Chocolate Devil’s Food Cake with Espresso Swiss Meringue

I’ve been following ButterYum’s food blog for years.  When she posted a Bailey’s Irish Cream and Pistachio Fudge recipe, I had to take a look.  The white fudge with green bits of pistachio looked so good (and sounds so easy) that I know I will make it one day.  So many wonderful recipes out there but too few calories in a day!

ButterYum’s post is also where I first learned about the once a month Crazy Cooking Challenge.  After participating in a weekly baking group (which I loved, please don’t misunderstand), a monthly activity sounded like just the thing. (So now I’m in two monthly group, stay tuned to see if it grows to four!)

Every month the Crazy Cooks will prepare the same item, whether it’s fudge or a chocolate cake, from a recipe found on a food blog other than their own.  We’re all selecting different recipes, so the entries are the same, but different if you see what I mean. What a great way to visually sample the best of what’s out there!

My challenge this month was to find a yummy chocolate cake, other than my own go-to chocolate cake, which I have bake for two recent birthdays.  (You can catch the second one at the end of this post.)

I found what I knew would be a delicious  chocolate cake with striking appearance on lululu at home.  Thanks so much for sharing this, Fanny!  Fanny’s blog captures some wonderful recipes along with posts about her life as a mom.  I hope you’ll pay her a visit.

the original recipe calls for a 5 layer8 inch cake – I have 9 inch cake pans, so I only got 3 layers

I also had the perfect reason to make a cake; our friend Remi had invited us to stop by the Cocktails of Dreams club to have a birthday drink with him.  The cake was a big hit with Remi and his friends.

Ingredients

for the cake:

3 cups cake flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup boiling water
3/4 cup Dutch-processed cocoa powder

3 sticks unsalted butter, softened
2 cups packed light brown sugar
4 large eggs, room temperature
1 cup buttermilk, room temperature
1 tablespoon vanilla extract

 

for the frosting:

5 large egg whites
1 cup granulated sugar
4 sticks unsalted butter, softened

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

pinch of salt
1/4 cup strong espresso, cooled
1 cup sliced almond

 

 

Directions

• Preheat oven to 350
• Grease five 8-inch round or three 9-inch round cake pans, lining the bottoms with parchment paper
• Whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt
• In a small bowl, whisk the boiling water and cocoa powder until smooth
• Beat butter and sugar together on medium speed in a bowl of a standing mixer until light and fluffy Beat in eggs, one at a time
• Beat in buttermilk and vanilla extract
• Reduce the speed to low and beat in 1/3 of the flour mixture, followed by half of the chocolate mixture
• Repeat with another 1/3 of the flour mixture and the remaining chocolate mixture
• Beat in the remaining flour mixture until just incorporated
• Pour the batter into the prepared pans, smoothing the surface with a spatula
• Bake 13 to 15 minutes (for 8 inch), 20 to 25 minutes (for 9 inch), or until a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean
• Cool the cakes (in the pans) on a wire rack
• Then invert the cakes onto a greased rack, making certain they are completely cool before frosting

• Put egg whites and sugar in a mixing bowl over a pot of  simmering water
• Use an electric hand mixer to beat constantly until the sugar has completely dissolved and the egg whites are hot
• Remove from heat
• With whisk attachment, continue whipping the mixture in a stand  mixer (I only have portable) until thick, glossy, and cool
• Switch over to paddle attachment and mix on medium speed, continuously adding softened butter in chunks until incorporated, and it has a silky smooth texture
• If curdles, keep mixing and it will come back together
• Add vanilla and salt, mix well
• Add the espresso and  beat  for  another  10  seconds
• Reserve 1 cup of buttercream for piping on top
• To assemble the cake, place one cake layer on your serving plate and spread the buttercream
• Repeat this process until all cake layers are placed
• Spread buttercream on top and sides of the cake
• Garnish with the sliced almonds
• Using a large star tip to pipe a decorative border on the top edge of the cake
• Cover and refrigerate the cake
• Leave out in room temperature for at least an hour prior to serving.

Can’t visit Cocktails of Dreams without one of their beautiful creations