This cake is for chocolate lovers only! Prepare yourself for an amazing flavor experience!
I’ve been making chocolate cakes from scratch for years, and have used several different recipes and ingredients. I must say that this cake is probably in the top 3 of my favorites, but the premium ingredients are the reason. I do make a grain and gluten free chocolate cake which is also “to die for”, but for a standard chocolate cake, this is AMAZING! It is based on the basic Hershey’s recipe and an adaption by @addapinch that I came across, but I’ve added some of my favorite techniques and healthier options to make it more nutrient rich! What’s also great is If you don’t feel like pulling your mixer out, both the cake and the frosting can easily be done in a bowl with a good whisk or even a large fork.
The key to this recipe is using a special flour blend by https://sunriseflourmill.com/product/bread-blend/ this whole grain flour blend is absolutely wonderful for breads and is proving to work well for cakes, pancakes and waffles also! The Sunrise Flour Mill Heritage Bread Blend is a blend of both refined white flour and whole wheat flour that has been specially milled to produce a super fine grain without removing the most nutritious part of the wheat berry.
The deep dark chocolate cocoa I use makes for an extremely decadent experience as well. This special rich dark chocolate has 3 times the amount of cocoa butter compared to other baking cocoas, so it makes for a very wonderful rich chocolate flavor! https://www.preparedpantry.com/ramstadt-breda-Dutch-processed-cocoa-powder.aspx?search=ramstadt
I use Sucanat sugar in these recipe as well because it is an unrefined sugar which retains more nutrients than refined white sugar. I recently had the opportunity to visit Grabill, Indiana which is a small Amish community near Fort Wayne and purchased a nice bag of Sucanat. (Unfortunately, half of it got spilled all over my backpack when TSA went through my luggage and took my Amish raw honey because it was over the liquid limit. I was so sad!!)
What makes Sucanat better that white sugar?
Sucanat, or rapadura, is simple whole unrefined sugar. It is not separated from the molasses like refined sugar is, so it maintains more of its nutrients. It also is absorbed more slowly into to bloodstream. While it is still sugar, it certainly is a much better choice than plain white refined sugar and has a much richer caramel taste. Here is a great detailed article on the benefits of sucanat- https://www.quirkycooking.com.au/2009/07/rapadura-panela-sucanat-muscavado-turbinado-organic-raw-sugar/
Why is the Heritage blend flour better?
The Sunrise Flour Mill Heritage Bread Blend is a blend of both refined white flour and whole wheat flour that has been specially milled to produce a super fine grain without removing the most nutritious part of the wheat berry.
Cake Ingredients
2 cups Sunrise Flour Mills Organic Heritage bread blend or similar high-quality flour
2 cups Sucanat or coconut sugar
1/2 cup raw cocoa powder
¼ cup Ramstadt rich dark cocoa from Prepared Pantry
2 teaspoons aluminum free baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
3/4 teaspoon Himalayan salt
1 teaspoon high quality espresso powder
1 cup whole milk
1/2 cup melted organic unsalted butter
2 large organic eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup boiling water in small saucepan
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350º F. Prepare two (or 3) 8-inch cake pans by buttering and lightly flouring , or you can just unbleached parchment paper rounds.
For the chocolate cake:
Add flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, Himalayan salt and to a large bowl. Whisk through to combine well.
Add milk, melted butter, eggs, and vanilla to flour mixture and mix together until very well combined.
To boiling water, add cocoa powders and espresso powder, stir well. Add cocoa mixture to batter and mix well. No worries, the batter will be thin. If you don’t care to add the cocoa and espresso powders to the water, you can just add it in before with flour mix, I just like to have the powders develop their flavors in the hot water for a bit.
Pour cake batter evenly between the prepared cake pans. Bake for 30-35 minutes, until a toothpick or cake tester inserted in the center of the chocolate cake comes out clean.
Remove from the oven and allow to cool for about 10 minutes, remove from the pan and cool completely on wire racks.
Frost cake with Becky’s Chocolate Buttercream Frosting.
@addapinch also notes that this cake is freezer friendly but I don’t think it will last you long enough to freeze it! “Let the baked cake layers cool completely. Wrap them well with plastic wrap and then with foil. Put each layer into a freezer bag and freeze up to 2 months. To serve, thaw in the refrigerator overnight with wrapping intact. The next day, the layers are ready to fill and frost.” https://addapinch.com/the-best-chocolate-cake-recipe-ever/
Becky’s Chocolate Buttercream Frosting
2 sticks organic unsalted butter room temperature
½ cup raw cacao powder
4 cups organic powdered sugar
½ to 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1-2 tablespoons whole milk
Mix butter with cacao powder, in electric mixer or by hand. Slowly add in powdered sugar and vanilla extract. Add in milk and mix or whisk thoroughly until light and fluffy. Add more milk slowly if mixture is too dry. Frost cooled cake with an offset icing spatula
Enjoy this cake and let me know how it turned out for you!
Love and blessings,
Becky