Catching Up On My Summer Exploits - Vol. II

The Fair

Every year the girls and I enter our baked goods in the local county fair. I find this pastime both kitschy and sweet. In past years my accolades have ranged from placing in my class to winning "Best of Show." This year I entered my favorite chocolate cake. This cake was a culmination of a summer-long search for the perfect cake for my mother-in-law's 60th birthday. This time my family turned out to be more victim than test subject. Some of the cakes I tried tasted like sand. Some had no taste at all (sand obviously being preferable to no taste, some might say.) Some were the color of cardboard - not acceptable when you are striving for the perfect, deep, rich chocolate cake in taste and texture. So I went back to my old friend Ina Garten (the Barefoot Contessa), to see what she had to say on the subject. (By the way, when I say "old friend," I mean it in a completely stalker, obsessed fan, never-met-her-in-my-life, maybe someday we will be BFFs, kind of way.) I took her recipe for Beatty's Chocolate Cake, made a few tweaks, and used a frosting recipe handed down from my mother (again with a few tweaks.) The result was winning first place, and a nomination for "Best of Show."

Ahem,

At this time I would like to thank my mother, and my BFF Ina Garten. I couldn't have done it without either of you. Sniff, sniff, wipe a tear. Ina, call me!

So....

At the request of several friends, and my fans which are legion...

The Trophy Wife's "Best of Show" Chocolate Cake

1 3/4 c flour
2 c sugar
3/4 unsweetened cocoa powder
2 t baking soda
1 t baking powder
1 t kosher salt
1 T apple cider vinegar and enough milk to make 1 C
1/2 c vegetable oil
1/2 c egg beaters
1 t vanilla extract
1 c freshly brewed espresso

oven 350
I do this in my kitchenaid stand mixer.
Mix flour, sugar, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, salt. Add milk/vinegar mixture, oil, eggbeaters and vanilla. After wet and dry are combined, then add coffee and stir until just combined. Pour (and the batter should pour here) into two 8 inch round cake pans that have been buttered and floured (I use the spray Pam with flour) bake 35-40 min until done.

Frosting:
I double this. 1 batch is too little, however I don't use quite all of the double batch. Save the leftover and spread between graham crackers!

1 lb. powdered sugar
1 stick butter, room temp
2/3 c unsweetened cocoa powder
1/3 c heavy whipping cream (HWC)
1 t vanilla
dash kosher salt
1 T instant espresso powder to taste

First I beat the butter in the mixer. Then I add the powdered sugar, cocoa powder and salt and mix. Then add vanilla and espresso powder if desired. Then I add the HWC and beat. I often add more HWC until I get the desired consistency. But remember, you can always add, but you can't take away. A little HWC goes a long way.