Chocolate Cake with Chocolate Walnut Frosting
Chocolate Cake with Chocolate Walnut Frosting
I have been making this recipe for Chocolate Cake with Chocolate Walnut Frosting for as long as I can remember. It’s delicious, chocolaty and decadent. This chocolate cake recipe doesn’t get as “high” as other cakes which allows the chocolate walnut frosting to really shine through. It’s almost like eating a thin piece of cake with a thick piece of fudge on top. And let’s face it, whats wrong with that!
Grandma’s Chocolate Cake
My Grandma made this chocolate cake with chocolate walnut frosting often and it was and continues to be, my favorite chocolate cake. It’s the only chocolate cake recipe. The frosting on the other hand, what can I say? You just have to taste it, to be a believer. You’ll be eating spoonfuls of the stuff. This cake is always a big hit no matter where I bring it. I mean seriously, who in their right mind doesn’t like chocolate cake with chocolate walnut frosting!
Baking Cocoa
Both chocolate and cocoa powder come from cocoa beans that grow in pods. The pods grow on the tropical Theobromia cacao tree which are found in Southeast Asia, Africa, Hawaii, and Brazil. Once cocoa beans are fermented, dried, roasted and cracked the nibs are are ground to extract 75% of the cocoa butter. The dark paste left behind is called chocolate liquor. After dying again, the hardened mass is ground into the powder known as unsweetened cocoa.
Dutch Cocoa
The richer, darker Dutch cocoa has undergone a treatment known as the Dutch process, whereby it’s treated with an alkali, which helps neutralize cocoa’s natural acidity. Cocoa powder is sold plain or mixed with other ingredients such as milk powder and sugar, which creates an instant cocoa mix. Cocoa mixes should not be substituted for cocoa powder in recipes. Store cocoa powder airtight in a cool, dark place for up to 2 years.
Chocolate Cake with Chocolate Walnut Frosting
Ingredients
- 2 cups sugar
- 2 cups flour
- 3/4 cup cocoa
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup boiling water
- Chocolate Walnut Frosting
- 1 stick butter, room temperature
- 3 tablespoons baking cocoa
- 6 tablespoons milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 16 oz box powdered sugar
- 1 cup chopped walnuts
Instructions
- Heat oven to 350º F.
- Grease and flour 13 x 9 inch glass baking dish.
- Combine dry ingredients in large bowl; sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add eggs, buttermilk, oil and vanilla; beat on medium speed for 2 minutes.
- Stir in boiling water; batter will be thin. Pour into baking dish.
- Bake 25 to 35 minutes or until wooden toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
- Cool cake for 15 minutes on wire rack.
- Frost with Chocolate Walnut Fudge Frosting while cake is warm but not hot.
- Make Chocolate Walnut Frosting
- Melt together butter and cocoa. Add milk and vanilla. Stir in powdered sugar and nuts.
- Spread frosting on warm cake.
- Cool completely.
- Store the cake, covered, in the refrigerator.
My Grandma said she got the recipe off the back of a can of Hershey’s cocoa many years ago. Hershey’s
Looking for another fantastic and easy recipe? Try this easy version of the German classic Easy Black Forest Cake