High Altitude Friendly Chocolate Cake

Cake adapted https://cakebycourtney.com/high-altitude-friendly-chocolate-cake/

Frosting adapted https://sallysbakingaddiction.com/favorite-chocolate-buttercream/

This is real chocolate cake

QUICK LOOK
Prep: 15 minutes
Method: Microwave or stovetop to heat water. Oven.
Yield: 3 (8-inch) round cake layers OR
4 (6-inch) round cake layers OR 9×13 cake pan OR 12×18 sheet pan.  

Cake Ingredients

  • 1 3/4 cups, plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 2 cups, minus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
  • 2 teaspoons baking soda
  • 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt or 1 scant teaspoon table salt
  • 1 cup buttermilk, shaken (see recipe note)
  • 3/4 cups good quality dark cocoa powder (combination of regular and dutch-process cocoa-do not use all dutch cocoa)
  • ¼ teaspoon instant coffee granules
  • 1 cup hot water (see recipe note)
  • 1/2 cup vegetable oil
  • 3 large eggs, room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla

Frosting Ingredients

  • 1 cup (230g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
  • 6 cups (540g) confectioners’ sugar
  • 3/4 cup (65g) natural unsweetened or dutch-process cocoa powder
  • 1/2 cup (120ml) whole milk
  • 1 Tablespoon light corn syrup
  • 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
  • 1/8 teaspoon salt

Cake Instructions

  1. PREHEAT the oven to 350 degrees. 
  2. SPRAY pans or pans. For layer cakes, line the bottom of each pan with parchment paper, and then spray the pans again.
  3. BOIL a little over 2 cups of water (1 cup if using fresh buttermilk–see recipe note)
  4. COMBINE the flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and salt and buttermilk powder* into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a whisk attachment and mix on low speed until combined.
  5. ADD cocoa and coffee granules to a medium size bowl. 
  6. POUR measured boiling water into a medium size bowl.
  7. ADD cocoa and coffee granules to boiling water and whisk until smooth. 
  8. COMBINE oil, eggs and vanilla in another bowl
  9. ADD the oil mixture to the dry ingredients and stir to moisten; the batter should be streaked with flour and lumpy. Scrape bowl with a rubber spatula as often as necessary.
  10. POUR water and cocoa mixture over flour and oil mixture. 
  11. MIX on medium speed, scraping the bottom of the bowl as necessary.
  12. MIX again briefly until the batter has no lumps. 
  13. POUR the batter into the prepared pans and bake for 16-25 minutes, depending on the pan size. 
  14. REMOVE from the oven when a toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs on it. Don’t over bake. 
  15. COOL in the pans for 10 minutes. If desired, turn out onto a cooling rack and cool completely.

Frosting Instructions

  1. BEAT the butter using a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, until pale, smooth, and creamy – about 4 full minutes.
  2. SIFT the confectioners’ sugar and cocoa together.
  3. GRADUALLY add the sugar/cocoa mixture, followed by the milk, corn syrup, vanilla, and salt.
  4. BEAT for 1 minute.
  5. TURN the mixer up to medium-high speed and beat for 3 full minutes. If the frosting is too thick, add a splash more of milk.
  6. FROST cooled cake.

Recipe Notes

  • Try using buttermilk powder instead of fresh buttermilk. It is found in the baking aisle. To use buttermilk powder in this cake, add 4 Tablespoons buttermilk powder to the other dry ingredients.  Add 1 extra cup of boiling water (2 cups total) to the cocoa and coffee granules. 
  • Store a container of decaffeinated coffee granules in the freezer. A smidge enhances the chocolate flavor in baked goods.
  • Cover leftovers tightly and store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.