Wow! What a weekend! A hurricane in New York? I was not expecting that. It came as a guest to say
happy birthday to my husband. I had planned a Southern meal to celebrate my husband’s 30th birthday which was on Saturday. Instead, I ended up preparing for the hurricane. Thankfully, nothing bad happened around here but I would be lying if I said I wasn’t scared. Despite the hurricane, I decided to go ahead and do what I had planned. My mom made a delicious pulled pork which I wish I had the recipe for to share with you but I was not there when she made it and my mom is not great at giving recipes, no measurements or quantities, I love it.
Of course there was a cake. My husband’s all time favorite, chocolate fudge cake with a chocolate-coffee frosting. I love this cake, it’s rich, chocolaty, it has a lovely coffee flavor and the frosting is just good. I also used some fresh figs to top the cake, I used figs, because I love them but also because my tree is just producing figs like crazy, it’s the best harvest we’ve ever had.
For the cake:
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup light brown sugar
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup canola oil
2 large eggs
1 cup of buttermilk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon instant coffee
1 cup of hot water
Fresh figs (optional)
Preheat oven to 350 F.
grease and flour a 9-inch round cake pan. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment,
combine the sugar, brown sugar, flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt at low speed until blended. In a separate mixing bowl, whisk together the oil, eggs, buttermilk and vanilla. Slowly add the liquid ingredients into the dry ingredients on low speed until just blended. Scrape around the bowl with a rubber spatula, scrape the bottom and the sides. Mix the coffee powder into the hot water and pour coffee into the batter, blend well on low speed for 20 seconds. The batter will be thin, don’t worry, that’s the way it should be. pour batter into prepared cake pan and bake for 35 to 45 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean. Cool in the pan for 25 minutes, then turn it out onto a cooling rack and cool completely.
Frosting:
7oz Chocolate, semisweet chocolate,
finely chopped
2 sticks of butter, at room temperature
1 teaspoon of vanilla
1 cup of confectioners’ sugar
1 tablespoon of instant coffee dissolved in
2 tablespoons of hot water
Melt the chocolate in a heatproof bowl over a saucepan of simmering water. Make sure the bowl is not touching the water, set aside.
In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter on medium-high speed until fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add the vanilla and the dissolved coffee and continue mixing for a minute more. Turn the mixer to low and gradually add the confectioners’ sugar, then turn the speed back to medium and mix until smooth. On low speed, add the melted chocolate and mix until well blended. The frosting will be a bit runny but don’t worry, just let it sit for 5 or 10 minutes or until it’s hard enough to pipe the cake. You can also spread immediately on the cooled cake if you don’t want to pipe.
Tip: feel free to double up on the frosting if you like chocolate as much as I do 🙂
Assemble:
Carefully cut cake in three layers and spread some frosting on each layer. Spread the top and the sides with the remaining frosting, if you want to create the ruffles, here is a useful video you can watch. Don’t be afraid, just go for it. Place the figs on top.
Hi – was the frosting enough for the ruffles? Or do you suggest doubling the recipe?
What a cake this is! it looks so so rich in the most heavenly way, absolutely stunning 🙂
Thank you so much! If you are doing the ruffles, double up on the frosting, if not then is plenty!
Thank you again!
xo
The figs are not optional for me, they are a must 😉
Oh my, that cake looks amazing! Love how rich and intense the chocolate looks:-)
The piping job on this is just gorgeous! And I just love fresh figs.
That cake looks insanely good. I love the ruffles too.
That looks so elegant and stylish. It's giving me a gooey feeling for that choco coatings.
OHG! I am doing this for my chocolate cake lover boyfriend! His birthday is approaching…amazing pics, too!!
Oh my GOODNESS! This is the first thing I've seen all morning, and now it's all I'll be thinking about for the rest of the day!!!
Thank you all for your sweet words!
Oh my! What a delicious looking cake! I just want to lick off all that frosting YUM!
beautiful photography! luscious looking cake! i love the decoration with figs and wonderful piping.
Gorgeous shots. I am now craving this cake. Serious mouthwatering, drooling over my keyboard craving. I love chocolate cake and am always looking for a new, better recipe. The figs sounds like quite the addition too!
This look so mouthful and its really good to pair with a cup of hot coffee or fresh orange juice.
Cody
Wow! Great blog, wonderful photos, yummy chocolate cake!
Oh my word! That is one stunning cake Najwa.
Oh. My. Goodness. I have been craving chocolate cake for almost two weeks now and this one has my name on it — bearing in mind I've got plums, apples, and figs in my kitche right now. So tempted! Your mom's pulled pork sounds pretty darn good, too.
Your cake looks absolutely gorgeous!!!! I love the ruffle frosting and your photos are stunning.
This looks delicious. Would love for you to share this with us over at foodepix.com.
Hey!! I just found your blog through foodgawker and you have such a wonderful collection of desserts!!! I am coming back again and again for more!!
Thank you so much and welcome!!!
Hi Najwa, first time here and looking at your recipes, loved your tag like ” food is beautiful” and your clicks make them so true!! too apt..will be back again.
Thank you so much!! I'm glad you stopped by. Welcome!!
This is gorgeous! I can't wait to try it. Making it for my mom's birthday this weekend. : )
Thank you Valerie! Happy bday to your Mom and please let me know how it came out! xo
This looks truly sinful ! I should make it tomorrow and celebrate Halloween in a truly 'sinful' fashion, don't ya think ? It is gorgeous as well, and my hubby, who didn't get his requested chocolate birthday cake earlier this year, will thank me-and you !! Denise
Thank you Denise, how sweet of you, please, let me know how it came out if you decide to make it!
I really like your recipes. There is a new platform where you can upload them and are seen with a design adapted to iPad. You can also link to your blog, get statistics… It is http://www.cibos.me
I made this cake last night and it is by far the best chocolate cake I have ever made or eaten!! Thank you for the recipe!
I made this cake last night and it is by far the best chocolate cake I have ever made or eaten!! Thank you for the recipe! I didn't change a thing 🙂
Thank you so much! I'm really glad you liked it! xx
Does the one 9-inch cake pan make enough cake for 3 layer slices? Does it rise really high?
Hi!, Yes, 9-inch cake pan is enough for three layers but the layers are not very high (just like in the photo), you can double up the recipe and divide the batter in 3 pans for a higher cake. Thank you!