Chocolate Cake

I had a hankering to photograph some chocolate and really wanted to photograph a nice  chocolate cake. Serendipitously, the day before I planned to shoot I got my Kitchn newsletter that announced they had found the best chocolate cake. After reading their reviews I had no choice but the follow through with their clear winner–but I took liberties on the frosting and made my favorite, Julia Child’s creme anglaise buttercream. I was not disappointed. 

Chocolate Cake from Ina Garten –I just subbed the coffee for criobru. 

Chocolate Frosting recipe:

2/3 cup granulated sugar

4 egg yolks

1/2 cup boiling water

1/2 lb. (2 American sticks) unsalted butter, softened

6 oz. semisweet chocolate, melted

Beat the sugar and egg yolks together a a bowl with a hand mixer until the mixture is thick and pale yellow and forms a ribbon.

Slowly beat in the boiling milk a few drops at a time. Pour the mixture into a 1 quart heavy bottomed saucepan, stirring with a wooden spoon over medium-low heat until mixture thickens enough to coat spoon. Once it reaches this point, remove saucepan from heat and beat until custard has cooled to barely lukewarm. 

Beat the softened butter in a stand mixer with whisk attachment or with hand mixer until light and fluffy. Slowly add the lukewarm custard by spoonfuls into the butter. Beat until fully incorporated. Add the melted chocolate and beat until incorporated.

Spread on cooled cake. Enjoy.