Ingredients: |
Ingredients: Cake:
4 ounces bittersweet (not unsweetened) or semi-sweet chocolate, chopped
1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon coarse kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup whole milk
1/2 cup plain whole-milk yogurt
1-1/2 cups packed golden brown sugar
3/4 cup (1-1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 teaspoons dried lavender blossoms, finely ground in a spice mill
4 large eggs
Chocolate-Orange Buttercream:
8 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, chopped
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
7 Tablespoons (or more) water
1-1/2 cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
4 cups powdered sugar, divided
1 Tablespoon grated orange peel
2 teaspoons vanilla
1/2 teaspoon coarse kosher salt
1 Tablespoon Grand Marnier or other orange liqueur
Chocolate Curls (for garnish)
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Directions: |
Directions:Cake:
Position rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 325º. Butter and flour two 9-inch cake pans with 1-1/2 inch sides. Line bottoms of pans with parchment paper. Stir chocolate in the top of a double boiler, set over simmering water, until smooth. Remove from over the water and cool to barely lukewarm.
Sift flour and next 4 ingredients into a medium bowl. In small bowl, whisk milk and yogurt to blend.
Using electric mixer, beat brown sugar, butter and lavender in a large bowl until smooth. Beat in eggs, one at a time. Beat in melted chocolate until smooth.
Mix in dry ingredients alternately with milk mixture in three additions each. Divide batter between prepared pans. Bake cake until tester inserted in center comes out clean, about 30 minutes. Cool cake in pans on racks for 15 minutes. Turn cake out onto racks; remove parchment and cool completely.
Note: Dried lavender blossoms are available at natural food stores and at some specialty food stores.
Chocolate-Orange Buttercream:
Stir 8 ounces chocolate in top of a double boiler, set over simmering water, until smooth. Cool until barely lukewarm, but still pourable. Mix cocoa powder and 7 Tablespoons water in a small, heavy saucepan. Stir over medium-low heat until smooth and thick, but still pourable, adding more water by the teaspoonful if necessary. Cool.
Beat butter, 1/3 cup powdered sugar and orange peel in large bowl to blend. Add melted chocolate, vanilla and salt; beat until smooth. Beat in cocoa mixture. Gradually add remaining 3-2/3 cups powdered sugar and beat until frosting is smooth. Mix in Grand Marnier. Place one cake layer on platter. Spread 1-1/2 cups frosting over top of cake. Top with second layer. Spread remaining frosting over top and sides of cake, swirling decoratively. Mount chocolate curls in the center of cake.
Cake may be made one day ahead. Cover with a cake dome and refrigerate. Let cake stand at room temperature for 2 hours before serving.
Makes 12 servings. |
This recipe for Prince of Wales Cake is from