I thought it was high-time mocha cake gots its’ own post. Mocha cake deserves more than to be thrust in the corner while beef-potato-cabbage soup struts its’ stuff. Mocha cake is not an afterthought; nor a recipe to be thrust to the bottom of another post. Mocha cake stands alone as the single best weapon in my recipe arsenal. {As I overdramatize mocha cake, I begin to wonder if I have at some point, given mocha cake it’s own post—but the overdramatization is so much fun, I decide I don’t care.}
Mocha cake has become my magnum opus.
I only bring mocha cake to VERY special occasions. If I bring you mocha cake, I’ve thrown caution to the wind and declared my love. ANd I’m pondering bringing mocha cupcakes to Blissdom.
Pondering, I said. I’ve also pondered making cute little bookmarks. Or my standard chocolate shortbread cookies.
But I mean, if I bring mocha cupcakes to Blissdom then I won’t know if you love me for me or for my cupcakes. Right? So just in case I chicken out and can’t commit, I’m finally giving you a gorgeous pdf file of mocha cake.
And pdf-file making may seem of little consequence to some, but I’m old. Like 40 remember? So, if I make a pdf file of mocha cake for you that’s a pretty strong statement of how committed I am to this relationship. You know what they say about commitment though, why read the blog when you can get the pdf for free? So don’t take this recipe and run. I’m laying it all on the line HERE people. I’m giving from my heart with reckless abandon. See ya tomorrow, right?
*very important note: this is not my original recipe. It was given to me by a friend a few years ago. It has become ‘mine’ by common law. I’ve made it so many times that there can’t possibly be someone out there who ‘owns’ this recipe more than me. But if you happen to know who the author is, please share! I think it came from a magazine more than ten years ago. Here’s the nuts and bolts but surely you want the cute copy here.
Cake: Icing:
2 cups all purpose flour 2 sticks softened butter
1 ½ cups sugar 1 T. vanilla
¾ c cocoa 1/8 t. salt
1 t. baking powder 2 pounds powdered sugar
¼ t. salt ½ c strong brewed coffee
1 ½ sticks butter, softened
3 large eggs to chocolate icing only add:
1 c. water ½ c cocoa powder
1 ½ t. vanilla Garnish with shaved chocolate
Directions:
Heat oven to 350. Grease and flour 2 eight inch round cake pans. For the cake, beat butter, eggs and vanilla. When smooth , alternate adding dry ingredients and water and beat for 3 minutes. Divide evenly between the cake pans. Bake for 25-30 minutes.
For the frosting: Mix butter, vanilla and salt and then slowly add sugar and coffee, alternating. Beat until smooth. Remove about 2 cups of the frosting and place into a freezer Ziploc or cake decorating bag. Add ½ c cocoa to the remaining frosting. Use this chocolate frosting to ice the actual cakes and then save a little to make a few chocolate ‘points’ on the cake. Using the buttercream icing that you put in the bag, pipe points onto the cake. Use up all the frosting and then do the same with the remaining chocolate icing.
Ta-Da!
**Post-edit: While we’re on my favorite topic of food, I made this for dinner on Monday—todiefor! It doesn’t sound that great but it is. Trust me.
And I’m making this for dinner tonight. It gets great reviews and looks interesting! Happy cooking. Happier eating.