Quadruple (Moist) Chocolate Cake Recipe

It all started with a cupcake.

Early last week, I made Chocolate cupcakes with Strawberry frosting for my good friend's graduation gift to her college friends (congratulations, KC!). I tried out a moist cupcake recipe, thinking that I never made any moist cake or cupcake despite the fact that it says so in the title of the recipe. I don't know - maybe there's something wrong with my execution or ingredients. But then, this turned to be dense and moist! The chocolate was so rich, that I think I could convert it into a cake and finally make a perfectly moist chocolate cake!

 
For the whole week, I was thinking about how I would make and design my cake. I was dreaming about it in class despite the fact that I was finishing a report and trying to listen attentively to a very perplexing discussion of a novel that week. I was thinking of making 3 layers, using chocolate ganache (which I rarely make) over chocolate buttercream, and topping it with curled chocolate. Oh, how time consuming that is! Yet, I'm looking forward to it.

I was thinking of doubling the recipe to make the cake high. But realizing that my supplies are not yet replenished, I ended up making one and a half batch of the recipe (same measurements written below). I might have made the wrong decision of using a 9" pan, because it yielded only 2 (tall) layers. But I wasn't disappointed with it because it still came out pretty tall.

I told you earlier that I was supposed to use chocolate curls. Turns out I'm too lazy to make those at that time! I scavenged through my refrigerator to look for an alternative, when I stumbled upon a container of two-tone peppermint chocolate bark which I made before. It was perfect! Someone had suggested to use chocolate bark and stick it on my cake like shattered glass. Hey, that idea made my cake look so much fancier! ;)

This cake made my week. My taste testers will usually comment on how grainy and sweet my frosting is and/or how my cake is not that moist, but this one gathered nothing but praises! The summary of their comments was "perfect" and "beautiful cake", and how much I have improved over a year of practice. This keeps me motivated <3

Ingredients
3 3/8 cups flour
3 cups sugar
1 1/2 cups cocoa
3 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp salt
1 1/2 tbsp vanilla
1 cup oil
3 tsp vinegar
1 1/2 cup coffee
1 1/2 cup hot water

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 175C degrees.
2. In a large bowl, sift together flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, and salt. Whisk together, then set aside.
3. In a medium bowl, mix together the vanilla, oil, vinegar, coffee, and hot water. 
4. Add the wet mixture to the dry ingredients.
5. Pour batter to cake pan. Bake for 25-30 minutes.
6. Place in a wire rack to cool for around 10 minutes before leveling cake.   

Makes 2 (tall) layers of 9" cake, or 3 layers of 8" cake
Recipe adapted from iambaker.


Notes and Tips for success:
* This cake won't taste like coffee. It simply accentuates the (chocolate) flavor.
* Use 8" pan for taller layers.

A simple chocolate ganache complements this moist cake! No need to go the extra mile like I did if you have little time :)

I hope you'll get the same praises when you make this cake, too! ;)