When we were children, our mothers, grandmothers and aunts often baked chocolate cakes like this one: a chocolate sponge with a smooth buttercream filling—melting, velvety and intensely chocolatey. I hadn’t had a cake like this Old Fashioned Chocolate Cake in many years.
For a time, people grew cautious about butter, eggs and sugar, and these traditional chocolate cakes fell out of fashion. I’m not suggesting anyone eat a cake like this every day, but an occasional indulgence—perhaps once a year—seems perfectly reasonable to honor those classic family recipes.
Old Fashioned Chocolate Cake – a classic, made the way our grandmothers did.
Dessert
American
old fashioned chocolate cake
- DOUGH:
-
6
eggs -
6
Tbsp
sugar -
3
Tbsp
flour -
3
Tbsp
ground walnuts -
50
g
chocolate - FILLING:
-
6
eggs -
6
Tbsp
sugar -
250
g
chocolate -
250
g
butter -
1
Tbsp
ground coffee*
-
FOR THE DOUGH: Beat the egg whites until soft peaks form.
-
In a separate bowl, whisk the egg yolks with the sugar until the sugar dissolves. Stir in the melted chocolate, then fold in the flour and ground walnuts. Gently incorporate the whipped egg whites.
-
Pour the batter into a springform pan and bake in a preheated 180°C oven for about one hour, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow the cake to cool completely.
-
FOR THE FILLING: In a double boiler, whisk the eggs with the sugar until the mixture thickens. Add the chocolate and stir until it melts and is fully incorporated. Remove from heat and let cool slightly.
-
Whip in the butter and the ground coffee until the filling is smooth and well combined.
-
Slice the cooled cake horizontally to create two layers. Spread the filling between the layers and use the remaining filling to frost the top and sides.
*Ground coffee is optional but enhances the chocolate flavor.
This recipe was first published on: December 12, 2013