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You've tried those cheap cakes from the grocery store. They're sweet enough, but somewhat lacking in chocolatey flavor. Costco has been selling a pretty luscious chocolate cake, at a great price, but you might not live near a Costco. Your local baker is likely to charge you a little more. So here's a basic chocolate layer cake recipe that can be improved with the special pudding recipe, below.

How to Make a Rich Chocolate Cake

by Shauna Hanus

Old time bakers used to make a "pudding" for chocolate cakes. This pudding is different than the pudding in the mix chocolate cakes we are used to today. Old time chocolate pudding was a way for bakers to elicit the full chocolate flavor from the cocoa powder and unsweetened chocolate which gave them rich full flavored chocolate cake.

When cakes are made strictly with cocoa powder which contains mostly cocoa solids the chocolate cake flavor is somewhat subdued. The chocolate flavor can be stricken even more by mixing the cocoa powder with flour. But by incorporating unsweetened chocolate which contains cocoa butter as well as cocoa solids into the cocoa powder the chocolate cake is given an extra boost of chocolate flavor.

Water and sugar also play an important role in making a rich full flavored chocolate cake. Hot water heated in a double boiler is used to bloom the chocolate flavor in the cocoa powder and unsweetened chocolate. Then when sugar is incorporated into the chocolate pudding the subtle chocolate flavors will begin to shine.

Here is the basic recipe for making a pudding to add to your chocolate cake batter.

Unsweetened Chocolate Cocoa Powder Hot Water Sugar

Combine coarsely chopped unsweetened chocolate, cocoa powder, and hot water in a double boiler. Heat until the chocolate is melted. Then add the sugar and stir until the pudding is glossy and thick.

Simply adjust the amounts above to your favorite chocolate cake recipe and watch your cake take on a whole new level of sweet chocolate flavor.

Shauna Hanus specializes in creating gourmet recipes. She has extensive experience cooking with easy to find grocery items to create delightful gourmet meals. She is also the publisher of a no cost bi-monthly gourmet newsletter. Her newsletter is always fun and informational packed with tips and trivia you can use everyday. Sign up for her newsletter and learn more about Gourmayeats Weekly Recipe Club at http://www.gourmayeats.com/recipe.html

Chocolate Layer Cake Recipe

Yield: 12 servings

Ingredients

• 1 ½ cup (340 g) butter, softened
• 1 2/3 cup (340 g) sugar
• 6 eggs
• 2 2/3 cup (340 g) all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup (120 g) finely ground almonds (optional)
• 6 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ½ cup boiling water

Preheat oven to 350 deg F (Gas mark 4 or 180 deg C).

• Line two 9 inch (23 cm) cake tins with greaseproof or other non-stick paper and grease the tins.
• Beat the softened butter with sugar.
• Add one egg at a time, mix well between each egg.
• Mix with flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, vanilla extract, and finely ground almonds.
• Add ½ cup of boiling water and mix well.
• Transfer to two separate cake tins and bake at 350 degrees just until set in the middle, approximately 30-45 minutes. A wooden pick inserted in center should come out with just a few moist crumbs on it. Do not over-bake!
• Cool the cakes and cut each in half, horizontally. They are easier to cut if they are kept in a refrigerator for a few hours before cutting.

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