yolk in the top of a double boiler, stirring until a custard is formed and mixture thickens. Cool. Stir in baking soda and salt. Sift the flour onto waxed paper.

In bowl of electric mixer, whip the butter, gradually adding sugar and two egg yolks, one at a time, beating well after each addition.

In a cup, stir together 3 T. water, 1/2 c. milk, and 1 tsp. vanilla extract and 1 Tbsp. dark rum.

Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture alternating with the vanilla/milk/water mixture. Stir in the chocolate custard mixture and beat until smooth, approximately two to three minutes at medium speed of mixer.

In a clean bowl, using the wire whisk attachment of your electric mixer, beat two egg whites until soft peaks form; gently fold into cake batter.

Turn into greased layer cake pans. Bake at 350 degrees F. for about 25 minutes or until cake tester or toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

Turn out onto wire racks to cool. Level with a serrated knife if required, then stack and frost with chocolate frosting.

Note: This recipe calls for superfine sugar, not to be confused with confectioners or 10X sugar. If you don't have superfine sugar you can pulse regular granulated sugar in the food processor to substitute. Domino supplies superfine sugar in 1 pound packages at the supermarket or in larger quantities at the bakery supply or foodservice outlet. Superfine sugar dissolves readily and works best for cakes, helping to produce a lighter texture.

Answer 7

Use a cake mix. Then somewhat of water use fairly solid espresso and then zest one finished orange into the batter. Bake in accordance to instructions. With this version I dont even worry with icing.

Answer 8

2 cups white sugar
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup HERSHEY®'S Cocoa Powder
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

1/2 cup butter
2/3 cup HERSHEY®'S Cocoa Powder
3 cups confectioners' sugar
1/3 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
DIRECTIONS
Heat oven to 350 F. Grease and flour two 9-inch round baking pans.
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.
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.
To make "Perfectly Chocolate" Chocolate Frosting: 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.
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. this is the aite I use to do my cooking!

Answer 9

Add 1/2 can of hershey's syrup.