ATK Two-person layer cake
This was a tasty moist cake that made six decent sized slices. The recipe is based on America's Test Kitchen Cooking for Two recipe from 2009.NOTES:
1. Uses cake flour, which can be made from an easy substitute.
2. If you need to do a substitute for the corn syrup in the chocolate icing: 1 cup superfine/bakers sugar dissolved in 1/4 cup very warm water (let it cool a bit if you need to).
3. The frosting may be made with dark/bittersweet, semi-sweet, or milk chocolate. The original recipe uses milk chocolate.
4. Bring all ingredients to room temperature.
5. Have one or two 6" cake pans available; if you have only one, be prepared to clean it quickly to add the second half of the batter.
6. A chocolate buttercream frosting can also be made for this cake. Either frosting can be made ahead of time, refrigerated, and brought to room temperature before frosting the cake.
INGREDIENTS and SUPPLIES:
Parchment paper; one or two 6" round cake pans
Electric/handheld mixer
Food processor
All ingredients to room temperature
Cake
3/4 cup (3 oz) cake flour
1/2 cup (3-1/2 oz) sugar, divided into 6 Tbl and 2 Tbl
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp baking soda
1/3 cup buttermilk at room temp
3 Tbl unsalted butter
2 large egg yolks at room temp
1 large egg white at room temp
1 Tbl vegetable oil
3/4 tsp vanilla
Original Frosting
PREPARING THE CAKE
1. Oven to 350, with the rack in the middle; grease and flour the cake pan(s) and line with parchment paper (if using one pan, prepare two liners).
2. Melt the butter and set aside.
3. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, 6 Tbl of sugar, baking powder, salt, and baking soda. Set aside.
3. In a small bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, melted butter, egg yolks, oil, and vanilla. Set aside.
4. In another medium bowl, whip the egg white with electric/handheld mixer on medium-high until foamy, about 30-60 secs.
5. Gradually whip in the remaining 2 Tbls of sugar until stiff peaks form, 2-3 mins. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed. Set aside and clean the beaters of the mixer right away.
6. Return to the bowl of dry ingredients. With the mixer on low, gradually pour the butter mixture into the flour mixture until almost incorporated, 15-30 secs (a few streaks of flour might remain).
7. Increase the mixer's speed to medium-low, beating until smooth and fully incorporated, 10-15 secs. Scrape down the sides as needed.
8. Using a rubber spatula, stir in only 1/3 of the whipped egg white into the batter, then gently fold in the remaining egg white until no streaks remain.
9. Place 1/2 of the batter into each pan, smooth the top, and gently tap each pan on the counter to settle the batter and release air bubbles.
3/4 tsp vanilla
Original Frosting
7 Tbl unsalted butter, softened
1/3 cup (1-1/3 oz) confectioners sugar
1/4 cup (3/4 oz) Dutch processed cocoa
Pinch of salt
1/4 cup light corn syrup
1/2 tsp vanilla
3 oz chocolate
1/3 cup (1-1/3 oz) confectioners sugar
1/4 cup (3/4 oz) Dutch processed cocoa
Pinch of salt
1/4 cup light corn syrup
1/2 tsp vanilla
3 oz chocolate
PREPARING THE CAKE
1. Oven to 350, with the rack in the middle; grease and flour the cake pan(s) and line with parchment paper (if using one pan, prepare two liners).
2. Melt the butter and set aside.
3. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, 6 Tbl of sugar, baking powder, salt, and baking soda. Set aside.
3. In a small bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, melted butter, egg yolks, oil, and vanilla. Set aside.
4. In another medium bowl, whip the egg white with electric/handheld mixer on medium-high until foamy, about 30-60 secs.
5. Gradually whip in the remaining 2 Tbls of sugar until stiff peaks form, 2-3 mins. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed. Set aside and clean the beaters of the mixer right away.
6. Return to the bowl of dry ingredients. With the mixer on low, gradually pour the butter mixture into the flour mixture until almost incorporated, 15-30 secs (a few streaks of flour might remain).
7. Increase the mixer's speed to medium-low, beating until smooth and fully incorporated, 10-15 secs. Scrape down the sides as needed.
8. Using a rubber spatula, stir in only 1/3 of the whipped egg white into the batter, then gently fold in the remaining egg white until no streaks remain.
9. Place 1/2 of the batter into each pan, smooth the top, and gently tap each pan on the counter to settle the batter and release air bubbles.
- If using only one pan, let the remaining batter sit at room temperature, covered, remove the cooked cake carefully (see below), wash it, and prepare as in Step 1.
10. Bake 16-18 mins at 350, until a toothpick comes out with a few crumbs attached.
11. Let cake cool for 10 mins in the pan, then run a small offset spatula, plastic knife, or paring knife around the edge of the cake before flipping onto a wire rack and peeling off the parchment paper.
12. Cool right-side up completely before frosting, about 90 mins. Prepare the frosting while cooling.
PREPARING THE FROSTING
1. Process the softened butter, confectioners' sugar, cocoa, and salt in a food processor until smooth, about 10 seconds.
2. After scraping the sides, add the corn syrup and vanilla until combined, 5-10 secs.
3. Scrape the sides again and add the chocolate, pulsing until smooth and creamy, 5-10 secs.
4. When both layers of cake are cooled, spread about 1/4 of the icing on the top part of the lower layer; place second layer on top; and frost top and sides.
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